Tampa Bay Rays at Detroit Tigers (-110, 8.5)
The Detroit Tigers were expected to run away with their division. The Tampa Bay Rays figured to get more of a challenge. The Rays have broken away from the pack early in the American League East by opening with a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees. The Tigers did Tampa a solid in their first weekend, battling for a dramatic sweep of the Boston Red Sox.
Detroit’s slugging tandem of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder proved its worth in the first weekend, combining for five home runs and 11 RBIs, while Alex Avila, Austin Jackson and Jhonny Peralta each got off to hot starts. But Cabrera is batting .263 in 54 career games against Tampa Bay -- his second-lowest mark against an AL opponent.
The Rays, who lost six of seven meetings with the Tigers in 2011, have Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria hitting a combined .545 (12 for 22) and are getting strong contributions from Luke Scott and Jeff Keppinger in a new lineup. Scott, however, left Sunday's game with tightness in his hamstring and could be out a few days.
Rays lefty Matt Moore is the consensus top pitching prospect in baseball and showed his stuff in the postseason, allowing one run and three hits in 10 total innings against the Rangers. A left-hander who works in the upper-90’s, Moore recorded 700 strikeouts in 497 1/3 total minor-league innings.
Tigers starter Rick Porcello is coming off an inconsistent 2011.
Pick: Rays ---
Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers (-230, 6.5)
Whatever worry cropped up during Matt Kemp’s poor spring was swept away over the weekend, when the MVP runner-up opened the regular season by batting .412 and hitting a pair of home runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 series win over the San Diego Padres. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a similar confidence thanks to a hot start by their star center fielder, Andrew McCutchen, and a series win over perennial contender Philadelphia.
Pirates starter Kevin Correia was an All-Star last season but fell off sharply in the second half, posting a 1-5 record with a 7.68 ERA from July 9 through August 19 before being shut down. The veteran right-hander owns a 5-4 career record with a 4.41 ERA in 25 games -- 11 starts -- against the Dodgers.
Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw got the start on opening day but was forced out after three innings due to illness. The 24-year old still managed to strike out three while allowing two hits. Kershaw missed the Pirates last season and has never beaten them, going 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in four career starts.
Kemp and Andre Ethier have combined for 16 RBIs already.
Pick: Over ---
The Detroit Tigers were expected to run away with their division. The Tampa Bay Rays figured to get more of a challenge. The Rays have broken away from the pack early in the American League East by opening with a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees. The Tigers did Tampa a solid in their first weekend, battling for a dramatic sweep of the Boston Red Sox.
Detroit’s slugging tandem of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder proved its worth in the first weekend, combining for five home runs and 11 RBIs, while Alex Avila, Austin Jackson and Jhonny Peralta each got off to hot starts. But Cabrera is batting .263 in 54 career games against Tampa Bay -- his second-lowest mark against an AL opponent.
The Rays, who lost six of seven meetings with the Tigers in 2011, have Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria hitting a combined .545 (12 for 22) and are getting strong contributions from Luke Scott and Jeff Keppinger in a new lineup. Scott, however, left Sunday's game with tightness in his hamstring and could be out a few days.
Rays lefty Matt Moore is the consensus top pitching prospect in baseball and showed his stuff in the postseason, allowing one run and three hits in 10 total innings against the Rangers. A left-hander who works in the upper-90’s, Moore recorded 700 strikeouts in 497 1/3 total minor-league innings.
Tigers starter Rick Porcello is coming off an inconsistent 2011.
Pick: Rays ---
Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers (-230, 6.5)
Whatever worry cropped up during Matt Kemp’s poor spring was swept away over the weekend, when the MVP runner-up opened the regular season by batting .412 and hitting a pair of home runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 series win over the San Diego Padres. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a similar confidence thanks to a hot start by their star center fielder, Andrew McCutchen, and a series win over perennial contender Philadelphia.
Pirates starter Kevin Correia was an All-Star last season but fell off sharply in the second half, posting a 1-5 record with a 7.68 ERA from July 9 through August 19 before being shut down. The veteran right-hander owns a 5-4 career record with a 4.41 ERA in 25 games -- 11 starts -- against the Dodgers.
Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw got the start on opening day but was forced out after three innings due to illness. The 24-year old still managed to strike out three while allowing two hits. Kershaw missed the Pirates last season and has never beaten them, going 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in four career starts.
Kemp and Andre Ethier have combined for 16 RBIs already.
Pick: Over ---
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