.gif&AffUrlID=80){kind=small}
Toronto Blue Jays (20-11) – Scott Richmond -108, 9 O/U at Oakland Athletics (10-16) – Josh Outman -102, 9 O/U, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, Calif., 10:05 PM EST, Friday
by Badger of Predictem.com
Toronto Blue Jay’s right-hander Scott Richmond will try and continue his perfect season Friday night as the Jays begin a three-game series with the Oakland A’s in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The A’s will counter with righty Josh Outman, making his fourth start since coming out of the bullpen.
Richmond, the 29-year-old rookie who made the Jays roster almost by default, will be looking to improve to 5-0 on the season with another quality start against the A’s. He’ll be on the bump for a Blue Jays team that enters the series opener as winners of five of their last seven games despite yesterday’s 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The A’s avoided another series sweep yesterday with a 9-4 victory over Texas, snapping a 4-game losing streak in the process, as the offense finally came alive. Jack Cust hit a grand slam and Matt Holliday added a 3-run homer as the A’s nine run outburst became their new season-high tally in the win.
Oddsmakers have given Toronto and Richmond a slight edge in this game, listing them as low as -108 favorites on the dimeline at 5Dimes.com to as high as -120 favorites at other offshore sportsbooks. The A’s are listed anywhere from -102 to even money depending on your house. The over/under total is listed at 9 across the books.
Richmond has teamed with Roy Halliday to anchor the Jays tattered rotation, putting up numbers like a 2.67 ERA and a .291 opponents’ on- base percentage that are reminiscent of Halliday’s dominant stuff. The Jays have won all five of his starts, including his last outing on Sunday when he went seven innings of 5-hit, 3-run ball in a 4-3 win over Baltimore.
Richmond will be facing an Oakland offense that ranks last in all of baseball in team OPS (.653) and homeruns (15), or near last in several more (.238 BA – 28th; 11 SB – 28th). Although the A’s could be going on a tear at the plate right now, fueled by Cust and Holliday. Cust is 6-for-12 in his last three games and Holliday is finally producing as an A as he has hit four homeruns in his last 8 games.
The big problem facing the A’s tonight is trying to contain the Blue Jays offense, the league’s top-ranked lineup in the early season. Not only are the Jays tops in runs per game (6.13) and team batting average (.292), but the slug too as they are 2nd in OPS and 3rd with 41 homeruns on the season. A tall task for any pitcher, but especially for the A’s Outman.
Outman has yet to earn a decision this season, mainly because he’s a reliever pressed into starting duty and he barely makes it into the 5th inning. His last outing against Seattle was his longest of the season (6 IP), and his best as well as he only allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and left the game with a 4-2 lead. One of his previous starts this season was against the Jay, back on April 17th, when he lasted only four innings while giving up 5 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks. He also gave up two homeruns, to Marco Scutaro and Aaron Hill, but left the game long before it was eventually turned into an 8-5 Oakland win.
Last year Toronto won two of the three games played in Oakland, part of the reason the Jays are 8-1 against the A’s in the last nine overall.
Betting on the total is risky if you follow the trends, as they are all over the place. The under has prevailed in 8 of the last 11 games head-to-head overall, including in two of the three games played this year. But Oakland-Alameda Coliseum tends to play a little small, as it’s actually the over that is 7-3-1 in the last 10 in the A’s park.
Badger’s Pick: I like the Jays here, as I just don’t think Outman is going to be able to do much against the Jay’s red-hot lineup. Take Toronto at -108 in a game I think goes over the total too.
Editor's Picks - Free daily picks from our in-house umpire who grinds out profits by mostly playing underdogs.
Expert MLB Baseball Picks - Get free daily winning predictions from professional sports handicappers!
Dog of the Day - Each day we go to bat as your designated hitter and select what we believe to be the best underdog bet on the board!
Favorite of the Day - We'll predict the best favorite to bet on each day while trying to not get hit by a pitch! (The Vigorish)
Over/Under of the Day - Wagering on totals are underrated! There's a reason books have lower limits on them... because their easier to beat! We assess the wind, rain, umpire tendencies and a bunch of other variables in our quest to smash the bookie!
Line Movement - We're constantly on the phone in the dugout keeping an eye on line moves and steam plays. Is it public action or a steam play? Posted each afternoon by 5PM EST.
Dimeline Sportsbooks - If your not betting at a sportsbook that offers dimlines your wasting money!
Overnight Lines - Bet on tomorrows games tonight. Get better value with opening lines and odds before the sharps hit them and suck the value out.
5Dimes - Offers 10 cent lines and college baseball betting!
Alternative Runlines - Also +2.5 runlines which turns MLB into a point spread sport!
Rules - Innings requirements, listed pitchers, action, rainouts, suspended games. We cover it all!
What is Whip in Baseball? - Ever seen the world WHIP associated with baseball stats? It's one of the most important factors in handicapping. Increase your winning percentage today by reading this article!
How do you Calculate ERA? - We've got the answer to a stat question asked by many.
How to Calculate Batting Average - We all know what it is but but how do you calculate it? Click and learn.
What is... - Answers to MANY questions regarding America's pastime and from around the diamond.
Famous Baseball Quotes - From Yogi Berra to Casey Stengel, we list some of the greatest words ever spoken on the diamond.