Seattle Mariners (2-5) -125, o/u 9 at Tampa Bay Rays (3-3), 7:10 pm Eastern Tuesday
by Zman of Predictem.com
The Seattle Mariners, chic picks to click in the American League West this season, look to regain some footing when they begin a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday night in Florida.
Baseball Bookies have Seattle listed as -125 road favorites for Tuesday's game, with an o/u of 9.
The Mariners opened this season by taking two of three home games from the Texas Rangers, but then got swept four games in Baltimore, losing the series finale Monday 5-4. So going into Tuesday's game, Seattle sits in fourth place in the AL West, 2 ½ games behind the first-place Los Angeles Angels.
Tampa began its season by splitting two games in Baltimore, then split four games in New York with the Yankees. So heading into this week's action, the Rays are in fourth place in the AL East, two games back of first-place Baltimore.
Last year, Seattle won the season series with Tampa four games to three, with the o/u going 3-4, as the seven games averaged 10.7 total runs.
The Mariners are 0-4 on the road this year, while Tuesday's game is the Rays' home opener.
Lefty Erik Bedard is scheduled to make his second start for the Mariners Tuesday night against Matt Garza for the Rays.
In his first outing for Seattle, Bedard allowed one run and three hits in five innings of a 5-2 Mariners win over Texas eight days ago. But the former Oriole had his next start pushed back a couple of days because of a sore hip. Last year, Bedard started four games vs. Tampa, allowing eight ER and 33 baserunners (hits + walks) in 25 1/3 IP, and striking out 37, as Baltimore went 4-0 in those games, the o/u 2-2.
In his first outing as a Ray after coming over from Minnesota during the off-season, Garza gave up five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 IP of a 9-6 Tampa loss at Baltimore last Wednesday. Last year, as a Twin, Garza started two games vs. Seattle, allowing 10 ER and 20 baserunners in just 9 1/3 innings of work. The Twins split those two games, and they both went over their totals.
So far this season, the Mariners own a .313 team OBP, which ranks 19th in the league, and are averaging just 3.9 runs per game.
Meanwhile, the Rays own a .306 team OBP, which ranks 22nd, and are averaging 5.3 RPG.
The Seattle bullpen, which is already short closer J.J. Putz, who's on the DL with a rib injury, has been clipped for nine ER and 20 baserunners in its last 9 2/3 innings of work.
On the other side of the field, the Tampa bullpen has given up eight ER and 15 baserunners in its last 13 2/3 IP.
Games played at Tropicana Field last year averaged 9.9 total runs.
The o/u is 3-4 in Mariners games this season, while the totals are 2-4 in Rays games.
Zman's Pick: We are fading the line move here and sticking with the Mariners and sharp lefty ace Bedard to prevail in what should be a low scoring game tonight. Bedard has a nice 2.80 ERA in 61 career innings pitched at Tropicana as well.
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