MLB Betting : August 9
MLB Betting – Romero Tries To Keep It Going Against Rays
Most online sports betting players have been waiting for Toronto’s Ricky Romero to break out of his struggles and the Blue Jays ace has put together two solid starts, although neither has ended in a win. Romero will look for his first victory since June 22nd when he takes on Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Blue Jays Rays Odds – Thursday, 1:10 PM ET
Romero (8-8, 5.79) was saddled with a no-decision in a 3-1 win at Oakland, and the native of California allowed a run on three hits over seven innings, striking out five with four walks and while the Blue Jays has sunk down the online betting ranks due to injuries, Romero’s issues have also been a storyline, especially his walks. The 27-year-old southpaw walked seven in his last outing against the Rays, and a no-decision kept his record at 6-4 against the Rays, posting a 3.49 ERA in 12 starts. Romero is also 2-2 in six starts at Tropicana Field with a 3.43 ERA, and even though the Blue Jays are playing their way out of the wild-card picture, Romero can finish the season strong and build confidence for 2013.
Matt Moore (8-7, 3.84) put up zeroes in the box score for his second straight start in a 2-0 win against Baltimore, scattering six runs over 5.1 innings with six strikeouts and three walks, and Moore has now allowed four earned runs in his last four starts. Some sportsbook (play MLB lines here) players may have given up on Moore, who earned a big-money deal after showing electric stuff late last season, but he failed to make the necessary adjustments earlier in the season and is now proving why the Rays think so highly of him. The 23-year-old lefty lasted just 4.1 innings in his first-ever start against Toronto, allowing four runs (two earned) in a no-decision earlier in 2012, and he is a solid 6-4 in 13 home starts with a 3.36 ERA.
Look for the Rays to be the sport betting favorites in this matinee, which will be the series finale after the Rays took the first game by a score of 4-1 on Tuesday. Romero has good splits against Tampa Bay and seems to be finding his way back to the form that made him an All-Star in 2011, but Moore is also gaining confidence and this could be a long game for the hitters. The Blue Jays are four games behind the Rays, who are 1.5 games out of a wild card, so they aren’t totally out of it, but the Rays have been a little more consistent as of late and that gets them the nod at the best online betting sites.
