Rangers or Rays? MLB Playoff Preview

Here lies a classic example of the books not being able to post a moneyline with the correct value because of the nature of post-season betting.  If this were to be a regular season game we would see a moneyline close to -200, but because of the influx of post-season bettors a line must be posted which will influence even money on both sides. 

Many post-season bettors throw their money on whoever is hot and ride it out til the fire goes cold.  This betting style actually has been very profitable over the past decade as a hot team coming into the great fall classic has not just faired well but often taken the World Series.  Last year we rode the Giants in every single game which made us bundles of cash.  This year the same opportunity arises in the Texas Rangers and not in the Tampa Bay Rays.  Many uneducated bettors have a false notion that the Rays are coming into this post-season with a great deal of momentum. 

Yes, they chased down the Red Sox being 9 games back with a month to play but this was by no means of their doing as they posted a 9-7 record over the final 16 games.  Yes, they won the final game in dramatic fashion after trailing 7-0 in the bottom of the 8th, but don't be fooled as the yankees threw primarily minor league call-ups the entire game. 

The Texas Rangers on the other hand come into this post-season RED HOT posting a 14-2 record in their final 16.  They have not just been doing it with their bats but with their stock pile of left handers allowing less than 3 runs a game during this span.  This does not bode well for the Rays who are 25th in the MLB in batting average posting a .244 this year.  The Rays will have to try and pick up the slack against Rangers ace C.J. Wilson (16-7) who posted a 2.94 ERA this year and has a 1.88 ERA over his last three.  In Wilson's last outing against the Rays he threw a complete game shutout in Tampa.  We don't see any scenario in which the Rays score over 3 runs in this one. 

So the question really is can Texas score over 3 runs today off rookie phenom Matt Moore? 

The Rangers have never faced Moore but do have the best batting average in MLB with a .283 and are second in home runs (201).  They also are 5-0 in their last 5 against left handed pitching along with 40-16 when a favorite of -151-->-200.  The Rangers were 3rd in runs scored this year by averaging 5.28 a game and have averaged 6.5 runs a game over their last 20 games.  We LOVE the Rangers not just tonight but to win the AL Pennant (+250) and World Series (+700).