American League East rivals take to the field for the second time in as many weeks starting with an MLB betting affair on Tuesday night, as the Tampa Bay Rays crack skulls with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays may still have the best record in baseball, but the gap between themselves and the rest of the league has been dwindling in recent weeks. Still, Tampa Bay holds two games worth of an advantage over the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays sit 4.5 games back of the hosts in the AL East standings, and are even with the Boston Red Sox for third place in the division.
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Toronto Blue Jays (33-25, +$1,225) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (37-20, +$732)
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, June 8th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: Sun Sports, RSN, XM

MLB Odds: Toronto Blue Jays +160 (Brian Tallet – L) vs. Tampa Bay Rays -190 (Jeff Niemann – R) Total: Over/Under 9

For just the fifth time this year, LHP Brian Tallet will get the nod from manager Cito Gaston as the starting pitcher for the Jays. Tallet was fantastic in his last outing against these Rays, throwing 5.2 scoreless innings only to see his bullpen implode. Toronto has lost three straight games in which Tallet has started. Ironically, the southpaw’s only win this year came on the road in one of his worst starts, as he allowed four runs (two earned) in 6.2 innings against the Rangers on April 7th.Even though he has spent some time away from the Blue Jays, Tallet is 1-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 23.1 innings of work in 2010.

The man who was really bailed out that day that Tallet was on the mound last week was none other than RHP Jeff Niemann, who will once again start for the Rays on Tuesday night. Niemann had held all ten of his foes this year to three runs or fewer before getting shelled for five earned against the Jays last week. The long ball is starting to become a big issue for the big right hander. Niemann has conceded four home runs in his L/3 starts, giving him eight for the year. If he kept up at this pace, he would allow seven more homers than he did all of last season. Still, Niemann is undefeated this year at 5-0 with a 2.79 ERA, and his 1.10 WHIP is one of the best in the league. He has been favored in eight straight MLB betting battles for Tampa Bay, winning the L/7. His ‘over’ contest on June 1st snapped a string of six consecutive games without an ‘over’.

MLB Insider Tip: The Blue Jays are just 6-21 in their L/27 MLB betting contests at Tropicana Field.

Tallet totally outpitched Niemann just seven days ago when these two hooked up at Rogers Centre, but the Rays still got the win. Look for Niemann to bounce back as the Rays open this MLB betting series with a ‘W’ on Tuesday.

My MLB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays (Niemann)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox
Free Pick: Chicago White Sox -170 (Danks)
Courtesy of Mike Rose (Handicapperspicks.com)
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The Blue Jays continued to be one of the best road teams in baseball yesterday afternoon at Progressive Field rallying for three runs in the top of the 9th to steal the series finale and pull off the sweep of the Cleveland Indians; the victory improved manager Cito Gaston’s club to 9-3 (+$924) as a visitor on the year.

The White Sox clawed over the .500 mark at home last night after it jumped on Royals starter Brian Bannister early with four runs in the 1st inning and cruised to the 9-2 home victory. They’re 8-7 (-$65) at “The Cell” to date.

Lefty Dana Eveland made a solid impression on his new teammates throughout his first three starts of the season. Each was a dominating effort where he allowed two ER’s or less. However, in his L/2 outings, the burly lefty has labored.

Toronto has dropped both after he allowed seven ER’s through three IP vs. the Red Sox and four ER’s through 6.2 IP vs. the A’s. All in all, Eveland stands 2-1 on the year with a 4.76 ERA & 1.59 WHIP. He’s allowed 32 hits and 15 earned runs through 28.1 IP and owns an unimpressive K/BB ratio of 13/13.

John Danks has been the one consistent hurler on manager Ozzie Guillen’s staff this season. The lefty enters his fifth start a perfect 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA & 1.00 WHIP. He’s allowed just 25 hits and seven ER’s through 34 total innings of work and boasts a rock solid K/BB ratio of 27/9.

This will be his first career start against the Blue Jays at home. In four outings at Rogers Centre, the lefty stands 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA & 1.53 WHIP. He toyed with the BJ’s offense back in mid April of this season allowing just two hits and an ER through seven IP of Chicago’s dominating 11-1 road victory.

Not a big fan of laying this type of chalk at all, but it looks to be well warranted in this spot.

Though Toronto is one of the best road teams in the game, I believe the baseball gods will punish them for pulling that win out of their behinds yesterday afternoon; the Tribe had them dead to rights and blew it.

I’m also of the belief that Eveland will continue his downward trend and get rocked by a Palehose outfit he made look foolish last month. Danks will continue to be Danks against Toronto who’s allowed two ER’s or less in 3/4 career stars vs. the BJ’s.

After getting off to a slow start, Chicago’s snagged victories in five of its L/6 home games, and its 7-1 in Danks’ L/8 outings vs. the AL East. As for Toronto, it may have taken six of its L/8 games played in Chicago, but it’s also failed to tally a “W” against each of the L/5 southpaws it’s faced.