Rangers host Mariners at the Ballpark

Baseball Betting Lines

06/07/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers will attempt to continue their season- long success at home when the current American League West leaders welcome one of the worst road teams in the majors, the Seattle Mariners, to Rangers Ballpark at Arlington tonight for the opener of a four-game divisional series.

A 20-10 record at home has helped the Rangers seize the top spot in the AL West, where the club presently owns a half-game edge on the hard-charging Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Texas is coming off a pair of victories in its three-game series with AL East-leading Tampa Bay at Rangers Ballpark over the weekend, although the Rays were able to claim the finale with a 9-5 decision yesterday afternoon.

The Rangers received shaky pitching on Sunday, with starter Rich Harden (3-2) serving up a pair of homers and allowing four runs (three earned) in a five- inning stint in which he labored through 111 pitches. Relievers Frank Francisco and Darren O'Day combined to give up three runs in the eighth, enabling the Rays to pull away in what had been a close contest.

"[Harden] still has to figure out a way to get us deeper into ball games," said Rangers manager Ron Washington afterward. "He left the game, we were still in the game, but he still has to get us deeper into the game and he's gotta keep working at it."

Matt Treanor belted a pair of solo home runs for Texas, with Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton each delivering RBI singles in a losing cause.

The Angels closed the gap on the Rangers in the standings with Sunday's 9-4 victory at Seattle, which completed a sweep of the three-game series. Mike Napoli's two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning snapped a 4-4 tie, and Anaheim later tacked on three more runs against the Mariners bullpen to put the game out of reach.

Hideki Matsui reached base with a one-out single off Seattle reliever Shawn Kelley (3-1) and Napoli followed with an opposite-field blast over the wall in right to give Anaheim a 6-4 advantage.

Ichiro Suzuki, Jose Lopez and Josh Wilson each had two hits and an RBI for the Mariners, who entered the series off three consecutive home wins over AL Central leader Minnesota. Seattle starter Jason Vargas worked the first six innings and was reached for four runs (three earned) on 10 hits.

"I think it's always disappointing when you get swept," Vargas said following the loss. "I thought we had some good momentum going in and let some games slip away at the end."

Seattle now heads to the road, where the team has gone a woeful 7-17 thus far in 2010, for a 10-game trip against three teams (Texas, San Diego, St. Louis) currently leading their respective divisions.

The Mariners also haven't fared well in Arlington in the recent past, with the Rangers having won 11 of the last 15 matchups between the AL West foes as the host. In addition, Texas has taken five of its previous six overall encounters with Seattle this season.

Seattle hopes to reverse its fortunes behind Cliff Lee, but the former AL Cy Young Award winner has had a rough go of it at Rangers Ballpark as well over his career. The accomplished left-hander does own a 3-3 record in six lifetime starts in Arlington, but has surrendered 35 runs (33 earned) in 32 1/3 innings over those games, as well as a .338 batting average against.

Lee does enter tonight's assignment on an excellent roll, though. He held the red-hot Angels to three runs -- two earned -- on just four hits and struck out 10 over eight innings in a May 28 victory, then followed up by yielding just one run on five hits and fanning eight through eight frames this past Wednesday against Minnesota. Lee did not receive a decision that night, but the Mariners were able to come away with a 2-1 triumph.

The 31-year-old was also outstanding in his season debut, which took place against the Rangers at Safeco Field. Lee permitted just three hits and struck out eight without a walk in seven scoreless innings in that April 30 clash, although he did not get a decision after exiting a scoreless tie.

In nine overall starts versus Texas, Lee is 5-3 with a 6.15 earned run average.

Scott Feldman gets the call for the Rangers this evening and looks to maintain his career mastery of the Mariners. The right-hander owns a 3-1 record with a 2.67 ERA in 16 games (seven starts) against Seattle and dealt the M's a defeat in Arlington by permitting two runs -- one earned -- over seven sharp innings back on April 11.

Feldman also enters tonight's tilt having won two of his last three starts and pitched a season-high eight innings in Wednesday's victory at Chicago. He was touched for five runs that night, but received plenty of offensive support in a 9-5 verdict.

A surprise 17-game winner for the Rangers last year, Feldman is just 3-5 with a 5.82 ERA through his first 11 starts of this season, but has gone 2-1 in six home starts so far in 2010.

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Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDS

NFL Sports Betting

NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.

Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.

There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.

Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.

The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.

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