MLB Betting Preview: Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins
Posted: March 31, 2008
By
SBGGlobal
Opening Line: Angels -138 , Total 9.5 Under -120
Torii Hunter will immediately get a chance to play against his former team when the Los Angeles Angels open up their season in Minnesota against the Twins. Hunter signed a huge off-season deal with the Angels, leaving the Twins after nine seasons in Minnesota. "I thought I would finish my career there, but I had it in the back of my mind just to be ready for it, that one day it would happen to me," Hunter said. "I was hoping it wouldn't but it did, and what better place can you come?” SBG Global reports that early MLB betting has the public taking Angels on the Road.
Hunter is in a nice outfield that includes Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson and Gary Matthews Jr. Guerrero and Anderson will rotate as the DH. The Twins will miss Hunter as their lineup will suffer with Carlos Gomez taking over in center field. The Twins have a much different team than a year ago when they had Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. He is now with the Mets and the starting lineup now includes left fielder Delmon Young, third baseman Mike Lamb, second baseman Brendan Harris and shortstop Adam Everett. "I hate that rebuilding word. We've heard that a lot. We've got some players in here. We've got an MVP. We've got some guys that can drive in some runs. We've got some good athletes. I don't see it as rebuilding," Twins’ catcher Joe Mauer said.
SBG Global Current Line: Angels -135 , Total 9.5 Under -125
Livan Hernandez was signed in February and he immediately gets the opening day start for the Twins. He'll be followed in a very unproven rotation by Boof Bonser, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker. Francisco Liriano should be part of the rotation soon. Hernandez was poor in spring training but he was 11-11 with a 4.93 ERA last season for Arizona and is a workhorse pitcher. He has two career regular season starts against the Angels, posting a 3.55 ERA in those outings.
The Angels are also having rotation issues with John Lackey and Kevim Escobar hurt. They will go with Jered Weaver tonight followed by Jon Garland, Joe Saunders, Ervin Santana and Dustin Moseley. "It's something you look forward to, something you work for," Weaver said, "Obviously, it would be a little different feeling if we had all five horses healthy and ready to go. But it's still a tremendous honor, that's for sure." Weaver is 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA in three career starts against the Twins.
Here are the MLB betting stats for Monday’s game. The Angels are 5-1 in their last 6 Monday games. The Angels are 8-3 in their last 11 series openers. The Angels are 2-7 in their last 9 road games. The Angels are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. the American League Central. The Angels are 1-4 in their last 5 games as a road favorite. The Angels are 7-3 in Weavers last 10 starts as a favorite. The Angels are 2-5 in Weavers last 7 road starts. The Angels are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between the two teams.
The Twins are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. the American League West. The Twins are 4-1 in their last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Twins are 4-9 in their last 13 home games. The Twins are 5-13 in their last 18 Monday games. The Twins are 3-11 in their last 14 games as an underdog.
The Under is 4-0-1 in the Angels last 5 road games. The Under is 5-1 in the Angels last 6 vs. the American League Central. The Under is 6-2 in the Angels last 8 games as a road favorite. The Under is 6-2-1 in the Angels last 9 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Under is 5-0 in Weaver’s last 5 starts as a road favorite. The Under is 5-1 in Weaver’s last 6 starts vs. the American League Central. The Under is 11-3-1 in Weaver’s last 15 starts as a favorite.
The Under is 6-1 in the Twins last 7 games as an underdog. The Under is 5-2-2 in the Twins last 9 Monday games. The Under is 5-2 in the Twins last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Under is 23-11-3 in the Twins last 37 home games. The Under is 39-19-4 in the Twins last 62 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in Minnesota between the two teams.
PICK: Angels -140 2 units. For more MLB discussion visit the
MLB Betting Forum
