The Kansas City Royals (17-10 SU, +6.87 Units) and Detroit Tigers (17-11 SU, +4.82 Units) figure to be two of the best teams in baseball this year. They'll wrap up their weekend series on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball this weekend.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Tigers have opened up as -165 favorites for the opening game in this series, but keep in mind that David Price is on the bump for the hosts. Expect to see a much more level duel in this game with two evenly matched pitchers taking the hill.
A trend to certainly follow is Kansas City's dominance on the run-line this year. The team is 18-9 through its first 27 games of the season against baseball's version of the spread, and its mark of +12.45 Units is second in the bigs only behind the Cardinals.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Detroit's 26-year old Shane Greene is the probable pitcher for Sunday, but we have to wonder if this is his last shot to prove himself before he gets optioned to the minors.
Over the course of his last three starts, Greene has been pathetic, allowing 20 runs over jut a total of nine innings. His velocity is way done, and his pitch location, though in the strike zone, is just far too good for big leaguers to not crush. Granted, a BABIP of over .400 in these three games isn't going to continue over the course of the whole season, but Brad Ausmus is going to have to be asking himself a lot of questions about Greene if he once again pitches poorly.
Jason Vargas is still holding down the back end of the Kansas City rotation, but he has done a really nice job in his last two starts. Vargas picked up the win in each of those two, tossing a total of 11 innings and allowing four runs in the process.
Vargas' numbers aren't going to blow you away (5.26 ERA, 14 Ks, 10 BBs in 25.2 innings of work), but he is at least managing to get the job done and keep the Royals in games.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"He starts moving toward home plate, and his arm ends up getting behind him. It's really all it is… If somehow we can slow him down and keep his weight over his backside, I think it will fix itself." – Tigers manager Brad Ausmus on the mechanical issues with Shane Greene's delivery
SITUATIONAL BETTING
Wade Davis did a fine job replacing Greg Holland as the Royals' closer while the latter was hurt, but now that Holland is back in the fold, Kansas City's bullpen is downright scary again.
These two men have combined to toss 15 innings this year, and they have allowed a grand total of just five hits and two walks. Most importantly, they are 10-for-10 between them in save opportunities, and they haven't allowed a single run. If this game gets into the eighth inning with the Royals ahead, it could be all over but the crying for the Tigers.
PROP TALK
You might think that Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter on the Tigers, but for prop betting purposes, if Jose Iglesias comes back into the fold on Sunday, he could be the best value on the board.
The youngster has been battling a groin injury which will keep him out for at least the first game of this series, but before he was injured, he was tearing it up, batting .349. We wouldn't want to trust him with anything but hits, but if you're talking about a total bases prop, you could certainly do a lot worse than backing Iglesias if he is healthy.
ANALYSIS & PREDICTION
We expect to see the Tigers favored by just a thin margin in this game, but we don't see that as justified. Kansas City has really played well at the outset of the season, and it has continued to do the job on the road.
Vargas isn't the end all, be all by any stretch of the imagination, but he at least does the job more often than not and keeps KC in it. With the Royals' bullpen restored to full health, they'll take this game on Sunday.
Kansas City 6, Detroit 3
The baseball betting odds for this game will first be available at BookMaker Sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this baseball matchup. Live wagering during commercials offers and adjusted moneyline, individual inning run totals and next hitter results. Log in, and start gambling during the game now!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The game between the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers will start at 8:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 10, 2015 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. The matchup will be televised nationally on ESPN.
