ODDS ANALYSIS
If the Tigers plan to repeat as AL Central champs they better take care of business against teams expected to be near the bottom of the standings. Minnesota is one of those teams and the Tigers have done their job winning the first four meetings as the favorite. Detroit is the most profitable AL team through the first month of the season up 7.19 units through 20 games on the moneyline and 9.68 units on the runline. Detroit’s offense has cooled after a scorching start with the over at 11-9 through 20 games and the teams played the under in earlier games started by Shane Greene and Phil Hughes.
The start of the season hasn’t been as disastrous for the Twins as many predicted but playing in the competitive AL Central doesn’t help them. Their only series outside the division was a weekend set at Seattle where the Twins took two of three up 1.73 units. Through their first 19 games the Twins are down 1.05 units playing 18 of those contests as the underdog. The teams cashed the over in the series opener Monday and are 2-2 through their first four head-to-head meetings.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Detroit’s Shane Greene (3-1, 3.00 ERA) came crashing back to Earth Friday getting ripped for eight runs on nine hits over four-plus innings against the Indians for his first loss of the season. He entered Friday’s game having allowed just one earned run over 23 frames in his first three starts and saw his ERA go from 0.39 to 3.00.
He gave up an unearned run on four hits over eight innings against the Twins on Apr. 9 in a 7-1 Tigers home win.
Minnesota’s Phil Hughes (0-4, 4.39 ERA) took a complete game loss after giving up two runs with nine strikeouts in eight innings Friday in Seattle. Hughes did his usual thing and the Twins did their usual thing keeping Hughes winless on the season.
Hughes started the season opener at Detroit on Apr. 6 giving up four runs on eight hits with six K’s in six innings in a 4-0 loss. He is 7-7 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 appearances – 13 starts – against the Tigers in his career.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“It was just balls up. He’s a sinkerball pitcher and if he doesn’t have his changeup in the right location, against a predominantly left-handed lineup, and if he’s not down with that two-seamer – I don’t want to say it’s easy pickings, but Major League hitters take advantage of that.” – Tigers manager Brad Ausmus after Shane Greene allowed eight runs in his last outing
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
A return to Target Field appears to be just what Detroit’s Yoenis Cespedes needed to break out of a mini-slump. Watch the Tigers lineup and when Cespedes is due up look for something to happen. He’s a streaky hitter and he’s streaking in the right direction for the Tigers. Cespedes has hit safely in 18 of 19 career games against the Twins batting .380 with five home runs, seven doubles and 24 RBIs. Most of his damage has come at Target Field where he hits .452 with 17 RBIs. When Cespedes and Miguel Cabrera come to bat one of them is likely to do some damage to the Twins fragile pitching staff.
PROP TALK
It’s hard not to talk about the most destructive offensive player in the game in this section. Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera has been doing it for so long fans take for granted his ability to strike the baseball and he’s off to another blazing start leading Detroit’s offense. Cabrera, who’s hitting .377 with three homers and 13 RBIs through the first 19 games, has feasted on Minnesota pitching at Target Field with a .360 lifetime average and has enjoyed facing Phil Hughes even more. Miggy has a .471 average with five home runs in 34 career at-bats against the Twins righty and we like him to light the torch Wednesday with a few base knocks and RBIs.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Tigers have to stave off the Royals for supremacy in the AL Central and so far they’ve done a nice job winning 14 of their first 20 games. Detroit has a well-rounded squad with a potent offense and, so far, a pitching staff that’s done more than enough although the numbers have increased recently. Miguel Cabrera and Yoenis Cespedes supply the power and an unlikely source – shortstop Jose Iglesias – has been the table-setter.
The Twins are playing much better than expected early in the season, hanging close in many of their games, but a lack of offense and suspect defense have been costly. As a team the Twinkies are hovering around the .230 mark and a lack of power prohibits them from getting runs in a hurry. Their inability to prolong innings with multiple hits has them at the bottom of the league rankings in runs per game and the Tigers completely shut them down in the season-opening series giving up one run in three games. Shane Greene was the Tigers’ pitcher that allowed the Twins first run of the season after 24 shutout frames.
Detroit 6, Minnesota 2
The MLB lines for this contest will first be released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Detroit Tigers versus the Minnesota Twins will commence Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at 1:10 p.m. ET at Target Field. The matchup will be televised regionally on FOX Sports Detroit.
