MLB Betting Preview: The State of Missouri has two Major League Baseball teams but according to most fans, it has one. And that rankles the Kansas City Royals who seem to have ‘red-headed-step-child’ status across most of the Show-Me-State. Of course 250 or so miles east of KC on I-70 sits the fair haired one, the St. Louis Cardinals. And Cardinal’s fans don’t really care much for the Royals either as memories of getting robbed in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series still seems to haunt.
Tuesday night the Royals travel to St. Louis for another inter league clash with the Cardinals at new Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have dominated the series since that fateful 1985 World Series by winning 26-of-35 inter league games. The Cardinals will send RHP Joel Pineiro (2-3, 4.41 ERA) to the mound for Tuesday’s game while the Royals look to RHP Kyle Davies (2-0, 1.53 ERA).
Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have installed the Cardinals as 132-money line favorites with a 9 run total. The Royals are getting +122 ML juice.
After winning his first two starts, Davies lapsed into control problems against the Rangers last Wednesday night. He walked five and gave up seven hits but still managed to get through six innings with one run across the plate. He left with a 5-1 lead but the bullpen coughed up 10 runs and lost the game, 11-5. Command of his fastball has plagued Davies in the past and he worked hard at Triple-A Omaha to remedy that. He had walked just one in his previous outing. Although Davies formerly pitched for the Braves, this will be his first appearance against the Cardinals.
Pineiro gave up just two runs on three hits through five innings of work against the Reds on Thursday. It was his first start since returning from the 15-day disabled list, where he was nursing a strained right groin. He threw just 69 pitches — 47 going for strikes — with one walk and six strikeouts. One of his earned runs came on a sacrifice squeeze, while another came when Reds starter Bronson Arroyo hit his fourth career home run in the fifth.
The Royals defeated Arizona 8-3 as a +135 underdog on Sunday. The 11 runs scored went OVER the posted over/under total (8.5).
David DeJesus was 3-5 with a home run and five RBI for Kansas City, while Gil Meche earned the win after allowing three runs on four hits, with 10 strikeouts over seven 1-3 innings.
The Cardinals defeated Philadelphia 7-6 as a +135 underdog on Sunday. The 13 runs scored went OVER the posted over/under total (10).
Troy Glaus hit a two-run home run and Skip Schumaker added a solo shot for St. Louis in the win.
Point-Spreads.com MLB Betting pick: Royals +122 ML
