MLB Odds Royals vs Nationals MLB Picks – June 23rd, 2010: The Royals and Nationals conclude their three game set today with an afternoon tilt at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Today's pitching matchup features Brian Bannister and rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg. First pitch is scheduled for 4:35pm ET. MLB Odds at SPORTSBETTING.com have the Nationals listed as a heavy -265 moneyline favorite; the game total is set at seven with the Over drawing -125 odds.
The Royals have a tall order on their hands today as they need to snap an extended losing streak against a pitcher who has 
been almost unhittable in his first three starts. Kansas City dropped its fifth straight game yesterday as the Nats prevailed 4-3 to take the series.
The Royals disastrous National League road swing, which started with a 6-4 loss last week in Atlanta, ends today as they begin a home set with the Cardinals on Friday night.
Ned Yost's squad currently owns fourth place in the AL Central with a 29-43 record; KC trails the first place Twins by 12 games.
The Nationals improved to 33-39 with yesterday's victory and they find themselves 9.5 back of the Braves in the NL East standings as a result. Prior to their back-to-back wins over the Royals, the Nats had dropped six straight games to KC's division rivals, Detroit and Chicago.
Looking to get himself and the Royals headed in the right direction today is USC graduate Brian Bannister. The 29 year old right hander comes into today's affair with a 6-5 record and 5.70 ERA in 14 starts. His last two outings, both KC losses, have contributed greatly to the bloated ERA, though, as he has given up 17 hits and 14 earned runs in just seven innings pitched.
Stephen Strasburg has been everything advertised in his first three major league starts, going 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA and .149 batting average against. The 21 year old California native has also struck out 32 batters and allowed just 10 hits in 19.1 innings pitched.
Despite Strasburg's early prowess, it is always a dangerous proposition to go with a -265 moneyline favorite in baseball. A perfect example would be Strasburg's last start in which he allowed only four hits and one earned run but the Nationals still lost 2-1 to the White Sox. The play in this one is either the total, the runline or on the Royals, which are 5-5 in their last 10 as a road dog with a moneyline spread between 200 and 220.
MLB Odds Betting Trend: The Under is 8-2 in the Nationals last 10 games as a home favorite in the month of June.
SPORTSBETTING.com MLB Odds Royals vs Nationals MLB Picks – June 23rd, 2010:
Kansas City Royals +1.5 (+105), Over 7 (-125), +212 (Moneyline)
Washington Nationals -1.5 (-125), Under 7 (+105), -265 (Moneyline)
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