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Sportshandicapperking
3* Utah State +7.5
Free: Texas Run Line -1.5
3* Utah State +7.5
Free: Texas Run Line -1.5
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WUNDERDOG
Game: Tampa Bay at Texas (5:05 PM Eastern)
Pick: Texas -1.5 runs +110 (runline)
What a dramatic conclusion for the Tampa Bay Rays to be here. They trailed Boston by 10 games in the AL East to start September, and the Boston collapse combined with some clutch hitting and pitching brought the Rays here on the final swing of the bat. Meanwhile Boston closer Johnathon Papelbon was imploding vs. the lowly Orioles. Tampa Bay trailed 7-0 in the eighth inning vs. the Yankees, while Boston led into the bottom of the ninth. The result is that Tampa Bay is here, Boston is not. It will be quite difficult for the Rays to have any emotion left despite this being a playoffs game, after an intensely dramatic month of September. It has left them no choice but to open the series with a pitcher that has all of 11 innings of big league experience - and on the road on top of that. Texas starter C.J. Wilson has really come on down the stretch, where the Rangers are 8-2 in his last 10 starts, allowing 2 runs or less in nine of them. This is a tough spot for the Rays, opening the door for Texas to keep it close and cash-in on the runline.Comment
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RICHIE CARRERA
Tampa Bay/TEXAS OVER 8 (-120) 5 Dimes
I like the over here as the Rangers trot out consistently good bats at their home field. It will be interesting to see if young phenom pitcher Matthew Moore will be up to the task; I have my reservations. As far as the Texas starter CJ Wilson goes, I am a bit worried that he can hold down the total (especially after his CG SHO against them last time), but the Rays are charged up after their big night and I would expect nothing less than a few runs out of them. After all, Wilson is a great talent, but he is nothing flashy... Not a big arm... Not tremendous stuff.. Just smart. I'm thinking a 6-4, 6-5 type of game and if I wasn't a bit worried about the enthusiasm surrounding TB, I would have Texas strung into this bet, but I just want to sit back and see what happens.Comment
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JOHN CHANG
---Start Time 8:00 PM EST---
Utah State Aggies +8 over BYU COUGARS, 10 dimes
Look for this one to stay close. The Aggies of Utah State are more competitive than their record suggests. They could easily be 3-0 at this point. The main reason is their relentless rushing attack. This team piled up 227, 440, 281. Granted, the 440 performance was against division II Weber State, but this team will come out running the ball with a fury tonight. They've lost two heartbreakers in the last minutes against Auburn and Colorado State, and tonight they face a BYU squad that's having serious difficulties putting points on the board. Utah State went into Provo last season and stole a SU win. I expect them to quiet the home crowd once again.
---Start Time 8.37 PM EST---
Detroit Tigers (+120, list both pitchers) over NY YANKEES, 5 dimesComment
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RANDY BRUCE
10 DIME SERIES PLAY
American League Divisional Series
Best of 5 games
Texas Rangers -170 over Tampa Bay Rays
I like the Rangers to defeat the Rays in this first round match up.Texas has more pop in their lineup and a more reliable bullpen and I think they will get this done in 3 or 4 games. While the Rays made a nice run over the last month, the Rangers have been playing steady baseball all year long and show no signs of slowing down now. Look for Hamilton and the rest of the Texas bats to lead the Rangers into the next round of the playoffs. Good luck.Comment
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