TAMPA BAY RAYS - BEST TEAM IN BASEBALL

RAYS LOOK TO SWEEP BOSOX - AGAIN

7/2/08

How bout those Tampa Bay Rays? Surprised? Think they'll fade? We've seen plenty of MLB teams over the years fade down the stretch. It's kind of like the Belmont Stakes. Some teams just aren't built for the distance. So, time will tell. In the meantime, they are best team in baseball and looking to sweep the 2nd best team when they square of against the Red Sox for their last game in the 3 game set at Tropicana Field. Yet, they still can't fill the stands! Sad.

Bosox +130 over Rays - If the Bosox are going to break through here and win one at Tampa, this may very well be their best shot. They send 9-1 Daisuke Matsuzaka to the mound. As good as the record looks though, the Rays have had his number since even before they became the best team in baseball. Last year he was 0-3 against the Rays with a 5.40. But the bright spot, aside from the 9-1 mark this year, is his road performance. He's 4-0 on the road this year with a 2.20 era.

The Rays send Kazmir to the hill tonight and at 7-3 with a 2.28 era, there may actually be some worries here. His last few outings haven't measured up to previous ones. He hasn't made it past 6 innings his last 3 starts and gave up 4 runs to the Pirates his last time out. The Red Sox also managed to hit him pretty good when they faced him at Fenway (though they seem to hit everyone there) with 4 runs and 6 hits in a 7-3 loss back in May.

The home team in this series this year, has won every game. The Sox are cold and the Rays are hot. Baseball is a streaky game. A general rule of thumb in baseball betting is to try and stay away from betting on teams in the midst of a losing streak. The Sox have lost 4 in a row. Another rule of thumb is to try and avoid betting against teams on a winning streak. The Rays have won 3 straight.

So it's with all of that in mind, that we close our eyes and cross our fingers tonight as we back the Boston Red Sox at +130 to finally break through and win one on the road against the Rays. They head to the Bronx for the 4th of July series with the Yankees and don't want to go into that series on a 5 game losing streak. With Matsuzaka on the mound, it looks to be their best chance to grab a win.