Sports Marketwatch
MLB Edition
10/2/2009 5:00 PM EST
By The Team at SportsInsights.com
 
Welcome to the 2009 MLB Sports Marketwatch, where the Team at SportsInsights gives sports fans unprecedented insight into the sports marketplace. If you ever wanted to know what was really happening on the sportsbook side, you now have an all-access pass with Sports Marketwatch! Sports MarketWatch will be published twice weekly on Tuesday and Friday, around 5PM Eastern Time.
 
Sports Marketplace – MLB Edition
 
Thanks to Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey, Marketwatch hit our first game Tuesday. Bruce smashed two homeruns and drove in five while Bailey shut down the Cards, giving up seven hits and one run in seven innings of work. Our second game went to extras after Jason Kendall's three-run homerun in the ninth inning knotted the game at five. But our collective hearts were broken by the bat of Chris Iannetta, which smacked a walk-off two-run shot in the bottom of the eleventh, giving Marketwatch a split for the day.

2009 MLB Games to Watch: 50-48, 51%, +21.13 units
*Source: SportsInsights.com

Sports MarketWatch – MLB Games to Watch

Tampa Bay Rays +140 over New York Yankees

New York has already locked up the AL East Championship and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and tonight the Yankees send ace CC Sabathia (19-7, 3.21 ERA) to the mound in search of his 20th win of the season. Sabathia has been lights-out in his last eleven starts, posting a 9-0 record with a 2.11 ERA. Tampa Bay will not make a repeat appearance in the playoffs this year and hope tonight's starter, David Price (9-7, 4.60 ERA), can use a solid finish this season as a springboard to a strong 2010 campaign. Price, who is 7-3 with a 3.11 ERA at home this year, has pitched very well against the Yankees this season, posting a 2.31 ERA in two starts.

New York opened as a -165 favorite at Olympic and has shrunk to -148. The public is heavily backing the Yankees, who are receiving 76% of runline bets, 75% of moneyline bets and 75% of parlay bets. Steam Moves on Tampa Bay were triggered at both Pinnacle and Canbet, who are +67.9 units on the season combined. We think the Yanks will be in cruise control until the playoffs and like Tampa Bay at home in this game.

Tampa Bay Rays +140 (SIA)
 

San Francisco +131 over San Diego

The Giants are 0-6 at Petco Park this season, but head into this series as winners of their last four games. Tonight's starter, Barry Zito (10-13, 4.10 ERA), has had his own problems with San Diego, struggling his way to an 0-4 record, with a 5.72 ERA, in five starts against the Padres this season. Zito's counterpart will be Kevin Correia (12-10, 3.89 ERA), who is 4-0 with a 1.90 ERA in his last six starts.

The public is solidly behind the Padres, who are garnering 83% of runline wagers and 60% of moneyline wagers. The Padres opened as -121 favorites at Pinnacle, and due to the betting percentages, the line has grown to -134. There were positive SportsInsights moves triggered on San Diego, but the line has grown significantly since then. Remember, sports investing is all about value, and Marketwatch believes the line movement has made San Francisco at +131 a great value in this game.

San Francisco +131 (Matchbook)

Games to Watch (50-48, +21.13 units)
Tampa Bay +140 (SIA)
San Francisco +131 (Matchbook)

It should be another exciting night in the sports marketplace.  Keep Sports MarketWatch picks handy and your browser pointed to SportsInsights.com for the latest real-time updates, using our exclusive Sports Investing tools. We’ll be back Friday with the new edition of the Sports Marketwatch – MLB Edition.

Enjoy the games!
The Team at SportsInsights.com