Sports Marketwatch
MLB Edition
5/18/2010 5:00 PM EST
By The Team at SportsInsights.com

Welcome to the 2010 edition of 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 every Tuesday, around 5PM Eastern Time.

This week, we'd like to highlight a special new release from the braintrust here at Sports Insights. Founder and President Daniel Fabrizio, in conjunction with long-time contributors Joseph Hunter and Carlton Chin, have published a book entitled Sports Investing: Profiting from Point Spreads. It offers tested tactics and strategies to turn your ventures in the sports betting marketplace from a gut-feel gamble to an intelligent investment approach. Click here to order your copy today!

Sports Marketplace – MLB Edition

Marketwatch stumbled through a frustrating pair of losses last Tuesday, as our early struggles continue. The Rays scored runs against all 4 Angel pitchers they faced, and Evan Longoria's home run and 4RBI powered Tampa to a 7-2 victory. Our other featured plus-money game looked much more promising, as the Nationals led the Mets 6-1 in the Big Apple heading into the bottom of the 6th inning. The ensuing sacrifice fly wouldn't have hurt so much if the Washington bullpen hadn't further imploded later, giving up 6 runs in the eighth frame. K-Rod came on for the save, ruining Scott Olsen's good start and our chance for a profitable split.

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2010 MLB Games to Watch: 3-6, 33.3%, -2.3 units
*Source: SportsInsights.com

Sports MarketWatch – MLB Games to Watch

Boston Red Sox +175 over New York Yankees

This storied rivalry added another classic game last night in the Bronx. After Dice-K let 5 runs cross the plate in the first inning, the Yankees put it in cruise control and let the Red Sox back into what might have become a blowout. Boston hitters chipped away at young sensation Phil Hughes and his immediate relief, finally taking a lead with a 3-run top half of the eighth inning. They carried it into the bottom of the ninth, looking a bit relieved to have stolen one despite such a poor pitching start. But Jonathan Papelbon picked a bad time to put on his best Matsuzaka imitation, allowing a game-tying 2-run homer to Alex Rodriguez and then a game-winning 2-run blast to platoon outfielder Marcus Thames. The loss pushed the Red Sox a game below .500.

Much-maligned Josh Beckett takes the mound tonight for the visiting Sox, owner of recent back spasms and a ballooning 7.46 ERA. Some of that damage came in his last start, home against these very Yankees, when he gave up 9 earned runs over 5.1 innings despite throwing 8 strikeouts. His counterpart, CC Sabathia, also had a rough last outing, surrendering 6 earned to the Tigers in Detroit. Both of these guys will have reined things in by September, to be sure, but the early season has been a bit of a wild card. It intrigues us, then, that despite receiving 75% of moneyline bets, as well as 95% of spread and 77% of parlay wagers, the Yankees' line has remained very stable, sitting between -180 and -200 across the board. We believe this may be an indicator of big, sharp money. There's also some undeniable contrarian value on Boston in a match-up like this one, in which wild things are known to happen and games often go deep into bullpens before an outcome is clear. Do some line shopping and grab them at the best line possible.

Games to Watch (3-6, -2.3 units)
Boston +175 (SIA)

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 Tuesday with the new edition of the Sports Marketwatch – MLB Edition.

Enjoy the games!
The Team at SportsInsights.com