Stuff to consider for tonight's game/series and leans

It is goin to be cold in STL. Being a Texas boy myself, I don't like the cold. Give me 108 degrees everyday of the week, and 110 on game day if possible. The weather has to favor the home team in the opener.

Both teams possess a potent offense. However, in an AL vs. NL matchup it only makes sense to favor the AL. Particularly when factoring in that the Rangers can steal bases. The running game is one aspect of the Texas Rangers' potent offense that the Cardinals can not match. The Rangers stole around 2 1/2 times as many bases as the Cardinals, and St. Louis ranked dead last in all of baseball in SB %. Big advantage to Texas.

Talking heads have figured out how to pitch to Nelson Cruz. They recommend Cards pitchers throw to the outer half of the plate. HA! In other words these guys are inviting the Rangers hottest hitter to utilize one of the best homefield advantages in baseball --- The right center field jet stream in The Ball Park In Arlington. Please, 3 or 4 homeruns later let me know how this working....

CJ Wilson will go for Texas in the opener. Wilson is looking to pitch well enough to earn himself extra $ on his big contract this off season. The Cardinals have Chris Carpenter on the mound for this game. Carp is one of the toughest, if not the toughest pitchers to steal a bag off of in the game. I'd lean towards the Cardinals, and the under tonight.

  BOL

Just one point in the stolen bases aspect, did you forget who is behind the plate for the Cardinals? Only the best catcher in the league. 

Texas won't stop playing their game regardless of what St. Louis can do.

That was an incredible win for Texas in game 2. A win even the Cardinals of the mid 80's would be proud of. The Rangers Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus put on a clinic for aggressive and heads up base running. Both teammates earn gold stars in the execution and anticipation departments.

Kinsler's steal of second gave his team momentum, and he didn't stop applying pressure until he was back in the dugout. Kinsler was actually in complete control as he appeared to recklessly round the bag on Andrus' line drive. His goal was not to score on the initial play, but rather to cause some kind of chaos that may result in a mistake or an extra throw. 99 times out of a 100 what Kinsler attempted wouldn't work, but here Pujols was distracted just enough to create an opportunity.

Elvis Andrus could have stopped at first because his at bat was finished. 99 out of 100 players would have. Not Elvis, though. He was anticipating the 1% chance his opponents might make a mistake that would allow him into scoring position.  Andrus inevitably scored the decisive run because he was heads up.

Kinsler and Andrus were the difference in game two. Their slick defense, and base running skills earned Texas' first of what I predict to be 4 consecutive wins this World Series. I don't see any reason(s) this series should be going back to St. Louis. Nolan Ryan's team is that good.

Every time I have tried to prematurely bury St. Louis this season the team responds.  Tonight, perhaps fortunately, is not an elimination game.

The line of Rangers @ -120 to -125 looks straight forward, nothing fishy. The Cardinals were @ -120 to -125 in St. Louis for game one. This current line would support the statement previously made here in the baseball forum --- home field is = to about 40 cents.  

It is said that good pitching beats good hitting, but can good pitching (Chris Carpenter) beat outstanding hitting (the Rangers)? We haven't really seen it yet this World Series, but Texas can pound the baseball. The Cardinals have gotten decent, even good starts out of their pitchers up to this point. However, I don't see them as the same pitching juggernaut that the Giants were last October, even with current ace Carp going tonight. Texas has home field advantage, and a slightly better lineup, imo. I like the bats of the Rangers to awake, and out slug their opponents.

Tx ML -123 + OVER 8 in a parlay this evening. 

Good luck Sling!

Thanks to Covers Contests, it doesn't take much research to see how over an extended period of time that gambling on sports is a losing equation for me. I'm actually better with real money, or maybe just more cautious in my picks --- usually. Not last game though. I committed the -CARDINAL SIN - pushed all my chips in on one game-, and blew my entire stack on game 5. 
        


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- *World Series Most Valuable Player* -

Texas is up 3-2 in the series. As of now most folks who have watched the games would quickly hand the MVP trophy to Mike Napoli. Before doing so though, people should really consider what it means to be the most valuable player.

In a championship series where all of one teams wins are close games, the most valuable player should be the guy who makes the difference for his team during their victories. That player so far for Texas.....Elvis Andrus.

Andrus' defense stopped a pair of rallies to keep game 2 scoreless, and he was eventually the offensive star when the Rangers got their last chance in the 9th. Elvis pushed Kinsler into true scoring position, aggressively took second, and eventually scored the winning run..... Napoli's 3 run bomb gave Texas a nice cushion in game 4, but it was actually Andrus' run in the bottom of the first that was the decisive tally.

True, Napoli's game 5 double won Texas the game, but also true is his game 3 throwing error help put the Rangers into a deep hole they never did fully climb out of.....

The Texas Rangers have a famous owner, a large market, and a young shortstop with a classic name who appears to be playing for a perennial contender. We should all recognize this. -*ELVIS ANDRUS *-


                                    


 

-<WORLD SERIES MVP TROPHY>- Is still very much undecided. Game 7 is winner take all. May the best performance from tonight decide the winner.

-<ELVIS ANDRUS>- Nolan Ryan's team has a special ability few have ever carried - it can out class an opponent with gamesmanship. This 23 year old kid represents so much of the Texas Rangers maturity and development under Ryan. Elvis has scored 3 runs to give Texas a lead, and 2 runs that have decided the game in his team's favor. Defensively, Elvis has made stellar plays in all of the Texas wins.

-<MIKE NAPOLI>- Nap has slugged the ball around the yard just about every game. Because of this, most people would trample their own mothers to put the MVP trophy in his hands. Mike has been reliable behind the plate with the pitching staff.

-<DEREK HOLLAND>- The Rangers best pitcher up to this point. The 'Stache' could definitely warrant a claim to the trophy if he picks up another W.  

-<David Freese>- Phenomenal, MVP caliber performance. What a ball game last night. Talk about redemption. Guy costs his team a run by dropping a pop up even a high schooler would have fielded earlier in the game, but bounced back when his team, the *WORLD SERIES*, was down to it's final strike. Freese drove in the tying runs in the 9th, and then to sent everyone home in the 11th with walk off home run. WOW!

-<LANCE BERKMAN>- Another great story. Berkman was left for dead by so many (including all of my fantasy teams), but found the right scenario, and once again is thriving as one of the elite switch hitters in all of baseball history.  

---<ALLEN CRAIG>--- could be St. Louis' leading candidate for the MVP trophy. Craig, much like Andrus, has given his team the lead on 3 separate occasions, but also much like Andrus, the significance of his contributions have been vastly unheralded. Matt Holliday may sit this game out. If so, Craig is in solid position to earn himself a historic prize with a good performance.  

-<ALBERT PUJOLS>- Monster game 3. Crucial, rally starting double in the bottom of the 9th game 6. One of the best hitters ever. He will likely hit at least one more home run.  

--<ST. LOUIS CARDINALS>-- What else can I say, other than this team has earned my respect... The Cardinals are far and away a better story than the Rangers. St. Louis has been so impressive over the last few months, it would be a shame to see such an incredible journey end in defeat.

--<Texas Rangers>-- The more talented team.  -<Ian Kinsler>- While not someone I would choose for my sister to marry, a great ball player. -<Josh Hamilton>- Incredible all around talent. -<Michael Young>- One of the best pure hitters from the right side of the plate during his generation. -<Adrian Beltre>- Exceptional with the glove, and the bat. -<Nelson Cruz>- A historic offensive machine. -<David Murphy>- Good talent.  Great hustle and effort. -<Mitch Moreland>- Clutch player, good glove.

Lean --- *TEXAS RANGERS* + $$$    Lean  'OVER' 8 runs

The host Cardinals appears to have been playing NASCAR with the Rangers for much of the series. Up until last night, Texas seemed to have been under restrictor plate rules. Not in Game 6, though. Garcia wasn't fooling anyone, and Larussa was forced to put the Cardinals wheels in motion before he would have liked.

Both teams are up against the do or die wall now...... St. Louis - Nothing new. Texas- Last time the Rangers faced this kind of win or else pressure, they responded to secure home field over Detroit late in the regular season. The Cardinals pulled off an impressive W last night, but I wouldn't bank them repeating that result again tonight.