For all the talk this season about the New York Yankees, the Detroit Tigers, and
even the Tampa Bay Rays, it's the Texas Rangers that have proven to be a
postseason powerhouse on the MLB betting
lines as they return to the World Series for the second consecutive year as
champions of the American League.
Unfinished business
After
falling just short of winning the World Series last year, the Rangers and their
powerful lineup of hitters will return to the national spotlight with unfinished
business on their minds beginning with Wednesday night's MLB betting
action.
Texas defeated the Rays in the best-of-five AL Division Series
three games to one (after losing the opening game 9-0 at home). On Saturday
night they eliminated the Tigers four games to two with a 15-5 romp in Game 6,
as Nelson Cruz smashed a record-setting six home runs in the AL Championship
Series - after managing only one single in the entire ALDS.
Manager Ron
Washington pushed all the right buttons as Texas outscored Detroit 39-25 over
the course of those six ALCS games and posted matching 7-3 extra-inning
victories in Game 2 – which concluded with a walk-off grand slam by Cruz - and
again in Game 4.
After leading the major leagues with a .283 team batting
average during the regular season, the Rangers left no doubt about their ability
to explode with a nine-run third inning in Saturday's clincher and the Tigers
were toast.
With infielders Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus setting the
table, followed by Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Adrian Beltre, Mike Napoli, and
Cruz providing a solid mix of power and on-base percentage, the Rangers are
poised to erase the disappointment of last year's World Series loss to the San
Francisco Giants in which they were shut out twice and fell meekly in five games
while being outscored 29-12.
Erase World Series
struggles
It's not often that a team gets to return to the World
Series the very next season. And this time around, there are plenty of Rangers
who would like to use that recent high-stakes experience to improve their
production in the marquee MLB betting
matchup.
Kinsler hit for a .188 batting average in 16 at-bats against the
Giants in last year's World Series, with one run scored and a single stolen
base. Andrus also struggled mightily, hitting just .176 in 17 at-bats with three
strikeouts, two runs scored, and one stolen base.
Hamilton's numbers were
perhaps the most disappointing of any Ranger, as the slugger managed to hit just
one single and one solo home run in 20 at-bats, with three strikeouts and a .393
OPS. The veteran Young, who hit a lofty .338 during the regular season this
year, managed a respectable five hits in 20 World Series at-bats in 2010 but
they were all singles. And Cruz pretty much followed suit with just four hits
(including a home run) in 20 at-bats and five strikeouts.
Among the other
current Ranger hitters, Napoli was with the Angels and Beltre was with the Red
Sox last year. Outfielder David Murphy, who has hit .391 with a 1.046 OPS during
this year's successful postseason run, contributed an RBI single and a walk in
eight World Series plate appearances last year. First baseman Mitch Moreland,
who has struggled at the plate this postseason while hitting .105 with six
strikeouts, can take heart from his strong World Series effort last year in
which he hit .462 in 13 at-bats and posted a 1.303 OPS.
The Rangers are
currently listed as the MLB betting
favorite at 4/5 odds to win the World Series.
Visit the Bodog Sportsbook today for updated Major
League Baseball futures odds and all your daily betting action.
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