MLB Baseball
2012-04-13 - LA Angels at New York Yankees
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
United States: Major League Baseball
Friday 13 April 2012 - First Pitch 1:05pm ET
6:05pm (British Standard Time)
Preview
The New York Yankees (3-3) get to open their first home game of the season against a team that could be one of the biggest obstacles to them reaching the World Series this season, the LA Angels (2-4).
The Yankees won their first series of the 2012 season when they swept the Baltimore Orioles and they have had a day off as they get back to the Bronx. The Angels lost their second series of the season last night as they were surprisingly beaten by the Minnesota Twins.
New York will be hoping a return home will provide some comfort for a couple of their stars that are struggling at the plate. Both Alex Rodgriguez and Mark Teixeira have had a tough time, but it is still far too early to see a trend and Teixeira has regularly been a slow starter to a new season.
Hiroki Kuroda will get his second start of the season and the honour of opening up the 2012 season at Yankee Stadium. Kuroda really struggled in his debut for the Yankees as he gave up 6 runs from 8 hits in the loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The pitcher also allowed 4 walks and only struck out 2 batters.
However, he did pitch well with the LA Dodgers against the Angels last season, managing 12 innings in 2 starts against them and only allowing 2 runs and 2 walks.
The LA Angels will be hoping their own star batter gets back to business as Albert Pujols has struggled for his rhythm early in 2012 since signing from the St Louis Cardinals. This will only be his second game at Yankee Stadium after playing his career in the National League.
LA will be sending Ervin Santana to the mound in the hope he will improve on his first start of the season when giving up 6 runs from 7 hits in a loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Santana struggled against the Yankees last season, losing both starts and allowing 4 home runs from 13 innings pitched. Santana finished with a 5.54 ERA in the games although both were played at home.
It has been exactly 2 years to the day since Santana last pitched at the New York Yankees, giving up 5 runs and 5 walks in under 6 innings pithed as the Angels were beaten 7-5.
Head to Head
New York beat LA 2-1 here last season and have now improved to 13-4 in the last 17 games of the series in the Bronx.
The Yankees won the season series 5-4 last season.
Prediction
I am going to back the New York Yankees to win their home opener of the season on the run line for the following reasons:
First, Hiroki Kuroda did enjoy success against the LA Angels last season while with the LA Dodgers, giving up just 2 runs in his 2 starts against them, and he has limited Albert Pujols to 3 hits from 15 at bats against him.
Second, Ervin Santana has been tagged by the powerful Yankees batting line up more often than not and he has allowed at least 3 runs in his last 8 of 9 starts against them.
Third, I think the emotional home opener favours the Yankees who have dominated this series in the Bronx recently.
The Pick :
New York Yankees 7-5 LA Angels
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back the New York Yankees - 1.5 Runs @ 2.40
