DAVID BANKS (comp)
New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, Felix Hernandez, and the Seattle Mariners will look to continue their recent solid play when they entertain Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees in the second of the team’s weekend set at Safeco Field late Saturday night.
Entering play on Friday night, the Yankees currently find themselves tied atop the AL East standings with the hated Boston Red Sox; both clubs own 1.5-games leads over the Tampa Bay Rays. Since dropping six straight in mid May, manager Joe Girardi’s squad has rattled off seven wins in their L/9 games to reclaim the top spot in the division. At 27 games up and 21 games down, the Bronx Bombers have cost their betting backers $198 overall but their 10-8 record away from Yankee Stadium has made MLB bettors just over $200 in profit.
After costing those that tackled the everyday grind of the 2010 baseball season a hefty $3689, the Seattle Mariners enter Game 1 of these team’s weekend series the 10th best bet in all of baseball (+$70). Sure, it isn’t much, but the M’s finished a whopping 40-games under the breakeven point a year ago yet sit just a game under .500 right now (24-25). They do however sit a game under .500 at home on the year (11-12, -$202), but enter the series opener having won eight of their L/10 overall games played (+$617). In doing so, they only trail the AL West leading Texas rangers by 1.5-games.
This game will mark only the second meeting between these teams this season. The Yankees won each of the L/2 season series 6-4. New York has come out victorious in seven of their L/11 trips to Safeco; the ‘under’ cashed in seven of those games. The Yankees have won each of Nova’s L/5 overall road outings, but are just 13-14 (-$540) vs. sub .500 opposition on the year. Felix Hernandez has won each of his L/4 vs. the Pinstripes, and Seattle’s 20-7 in his L/27 overall starts at home.
PICK: Seattle/NYY OVER
