Beckett is an up-and-down type of pitcher.  Any handicapper who can predict the ups and downs can reap rewards at the betting window.  Beckett should be up here.

In Beckett's last start, he was knocked out after five and a third by the Orioles and the Red Sox lost 7-1.  Boston is 11-0 with Josh Beckett when he threw at least 50 pitches and faced fewer than 25 batters in his last outing.  In his two starts in this spot this season, he beat the Rays 12-2 and the Mariners 2-0, going eight and seven innings respectively.

The Yankees are off a 4-1 loss yesterday vs Lester and they are a surprisingly terrible investment in this spot.  New York is 14-18 as a night favorite when they are off a loss in which they never led, 8-20 at night after a loss in which their opponent left 18+ men on base and 4-10 at night in the last game of a home series.  They were significant favorites in all these situations.

Boston is nothing short of inspired after a wire-to-wire win.  The Red Sox are 34-12 when they are off a win in which they never trailed and it is not the first game of a series -- including 12-3 as a DOG.

Finally, in Josh Beckett's CAREER he has only been an underdog of more than 125 nine times - including when he was with the Marlins.  His team won EVERY time.  That is, Beckett has produced a record of 9-0 in his career as a dog of more than 125.  Four of the nine wins were over the Yankees.  The SDQL text is:

starter=Josh Beckett and line >125

In his last start in this spot, May 20th, he beat the Phillies with Cliff Lee 5-1 in Philadelphia.

If Kuroda beats us 3-2, then we tip out hat to him.  Our money is on the Red Sox at this price.

MTi's FORECAST:  BOSTON 4 NY Yankees 3