The 2013 MLB Season gets underway tonight in Houston, Texas as the Texas Rangers will take on the Houston Astros. First pitch is scheduled for an 8:05 PM (Eastern) start time and the game will be televised live on ESPN. Current Betting Odds, according to Sportsbook.ag, have Texas listed as a sizable favorite.
Current Odds
Texas -158
Houston +143
Over/ Under: 8.5 U -120
Analysis: Although Texas won 93 games last season and made the playoffs, the club finished 2-8 in its final 10 games, relinquishing the division crown to Oakland before falling 5-1 at home to Baltimore in the one-game Wild Card playoff. The Rangers' offense was outstanding last season, leading the majors in runs (808), while ranking second in slugging (.446 SLG), third in batting average (.273 BA) and fourth in on-base percentage (.334 OBP). However, they lost two sluggers this offseason in OF Josh Hamilton (.285 BA, 43 HR, 128 RBI in 2012) and C Mike Napoli (24 HR, 56 RBI in 108 games last year), while saying good-bye to 3B Michael Young (.277 BA, 8 HR, 67 RBI in 2012) who had played the past 13 seasons in Texas. The team signed veterans C A.J. Pierzynski (27 HR, 77 RBI with White Sox in 2012) and 1B Lance Berkman (.296 BA, 360 HR in career) to help make up for these losses. Texas will also count on 25-year-old OF Leonys Martin (.204 BA in 54 career MLB at-bats), to thrive with regular playing time as Hamilton's replacement in center field. Matt Harrison inherits the No. 1 starter spot from Colby Lewis, who got the opening day nod last season but will begin 2013 on the disabled list after undergoing arm surgery. The left-hander is 0-1 in four career games - two starts - against Houston but has never allowed a hit to any of the current Astros players he has faced, most notably Carlos Pena (0-for-8) and Chris Carter (0-for-7).
Houston, which had the worst record in baseball last year at 55-107, was re-aligned from the National League Central Division to the American League West Division this season. Houston's offensive numbers were just horrible in 2012. The team scored the fewest runs in baseball (583), had the 2nd-worst batting average (.236) and slugging percentage (.371), while placing 3rd-to-last in on-base percentage (.302). The team brought in sluggers LF Chris Carter (16 HR in 218 AB with Oakland in 2012) and 1B Carlos Pena (19 HR, 77 RBI with Rays last year) to provide some much needed pop. Houston also replaced Jed Lowrie (.244 BA, 16 HR, 42 RBI in 2012) at shortstop with light-hitting, slick-fielding Ronny Cedeno (.290 career OBP). The Astros will open their American League tenure with right-hander Bud Norris, whose ERA was nearly one run higher (4.65) in 2012 than it was the previous year (3.77). Norris finished last season with a 7-13 record and 1.37 WHIP, but had a typically high strikeout rate (8.8 K's/9) with 165 whiffs in 168.1 innings. He has never faced the Rangers in his four-year career, but has struggled badly against American League hitters in three career starts against them, posting a 6.19 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in those contests.
Pick: I like the under in his one. Houston's offense was horrible last year and it should take them a little while to get going in this one, especially since no current Astro has ever gotten a hit off of Harrison, including Pena and Carter, who are 0-15 combined vs him. The Rangers had a rough offseason as they loset some key offensive personnel, most notably Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli, who combined for 67 HR's and 184 RBI's last year. That is tough to replace right out the gate and it will be made tougher vs Bud Norris, who was outstanding at home last year. Although Houston was just 11-18 (38%) in his 29 starts last year, the team was 7-4 (64%) when Norris took the mound at Minute Maid Park. That's because He was 4-1 with a 1.71 ERA, .199 opponents' BA and 0.96 WHIP in 11 starts in Houston. Both offenses should come out sluggish here vs good pitching keeping this game under the total.
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