Texas Rangers baseball team

Mike Olt has been locked in for a couple of days. The Surprise Saguaros have been locked in all season.

The Rangers' No. 7 prospect homered and drove in six runs, falling a triple shy of the cycle, on Friday as Surprise whipped the Peoria Javelinas, 17-4, for their Arizona Fall League-leading 20th win.

Braves prospect Joey Terdoslavich also went deep and contributed three RBIs as Surprise matched an AFL season high with 21 hits.

Royals top prospect Wil Myers went 5-for-5 with a walk, three runs scored and and two RBIs to raise his average to .384, Rays first-round pick Mikie Mahtook chipped in three hits, including a pair of doubles, and an RBI, while Leury Garcia (Rangers) hit his third Fall League homer and plated three runs.

"The last couple days, I have felt locked in at the plate," said Olt, who extended his hitting streak to nine games and tied Salt River's Nolan Arenado (Rockies) for the league lead with 30 RBIs. "The biggest thing is that I'm not chasing bad pitches. I'm driving the balls I can hit, and that really helps."

Olt got the Saguaros (20-7) on the board early, lacing a two-run double to center field in the first inning off Mets starter Collin McHugh.

"[McHugh] was working me away the whole at-bat," he said. "At 3-1 with a runner in scoring position, I knew he was going to go fastball away to try and nibble at the corner, so I was looking away. I'm always sitting on the fastball and trying to react to anything up in the zone."

Terdoslavich's two-run shot in the third was his third in the AFL and extended the Saguaros' lead to 5-1 before Garcia went deep an inning later.

Garcia and Myers delivered two-run singles in the fifth, the third of six consecutive innings in which Surprise plated at least one run. Olt capped his big afternoon with with a three-run homer in the eighth.

"It was tough to tell whether it was gone," Olt said of his eighth fall homer. "I was trying to get on top of the ball, trusting my hands and reacting when I have to. This is a great experience for me, facing all these good pitchers who can go in and out, up and down.

"We all come to win, and everyone has that mentality. I feel that every time Wil is on base I get the chance to drive him in. He's a special hitter. And Joe is a great hitter from both sides of the plate. He's a tough out."

Rangers left-hander Miguel De Los Santos (4-0) notched his league-leading fourth win after holding the Javelinas to a run on four hits over five innings. He struck out seven, did not walk a batter and threw 74 pitches.

McHugh did not fare nearly as well in his fifth AFL start. The 2008 18th-round Draft pick was charged with five runs on seven hits and a walk over three innings. He struck out six before fellow Mets prospect Robert Carson surrendered three runs over 1 1/3 frames.

Matt Adams (Cardinals), Wilfredo Tovar (Mets) and Jaff Decker (Padres) homered for Peoria (12-15).

Live video of Ballpark renovations

Online betting players have been treated to a thrilling World Series so far, complete with pitching duels, historic offensive performances and sloppy bullpen work. Its going to come down to a seventh game, so MLB wagering fans should strap in for an exciting week of baseball as the season comes to a close in St. Louis with a Cardinals victory.

Game 5 – Monday, October 24th, 8:05 PM ET The Ballpark, Arlington, TX

Chris Carpenter (3-0, 3.52) didnt have his best stuff in Game 1s 3-2 win at home, but he managed to get by, giving up a pair of runs on five hits over six innings of work. C.J. Wilson (0-3, 7.17) had trouble with his command, walking six and striking out four, but he only allowed three runs on four hits. Its been an inconsistent postseason for the 30-year-old Wilson, and this is his first appearance at home since Game 1 of the ALCS against Detroit. You have to remember that this is only his second year as a starter and Wilson threw 223.1 innings in the regular season, along with 21.1 innings in the postseason, so fatigue is definitely a factor.

Carpenter is built for this and even when he doesnt have his best stuff, he does enough to keep the Cardinals in the game, and even though he has a 6.99 ERA in five starts at the Ballpark, he has a 2-2 record. You also should count on the St. Louis bats to wake up after a disappointing 4-0 loss in Game 4, and as a +113 MLB betting underdog on Monday night, they would be a smart bet.

Betting Edge: St. Louis Cardinals

Game 6 – Wednesday, October 26th, 8:05 PM ET Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO

Colby Lewis (1-1, 2.95) should be familiar with going out on the road as all three of his starts in the playoffs have been away from home, and he pitched 6.2 solid innings in Game 2s 2-1 win for the Rangers, allowing a run on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Jaime Garcia (0-2, 3.97) was on the other side, tossing a three-hitter over seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and a walk, but he was let down by Jason Motte, who blew the save in the 9th inning. That was his second straight no-decision, even though he has settled down since getting off to a rough start in the postseason.

Strangely, something similar will happen in this game as well as the Rangers try to stave off elimination with a big performance. Look for the Texas bats to come alive late in the game and in particular, one of their big bats, like Nelson Cruz or Josh Hamilton, who is battling what he thinks is a sports hernia. The Cardinals will probably be favored, but Texas is the MLB betting play on Wednesday night.

Betting Edge: Texas Rangers

Game 7 – Thursday, October 27th, 8:05 PM ET Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO (If necessary)

The Rangers Matt Harrison (1-1, 502) and the Cardinals Kyle Lohse (0-2, 7.82) have been penciled in as the starters for Game 7, and neither pitcher made it out of the fourth inning in a 16-7 win for St. Louis in Game 3, which was highlighted by Albert Pujols three-homer performance. Harrison gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits over 3.2 innings, while Lohse gave up three runs on five hits over three innings of work in a game for the offensive fans. Its doubtful that the two will have that type of game again in Game 7, especially in St. Louis where the games have been relatively low-scoring due to a few factors, but most likely the weather. It has been cold and damp in St. Louis, which makes the ball heavier. In Texas, the ball is much easier to hit and the Ballpark has always been known as a hitters park.

This is going to be up in the air and again, the bullpens will probably come into play as Harrison doesnt have much postseason experience and the Rangers are asking him to pitch a Game 7 in the World Series. Lohse, well, he isnt a very good pitcher and definitely pitched above his weight during the regular season. But at home, in a Game 7 setting and a managerial edge with St. Louis Tony LaRussa, St. Louis is the sports betting pick to make here.

Betting Edge: St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have home-field advantage, but the Rangers have the alternating league trend.

Since the American League’s White Sox won the World Series in 2005, the title has alternated between the leagues. The 107th Fall Classic is scheduled to begin Wednesday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and if Texas goes on to win it all, this would be the seventh consecutive year of swapping series.

Such a streak would match the longest since 1985-91. The record of alternating titles is nine years, from 1939-47, a run that may seem surprising considering how often the Yankees went to the World Series during those Joe DiMaggio years. There was an eight-year run of alternating leagues from 1965-72, before the Swingin’ A’s repeated during their 1972-74 dynasty in Oakland.

Since the White Sox ended their 87-year title drought against Houston in 2005, it was the Cardinals over the Tigers in 2006, the Red Sox over the Rockies in 2007, the Phillies over the Rays in 2008, the Yankees over the Phillies in 2009, and then last year the Giants over the Rangers. It’s not just champions being unable to repeat in recent years, but also leagues themselves.

Rangers president Nolan Ryan was part of the 1965-72 swap streak, helping the Amazin’ Mets win it for the National League in 1969 after Detroit had beaten St. Louis the year before. Now that his Rangers have had a taste of the World Series and have returned to go for a title once again, he said they are ready to keep this quirky-but-sustaining trend alive.

“It’s amazing and exciting,” Ryan said. “The hardest thing to do is repeat. But our guys — I saw it in Spring Training — they were determined to get another shot at the World Series and being world champions. They had that attitude all year. And it showed.”

Conversely, what was the longest streak of titles by the same league? It was the AL’s seven-year dominance from 1947-53, when Yogi Berra and the Bronx Bombers won it every year but once. Cleveland’s 1948 title was the lone exception in that run.

Here is a look at the alternating league trend, with number of years in parentheses:

1939-47 (9)
1939: Yankees (AL) over Reds
1940: Reds (NL) over Tigers
1941: Yankees (AL) over Dodgers
1942: Cardinals (NL) over Yankees
1943: Yankees (AL) over Cardinals
1944: Cardinals (NL) over Browns
1945: Tigers (AL) over Cubs
1946: Cardinals (NL) over Red Sox
1947: Yankees (AL) over Dodgers

1965-72 (8)
1965: Dodgers (NL) over Twins
1966: Orioles (AL) over Dodgers
1967: Cardinals (NL) over Red Sox
1968: Tigers (AL) over Cardinals
1969: Mets (NL) over Orioles
1970: Orioles (AL) over Reds
1971: Pirates (NL) over Orioles
1972: Athletics (AL) over Reds

1985-91 (7)
1985: Royals (AL) over Cardinals
1986: Mets (NL) over Red Sox
1987: Twins (AL) over Cardinals
1988: Dodgers (NL) over Athletics
1989: Athletics (AL) over Giants
1990: Reds (NL) over Athletics
1991: Twins (AL) over Braves

2005-10 (6)
2005: White Sox (AL) over Astros
2006: Cardinals (NL) over Tigers
2007: Red Sox (AL) over Rockies
2008: Phillies (NL) over Rays
2009: Yankees (AL) over Phillies
2010: Giants (NL) over Rangers

In a season where not one but two teams completed a pair of the most improbable comebacks to earn their respective league Wild Card spots, another team filed for bankruptcy in the same year they reached the ALCS, and another team showcased the antics of one of its star outfielders and one of the breakthrough personalities of the year, there is one common MLB betting theme that has prevailed: Not everything happens the way that it is expected to happen. The same can be said about the respective championship series, as both continue to wind down on Monday.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Milwaukee Brewers
Sunday, 4:05 PM ET

There could not have been a better ending to an NLDS than Nyjer Morgan pumping one in to the outfield for a walk off victory, and it will be interesting to see if the Brewers can provide their fans with another incredible finish. Milwaukee earned the chance to finish the series at Miller Park where they led the majors in home wins this season, and they got the pitching matchups that they wanted as well. Whether or not they can now turn those advantages into something tangible and end the Cardinals improbable run only time will tell, as players like Albert Pujols fight with everything they have in what could be their final game in a Cardinals uniform. Pujols is among a couple of potential free agents on the roster, and if he is going to go out then he might as well go out in style. The Brewers however have taken nothing for granted and have persevered every step of the way, and it wouldnt be a major surprise if St. Louis magical MLB betting run ends in Milwaukee.

MLB Betting Pick: Milwaukee Brewers

Detroit Tigers @ Texas Rangers
Sunday, 8:05 PM ET

It is no surprise that if it reaches game seven the Tigers will want to give the ball to Doug Fister, who pitched them to a memorable sports betting bonus win in game seven of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, and proved that he can handle the pressure. Texas will counter with Colby Lewis if it gets to that decisive game, although the Rangers would be happy to put it away in six if they can get the job done in the first of consecutive games at home. The Tigers have proven to be a worthy opponent so far, but Texas has been here before and have every intention of getting the job done. The way that players like Nelson Cruz have delivered in the clutch just makes you believe that this is a team of destiny, although Delmon Young and company may have something to say about that. The Rangers and Tigers both deserve their chance in the World Series but only one team can advance, and in this case experience and home field advantage will make the difference.

MLB Betting Pick: Texas Rangers

MLB Betting players who follow Milwaukee last saw the Brewers in the World Series in 1982, when they were in the American League and they lost to St. Louis. Now, the National League Central champions will look to send their Central rivals packing in the NLCS, and they should be able to put the Cardinals away in a close series.

What: MLB Betting
When: October 9th-17th (Check best sportsbook for start times)
Where: Games 1, 2, 6, 7 (Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI); Games 3-5 (Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO)
Pick: Milwaukee Brewers

Why Bet On St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have the most momentum of any team left in the postseason as they battled hard to put pressure on Atlanta, who collapsed down the stretch, then they managed to hold off Philadelphia, the World Series betting favorites, complete with a 1-0 win on the road in Game 5 in which Chris Carpenter outdueled Roy Halladay. St. Louis has a solid group of veteran players, led by Carpenter and Albert Pujols, who have been here before and relish the pressure of the playoffs. The hitting carried the team in the regular season as the Cardinals led the National League in runs scored and average, and there are few teams in the majors who can boast a mid-lineup order of Pujols, Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday. That isnt to say that their pitching is awful, as Carpenter, Jaime Garcia (despite a rocky Game 1), Edwin Jackson and Kyle Lohse can get the job done, especially the first two. Octavio Dotel, Arthur Rhodes and Marc Rzepczynski have bolstered the bullpen in middle relief, and they were very good down the stretch. The Cardinals have put Jason Motte in the closers role for now, but they can always fall back on Fernando Salas as well.

You have to wonder how much the Cardinals have left in the tank after their massive run to the playoffs, especially a veteran team that has battled some injuries this season. Two months ago, most MLB betting players put the Cardinals out to pasture and they expended a lot of energy just to get here. It actually may be beneficial to play the Brewers, a heated division rival with whom the Cardinals have been physical with, so it should be easy for them to get up for Milwaukee. Also, the bullpen is a worry as it was well below average for most of the season.

Why Bet On Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have homefield advantage, and this is huge for Milwaukee, who won an MLB-high 57 games at home in Miller Park during the regular season, then won all three of their home meetings with Arizona in the NLDS, and then Game 1 against the Cardinals. We know that homefield advantage plays a big role in most sports, but this Milwaukee team is like two different squads when theyre home and away. While the Cardinals have their power trio in the middle of their lineup, the Brewers may have the best one-two punch in the game in Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, and there is potential power throughout the lineup with Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks, who is finally healthy, and dont count out Yuniesky Betancourt. The Brewers can swing the bat with anyone in the majors, and that means theyre never out of a game. But they got to this point by improving their starting rotation with Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, picking them up to go with Yovani Gallardo, who is one of the most underrated hurlers in the major leagues. Milwaukee also has a deadly late-inning duo in Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford, and their middle relief is effective as well. The Brewers feel like theyre a team of destiny, and one that may be broken up due to financial issues after this year, so theyre playing with urgency.

But that can backfire on the Brewers, who cant let their emotions get the best of them, especially against their division rivals. The Brewers have the edge in talent over the Cardinals, but its all about keeping their heads and not trying to do too much, especially away from home. Milwaukees trouble on the road is a head-scratcher, which puts a lot of pressure on them to maintain their perfection at home. If they dropped a game in Miller Park, can they get it back in St. Louis?

How It Will Play Out

Milwaukee should be the MLB betting favorites, and Game 1 was the 19th time that these two have met in 2011, so there arent many secrets left between them. Its been almost even as the Brewers are 10-9 against the Cardinals this year, with 10 games coming in under the posted total (along with a couple of pushes).

This has seven games written all over it, and the Brewers need to be able to take at least one game in St. Louis, where theyve lost six of their last 10. They should be able to snatch a game on the road and send their bitter rivals packing after a wild series. The Cardinals will make it interesting with their experience, but the Brewers have too many weapons and will break through to reach the World Series. Take Milwaukee with your online betting baseball picks.

Cardinals Brewers Betting Pick: Milwaukee Brewers

With the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox not competing in this years ALCS and that leaves the chances wide open for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers. The Rangers are the 2010 defending AL Champions and would love a shot at a second World Series appearance in a row. The Tigers were AL Champions in 2006 when they went to the World Series and lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Rangers want the chance to prove that last year was not a fluke (if it hasnt been proven already) and the Tigers would love a rematch of the 2006 World Series, provided the Cardinals beat the Phillies in game five of the NLDS.

Why Bet on Detroit

The Tigers are favored to win game one of this series, and Detroit also stands as the favorite to become AL Champions. The betting sites consider that a neat trick when you remember that the Tigers were chasing the Cleveland Indians for half the season for the AL Central title. Detroit wasnt even a playoff favorite at the All-Star break. But there are plenty of good reasons to bet on the Detroit Tigers to win the AL pennant.

The Detroit Tigers come into the playoffs with the hottest pitching staff in baseball. It is more than just Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander (although he is a huge part of the reason why Detroit beat the Yankees). But there are other starters such as Doug Fister and Max Scherzer that also helped put the beat down on the Yankees. Detroits offense did not really help as it only scored 17 runs in the five games of the ALDS. But the pitching in Detroit should help carry the Tigers far.

Why Bet on Texas

The Rangers did not make it easy on themselves by getting blown out in the first game of its ALDS series against the Tampa Bay Rays 9-0. But the online wagering crowd in Texas relaxed when the Rangers starting pitching finally clicked in for the playoffs. The Rangers do not have the convenience of calling on a Cliff Lee to win games in the post-season. But the young Ranger pitching staff that enters the playoffs have shown that it is more than capable of winning big games.

How it Will Play Out

The Rangers young pitching staff has shown that it can respond to big games and make a difference in a series. After the game one blowout against the Rays, the Rangers staff settled in and allowed only 12 runs in the next three games before clinching the series. But questions still remain about the ability of the Rangers staff to be World Series-caliber.

The Tigers are really rolling both on the mound and on offense. Detroit came into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams down the stretch, and maintained its momentum into the playoffs. It will be a tall task to ask a young Rangers team to stop Detroit.

Pick: Detroit Tigers

It would have seemed ludicrous at the time that they were considered the consensus World Series favorites, but the Boston Red Sox will not be in the American League postseason in 2011. Thanks to one of the most improbable sports betting comebacks in the history of the sport, the Tampa Bay Rays made it in ahead of Boston, and will now have the even tougher challenge of rallying against the defending AL champion Texas Rangers. Game three in that series will be played Monday back in Tampa Bay, where that final day of the regular season was carried out last Wednesday, while game thee between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers will also go Monday.

Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays

Monday, 5:07 PM ET

The biggest handicap that the Rays faced heading in to this MLB betting series was the fact that needing a win in each of the final few days before the end of the regular season did not allow them to set up their starting rotation to be ready for the ALDS. That included All Star David Price getting the call in the finale against the Yankees, which meant that he would have to wait until this game three to have a chance to start. Tampa Bay was forced to go with rookie Matt Moore and James Shields though the first two contests, but will finally get their ace on the mound in hopes that they can take this one at home. The Rangers have been among the most consistent teams all season and have power in every aspect of the game, so the Rays need to capitalize on intangibles such as momentum if they are going to overcome once again. Tampa Bay has no business winning this series, but the same could have been said about them even getting in ahead of Boston.

MLB Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Rays

New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers

Monday, 8:37 PM ET

The Tigers will return home knowing exactly what they need to do to close out this series, and it continues with Max Scherzer on the mound against the veteran Freddy Garcia. If there is one MLB betting bonus area of this series where Detroit is projected to have the edge, it is the depth in the starting rotation, and they will need to take advantage of that here. Scherzer finished the regular season with a 15-9 record and 4.43 ERA, and he allowed more than four runs only twice over the final two months. He will need to bring his best stuff to the park on Monday to hold off a powerful Yankees offense, and prevent the veteran Garcia from stealing one on the road. Garcia and Bartolo Colon were two key signings for New York in the offseason that have really panned out better than expected, and if he can steal one here in this position, it will go a long way for the Yankees not only in this series but in the longer run.

MLB Betting Pick: Detroit Tigers

It would have seemed ludicrous at the time that they were considered the consensus World Series favorites, but the Boston Red Sox will not be in the American League postseason in 2011. Thanks to one of the most improbable sports betting comebacks in the history of the sport, the Tampa Bay Rays made it in ahead of Boston, and will now have the even tougher challenge of rallying against the defending AL champion Texas Rangers. Game three in that series will be played Monday back in Tampa Bay, where that final day of the regular season was carried out last Wednesday, while game thee between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers will also go Monday.

Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays

Monday, 5:07 PM ET

The biggest handicap that the Rays faced heading in to this MLB betting series was the fact that needing a win in each of the final few days before the end of the regular season did not allow them to set up their starting rotation to be ready for the ALDS. That included All Star David Price getting the call in the finale against the Yankees, which meant that he would have to wait until this game three to have a chance to start. Tampa Bay was forced to go with rookie Matt Moore and James Shields though the first two contests, but will finally get their ace on the mound in hopes that they can take this one at home. The Rangers have been among the most consistent teams all season and have power in every aspect of the game, so the Rays need to capitalize on intangibles such as momentum if they are going to overcome once again. Tampa Bay has no business winning this series, but the same could have been said about them even getting in ahead of Boston.

MLB Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Rays

New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers

Monday, 8:37 PM ET

The Tigers will return home knowing exactly what they need to do to close out this series, and it continues with Max Scherzer on the mound against the veteran Freddy Garcia. If there is one MLB betting bonus area of this series where Detroit is projected to have the edge, it is the depth in the starting rotation, and they will need to take advantage of that here. Scherzer finished the regular season with a 15-9 record and 4.43 ERA, and he allowed more than four runs only twice over the final two months. He will need to bring his best stuff to the park on Monday to hold off a powerful Yankees offense, and prevent the veteran Garcia from stealing one on the road. Garcia and Bartolo Colon were two key signings for New York in the offseason that have really panned out better than expected, and if he can steal one here in this position, it will go a long way for the Yankees not only in this series but in the longer run.

MLB Betting Pick: Detroit Tigers

The way that the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Louis Cardinals got in to the postseason was nothing short of impressive, but now comes the even tougher task of making an impact in the playoffs against two of the best teams in the majors in the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies respectively. Both teams have the weapons to make an impact, but will be in tough to continue their improbable runs after spending a ton of gas just to get to the big MLB Betting dance. Here is a quick look at this Saturdays games.

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Milwaukee Brewers
Saturday, TBS

The Diamondbacks broadcasters had a sense of uneasiness in their voice when they talked about preparing to face Milwaukee in the NLDS on Thursday, and it could be because of the way that the Brewers have dominated this season. With the All Star trio of Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee will look to flex its muscle at home against an Arizona team that was able to win games despite not playing at an elite level in the NL West, and unless Ian Kennedy can carry out the unlikely task of shutting down the Brewers offense they will have a tough time opening the series with a win.

MLB Betting Pick: Milwaukee Brewers

Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees
Saturday, TBS

The Yankees biggest problem heading in to this MLB betting season was a lack of pitching depth in their starting rotation, an area that Ivan Novas development has been crucial in. Nova goes second for New York behind CC Sabathia at the top of the rotation, and will counter veteran Doug Fister for Detroit as the pinstripes look to improve their standing in the series before the series shifts to the Motor City.

MLB Betting Pick: New York Yankees

Tampa Bay Rays @ Texas Rangers
Saturday, TBS

The Rays will never stop believing after the incredible sequence of events that unfolded on the final day of the regular season, and if they can somehow work with the momentum and continue to play the way that they have as a unit, they do have a chance at an upset. Matt Holland will start the series for Texas with Tampa Bay expected to release their official decision sometime on Friday. The Rangers have unfinished business in the AL, and have no intention of letting the Rays Cinderella story continue.

MLB Betting Pick: Texas Rangers

St. Louis Cardinals @ Philadelphia Phillies
Saturday, TBS

The Cardinals fought with everything that they had to complete the comeback and catch the Braves, but now face the even more daunting task of matching up with the Phillies in the NLDS. Philadelphia will have the edge in every pitching matchup as expected, and it may take another sports betting bonus miracle for St. Louis to rock the boat in these beginning with Roy Halladay on the mound Saturday against Jaime Garcia for the Cardinals.

MLB Betting Pick: Philadelphia Phillies