Free MLB Picks and Odds: Rays @ White Sox Line, Total, Favorite and Predictions 4/9/11

Free MLB Picks and Odds: Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox Favorite, Moneyline, Total and Predictions 4/9/11: Well, Manny Ramirez is going out the way his career is started, scandalously. The 38-year old is retiring as an active player due to the MLB discovering his PED use this past off-season. Often thought to been a user of the prohibited supplements, this news surely dents and diminishes his, some-what, famed career. Not only is it a disappointment to Manny personally, but the Tampa Bay Rays were hoping Ramirez could find his swing again and add some power to their lineup. This news, along with the Rays slow start, has really cast a shadow of uncertainty over the entire club and fan base. At first glance the 1-6 start is a direct result of the losses they endured in free agency this past off-season. But, a closer glance tells an entirely different and hopeful story. The Rays are getting hits but they are leaving too many men stranded, that is a tell-telling tale of the losses they have piled up. Countless times already this season they have been in line to have big innings, but they wind up not getting the hits when they need them the most. A few “big-time” hits here and there would have this club looking much better at this point. The pitching, which analysts were saying was the clubs strong point, needs to perform much better then they have. The entire rotation has struggled and not one of them has an era under 2, a an absolutely dismal stat this early in the season. The talent and leadership is there for this club but until they can show some grit and clutch hitting they will continue to falter.

The Chicago White Sox are doing it with their bats and they are on pace, albeit this early in the season, to have a record scoring year. They scored 24 runs in their opening series set with the Cleveland Indians last weekend. Carlos Quentin looks as though his rehab stint was successful as he has been the early season MVP in the MLB. The right-fielder already has two out of the parkers and he has a slugging percentage of .429 with 10 RBI. To compliment him, Paul Konerko his putting together a torid start to the season. The stout veteran has 9 RBI thus far to go along with a .329 average. The faltering fuse to this point has been the clubs bullpen. Management went out this off-season and spent millions on revamping the pen, which was evidently in need of reshaping. Three games already this year have been lost due to the clubs bullpen not being able to perform. The price tag of 12 million surely had Sox fans excited about the clubs ability to close out games, but the three loses the team has to this point are a direct result of the pens ineptness. Matt Thornton blew the game yesterday against the Rays, his second blown game in less then a week. The Chicago White Sox can single handily win games with their bats, but come October the teams pitching and bullpen will have to be as strong, if not stronger, for the team to have any World Series aspirations.

The Rays stole the first game of this set yesterday, due to some inept pitching, but I expect the Sox to pull even today. The Rays have been brutal in all facets of the game and I believe they are poised to be the biggest disappointment of this season. Joe Madden just does not have the personnel to replace the loss of Garza and Crawford. The pitching is not there to this point and the loss of Manny Ramirez casts a dark shadow over the entire organization. The White Sox, if not for their bullpen, have been arguably the best team in the league to this point. They are giving their rotation run support and they are not leaving batters stranded. We will consider the White Sox pulling this series even tonight and setting up the rubber tomorrow afternoon. Cheers!

Free Pick: Chicago White Sox -105 (Moneyline)

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Tampa Bay Rays(1-6) at Chi. White Sox (4-3)
Time: 4:10 PM EST
TV: WGN
Vegas Odds – Favorite: White Sox -105(moneyline) Total: Over/Under 9 runs