By Betonline.com

MLB Betting – Red Sox, Yankees Get Set For Weekend Series

A lot of people are clamoring about the upcoming NCAA football betting season now that the betting odds have been posted in the sportsbook but there will be a monumental baseball series this weekend that is sure to grab everyone’s attention.

The New York Yankees will host the Boston Red Sox for four games starting on Thursday as the two teams will battle it out for first place in the American League East.

The Yankees hold a slight 1.5 game lead but that could change by the end of the weekend.

Thursday: John Smoltz vs Joba Chamberlain

Hard to side with the Boston Red Sox in this contest. I’m betting management was expecting a lot more when they signed John Smoltz in the offseason but right now, he’s struggling as badly as any starting pitcher in all of baseball.

Smoltz has given up 17 earned runs in his last 17.2 innings pitched (three starts) while giving up six home runs in the process. At new Yankee Stadium, he figures to get lit up.

Friday: Josh Beckett vs A.J. Burnett

The two former teammates will matchup on Friday and both are coming into the game at different ends of the spectrum. Beckett was awesome in his last start, giving up just six hits and no earned runs over seven innings against the Baltimore Orioles. Meanwhile, Burnett is off one of his worst starts of the season, allowing seven earned runs and 10 hits in just 4.2 innings pitched against the Chicago White Sox.

Beckett leads the American League in wins don’t be surprised if Burnett matches him on Friday. Burnett is 4-1 with a 3.68 ERA at home this season.

Saturday: Clay Buccholz vs C.C. Sabathia

One staff ace will take on a potential future staff ace on Saturday as C.C. Sabathia takes on Clay Buccholz. The 24-year-old Buccholz has struggled recently, giving up seven earned runs in just four innings of work on August 2^nd against Baltimore.

Sabathia hasn’t been much better, though, giving up 10 earned runs in his last two starts (10.2 innings pitched). He has an ERA of 4.02 at home so expect a high-scoring affair on Saturday.

Sunday: Jon Lester vs Andy Pettitte

Two lefties will finish up the four-game series on Sunday and have been dominant at times this year.

Over his last 74.2 innings pitched, Lester has an ERA of just 2.14 while Pettitte has been no slouch either. Over his last four starts, Pettitte’s given up just seven earned runs, which puts his ERA at 2.40 in that span.

Pettitte has struggled at new Yankee Stadium, though, which should give an edge to the Red Sox. He’s just 4-4 with a 5.28 ERA at home versus 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA on the road.

Lester has faced the Yankees twice this season and has given up five earned runs in 13 innings pitched (3.46 ERA) so stick with the Red Sox as the betting pick on Sunday.

Please click HERE to ensure that you are eligible for all BETONLINE offers