In what can best be termed as the league of extraordinary gentlemen, Tuesday’s MLB odds for the Royals at Blue Jays ALCS Game 4 matchup presents us with an enthralling encounter between two starting pitchers that have overcome varied diversities in the Major Leagues and earned the respect of their supporters and foes alike.
Profiling the Starting Pitchers
For starters, right-handers R.A. Dickey and Chris Young, the starting pitchers for Toronto and Kansas City this Tuesday, were teammates at Texas Rangers from 2004-05, before separating and going to different directions, and then meeting once again as friends and teammates at the New York Mets in 2011 and 2012. In between playing those stints of playing together, Young pitched for the Padres, Mets and Mariners before joining the Royals at the end of last season, while Dickey went to the Mariners, Twins, Mets and is now with Blue Jays. Even more notably about the two and why they are amongst the most respected pitchers in the game, the 36-year-old Young had his career in jeopardy in 2013 after he underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve disorder that saw him have chronic pains in his shoulder and neck. But being the fighter that he is, he was able to get the necessary medication and therapy, making his come-back to the league last year with the Mariners. Upon his return, he posted a 12-9 record with a 3.65 ERA that saw him earn the AL comeback player of the year honors. It is after that that he signed with the Royals in March. On the opposite side, Dickey, a 40-year-old knuckleball practitioner, didn’t witness a career-threatening injury like Young, but he equally had to struggle with his highs and lows in the Major Leagues. For instance, in 2006, he was the subject of a lot of mockery after he tied the post-1900 major-league record in giving up six home runs in a game against the Detroit Tigers. Six years after that, he had not only cleaned up his knuckleball skills, but he also had a sterling performance that saw him win the Cy Young Award as a Met. And then there is his love for philanthropy, his passion for good grammar and respect for readership, and the fact that he’s a published author; things that have endeared him to many people from various walks of life. His Twitter bio that reads: “Father, Husband, Christian, Pitcher, Author, Adventurer, Star Wars Nerd, Reader, Ninja in Training & Cyclist” pretty much sums up the kind of person he is. So when the two right-handers go against each other, it is going to be a momentous occasion, not just for baseball betting enthusiasts, but for millions of people who look up to these two starting pitchers for their inspirational lives on and off the field. That being said, here is online betting preview of the clash between the two starters this Tuesday:Toronto Blue Jays vs Kansas City Royals MLB Betting Guide
Starting Pitchers: Chris Young vs. R.A. Dickey Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 Time: 4:07 PM ET TV: FS1/SNET MLB Lines: Kansas City (+142) at Toronto (-155), OVER/UNDER 9
Ready for Game 4? #ComeTogether pic.twitter.com/t9Rn9Waqrw
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 20, 2015
Betting on Toronto
After getting outplayed by the Royals in the first two games in the series back in Kansas City, the Toronto Blue Jays decided to get their revenge on Monday night for the joy of their online sportsbook betting fans, posting an impressive 11-8 win over the Royals on Monday Night, cutting down the series lead to 2-1. Toronto’s league-leading offense in the regular season was on full showcase in that Game 3 win, as Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki each drilled a homer in a six-run third inning that swung the clash in Toronto’s favor. Royals ace Johnny Cueto was helpless on the mound, as he was torched for a whopping eight runs. The Blue Jays will need that type of offensive performance this Tuesday in order for Dickey and the Toronto bullpen to have some breathing room against Young and his unit that will be looking to turn things around. Of course, the Jays don’t have much to worry about in regards to Dickey starting on mound. He put in a solid performance in 4.2 innings of work in Game 4 of the ALDS, where he surrendered just one run and had a six-run lead when manager John Gibbons famously–and contentiously–yanked him in favor of ace David Price, who eventually got the winning decision. More remarkably, Dickey (0-0, 1.93 ERA) was terrific with his knuckleball in his last start against the Royals on August 2nd, as he give up no runs and two hits while striking out six batters over seven innings. For the season, the 40-year-old pitcher made 33 starts, and had an ERA of 5.02 in his first 17 starts, but showed massive improvement and posted a 2.78 ERA in his last 16 regular-season games, including that emotional near-perfect pitching over the New York Mets a day after his father died in June. All that underlines the fact that KC batters have a big task at hand today.Betting on Kansas City
Dealing with Dickey’s knuckleball will be the biggest priority for Kansas City in Today’s game. And to do so, Royals coach said, “You have to go up, and see it, and hit it.” Given the unpredictability of knuckleballs, the only thing KC can hope for is that Dickey won’t have a good day on the mound, translating to his balls coming flat and fat. Outside that, all a batter can do is react and hope for the best against him. Plus, it’s not like the Royals don’t have someone dependable on the mound. Young, whose fastball clocks in at 87 mph, is making his second postseason appearance after a trip to the NL Division Series with the 2006 Padres. In that postseason appearance, he threw 6 2/3 innings and didn’t allow a run in a win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Dickey, on the other hand, is making his first postseason appearance, despite having been in the Major Leagues for a longer duration. That extra experience could be a crucial bonus for Young (0-0, 2.25 ERA) in today’s clash, especially after he allowed just one run over four innings in long relief during Game 1 of the ALDS against the Astros barely a week ago. On a concerning note, though, Young lost his only outing against the Blue Jays this season, allowing three runs in six innings of work. He will therefore need to find a better formula of outplaying the Jays, who are particularly motivated in a big way following yesterday’s big win. Still, if KC’s offense, which gave a spirited fight with 8 runs in the 11-8 loss to the Jays on yesterday, can come up big once again in today’s matchup, then the Royals will certainly have a chance of hanging with their hosts.Key Betting Trends
- Series Standing: Royals Lead the Series 2-1
- Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
- Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
- Kansas City is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
- Toronto is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
- Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Kansas City
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City’s last 5 games
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto’s last 6 games at home
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City’s last 6 games when playing Toronto
