Fargo's **MLB TOP PLAY** A.L. Game of the Week - 6/2/2008 8:00:00 PM

Texas Rangers (Mathis) +125

**MLB TOP PLAY** A.L. Game of the Week Cleveland is a road favorite and for all of the wrong reasons. Starting pitching is the top rationale but a lot of other factors need to be taken into consideration that simply are not in this case. The Indians are 3-12 over their last 15 games and they have dropped nine of their last 10 on the road to fall six games under .500 away from home. This team came into the season with expectations as one of the best offenses in the league but it has hardly been that as Cleveland is hitting .233, last in the A.L. by a large amount.

Texas is sitting at .500 right now which comes to a surprise to many. The Rangers started the season dreadful, going 7-16 but since then, they have gone 22-13 including wins in 10 of their last 14 at home. Unlike the Indians, this offense is potent, averaging 6.5 rpg over their last 25 games which is a huge average over that many games. Texas is hitting .293 at home and .298 over its last 10 games. Also, the Rangers are 9-2 in their last 11 home games vs. a left-handed starter.

Aaron Laffey has now tossed five straight quality starts after a rough opener against the Yankees and this is the exact reason why I am going against him here. We get a great price going against a pitcher who is far from the upper echelon of the league. He falls into the play against situation of going on the other side of two or more straight quality starts. He has been hot but could be tamed against the hot Rangers offense. This will be just his second road start of the season.

Doug Mathis is making his third start of the season and the first two were night and day of each other. After getting blasted by the Twins in his debut, he recovered nicely against the Indians, allowing just one run in six innings for a solid quality start. Facing Cleveland a second time normally favors the offense but in this case there is no advantage because of the struggles of that offense. Cleveland is hitting just .230 on the season against right-handed pitching. Play Texas Rangers 2.5 Units

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