Baseball Betting - AL West Rivals In The Lone Star State

Those looking at Preakness odds should be in for a good race on Saturday, but another pair of American League West thoroughbreds will battle at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Friday night, as the division-leading Rangers welcome the Los Angeles Angels to town. Texas' high-powered offense, as well as homefield advantage, should make them the favorites in your sportsbook. But the Angels are getting hot, and they'll be sending their ace to the hill.

Angels vs Rangers odds - Friday, May 15, 8:05 PM ET

Joe Saunders (5-1, 2.66) has been carrying the banged-up Los Angeles rotation, and he shone in a 1-0 win at home over Kansas City as he went the distance, tossing a five-hitter with six strikeouts and only one walk. Saunders is out to prove that last year's 17-7 record was no fluke, and he's well on his way to another great season. The 27-year-old southpaw handled the hard-hitting Rangers rather well in 2008, going 1-1 in three starts with an ERA of 1.93.

Kevin Millwood (3-3, 2.92) gets the nod for the Rangers, and he gave up three runs on seven hits over seven innings of work, but he took a loss as the Rangers fell 3-2 at Chicago against the White Sox. This was the first time in five starts that Millwood didn't allow a homer, and he walked three batters while striking out two. The 34-year-old righthander brings a veteran presence to an inconsistent Texas rotation, and he is looking to bounce back from a 9-10 record in 2008. Last year, Millwood was 1-2 in four starts against the Angels with an ERA of 4.21.

US-friendly sportsbook odds should favor the Rangers at home, and as of Thursday, both teams had won eight of their last 10 games. However, the Angels won seven of nine trips to Texas last year, with five of the nine games going over the posted total. Saunders has been as solid as they come this year, and he won't have to do it all himself much longer as Ervin Santana and John Lackey have returned from the disabled list. This is the team that Texas needs to beat to prove they are a legitimate contender in the West, but until proven otherwise, the Angels are the team to beat. Take Los Angeles for a baseball betting win on Friday.