The online sporstbooks are getting heavy action on the Rangers in this game despite Cleveland sending their new ace, Ubaldo Jiminez, to the mound. Derek Holland will be pitching for Texas, and the young lefty has been pretty solid of late. But all eyes will be on Ubaldo, pitching in his first game since coming over from Colorado in a trade deadline deal. Taking on the Rangers’ lineup in his first AL game is no easy task: the Rangers rank 3rd in runs, 2nd in batting average, 3rd in OPS, 3rd in HRs, and 4th in stolen bases. They are an offensive juggernaut.

Handicappers will likely pay attention to the Rangers’ recent struggles, winning just 3 of their last 9 games while their offense has slumped a bit, scoring 4 runs or fewer in 6 of 9.

Cleveland has won just 3 of their last 9 games as well. They’ve scored 3 runs or fewer in every single one of those losses. When their bats come to life, the Indians do fine, otherwise, they’ve struggled.

MLB Odds have the rangers at 45-1 to win the World Series, while the Indians are at 60-1.

The home field advantage figures to be a major factor in this game. Both teams have been excellent while playing at their home fields this season, but each team has really struggled while playing on the road. The Rangers are just 10-14 on the road this season and the Indians are the best home team in the American League with a 19-6 record in Cleveland.

These teams each have stellar offenses and this could be a very high scoring series. The Rangers started to slow down a bit offensively, but they will likely turn things around with Josh Hamilton back in the lineup. Hamilton is considered to be one of the best players in baseball and is an integral part of their lineup.

While Hamilton is important for the Rangers, Adrian Beltre may be even more important. Beltre has the potential to be one of the premier hitters in the game, but he has struggled to hit for a good average this season. The Rangers need him to perform in this series.

The Indians have a comfortable lead, but they need to continue to build it as every team goes through a tough stretch at some point in the season.

Pettitte, the MLB all-time leader in playoff wins, is expected to officially announce his retirement at a news conference at Yankee Stadium on Friday.

Many saw this coming, especially after the Yankees were disappointedly eliminated from the 2010 MLB Playoffs against the Texas Rangers.

No pitcher in Major League Baseball history has more playoff wins than Pettitte, who has 19. The next closest is John Smoltz with 15, followed by Tom Glavine with 14 and Roger Clemens with 12.

ESPN reported Thursday that Pettitte phoned Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner to tell him of his decision.

Pettitte will turn 39 on June 15 and has made hints about retiring for several seasons, but only starting talking seriously about it last season.

The Yankees seemed to be holding out hope that, as he’s done in the past, Pettitte would reconsider as spring training drew closer. And that hope became more urgent when the Yankees failed to sign Cliff Lee as a free agent this winter.

The Rangers were expected to introduce the slugger at a news conference Wednesday after he arrived in Texas Tuesday to take a physical.

The signing will make the rangers even bigger favorites in MLB Betting odds.

The deal is structured like this, according to the Rangers: $14 million this year; $15 million in 2012; $16 million in 2013; $17 million in 2014; $18 million in 2015; and $16 million in 2016.

The team can void the final season if Beltre fails to have either 1,200 plate appearances in 2014 and 2015 combined, or 600 in 2015.

The deal means current third-baseman Michael Young will move to designated hitter and a super-utility position, and Beltre will be the club’s starting third baseman.

Beltre, 31, hit .321 with 28 homers and 102 RBIs for the Boston Red Sox in 2010. Beltre, a two-time Gold Glove winner, was also solid with the glove at third base, allowing the Rangers to improve its infield defense.

Beltre led the American League in doubles with 49 and was an All-Star in 2010. He has impressive defensive numbers and was plus-10 in defensive runs saved while Young was minus-13.

Young said Monday he has no problem switching positions.

“I want to do what’s best for a winning team,” Young said. “That’s always been the case and it always will be. I’m willing to do what I need to do to help this team.”

The sportsbook betting lines predict this move will undoubtedly increase the Phillies chances of winning the 2011 World Series in MLB Betting Odds.

The 32-year old lefthander was traded last December 16th by Philadelphia to Seattle, then Seattle swapped him to the Texas Rangers this past July. Lee helped the Rangers reach their first World Series, but became a free agent on November 1st.

Most observers figured he couldn’t turn down what the New York Yankees would offer him. But on December 15th, a day shy of what would have been a year since they traded him, Cliff Lee became a Phillie once more.

Lee turned down offers from the Yankees and Rangers, both of which were reportedly significantly higher than what the Phillies offered. The length of the contract was a departure from Philadelphia’s traditional policy of not offering contracts of longer than three years, which is the length of Roy Halladay’s agreement from last year.

Lee’s addition to the Phillies’ starting rotation of Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt will no doubt make Philadelphia prohibitive favorites in the National League East Division. With 13 All-Star appearances among them and a combined 481-275 won-loss record, the potential for an incredibly formidable pitching staff is undeniable.

Lee’s contract reportedly contains a $12.5 million buyout clause as well as a $27.5 million option that kicks in if he pitches 200 innings in 2014 or a total of 400 innings combined in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. If he remains with Philadelphia for six seasons, the contract will pay him $135 million.

The Daily News first reported the story Monday, and Ryan told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram late Monday night that Pettitte had called him just after the Rangers had defeated the Yankees in the American League Championship series to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Ryan claims Pettitte only called to wish the Rangers good luck in the Fall Classic and to just talk baseball.

The 38 year old Pettitte, a native of Deer Park, Texas, hasn’t made any public announcement regarding his return for 2011, although the general perception is that he will return.

The lanky left-hander had perhaps the best first-half of his career in 2010, compiling an 11-2 won-loss mark along with an ERA of 2.70 and was named to the American League All-Star team. In the second-half of the season however, Pettitte was bothered by a groin injury and threw only 15 2/3 innings for the remainder of the season.

A source reportedly high up in Yankee management angrily denied the report, speculating that someone in the Rangers organization may be responsible for the allegation “to push us back on Cliff Lee.”

Lee, a coveted free agent pitcher who was obtained by Texas from Seattle this past July, is rumored to be the primary target of the Yankees among the current free agent market.

While the Rangers are starting to feel a little bit of pressure due to their recent 2-8 record in their last 10 games, which includes 5 straight losses, the Texas Rangers still hold a comfortable 7 game lead over Oakland in the AL West. This upcoming home stand will be enjoyed by the Rangers, where they are 43-26 compared to 32-37 on the road. However, star slugger Josh Hamilton is continued to be listed as day to day thanks to the rib injury he suffered last week in Minnesota when he crashed into the outfield wall and he is expected to miss the series with the Yankees.

Ace pitcher Cliff Lee is expected to make his return to the starting rotation on Sunday, which is one bit of good news for the Rangers, after battling a back injury that forced him from his last scheduled start. In this series, Texas appears to have the pitching advantage, thanks in large part to the absence of C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes for the Yankees. For this weekend series, the expected pitching match ups are as follows:

Friday – Wilson vs. Vazquez
Saturday – Hunter vs. Burnett
Sunday – Lee vs. Moseley

On Nelson Cruz’s two-run homer in the 10th inning, Texas (59-42) won Tuesday’s opener before Oakland (51-49) won Wednesday behind All-Star Trevor Cahill’s eight scoreless innings. Since the All-Star break, these teams have the lowest ERAs, with the Rangers at 2.55 and Oakland at 2.69.

For the first time since June 4, in the AL West, the Athletics have moved into sole possession of second place, 7 1/2 games behind the Rangers. Wilson is second in the AL with a .203 mark has a 9-5, 3.03 ERA. In his last 10 starts, he is 6-2 with a 2.57 ERA. This allowed to earn a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, with four hits in eight innings.

Vin Mazzaro (6-2, 3.45), in his last five starts is 4-0 with a 2.12 ERA. Giving up two runs over six innings in a 10-2 home victory, he beat the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. In his season debut May 4; his lone career starts against Texas. In a 7-6 home victory, he yielded four runs over three-plus innings.

In all of the split eight meetings between Texas and Oakland, Josh Hamilton has hit safely, going 13 for 34 with six RBIs. Against the A’s, second baseman Ian Kinsler is 7 for 29. In his last five games, without an extra-base hit and five strikeouts, Kinsler is 4 for 20.

Manager Ron Washington said, there was not anything that he might have done that made me do it. I just felt like it was time. When I get that feeling, I just go with it.”

During a career-best 16-game hitting streak, Cruz is hitting .403 with three homers and 16 RBIs. On Wednesday for Oakland, Kurt Suzuki homered and drove in two runs. With eight RBIs over his last four games, he is 8 for 16.

The A’s are trying to capture their season-high fifth straight series.

Vladimir Guerrero was a part of five AL West title-winning teams, during his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

On Tuesday night, when he returns to Anaheim, the revived slugger will look to boost the Texas Rangers‘ chances of winning the 2010-crown. Guerrero hit .295 with 15 homers and 50 RBIs in his final season with the Angels, although he was limited to 100 games because of a torn chest muscle and an ailing knee. Los Angeles passed on bringing the 2004 AL MVP back to the team because of those injuries and his diminished role in the outfield. To be their designated hitter, the Angels added Hideki Matsui and the Rangers ended up signing Guerrero to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million.

To the team’s recent success, Josh Hamilton’s career-best 21-game hitting streak has also contributed. For this year’s All-Star Game with a .346 average, 18 homers and 57 RBIs this season, the outfielder is making a strong case to return to Anaheim. Hamilton matched a team record with 47 hits in June with a 468-foot homer in Sunday’s 10-1 win over Houston and he is hitting .477 (41 of 86) during his streak.

With consecutive wins, the right-hander, Scott Feldman (5-6, 5.32 ERA) has benefited from his team’s offensive prowess. In Thursday’s 6-5 comeback victory over Pittsburgh, he was bailed out after allowing 5 runs and 12 hits over six innings.

Joel Pineiro (7-6, 4.21), who has won four straight starts; allowing one run in each of the last three will oppose Feldman. He will make his first start against the Rangers since Aug. 10, 2006 with 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA over his last five home games.

This month, Josh Hamilton has been the Texas Rangers’ hottest hitter and Michael Young is the new, club’s all-time hits leader. On Thursday night, the Rangers are looking forward for a three-game sweep and will look to continue their superb play. With 7 homers and 21 RBIs, Hamilton has batted .458, as the AL West-leading Rangers (37-28) have gone 11-4 in June. The All-Star left fielder collected four hits, one a solo homer and he are on a career-high 12-game hitting streak. Young with his 1748th hit, delivered two-run single in the eighth inning, that enabled to pass Ivan Rodriguez for the franchise lead. He too had a memorable performance in the game. Thanks, in part to interleague play Hamilton has also been red-hot. Against NL opponents, he has a 14-game hitting streak, posting a .418 average with 4 homers and 10 RBIs in that span. Against the Marlins, Hamilton is 9 for 18 with a homer and three RBIs in four career games.

Dustin Nippert (2-3, 4.60 ERA) will be given his first start of the season for the Rangers after the right-hander made 22 appearances out of the bullpen. In 10 starts last season, Nippert was 3-3 with a 4.65 ERA.

Against Texas, Ricky Nolasco (5-5, 5.05) will try to get on track in his first start struggling through his last five outings, going 1/3 with an 8.25 ERA and allowing seven homers. Lasting 2 1/3 innings, the right-hander had his shortest outing of the season Saturday while giving up five runs and nine hits, three homers, in a 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay.