MLB odds: Astros-Orioles

The Houston-Baltimore interleague game Tuesday night will be a homecoming for Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada.

Tejada was the 2002 American League MVP with Oakland, but it wasn't until Tejada arrived on the East Coast upon signing with the Orioles before the 2004 season that he believes he became one of the elite players in baseball.

Tejada spent four seasons in Baltimore and hit 102 home runs and drove in 429 runs, including a club-record 150 RBIs in 2004 in his first season at Camden Yards.

"When I came to Baltimore, that's when people started really seeing me," he said. "I played more games early, because when I was in Oakland the games were late. When I was in Baltimore, that's when the people realized what kind of player I am."

Tejada, of course, was traded to Houston during the offseason. The Orioles got pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, outfielder Luke Scott and third-base prospect Michael Costanzo in the deal.

Tejada is batting .300 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs this season. He expects a warm welcome from his former teammates but probably not from the fans, being as he asked for a trade for two years."I'm not really concerned with how [the fans] respect me," Tejada said. "I don't play for them anymore. The fans there are first-class, and it doesn't matter what they're going to do. If they boo me or don't boo me, they are still one of the best clubs to play for, and I really appreciate the time I had there."

As for the game, Houston starts right-hander Brandon Backe (4-8, 5.00 ERA), who will try to snap a personal three-game losing streak tonight when he faces the Orioles. Backe is 0-3 with an 8.40 ERA in his previous three starts. He is 1-4 with an 8.07 ERA in five career interleague starts and is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in five career appearances (one start) against the Orioles.

Baltimore starts lefty Garrett Olson (5-2, 4.53 ERA). In his last start, he allowed five runs in the first inning against the Red Sox. He did, however, allow two runs or less in each of his three starts leading up to that contest at Fenway, a stretch that included 13 strikeouts.

In injury news, Houston's Lance Berkman, who missed Sunday's game and has been nursing a sore lower left leg, is expected to return to the lineup tonight and play DH. Berkman is in a 6-for-30 slump.

Baltimore is a -149 money line betting favorite (over/under: 10) for tonight's game on WagerWeb.com.