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05/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers have taken over the top spot in the American League West standings, and they have their bullpen to thank.
Overall, the Rangers (18-14) have won 10 of their last 13 games. They leapfrogged Oakland into first place this weekend after sweeping a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals. On Sunday, four Rangers' relievers combined to pitch five shutout innings after starter Scott Feldman lasted just four innings. That quartet allowed just two hits from the fifth inning to the ninth, preserving Texas' 6-4 victory.
During the team's current run, the headliner has been Neftali Feliz, who on Sunday picked up his seventh save in his last seven outings to earn his ninth save of the season. And he is picking up steam with each appearance. Feliz hasn't allowed a run over his last six appearances, and he has retired 17 of the last 18 batters he has faced.
But it isn't just Feliz putting up zeroes. All told, the Texas bullpen has notched 10 consecutive scoreless innings and has retired 28 of the 36 batters faced since Thursday, when the Kansas City series began. So far in the month of May, the Rangers' relievers have combined for a Major League-best four wins and six saves.
But while teams often prefer to keep playing day-in, day-out when things are going well, Monday's idle day provided the Rangers' taxed bullpen some much needed rest. After all, it marked their first day off in three weeks. Still, there are some on the team who would love to keep the momentum going.
"You can feel it around the clubhouse, confidence building," starting pitcher Rich Harden told the Star-Telegram on Sunday. "The way things have been going, the way we've been feeling, you want to keep on going."
Later this week, the offense will get a boost from the return of right fielder Nelson Cruz, who has been on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Cruz begins a two-game rehab assignment Tuesday night with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The team could reactivate him as early as Thursday's day game against Oakland, or wait until Friday's series-opener in Toronto. In 19 games before the injury, Cruz was hitting .323 with seven homers and 17 RBI.
BRADEN'S MOTHER'S DAY GIFT
Oakland starter Dallas Braden couldn't have scripted it any better himself.
By now, most of the baseball-following world is well aware of Braden's recent run-in with Yankees' slugger Alex Rodriguez regarding the unwritten rules of baseball etiquette. But until Sunday, most fans knew very little about Braden's upbringing, about how his grandmother cared for him after his mother died of skin cancer during Braden's senior year in high school.
So it was only fitting that on Sunday, Mother's Day, Braden tossed the 19th perfect game in big league history in Oakland's 4-0 win over red-hot Tampa Bay. And of course, Braden's grandmother, Peggy Lindsey, was there to see it in person.
"It's a more important day for my grandmother than anything," said Braden, moments after a tearful embrace with his grandmother. "That's the biggest thing to be able to give her something like this on a day of this magnitude, considering everything we've been through together. It's more about her for me.
"It hasn't been a joyous day for me in a while. But to know that I still get to come out and compete and play a game on that day, that makes it a little better. With my grandma in the stands, that makes it a lot better. To be able to give her this today was perfect."
Braden's perfecto was only the second in team history, as Catfish Hunter accomplished the feat in May of 1968 against Minnesota. And thanks to Braden, the A's improve to 17-15 on the year, just one game back of division-leading Texas. Tonight, the team hits the road for a three-game series with the Rangers, followed by a three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The A's are tied for the Major League lead with 13 wins at home, though they are just 4-8 on the road.
ANGELS LOOKING TO REGROUP FROM DISASTROUS ROAD TRIP
With their abysmal road trip now in the rearview mirror, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim look to get back to business this week at cozy Angel Stadium.
To recap, the Angels went just 2-8 on their recent trip, which began with a three-game sweep at Detroit and continued with a four-game sweep at Boston, before the Halos were able to salvage a series victory over the Seattle Mariners this past weekend.
As a team, the Angels are hitting just .220 in the month of May, which ranks fourth-worst in the majors for the current month. Meanwhile, the pitching staff has posted a combined 5.53 ERA, third-worst in the majors for the month of May. Be it at the plate or on the mound, something eventually has to give, doesn't it?
The team returned home on Monday to kick off a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, owners of the best record in baseball. Only, for the second time in five games, the Angels blew a 4-0 lead when closer Brian Fuentes gave up three runs in the top of the ninth. But later, in the bottom of the 11th, Juan Rivera delivered a sacrifice fly to preserve the win for the Angels and, hopefully, some of the momentum that had been lost during the 10-game road trip.
MARINERS STILL WAITING ON BATS TO HEAT UP, GRIFFEY TO WAKE UP
Mariners' general manager Jack Zduriencik received plenty of praise for his offseason moves to bolster an already solid starting rotation, trading for former Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and resigning Erik Bedard. With Felix Hernandez atop the rotation and Doug Fister (2-1, 1.71) bursting onto the scene, Seattle's rotation ranks third in the American League with a 3.69 ERA, albeit with a combined 7-11 record to show for it.
However, all of that pitching prowess is in danger of being wasted this season if Seattle's lineup continues along its current path. At the moment, Seattle's offense ranks last in the AL in batting average, hits, runs, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. In other words, virtually every significant offensive category.
Already this week, rumors have been swirling that 40-year-old Ken Griffey Jr.'s Seattle reunion is in danger of ending much earlier than anyone in the organization had hoped. Griffey is hitting just .208 with zero home runs and only five RBI as the team's designated hitter and, according to a couple of teammates, was asleep in the clubhouse recently when manager Don Wakamatsu was looking for a pinch-hitter.
The team's struggles boiled over on Sunday, when hitting coach Alan Cockrell was relieved of his duties and replaced by Triple-A Tacoma hitting coach Alonzo Powell. Powell is familiar with a lot of the hitters who came up through the team's minor league system. Zduriencik's hope is that "sometimes, just the same message from a different messenger carries some weight."
<< NASCAR Hall of Fame opens in Charlotte
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - More than three years after its
groundbreaking, the NASCAR Hall of Fame officially opened to the public on
Tuesday in Charlotte.
A one-hour opening ceremony was held in front of the 150
<< Samuel staying with Saints
Perth, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Striker Collin Samuel has signed a new one-
year contract to remain with St Johnstone next season.
The 28-year-old Trinidad & Tobago international has been with the Saints since
the summer of 2008 and
<< Boozer, Brown among Divisional College Football Hall of Fame class
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Emerson Boozer and Troy Brown were among four
players and two coaches inducted into the 2010 Divisional Class of the College
Football Hall of Fame, as announced Tuesday by Archie Manning, chairman of the
Nationa
<< Phillies-Jays series moved to Philadelphia
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The June interleague series between the Blue
Jays and Phillies will now be played in Philadelphia to avoid issues with the
upcoming G20 Summit in Toronto.
Major League Baseball announced the decision Tues
Sunderland completes Riveros signing >>
Sunderland, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has made
Paraguay international Cristian Riveros his first signing of the summer.
The 27-year-old, who has been included in his country's World Cup squad, moves
to Wearsid
McClaren takes charge at Wolfsburg >>
Wolfsburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former England boss Steve McClaren has
decided to leave newly-crowned Dutch champions Twente to join deposed German
champions Wolfsburg on a three-year contract.
McClaren had been linked with a num
Toole new Robert Morris hoops coach >>
Moon Township, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Robert Morris University has named
Andrew Toole as the school's new head basketball coach.
Toole, an assistant with the Colonials for the last three seasons, takes over
for Mike Rice, who left to
Maxwell to miss Barca finale >>
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barcelona has confirmed that Maxwell will
miss its La Liga title decider against Real Valladolid through injury.
The Brazil defender limped out of Saturday's 3-2 victory over Sevilla and
scans have c
New York, NY – October 3, 2007 – The dress rehearsal is over! The NHL preseason has ended and now that fans have had a glimpse of what is to come it is time to hit the book! Stanley Cup odds are live at MySportsbook.com, the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino.
The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings remain on top of the odds charts after an impressive start in the preseason. Betting lines opened for both teams at 6-1 in June. Since then the Sens have fallen to 7-1 and the Red Wings are now caught in a pack including the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes, the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks, all at 10-1.
MySportsbook.com has also posted props on each team’s point total for the regular season. The Senators lead the charge at 108.5 followed by the Ducks at 106.5. Detroit will attempt a repeat for the prize as the Red Wings are deadlocked with the Predators at 104.5 a piece. The temporary loss of highly touted rookie Evgeni Malkin puts a lot of pressure on the stick of assistant captain Sidney Crosby - his lowly Pittsburgh Penguins are listed at 71.5.
Even if bettors are not brave enough to put their money on the underdog, an early bet on the favorites at sportsbook.com tends to produce bigger payouts than a mid-season wager. Placing a $1,000 bet last summer on the Detroit Red Wings or Ottawa Senators would have paid out to $8,000 and $10,000 respectively, opposed to a $2,500 or $3,000 payout at the beginning of the playoffs.
| Ottawa Senators Detroit Red Wings Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks Anaheim Ducks Philadelphia Flyers Calgary Flames New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Dallas Stars New York Rangers Nashville Predators Vancouver Canucks Colorado Avalanche Minnesota Wild Tampa Bay Lightning Boston Bruins Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens Atlanta Thrashers Toronto Maple Leafs Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Los Angeles Kings New York Islanders Columbus Blue Jackets St. Louis Blues Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals Chicago Blackhawks |
7-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 80-1 80-1 100-1 100-1 |
NHL Regular Season Points - Team Must Play 82 Games
| Team Ottawa Senators Anaheim Ducks Detroit Red Wings Nashville Predators San Jose Sharks Calgary Flames Philadelphia Flyers New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Dallas Stars New York Rangers Minnesota Wild Atlanta Thrashers Montreal Canadiens Team Los Angeles Kings Tampa Bay Lightening Vancouver Canucks Boston Bruins Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Toronto Maple Leafs Florida Panthers Columbus Blue Jackets New York Islanders Chicago Blackhawks St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals Pittsburgh Penguins |
Over/Under 108.5 106.5 104.5 104.5 103.5 101.5 100.5 99.5 97.5 97.5 97.5 95.5 94.5 93.5 92.5 Over/Under 91.5 91.5 91.5 89.5 89.5 88.5 88.5 86.5 84.5 82.5 80.5 72.5 72.5 72.5 71.5 |
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Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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