 |
 Basketball Betting |
 |
||||
|
 |
||||
|
||||
AL Central: Tribe's future will take shape in second halfBaseball Betting Lines07/16/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For Cleveland Indians fans, the hard part is over. They've endured a first half of the season that saw their team finish 20 games below .500 (34-54) and fall 15 1/2 games off the pace in the American League Central. Granted, not even the most die-hard Cleveland fans were penciling the Indians into a postseason spot in 2010. General manager Mark Shapiro made certain to temper any such expectations at the outset of the season. Having just limped past the halfway point of the season, the Indians will use the second half to put their future plans into focus. And despite being buried in the standings and having the lowest attendance figures in the majors, there are a few reasons for optimism in Cleveland. At the forefront is rookie catcher Carlos Santana, who so far has certainly lived up to his super-prospect hype. In only 95 big league at-bats, Santana has homered five times, driven in 16 runs and hit .284. Likewise, first baseman Matt LaPorta, the key prospect in the CC Sabathia deal in 2008, has started to come along lately. In 12 games since being recalled from a minor league detour on June 27, he's hit .357 with four homers and 11 RBI. But the one guy who has really rewarded the organization for its patience is starting pitcher Fausto Carmona (8-7), who earned his first All-Star nod with a 3.64 ERA and a pair of complete games through 18 starts. Most importantly, the right-hander has drastically cut down on the number of walks that led to his demotion to the minors last year. Fellow starter Jake Westbrook may never produce to the level of his $11 million annual salary, though lately he has made steady progress in his return from Tommy John surgery. It would be a bonus for the front office if he has pitched well enough to attract an offer from a team looking for starting pitching help at the trade deadline. Cleveland took a big hit with the season-ending knee surgery to three-time All-Star outfielder Grady Sizemore in May. Injuries to right fielder Shin-Soo Choo (thumb) and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (forearm) obviously haven't helped the Tribe's fortunes at the plate as well, although both are targeting a return by the end of July. Before his thumb injury on July 2, Choo was in line for an All-Star nod with a .286 batting average, 13 home runs and 43 RBI. Mitch Talbot has been a pleasant surprise in the rotation, leading all AL rookies with eight wins. In addition, fellow starter Justin Masterson seemed to get into a groove over his last few starts. And in the bullpen, Chris Perez has emerged as a legitimate candidate to take over the closer's job. All in all, things aren't looking so bleak for incoming GM Chris Antonetti, who will replace Shapiro at the end of the season. Still, the primary objective for manager Manny Acta and the front office is to identify which players will be around for the long haul. The evaluation process takes center stage when the team resumes play Friday night. "I just want these young kids to get out and play hard," Acta said. "We're going to get something out of it. We're going to be able to see who's going to join that core that we're building for the future." ROOKIES BOESCH, SCHERZER KEY FOR TIGERS' SECOND HALF When looking at how the Detroit Tigers' roster shapes up, it's given that Miguel Cabrera will put up big power numbers, Justin Verlander will mow down opposing lineups, and Johnny Damon will continue to make key veteran contributions. But to seize the top spot in the AL Central, it's up to some of Detroit's younger guys to produce in the second half. Cue rookie outfielder Brennan Boesch and 26-year-old No. 2 starter Max Scherzer, both of whom have been instrumental in the Tigers' first-half record (48-38). In eight starts since returning from his midseason demotion to Triple-A Toledo, Scherzer is 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA, averaging 11 strikeouts per nine innings. Boesch has his name in the mix for Rookie of the Year honors thanks to a ridiculous .342 batting average, 12 homers and 49 RBI. He boasts a .593 slugging average and is on pace for nearly 300 total bases as a rookie. It's tough to imagine Boesch keeping up that kind of pace for the duration of the season, but the Tigers do need his presence in the middle of the lineup. As for Scherzer, the Tigers need him to continue to bridge the gap between Verlander and the rest of the rotation. If both can achieve their respective goals, it would go a long way toward helping the Tigers finally capture their first AL Central crown. WHITE SOX PICK UP RIGHT WHERE THEY LEFT OFF When a team is as hot as the Chicago White Sox have been, typically the last thing the players want is some time off. Winners of eight straight heading into the All-Star break, you could hardly blame the White Sox for wanting to keep the train rolling. Nevertheless, this week's three-day layoff does not appear to have taken any wind out of Chicago's sails, as the team resumed play Thursday with an 8-7 win over the Minnesota Twins for their ninth consecutive triumph. Prior to that victory, in which Chicago rallied back from a four-run deficit, manager Ozzie Guillen put into perspective what a trip to the playoffs this season would mean to him. "If we go to the playoffs, it will be most satisfying year I have had in seven years with this ballclub," Guillen told the Chicago Tribune. "This one will be more exciting than the two (previous) playoffs for me." Over their last 31 games, the White Sox are an incredible 26-5. If they keep up this pace much longer, Guillen figures to be one very satisfied manager. ROYALS TWEAKING ROTATION FOR SECOND HALF The baseball adage, "You're only as good as your next day's starting pitcher" is about as old as the game itself. Still, the saying holds true today, as it will for years to come. That brings us to the Kansas City Royals, whose starters have assembled an unsightly 5.11 ERA as a group. The best of the bunch, reigning AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, has fallen victim to insufficient run support, although he's gone 4-0 with a 3.00 ERA over his last five starts to lower his season ERA to 3.71. The staff ace, was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday with some discomfort in his shoulder, has only a 5-8 record for the year. Projected No. 2 starter Gil Meche was placed on the 60-day DL on Thursday, a move that was designed to clear roster space for Henry Barrera, who was ending a rehab assignment. Meche is eligible for reinstatement on July 25, though he has not pitched since May 25 and will require some time on a Minor League rehab assignment. Former No. 1 overall draft pick Luke Hochevar has been out since June 11 with a sprained elbow, though he hasn't been particularly effective anyway in pitching to a 5-4 record and a 4.96 ERA in 13 starts before the injury. All of that has left manager Ned Yost scrambling. He has even tinkered the rotation so as to line up Brian Bannister for as many day starts as possible. In six daytime starts this year, Bannister is 4-0 with a 2.37 ERA. But in 12 outing as night, he is 3-7 with a 7.45 ERA. By slotting Bannister in the No. 3 spot in the rotation, four of his next nine starts will come in day games. Of course, it will take more than Yost's tinkering for the Royals' starters to excel in the second half. "We have to play consistent baseball, and it all revolves around your starting pitching," Yost told the Kansas City Star. "If we're going to be in it, our starting pitching has to be able to take us to that point." HITS KEEP COMING FOR FADING TWINS Already with a 3-8 record in July, the Minnesota Twins can ill-afford many more bad breaks if they are to stay in contention for the AL Central crown. However, they were dealt a big blow on Thursday, when four-time All-Star first baseman and former league MVP Justin Morneau was placed on the 15-day DL with lingering symptoms from a concussion suffered during a collision at second base on July 7. Morneau worked out for about 25 minutes on an elliptical machine Thursday morning, but later felt some "fogginess" and decided a DL stint would be best to clear out all the cobwebs. In other injury news, second baseman Alexi Casilla has moved up to Double-A as he rehabs from bone spurs in his right elbow. According to manager Ron Gardenhire, Casilla has seven or eight days left on his rehab assignment, pending any setbacks. Meanwhile, no timeline has been set on reliever Clay Condrey, who has been dealing with a right elbow injury. The right-hander has been touring doctor's offices, with Gardenhire telling the team's website the injury "isn't looking good."
<< Roberts, Skelton under contract
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arizona Cardinals will head into training camp with their two FCS draft choices, quarterback John Skelton and wide receiver Andre Roberts, signed to four-year contracts. Skelton was the Cardinals' fifth-rou
<< Predators sign Lundmark
<< EWU home victories would turn opponents red
<< As the wind blows, scores soar at St. Andrews
<< Montanes into semis in Stuttgart
Stars sign veteran D Lukowich, three others >>
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Stars signed veteran defenseman Brad Lukowich and two others to one-year, two-way contracts on Friday. Lukowich, 33, has registered 23 goals and 90 assists in 653 regular season NHL games with six
Union hopes to halt Toronto's unbeaten run >>
N.Y. visits Columbus with first place at stake >>
Real shoots for more road success at Dallas >>
Bulls add another former Utah player in Brewer >>
MySportsbook.com, Online Sportsbook and Casino, is celebrating our 9th football season online since our launch in 1997. MySportsbook.com has experienced exponential growth, having taken over $8 billion in Sports and Casino Wagers since we opened our doors. This year we will accept over $3 billion in wagers. Tens of thousands of winning wagers are created daily for the 300,000 people that have joined our website. In August of 2005, MySportsbook.com was acquired by Sportingbet, a UK company which is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. Combined, MySportsbook.com and Sportingbet easily form the world's largest internet sportsbook company and one of the internet's most profitable companies. The acquisition has provided for added transparency and accountability to MySportsbook.com customers and thus provides more safety and security for our customers. Our business is audited by BDO Stoy Hayward, one of the largest auditing firms in London, and our accounts are published quarterly on the London Exchange. We encourage you to take a look around and truly hope you enjoy your experience. Through advertising deals with the top handicapping sites in the world, MySportsbook.com reaches a global audience and is one of the most commonly visited gaming spots on the Internet. MySportsbook.com offers the largest selection of casino games and sporting wagers on the Internet. We believe that an educated player is a more responsible gambler, thus we provide you with all of the latest news and handicapping information. MySportsbook.com is your ultimate destination for gaming information and wagering. You can start by signing up in the Casino or Sportsbook. Once you sign up you can use your same login in either the casino or Sportsbook. So do it now and start winning serious money Today! If at any time you have a question, we have numerous people waiting to help you, so don't be afraid to call our customer service department. We do not take any telephone wagers but we can certainly answer any questions you may have about our service. MySportsbook.com is officially licensed in Antigua as a preferred licensee recognized by the Directorate of offshore gaming of Antigua and Barbuda. What more could you ask for from an Online Sportsbook?
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team. Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team. "I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success." Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate. Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns. But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches. Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips. Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs. |
|
