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08/28/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With each loss, each mounting injury, the odds against the Chicago White Sox overtaking the American League Central crown grow increasingly longer.
At the moment, the White Sox are 3 1/2 games behind division-leading Minnesota, and they haven't been able to close the gap. The White Sox couldn't take advantage of three straight losses by the Twins this week, instead losing seven of their last 10 games entering Thursday's series finale against Baltimore.
Relievers J.J. Putz (right knee patella tendinitis) and Matt Thornton (left elbow inflammation) were placed on the disabled list on Wednesday, leaving manager Ozzie Guillen thin on bullpen options. Closer Bobby Jenks recently overcame a bout with back soreness, which had been hindering his performance.
"I believe our inconsistencies of late in the bullpen have been due to some injuries, starting with Bobby (Jenks) and spreading to both Matt and J.J.," pitching coach Don Cooper said. "It is what it is. We are down. You are talking about two of the main cogs and one of the starters being down when Jake Peavy left."
So, where exactly do the White Sox go from here? One potential scenario that has been generating a lot of buzz would be luring right-handed slugger Manny Ramirez back to the American League.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers placed Ramirez on waivers. According to the Los Angeles Times, the two sides have discussed a deal that would send Ramirez to Chicago for a combination of players and money. The Chicago Sun- Times has reported that Manny has, in fact, been claimed by Chicago, and that Ramirez is weighing removing his no-trade clause to make the deal happen. Other outlets have reported that Manny, who was not in the lineup Thursday, has told friends he would indeed waive his no-trade clause to join the South Siders.
Of course, a team with a worse record could also put in a claim and have priority. And White Sox general manager Kenny Williams hasn't made any kind of comment publicly, though it's tough to imagine any scenario where he wouldn't try to land Ramirez, who still knows how to produce runs at age 38. In 64 games, he is hitting .313 with eight homers and 40 RBI despite battling multiple ailments. He is scheduled to make about $4.25 million for the remainder of the season.
"He's probably one of the top five hitters ever," said left fielder Juan Pierre, who played with Manny in L.A. "He can hit when healthy. I don't know how healthy he is. When healthy, he can help any ballclub. He's fine in the clubhouse. He puts on a show for the media for a little bit, but he's a great guy, and a great teammate."
One thing is clear; the momentum from Chicago's 28-8 run between June and July has officially faded. Now, it's up to the White Sox to come up with an answer, either on the field or in the front office.
TWINS' BAKER, LIRIANO SHOWING IMPROVEMENT
Amidst growing concerns about a dead arm, left-hander Francisco Liriano was given two extra days off leading into Thursday night's start. The rest paid off, as Liriano yielded two runs in seven innings against Texas, striking out six. He attacked the strike zone and worked ahead in the count, and the result was his 12th win of the season, tying his career-high set in 2006.
Since the All-Star break, Liriano is 6-0 with a 2.47 ERA. He said the biggest difference has been his health.
"I feel way, way better," Liriano told the Star Tribune. "I think when you feel better, you go out there and not think that you're not feeling great. Feeling better is a good thing."
Meanwhile, fellow starter Nick Blackburn has also turned a corner since the All-Star break, posting a 4-1 record in seven starts. Scott Baker tossed seven scoreless innings against the Angels on August 22, allowing only five hits and displaying top-notch command. He then allowed two runs in 6 2/3 frames Friday night at Seattle. Carl Pavano has been a horse all season long, with 15 wins, a 3.56 ERA and six complete games.
If those three continue to form the 1-2-3 punch that they have been the last few times through the rotation, the Twins will be tough to catch in the AL Central race.
PERALTA MORE THAN A RENTAL?
When the Detroit Tigers acquired shortstop Jhonny Peralta from Cleveland a month ago, the hope was that he'd help spark a playoff push. Peralta has certainly provided a spark, hitting .242 with six homers and 18 RBI in just 26 games with Detroit. However, the Tigers have continued to struggle in other areas and have fallen 10 games off the pace in the division.
Peralta has a $7 million option for next season, which he obviously hopes the club will pick up. For his part, Peralta said he loves it in Detroit and wants nothing more than to stick around, at least through the end of the 2011 season. Of course, outfielder Johnny Damon recently expressed similar sentiments when he declined a possible trade to Boston in order to stay in Detroit.
"I want to be here," Peralta said after blasting a three-run homer against Toronto Thursday night. "I hope they pick up the option. But I want to be here. I like everybody here."
The Tigers haven't gotten much offensive production from the shortstop position this season.
ROYALS PROSPECT MOUSTAKAS LIVING UP TO THE HYPE
Baseball prospects are just that; prospects. While some come with much better tools, intangibles and promise than others, ultimately there is no guarantee that a highly regarded prospect will tear through the minors, reach the Major League level and become a perennial All-Star.
But in the case of Kansas City Royals' minor league third baseman Mike Moustakas, so far everything has gone according to plan. The 21-year-old entered Friday hitting a combined .318 with 28 homers and 99 RBI in 106 games between Double-A and Triple-A. As a result, he has been named one of five finalists for the USA Today Minor League Player of the Year award.
Moustakas was the No. 2 overall selection of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. Upon his promotion to Triple-A in mid-July, Moustakas was leading the Texas League in batting average, home runs and RBI.
In the wake of yet another trying season in Kansas City, Moustakas represents a big ray of light for the organization's future.
SETBACK FOR INDIANS' PITCHING PROSPECT
Like the Kansas City Royals, the Cleveland Indians are an organization with all eyes toward the future. However, the future has become pretty cloudy for a potentially big piece to the team's plans.
Hector Rondon, Cleveland's Minor League Player of the Year in 2009, underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday. Rondon, 22, had been out since mid-May after injuring the elbow early in the season. He had been rehabbing the injury at the team's facility in Goodyear, Arizona, but recently had a setback. As a result, his 2011 season most likely has now been lost.
"It's not good, because he was one of the guys we were counting on for pitching depth down the road," manager Manny Acta told the team's Web site. "If he didn't lose this year of development, we were probably going to take a look at him in September. But he lost this year, and he's probably going to lose another one."
Rondon had struggled this year before being shutdown, though his live fastball had turned enough heads to land him a roster spot on the World Team during the 2008 Futures Game. Despite the setback, Acta is still hopeful for Rondon's future.
"Tommy John surgery is not what it used to be," Acta said. "Every year, guys come back who had it the year before, and a lot of times they come back stronger. But you feel bad for the kid."
<< 2010 World Basketball Championship update - August 28th
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
Group C: Greece vs. China, 9 a.m. (Ankara)
Final: Greece 89 China 81
Group D: New Zealand vs. Lithuania, 9 a.m. (Izmir)
Final: Lithuania 92 New Zealand 79
Group A: Australia vs. Jordan, 9:30 a.m. (Kayseri)
Gro
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals will try move closer towards a
playoff berth tonight in the third test of a four-game series against the
homestanding Washington Nationals.
The Cardinals are one game off the wild card l
<< First-place Reds aim to continue mastery of Cubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The first-place Cincinnati Reds can make it 12 wins in 15
games with the Chicago Cubs tonight, when the clubs meet for the second of
three weekend games at Great American Ball Park.
On Friday, Jay Bruce slammed a c
<< Mets, Astros go at it again in New York
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets will attempt to make it two straight wins
and improve to 15 games over .500 at home tonight, when they meet the Houston
Astros in the middle test of a three-game series at Citi Field.
The Mets won Frida
F MacArthur signs 1-year deal with Maple Leafs >>
TORONTO (AP) -Forward Clarke MacArthur has signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.The team announced the deal with the unrestricted free agent Saturday.MacArthur had 16 goals and 19 assists last season between the Buffalo Sabres and
Nebraska's Pelini mum on starting quarterback >>
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -Nebraska coach Bo Pelini has hinted he's picked a starting quarterback, but he isn't saying who got the nod.Pelini said after Saturday's practice that the coaching staff has a plan for the position. But everyone else will have to
Devils submit new Kovalchuk contract >>
Hackensack, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Devils have reportedly
submitted a new contract with Ilya Kovalchuk to the NHL.
The Bergen Record reported that NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed
Friday that the league is
Miller continues hot start for Rangers >>
Glasgow, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kenny Miller continued his fast start to
the new Scottish Premier League season on Saturday, scoring the decisive goal
11 minutes from time in a 2-1 Rangers win over St Johnstone at the Ibrox
Stadium
The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
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MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?
Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite. Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight. With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites. As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).
Midwest
#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler
The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April. Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT. After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games. Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season. As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers. Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS). Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field. With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.
#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV
As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year. If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season. As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well. This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons. Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late. There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games. It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.
East
#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown
“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season. Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU. They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games. With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field. Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense. Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc. The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range. Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.
#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC
The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country. Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times. Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter. UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen. UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS. An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games. This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS. USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types. An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough. USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS. They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12. When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.
With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action. Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”. By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.
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