A's, Rangers begin important set in Arlington
Baseball Betting Lines
08/27/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers may still enjoy a comfortable lead atop the American League's West Division, but the Oakland Athletics have been able to hang around in the race due to a strong recent stretch. Whether or not the A's can remain a contender could come down to how they fare in a three-game set between the teams that begins tonight at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Though still 8 1/2 games back of the Rangers in the division standings, Oakland has kept its hopes alive by winning six of the past nine contests. Bob Geren's squad began a current nine-game road trip with back-to-back victories at Cleveland, but couldn't complete the sweep in last night's finale with the Indians.
The Athletics took a one-run lead into the bottom of the sixth inning in Thursday's matchup, but Cleveland's Matt LaPorta hit a go-ahead homer off Oakland starter Vin Mazzaro during the frame that lifted the Tribe to a 3-2 triumph.
Oakland threatened in the top of the eighth by drawing two walks against reliever Joe Smith with one out, but closer Chris Perez came on to pitch out of the jam before tossing a scoreless ninth to seal the win.
Kevin Kouzmanoff went 2-for-4 for the Athletics and snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI double in the top of the sixth.
Despite the loss, Mazzaro (6-6) gave Oakland its 18th straight quality start after allowing three runs over 6 1/3 innings of work. That ties a club record initially set in 1927, when the franchise was located in Philadelphia.
"I went pretty well, got through the first few innings," Mazzaro said. "It was a battle, came up a little short. It happens."
Mazzaro's effort also marked the 24th consecutive game an A's starting pitcher lasted at least six innings.
Brett Anderson will attempt to extend that mark and get Oakland closer in the standings when the youngster toes the rubber for tonight's opener of this critical series. He'll be making his fifth start after returning from a lengthy stay on the disabled list and has gone 1-3 with a 3.34 earned run average since being activated.
Anderson has failed to notch a victory in each of his past three trips to the hill, although a lack of run support is partly to blame for that drought. The sophomore left-hander yielded just one run through five innings in a tough- luck 1-0 loss at Seattle on August 10, and received a no-decision versus Tampa Bay last Saturday despite giving up just two runs and fanning a season-best eight hitters over seven sharp frames.
The 22-year-old, an 11-game winner as a rookie last season, has been limited to only 11 starts this year due to inflammation in his throwing elbow and has yet to face the Rangers in 2010. Anderson started four times against Texas during his debut campaign and went 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA, but was tagged for six runs and eight hits -- including a pair of homers -- in just four innings of a 14-1 loss at Arlington on May 30, 2009.
Oakland figures to face a tough challenge this evening from Tommy Hunter, as the Texas scheduled starter has yet to lose at home so far this season. The stocky right-hander sports a 6-0 record with a 3.10 ERA in his eight assignments at Rangers Ballpark, in addition to a 10-2 overall mark in 15 starts for the year.
Hunter reached the double-digit win mark by holding Baltimore to three runs and just five hits over eight effective innings last Sunday at Camden Yards, which helped atone for back-to-back poor showings against AL East powers Boston and Tampa Bay in which he was rocked for eight runs and four homers over a combined six innings.
The 24-year-old is 2-0 with a 6.00 ERA in three career starts against the Athletics, with both wins taking place at the Oakland Coliseum last season.
Texas had ripped off four straight victories, the last three of which took place against AL Central-leading Minnesota, before falling to the Twins by a 6-4 score last night. Vladimir Guerrero went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Rangers, who weren't able to overcome an early 5-0 deficit and another rough start from struggling ace Cliff Lee.
Lee (10-8) surrendered five runs and seven hits in a five-inning stint to suffer his third straight defeat. During that time, the All-Star southpaw has been shelled for 26 hits and 19 runs over 18 1/3 innings.
"I haven't been locating pitches as well as I expect myself to, and [opponents] haven't missed them," Lee said. "There really hasn't been that many [bad] pitches, it's just a handful of pitches, but they just happened to capitalize them. I have to do a better job of staying out of the heart of the plate."
These two AL West rivals have split 12 meetings so far in 2010, with the Rangers taking four of the six matchups held in Arlington.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds hope a return home and a matchup with the Chicago Cubs will enable them to maintain their growing lead atop the National League Central. The two divisional foes start up a three-game series tonight
<< Orioles make a stop at Angel Stadium
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles got the Buck Showalter era off to a
terrific start by sweeping a series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
earlier this month. They'll be aiming to duplicate that performance when these
two tea
<< Brewers send Narveson to hill vs. Pirates
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Journeyman lefty Chris Narveson can reach double-digit wins
for the first time in his career tonight, when the Milwaukee Brewers host the
Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series at Miller Park.
A 28-year-
<< Cardinals, Nationals resume set in DC
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An expected soft part of the schedule has been anything but
so far for the St. Louis Cardinals, who'll be seeking to end a string of three
straight losses in tonight's second test of a four-game series with the
Washing
<< Tommy John surgery likely for Strasburg
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen
Strasburg has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his
right elbow and will likely need to have Tommy John surgery.
The team announced t
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A terrific pitching matchup is on tap this evening when David Price and the Tampa Bay Rays welcome Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox to town for the start of an important three-game series at Tropicana Field. Tampa
Verlander leads Tigers into second test at Toronto >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Verlander takes aim at win No. 15 this evening when
the Detroit Tigers continue their four-game set at the Toronto Blue Jays at
Rogers Centre.
Verlander won for the second time in three starts on Sunday against
Twins hope Baker can cook up win at Seattle >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Scott Baker tries to win his fifth straight decision this
evening when the Minnesota Twins open a three-game series against the Seattle
Mariners at Safeco Field.
Baker was terrific in beating the Los Angeles Angels of
Yankees invade Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams in the midst of heated playoff races will square
off tonight at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field, where the New York Yankees
invade the Windy City for the first of three straight meetings with the White
Sox.
Indians, Royals to begin set between divisional foes >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Royals will pay a visit to the American
League Central-rival Cleveland Indians tonight for the first of three straight
games at Progressive Field.
The Royals have won five of eight meetings with the Tribe t
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.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Baltimore Ravens 15-1
Buffalo Bills 50-1
Carolina Panthers 18-1
Chicago Bears 10-1
Cincinnati Bengals 15-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-1
Denver Broncos 15-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
Green Bay Packers 50-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 30-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 75-1
New England Patriots 10-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 20-1
New York Jets 30-1
Oakland Raiders 100-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1
Saint Louis Rams 60-1
San Diego Chargers 6-1
San Francisco 49ers 75-1
Seattle Seahawks 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1
Tennessee Titans 40-1
Washington Redskins 50-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.
NFL Football Betting
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.