Cubs head to Colorado to take on slumping Rox
Baseball Betting Lines
07/30/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Canadian-born lefty Jeff Francis can get the Colorado Rockies started on a long-awaited win streak tonight, when the team hosts the Chicago Cubs to open a three-game weekend series at Coors Field.
The Rockies sit on the verge of playoff extinction after a recent eight-game losing streak, though they finally broke through for a victory on Thursday to salvage the finale of a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ubaldo Jimenez turned in seven strong innings and Clint Barmes drove in three runs as Colorado blitzed Pittsburgh, 9-3.
Dexter Fowler contributed three hits, including a two-run double, while Carlos Gonzalez and Brad Hawpe each hit a solo homer for the Rockies, who hadn't won since July 20 at Florida.
Jimenez (16-2) recovered from a horrible outing at Philadelphia on Saturday by scattering four hits and allowing one run, while fanning six with three walks.
The Rockies are fourth in the National League's West Division, nine games behind the first-place San Diego Padres. They trail the current NL Wild Card leaders, the San Francisco Giants, by 5 1/2 games.
Francis, a 29-year-old native of Vancouver, is unbeaten in four starts since a 13-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on June 30. He's won just one decision in those four outings, however, and the Rockies are 7-6 in the 13 games he's pitched this year.
His last victory came on July 20 at Florida, when he tossed seven innings of scoreless three-hit ball en route to a 10-0 victory over the Marlins.
Francis, who's not gotten a decision in five career starts against the Cubs, is 1-1 in seven outings at home this season with a 4.54 earned run average in 41 2/3 innings.
He's opposed by fellow Canadian Ryan Dempster, who also aims for a fifth straight start without a loss.
A native of Gibsons, British Columbia, Dempster was 6-7 after a 12-0 loss to Cincinnati on July 2, but has since gone 2-0 while allowing 31 hits and 15 runs in 23 2/3 innings. The Cubs are 3-1 in his last four starts.
Dempster, a former closer, is 5-3 with two saves and a hold in 16 career meetings with Colorado, allowing 39 earned runs and recording 44 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.
He is 4-3 in 10 road starts this season.
The Cubs were last in action on Wednesday, when Houston's Carlos Lee slugged a pair of two-run home runs to back the solid pitching of Bud Norris in the Astros' 8-1 win over Chicago to close a three-game set.
Randy Wells (5-8) was charged with three runs on five hits and five walks over 5 2/3 frames for Chicago, which has dropped three out of four.
The Cubs are fourth in the NL Central, 10 1/2 games behind the first-place Cincinnati Reds and 11 1/2 behind the Giants in the Wild Card race.
Chicago swept a two-game set from the Rockies at Wrigley Field from May 17-18, but lost three of four games between the teams held at Coors Field last season.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After struggling badly during one of their most challenging stretches of the season, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim now find themselves faced with what could be a make-or-break three-game series with the Texas Rangers that
<< Cards hope for boost from Carpenter in battle with Bucs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis' bats have failed the Cardinals on more than one
occasion over the club's current funk. With Chris Carpenter set to take the
hill tonight versus Pittsburgh, those struggles might be forgiven tonight.
Carpenter wi
<< Astros to unveil Happ in opener with Brewers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nobody expects new Houston Astros starter J.A. Happ to
replace the traded Roy Oswalt, yet that is what the young left-hander must do
tonight.
One day after getting dealt to the Astros in a deal that sent Oswalt to the
Phi
<< Oswalt to make debut as red-hot Phils head to Washington
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the second straight season, the Philadelphia Phillies
have acquired one of the top available pitchers prior to the non-waiver trade
deadline. The timing couldn't be better, as the club has used a season-high
winning strea
<< Flames ink White
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Ian White
to a one-year contract on Friday.
White was part of the blockbuster deal at last season's trade deadline that
saw blueliner Dion Phaneuf heading from Calgar
Westminster, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Baltimore Ravens cornerback Dominique Foxworth will apparently miss the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Foxworth limped off the field during orientation practice on Th
Bolstered Padres to begin home set with Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A walk-off victory and the acquisition of a six-time All-
Star made Thursday one exciting day for the San Diego Padres.
San Diego will hope Friday is just as good, as it is expected to have
infielder Miguel Tejada availabl
Texans agree to terms with first-round pick Jackson >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Texans have reportedly agreed to
terms with cornerback Kareem Jackson, the team's first-round pick in the 2010
draft.
The Houston Chronicle is reporting that the deal with Jackson, the 20
Hancock says Big 12 defections won't affect BCS >>
DETROIT (AP) -Bowl Championship Series executive director Bill Hancock says the defections of Nebraska and Colorado from the Big 12 will not influence the BCS.Hancock spoke Friday at the Mid-American Conference's media day at Ford Field in Detroit.N
Gaming: Mountain West mediocre outside of league play >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Mountain West's non-conference
straight-up records point in a favorable direction at 41-28 over the last two
years, but don't be so quick in jumping to the windows to wager on the league
against outside c
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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Super Bowl 2009 Betting
Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositionsUnderdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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