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06/07/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Playing in close games has become a habit of the Los Angeles Dodgers as of late. That wasn't the case the last time they faced the St. Louis Cardinals.
Los Angeles and St. Louis square off for the first time since last season's National League Division Series, a set swept by the Dodgers, with tonight's opener of a three-game set at Chavez Ravine.
Los Angeles is 5-2 on its current 13-game homestand, a residency that has seen the Dodgers win three games in extra innings. In fact, seven of LA's last eight games have been decided by just one run.
The Cardinals would like to keep it that close this evening. The Dodgers marched on to the NLCS last season after a 5-1 victory over the Cards on Oct. 10, a game in which they outhit St. Louis 12-6 and led by four runs after four innings.
That playoff matchup came after the Cardinals won five of seven versus the Dodgers in the regular season, including two of three in Los Angeles. The Dodgers went on to fall to the Phillies in five games in the following round.
A return to the postseason could be in Los Angeles' future they way it has played as of late. The club has won six of its last eight and trails San Diego by a half-game for first place in the National League West following Sunday's 5-4 victory over Atlanta in 11 innings.
Backup catcher A.J. Ellis was the hero thanks to a walk-off RBI single.
"This is definitely the most special," said Ellis when asked where this ranks among all the hits in his career. "The team kept giving me chances to drive somebody in and finally on my third try, I was able to get it done."
Carlos Monasterios makes his third start in a row for the Dodgers and he is 2-0 with a 1.87 earned run average in 14 games, including three starts, this season.
The rookie right-hander got a no-decision in Wednesday's 1-0 extra-inning victory over Arizona despite throwing five scoreless innings of two-hit ball without a walk. His outing was cut short, however, due to a blister that shouldn't prevent the 24-year-old from facing the Cardinals for the first time in his career tonight.
The Cardinals, who are tied with the Reds for first place in the NL Central, will look to get back in the win column tonight after Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Brewers snapped a three-game win streak. St. Louis suffered a defeat and failed to record a three-game sweep when Milwaukee's Corey Hart plated a 10th- inning run with a sacrifice fly.
Colby Rasmus and Albert Pujols homered in the loss, in which the Cardinals struck out 12 times in the game, including 10 times versus Brewers starter Manny Parra.
"You want to win every game, but the plan is to win two out of three," shortstop Brendan Ryan told St. Louis' website. "Obviously we had a chance to sweep, but shoot, good pitching is tough to beat and Parra was outstanding tonight."
Pujols remained red-hot over a seven-game hitting streak, going .458 (11 for-24) over the burst with five homers and 10 RBI. Matt Holliday, meanwhile, ran his hit streak to 10 games and is batting .421 (16-for-38) with a homer and seven RBI over his burst.
Rasmus, who has three homers over his last five games, left last night's game early due to tightness in his left calf and was replaced by Randy Winn, who made his first appearance with the Cardinals since signing on Saturday. That came just over a week after he was released by the New York Yankees.
Manger Tony La Russa has yet to select a starter for this game, but it is believed that it will be either P.J. Walters or Blake Hawksworth. Walters' last two appearances have been starts, while Hawksworth has yet to start a game in his major league career.
The right-handed Walters, who has never faced the Dodgers, pitched well in his first start on May 27 versus San Diego, throwing five shutout innings of four- hit ball in a win. However, he was tagged for seven runs on eight hits over just four frames Tuesday versus the Reds, but got a no-decision in his team's 9-8 loss and is 1-0 with a 6.23 ERA in three overall appearances on the season.
The right-handed Hawksworth was one of five pitchers used in relief of Walters on Tuesday, as he recorded the last two outs of the seventh inning while working around a hit. In two career relief outings versus Los Angeles, the 27- year-old is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA over four innings of work.
Hawksworth was 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 30 outings last year and is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in 18 games this season.
<< Braves' trip continues with stop in Arizona
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves cooled off a bit out West at the start
of their 11-game road trip. A trip to Arizona to facing the struggling
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National League East-leading Atlanta
<< Martinez, Red Sox invade Cleveland's Progressive Field
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Outstanding play over the past three weeks has made the
Boston Red Sox a factor once again in the American League East race. If the
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indicat
<< Astros head to Colorado hoping to continue strong stretch
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Offense hasn't been the Houston Astros' strength this
season, but they were able to swing the bats well over a recently-completed
homestand.
That has Houston looking for a sixth victory in seven games this evening, when
i
<< Reds' Cueto aims to keep win streak intact in opener vs. Giants
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati Reds starter Johnny Cueto was bailed out by an
offensive surge his last time out to keep his current unbeaten streak intact.
He'll try not to rely on the bats tonight in his first career appearance
against the San
Drosselmeyer: Not the best horse last Saturday >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Drosselmeyer won the 142nd Belmont Stakes
but the most promising colt that ran at Belmont Park was not even entered in a
stakes race.
The fourth race on the card gave horseplayers a glimpse of future grea
NBA finals are Boston bound tied at a game apiece >>
BOSTON (AP) -Chin resting in his hand, mouth barely moving as he spoke, Kobe Bryant had the look of someone who would have rather been anywhere but Staples Center.The next few nights might make him long to be back home.The NBA's best rivalry is retu
Allen's sweet stroke saves Celtics >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There is nothing more deflating for an NBA team than
watching a great shooter get a good look from the three-point line.
The ball comes off the hand and almost seems frozen in time for a second or
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Rodriguez leads Independence past Sky Blue FC >>
West Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Amy Rodriguez assisted on the opening goal
and tallied the winner as the Philadelphia Independence downed Sky Blue FC,
2-1, on Sunday at John A. Farrell Stadium.
Lori Lindsey opened the scoring jus
Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.
Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.
Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds
With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.
That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.
Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.
After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.
The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).
To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.
NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV
New England Patriots 8/1
Dallas Cowboys 9/1
New York Giants 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1
Indianapolis Colts 12/1
San Diego Chargers 12/1
Baltimore Ravens 14/1
Tennessee Titans 16/1
Carolina Panthers 18/1
Philadelphia Eagles 18/1
New Orleans Saints 20/1
Atlanta Falcons 25/1
Denver Broncos 25/1
Green Bay Packers 25/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1
Minnesota Vikings 25/1
New York Jets 25/1
Arizona Cardinals 30/1
Chicago BearS 30/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1
Buffalo Bills 35/1
Houston TexaNS 35/1
Miami Dolphins 35/1
Washington Redskins 35/1
Seattle SeahawkS 50/1
Cleveland Browns 55/1
Cincinnati Bengals 60/1
San Francisco 49ers 60/1
Oakland Raiders 75/1
St. Louis Rams 75/1
Detroit Lions 100/1
Kansas City Chiefs 100/1
Odds as of: 2/2/09
Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds
To visit this online sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.
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