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07/31/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The host Colorado Rockies can make it three straight in suddenly potent offensive style tonight when the Chicago Cubs head to Coors Field for the second of three games.
Colorado, which had lost eight straight before Thursday, made it two in a row in Friday's opener when Carlos Gonzalez went 4-for-6 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI and the Rockies scored 12 times with two outs in the eighth inning to pull away from Chicago, 17-2.
The Rockies batted around twice in an eighth that saw them set club marks for runs (12) and hits (13) and the MLB record for consecutive hits (11), all while stranding the bases loaded.
"I've never seen an inning like that. We had two outs and two strikes on a hitter and they scored 12 runs. I've never seen anything like that," Chicago manager Lou Piniella said. "I feel bad for my pitchers."
Dexter Fowler had three hits, a home run and two RBI, while Ian Stewart homered and drove in three for the Rockies.
Jeff Francis (4-3) was efficient in a six-inning start, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five to pick up the win.
Ryan Dempster (8-8) lasted only four-plus frames for the Cubs, surrendering five runs on seven hits and five walks in the club's third straight loss.
Towering right-hander Jason Hammel, who stands 6-foot-6, takes the mound for the hosts with an aim to end a three-start skid.
The former 10th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays was 7-3 on the season after a 4-2 win over San Diego on July 10, but has since dropped road decisions at Cincinnati, at Florida and at Philadelphia.
He returns home to Coors Field, where he is 6-1 this season in 10 starts with a 3.18 earned run average in 62 1/3 innings.
Hammel has made one career start against the Cubs and earned a win with five innings of three-run ball with no walks and four strikeouts.
Chicago goes with lefty Tom Gorzelanny, who's won four straight starts.
The 28-year-old Illinois native recorded a save in a bullpen stint on June 24 and went 3 1/3 innings in a relief role a day later, then transitioned back to starting with five scoreless innings against Pittsburgh on June 30.
He's started and won four times since, defeating Arizona, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia and St. Louis while allowing 23 hits and 11 runs in 23 2/3 innings.
Gorzelanny, who is 3-2 away from home in 2010, is 1-2 in three lifetime starts against the Rockies with a 10.80 ERA.
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.
<< White Sox aim for 13th straight home win vs. A's
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago will attempt to extend its home winning streak to
13 consecutive games tonight as they continue a three-game weekend set at
U.S. Cellular Field against the Oakland Athletics.
Yesterday, Gordon Beckham had two hits
<< Winds of change surround Brewers-Astros clash
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Things sure are changing in the Astros' clubhouse in a
hurry, but that hasn't stopped the club from putting together a little win
streak.
Having already traded one face of the franchise, Houston appears on the verge
of sh
<< Nats try to extend win streak against Phillies
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Usually sellers around the non-waiver trade deadline, the
Nationals didn't seem to impressed on Friday with the Phillies' big midseason
pickup.
One day after spoiling the Philadelphia debut of Roy Oswalt, Washington will
<< Dodgers send out Billingsley on short rest to face Giants
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In danger of losing a fourth straight game, the Los Angeles
Dodgers are in need of a spark. That could come from work-horse Chad
Billingsley, who will pitch on three days' rest for the first time in his
career this afternoon
Rays get Qualls from Diamondbacks >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired
reliever Chad Qualls from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a player to
be named later.
The right-handed Qualls has posted an 8.29 earned run average, t
Bucs agree to terms with McCoy, Penn >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and first-round draft
pick Gerald McCoy have agreed to terms.
McCoy, a defensive tackle from Oklahoma selected with the third overall pick
of April's draft, reportedly agreed to a fi
Indians activate Wood off DL >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Indians on Saturday activated
pitcher Kerry Wood from the 15-day disabled list.
Wood last pitched on July 11 before landing on the DL with a blister on his
right index finger. It was the
Sadler tops Kahne for Pocono truck pole >>
Long Pond, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Elliott Sadler won the pole position for
Saturday's inaugural Pocono Mountains 125 Camping World Truck Series race at
Pocono Raceway.
Sadler, the last driver to make his qualifying attempt in the 38-t
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.
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