Cubs head to DC without Piniella
Baseball Betting Lines
08/23/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the Chicago Cubs begin a six-game road trip with tonight's first of three straight meetings with the Washington Nationals, they won't have their manager along for the ride.
Still stunned by the abrupt retirement of Lou Piniella, Chicago heads to Nationals Park this evening seeking to win for only the second time in its last eight contests. The club hardly gave the longtime skipper a fitting sendoff on Sunday, dropping a lopsided 16-5 decision to the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field.
Piniella had announced earlier this summer that he would step down at the end of the season, but pushed the timetable up in order to attend to his ailing mother in Florida. The 66-year-old has spent the last 48 years involved in baseball as either a player, manager, or broadcaster, and won a total of 1,835 games over 23 seasons piloting five different teams.
"It's a good day to remember and it's also a good day to forget," said Piniella, who guided the 1990 Cincinnati Reds to a World Series title and is one of only five men to win at least three Manager of the Year awards, afterward. "I cried a bit after the game, it was a very emotional day cause it will be the last time I put on a uniform. My experience in baseball has been very special."
Atlanta took a 5-3 lead on Omar Infante's three-run homer off Chicago starter Randy Wells in the fourth inning, then scored 11 times over the final three frames to pull away.
Wells (5-12) was tagged for seven runs (five earned) and three homers before exiting with nobody out in the top of the seventh.
Aramis Ramirez had put the Cubs briefly ahead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third and finished 3-for-4 in Piniella's finale. Starlin Castro had a four-hit day for Chicago, while Marlon Byrd went 3-for-5 with an RBI single in the loss.
Third base coach Mike Quade will assume managerial duties for the remainder of the season and will send youngster Casey Coleman to the mound for the opener of this set. The rookie will be making his second start in the majors after appearing in four games as a long reliever.
Coleman's starting debut wasn't a success, as the right-hander was reached for three runs on six hits and issued three walks over 4 1/3 innings in a home loss to San Diego last Wednesday. The 23-year-old had performed reasonably well in that role in the minors prior to his early-August callup, compiling a 10-7 record with a 4.07 earned run average in 20 starts for Triple-A Iowa.
He could be throwing to a new battery mate on Monday, as catcher Geovany Soto appears ready to return from a stint on the disabled list due to a sprained right shoulder. The 2008 NL Rookie of the Year has not played since August 6 due to the injury.
While Coleman will be beginning a major league game for only the second time, Washington's Livan Hernandez is set for the 438th start of his lengthy career this evening. The journeyman right-hander has put together a solid season for the last-place Nationals in 2010, having registered an 8-8 record along with a solid 3.06 ERA in 25 games.
One of those victories came at the expense of the Cubs back in April, when Hernandez yielded one run over seven sharp innings in a 3-1 Nationals triumph at Wrigley Field. The effort improved the native Cuban to 11-6 with a 3.84 ERA in 21 lifetime starts against Chicago.
The 35-year-old hasn't shown any signs of wearing down in the second half, as he's delivered an excellent 2.30 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break despite only a 2-3 record. In his most recent assignment, Hernandez limited the Braves to two runs through seven innings in a no-decision this past Wednesday.
Washington has mustered only four runs over Hernandez's past three starts, and the club also did little at the plate in Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Nationals managed just five hits against Roy Oswalt and two Philadelphia relievers in a 6-0 setback, the team's second shutout defeat of the three-game series.
"When you come [to Philadelphia] you know you're going to see a good rotation," said Washington manager Jim Riggleman. "You just have to be ready to go out there and bang out a few runs and we haven't been doing that often enough."
The Nationals went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Sunday and finished a six-game trip against Atlanta and Philadelphia with a 2-4 record.
Scott Olsen (3-6) started and lost yesterday's contest after surrendering four runs and nine hits over six innings of work.
The Nationals took two of three tests from the Cubs at Wrigley Field in April, but Chicago swept a four-game set between the teams in Washington last season.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals have fallen out of first place in the National League's Central Division due to their inconsistent play as of late. A few games against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates may help get them back in a groove.
<< Myers tries to derail Phils' playoff hopes
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An outstanding recent stretch has the Philadelphia
Phillies in position for a possible fourth consecutive trip to the postseason.
You can bet Brett Myers will be determined to stop that roll from continuing.
Myers will fa
<< Braves turn to Hudson in opener with Rox
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After two of the Atlanta Braves' young guns led the way in
a one-sided victory on Sunday, the team will turn to one of its established
stars in hopes of getting a three-game road series with the Colorado Rockies
off to a good
<< NL playoff hopefuls square off in San Francisco
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants return home seeking to bounce
back from a tough road trip, while the Cincinnati Reds aim to continue their
success on a West Coast swing when the two playoff hopefuls open up a key
three-game series t
<< Thrashers re-sign Little
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed forward
Bryan Little to a multiyear contract, the team announced Monday.
The 22-year-old Little, a restricted free agent, dropped from 31 goals and 51
points in 2008-09
Tokyo, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Serena Williams plans on making her return to the court at next month's Pan Pacific Open, which will commence September 26 in Tokyo. The 28-year-old Williams has been sidelined since suffering
Stoke's Sidibe out for season with Achilles injury >>
Stoke-on-Trent, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stoke City striker Mamady Sidibe
will miss the remainder of the Premiership season, it was confirmed by the
club on Monday.
Sidibe snapped his Achilles tendon in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Tot
Bears sign veteran QB Collins >>
Lake Forest, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears added depth to the
quarterback position on Monday by signing veteran Todd Collins to a one-year
contract.
Collins, who turns 39 in November, has completed 381-of-674 passes for
Caldwell joins Wigan on free transfer >>
Wigan, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wigan completed the signing of defender
Steven Caldwell on Monday on a free transfer.
Caldwell, 29, was released by Burnley at the end of last season after the club
was relegated to the Championship, a
Goydos withdraws from playoffs opener >>
Paramus, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Goydos has withdrawn from The Barclays.
The PGA Tour said Monday that Goydos did not give a reason for pulling out of
the tournament.
Only the top 125 players on the regular season points list made the
Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook
Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds. The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.
Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.
Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).
Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.
World Series odds
Adam Dunn 15-1
Albert Pujols 5-1
Alex Rodriguez 12-1
Alfonso Soriano 15-1
Andruw Jones 25-1
Barry Bonds 50-1
Carlos Delgado 40-1
David Ortiz 8-1
Jermaine Dye 40-1
Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1
Lance Berkman 40-1
Manny Ramirez 20-1
Richie Sexson 40-1
Ryan Howard 6-1
Travis Hafner 20-1
Vladimir Guerrero 40-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
--------------------------------------------------
Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com