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04/22/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two unbeaten pitchers square off tonight at Baltimore's Camden Yards, where the Orioles and Chicago White Sox resume a three-game series.
Orioles ace Jeremy Guthrie is 2-0 with a 4.32 earned run average in three starts this season and is coming off a no-decision against Boston on Friday. In a 10-8 loss to the Red Sox, Guthrie was reached for eight runs -- five earned -- and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings to have a personal two-start winning streak come to an end.
The righty is winless against the White Sox in his career, going 0-2 with a 5.50 ERA in five games (3 starts).
Baltimore put the brakes on a five-game losing streak with Tuesday's 10-3 pounding of the White Sox in the opener of a nine-game homestand. Aubrey Huff clubbed a pair of two-run homers and Nick Markakis ended with four hits, three runs scored and a pair of RBI for the O's, who got three hits from Luke Scott.
Orioles starter Brad Bergesen gave up three runs -- one earned -- on four hits over 5 2/3 innings in his major league debut. Relievers Danys Baez, Chris Ray, Jim Johnson and Brian Bass took care of the Chicago batters the rest of the way.
The Orioles will also host the Rangers and Angels on this residency.
Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Brian Anderson each recorded an RBI for Chicago, while Alexei Ramirez was the lone White Sox player to have multiple hits with two.
Chicago starter Jose Contreras continued to struggle this season and absorbed the loss after yielding six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.
John Danks will try for a better showing for the Pale Hose tonight and is 1-0 with a microscopic 0.75 ERA in two starts this season. He did not factor in the outcome of a 2-1 loss versus Kansas City on April 9, allowing three hits over six shutout innings.
Danks then took the hill again Thursday at Tampa Bay and recorded the win with another stellar six innings of work, yielding one run and two hits during a 3-2 victory over the defending AL champions.
The bulky left-hander is 1-2 with a 5.94 earned run average through three career starts against Baltimore.
Chicago went 5-4 against Baltimore last season, with a 3-2 mark at Camden Yards.
<< Angels continue home series with Tigers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will try to win back-to-
back games for the first time this season, as they resume a three-game series
tonight with the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium.
Having won back-to-back America
<< Philadelphia Eagles 2009 Draft Preview (Revised)
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Eagles took care of a major offseason need last week,
when they acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters from the Bills in a
package that sent the team's No. 28 overall pick to Buffalo. With that need
out of the way, Ph
<< Nats aim for sweep of Braves in DC
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals will try to continue their sudden
surge this evening, as they aim for a sweep of a three-game series with the
Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park.
The Nationals began the season just 1-10, a star
<< Phils, Brewers resume set in South Philly
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Joe Blanton faced the Brewers, he pitched the
Phillies into the NLDS. Getting the Phillies over .500 tonight would be a nice
encore.
Philadelphia sends Blanton to the hill tonight in the second game of a thr
Cards try to best Mets once again >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joel Pineiro tries to stay perfect on the season when he
toes the rubber for the St. Louis Cardinals tonight in the middle test of a
three-game series versus the New York Mets at Busch Stadium.
Pineiro opened the season on
Buffalo Bills 2009 Draft Preview (Revised) >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Bills picked up an extra first-round pick (No. 28
overall) as well as a 2009 fourth-rounder when they dealt Pro Bowl left tackle
Jason Peters to the Eagles last week, but also created a glaring need at
Peters' vacated spo
Miami Dolphins 2009 Draft Preview (Revised) >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The metamorphosis continues for Bill Parcells, Tony Sparano
and company, and as we found out last year, defense is at the heart of the
organization's transition. With cornerback Andre' Goodman and safety Renaldo
Hill now wear
Saunders to coach Wizards >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Wizards confirmed Wednesday
that Flip Saunders will become their next head coach and that he's expected to
be formally introduced at a press conference Thursday.
Several media outlets report
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing 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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