Dodgers hope for sweep of division rival Padres
Baseball Betting Lines
05/16/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The surprising Padres came into this series sitting in first place in the National League West. However, a pair of losses to the Dodgers has quickly reminded them just who the defending division champs are.
San Diego will try to avoid getting swept by Los Angeles at home for the first time in almost nine years this afternoon in the finale of a three-game series at Petco Park.
The Padres finished off a three-game sweep of the Giants earlier this week to move 3 1/2 games ahead of San Francisco in the division standings. They also came into this series five games up on the Dodgers, but San Diego's lead in the division now stands at 1 1/2 over San Francisco and three up on Los Angeles, which has captured the last two NL West crowns.
After dropping a one-run game in the opener on Friday, the Padres fell to the Dodgers last night, 4-1. Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw threw seven innings of one-run, three-hit ball with seven strikeouts, while Jamey Carroll had two hits and an RBI.
The victory stretched Los Angeles' longest winning streak of the season to six games. The club has won all five of its games so far on a six-game road trip, a swing that began with a sweep of Arizona.
The Dodgers were able to pick up last night's victory despite playing without early triple-crown threat Andre Ethier, who sustained a fracture on the tip of his right pinkie finger during batting practice. Ethier is slated to see a hand specialist today and leads the majors with a .392 average and 38 RBI, while his 11 homers are tied with Arizona's Kelly Johnson for the most in the NL.
"It's something you certainly don't want to have happen," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said of Ethier's injury. "The season doesn't give you a chance to breathe, just move on and the team we put on the field is the team we have to play with."
Chase Headley drove in the only run for the Padres, who haven't been swept at home by the Dodgers since a four-game series on June 28-July 1, 2001. San Diego was swept in four games at Los Angeles from April 30-May 3 of last season.
Kevin Correia was reinstated from the bereavement list prior to last night's game and gave up five hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings in defeat. Correia was placed on the bereavement list on Tuesday due to the death of his younger brother Trevor, who died last Saturday after falling from a 60-foot cliff while hiking.
"I know tonight was probably very emotional for him," Padres manager Bud Black said. "But I didn't see that from the time he came in the clubhouse until he left the game. He is a guy, by nature, that is pretty reserved."
Hoping to get the Padres into the win column is Wade LeBlanc. Though he has yet to lose in five starts this year or allow more than two runs in any of his outings, control issues prevented him from picking up a win last time out.
LeBlanc is 2-0 with a 1.61 earned run average on the year, but he lasted just 4 2/3 innings and 94 pitches on Tuesday versus the Giants. LeBlanc did not factor into the decision of his team's 3-2 victory after allowing two runs on six hits and a season-high four walks. Still, San Diego improved to 5-0 when the left-hander starts this season.
LeBlanc, 25, is 1-2 with a 6.27 ERA in four career starts versus the Dodgers, allowing 13 runs, 12 walks and four homers in 18 2/3 innings.
Chad Billingsley appears to have put some of his early-season issues behind him and he seeks a second straight winning start this afternoon for LA.
Billingsley held a 1-0 mark and 7.07 ERA over his first three starts of the year, but he has pitched to a 3.47 ERA over his last four, going 2-2 in that span. He did pick up a victory on Monday in Arizona after holding the Diamondbacks to a pair of runs and a season-low 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven while also matching a season high with four walks.
The 25-year-old righty is now 3-2 with a 4.82 ERA on the season and 8-4 with a 2.71 ERA in 18 career games versus the Padres, 14 of those starts.
The Dodgers won 10 of 18 versus the Padres last year, but San Diego took five of the nine contests played at Petco Park.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Francis is expected to make his first start in well over a year this afternoon for the Colorado Rockies, who are coming off a sweep of yesterday's doubleheader and will look to secure a series win over the Washington Nat
<< White Sox aim for back-to-back wins over Royals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox try to post back-to-back wins for the
first time in the month of May as they battle the Kansas City Royals in the
finale of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
On Saturday the Sox battled back fr
<< Pirates hope to leave Chicago with sweep of Cubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas-born righty Ross Ohlendorf faces the Chicago Cubs for
the second time in a brief major-league career today when the Pittsburgh
Pirates visit Wrigley Field to close out a three-game series.
The Pirates have won the fi
<< Haren, D-Backs set for finale with Braves
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Right-hander Dan Haren gets the call with a chance for a
series win today when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit Turner Field for the
finale of their three-game set with the host Atlanta Braves.
The Diamondbacks, who were bea
<< Flyers, Habs begin East finals in Philly
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Eastern Conference finals are set to begin tonight in
Philadelphia, as a pair of surprising teams meet at the Wachovia Center for
Game 1 between the host Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens.
The Flyers and Canadiens ente
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Francisco's Barry Zito will try to rebound from a wild first loss of the season as the Giants try for their second sweep this year of the Houston Astros in today's finale of a three-game series at AT&T Park. Zito,
Phillies try to extend Brewers' home troubles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the back end of Philadelphia's bullpen a little banged
up, the Phillies might need to rely on their starting pitchers some more over
the next few weeks.
Cole Hamels, arguably the club's least consistent starter this y
A's try to get on track in finale with Angels >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suffering with the longest losing streak in the American
League at the moment, the Oakland Athletics try to close out their three-game
set in southern California on a positive note as they take on the Los Angeles
Angels of An
Derby and Preakness winners to skip Belmont >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and
Preakness Stakes champ Lookin At Lucky will both skip the Belmont Stakes.
Both respective trainers, Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert, said Sunday morning
that both
Rangers activate INF Arias >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers on Sunday activated infielder
Joaquin Arias from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-hander Pedro
Strop to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Arias had been sidelined with a lower back stra
FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.
FOOTBALL BETTING LINES
NFL Football Sports BettingTwo playoff teams from 2007 take center stage on the NFL Network Sunday night in a Week 2 NFL betting match-up when the (0-1) New England Patriots betting head south to Florida for a contest with the (1-0) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New England HC Bill Belichick couldn’t care less about the way his team plays in the preseason. With a chance to tie last week’s game with the Baltimore Ravens betting, He elected to go for the two-point conversion and outright victory. The conversion failed, and the Pats ended up falling to the Ravens by a 16-15 final count.
New England rolled off twelve unanswered points to give it a chance at securing the victory, but it never threatened to cover the 3.5-point spread. NFL bettors saw this one coming, as they bet the Ravens down from +6 to +3.5 as the week progressed. QB Tom Brady didn’t take part in the Patriots first preseason clash, but could see action this weekend.
His three replacements all put up embarrassing numbers. They went a combined 17 for 33, and threw three interceptions and no touchdowns. The New England defense was encouraging, as they held the Ravens to 2/12 third down conversions and surrendered just ten first downs. That ‘D’ should be bolstered with the addition of former Bucs and Denver Broncos betting safety John Lynch, who could make his Patriots debut on Sunday against his former mates.
HC Jon Gruden had to be impressed with the way his Bucs played on both sides of the ball in their dominating 17-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 1’s NFL pre-season betting action. Bucs bettors were quite happy with the effort, as they made a mockery of the fact that they were underdogs in the game.
The logjam at the quarterback position didn’t get any easier to separate for Gruden, as all four of his QBs had positive experiences in the first exhibition of 2008. The four combined to complete 28 of their 40 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, and that was without starting QB Jeff Garcia in the lineup.
RB Michael Bennett had 19 carries and four receptions, totaling 90 yards and a touchdown. Expect to see more of Bennett, Kenneth Darby, and Earnest Graham, as they all compete for playing time with Warrick Dunn in the backfield this season. Defensively, the Bucs recorded four sacks and held the Fins offense in check all day.
First round draft pick Aqib Talib was impressive in the secondary, recording a tackle and two pass defenses in his debut. Don’t be surprised to see Talib in the starting lineup opposite Ronde Barber for the Bucs in ’08.
The betting trends suggest that NFL bettors should be backing the Bucs in this intra-conference exhibition.
These two teams hooked up last year in Tampa Bay, with the Bucs winning that game 13-10. The Buccaneers have only lost one preseason game at home dating back to the beginning of the ’05 preseason. The Patriots have had a mixed bag of results in their recent exhibitions. They have gone 2-2 ATS and SU each of the last three years.
New England currently sits as modest 1-point favorites in this preseason showdown with the ‘total’ now sitting at 34.5.
You can find these lines and all of the NFL betting lines , so be sure to login and get your wagers down before kickoff!
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting