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07/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Having Johan Santana on top of his game would go a long way towards the New York Mets achieving their goal of overtaking the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East. Coming off his best performance of the season, the standout pitcher will attempt to move his team closer to the top spot when he takes the mound for this afternoon's finale of a key three-game series between the divisional foes from Citi Field.
Santana has had a somewhat ordinary first half of the season, but the two-time American League Cy Young Award recipient turned in a vintage display against Cincinnati this past Tuesday. Scattering five hits and three walks, the New York ace went the distance for the first time in 2010 in his club's 3-0 triumph over the NL Central-leading Reds.
The 31-year-old held Washington to one run and fanned seven over seven innings in his previous outing, a no-decision at Washington on July 1, and appears to be over a June swoon in which he went 1-3 with a lackluster 5.96 earned run average in a four-start span. The back-to-back strong showings lowered Santana's season ERA to 3.15, while Tuesday's win improved him to 5-3 in nine home starts for the year.
"I am throwing my fastball much better and for me, that's the key," said Santana after the Cincinnati game. "That's what I'm focusing on right now -- trying to be more consistent."
Defeating the Braves has been a challenge for Santana over the course of his three-year tenure with the Mets, however. Despite a 2.25 ERA in nine career matchups with Atlanta, the Venezuelan star is just 1-5 in those games and has often been a victim of poor run support. That was again the case in a May 18 clash at Turner Field, where Santana fired seven innings of two-run ball but was stuck with a no-decision in a 3-2 New York loss.
The Mets are in sore need of another big effort out of Santana this afternoon, as they've lost the first two tests of this set and fallen five games behind the first-place Braves in the standings. New York was shut down by Atlanta's Tim Hudson on Saturday, with the All-Star hurler delivering seven shutout innings to lead the way in a 4-0 verdict.
Hudson (9-4) limited the Mets to four hits and a pair of walks before giving way to reliever Jonny Venters to start the bottom of the eighth and helped his own cause at the plate as well. He collected a pair of hits on the afternoon, including an RBI double that capped Atlanta's four-run fifth inning.
"I felt good about my start today," Hudson said after the game. "I didn't feel really great out there, but it was one of those things where I just bobbed and weaved. Guys made some good plays and had some timely double-plays that kept [the Mets] from having opportunities to score. I wasn't nearly as good as the outcome, but I'll take it."
Omar Infante, who'll be joining Hudson on the NL squad for Tuesday's All-Star Game, finished 3-for-5 with an RBI to help the Braves to their fourth straight win.
Mets starter Mike Pelfrey (10-4) lasted only four-plus innings in yesterday's loss and was reached for four runs on 12 hits, while constantly working into trouble all throughout the day.
"It's definitely not the way I wanted to finish the first half, but I'll get it turned around," Pelfrey said.
Saturday's loss became even more costly for the Mets when shortstop Jose Reyes was forced to exit the contest after aggravating an oblique injury while in the field during the seventh inning. The dynamic switch-hitter will be held out of the lineup today and will miss the upcoming All-Star Game as well.
Braves manager Bobby Cox will hand the ball to Derek Lowe for today's finale, with the durable veteran setting his sights on his 10th win of 2010. The right-hander has failed to reach the double-digit mark on three previous occasions, although he's pitched quite well in two of those starts.
Lowe is coming off a tough loss at Philadelphia on Tuesday, when he permitted just two runs and struck out six through seven innings but came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 decision. Two starts earlier, the sinker specialist twirled seven shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox before exiting with the game still scoreless.
The 37-year-old was also saddled with a loss by the Mets back on May 17, with Lowe giving up three runs and four hits in an otherwise solid seven-inning stint. He's had his problems with New York in the past, having posted a 7.01 ERA along with a 3-4 record over 14 career appearances (eight starts) against today's opponent.
Lowe is 9-7 with a 4.40 ERA in 18 overall starts this season, but comes in having lost three of his last four decisions and has notched just one win since June 7.
New York had won four of the first five meetings between these divisional rivals in 2010 prior to Friday's 4-2 loss to the Braves and swept a three-game series from Atlanta at home from April 23-25. The Braves did post a 7-2 record during the debut season of Citi Field in 2009, however.
<< First-place Tigers set sights on sweep of Twins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers have taken over first place in the
ultra-competitive AL Central and will close out a three-game set with the
Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park this afternoon.
Detroit maintained its half-game edge on seco
<< Szavay beats Schnyder again for Budapest crown
Budapest, Hungary (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Agnes Szavay of Hungary again thrilled
the home crowd by defeating Switzerland's Patty Schnyder in the final of the
Budapest Grand Prix for the second straight year.
Szavay posted a 6-2, 6-4 victo
<< Yankees PA man Bob Sheppard dies
NEW YORK (AP) -The New York Yankees say longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard has died. He was believed to be 99.His death was confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday by team spokesman Jazon Zillo. There were no immediate details.Sheppa
<< LeBron's 'Decision' watched by nearly 10M people
NEW YORK (AP) -The Nielsen Co. estimates that 9.95 million people watched LeBron James announce on ESPN that he's leaving Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat, making it the third-most-watched program on cable television this year.``The Decision'' t
Phillies seeking sweep of hard-fought set with Reds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A terrific first half of the season is having an unwanted
ending for the Cincinnati Reds, who'll be out to avoid a four-game sweep at
the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies when the two postseason hopefuls square
off again th
Rays aim for series win over lowly Indians >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A four-game set and the first half of the season both come
to a close today at Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays host the
Cleveland Indians.
Tampa Bay enters its final test before the All-Star break two games behin
Creamer still three in front after third round >>
Oakmont, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paula Creamer rolled in a four-foot birdie putt
on the 18th hole Sunday to move three shots clear after the third round of the
U.S. Women's Open.
Creamer finished the third round Sunday morning and posted an im
Nalbandian sends Argentina past Russia in Davis Cup quarters >>
Moscow, Russia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Nalbandian gave Argentina a Davis Cup
quarterfinal victory over Russia with a straight-set triumph over Mikhail
Youzhny in Sunday's fifth and decisive singles rubber.
After Nikolay Davydenko ke
Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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MySportsbook.com Favors Fighting Irish to win College Football betting odds
According to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, on January 8, the Fighting Irish faithful may be toasting their 14th national title in Arizona – Notre Dame’s first national championship in close to 20 years.
Although MySportsbook.com has listed Notre Dame as the 5-1 favorite to win thecollege football College Football betting, fans in Columbus do not need to cancel their tickets to Glendale just yet. The Ohio State Buckeyes, listed right behind the Irish at 7-1, are also heavy favorites to win college football’s most coveted prize, while West Virginia, USC and the 2007 National Champion Texas Longhorns - all listed at 8-1 – are strong contenders as well.
MySportsbook.com has also posted gambling odds on the conference championships for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC. In the ACC – it could be anyone’s title, particularly for the two schools from the Sunshine State. Florida State and Miami, both listed at 2-1, are favored to win the ACC Championship Game odds, with the ‘Noles hoping to finish in the nation’s top 10 for the first time in five years, and the ‘Canes looking to avenge their 10-7 loss against FSU in last year’s ACC Championship betting.
Moving west to the Big 12, MySportsbook.com has betting lines listing Texas as 7-5 favorites to repeat as conference champions, even though the Longhorns lost their national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young to the NFL. In the south, the Auburn Tigers – led by Heisman-hopeful senior running back Kenny Irons – have been given the best odds to win the SEC Championship odds at 5-2.
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| Notre Dame Ohio State West Virginia Texas USC Florida California Auburn Oklahoma Iowa Louisville Florida State Michigan Miami (FL) LSU Penn State Virginia Tech Nebraska Tennessee Georgia Arizona State Oregon Clemson Texas A&M Texas Tech Alabama Arkansas Boston College Michigan State Maryland South Carolina Colorado Purdue Georgia Tech TCU UCLA Arizona Pittsburgh Iowa State Wisconsin North Carolina State Virginia North Carolina Fresno State Hawaii Northwestern BYU Oregon State UNLV Field (Any Other Team) |
5-1 7-1 8-1 8-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 18-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 70-1 70-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 150-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 250-1 250-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 400-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 1000-1 1000-1 40-1 |
| Miami (FL) Florida State Virginia Tech Clemson Georgia Tech Boston College Maryland Virginia North Carolina State North Carolina Wake Forest Duke |
2-1 2-1 3-1 7-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 500-1 |
| Texas Oklahoma Nebraska Texas Tech Colorado Iowa State Texas A&M Kansas State Missouri Kansas Baylor Oklahoma State |
7-5 9-5 9-2 12-1 14-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 35-1 100-1 100-1 |
| Auburn Florida LSU Georgia Tennessee Arkansas Alabama Mississippi South Carolina Mississippi State Kentucky Vanderbilt |
5-2 11-4 4-1 6-1 7-1 7-1 9-1 20-1 28-1 75-1 100-1 300-1 |
For complete NCAA football odds please visit Mysportsbook.com.
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