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04/24/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two rookie standouts from 2009 meet early in their sophomore seasons tonight when the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Tampa Bay Rays for the middle contest of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.
Lefty Ricky Romero was 13-9 in 29 first-year starts for Toronto last season, splitting a pair of starts against the Rays while allowing 11 hits and four runs in 14 innings with 13 strikeouts.
He's gone seven or more innings in all three starts so far in 2010, allowing a combined 11 hits in 23 innings while picking up a no-decision, a win against the Chicago White Sox and a loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft, Romero allowed a .284 batting average to opponents in 178 innings last season, but has dropped that clip to .143 in his initial three starts in April. Romero has struck out 22 batters and walked six.
For the Rays, 6-foot-9 righty Jeff Niemann also starts for the fourth time in 2010.
The fourth overall pick in 2004, Niemann initially reached the majors with five appearances and a 2-2 record for the Rays in 2008, then made 31 appearances last season while emerging as a reliable starter with a 13-6 record and 3.94 earned run average.
He's 2-1 in three lifetime starts against Toronto, allowing 21 hits and 12 runs in 20 1/3 innings.
Through three starts this season, Niemann has pitched 15 1/3 innings while surrendering 13 hits and five runs.
The Blue Jays were rude visitors in winning Friday's opener, when Jose Bautista registered three doubles and an RBI in a 6-5 win.
Vernon Wells added two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who have won three of four. Alex Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs driven in and Aaron Hill blasted a solo homer in his first game back from the disabled list.
Brett Cecil (1-0) made his 2010 debut in place of the injured Brian Tallet and allowed four runs on six hits and a walk in 6 2/3 frames. Cecil struck out eight in the victory, while Kevin Gregg collected his fifth save of the season.
Gabe Kapler hit a two-run homer, while Willy Aybar added a solo shot for the Rays, who were coming off a franchise-best 9-1 road trip.
Matt Garza (3-1), who came into the game with an AL-best 0.75 earned run average, yielded five runs, eight hits and four walks in five frames. He was seeking to become the first Rays starter in history to win each of his first four starts.
Tampa Bay was an impressive 14-4 last season versus the Jays.
<< Hawks-Bucks series shifts to Milwaukee for Game 3
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Hawks will try and take a commanding 3-0 lead
in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals tonight when they visit the Milwaukee
Bucks at Bradley Center.
Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 27 points on Tuesday, while Jo
<< Suns shoot for 3-1 lead on banged-up Blazers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Trail Blazers hope to bounce back from a pair
of poor performances this afternoon as they attempt to even their Western
Conference quarterfinals series with the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns took a 2-1 edge in the se
<< Magic aim for commanding 3-0 series lead in Charlotte
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Charlotte Bobcats return to the cozy confines of Time
Warner Cable Arena for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals set
with Orlando in search of the franchise's first ever postseason win.
The Magic held serv
<< NHL rescinds instigator penalty to Bruins' Chara
TORONTO (AP) -Boston's Zdeno Chara will play in Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres after the NHL rescinded an instigator penalty assessed to the Bruins' defenseman in a Game 5 loss.Chara was assessed a minor penalty for instigating, a major for fight
Tigers send Willis to the hill against Rangers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dontrelle Willis' last major league win came at the expense
of the Texas Rangers almost a year ago. Tonight he takes aim at his first
victory of this season when the Detroit Tigers continue their four-game set
with the Ranger
White Sox and Mariners get together again in Chicago >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox try to make it two straight wins this
afternoon when they continue their three-game series with the Seattle Mariners
at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox drew first blood in this series in dramatic f
Anderson aims for solid start as A's resume set with Indians >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brett Anderson tries to duplicate what Justin Duchscherer
did in the opener when the Oakland Athletics play the middle test of their
three-game series against the Cleveland Indians at the Coliseum.
Duchscherer scattered fi
Mets target back-to-back wins over Braves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Some mixing up of New York's lineup has the Mets in
position to win consecutive games over Atlanta for the first time in almost a
year. They'll try to do that this afternoon in the middle portion of a three-
game set with the
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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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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