Cubs starting to awake from early-season hibernation
Baseball Betting Lines
05/01/2007 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It hasn't been a particularly smooth first month of the
season for the Chicago Cubs, but at least there were a few encouraging moments
for Lou Piniella's beleaguered club during the final days of April.
The Cubs put together their first three-game winning streak of the campaign
last week. After beginning the run with Wednesday's 9-3 home victory over
current National League Central leader Milwaukee, Chicago swept a two-game
weekend set from hated rival St. Louis at Busch Stadium, a series that was
shortened by the unfortunate death of Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock early
Sunday morning.
Chicago may have had its most impressive overall performance on Saturday,
using a seven-run fifth inning and a long-awaited strong performance out of
ace Carlos Zambrano to produce an 8-1 rout of the defending world champion
Cardinals.
Zambrano finally delivered results to back up his bold claims towards the
conclusion of spring training, when the excitable All-Star predicted a Cy
Young Award for himself and a world title for his team at season's end. He
limited St. Louis to a run on seven hits over seven innings, with the
Cardinals' only tally coming on an Albert Pujols solo home run in the seventh.
More importantly, Zambrano did not walk any batters on the afternoon. Over his
first five starts of the year, the right-hander issued 19 free passes in 27
1/3 innings.
With Zambrano, who also pitched well in a no decision against the Brewers on
April 23, seemingly rounding back into form, the Cubs appear to have the
makings of one of the NL's most formidable rotations. Offseason additions Ted
Lilly and Jason Marquis and emerging star Rich Hill have combined for an 8-4
record, with each member of the trio currently boasting an earned run average
of 2.35 or better.
The Cubs' win streak came to end with Monday's 3-2 loss at Pittsburgh, despite
another good outing from Hill. The young lefty allowed two runs in a seven-
inning no decision and leads the staff with a 1.77 ERA. Lilly has a 2.18 ERA
and 33 strikeouts in 33 innings, while ex-Cardinal Marquis has surrendered
only one home run through his first five starts. He allowed a NL-worst 35 long
balls last season.
Although Chicago enters May locked in a three-way tie with Houston and
struggling St. Louis for last place in the NL Central, the early success of
the pitching staff and the team's unquestioned talent on offense are good
indicators that the Cubs should be able to contend in a wide-open division.
"It's good to see April gone, and May coming," Zambrano told the team's
official site following Saturday's victory. "It's good to get out of this
month with two wins. The main thing is we've won [three] in a row. Hopefully
we can keep playing like that. Everybody is feeling good right now and that's
how we're supposed to play the game."
A PRIOR HISTORY OF INJURIES
One pitcher who surely will not be contributing this season is Mark Prior. The
star-crossed former first-round draft choice underwent arthroscopic shoulder
surgery in Alabama last week and will miss the remainder of the 2007 campaign.
The surgery, performed by noted arm specialist Dr. James Andrews, was a
debridement of Prior's right rotator cuff as well as a repair of labral and
capsular injuries in the shoulder, which has given him problems for more than
a year. The 26-year-old made only nine starts for the Cubs last season and
never came close to reaching his normal velocity this past spring.
Prior finished third in voting for the NL Cy Young Award as a 22-year-old in
2003, when he won 18 games and recorded a splendid 2.43 ERA along with 245
strikeouts. He hasn't been able to pitch a full season since because of a
myriad of ailments, including an Achilles tendon injury and a fractured right
elbow.
PIE GETTING TASTE OF MAJORS
Rookie center fielder Felix Pie, the organization's top prospect, has created
a bit of a conundrum for Piniella with his impressive play since being called
up from the minors in mid-April. The 22-year-old hit his first major-league
home run in Friday's 5-3 victory of the Cardinals and has recovered nicely
from a 1-for-13 start at the plate. Pie has nine hits over 30 at-bats since,
while hitting safely in six of his last seven games.
Piniella's recent decision to move Alfonso Soriano from center field to left
because of injury concerns has created an extended look for Pie, who is
clearly the best defensive outfielder on the current roster. His skills in the
field and improvement at the plate have allowed the Dominican native to earn
significant time in a crowded outfield mix that also includes three proven
players in Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd and Matt Murton.
WHO'S HOT
First baseman Derrek Lee is riding a nine-game hitting streak and leads the
majors with a .392 batting average and 14 doubles through the season's first
month. The star slugger is 14-for-28 with over his last six contests and has
had at least one double in each of those games.
WHOS NOT
Shortstop Cesar Izturis hit just .200 (10-for-50) and April and has been
supplanted as an everyday player by Ryan Theriot, who has started Chicago's
last four games at the position.
ON DECK
The Cubs continue their three-game series in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, when Lilly
(2-2, 2.18) will oppose the Pirates' Tony Armas (0-2, 11.57). Marquis (3-1,
2.35) pitches Wednesday's finale against Ian Snell (2-1, 1.59).
Chicago then returns home for its first meetings of the season with the
Washington Nationals. The three-game set begins Friday, with Zambrano (2-2,
5.77) and Jason Bergmann (0-2, 2.79) the scheduled starters.
<< Denver Broncos 2007 NFL Draft Review
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
1 - Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida (6-6, 251); 2 - Tim Crowder, DE, Texas (6-4,
271); 3 - Ryan Harris, T, Notre Dame (6-5, 299); 4 - Marcus Thomas, DT,
Florida (6-3, 296)
Analysis: The Broncos shocked no one by selecting Moss
<< Marlins call it Riding the D-Train
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - And did we tell you the name of the game, Florida?
We call it riding the D-Train.
Marlins starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis is certainly off to a heck of a
start, and this season could be a monster for the high-kick
<< Bucs release CB Bolden
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released veteran
cornerback Juran Bolden on Tuesday.
Over the last two seasons, Bolden has appeared in 32 games (13 starts) and has
registered 116 tackles, three interceptions and
<< Bartoli, Schiavone advance in Estoril
Estoril, Portugal (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top seeds Marion Bartoli and Francesca
Schiavone were among Tuesday's first-round winners at the $145,000 Estoril
Open.
The French Bartoli blew past Portuguese wild card Neuza Silva 6-2, 6-1, whil
<< Greisen, Jones & Alfonzo earn AFL Weekly honors
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Georgia Force QB CHRIS GREISEN, San Jose
SaberCats OL/DL RONALD JONES, and Chicago Rush WR/LB DEJUAN ALFONZO have been
named Offensive Player, ADT Defensive Player, and Ironman of the Week,
respectively, for We
Nationwide Tour shuffles '07 dates >>
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nationwide Tour announced two
changes to its 2007 schedule on Tuesday.
The Chattanooga Classic, originally scheduled for next week, has been moved to
October 15-21.
The PalmettoPride Class
Marlins reinstate Nolasco from DL >>
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins reinstated starting
pitcher Ricky Nolasco from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday, in time for
his scheduled start against the New York Mets.
Nolasco was placed on the DL on A
Rockies option Barmes to minors >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies announced on Tuesday that
infielder Clint Barmes has been optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
In 10 games this season, Barmes has just two hits in 20 at-bats with one walk
and six stri
Cirillo activated by Twins >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins activated infielder
Jeff Cirillo from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday.
Cirillo was placed on the disabled list retroactive to April 8 with a torn
meniscus in his left knee and h
After review, Rangers tie series >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brendan Shanahan scored the game-winning
power-play goal midway through the third period and Henrik Lundqvist made a
controversial save with 17 seconds remaining in regulation, as the New York
Rangers
Sportsbooks to bet on football
Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.
He said I was wrong for suggesting oddsmakers care about who wins or loses games.
"Oddsmakers only care about splitting the betting public 50/50 on both sides of the line and keeping the commission (a.k.a. juice)," he wrote.
He might have been right about not understanding "the science of oddsmaking". After all, I'm not an oddsmaker. That said, I stick to my assertion that oddsmakers (a.k.a. sportbooks) often do care about who wins games.
Granted, as a general rule, sportsbooks try to balance their action so that they're not exposed to big losses. However, there are times when this is difficult to pull off, regardless of how much a line has moved. There are also times when that general rule is ignored and a book pursues risk.
Generally speaking, it's safe to say the books in Vegas are risk-adverse. Unlike in the past when the wise guys ruled the town, Vegas is now corporate and the goal of most casinos is to make as much money as possible with as little risk as possible.
Thus, Vegas sportsbooks try everything in their power to balance the action. They're satisfied simply collecting the juice. But these profits are small, especially compared to the take from other casino games, namely slot machines.
Because the profits at Vegas sportsbooks are so small, you could argue that many casinos operate sportsbooks simply as a novelty to keep the tourists happy.
With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.
Despite huge pointspreads, a disproportionate percentage of bettors are still laying their money on favorites like the Eagles, Colts, Pats and Vikings rather than the dogs (a common trend for the largely recreational bettors that visit Vegas).
And much to the dismay of the books, those favorites are finding ways to cover the thick chalk. In fact, prior to Week 7, the four teams listed above are a combined 16-2-2 (88 percent) against the spread. (The tables turned dramatically in Week 7, but more on that later.)
The result has been an early-season beating for the books, and a bonanza for bettors.
While Vegas increasingly hates risk, it's no longer a major player in the sports betting world. Most of the betting action now takes place offshore where sportsbooks are not as obsessed about balance. In fact, some books encourage exposure to risk because the rewards can be so much bigger.
Consider MySportsbook.com. On its website, the book has odds pages which actually display the amount of action it's getting on games. In other words, you can see how much action the book is taking on both sides of a pointspread, moneyline or over/under.
One look at these numbers and it's obvious MySportsbook.com does not balance every game. In fact, far from it.
Take last weekend's matchup between St. Louis and Miami. By game time on Sunday, 83 percent of the betting action at MySportsbook.com was on the Rams; only 17 percent was on Miami.
What's interesting is that MySportsbook.com opened the pointspread with Miami at +6 1/2. By game time, the spread had lowered to +5.
That goes contrary to the balancing theory. If MySportsbook.com had wanted to balance the action, it would have given Miami more points; instead, it took away 1 1/2. World Series odds are now up as well.
MySportsbook.com exposed itself to even more to risk, and rolled the dice on the underdog Dolphins. Why? I contacted a representative with the book to find out. His answer was simple.
"The line moved early based on 'smart money' from sharp players," said Jeff Gilroy, a spokesperson for the book. "We also knew from early in the week that we would need Miami, therefore (we dropped) the spread to encourage Rams money.
"At the end of the day, we liked the home team."
So the conclusion is this: MySportsbook.com respected the sharp action, and gambled that the sharp bettors had a better take on the game than the recreational bettors, who were hammering the visiting Rams.
In the end, the gamble paid off. Miami, desperate for a win in front of its home fans, pounded the overrated Rams, who are terrible on the road and even worse on grass. Final score: 31-14 Fish.
MySportsbook.com was also heavily exposed on numerous favorites in Week 7, including Philadelphia, Seattle and Denver. All three failed to cover.
The fact that sportsbooks are exposed to risk on certain games is really nothing new. The fact, that Sportsbook.com is willing to show the public where it's exposed is intriguing.
Armed with this type of information, bettors can make more educated wagers. They can get an idea where the sharp money is going and conversely where the public money is headed.
MySportsbook.com is opening up its cashbox, letting bettors look inside and challenging them to take their best shot at grabbing the cash.
To visit this online football betting got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
your source for online betting
As the web was just getting it's footing in the business world in 1997, My Sportsbook was breaking new
ground in the online sportsbook arena. Offering over 20 Las Vegas Games and backed by Sporting Bet UK,
the largest publicly traded Internet gaming company in the world today, My Sportsbook offers betting lines
on every major sporting event in the world, including Online MLB Baseball Betting. With a wide array of bonuses including a 10% Free Money bonus
to all new customers, My Sportsbook is a top online sportsbook, poker room, casino and racebook -- join today!For those that feel that a site like My Sportsbook is only a sportsbook we would like to introduce you to
a place where a single login allows you to not only bet on every major sporting event in the world but also
to bet on horses at over 90 different tracks or play at over 20 Las Vegas style table games in their top online
casino. My Sportsbook has won many awards for it's site design and ease of use as well as it's 24/7
customer support. Get all your gaming done in one spot - try My Sportsbook Today!
|
Bonds nearly hits HR 751, SF wins
4 and drove in
a pair of runs, and Barry Bonds nearly hit homer No. 751 as San Francisco beat
1, in the middle contest of three at AT&T Park.
6) allowed five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings, fanning
eight and walking three.
game slide.
Bonds, who came within five homers of Hank Aaron's record on Friday, went
1 with three walks, an RBI double and scored twice. The double ...
read more
|
online sportsbook and casino
Since 2000, Best eCasino has maintained a 98.5% payout rate on all their more than 20 Las Vegas style games.
Each of their award winning games including, blackjack (and blackjack super 7s), Baccarat, Roulette and Craps are
available as either a downloadable program or as java programs that can be played directly within your browser. Don't
know how to play a certain game? Read the details and strategy here and start with their Play for Fun section which
allows you to practice a game before taking on the casino. Let's see any Vegas casino do that... Best eCasino doesn't stop there, they now offer horse wagering and sportsbook lines to round off all the online
gaming industry have to offer. They are consistently at the forefront of the industry with new innovations consistently
starting with their site. These guys are the entrepreneur's of the online gaming world and they set the standard for others
to follow. So bet with a leader that's backed by the largest online gaming company in the world with 24 hour customer support,
Best eCasino.
|
