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07/27/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two weeks after the Texas Rangers acquired the marquee pitcher in this year's trade market, Angels general manager Tony Reagins answered the bell on Sunday by acquiring the other top pitcher.
By trading Joe Saunders and a trio of prospects to Arizona in exchange for three-time All-Star Dan Haren, Reagins sent a message that the Angels are not willing to go quietly into the night. Right away, Haren will join Jered Weaver atop the rotation to give the Halos a very formidable one-two punch.
There is no disputing that Los Angeles is a better ballclub with Dan Haren. In Haren, L.A. gets a guy who has regularly logged 200-plus inning seasons since 2005, and who left Arizona as the NL leader with 141 strikeouts and only 29 walks. Weaver leads all Major League pitchers with 147 punchouts. But the real question is, how much better are the Angels? And is the addition of Haren enough to close the 7 1/2-game gap separating the Angels and the first-place Rangers?
To his credit, Reagins did acquire third baseman Alberto Callaspo from the Kansas City Royals last Thursday. However, while Haren does rank among the elite pitchers in the game, the fact remains he was 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA upon joining his new team, and he has given up 23 home runs on the year. And, on the same day they acquired their new starter, the Angels dropped a 6-4 decision at Rangers Ballpark. Texas took three of four in the head-to-head series to widen the margin between the division rivals. The Angels have lost six of nine meetings this season. Still, they are not conceding anything just yet.
"We still have a lot of games left against each other," Hideki Matsui said. "It's too early to quit now."
Contract-wise, Haren is locked up through 2012 with an option for 2013. His yearly salary will bump up from $8.25 million this year, to $12.75 million each of the next two seasons. His 2013 option is for $15.5 million and comes with a $3.5 million buyout.
Talent-wise, Reagins said he sees Haren as being on Lee's level.
"I would say he has that potential," Reagins said. "Cliff is obviously a dominant pitcher. Dan Haren is a dominant pitcher. We're not expecting him to be the guy. We're expecting him to do what he does -- give us quality innings and help us accomplish our goal."
Haren made his first start as an Angel Monday night against Boston, but left in the fifth inning after being hit in the right forearm by a line drive from Kevin Youkilis. After the game Haren said he was a little sore but he wasn't worried about the injury. In the meantime, the Angels will hold their breath until Tuesday's X-ray results come back. Before leaving, Haren racked up eight strikeouts and no walks in 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits.
In any case, to truly accomplish their goal of surpassing the Rangers, the Angels will need more than just Dan Haren. Specifically, they haven't found a replacement for injured first baseman Kendry Morales and his run production. And the bullpen has allowed a league-high 45 percent of its inherited runners to score.
If Reagins has proved anything in recent seasons, it's that he's not afraid to wheel and deal to improve his ballclub at the trade deadline (see Mark Teixeira, Scott Kazmir). With Saturday's trade deadline fast approaching, Reagins has said he will continue to keep an eye out for other opportunities.
A'S KEEPING PACE
While they aren't exactly nipping at the heels of the Texas Rangers, the Oakland Athletics have gotten hot enough lately to remain very much in the conversation for the AL West title. Winners of nine of their last 11, the A's (50-48) entered Tuesday tied with the Angels for second place in the division.
Beginning Tuesday night in Arlington, they'll have a shot to narrow the gap a bit more as they take on the Rangers in a three-game series. They'll meet up again in Oakland during the first week of August.
"It's just another series, but at this stage, every series is a big series," A's manager Bob Geren said of the upcoming schedule. "We'll see them again at home soon, so those are six big games right there."
Standing in Oakland's way in the series opener Tuesday night is newly-acquired ace Cliff Lee, who is coming off his first win as a Ranger. He'll oppose A's starter Gio Gonzalez, who has won three of his last four starts.
Meanwhile, All-Star closer Andrew Bailey is expected to be available Tuesday night. Bailey (1-3, 1.56 ERA, 20 saves) has not pitched for a week because of an upper back strain. In addition, outfielder Rajai Davis may return after missing three straight games with a strained hamstring. Davis and Bailey both benefited from the team's off day Monday. Starting pitcher Brett Anderson made what is expected to be his final rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday. He could rejoin the rotation August 2 against Kansas City.
The A's will need all hands on deck, as 12 of their next 15 games come against teams that are currently in first place.
BIG STRETCH AHEAD FOR RANGERS
Already with a 7 1/2-game cushion in the AL West, the Texas Rangers can expand that margin the old-fashioned way, with some head-to-head matchups against the very teams that are chasing them.
Beginning with this past weekend's series against L.A., Texas plays 16 straight games versus division opponents. On the season, the Rangers are 17-8 against division foes, and nearly half of their final 67 games will be played against the AL West.
Manager Ron Washington said he was happy to take three of four from the Angels, but conceded there are still a lot of games left to be played. Starting pitcher Tommy Hunter, who has set a team record by winning his first eight games to start the season, said he feels pretty good about his team's chances. While the Rangers are most renowned for their potent lineup, Hunter said it's the defense that has gotten somewhat overlooked.
"We have a great infield, a fast outfield that can run down balls and a pretty good catching crew," Hunter said. "That's what it is. Look at the plays that were made behind me. It happens every time out. I'm just happy to come out and have these guys behind me. It's pretty tough to beat with those guys in there."
FIGGINS FALLOUT IN SEATTLE
If this was Chone Figgins' way of letting the organization know that he wants out of Seattle, consider the message notarized, signed, sealed and delivered. In the fifth inning of Friday night's game against Boston, manager Don Wakamatsu approached Figgins and told him that he was being benched for lack of effort on a play at second base.
Figgins took issue with the decision, confronted his manager, and had to be separated by several teammates in the dugout. In what has been a historically bad season for Seattle, Friday's mess was the boiling point.
Since then, the players and coaches alike have talked about moving on. On Saturday, Figgins sat down with Wakamatsu and general manager Jack Zduriencik to clear the air. Following their sit-down, a closed-door team meeting was held. While nobody has discussed the details of those meetings, the takeaway message had to do with accountability.
"It's more about the play," Wakamatsu told the Seattle Times. "It's not so much about the individual. There's some accountability with, not just (Figgins), but we're asking of everybody. Again, when there's tight ballgames and one or two plays affect the outcome, it seems to be more critical."
The M's went on to win two straight against Boston over the weekend, before Monday's 6-1 loss to Chicago in the opener of a seven-game road swing.
<< U.S. U-20 forward Salgado signs with MLS
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States U-20 forward Omar Salgado signed
with Major League Soccer on Monday, and will be eligible for the 2011 MLS
SuperDraft.
Salgado left Mexican club Guadalajara following his decision to play
<< Rangers bring in Alexander Frolov
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with
free agent forward Alexander Frolov.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed for the 28-year-old veteran, who spent
his first seven NHL seasons with the Los Angel
<< Union acquire midfielder Mapp from Fire
Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Union acquired midfielder
Justin Mapp from the Chicago Fire on Monday in exchange for allocation
money.
Mapp, 25, is a nine-year veteran of Major League Soccer. He was drafted
<< Prairie View A&M names Wilson head women's basketball coach
Prairie View, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prairie View A&M University named Toyelle
Wilson the head women's basketball coach on Tuesday.
Wilson spent the last four seasons as an assistant with the school, but was
promoted when former head
Bolton signs Alonso from Real Madrid >>
Bolton, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bolton signed 19-year-old left back Marcos
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Alonso can also play on the left side of midfield, and joins Robbie Blake and
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Mainz adds striker Szalai from Real Madrid >>
Mainz, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mainz acquired striker Adam Szalai from Real
Madrid on Tuesday.
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Calgary's Bryant highlights CFL Players of the Week >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Calgary wide receiver Romby Bryant, Montreal
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of the
Gaming: C-USA a one-team league in non-conference play >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Take away Houston's straight-up and
against-the-spread non-conference records in 2009, and Conference USA was a
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(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.
The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.
Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.
Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.
A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.
Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.
Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.
And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.
2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win
Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1
Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 5/1
Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1
Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1
Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1
Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1
Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1
Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1
Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1
Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1
Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1
Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1
Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1
Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1
Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1
Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1
Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1
Jason Smith (STL) 40/1
Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1
Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1
Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2
Pat White (MIA) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 9/1
To visit this sports betting site go to BettingExpress.com for all your football betting lines needs.
For sports betting with credit cards site go to BettingExpress.com as well.
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