Injury-riddled White Sox resume set in Detroit

Baseball Betting Lines

09/08/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Injuries are starting to pile up for the Chicago White Sox.

Today, the short-handed White Sox will continue their push towards the postseason, as they play the third installment of a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

With Paul Konerko (back) and Gordon Beckham (hand) already sidelined, the White Sox lost two more players on Tuesday, as starter Freddy Garcia was forced to leave the contest after just two innings with a stiff back, then Manny Ramirez was removed in the eighth inning after getting hit in the hand with a pitch.

Ramirez's injury is not considered serious and he is questionable for tonight's contest, while the White Sox also expect to have Konerko back. Beckham was a late scratch on Tuesday, though, and will likely miss the rest of this series.

It didn't matter who was in the White Sox lineup on Tuesday, however, as Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings to lead Detroit to a 9-1 win. Verlander (15-8) allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts for the Tigers, who bounced back from a 10-inning loss in Monday's opener and won for the fourth time in their last six games overall.

Brandon Inge belted a three-run homer and Johnny Damon added a two-run blast in the victory. Jhonny Peralta recorded two RBI for Detroit.

"When he is spotting his breaking ball, he is very good," said Chicago's Mark Teahen. "Even though he didn't use his best fastball today, when he is getting his breaking stuff over the plate, it's very tough to hit against him."

Garcia (11-6) was dealt the loss with a line that showed two runs allowed on three hits. Lucas Harrell provided four innings of long relief and was charged with four runs -- none of which were earned -- on six hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

"I have no idea what I've got," said Garcia, who has left his last two starts with back stiffness. "I was warming in the bullpen fine, and the game [was] different. When you throw in the bullpen, you go 70 percent. But when you go in the game, you want to go harder. Obviously, I wasn't able to do it."

Juan Pierre posted two hits and scored the only run for the White Sox, who had a seven-game winning streak stopped and fell 4 1/2 games behind AL Central- leading Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals on Tuesday.

"Well, I will take 7-1 again and see what happens," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "That's part of the game. We all know that Minnesota is playing well now. They've got a good ballclub, but like I said, I will take 7-1 and take a chance with that."

Chicago wasn't the only team with an injury concern, as Detroit's Miguel Cabrera lasted six innings but felt soreness in his shoulder. He is listed as day-to-day.

Getting the call for the White Sox tonight will be lefty John Danks, who is 13-9 with a 3.56 ERA and will be pitching on three days' rest. Danks won for the sixth time in his last eight decisions on Saturday in Boston, as he allowed a run and six hits in seven innings.

Danks tossed seven scoreless innings to beat the Tigers back in June and is 3-3 with a 3.58 ERA in nine starts.

Detroit, meanwhile, will counter with righty Jeremy Bonderman, who is 7-9 with a 5.25 ERA. Bonderman did not get a decision on Friday in Kansas City, as he surrendered four runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings of his team's 9-5 win.

Bonderman lost to the White Sox back on August 13 and is 6-11 in 18 starts against them with a 4.81 ERA.

Chicago is 5-2 in Detroit this season.

Hocey Baseball Betting News

<< Orioles aim for rare sweep of Yanks in the Bronx
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles have been the worst team in the American League all season. Today, though, the Orioles will have a chance to do something against the best team in baseball that they haven't done in more than 2

<< Red Sox, Rays ready for rubber match at Fenway
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Wakefield gets the call on short notice this evening when the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays play the rubber match of their three-game series at Fenway Park. After getting blown out in the opener of this set

<< Mets to wrap up long trip with matinee against Nats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Apparently, winning four straight games just isn't the Washington Nationals' thing. After failing to win more than three games in a row for the seventh time this season, Washington instead seeks a series victory over the N

<< Stampeders and Eskimos meet for second time this week
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Friday night brings out the best and the worst in the Canadian Football League as the slumping Edmonton Eskimos entertain the high-flying Calgary Stampeders in a Western Division showdown at Commonwealth Stadium.

<< Lions seek second straight upset in clash with Argos
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresh off a huge upset win against the Montreal Alouettes, the British Columbia Lions shoot for back-to-back victories for the first time in 2010 as they entertain the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday afternoon at

Angels try to avoid rare sweep at hands of Indians >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Angels haven't been swept by Cleveland at home in more than a decade. They'll try to avoid that distinction tonight in the finale of a three-game series from the Big A. Anaheim was previously swept in this series from

Astros, Cubs wrap set at Wrigley Field >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros have to be thinking about returning home for an extended period of time. But first they have to take care of business in the Windy City, as the Astros shoot for a series win over the Chicago Cubs tonight in

Rangers hope to lasso win over Jays up north >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers are doing their best to give away the lead in the American League West. Luckily for them, though, nobody else seems to want it. Tonight, the Rangers try to snap a five-game losing streak when they co

Twins close out homestand with Royals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins will close out another successful home stand this evening, when the American League Central leaders take aim at a series sweep of the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. The Twins have gone 7-1 thus far

Rockies continue late playoff push against Reds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the Colorado Rockies making a belated push for a playoff spot, Carlos Gonzalez has been enhancing his credentials for a possible National League MVP Award with his performance over the past few weeks. Gonzalez puts a

FOOTBALL BETTING

Sportsbook Betting

After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.

College Football Betting Tips From a Pro

While the NFL is the sport wagered on the heaviest, college football betting lines has become more and more popular as people realize it’s a game that can be beat. The NCAA football season gets longer each year with the addition of numerous bowl games and with that comes more opportunities for more money in your pocket, if handled correctly.

Betting on college football is not the same as with the NFL, so make sure you separate the two. Because of the vast number of teams, the parity between college football programs is slight and thus, you are going to see some high numbers in the NCAA. Teams favored by more than 40 points are not uncommon especially early in the season when teams playing their non-conference schedules.

The best advice when trying to tackle these enormous spreads and is to just stay away. A team that is favored by 40 points is favored by that many for a reason while teams getting 40 points are bad enough that they shouldn’t be touched. Set yourself a spread limit. Getting rid of these games will cut down on the number of contests that you need to handicap while staying away from backdoor or front-door covers.

What is a backdoor and front-door cover you ask? A backdoor cover is a team that is getting beat by more than the spread, but scores late to get within that number thus covering the spread. A front-door cover is just the opposite where the favorite scores late and covers the number they are favored by.

These front-door and backdoor covers are common when second and third string players enter games in college football and it can be the worst nightmare for some bettors. These players can also be your best friend, but ask any bettor and he will give you more instances on losing in this situation than winning. It just seems to work out that way even though everything evens out in the end.

College football betting has some of the softest lines of any sport and it’s being able to find these lines that will make you a successful college football handicapper. The NFL and NBA have the tightest lines around and while those sports can be beat by looking at situations and systems, college football doesn’t quite work that way. It’s much more manual, but when done correctly, it’s much more gratifying as well.

Getting into the nuts and bolts of college football means looking at the many stats in order to beat the number. As opposed to pro football, college football is less dependent on situations and angles and more on certain statistics. Rushing offense and defense, pass efficiency offense and defense and turnover margins are huge. These are vital in the NFL, but even more so when it comes to college football.

Being able to run the ball in college football has always been a key factor in the overall success of a team. The same adage also goes for teams who have the ability to stop the run. Putting these two factors together can produce some positive results in a team’s record both straight up and against the spread. These numbers show huge differences in teams and the spread may not take those into effect, which is where the value comes into play.

Passing yardage numbers both for and against can be a misinterpreted statistic. However, pass efficiency has always been one of the best ways to look at a teams’ passing game ability both offensively and defensively. But is it really a true indication of how they perform? I wouldn’t say so since they are raw passing numbers with nothing else taken into consideration.

I use pass efficiency ratings when doing my handicapping but I adjust my numbers based on a number of factors including power ratings, strength of schedules, personnel and injuries. This gives a much better picture of a team’s ability to pass effectively and also being able to defend the pass. Tweaking pass efficiency stats instead of raw passing yards is the key.

Turnovers are the single most frustrating, and at times the most gratifying, aspect of a college football lines, mostly because they are so unpredictable. They are part of the game and most of the time nothing can be done to control them. However, turnovers are contagious and they can carry over from game to game and season to season.

It’s important to know how to forecast these unforeseen events and how to use them to your advantage. You can find ways to give yourself an edge by looking at past histories of teams and coaches and how they have fared in turnover wars in the past. Instead of turnovers hurting you at the wrong times, find ways to use them to your advantage.

As you can see, college football handicapping is very labor intensive and isn’t just based on where teams are ranked in the AP and coaches polls. Experience, coaching and match-ups are all important since unlike the NFL, college teams turn over much more often with new personnel at most positions every single year. Keeping current on this information is vital.

Betting NCAA football can be lucrative if done correctly, but more importantly, it’s just plain enjoyable because it can be beat. College football is one of the best sports to watch with some of the best rivalries taking place in all of sports. The only downfall is that a championship isn’t decided on the field but on a computer-based system that is the Bowl Championship Series. That will change someday and we will all be better off for it.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your NCAA college football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.