08/07/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Right-hander Roy Oswalt faces his all-time favorite opponent when his Houston Astros visit Great American Ball Park tonight for the first of four weekend games with the Cincinnati Reds.
Oswalt enters the game with a remarkable 20-1 career mark against the Reds in 25 games (23 starts), including a 5-4 victory on July 28 at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
The 30-year-old Mississippi native has given up 137 hits and 47 runs in 162 innings against the Reds, while striking out 139 Cincinnati batters.
He's also unbeaten in four overall starts since a 3-2 interleague loss at Texas on June 25. In that stretch, Oswalt is 2-0 and has allowed 20 hits and nine runs in 18 innings.
Cincinnati right-hander Josh Fogg tries for a second win in six appearances since returning from a stint on the disabled list tonight.
The 31-year-old is 1-1 in that stretch, allowing 29 hits and 15 earned runs in 26 1/3 innings. He last won on July 19 against the New York Mets after scattering eight hits and allowing an earned run in six innings.
Fogg is 3-6 in 17 career games (15 starts) and 87 innings against the Astros.
Houston comes in off an 11-4 loss in Chicago on Wednesday. Mark DeRosa belted a grand slam to highlight an eight-run third inning that lifted the Cubs to victory in the rubber match of a three-game set.
Carlos Lee had a three-run homer for the Astros, who dropped the final two games in the series after winning their previous four contests. Ty Wigginton finished 3-for-4 with a double.
Brandon Backe (6-11) was dismal on the hill for Houston, allowing 11 runs on nine hits in just 3 1/3 innings en route to the loss.
Cincinnati just lost two of three at home to Milwaukee. In Wednesday's finale, Rickie Weeks had a four-hit day and Jeff Suppan hurled seven solid innings as the Brewers doubled up the Reds, 6-3.
Jay Bruce was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and drove in all three runs for the Reds, who have dropped five of their last six. Bruce also had two outfield assists in the game.
The struggling Homer Bailey (0-6) allowed six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings to remain winless on the season. Once one of baseball's hottest pitching prospects, Bailey has given up 59 hits and 32 earned runs in 36 1/3 innings this season.
Houston has won four of its five meetings with Cincinnati this season and eight of the last nine overall in the series. The Astros are 32-19 versus the Reds since the start of the 2005 season.
<< First-place White Sox aim to extend Tigers' skid
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox aim for a three-game sweep of the
badly-slumping Detroit Tigers, who hope to avoid a seventh consecutive loss in
tonight's matchup between the American League Central rivals from U.S.
Cellular Field.
<< Yanks' Mussina goes for 15th win in finale with Rangers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Mussina will attempt to become the latest member of
the American League's 15-win club when the veteran hurler takes the mound for
the New York Yankees in tonight's finale of a four-game series with the host
Texas Rangers
<< A's send Duchscherer to hill against Blue Jays' Burnett
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Duchscherer represented the Oakland Athletics in
this year's All-Star Game. A.J. Burnett has been pitching like one for the
Toronto Blue Jays as of late.
The two double-digit winners will go head-to-head when the Bl
<< Cards aim for sweep of Dodgers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals send out their most successful
pitcher of 2008 to the mound as the playoff hopefuls shoot for a three-game
sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers this afternoon at Busch Stadium.
After falling further bac
Curlin not avoiding tough competitors >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Managing partner Jess Jackson announced on
Tuesday that 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin will make his next start at
Saratoga in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes on the main track. This is an
indicat
Red-hot Rays roll into Seattle >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off one of their most dramatic wins of the season,
the Tampa Bay Rays begin a 10-game road trip tonight with the first of four
straight tests against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.
Tampa Bay, which lea
Berube tabbed as Flyers assistant coach >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers announced
Thursday that Craig Berube has been named an assistant coach.
"Craig will bring new energy to the Flyers' coaching staff," said general
manager Paul Holmgr
Red Bulls sign Venezuelan defender Cichero >>
Secaucus, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull New York has signed Venezuelan
defender Gabriel Cichero.
Cichero, 24, has earned 10 caps for the Venezuelan National Team, scoring his
first international goal in a friendly against Colombia
Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook
Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds. The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.
Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.
Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).
Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.
World Series odds
Adam Dunn 15-1
Albert Pujols 5-1
Alex Rodriguez 12-1
Alfonso Soriano 15-1
Andruw Jones 25-1
Barry Bonds 50-1
Carlos Delgado 40-1
David Ortiz 8-1
Jermaine Dye 40-1
Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1
Lance Berkman 40-1
Manny Ramirez 20-1
Richie Sexson 40-1
Ryan Howard 6-1
Travis Hafner 20-1
Vladimir Guerrero 40-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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