Rays try to make it two straight in Cleveland
Baseball Betting Lines
07/25/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After snapping their 18-game slide at Progressive Field, the Tampa Bay Rays will try for a series win this afternoon in the finale of their three-game series against the Cleveland Indians.
Ben Zobrist's replay-reviewed three-run homer began a stretch of six unanswered runs, as Tampa Bay defeated Cleveland, 6-3, on Saturday.
Carlos Pena also homered for the Rays, who hadn't won in Cleveland since September 28, 2005. It was the longest active losing streak by one club at one particular venue.
David Price (13-5) moved into a tie for the AL lead in wins after allowing three runs, three hits and four walks while fanning five in seven-plus frames. Rafael Soriano earned his 25th save.
Shelley Duncan hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who are 7-2 after the All- Star break. Mitch Talbot (8-9), pitching against the team that traded him last offseason, gave up five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Despite the loss, Talbot managed to tie a team record by striking out six consecutive batters from the first through the third innings. He struck out a career-high eight overall.
This afternoon the Rays will give the ball to Wade Davis, who is looking for his third consecutive victory. The last time the right-hander was on the hill he led the Rays to an 8-1 victory over Baltimore.
In the victory, Davis tossed eight innings, allowing just one run on seven hits. The young hurler surrendered just one walk and struck out three batters. It was the third road win on the year for Davis, who has a lackluster 4.88 earned run average in eight starts outside of Tropicana Field.
Earlier this season the Florida native made his first-ever start against Cleveland and in that outing he grabbed a victory after holding the Tribe to just two runs in seven innings. Davis did allow four hits and four walks, but did strike out four batters as well.
As for the Indians, they will turn to Justin Masterson, who is winless in his last three starts. The young hurler is currently stuck in a major slump, having won just once over his past seven outings.
The last time the hard-throwing right-hander was on the bump, he allowed three runs against Minnesota. In the 6 1/3 innings of work Masterson allowed seven hits, but also collected seven strike outs. Despite the mediocre performance Masterson did not factor in the 4-3 victory.
Earlier this season Masterson surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits and three walks against Tampa Bay. That outing is similar to Masterson's efforts against Tampa in his career, as the young hurler is just 1-3 with a 6.49 earned run average against the Rays.
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers have placed outfielder Magglio Ordonez and second baseman Carlos Guillen on the 15-day disabled list after both players were injured during Saturday's 3-2 loss. Ordonez fractured his
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Twins go for series win in Baltimore >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins hope to continue their recent strong
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Braves, Marlins play rubber match in South Beach >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jair Jurrjens tries to win his fourth straight decision
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Padres hope to get the brooms out in Pittsburgh >>
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Betting Football
NFL Football Betting OnlineIs there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.