Pirates blank Braves, who fall out of division lead

Baseball Betting Lines

09/07/2010 - Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Delwyn Young capped a five-run seventh with a two-run homer and James McDonald tossed seven scoreless innings, as the Pittsburgh Pirates shut down the Atlanta Braves, 5-0, in the second test of a three-game series at PNC Park.

Atlanta, which has lost five of six, fell a half-game behind first place Philadelphia in the NL East standings. The Braves had been in sole possession of first since May 31.

Ronny Cedeno hit a two-run triple for the Pirates, who won 3-1 in the opener of this series. Pedro Alvarez drove in the other run.

McDonald (3-5) gave up just five hits in the process of putting the brakes on a three-start slide. The right-hander also struck out three and walked three.

Tim Hudson (15-7) allowed four runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings to suffer the loss. He allowed an earned run versus the Pirates for the first time since August 23, 2006. Hudson fell to 5-4 lifetime against Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh broke a scoreless tie with a five-run seventh. Garrett Jones hit a one-out double to center and scored on Alvarez's two-bagger. Ryan Doumit was intentionally walked to put men on first and second before Cedeno cleared the bases with a triple to right-center field, chasing Hudson from the game.

Peter Moylan took over on the mound and struck out Chris Snyder. Eric O'Flaherty was called in from the bullpen to face pinch-hitter Young, who hit his two-run homer to left. Andrew McCutchen flied out to end the frame.

Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth, respectively, to seal the victory.

The Braves failed to score after putting men on the corners in the top of the fifth. Melky Cabrera doubled down the left-field line with one out. After Alex Gonzalez flied out, Rick Ankiel was intentionally walked. Hudson, though, popped out to end the threat.

Hudson, meanwhile, was perfect on the mound through four frames. Jones changed that in the home fifth with a leadoff single. Alvarez, though, grounded into a double play. Doumit singled before Cedeno grounded out.

Atlanta wasted another great scoring chance in the sixth. Jason Heyward singled, Martin Prado doubled, and Brian McCann was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Derrek Lee then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Game Notes

There was a 43-minute rain delay prior to the start of the ninth inning...Atlanta leads the season series with Pittsburgh, 5-3...Pirates second baseman Neil Walker extended his hitting streak to 14 games...The Braves recalled pitchers Craig Kimbrel and Cristhian Martinez from Triple-A Gwinnett...The Pirates recalled pitchers Brad Lincoln and Justin Thomas, infielder Pedro Ciriaco, and catcher Jason Jaramillo from Triple-A Indianapolis. The club also selected the contracts of outfielders Alex Presley and Brandon Moss, and pitchers Brian Bass and Steven Jackson from Indianapolis.

Wwwsoccerstore Baseball Betting News

<< Rays use five HRs to crush BoSox, climb AL East standings
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ben Zobrist, Jason Bartlett and Evan Longoria each homered and finished with three RBI, as Tampa Bay blasted Boston, 14-5, to gain ground on first place in the AL East. Carl Crawford went 4-for-4 with thr

<< Giants activate Mota from DL
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants activated relief pitcher Guillermo Mota from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday. The right-hander had been out of action since August 23 with IT band syndrome in his le

<< Tigers chew up White Sox
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 9-1 win over the Chicago White Sox in the continuation of a four-game series. Verlander (15-8) allowed one run on five hit

<< Rangers continue slide, fall to Blue Jays
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vernon Wells went 3-for-3 with a pair of solo homers and Adam Lind clubbed a two-run shot, as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the American League West-leading Texas Rangers, 8-5, in the second of a four- game se

<< Reimold, Jones help Orioles down Yanks
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nolan Reimold hit a two-run home run and Adam Jones had a key two-run single to back the solid pitching of Jake Arrieta as Baltimore stymied New York, 6-2, in the second of three meetings at Yankee Stadium

Back in first: Phillies edge Marlins to grab top spot in NL East >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Placido Polanco's eighth-inning two-out RBI single was the difference, as Philadelphia nipped Florida, 8-7, in the third installment of a four-game series. The victory, coupled with Atlanta's los

Twins blast Royals, expand lead in AL Central >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Francisco Liriano pitched seven solid innings and Delmon Young drove in four runs, as the Minnesota Twins cruised to a 10-3 win over the Kansas City Royals in the middle contest of a three-game series.

Bourn, Astros top Cubs >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Bourn finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and fell a home run shy of the cycle as Houston downed Chicago, 7-3, in the middle test of a three-game set from Wrigley Field. Jeff Keppinger had a pair of

Hoffman picks up 600th save as Brewers hold off Cards >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Casey McGehee's two-run single in the fifth inning proved to be the difference, as the Milwaukee Brewers held off the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2, on a night that saw all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman record

Clijsters and Williams to clash in the semifinals >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two-time champions Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Tuesday night. The two will face off against one another on Friday. Clijsters, the 2005 and 2009

MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined

Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.

"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."

Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)

According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.

As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).

Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.

Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at

17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.

*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007

New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers

By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.

"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."

While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."

About MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker
Since opening in 1997, MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker has been a leader in Internet wagering, providing single account access for sports and casino play. This sportsbook has a revolutionary payment method, Direct Bank Transfer, gives players a faster and more secure transaction option for both deposits and withdrawals. This Internet Sportsbook takes pride in offering an aggressive VIP rewards program, along with seasonal reduced juice specials and high parlay payout odds. MySportsbook.com has set new standards in the sports betting industry, from their fantastic customer service, industry leading bonuses, extensive selection of wager types and props, to the fastest payouts anywhere... MySportsbook.com is America's Sportsbook! Open an account today at MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker, or call toll-free 1-866-238-6648

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Master Card needs.

Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.