White Sox return home to open set with Royals
Baseball Betting Lines
09/10/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a great start to their most recent road trip, the White Sox return home licking their wounds a little bit.
After falling further behind the top spot in the American League Central, Chicago hopes to get its upcoming nine-game homestand off to a winning start this evening in the opener of a three-game set with the Kansas City Royals at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox began their swing with three-game sweeps in Cleveland and Boston before taking the opener of a four-game set in Detroit on Monday. However, they were then outscored 20-5 in losing the series' final three games, including a 6-3 setback in Thursday's finale that dropped Chicago six games behind idle Minnesota for first place in the division.
After plating just a run in each of their first two losses, Alex Rios matched that total on his own with a two-run homer, but Detroit's Rick Porcello threw eight strong frames to defeat Chicago.
"He was hitting his spots," Rios said of Porcello. "He was using his slider a lot and we didn't do what we had to do."
Gavin Floyd was knocked around for 13 hits -- all singles -- in six-plus innings, while all but one of the six runs he allowed were earned.
Mark Buehrle will try to do better on the hill tonight and duplicating his last start against the Royals would accomplish that. The 31-year-old lost his first two starts this year to Kansas City before hurling seven scoreless innings of six-hit ball at home on July 9 in a victory, the 21st of his career versus the Royals.
Buehrle hasn't factored into the decision of his last two starts and his last outing came on Sunday versus Boston. The lefty was tagged for four runs on 10 hits over seven innings and is 12-10 with a 3.99 earned run average this year.
Kansas City's Bruce Chen took the loss opposite Buehrle back in July and seeks redemption tonight. The fellow southpaw lasted just 3 1/3 innings on that day, yielding three runs and six hits to remain winless in his career (0-3) against the White Sox with a 5.28 ERA against them.
Chen had alternated wins and losses over his previous five starts before not factoring into the decision of his club's 6-4 setback to the Tigers on Saturday. The 33-year-old gave up four runs over just 4 2/3 innings, marking the second time in his last three starts that he failed to get out of the fifth inning.
In 28 games (18 starts) this year Chen is 9-7 with a save and 4.89 ERA.
The Royals aided to the White Sox current division deficit as they were swept in three games by the Twins, culminating with Wednesday's 4-3 loss.
Zack Greinke threw no-hit ball over the first 4 2/3 innings, but ended up allowing four runs and five hits over an eight-inning complete-game effort.
"Overall, I pitched all right," Greinke told the Royals' website. "I definitely wasn't pitching good enough to do a no-hitter. That'd had to been pretty much all them messing up, not really me doing it."
Brayan Pena drove in two runs, including one in the ninth, while Alex Gordon also had an RBI in that final frame to account for the one-run loss, Kansas City's sixth setback in its last seven games.
The White Sox have taken five of six at home this year over the Royals, giving them a slight 8-7 edge in the overall season series.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING
NCAA Football BettingMany 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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Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds
Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.
Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.
"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."
Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.
Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.
But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.
Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.
Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Baltimore Ravens 15-1
Buffalo Bills 50-1
Carolina Panthers 18-1
Chicago Bears 10-1
Cincinnati Bengals 15-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-1
Denver Broncos 15-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
Green Bay Packers 50-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 30-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 75-1
New England Patriots 10-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 20-1
New York Jets 30-1
Oakland Raiders 100-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1
Saint Louis Rams 60-1
San Diego Chargers 6-1
San Francisco 49ers 75-1
Seattle Seahawks 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1
Tennessee Titans 40-1
Washington Redskins 50-1
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