Freel's HR lifts Reds over Marlins

Baseball Betting Lines

07/20/2007 - Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Freel's three-run homer in the eighth lifted the Cincinnati Reds over the Florida Marlins, 7-5, in the opener of a four- game set at Dolphin Stadium.

Adam Dunn knocked in a pair of runs while Javier Valentin went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for the Reds, who have won four in a row.

Miguel Olivo and Josh Willingham both went deep for Florida, which has dropped three of four.

Cincinnati coughed up an early three-run lead, and was trailing 5-3 heading into the eighth. Valentin started the frame off with a double, though, and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a single. Norris Hopper came up next and brought one run in with a base hit.

Jeff Keppinger then put down a sacrifice bunt before Freel launched an Armando Benitez (2-5) offering over the left-field wall.

Todd Coffey (2-1) and David Weathers shut the door from there, with Weathers working the ninth for his 19th save.

Matt Belisle got the start for the Reds and allowed five runs over 4 2/3 frames. His opponent, Sergio Mitre, yielded three runs over six-plus innings.

The Reds put up a three-spot in the first to forge ahead. With two on and two out, Dunn cracked a double to right that cleared the bases and put the Reds up 2-0. Valentin followed with a double of his own to cap the inning.

Florida responded, though, with five unanswered runs.

The first came in the second inning courtesy of Hanley Ramirez's RBI single. The Marlins then went ahead in the fourth, as Olivo blasted a two-run homer to left and Dan Uggla doubled in Alfredo Amezaga later in the frame.

Willingham tacked on a solo homer in the fifth -- his 15th long ball of the season -- to increase the Florida lead to 5-3.

Game Notes

The Reds placed right-hander Aaron Harang on the bereavement list Thursday, purchased the contract of Ricky Stone from Triple-A Louisville, and transferred pitcher Eric Milton to the 60-day disabled list...The Marlins activated outfielder Cody Ross from the 60-day disabled list and optioned outfielder Eric Reed to Albuquerque (PCL).

Cbssportslinr Baseball Betting News


<< Braves batter injury-riddled Cardinals
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andruw Jones' two-run home run in the first inning ignited an offensive onslaught for Atlanta, as the Braves routed the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-1, in the opener of a four-game set. The embarrassing los

<< Lakers re-sign C Mihm
El Segundo, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Lakers re-signed center Chris Mihm Thursday. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released. The 28-year old Mihm missed all of last season while recovering from

<< Bolli takes early lead in Missouri
Springfield, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Bolli opened with a seven-under-par 65 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Price Cutter Charity Championship. Hunter Haas and Tom Scherrer, who each own two Nationw

<< Schnyder leads charge into quarterfinals
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland beat Brenda Schultz-McCarthy of the Netherlands, 6-2, 6-3, to advance into the quarterfinals at the Western & Southern Financial Open. Schnyder, making her thir

<< Rangers' Young to miss pair of games
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young will miss a pair of games while he attends a funeral in Southern California. Young is expected to return for Saturday's game - the third of the four-game set with the Cl

Defense helps Winnipeg fend off Alouettes >>
Montreal, QB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Glenn threw for 258 yards and a touchdown, and Winnipeg came up with a pair of key defensive stops in the fourth quarter to preserve a 20-18 win over the Montreal Alouettes. Glenn complete

Nats top Rockies in 10 >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pinch hitter D'Angelo Jimenez slapped a game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning as Washington edged Colorado, 5-4, in the opener of a four-game set at RFK Stadium. Austin Kearns led

Cardinals attempt to rebound against Braves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After receiving a double dose of bad news on Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals will try to get back on their feet when the 2006 world champs continue a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves tonight at Turner Field. The

Birmingham set to add Mido >>
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birmingham announced on Friday that the club has agreed to terms with Tottenham to acquire striker Mido. The deal is worth $12.3 million and represents the biggest move the summer by coach Steve Br

Francis set for return to Rockets >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Steve Francis, who played his first five NBA seasons in Houston, is set for a return to the Rockets. The Houston Chronicle reports Francis, whose contract was bought out by Portland last week, will

MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?

Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite.  Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight.  With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites.  As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).

Midwest

#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler

The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April.  Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT.  After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games.  Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season.  As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers.  Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS).  Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field.  With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.

#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV

As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year.  If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season.  As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well.  This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons.  Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late.  There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games.  It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.

East

#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown

“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season.  Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU.  They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games.  With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field.  Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense.  Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc.  The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range.  Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.

#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC

The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country.  Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times.  Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter.  UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen.  UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS.  An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games.  This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS.  USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types.  An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough.  USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS.  They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12.  When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action.  Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”.  By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.


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.