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06/03/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros are finding out the hard way just how quickly fortunes can change.
A week ago, they sat at seven games above .500, and were just 1 1/2 games back of the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs. Since then, however, those two have drifted in different directions.
The Cubs have ripped off eight straight wins and they now own the best record in the majors. Meanwhile, the Astros have gone on to lose five straight, and just like that, Houston has fallen seven games off the pace in the division standings.
Manager Cecil Cooper knows these sorts of stretches are bound to happen over a 162-game schedule. And though he said it's taking quite a bit of effort on his part, he is trying to keep an even keel.
"I can't just wallow in it," he said. "If I did, then they would start to do that, too. So I can't do that. I have to bite my lip, bite my tongue, do what I have to do and do it and not let it bother me, at least to a point where they know it's bothering me."
Offensively, things have gotten, well, downright offensive. During their five- game skid, the Houston lineup has produced a grand total of six runs. The Cubs, to put that in perspective, are averaging about six runs per game on the season.
The misery began on Wednesday in St. Louis, against the club that has since taken over second place in the division. After beating the Cardinals in Tuesday's series opener, St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright stymied the Astros bats to just one run on three hits in eight innings of work.
Home runs by Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman accounted for Houston's only two runs on Thursday, as St. Louis put the stamp on the series with a 3-2 win.
Things went from bad to worse this weekend in Milwaukee, where in the three games, the Astros were outscored, 19-3.
In Friday's opener, Houston starter Brandon Backe allowed five runs in five innings, while the Astros offense managed just one run on seven hits for the game. On Saturday it was Ben Sheets' turn to quiet the Astros' bats. Sheets pitched 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball, as the Brewers went on to notch a 4-1 victory. Sunday's 10-1 loss was just downright ugly. Starter Shawn Chacon was chased after just one inning of work, having allowed four runs to cross the plate. Meanwhile, Brewers starter Dave Bush scattered just four hits and one run over seven innings.
"Nothing worked (Sunday)," Cooper said. "Nope. It was a bad day at the office. We didn't hit, didn't pitch very well, for the most part, and even threw it around a little bit. Nothing worked."
With their nine-game road trip now making its stop in Pittsburgh, the best the Astros can hope for is a 4-5 ledger on the trip. But first, they might just want to start with a multi-run game.
BERKMAN REWARDED WITH NL PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Despite the team's recent struggles, the one constant has been Berkman. During the month of May, Berkman hit .471 with nine home runs. Not surprisingly, he was named the NL Player of the Month for May. During his tear, Berkman also racked up 11 doubles, 22 RBI and scored 31 runs. He had 16 multi-hit games, and hit safely in 17 straight games.
"I didn't know he was the greatest hitter in the history of baseball until this guy showed up for the last month or so," Astros general manager Ed Wade said on the team's Web site. "It's like watching a guy play big league baseball, only he's playing tee ball. That's how easy he's making it. You know how difficult this game is, and he's simplified it to the 'nth degree."
For the season, Berkman ranks second in the majors in batting average (.385), second in home runs (17), and fifth in RBI (47).
GEARY READY FOR ACTION
Reliever Geoff Geary was activated from the 15-day disabled list following Sunday's loss. He had spent the last two weeks on the DL with a strained groin.
Geary, acquired in the offseason from Philadelphia as part of the Brad Lidge trade, reported no pain while throwing a simulated game on Saturday. He has been one of the steadies arms out of the bullpen this season, posting a 1.47 ERA in 19 games.
To make room for Geary, the club optioned Jack Cassel to Triple-A Round Rock. Cassel surrendered six runs on Sunday, though he was likely headed back down to the minors regardless of that outing.
WHO'S HOT
Berkman. Is any elaboration really needed anymore when you're hitting .475 over the past month?
WHO'S NOT
Neither of the catchers, J.R. Towles and Brad Ausmus. Over the past month, Ausmus is hitting .150, while Towles is batting .096.
A LOOK AHEAD
Opening up the Pirates series will be left-hander Wandy Rodriguez (1-1, 2.89), who struggled in his first outing since coming off the DL. He will face Phil Dumatrait (2-2, 3.52). On Wednesday, Roy Oswalt (4-5, 5.45) will square off with Zach Duke (2-4, 4.41). And on Thursday, Backe (4-6, 4.54) looks to get back on track against Paul Maholm (3-5, 4.74).
<< Cards send Lohse to hill in DC
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Unlikely standout Kyle Lohse can get a second 2008 victory
over Washington tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals head to Nationals Park to
open a three-game series with the homestanding Nationals.
Lohse, a three-game winne
<< Papi-less Red Sox welcome first-place Rays to Fenway
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The unlikeliest of first-place battles commences tonight
at Fenway Park when the Tampa Bay Rays head to Boston for the first of three-
games with the defending World Series champion Red Sox.
Long the doormat of the Americ
<< Big Brown has final Belmont Stakes workout
Elmont, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big
Brown had his only official workout Tuesday morning for Saturday's Belmont
Stakes. The leading three-year-old worked five furlongs on the Belmont Park
track i
<< NHL's Longest Stanley Cup Finals
Longest Stanley Cup finals that have gone past two overtimes, with date, score, round, time of overtime and game-winning goal:May 15, 1990 - Edmonton 3, Boston 2, final, 55:13, Petr Klima.June 19, 1999 - Dallas 2, Buffalo 1, Stanley Cup winner, 54:5
Diamondbacks send Big Unit to hill to battle Brewers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Randy Johnson took the mound the bullpen blew
his solid performance. Tonight, the Big Unit will try again to lead the
Arizona Diamondbacks to victory in the second test of a three-game series
against the Milwauk
Willis returns to starting role, as Tigers tangle with A's >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dontrelle Willis makes his first start in nearly two months
this evening when the Detroit Tigers play the middle tilt of their three-game
series with the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
Willis, who is 0-1 with a 7.50
Indians send Mastny to hill at Texas >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tom Mastny makes his first major league start this evening
when the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers play the second of four games at
Rangers Ballpark.
Mastny gets the call tonight in place of Jake Westbrook, who
Manager Guillen, White Sox open series vs. Royals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After getting a day to rest and cool off, Ozzie Guillen and
the Chicago White Sox go back to work tonight with the first of three
consecutive meetings with the Kansas City Royals from U.S. Cellular Field.
The Whit
Is 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.
Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.
"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."
Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com
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