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Generally speaking, being in first place on Memorial Day is a good sign of things to come. Memorial Day typically marks the one-third mark for the Major League Baseball season, and by this point you have a pretty good idea of which teams are going to be in the running and which teams are dead and buried.
For instance, it’s fairly common knowledge on May 29 that the Royals aren’t going to be challenging for the AL Central crown at 11-37, 22 1/2 games behind the 35-16 Tigers. Of course, we probably knew that the Royals wouldn’t be contenders entering the season anyway, but now we’re certain of it.
At the same time, there aren’t many people outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth region who expected the Rangers to be in first place come Memorial Day, and I’d be willing to bet that even some of the more loyal Rangers fans would have to be honest with themselves before claiming that they saw it coming.
How good of an indicator of future success is being in first place on Memorial Day? Since 1990 (excluding the strike year of 1994), the 82 division leaders on the last Monday in May have gone on to hold their leads and win their divisions 47 times. That’s a 57% rate.
In 2005, the Marlins, Cardinals, Padres, Orioles, White Sox and Rangers were leading their divisions on Memorial Day. At the end of the year, the Cards, Padres and White Sox held on. while the Braves, Red Sox and Angels rallied up to win theirs.
Three of the six teams leading on Memorial Day in 2004 ended up carrying their divisions at the end of the year as well. Only once since 1990 have all six teams ahead on Memorial Day won their division; that was in 1998, when the Braves, Astros, Padres, Yankees, Indians and Rangers pulled it off. The fewest teams to manage the feat since realignment in 1995 was two, occurring in 1995 and in 2001.
So while a Memorial Day lead is a fairly good indicator, it’s far from a guarantee. Just ask the 2005 Baltimore Orioles, the 2004 Cincinnati Reds or the 2001 Philadelphia Phillies (three teams to suffer huge dropoffs from Memorial Day through the end of their respective seasons).
As of May 29th this season, the Red Sox, Tigers, Rangers, Mets, Cardinals and Diamondbacks are leading the way. According to the trends of the past 15 full seasons, about half of those teams will end up holding on to win their divisions.
Best Bets
I expect the Tigers, Cardinals and Diamondbacks to hold on their leads.
Though the Tigers only have a two-game lead in the AL Central on the defending World Series champion White Sox, their team is built to hold onto that lead. Detroit's pitching has been superlative, and the Tigers may have a rotation that’s more solid up and down than the White Sox. The Tigers lead MLB with a 3.36 ERA, with the White Sox a distant sixth at 4.13. The Detroit rotation has compiled a 3.39 ERA thus far, led by Justin Verlander’s 2.55 ERA and 7-3 record. Nate Robertson is enjoying a breakout year with a 5-2 mark and a 3.02 ERA. Former 20-game loser Mike Maroth is faring much better in 2006 with a 5-2 record and a 3.56 ERA. Kenny Rogers is 7-3 with a 3.76 ERA. Jeremy Bonderman rounds out the young rotation (other than Rogers), going 5-4 thus far with a 4.61 ERA. In the bullpen, Todd Jones has shown he remains the solid closer he proved to be in Florida last season, saving 16 games with a 3.12 ERA. Joel Zumaya is proving to be the closer of the future, putting up a 3.22 ERA and averaging 10.88 strikeouts per nine innings. It’s safe to assume, based on track record, that the Tigers may be pitching over their heads. The league average for team ERA is hovering around 4.50, meaning that Detroit has pitched a run better than the rest of the league. That’s a historically dominating team pitching performance.
While it’s safe to assume that the pitching will drop off slightly, it’s also reasonable to assume that Detroit's hitting should pick up. The Tigers are currently 12th in baseball in runs scored, seventh in team batting average and eighth in team OPS. Not shabby by any means, but the team is getting next to nothing out of injured Dmitri Young, a .217 batting average from Brandon Inge, a .254 average from Craig Monroe and just three homers from Ivan Rodriguez. Chris Shelton has cooled off slightly, but that has coincided with the resurgence of Magglio Ordonez. Thus the potential is there for the lineup to be even better.
In the NL Central, no team is on the same level as the Cardinals (unless Houston gets Roger Clemens back). The Cards are second in baseball and tops in the NL with a 3.81 team ERA. The Reds, who trail the Cardinals by four games, are way back in 12th in team ERA at 4.44. St. Louis also is tops in the NL Central in runs scored, batting average and team OPS. Oh, and some guy named Pujols is destroying nearly every baseball thrown to him. The Reds are close, but they can’t make up that gap with the pitching being so inferior compared to the Cardinals’ rotation. Chris Carpenter is on the DL, which hurts, but the Cardinals’ rotation is one of the deepest around with Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan, Sidney Ponson and Jason Marquis. In the bullpen, St. Louis is led by Jason Isringhausen and his 16 saves. Adam Wainwright, Josh Hancock, Brad Thompson, Randy Flores and Braden Looper round out a pen that hasn’t skipped a beat despite returning just one pitcher from 2005 (Isringhausen). The Reds may wind up holding on to second place in the NL Central, but they’re not going to unseat the Cards.
The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, are a better team than given credit for, and they have the fortune of playing in a weak NL West. The division has played better this season than in 2005, when the 82-80 Padres made the playoffs. This season, all five teams were sporting records at least at .500 entering Memorial Day. That won’t last, as Colorado will surely finish below .500, as will either San Diego or San Francisco. The team best able to give Arizona a run for its money is the Dodgers, and they’re a shaky bet with the injury risks that dot their lineup.
Arizona is a surprisingly balanced team, sitting in seventh place overall with a team ERA of 4.15 and eighth overall with 262 runs scored. The starters have posted a 4.35 ERA, led by Brandon Webb and his 8-0 record and 2.18 ERA. Webb is one of the better pitchers in baseball thus far, and his control so far has been remarkable (walking nine batters in 82.2 innings). Miguel Batista is 4-2 with a 4.60 ERA and has also been pitching well. Claudio Vargas, Juan Cruz and Russ Ortiz round out the rotation and may be question marks, but Arizona has enough minor league depth to swing a trade for a Barry Zito or a Dontrelle Willis to augment a playoff run (unfortunately for them, the Dodgers have that ability as well). The Diamondbacks' 3.79 bullpen ERA has been a pleasant surprise, though they need more consistency from appointed closer Jose Valverde. He has saved 14 games thus far, but his 5.03 ERA isn’t going to get it done down the stretch.
At the plate, the Diamondbacks aren’t going to kill you with the long ball, but they have a solid lineup. Chad Tracy is building on his superb 2005 with eight homers, a .292 average and a .849 OPS so far. Eric Byrnes may wind up the 2006 comeback player of the year and appears to have found a home in the desert. Byrnes went from Oakland to Colorado to Baltimore in 2005, but in 2006 he’s not going anywhere while hitting .322 with six homers and a .938 OPS. Top prospect Conor Jackson is proving that he can live up to the expectations as he’s hitting .297 with five homers and a .861 OPS. Shawn Green and Luis Gonzalez are having their usually solid seasons as well. Arizona also plays solid defense. However, it's not going to be easy for the Snakes to hold off the Dodgers (who are outhitting and outpitching them right now), but Arizona has the potential to get better. Keeping that in mind, as well as the fact that Nomar Garciaparra and J.D. Drew will likely spend significant time on the disabled list this season for L.A., and the Diamondbacks should continue to lead the division throughout.
Worst Bets
The Red Sox, Rangers and Mets are the three teams poised to fall out of their present frontrunning spots.
Boston's lineup was the premier one in baseball the past two seasons. This season, the Red Sox are seventh in baseball with 265 runs scored. They’re trailing AL East contenders Toronto and New York in that department. The Red Sox currently are 13th in team ERA at 4.47, five spots below the Yankees. Boston's rotation isn’t that good (4.78 ERA), and Jonathan Papelbon is about the only saving grace in the bullpen. Manny Ramirez has finally broken out of his early-season slump, but there are still significant weak spots in the lineup. Jason Varitek is only hitting .232, and Alex Gonzalez is hitting .227 (with a staggering .295 OBP). David Ortiz is hitting homers, but not for the same average or OPS as he has in seasons past (he’s at .270 and .915, respectively, in 2006). Coco Crisp was supposed to be the answer in center field, but he’s played just six games thus far. The Sox have been pleasantly surprised by Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lowell and Mark Loretta, and they should wind up closer to the top of the league in runs scored before everything’s said and done.
However, Boston's pitching figures to continue to struggle. Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling have been good thus far, with Beckett putting up a 7-1 record and a 3.80 ERA, while Schilling has managed an 8-2 record and a 3.93 ERA. The rest of the rotation has been unstable. The Red Sox have five guys in the bullpen that they have been relying on, and only two of them are sure things. The Yankees aren’t much better in the pen, but they are pitching and hitting better so far. The Yankees will likely catch up to Boston and overtake their rival.
The Rangers have a surprising three-game lead over the A’s, but they’re only 26-24, and the other three teams in their division should make up ground. The pitching in Texas isn’t very good, as the Rangers are 18th in baseball with a 4.81 ERA. Both the Mariners and A’s are pitching better than Texas. The Rangers are leading the AL West because they’re outhitting the A’s, Mariners and Angels by a significant margin.
Texas is 9th in the league in runs scored with 258. On the other hand, Seattle is 20th with 234 runs, Oakland is 23rd (223) and the Angels are 25th (221). What’s surprising is that Texas isn’t hitting home runs at its typical pace. Kevin Mench leads the team with 10. Mark Teixeira only has five and is hitting just .284. Michael Young is hitting .311, but can improve on that. Phil Nevin has nine homers, as does Brad Wilkerson. Neither of them are hitting that well (.220 and .262, respectively). The lineup is going to be better, but it’s reasonable to assume the pitching will fall off.
The Texas rotation is running basically four deep at this point. Kevin Millwood is supposed to be the ace, but he’s putting up a 4.88 ERA with a 5-3 record. Vicente Padilla, Kameron Loe and John Koronka are all posting remarkably similar numbers. Every starter is in the mid 4.00 ERA range, all are in the 1.35 WHIP range, and all have about 65 innings pitched under their belts. Akinori Otsuka has taken the closer’s job with his 2.31 ERA and eight saves from Francisco Cordero. The Texas pitching isn’t at the level of Oakland's or even Seattle's. Though the Rangers will outhit both of those teams and the Angels easily, the pitching and the bullpen will come back to bite them. The A’s will likely turn it on around midseason and blow past the Rangers en route to a division title.
The Mets are one of the more talented teams in baseball and have a four-game lead over the Braves in the NL East. They’re even outpitching the Braves by a comfortable margin. The Mets are third in baseball with a 3.89 ERA, while the Braves are 10th with a 4.36 ERA. What’s surprising that the Braves are outhitting the potent Mets, scoring 267 runs compared to the Mets’ 246. But considering how much better the pitching has been, it bodes well for the Mets. So why are they in this category? Because the Braves are the Braves. They were trailing the Marlins at Memorial Day in the previous two seasons and came back to take the division. The Mets have gotten superb production out of the middle of the lineup, but the rest of the squad leaves something to be desired. Carlos Delgado has 15 homers and a .263 average, while David Wright is hitting .333 with eight homers. Carlos Beltran is hitting .277 but has an impressive 14 homers. Even Xavier Nady has gotten into the act with nine homers while batting .270. Cliff Floyd has been a disappointment with his .219 average, as has Jose Reyes with his .322 OBP and Kazuo Matsui with his .250 OBP. The fringe guys need to pick up the production for the Mets to maintain first place.
What the Mets won’t have to worry about is the front of their rotation. Tom Glavine is having a fantastic season with his 8-2 record and his 2.59 ERA. So is Pedro Martinez, 5-1 with a 2.79 ERA and 80 Ks. Behind Glavine and Martinez, things get shaky. Steve Trachsel has compiled his usual 4.99 ERA. Victor Zambrano may never pitch again, so the Mets went out and traded for Orlando Hernandez. Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez shouldn’t be in a big-league rotation, but both have made three disastrous starts. Brian Bannister pitched well in his five starts, but he’s not a guy that the Mets can depend on yet. The bullpen has been solid, with Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez making names for themselves with ERAs below 2.40. Billy Wagner has saved 11 games, but has been shaky of late. He should settle down. Regardless, the Mets need to find starters and a quality leadoff hitter to hold off the Braves. If not, it seems like it will be another year that the Braves beat a more talented team for the NL East crown.
Boxing Notebook: Corrales-Castillo III Should Be Mucho Macho!
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Code Red! Code Red!
Saturday is the final clash between Diego “Chico” Corrales (40-3, 33 KOs) and Jose Luis Castillo (54-7-1, 47 KOs) for the lightweight championship of the world. Though 70 pounds south, they’re true heavyweights. Sportsbook odds are Castillo -220, Corrales +180 - based on what?
Tale of the tape: Corrales, 28, is a lightweight freak, 5-11 with a half-inch fist, forearm and thigh advantage over the 5-8, 32-year-old Castillo – plus a one inch bigger expanded chest, reach, bicep and calf. Castillo needs a ladder to reach him (on paper).
Corrales has had great success against smaller, aggressive guys. Castillo is strong enough mentally and big enough physically (He demonstrated that last time with Chico) to mete out plenty of pain of his own.
But the physical discrepancies don’t apply here. “Chico” doesn’t fight tall. He likes to walk in and unload hooks and rights – bang on the inside, fight short. He likes it physical.
Reviewing their first bout, I was amazed at Corrales’ success when he made space. When he pushed off on Castillo and attacked from the outside, he was effective dropping right hands and short hooks. He used the jab to control the pace - Castillo had no answers. So, why doesn‘t he stick with it? He’s like the guy that threw himself on cactus and when asked why said: “It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Think back to Corrales-Casamayor II. Stick and move. Outbox the guy. Corrales' trainer, Joe Goossen, should put it in letters of fire on a ringside billboard. Also, Castillo is prone to cuts. Spear him with the jab; open the scar tissue. Double-jab – right over the top, keep moving. Do that all night, and Corrales gets the W. But, it isn’t a safe bet.
Chin Check: Corrales is no stranger to the canvas.
Floyd Mayweather dropped him five times one night. Castillo and Joel Casamayor scored five knockdowns and one knockout against him. You can develop muscles, strengthen your mind, but you can’t train a chin. Plus, Castillo has found something with that short left hook.
In a recent FHM interview, Corrales analyzed the punch:
“I got a left hook in that second fight and that was purely my mistake. I caught him with my right hand, and he was ready for it. I felt him pulling himself down and really losing some steam. I need to make sure my hand is at home and never cocked.”
You can read the full interview here: http://www.fhmus.com/articles-1267.asp?cnl_id=5&stn_id=46&idx_id=1267
These guys bristle with macho. Expect the first few rounds to be more controlled: Corrales moving and setting the pace. Once Castillo breaks through, it’s “MACHO TIME”. I’ll agree with the sportsbook odds - if Corrales’ chin holds up, he’ll land enough punches to eke out a split decision.
Jhonny Gonzalez-Fernando Montiel: Is it over yet?
Who made this fight? Was this a Barrera concoction? Maybe law school has him out of touch. Being Guatemalan, I can relate to the poor souls who were expecting a slugfest and got a snoozefest.
Look, when you match Mexicans, you don’t expect Leonard vs. Benitez. To Latinos boxing equals fighting. Hit and get hit. We don’t want a ballet. After a 12-hour shift, getting a crap paycheck, my wife yelling at me and my car breaking down … all I want to do Fridays is hang with the boys, suck down some Coronas and watch two guys trying to kill each other cause they're pissed.
How about an “I’m sorry bout?” Daniel Ponce De Leon was on the same card, and he scored another KO. Doesn’t a guy with a 90 percent KO ratio deserve to be on TV?
Joe Rein describes De Leon’s style: "He’s a clenched fist, sparring - an impatient 5-5 southpaw – he brings it! -with little give in his legs – over-wide stance - and constant I-want-to-kill-you lead lefts, making his handlers cringe. But he shrinks from no exchange - head down, squared-up, furiously winging to knock down a building. None of it by design, more a random act of violence.
Many of his free swings are blocked or parried, but when his sparmate steps back, thinking he’s out of range, Ponce brings new meaning to "reach out and touch someone" with a wingspan just shy of Marciano’s. The shudder when he lands makes it clear why he’s dangerous.
Read more about De Leon here: http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/3849/are-you-making-any-money/ . Next time a fight sucks, HBO should sneak in a bonus bout. Who cares which, as long as it’s brutal.
Last Round
Chad Dawson should look awesome against Eric Harding in his first light heavyweight go. Harding’s not lacking confidence:
“I am willing to fight for winner-takes-all,’’ he said. “Dawson has made a big mistake. This is like a man against a young kid. He better be ready. Every fight is a must-win for me.”
Harding outpointed Antonio Tarver in a WBC eliminator on June 23, 2000. He also fought ex-world champs Montell Griffin and Glen Johnson. Harding, the WBC No. 10/IBF No. 9 contender won USBA and NABF 175-pound crowns in his past two starts, 12-round decisions over David Telesco and Daniel Judah.
Dawson, the WBC No. 7/WBA No. 15 contender, said, “I am looking forward to this. It is a great fight for ‘ShoBox.’ I am a still an improving, young fighter who is stepping up in competition. Harding is a great fighter. He has a good resume, but I definitely think I am the stronger fighter. I am in great shape. The world will know my name when I walk out of the ring with a victory.”
Dawson knows how to deal with awkward fighters. I was at Dawson’s bout against Ian Gardner in New Haven, Conn. with TN promoter Jake Donovan, who commented about the fight:
“The first few rounds were typical of a Gardner fight, even if the southpaw wasn’t in complete control. Dawson carried the action, but Gardner’s awkward style caused him to miss nearly everything. Action was so dismal, that many in press row were more interested in the war of words between the two camps at ringside. By round five, Dawson took over for good. Gardner offered an occasional straight left, but seemed more concerned with a shot that caught him above the bridge of his nose. By round’s end, Gardner was slow to walk back to his corner, grabbing his head, as if something was amiss.“
Chad Dawson was “amiss.” The guy’s the goods.
You can read the full story here: http://fightbeat.com/badchadfinal.php
10 seconds
WBA welterweight champion Ricky Hatton will sit ringside in Las Vegas on Saturday for Castillo-Corrales III, intending to challenge the victor of this epic trilogy, says his dad, manager Ray Hatton.
"He'd like to fight the winner, although we have heard rumors that Castillo will jump right up to welter afterwards and possibly fight Miguel Cotto."
I’m skeptical of a Cotto-Castillo bout coming off. On June 10, Paul Malignaggi has his own plans.
Rogers Centre
Mark Buehrle worked quickly and efficiently last Friday, looking a lot like Greg Maddux -- the pitcher he beat, in game the White Sox won 6-1 against the Cubs in the first Interleague game of the season.
The White Sox started trailing by 1 at the top of the first, but thanks to an efficient offense they managed to tie the game at the bottom of the first and from then on the game was all theirs.
Buehrle had a smooth two-hour ride through the Cubs struggling lineup throwing a two-hitter in the White Sox victory. "We don't throw hard. We use a lot of movement in our pitches. You go out there and beat one of the best pitchers in the game, it makes you feel a lot better about yourself," Buehrle said after the Interleague opener at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox are playing a lot like they played last year when they were World Champions and if they continue with this pace they most certainly will get to the World Series this year also.
Lineup
1. Scott Podsednik, LF. 2. Tadahito Iguchi, 2nd B. 3. Jim Thome, DH. 4. Paul Konerko, 1st B. 5. Jermaine Dye, RF. 6.A.J. Pierzynski, C. 7.Joe Crede, 3rd B. 8. Rob Mackowiak, CF. 9.Alex Cintron, SS.
Josh Towers (1-8) from the Blue Jays became the majors' first eight-game loser by following up his best outing of the season -- two runs and five hits in eight innings Sunday against Tampa Bay -- with one of his worst, giving up five runs and eight hits in five innings on Friday against Colorado.
The right-hander left a fastball up in the first inning that Atkins hit out to left for a solo homer and then gave up a two-run double in the fourth to Barmes.
"I think I was able to put the ball where I wanted to, but I did get a couple of sliders out over the plate," Towers said. "When I located pitches, they couldn't do anything with it."
Despite what Towers thinks this wasn’t one of his best games in the season. The Blue Jays performance sometimes depends a lot on how good their bullpen is on a certain day. And on Friday, the Bullpen left committed too many mistakes that cost them the game against the Rockies.
They face a very difficult series against the White Sox this week; most sportsbooks will have as favorite the White Sox in what many expect to be a series sweep by Chicago.
Lineup
1.Reed Johnson, LF. 2. Alexis Rios, RF. 3.Vernon Wells, CF. 4.Troy Glaus, 3rd B. 5. Lyle Overbay, 1st B. 6.Bengie Molina, C. 7.Aaron Hill, 2nd B. 8. Russ Adams, SS. 9.Josh Towers, P.
Mark Buehrle worked quickly and efficiently last Friday, looking a lot like Greg Maddux -- the pitcher he beat, in game the White Sox won 6-1 against the Cubs in the first Interleague game of the season.
The White Sox started trailing by 1 at the top of the first, but thanks to an efficient offense they managed to tie the game at the bottom of the first and from then on the game was all theirs.
Buehrle had a smooth two-hour ride through the Cubs struggling lineup throwing a two-hitter in the White Sox victory. "We don't throw hard. We use a lot of movement in our pitches. You go out there and beat one of the best pitchers in the game, it makes you feel a lot better about yourself," Buehrle said after the Interleague opener at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox are playing a lot like they played last year when they were World Champions and if they continue with this pace they most certainly will get to the World Series this year also.
Lineup
1. Scott Podsednik, LF. 2. Tadahito Iguchi, 2nd B. 3. Jim Thome, DH. 4. Paul Konerko, 1st B. 5. Jermaine Dye, RF. 6.A.J. Pierzynski, C. 7.Joe Crede, 3rd B. 8. Rob Mackowiak, CF. 9.Alex Cintron, SS.
Josh Towers (1-8) from the Blue Jays became the majors' first eight-game loser by following up his best outing of the season -- two runs and five hits in eight innings Sunday against Tampa Bay -- with one of his worst, giving up five runs and eight hits in five innings on Friday against Colorado.
The right-hander left a fastball up in the first inning that Atkins hit out to left for a solo homer and then gave up a two-run double in the fourth to Barmes.
"I think I was able to put the ball where I wanted to, but I did get a couple of sliders out over the plate," Towers said. "When I located pitches, they couldn't do anything with it."
Despite what Towers thinks this wasn’t one of his best games in the season. The Blue Jays performance sometimes depends a lot on how good their bullpen is on a certain day. And on Friday, the Bullpen left committed too many mistakes that cost them the game against the Rockies.
They face a very difficult series against the White Sox this week; most sportsbooks will have as favorite the White Sox in what many expect to be a series sweep by Chicago.
Lineup
1.Reed Johnson, LF. 2. Alexis Rios, RF. 3.Vernon Wells, CF. 4.Troy Glaus, 3rd B. 5. Lyle Overbay, 1st B. 6.Bengie Molina, C. 7.Aaron Hill, 2nd B. 8. Russ Adams, SS. 9.Josh Towers, P.
After failing to qualify for the last two editions Switzerland claimed a place in Germany. In their last appearance in USA 1994 they made it to the round of 16 but fell 3-0 against runner-up Italy.
In the qualifying stage before the play-off second-leg defeat by Turkey, the Swiss had gone a full year and 14 straight games without defeats; evidence of the growing strength of a team that includes players who attracted rave reviews at various under-age levels. Their line-up in the play-offs featured Tranquillo Barnetta and Philippe Senderos, both of whom claimed UEFA European U-17 Championship honors in 2002.
This is a very young athletic Swiss team that can be a pleasant surprise for soccer fans this summer in Germany as they face France, Korea Republic and Togo in their group stage. But meanwhile, they have a few friendly matches among them they will face Italy one of the clear contenders for the title in Germany.
In other news coach Kobi Kuhn left out Swiss star Hakan Yakin of his 23 man squad for the tournament. Allegedly Yaking suffered a groin injury that left him out of playing for a few weeks. He has recovered now but unfortunately won’t be traveling to Germany. "Yakin is a talented player, but we have a lot of other talented players to choose from," Kuhn told reporters after naming his squad on Monday.
Now on to Italy that also has one of the best teams in a while. They’ll be traveling to Switzerland to prepare last minute details before the World Cup.
Germany 2006 will mark Italy's 16th appearance at FIFA World Cup finals, making Sweden 1958 the only final they did not grace with their presence. Following their successes in 1934 and 1938, Italy lifted the FIFA World Cup for the third time in Spain 1982 thanks largely to an outstanding performance by striker Paolo Rossi.
Lead by Totti, Cassano and Pirlo that are currently big names in Europe’s soccer scene. Italy will face Switzerland May 31st in Geneva; it will be a good match between these two teams that might resemble the round of 16 back in USA 94’ which the Italian team got the victory.
Germany 2006 will be the opportunity for Italy to get back in soccer scene as one of the best, since USA 94’. They haven’t been to the final in competition in a while and they now they have the opportunity for a come back, though it won’t be an easy road but they have the talent and the willingness to do it.
If you like sports betting this will be a great opportunity to follow the performance of both teams towards the World Cup and make your picks once the competition starts.
In the qualifying stage before the play-off second-leg defeat by Turkey, the Swiss had gone a full year and 14 straight games without defeats; evidence of the growing strength of a team that includes players who attracted rave reviews at various under-age levels. Their line-up in the play-offs featured Tranquillo Barnetta and Philippe Senderos, both of whom claimed UEFA European U-17 Championship honors in 2002.
This is a very young athletic Swiss team that can be a pleasant surprise for soccer fans this summer in Germany as they face France, Korea Republic and Togo in their group stage. But meanwhile, they have a few friendly matches among them they will face Italy one of the clear contenders for the title in Germany.
In other news coach Kobi Kuhn left out Swiss star Hakan Yakin of his 23 man squad for the tournament. Allegedly Yaking suffered a groin injury that left him out of playing for a few weeks. He has recovered now but unfortunately won’t be traveling to Germany. "Yakin is a talented player, but we have a lot of other talented players to choose from," Kuhn told reporters after naming his squad on Monday.
Now on to Italy that also has one of the best teams in a while. They’ll be traveling to Switzerland to prepare last minute details before the World Cup.
Germany 2006 will mark Italy's 16th appearance at FIFA World Cup finals, making Sweden 1958 the only final they did not grace with their presence. Following their successes in 1934 and 1938, Italy lifted the FIFA World Cup for the third time in Spain 1982 thanks largely to an outstanding performance by striker Paolo Rossi.
Lead by Totti, Cassano and Pirlo that are currently big names in Europe’s soccer scene. Italy will face Switzerland May 31st in Geneva; it will be a good match between these two teams that might resemble the round of 16 back in USA 94’ which the Italian team got the victory.
Germany 2006 will be the opportunity for Italy to get back in soccer scene as one of the best, since USA 94’. They haven’t been to the final in competition in a while and they now they have the opportunity for a come back, though it won’t be an easy road but they have the talent and the willingness to do it.
If you like sports betting this will be a great opportunity to follow the performance of both teams towards the World Cup and make your picks once the competition starts.
The Braves loss a game against the Padres that only had two hits and they still manage to get the victory. It was the second time since 1985 that the Padres win a game with only two hits although the Braves had 5 hits only scored once in a game that was played in one of the toughest field to score the Petco Park.
The Braves are having a regular season so far. They are in third place in the NL East just behind the Mets and Philadelphia and if they want to have a chance to reach any of those two teams they’ll need to start playing better baseball. They are having some problems in the bullpen especially with Sosa that hasn’t been the pitcher he was last season at all.
If Sosa manages to play like he did last year that will bring some depth to the bullpen that can give some continuity to this team. Hopefully they’ll get into a winning streak that allows them to get closer to Philadelphia and New York.
Lineup
1. Marcus Giles, 2nd B. 2. Edgar Renteria, SS. 3. Chipper Jones, 3rd B, 4. Andruw Jones, CF. Jeff Francoeur, RF. 6. Ryan Langerhans, LF. 7. Brian Jordan, 1st B. 8. Todd Pratt, C. 9. Jorge Sosa, P.
It seems that lately the Dodgers like to beat up the teams the play against. Last week against the Rockies Kenny Lofton hit a two-run triple, J.D. Drew tripled home another run and the Dodgers extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with an 8-1 victory on Tuesday night.
"It's nice to know that we're going to put up some runs out there," starter Brad Penny said. "You knew Jeff Kent and Rafael Furcal were going to come around and start hitting the ball, because they're too good not to. Our defense is playing real good right now. We're not making the stupid mistakes we were earlier, and we're not making the stupid mistakes as pitchers that we were earlier when the team wasn't hitting."
They’re in second place in the NL West behind Arizona and if they continue to play like they’ve been playing, they will certainty reach first place. It should be a good season for the Dodgers that have a great team; they just needed some important hitters like Kenny Lofton, Rafael Furcal and Jeff Kent to come around.
This match up between the Dodgers and Braves will be very exciting for all the sports betting enthusiasts to make some bets, since both teams need the victory it should be a great game.
Lineup
1. Rafael Furcal, SS. 2. Kenny Lofton, CF. 3. Nomar Garciaparra, 1st B. 4. J.D. Drew, RF. 5. Jeff Kent, 2nd B. 6. Willy Aybar, 3rd B. 7. Andre Ethier, LF. 8. Russell Martin, C. 9. Brad Penny, P
The Braves are having a regular season so far. They are in third place in the NL East just behind the Mets and Philadelphia and if they want to have a chance to reach any of those two teams they’ll need to start playing better baseball. They are having some problems in the bullpen especially with Sosa that hasn’t been the pitcher he was last season at all.
If Sosa manages to play like he did last year that will bring some depth to the bullpen that can give some continuity to this team. Hopefully they’ll get into a winning streak that allows them to get closer to Philadelphia and New York.
Lineup
1. Marcus Giles, 2nd B. 2. Edgar Renteria, SS. 3. Chipper Jones, 3rd B, 4. Andruw Jones, CF. Jeff Francoeur, RF. 6. Ryan Langerhans, LF. 7. Brian Jordan, 1st B. 8. Todd Pratt, C. 9. Jorge Sosa, P.
It seems that lately the Dodgers like to beat up the teams the play against. Last week against the Rockies Kenny Lofton hit a two-run triple, J.D. Drew tripled home another run and the Dodgers extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with an 8-1 victory on Tuesday night.
"It's nice to know that we're going to put up some runs out there," starter Brad Penny said. "You knew Jeff Kent and Rafael Furcal were going to come around and start hitting the ball, because they're too good not to. Our defense is playing real good right now. We're not making the stupid mistakes we were earlier, and we're not making the stupid mistakes as pitchers that we were earlier when the team wasn't hitting."
They’re in second place in the NL West behind Arizona and if they continue to play like they’ve been playing, they will certainty reach first place. It should be a good season for the Dodgers that have a great team; they just needed some important hitters like Kenny Lofton, Rafael Furcal and Jeff Kent to come around.
This match up between the Dodgers and Braves will be very exciting for all the sports betting enthusiasts to make some bets, since both teams need the victory it should be a great game.
Lineup
1. Rafael Furcal, SS. 2. Kenny Lofton, CF. 3. Nomar Garciaparra, 1st B. 4. J.D. Drew, RF. 5. Jeff Kent, 2nd B. 6. Willy Aybar, 3rd B. 7. Andre Ethier, LF. 8. Russell Martin, C. 9. Brad Penny, P
Basel, Switzerland 05.27.2006
Ivory Coast owes their historic qualification for Germany to an exceptional generation of soccer players who for the most part served their apprenticeship at the academy set up by Jean-Marc Guillou just outside Abidjan. Aruna Dindane, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora, Arthur Boka, Blaise Kouassi and Barry Copa all "graduated" from Guillou's academy and formed the inside nucleus of it’s successful qualifying campaign.
Also Arsenal’s Drogba had a partnership with Dindane which proved to be the most prolific in the African Zone qualifiers and was the key to Côte d'Ivoire's success.
The Ivory Coast team will travel to Switzerland for their final stage; to prepare for the final phase of the World Cup. They will have their camp in Switzerland since it’s so close to Germany. The players will have a chance to get used to weather they will encounter in Germany.
On the other side, after failing to qualify for the last two editions Switzerland claimed a place in Germany. In their last appearance in USA 1994 they made it to the round of 16 but fell 3-0 against runner-up Italy.
In the qualifying stage before the play-off second-leg defeat by Turkey, the Swiss had gone a full year and 14 straight games without a defeat; evidence of the growing strength of a team that includes players who attracted rave reviews at various under-age levels. Their line-up in the play-offs featured Tranquillo Barnetta and Philippe Senderos both of whom claimed UEFA European U-17 Championship honors in 2002.
It seems the trend of many teams is to travel to Switzerland for their final preparations, and the Swiss are taking advantage of that; having a lot of teams coming to play in their home soil to travel to nearby Germany for the start of the big tournament.
One of the squads that will go to Switzerland is the Ivory Coast, which is a team that works perfectly for the Swiss since their style of play is very similar to the Swiss match group rival Togo. In this game Switzerland will tune up the final details before traveling to Germany.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches, so if you like sports betting and soccer don’t miss the opportunity to bet in this game held at the Alps.
Ivory Coast owes their historic qualification for Germany to an exceptional generation of soccer players who for the most part served their apprenticeship at the academy set up by Jean-Marc Guillou just outside Abidjan. Aruna Dindane, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora, Arthur Boka, Blaise Kouassi and Barry Copa all "graduated" from Guillou's academy and formed the inside nucleus of it’s successful qualifying campaign.
Also Arsenal’s Drogba had a partnership with Dindane which proved to be the most prolific in the African Zone qualifiers and was the key to Côte d'Ivoire's success.
The Ivory Coast team will travel to Switzerland for their final stage; to prepare for the final phase of the World Cup. They will have their camp in Switzerland since it’s so close to Germany. The players will have a chance to get used to weather they will encounter in Germany.
On the other side, after failing to qualify for the last two editions Switzerland claimed a place in Germany. In their last appearance in USA 1994 they made it to the round of 16 but fell 3-0 against runner-up Italy.
In the qualifying stage before the play-off second-leg defeat by Turkey, the Swiss had gone a full year and 14 straight games without a defeat; evidence of the growing strength of a team that includes players who attracted rave reviews at various under-age levels. Their line-up in the play-offs featured Tranquillo Barnetta and Philippe Senderos both of whom claimed UEFA European U-17 Championship honors in 2002.
It seems the trend of many teams is to travel to Switzerland for their final preparations, and the Swiss are taking advantage of that; having a lot of teams coming to play in their home soil to travel to nearby Germany for the start of the big tournament.
One of the squads that will go to Switzerland is the Ivory Coast, which is a team that works perfectly for the Swiss since their style of play is very similar to the Swiss match group rival Togo. In this game Switzerland will tune up the final details before traveling to Germany.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches, so if you like sports betting and soccer don’t miss the opportunity to bet in this game held at the Alps.
Basel, Switzerland 05.27.2006
Ivory Coast owes their historic qualification for Germany to an exceptional generation of soccer players who for the most part served their apprenticeship at the academy set up by Jean-Marc Guillou just outside Abidjan. Aruna Dindane, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora, Arthur Boka, Blaise Kouassi and Barry Copa all "graduated" from Guillou's academy and formed the inside nucleus of it’s successful qualifying campaign.
Also Arsenal’s Drogba had a partnership with Dindane which proved to be the most prolific in the African Zone qualifiers and was the key to Côte d'Ivoire's success.
The Ivory Coast team will travel to Switzerland for their final stage; to prepare for the final phase of the World Cup. They will have their camp in Switzerland since it’s so close to Germany. The players will have a chance to get used to weather they will encounter in Germany.
On the other side, after failing to qualify for the last two editions Switzerland claimed a place in Germany. In their last appearance in USA 1994 they made it to the round of 16 but fell 3-0 against runner-up Italy.
In the qualifying stage before the play-off second-leg defeat by Turkey, the Swiss had gone a full year and 14 straight games without a defeat; evidence of the growing strength of a team that includes players who attracted rave reviews at various under-age levels. Their line-up in the play-offs featured Tranquillo Barnetta and Philippe Senderos both of whom claimed UEFA European U-17 Championship honors in 2002.
It seems the trend of many teams is to travel to Switzerland for their final preparations, and the Swiss are taking advantage of that; having a lot of teams coming to play in their home soil to travel to nearby Germany for the start of the big tournament.
One of the squads that will go to Switzerland is the Ivory Coast, which is a team that works perfectly for the Swiss since their style of play is very similar to the Swiss match group rival Togo. In this game Switzerland will tune up the final details before traveling to Germany.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches, so if you like sports betting and soccer don’t miss the opportunity to bet in this game held at the Alps.
Ivory Coast owes their historic qualification for Germany to an exceptional generation of soccer players who for the most part served their apprenticeship at the academy set up by Jean-Marc Guillou just outside Abidjan. Aruna Dindane, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora, Arthur Boka, Blaise Kouassi and Barry Copa all "graduated" from Guillou's academy and formed the inside nucleus of it’s successful qualifying campaign.
Also Arsenal’s Drogba had a partnership with Dindane which proved to be the most prolific in the African Zone qualifiers and was the key to Côte d'Ivoire's success.
The Ivory Coast team will travel to Switzerland for their final stage; to prepare for the final phase of the World Cup. They will have their camp in Switzerland since it’s so close to Germany. The players will have a chance to get used to weather they will encounter in Germany.
On the other side, after failing to qualify for the last two editions Switzerland claimed a place in Germany. In their last appearance in USA 1994 they made it to the round of 16 but fell 3-0 against runner-up Italy.
In the qualifying stage before the play-off second-leg defeat by Turkey, the Swiss had gone a full year and 14 straight games without a defeat; evidence of the growing strength of a team that includes players who attracted rave reviews at various under-age levels. Their line-up in the play-offs featured Tranquillo Barnetta and Philippe Senderos both of whom claimed UEFA European U-17 Championship honors in 2002.
It seems the trend of many teams is to travel to Switzerland for their final preparations, and the Swiss are taking advantage of that; having a lot of teams coming to play in their home soil to travel to nearby Germany for the start of the big tournament.
One of the squads that will go to Switzerland is the Ivory Coast, which is a team that works perfectly for the Swiss since their style of play is very similar to the Swiss match group rival Togo. In this game Switzerland will tune up the final details before traveling to Germany.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches, so if you like sports betting and soccer don’t miss the opportunity to bet in this game held at the Alps.
PNC Park
The Houston Astros got back on track Friday night behind an unlikely standout and the return of an old one. Adam Everett hit a two-out, three-run double in the eighth inning and closer Brad Lidge retired three straight in the ninth to get the save in the Houston Astros' 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.
It was about time for the Houston Astros to get a victory. It was a much needed one because after the sweep they suffered at home the players weren’t that motivated. With the victory at least the Astros got a little boost in their morale to continue fighting for that first place in their division.
"I was just trying to prolong the inning and get the next guy up there," said Everett, who bats eighth. "It's one of those at-bats that I'll always remember because it was my first game-winning hit. That's pretty exciting."
Oswalt pitched 6 strong innings allowing a season high 11 hits, but with all that he did a pretty good job and got the victory fro m the Rangers.
Lineup
1. Willy Taveras, CF. 2.Craig Biggio, 2nd B. 3. Lance Berkman, RF. 4.Morgan Ensberg, 3rd B. 5. Mike Lamb, 1st B. 6. Brad Ausmus, C. 7.Preston Wilson, LF. 8. Adam Everett, SS. 9.Roy Oswalt, P.
Meanwhile the Pittsburgh Pirates suffered a loss against a very focus and talented Indians team lead by C.C Sabathia. The Pirates went down 4-1 on Friday night. “The way (Sabathia) was throwing, it felt like we were down by 10," said Pirates left fielder Jason Bay, who went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and had a 10-game hitting streak stopped.
Zach Duke pitched 7 innings for the Pirates; he got 4 hits, 3 runs and 3 errors that cost them a lot. Duke allowed only one hit over his final six innings but lost his third consecutive start. He issued two walks in both the fourth and fifth innings but escaped those jams in his first career start against an AL team. The left-hander walked six and struck out six over seven innings.
"I made bad pitches in the first inning, but I was very happy with the way I pitched after that," Duke said.
This week the Pirates match-up against the Astros and they have the opportunity to add some victories that will do a lot of good to this team that’s struggling in NL Central. So if you like a sport betting this is a good opportunity to bet in what many expect to be a very exciting game.
Lineup
1. Jose Bautista, CF. 2.Jack Wilson, SS. 3.Freddy Sanchez, 3rd B. 4. Jason Bay, LF. 5. Craig Wilson, 1st B. 6. Ryan Doumit, DH. 7. Jeromy Burnitz, RF. 8.Ronny Paulino, C. 9.Jose Castillo, 2nd B.
The Houston Astros got back on track Friday night behind an unlikely standout and the return of an old one. Adam Everett hit a two-out, three-run double in the eighth inning and closer Brad Lidge retired three straight in the ninth to get the save in the Houston Astros' 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.
It was about time for the Houston Astros to get a victory. It was a much needed one because after the sweep they suffered at home the players weren’t that motivated. With the victory at least the Astros got a little boost in their morale to continue fighting for that first place in their division.
"I was just trying to prolong the inning and get the next guy up there," said Everett, who bats eighth. "It's one of those at-bats that I'll always remember because it was my first game-winning hit. That's pretty exciting."
Oswalt pitched 6 strong innings allowing a season high 11 hits, but with all that he did a pretty good job and got the victory fro m the Rangers.
Lineup
1. Willy Taveras, CF. 2.Craig Biggio, 2nd B. 3. Lance Berkman, RF. 4.Morgan Ensberg, 3rd B. 5. Mike Lamb, 1st B. 6. Brad Ausmus, C. 7.Preston Wilson, LF. 8. Adam Everett, SS. 9.Roy Oswalt, P.
Meanwhile the Pittsburgh Pirates suffered a loss against a very focus and talented Indians team lead by C.C Sabathia. The Pirates went down 4-1 on Friday night. “The way (Sabathia) was throwing, it felt like we were down by 10," said Pirates left fielder Jason Bay, who went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and had a 10-game hitting streak stopped.
Zach Duke pitched 7 innings for the Pirates; he got 4 hits, 3 runs and 3 errors that cost them a lot. Duke allowed only one hit over his final six innings but lost his third consecutive start. He issued two walks in both the fourth and fifth innings but escaped those jams in his first career start against an AL team. The left-hander walked six and struck out six over seven innings.
"I made bad pitches in the first inning, but I was very happy with the way I pitched after that," Duke said.
This week the Pirates match-up against the Astros and they have the opportunity to add some victories that will do a lot of good to this team that’s struggling in NL Central. So if you like a sport betting this is a good opportunity to bet in what many expect to be a very exciting game.
Lineup
1. Jose Bautista, CF. 2.Jack Wilson, SS. 3.Freddy Sanchez, 3rd B. 4. Jason Bay, LF. 5. Craig Wilson, 1st B. 6. Ryan Doumit, DH. 7. Jeromy Burnitz, RF. 8.Ronny Paulino, C. 9.Jose Castillo, 2nd B.
Barry Zito from the A’s is looking now like in his best days back in 2002 when he won the Cy Young award. Zito allowed eight hits over seven scoreless innings and the A's patiently battered Jamie Moyer in their third straight victory 7-2 over the Seattle Mariners last week.
"I just have a mentality where I'm going out there and not trying to be too fine, not thinking too much," Zito said. "I'm just letting my stuff work for me. Just trust my stuff, trust myself."
With five key players on the disabled list after a rash of injuries, the A's are back above .500 at 20-19 and in a first-place tie with Texas in the AL West. Despite those injuries, they’re a team that has plenty of talent and will to get back to the winning side of the record. If they play good with all there key players injured imagine what they will play like once everybody is back and healthy.
Lineup
1. Mark Kotsay, CF. 2.Jason Kendall, C. 3.Eric Chavez, 3rd B. 4.Frank Thomas, DH. 5. Bobby Crosby, SS. 6.Nick Swisher, 1stB. 7. Jay Payton, LF. 8. Bobby Kielty, RF. 9.Marco Scutaro, 2nd B.
After an impressive game held on Tuesday against the Yankees in which the score was 14-13 in favor of the Yankees, the Rangers fell again on Tuesday 4-3. It wasn’t such an exciting game like the one on Tuesday but it still was good. It seems that the games between this two are becoming more and more interesting because both teams play really good against each other.
The Yankees were winning 4-1 in the in the seventh, but Gary Matthews Jr. hit a two-run homer in the eighth for Texas, cutting it to 4-3. Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
"It's tough to lose like that. I didn't think they hit me very hard. They just found holes at opportune times," Loe said. "I felt like I was making my pitches. I felt like I was in control. Maybe my pitch selection could have been better."
In both games the Rangers were very close to get the victory but the powerful offense of the Yankees was better than theirs. Maybe they can change the story this week as they face the Oakland A’s, a team with a lot of injuries right now. That can give some advantage to the Rangers, so if you like sports betting this is a perfect opportunity to bet on a great game as I’m sure it will be between these two teams.
Lineup
1. Gary Matthews Jr., CF. 2.Michael Young, SS. 3.Mark Teixeira, 1st B. 4. Phil Nevin, DH. 5. Hank Blalock, 3rdB. 6. Kevin Mench, RF. 7.Brad Wilkerson, LF. 8. Mark DeRosa, 2nd B. 9. Gerald Laird, C.
"I just have a mentality where I'm going out there and not trying to be too fine, not thinking too much," Zito said. "I'm just letting my stuff work for me. Just trust my stuff, trust myself."
With five key players on the disabled list after a rash of injuries, the A's are back above .500 at 20-19 and in a first-place tie with Texas in the AL West. Despite those injuries, they’re a team that has plenty of talent and will to get back to the winning side of the record. If they play good with all there key players injured imagine what they will play like once everybody is back and healthy.
Lineup
1. Mark Kotsay, CF. 2.Jason Kendall, C. 3.Eric Chavez, 3rd B. 4.Frank Thomas, DH. 5. Bobby Crosby, SS. 6.Nick Swisher, 1stB. 7. Jay Payton, LF. 8. Bobby Kielty, RF. 9.Marco Scutaro, 2nd B.
After an impressive game held on Tuesday against the Yankees in which the score was 14-13 in favor of the Yankees, the Rangers fell again on Tuesday 4-3. It wasn’t such an exciting game like the one on Tuesday but it still was good. It seems that the games between this two are becoming more and more interesting because both teams play really good against each other.
The Yankees were winning 4-1 in the in the seventh, but Gary Matthews Jr. hit a two-run homer in the eighth for Texas, cutting it to 4-3. Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
"It's tough to lose like that. I didn't think they hit me very hard. They just found holes at opportune times," Loe said. "I felt like I was making my pitches. I felt like I was in control. Maybe my pitch selection could have been better."
In both games the Rangers were very close to get the victory but the powerful offense of the Yankees was better than theirs. Maybe they can change the story this week as they face the Oakland A’s, a team with a lot of injuries right now. That can give some advantage to the Rangers, so if you like sports betting this is a perfect opportunity to bet on a great game as I’m sure it will be between these two teams.
Lineup
1. Gary Matthews Jr., CF. 2.Michael Young, SS. 3.Mark Teixeira, 1st B. 4. Phil Nevin, DH. 5. Hank Blalock, 3rdB. 6. Kevin Mench, RF. 7.Brad Wilkerson, LF. 8. Mark DeRosa, 2nd B. 9. Gerald Laird, C.
Busch Stadium
Tom Glavine from the Mets had a great game against the Phillies that ended a nine game winning streak; Glavine pitched seven strong innings and drove in a pair of runs to help the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 13-4 Wednesday night.
The Mets pounded Phillies starter Cory Lidle (3-4) early, with eight players getting hits and all nine scoring while building a 10-0 lead through three innings. The NL East-leading Mets pushed their lead back to four games over the second-place Phillies, who were on their longest winning streak since a 13-game run in 1991.
"It was a nice game for me to have an early lead and have the guys keep tacking them in the way they did," Glavine said.
It was a great game that showed everybody why they have the best record in the NL East; they have a powerful offense and great pitchers that can get this team very far this season.
"That's the way we have to play, come out and be aggressive and make things happen," Mets manager Willie Randolph said.
Lineup
1. Jose Reyes, SS. 2.Paul Lo Duca, C. 3. Carlos Beltran, CF. 4.Carlos Delgado, 1st B. 5. David Wright, 3rd B. 6.Cliff Floyd, LF. 7.Xavier Nady, RF. 8.Kazuo Matsui, 2nd B. 9. Tom Glavine, P.
Pujols hit his major league-leading 18th homer and Jeff Suppan won his fourth straight start, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-4 victory against the Rockies last week. Juan Encarnacion also homered for the Cardinals, who took two of three from the NL West leaders and have won five of six overall.
"I'm being patient at the plate and just taking what they give me," Pujols said. "There's nothing secret."
It’s impressive the way the Cardinals offense is playing, they have the one of the highest run scoring record in the league; and they will have it as long as the offense keeps playing like they are playing now. Lead by Pujols they also have great players like Encarnacion and Rodriguez that can have RBI’s in any game and any situation which has been a great formula so far for them.
So expect this game against the Mets to be a heart pounding one, filled with emotion and excitement. Most sports book will have lines and props for the game and the whole series; you can start your study and take your pick in this great match up.
Lineup
1. David Eckstein, SS. 2. John Rodriguez, LF. 3. Albert Pujols, 1st B. 4. Jim Edmonds, CF. 5. Scott Rolen, 3rd B. 6. Juan Encarnacion, RF. 7. Gary Bennett, C. 8. Aaron Miles, 2nd B. 9. Jeff Suppan, P.
Tom Glavine from the Mets had a great game against the Phillies that ended a nine game winning streak; Glavine pitched seven strong innings and drove in a pair of runs to help the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 13-4 Wednesday night.
The Mets pounded Phillies starter Cory Lidle (3-4) early, with eight players getting hits and all nine scoring while building a 10-0 lead through three innings. The NL East-leading Mets pushed their lead back to four games over the second-place Phillies, who were on their longest winning streak since a 13-game run in 1991.
"It was a nice game for me to have an early lead and have the guys keep tacking them in the way they did," Glavine said.
It was a great game that showed everybody why they have the best record in the NL East; they have a powerful offense and great pitchers that can get this team very far this season.
"That's the way we have to play, come out and be aggressive and make things happen," Mets manager Willie Randolph said.
Lineup
1. Jose Reyes, SS. 2.Paul Lo Duca, C. 3. Carlos Beltran, CF. 4.Carlos Delgado, 1st B. 5. David Wright, 3rd B. 6.Cliff Floyd, LF. 7.Xavier Nady, RF. 8.Kazuo Matsui, 2nd B. 9. Tom Glavine, P.
Pujols hit his major league-leading 18th homer and Jeff Suppan won his fourth straight start, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-4 victory against the Rockies last week. Juan Encarnacion also homered for the Cardinals, who took two of three from the NL West leaders and have won five of six overall.
"I'm being patient at the plate and just taking what they give me," Pujols said. "There's nothing secret."
It’s impressive the way the Cardinals offense is playing, they have the one of the highest run scoring record in the league; and they will have it as long as the offense keeps playing like they are playing now. Lead by Pujols they also have great players like Encarnacion and Rodriguez that can have RBI’s in any game and any situation which has been a great formula so far for them.
So expect this game against the Mets to be a heart pounding one, filled with emotion and excitement. Most sports book will have lines and props for the game and the whole series; you can start your study and take your pick in this great match up.
Lineup
1. David Eckstein, SS. 2. John Rodriguez, LF. 3. Albert Pujols, 1st B. 4. Jim Edmonds, CF. 5. Scott Rolen, 3rd B. 6. Juan Encarnacion, RF. 7. Gary Bennett, C. 8. Aaron Miles, 2nd B. 9. Jeff Suppan, P.
Casey Blake from the Indians drove in two runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 15 games to help lift the Cleveland Indians to a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.
"I don't really know why I did it," Blake said of his surprise bunt single in the second inning. "I guess when you feel confident you just do things without second guessing."
Aaron Boone also had two hits as the Indians won their third in a row and delivered the sixth straight loss for the Royals. Cliff Lee (3-4) overcame a first-inning dizzy spell to pitch six-plus innings for the win. Avoiding a career-high fourth straight loss and improving to 7-2 in his career against the Royals.
This Cleveland team is playing better every day and they’re improving their game as the season goes by. If they continue with this regularity throughout the season they can get back to being one of baseball best like they were a few years ago.
Lineup
1. Grady Sizemore, CF. 2.Jason Michaels, LF. 3.Jhonny Peralta, SS. 4.Travis Hafner, DH. 5. Casey Blake, RF. 6.Ben Broussard, 1st B. 7.Ronnie Belliard, 2nd B. 8. Aaron Boone, 3rd B. 9. Kelly Shoppach, C.
Detroit Tigers with one of the best season starts in years are at the peak of their game so far. Detroit Tigers haven't had a winning streak like this in more than a dozen years. Brandon Inge and Placido Polanco homered and the Tigers won their seventh straight game beating the Minnesota Twins 5-3 last week for their longest winning streak since 1993.
"It's pretty good, but nobody will care about that tomorrow," said Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who has made all the right moves in his first season back in the dugout in seven years.
Detroit it’s 27-13 now and competing for the first place overall with the defending World Champions White Sox, nobody thought the Tigers would have such a good start in the season, but this young and talented team has proved to everybody that they are up for big things this year.
This series against a rising Cleveland Indians promises nothing but great baseball giving the opportunity to the entire sports betting community out there to enjoy a great series between these two.
Lineup
1. Curtis Granderson, CF. 2. Placido Polanco, 2nd B. 3. Ivan Rodriguez, C. 4. Magglio Ordonez, RF. 5. Carlos Guillen, SS. 6. Chris Shelton, 1st B. 7. Marcus Thames, DH. 8. Craig Monroe, LF. 9. Brandon Inge, 3rd B.
"I don't really know why I did it," Blake said of his surprise bunt single in the second inning. "I guess when you feel confident you just do things without second guessing."
Aaron Boone also had two hits as the Indians won their third in a row and delivered the sixth straight loss for the Royals. Cliff Lee (3-4) overcame a first-inning dizzy spell to pitch six-plus innings for the win. Avoiding a career-high fourth straight loss and improving to 7-2 in his career against the Royals.
This Cleveland team is playing better every day and they’re improving their game as the season goes by. If they continue with this regularity throughout the season they can get back to being one of baseball best like they were a few years ago.
Lineup
1. Grady Sizemore, CF. 2.Jason Michaels, LF. 3.Jhonny Peralta, SS. 4.Travis Hafner, DH. 5. Casey Blake, RF. 6.Ben Broussard, 1st B. 7.Ronnie Belliard, 2nd B. 8. Aaron Boone, 3rd B. 9. Kelly Shoppach, C.
Detroit Tigers with one of the best season starts in years are at the peak of their game so far. Detroit Tigers haven't had a winning streak like this in more than a dozen years. Brandon Inge and Placido Polanco homered and the Tigers won their seventh straight game beating the Minnesota Twins 5-3 last week for their longest winning streak since 1993.
"It's pretty good, but nobody will care about that tomorrow," said Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who has made all the right moves in his first season back in the dugout in seven years.
Detroit it’s 27-13 now and competing for the first place overall with the defending World Champions White Sox, nobody thought the Tigers would have such a good start in the season, but this young and talented team has proved to everybody that they are up for big things this year.
This series against a rising Cleveland Indians promises nothing but great baseball giving the opportunity to the entire sports betting community out there to enjoy a great series between these two.
Lineup
1. Curtis Granderson, CF. 2. Placido Polanco, 2nd B. 3. Ivan Rodriguez, C. 4. Magglio Ordonez, RF. 5. Carlos Guillen, SS. 6. Chris Shelton, 1st B. 7. Marcus Thames, DH. 8. Craig Monroe, LF. 9. Brandon Inge, 3rd B.
Freibourg, Germany 05.27.2006
Luxembourg is one of the tiniest countries in Europe, and is also one of the ones with less or none achievement at all in soccer. Luxembourg last made it to a European Soccer Championship in 1963, and to date this is the greatest claim to soccer fame for Luxembourg sandwiched between France, Germany and Belgium.
The Luxembourg Soccer Association's naming of former Danish star Allan Simonsen as head coach in January 2002 indicates a new level of commitment. The European player of the Year in 1977 was asked to nurture young talent and build a strong national team for the future.
Luxembourg has participated in every qualifying stage since 1934 and it has not qualified in any. In this year qualifying stage they ended with no points and no goals in last place of their group.
Among the accomplishments Germany has gained over the years we can quote; three times world cup winner, four times vice world champion, two third places in a World Cup, three times European championship and two times runners up in a European championship. Also they participated in all the World Cups since 1954 and have played in all European championships since 1972.
With a quick look at the history of this country it’s easy to figure out why they’re one of the favorite teams to win this year edition of the World Cup. On top of that, they’re the hosting country, which adds more in their favor; since all the games they play will count with the support of the entire country.
So with that said we can add that Germany like all the other national teams will use these friendly matches to fine-tune those last minutes details that can make a big difference when it comes to important tournaments like this, mostly when a team is so young like this they can’t leave any room for error.
The Germany team needs to give a good performance in this World Cup in order not to let their fans and their country down. In order to do that, they need to make the best of this friendly match to be fully prepared for the tournament.
These matches are fun to watch since there’s are no points at stake the teams play lose and without pressure; that’s why if you like sports betting this is a good chance to bet on your favorite team.
Luxembourg is one of the tiniest countries in Europe, and is also one of the ones with less or none achievement at all in soccer. Luxembourg last made it to a European Soccer Championship in 1963, and to date this is the greatest claim to soccer fame for Luxembourg sandwiched between France, Germany and Belgium.
The Luxembourg Soccer Association's naming of former Danish star Allan Simonsen as head coach in January 2002 indicates a new level of commitment. The European player of the Year in 1977 was asked to nurture young talent and build a strong national team for the future.
Luxembourg has participated in every qualifying stage since 1934 and it has not qualified in any. In this year qualifying stage they ended with no points and no goals in last place of their group.
Among the accomplishments Germany has gained over the years we can quote; three times world cup winner, four times vice world champion, two third places in a World Cup, three times European championship and two times runners up in a European championship. Also they participated in all the World Cups since 1954 and have played in all European championships since 1972.
With a quick look at the history of this country it’s easy to figure out why they’re one of the favorite teams to win this year edition of the World Cup. On top of that, they’re the hosting country, which adds more in their favor; since all the games they play will count with the support of the entire country.
So with that said we can add that Germany like all the other national teams will use these friendly matches to fine-tune those last minutes details that can make a big difference when it comes to important tournaments like this, mostly when a team is so young like this they can’t leave any room for error.
The Germany team needs to give a good performance in this World Cup in order not to let their fans and their country down. In order to do that, they need to make the best of this friendly match to be fully prepared for the tournament.
These matches are fun to watch since there’s are no points at stake the teams play lose and without pressure; that’s why if you like sports betting this is a good chance to bet on your favorite team.
Miller Park
The Philadelphia Phillies ended their longest winning streak since a 13 game streak in 1991. Glavine pitched seven strong innings and drove in a pair of runs to help the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 13-4 Wednesday night, snapping the Phillies nine-game winning streak.
It had been quite a turnaround for the Phillies, who opened 1-6 and finished 10-14 in April. The winning streak began on April 30 with a 5-1 victory in Pittsburgh that avoided a three-game sweep against the woeful Pirates.
"We just have to throw this one out the window and bounce back tomorrow," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
In other news Cole Hamels is no longer only in Philadelphia's future plans. The Phillies will call up the 22-year-old Hamels, their first-round pick in 2002, to make his major league debut Friday against the Cincinnati Reds and the Phillies hope this new prospect will help them to get a place in the playoffs.
Lineup
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS. 2.Chase Utley, 2nd B. 3. Aaron Rowand, CF. 4.Bobby Abreu, RF. 5.Pat Burrell, LF. 6. Ryan Howard, 1st B. 7. David Bell, 3rd B. 8. Carlos Joaquin Ruiz, C. 9.Cory Lidle, P.
Milwaukee didn’t have a good time against the Padres last week. Losing on Wednesday night 3-0 in a game that was completely dominated by Chan Ho Park who didn’t allowed any runs in the 6 innings he pitched.
Park credited outfielders Mike Cameron and Brian Giles for making great catches. "And also, I had a good catcher back there calling the right pitches, so that helps and makes me more comfortable and confident," Park said.
The Brewers that have a 17-17 record were playing really good baseball up until they faced the Padres, which outplay them in two of the three games of the series. The Brewers had a phenomenal season start but lately they’re in a hole and might get down the .500 average.
Milwaukee will face this week against Philadelphia in a series that will be very exciting, since both teams need to win. Expect nothing but great baseball games between these two in this series. If you like sports’ betting this is a great opportunity to give more emotion to the All-American sport by making some bets on the series.
Lineup
1. Rickie Weeks, 2nd B. 2. Bill Hall, SS. 3.Geoff Jenkins, RF. 4.Carlos Lee, LF. 5. Prince Fielder, 1st B. 6. Corey Koskie, 3rd B. 7. Damian Miller, C. 8.Brady Clark, CF. 9.Chris Capuano, P.
The Philadelphia Phillies ended their longest winning streak since a 13 game streak in 1991. Glavine pitched seven strong innings and drove in a pair of runs to help the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 13-4 Wednesday night, snapping the Phillies nine-game winning streak.
It had been quite a turnaround for the Phillies, who opened 1-6 and finished 10-14 in April. The winning streak began on April 30 with a 5-1 victory in Pittsburgh that avoided a three-game sweep against the woeful Pirates.
"We just have to throw this one out the window and bounce back tomorrow," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
In other news Cole Hamels is no longer only in Philadelphia's future plans. The Phillies will call up the 22-year-old Hamels, their first-round pick in 2002, to make his major league debut Friday against the Cincinnati Reds and the Phillies hope this new prospect will help them to get a place in the playoffs.
Lineup
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS. 2.Chase Utley, 2nd B. 3. Aaron Rowand, CF. 4.Bobby Abreu, RF. 5.Pat Burrell, LF. 6. Ryan Howard, 1st B. 7. David Bell, 3rd B. 8. Carlos Joaquin Ruiz, C. 9.Cory Lidle, P.
Milwaukee didn’t have a good time against the Padres last week. Losing on Wednesday night 3-0 in a game that was completely dominated by Chan Ho Park who didn’t allowed any runs in the 6 innings he pitched.
Park credited outfielders Mike Cameron and Brian Giles for making great catches. "And also, I had a good catcher back there calling the right pitches, so that helps and makes me more comfortable and confident," Park said.
The Brewers that have a 17-17 record were playing really good baseball up until they faced the Padres, which outplay them in two of the three games of the series. The Brewers had a phenomenal season start but lately they’re in a hole and might get down the .500 average.
Milwaukee will face this week against Philadelphia in a series that will be very exciting, since both teams need to win. Expect nothing but great baseball games between these two in this series. If you like sports’ betting this is a great opportunity to give more emotion to the All-American sport by making some bets on the series.
Lineup
1. Rickie Weeks, 2nd B. 2. Bill Hall, SS. 3.Geoff Jenkins, RF. 4.Carlos Lee, LF. 5. Prince Fielder, 1st B. 6. Corey Koskie, 3rd B. 7. Damian Miller, C. 8.Brady Clark, CF. 9.Chris Capuano, P.
Carolina might not have started the playoffs with good rhythm but as the first round series got under way against Montreal they started playing really good. They still are and after that they knocked out the Devils in round two 4-1 in the series.
The Hurricanes have speed on all four of their lines and their defense is mobile and gets the puck up the ice quickly. Their power play, when it's on is one of the most dangerous in the NHL. However they need to avoid slow starts and start the games trailing because for them it’s very difficult to get back once they’re trailing earlier in the game.
Ron Brind'Amour is the heart and soul guy, he tends to come up big at key times. Eric Staal is the finisher who gets the puck in crunch time. Watch for Justin Williams as well. He was an impact player against Montreal.
Carolina has a very good regular season and playoffs so far; nothing would be better for them as winning the conference finals and get a shot to win the Stanley Cup as well.
Buffalo on the other hand left out the Flyers in the first round. A team that couldn’t deal with Buffalo’s speed and in the second round; Goalie Ryan Miller was a big difference against the Senators. But a gutsy overall effort that included three overtime wins was what brought Buffalo here.
The Sabres are very fast, quick and opportunistic on offense. Their defensive game was outstanding against a powerful Ottawa team and the Sabres are riding high from what was a major upset win last round.
But they have a few important players injured; Tim Connolly and Dmitri Kalinin are out but the Sabres have been talented enough to not let those injuries overcome their game and be where they are right now.
These Western conference finals will be all about the new era in the NHL. With two pioneer teams that are playing at the top of their game with very innovative types of playing this beautiful game.
Most major sportsbooks will have lines and props on these NHL Conference Finals. That will give a chance to all the sports betting fans to follow closely these games in order to make their wagers in the finals.
The Hurricanes have speed on all four of their lines and their defense is mobile and gets the puck up the ice quickly. Their power play, when it's on is one of the most dangerous in the NHL. However they need to avoid slow starts and start the games trailing because for them it’s very difficult to get back once they’re trailing earlier in the game.
Ron Brind'Amour is the heart and soul guy, he tends to come up big at key times. Eric Staal is the finisher who gets the puck in crunch time. Watch for Justin Williams as well. He was an impact player against Montreal.
Carolina has a very good regular season and playoffs so far; nothing would be better for them as winning the conference finals and get a shot to win the Stanley Cup as well.
Buffalo on the other hand left out the Flyers in the first round. A team that couldn’t deal with Buffalo’s speed and in the second round; Goalie Ryan Miller was a big difference against the Senators. But a gutsy overall effort that included three overtime wins was what brought Buffalo here.
The Sabres are very fast, quick and opportunistic on offense. Their defensive game was outstanding against a powerful Ottawa team and the Sabres are riding high from what was a major upset win last round.
But they have a few important players injured; Tim Connolly and Dmitri Kalinin are out but the Sabres have been talented enough to not let those injuries overcome their game and be where they are right now.
These Western conference finals will be all about the new era in the NHL. With two pioneer teams that are playing at the top of their game with very innovative types of playing this beautiful game.
Most major sportsbooks will have lines and props on these NHL Conference Finals. That will give a chance to all the sports betting fans to follow closely these games in order to make their wagers in the finals.
One of the best teams in the history of soccer is France. They have participated in 11 editions of the World Cup. France's most successful years were the late 1990s, the generation of Zidane and others. This team played in the semifinals of Euro 96, two years later hosted and won the 1998 World Cup and two years later won Euro 2000.
They also won the UEFA European championship in 1984 and finished third in 1958 and 1986 in the FIFA World Cup.
But with no doubt the most impressive achievement France has ever got is the Championship against Brazil in home soil with a sensational 3-0. That had a million euphoric Frenchmen and women sing and danced all night long on the famous Champs Elysees in Paris. The celebrations went on for days.
They’re preparing for the World Cup in Germany. France has one of the best squads since their World Cup title on home soil. They go with everything they have, including veteran star Zinedine Zidane who’s planning to retire after the tournament. Also they have young players like Giuly and Givet, rising stars in the French squad.
One of the friendly matches they will have before the start of the tournament is against Denmark who coincidently was one of their rivals in Korea/Japan. In the group stage, it will be a good match between these two squads.
On the other side Denmark is not going to Germany but they still continue with the friendly matches that give some exposure to the young players and it will help the team to prepare for the EURO 2008 qualifiers after the World Cup.
They finished only one point behind Turkey in the group two in the Europe Zone qualifiers; it is a shame for Denmark and their fans that are accustomed for their team to go to the final stage. Now they can only wait for the EURO 2008 to redeem in Europe’s soccer scene.
If you like sports betting, this is a great chance to track your favorite team, and see how they’re doing before the World Cup starts and make your bets once the tournament starts.
They also won the UEFA European championship in 1984 and finished third in 1958 and 1986 in the FIFA World Cup.
But with no doubt the most impressive achievement France has ever got is the Championship against Brazil in home soil with a sensational 3-0. That had a million euphoric Frenchmen and women sing and danced all night long on the famous Champs Elysees in Paris. The celebrations went on for days.
They’re preparing for the World Cup in Germany. France has one of the best squads since their World Cup title on home soil. They go with everything they have, including veteran star Zinedine Zidane who’s planning to retire after the tournament. Also they have young players like Giuly and Givet, rising stars in the French squad.
One of the friendly matches they will have before the start of the tournament is against Denmark who coincidently was one of their rivals in Korea/Japan. In the group stage, it will be a good match between these two squads.
On the other side Denmark is not going to Germany but they still continue with the friendly matches that give some exposure to the young players and it will help the team to prepare for the EURO 2008 qualifiers after the World Cup.
They finished only one point behind Turkey in the group two in the Europe Zone qualifiers; it is a shame for Denmark and their fans that are accustomed for their team to go to the final stage. Now they can only wait for the EURO 2008 to redeem in Europe’s soccer scene.
If you like sports betting, this is a great chance to track your favorite team, and see how they’re doing before the World Cup starts and make your bets once the tournament starts.
Bonds’ alleged cheating scandal hurting baseball history
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Jumat, 14 Januari 2011 |
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komentar
Having just finished reading Game of Shadows – the alleged tell-all book in which the authors claim to have records detailing Barry Bonds’, as well as other athletes’, use of performance-enhancing drugs – it has become crystal clear that Bonds cheated, continues to cheat, and could not care less about it.
Bonds just about says this when he claims in his grand jury testimony that he hasn’t played in a baseball game since college when he attended Arizona State University. Basically, what he’s saying, and what he continues to say, is that he is an entertainer and not a competitor. He conveniently forgets how his alleged cheating has impacted the other players in the game, both past and present. And how, every night, in every stadium he plays in, he is the only person who is in on this little secret.
When I go to a game, I’m not there to be entertained. I’m there to see the team I support try to win. And when I make a wager on a team, I’m not doing it for the entertainment; I’m doing it to win. If I go to Vegas and play blackjack or craps, I consider that to be entertainment. While I would like to win, and I don’t believe the outcome has been predetermined, I still understand the odds are against me coming away a winner.
But Bonds apparently doesn’t see playing baseball as a competition. It sounds as though he views it as our opportunity to watch an “entertainer” stand up there and be walked two or three times a game and, maybe, just maybe, see him grace our presence with a home run. Get over yourself, Barry. Not only are you coming off like a pompous ass, you are also making an impact on the game that the record books will reflect forever.
For example, since 1999, when his steroid use is alleged to have begun, the San Francisco Giants have won or finished second in the NL West every year, except for last year when he spent just about all of the season on the disabled list, and they finished third. Take away Bonds’ production, or fill in the production that most players would contribute, and the Giants find themselves in a different position. Also, as he approached 40 years old, his numbers would naturally decline, not go up. With that factored in, the Giants truly would be hurting for production from Bonds.
Just ask Albert Pujols, who has finished second to Bonds in National League MVP voting twice, how Bonds’ steroid use has impacted his post-season award possibilities.
Bet MLB Baseball Player Props @ WagerWeb.com Sportsbook
Unfortunately, the players who have truly been impacted by Bonds’ steroid use are the players who finished playing the game years ago. Bonds, along with Mark McGwire, has succeeded at setting the bar so high that no one will be able to approach their records. In doing so, they have made the average fan believe that 40 home runs a season is nice, but not Hall of Fame-worthy. One player who has been affected by this is Andrew Dawson. Dawson hit 438 home runs and drove in 1,591 RBIs. He also played baseball for 21 years and has 2,774 hits with 8 Gold Gloves and 314 stolen bases. With close to 10 knee surgeries, Dawson should have been the one allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs, not Bonds.
One thing I love about Bonds is that he refuses to even admit that Game of Shadows exists. The book has been out for about three months now and I have yet to hear of a lawsuit filed on Bonds’ behalf that contests the contents of the book. And yet everyone just casually goes about their sports day, without a care that Bonds continues to cheat because, as an entertainer, he feels he can.
As the book explains, Bonds has never had to stand before anyone and explain his actions – not even when he was a kid. He was always the best player on the team, received the benefits that comes with that title, and he continues to expect that to be the case. Regardless of how it impacts his body, the other players in the game, the kids growing up who are learning the game, or the record books – Bonds is concerned with one thing – reaping the financial advantages that being an “entertainer” in baseball provides.
And regardless of who has to pay to make that happen, Bonds is only too happy to stand there and take the paychecks and accolades that come with it. I’ve often wondered how he sleeps at night, knowing that he has an advantage that many other players don’t have – that he has cheated to get to where he is. And the only answer I can come up with is that when you are on the stage and being an entertainer, it’s just acting. It’s not who you really are – so you can get away with more. The question I have for Bonds is, when the show is over and you walk off the stage – who are you then?
MLB Baseball Betting Odds and Player Props @ WagerWeb.com Sportsbook
Bonds just about says this when he claims in his grand jury testimony that he hasn’t played in a baseball game since college when he attended Arizona State University. Basically, what he’s saying, and what he continues to say, is that he is an entertainer and not a competitor. He conveniently forgets how his alleged cheating has impacted the other players in the game, both past and present. And how, every night, in every stadium he plays in, he is the only person who is in on this little secret.
When I go to a game, I’m not there to be entertained. I’m there to see the team I support try to win. And when I make a wager on a team, I’m not doing it for the entertainment; I’m doing it to win. If I go to Vegas and play blackjack or craps, I consider that to be entertainment. While I would like to win, and I don’t believe the outcome has been predetermined, I still understand the odds are against me coming away a winner.
But Bonds apparently doesn’t see playing baseball as a competition. It sounds as though he views it as our opportunity to watch an “entertainer” stand up there and be walked two or three times a game and, maybe, just maybe, see him grace our presence with a home run. Get over yourself, Barry. Not only are you coming off like a pompous ass, you are also making an impact on the game that the record books will reflect forever.
For example, since 1999, when his steroid use is alleged to have begun, the San Francisco Giants have won or finished second in the NL West every year, except for last year when he spent just about all of the season on the disabled list, and they finished third. Take away Bonds’ production, or fill in the production that most players would contribute, and the Giants find themselves in a different position. Also, as he approached 40 years old, his numbers would naturally decline, not go up. With that factored in, the Giants truly would be hurting for production from Bonds.
Just ask Albert Pujols, who has finished second to Bonds in National League MVP voting twice, how Bonds’ steroid use has impacted his post-season award possibilities.
Bet MLB Baseball Player Props @ WagerWeb.com Sportsbook
Unfortunately, the players who have truly been impacted by Bonds’ steroid use are the players who finished playing the game years ago. Bonds, along with Mark McGwire, has succeeded at setting the bar so high that no one will be able to approach their records. In doing so, they have made the average fan believe that 40 home runs a season is nice, but not Hall of Fame-worthy. One player who has been affected by this is Andrew Dawson. Dawson hit 438 home runs and drove in 1,591 RBIs. He also played baseball for 21 years and has 2,774 hits with 8 Gold Gloves and 314 stolen bases. With close to 10 knee surgeries, Dawson should have been the one allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs, not Bonds.
One thing I love about Bonds is that he refuses to even admit that Game of Shadows exists. The book has been out for about three months now and I have yet to hear of a lawsuit filed on Bonds’ behalf that contests the contents of the book. And yet everyone just casually goes about their sports day, without a care that Bonds continues to cheat because, as an entertainer, he feels he can.
As the book explains, Bonds has never had to stand before anyone and explain his actions – not even when he was a kid. He was always the best player on the team, received the benefits that comes with that title, and he continues to expect that to be the case. Regardless of how it impacts his body, the other players in the game, the kids growing up who are learning the game, or the record books – Bonds is concerned with one thing – reaping the financial advantages that being an “entertainer” in baseball provides.
And regardless of who has to pay to make that happen, Bonds is only too happy to stand there and take the paychecks and accolades that come with it. I’ve often wondered how he sleeps at night, knowing that he has an advantage that many other players don’t have – that he has cheated to get to where he is. And the only answer I can come up with is that when you are on the stage and being an entertainer, it’s just acting. It’s not who you really are – so you can get away with more. The question I have for Bonds is, when the show is over and you walk off the stage – who are you then?
MLB Baseball Betting Odds and Player Props @ WagerWeb.com Sportsbook
The Orioles had a long time without picking up a victory from the Red Sox. Finally they did it last week at Baltimore. Erik Bedard pitched seven effective innings for the Orioles, who had lost 13 straight to Boston -- including eight this season -- since Sept. 2, 2005. The victory also enabled Baltimore to end an eight-game home skid against the Red Sox.
Bedard (5-2) gave up one run, a pair of doubles and three walks. The left-hander who came in with a 7.57 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox struck out three. It was his first victory in five starts since April 20.
"It's a win that we needed to have, but it's also special because I competed with these guys the last three years," said Millar, whose two-run homer gave Baltimore a lead it never lost Wednesday night in a 4-3 victory. "It was a lot of fun."
This victory will give a confidence boost to the Orioles players. They really need this win because of what it represent, the ending of the losing streak against Boston and also the opportunity to try and reach Toronto for the third place of their division.
Lineup
1. Eddie Rogers, 2nd B. 2. Melvin Mora, 3rd B. 3. Miguel Tejada, SS. 4.Jay Gibbons, RF. 5.Ramon Hernandez, C. 6.Javy Lopez. 7. Kevin Millar, 1st B. 8. Corey Patterson, CF. 9.Luis Matos, LF.
The Mariners suffered a three game sweep in Oakland last week. The last game was played on Thursday and they fell 6-3 in a game they started winning in the first inning one run up. But the A’s contested with three in the bottom of the first and from that point they held the lead through the whole game.
The Mariners, who are 13th in the American League in hitting against lefties got eight hits but no runs off the left-handed Zito and fell to 4-10 against left-handed starters. Meanwhile Jamie Moyer turned in his poorest start of the season giving up seven runs (five earned) in six innings. In his career he is 10-7 against Oakland but the Mariners have lost the last five times he's started against the A's.
Seattle at the bottom of the AL West could’ve used the victory to try and climb to reach the teams on top of the standings. Unfortunately for them it just didn’t happened; they’ll have a chance to improve their record this week against the Orioles. They just need to focus and try no to commit so many mistakes in the games that could cost them a lot.
The team that make fewest mistakes and play focused will win this series. Since both teams are so compared it will be an interesting series to bet on because the lines will be very low. If you like sports betting take some time and study your picks to try and beat the house as these two teams face each other.
Lineup
1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF. 2.Jose Lopez, 2nd B. 3. Raul Ibanez, LF. 4. Richie Sexson, 1st B. 5. Carl Everett, DH. 6. Adrian Beltre, 3rd B. 7. Kenji Johjima, C. 8.Willie Bloomquist, CF. 9.Yuniesky Betancourt, SS.
Bedard (5-2) gave up one run, a pair of doubles and three walks. The left-hander who came in with a 7.57 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox struck out three. It was his first victory in five starts since April 20.
"It's a win that we needed to have, but it's also special because I competed with these guys the last three years," said Millar, whose two-run homer gave Baltimore a lead it never lost Wednesday night in a 4-3 victory. "It was a lot of fun."
This victory will give a confidence boost to the Orioles players. They really need this win because of what it represent, the ending of the losing streak against Boston and also the opportunity to try and reach Toronto for the third place of their division.
Lineup
1. Eddie Rogers, 2nd B. 2. Melvin Mora, 3rd B. 3. Miguel Tejada, SS. 4.Jay Gibbons, RF. 5.Ramon Hernandez, C. 6.Javy Lopez. 7. Kevin Millar, 1st B. 8. Corey Patterson, CF. 9.Luis Matos, LF.
The Mariners suffered a three game sweep in Oakland last week. The last game was played on Thursday and they fell 6-3 in a game they started winning in the first inning one run up. But the A’s contested with three in the bottom of the first and from that point they held the lead through the whole game.
The Mariners, who are 13th in the American League in hitting against lefties got eight hits but no runs off the left-handed Zito and fell to 4-10 against left-handed starters. Meanwhile Jamie Moyer turned in his poorest start of the season giving up seven runs (five earned) in six innings. In his career he is 10-7 against Oakland but the Mariners have lost the last five times he's started against the A's.
Seattle at the bottom of the AL West could’ve used the victory to try and climb to reach the teams on top of the standings. Unfortunately for them it just didn’t happened; they’ll have a chance to improve their record this week against the Orioles. They just need to focus and try no to commit so many mistakes in the games that could cost them a lot.
The team that make fewest mistakes and play focused will win this series. Since both teams are so compared it will be an interesting series to bet on because the lines will be very low. If you like sports betting take some time and study your picks to try and beat the house as these two teams face each other.
Lineup
1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF. 2.Jose Lopez, 2nd B. 3. Raul Ibanez, LF. 4. Richie Sexson, 1st B. 5. Carl Everett, DH. 6. Adrian Beltre, 3rd B. 7. Kenji Johjima, C. 8.Willie Bloomquist, CF. 9.Yuniesky Betancourt, SS.
Vienna, Austria 05.23.2006
Although Austria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the National Team is still playing friendly matches to give continuity to the National squad and give opportunity to young players to demonstrate their skills in the international scenario.
One of those friendly matches will take place on May 23rd when they face Croatia in home soil, as part of the programmed FIFA dates for the teams to prepare for the World Cup.
Austria was in group 6 of the European zone, a very hard group that counted with the presence of England and Poland, which were the two, teams that qualified to Germany 2006.
Austria has a great canter of young players that given the continuity needed might accomplish great things in the future for their country.
Now other story awaits for Croatia a team that is qualified to the World Cup and will use this match up against Austria to give the final tune up to their squad before the World Cup Starts.
This will be their third successive appearance to the final stage of the tournament since they are an independent country. Croatia finished on top of the qualifying round in group 8 from the Europe zone.
In teams news Croatia’s coach Zlatko Kranjcar announced on Friday an expected 24-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Germany next month where he said he hoped his team would reach the second round at least.
"I earlier said I would pick the players who carried the burden of qualifying so I've had a pretty clear picture of who to choose for some time," Kranjcar told a news conference.
In the group stage Croatia faces Brazil, Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw his team progressing. "I can feel a great team spirit in the squad and I think we're well capable of doing it," he said. As we see the Croatian team is very motivated toward the start of the World Cup and is a team that can give big surprises if they keep playing like they did in the qualifying round.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches that might not be as exciting as the World Cup matches but still is a chance for the sports betting fans to track the progress of their favorite teams.
Although Austria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the National Team is still playing friendly matches to give continuity to the National squad and give opportunity to young players to demonstrate their skills in the international scenario.
One of those friendly matches will take place on May 23rd when they face Croatia in home soil, as part of the programmed FIFA dates for the teams to prepare for the World Cup.
Austria was in group 6 of the European zone, a very hard group that counted with the presence of England and Poland, which were the two, teams that qualified to Germany 2006.
Austria has a great canter of young players that given the continuity needed might accomplish great things in the future for their country.
Now other story awaits for Croatia a team that is qualified to the World Cup and will use this match up against Austria to give the final tune up to their squad before the World Cup Starts.
This will be their third successive appearance to the final stage of the tournament since they are an independent country. Croatia finished on top of the qualifying round in group 8 from the Europe zone.
In teams news Croatia’s coach Zlatko Kranjcar announced on Friday an expected 24-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Germany next month where he said he hoped his team would reach the second round at least.
"I earlier said I would pick the players who carried the burden of qualifying so I've had a pretty clear picture of who to choose for some time," Kranjcar told a news conference.
In the group stage Croatia faces Brazil, Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw his team progressing. "I can feel a great team spirit in the squad and I think we're well capable of doing it," he said. As we see the Croatian team is very motivated toward the start of the World Cup and is a team that can give big surprises if they keep playing like they did in the qualifying round.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches that might not be as exciting as the World Cup matches but still is a chance for the sports betting fans to track the progress of their favorite teams.
Vienna, Austria 05.23.2006
Although Austria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the National Team is still playing friendly matches to give continuity to the National squad and give opportunity to young players to demonstrate their skills in the international scenario.
One of those friendly matches will take place on May 23rd when they face Croatia in home soil, as part of the programmed FIFA dates for the teams to prepare for the World Cup.
Austria was in group 6 of the European zone, a very hard group that counted with the presence of England and Poland, which were the two, teams that qualified to Germany 2006.
Austria has a great canter of young players that given the continuity needed might accomplish great things in the future for their country.
Now other story awaits for Croatia a team that is qualified to the World Cup and will use this match up against Austria to give the final tune up to their squad before the World Cup Starts.
This will be their third successive appearance to the final stage of the tournament since they are an independent country. Croatia finished on top of the qualifying round in group 8 from the Europe zone.
In teams news Croatia’s coach Zlatko Kranjcar announced on Friday an expected 24-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Germany next month where he said he hoped his team would reach the second round at least.
"I earlier said I would pick the players who carried the burden of qualifying so I've had a pretty clear picture of who to choose for some time," Kranjcar told a news conference.
In the group stage Croatia faces Brazil, Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw his team progressing. "I can feel a great team spirit in the squad and I think we're well capable of doing it," he said. As we see the Croatian team is very motivated toward the start of the World Cup and is a team that can give big surprises if they keep playing like they did in the qualifying round.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches that might not be as exciting as the World Cup matches but still is a chance for the sports betting fans to track the progress of their favorite teams.
Although Austria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the National Team is still playing friendly matches to give continuity to the National squad and give opportunity to young players to demonstrate their skills in the international scenario.
One of those friendly matches will take place on May 23rd when they face Croatia in home soil, as part of the programmed FIFA dates for the teams to prepare for the World Cup.
Austria was in group 6 of the European zone, a very hard group that counted with the presence of England and Poland, which were the two, teams that qualified to Germany 2006.
Austria has a great canter of young players that given the continuity needed might accomplish great things in the future for their country.
Now other story awaits for Croatia a team that is qualified to the World Cup and will use this match up against Austria to give the final tune up to their squad before the World Cup Starts.
This will be their third successive appearance to the final stage of the tournament since they are an independent country. Croatia finished on top of the qualifying round in group 8 from the Europe zone.
In teams news Croatia’s coach Zlatko Kranjcar announced on Friday an expected 24-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Germany next month where he said he hoped his team would reach the second round at least.
"I earlier said I would pick the players who carried the burden of qualifying so I've had a pretty clear picture of who to choose for some time," Kranjcar told a news conference.
In the group stage Croatia faces Brazil, Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw his team progressing. "I can feel a great team spirit in the squad and I think we're well capable of doing it," he said. As we see the Croatian team is very motivated toward the start of the World Cup and is a team that can give big surprises if they keep playing like they did in the qualifying round.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches that might not be as exciting as the World Cup matches but still is a chance for the sports betting fans to track the progress of their favorite teams.
"I just had a bad day," said Cruz, who allowed the nine, runs in five hits, three walks and two hit batsmen. "That was the worst game in my entire career." But the D’Backs can’t worry too much about this game because they had their share of runs too, it was just a bad first inning for Arizona, and there’s a long season still ahead.
Lineup
1. Craig Counsell, SS. 2.Eric Byrnes, CF. 3.Chad Tracy, 3rd B. 4. Luis Gonzalez, LF. 5. Conor Jackson, 1st B. 6. Shawn Green, RF. 7.Johnny Estrada, C. 8.Orlando Hudson, 2nd B. 9. Juan Cruz, P.
Last week against the Pirates the Reds were trailing 6-0 and finished 9-8 in a game that was thrilling from beginning to end, The Cincinnati Reds seemed out of this one early. They were down by six runs in the first inning and a sixth consecutive loss looked all but certain.
Ken Griffey Jr.'s soft line drive single drove in two runs during a four-run seventh inning and the Reds ended a five-game losing streak, rallying from the early deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
"There was no panic at all -- the last thing we needed to do was panic," catcher Jason LaRue said. "We needed to go out and get some hits, get guys over and get them into scoring position and do the little things. Today, we were able to capitalize on that."
The Reds need to keep playing like they did in this game and like they were playing at the beginning of the season if they want to get somewhere this year, hopefully this series against the D’Backs will be very good, if you like sports betting don’t miss the chance to bet on a series such exciting as this one.
Lineup
1. Felipe Lopez, SS. 2. Adam Dunn, LF. Ken Griffey Jr., CF. 4. Austin Kearns, RF. 5. Scott Hatteberg, 1st B. 6. Edwin Encarnacion, 3rd B. 7. Jason LaRue, C. 8. Ryan Freel, 2nd B. 9. Dave Williams, P.
Lineup
1. Craig Counsell, SS. 2.Eric Byrnes, CF. 3.Chad Tracy, 3rd B. 4. Luis Gonzalez, LF. 5. Conor Jackson, 1st B. 6. Shawn Green, RF. 7.Johnny Estrada, C. 8.Orlando Hudson, 2nd B. 9. Juan Cruz, P.
Last week against the Pirates the Reds were trailing 6-0 and finished 9-8 in a game that was thrilling from beginning to end, The Cincinnati Reds seemed out of this one early. They were down by six runs in the first inning and a sixth consecutive loss looked all but certain.
Ken Griffey Jr.'s soft line drive single drove in two runs during a four-run seventh inning and the Reds ended a five-game losing streak, rallying from the early deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
"There was no panic at all -- the last thing we needed to do was panic," catcher Jason LaRue said. "We needed to go out and get some hits, get guys over and get them into scoring position and do the little things. Today, we were able to capitalize on that."
The Reds need to keep playing like they did in this game and like they were playing at the beginning of the season if they want to get somewhere this year, hopefully this series against the D’Backs will be very good, if you like sports betting don’t miss the chance to bet on a series such exciting as this one.
Lineup
1. Felipe Lopez, SS. 2. Adam Dunn, LF. Ken Griffey Jr., CF. 4. Austin Kearns, RF. 5. Scott Hatteberg, 1st B. 6. Edwin Encarnacion, 3rd B. 7. Jason LaRue, C. 8. Ryan Freel, 2nd B. 9. Dave Williams, P.
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