05/10/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In the midst of a 10-game road trip, the Chicago White Sox will try to keep the good times rolling when they battle the Seattle Mariners tonight in the second installment of a three-game set at Safeco Field.
While the White Sox have enjoyed recent success, starting pitcher Javier Vazquez has struggled over his last three starts. The last time Vazquez was on the mound, the 31-year-old suffered a tough loss to Toronto by a score of 1-0. In the setback, the veteran hurler tossed 7 2/3 innings, allowing just one run on eight hits, while striking out nine batters.
Despite the recent slump, Vazquez is still 3-3 on the year with a solid 3.30 ERA. In his career against Seattle, the right-hander has had moderate success, posting a 3-3 record with a 4.01 ERA. In 33 2/3 innings of duty, Vazquez has collected 29 strikeouts, while walking just seven Seattle batters.
Fresh off his second victory of the season, Jarrod Washburn will toe the rubber for Seattle this evening. The southpaw was able to lead the Mariners to a 7-3 victory over Texas this past Monday. In the win, Washburn was reached for just three runs in six innings and struck out three batters. He did not issue a walk.
Although Washburn was victorious in his last start, the 33-year-old has had more bad times than good this year. He is currently 2-4 in this campaign with a lackluster 4.81 ERA.
The crafty veteran is no stranger to the White Sox, making 16 previous starts against the boys from the south side of Chicago. Overall, the lefty is 6-6 when facing the Pale Hose and has an ERA of 4.09.
Yesterday, Jose Contreras hurled seven innings of one-run ball and Jim Thome slugged a home run, leading the White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the struggling Mariners at Safeco Field.
Contreras (3-3) held the Mariners to six hits, issuing two walks and striking out four. Thome also walked and scored twice, while Paul Konerko had two hits and two runs batted in for Chicago. The White Sox have won three of their last four after losing six straight.
Carlos Silva (3-2) gave up all four of Chicago's runs on eight hits through seven frames, with two walks and a strikeout.
Ichiro Suzuki had a hit, stole a base and a run scored. Wladimir Balentien registered his third home run of the season for Seattle, losers of four straight and 9-of-10 overall.
Earlier in the day, Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson was suspended six games and fined an undisclosed amount for his violent and aggressive actions in the fourth inning of Thursday's game against the Rangers. With two outs in the inning, Rangers pitcher Kason Gabbard came up and in with a fastball that caused Sexson to charge the mound and throw his helmet at the Texas hurler. Sexson, who elected to appeal the six-game suspension, went 0-for-4 Friday.
Seattle dominated the White Sox a year ago, winning seven of the eight matchups and taking the final five meetings between the squads. Chicago lost all five of its games at Safeco Field last season and is 2-8 over the last 10 visits to the Emerald City.
<< Yankees send Rasner to hill against Tigers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Yankees pitcher Darrell Rasner will make his
second start of the season this afternoon, when he takes the hill in the
second contest of a three-game set with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Rasner
<< Jays, Tribe continue set in Cleveland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Currently sitting at the bottom of the AL East Division,
the Toronto Blue Jays will try to grab a victory this evening, when they take
on the Cleveland Indians in the second meeting of a four-game series at
Progres
<< Angels' Saunders tries to stay hot in Tampa
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Saunders will try to continue his dominating efforts
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tonight, when they battle the Tampa Bay
Rays in the second contest of a three-game stint at Tropicana Field.
Saunders has
<< Rangers, A's resume series in Arlington
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers will try to continue their hot play when
they take on the Oakland Athletics this evening in the middle matchup of a
three-game set at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
In order for the Rangers to ext
Great back nine gives Otto Italian Open lead >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hennie Otto recorded six back-nine birdies,
including three in a row to close his round, for a nine-under 63 on Saturday
and a four-shot lead after the third round of the Italian Open.
The South African
Report: Marlins sign Ramirez to long-term deal >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins have reportedly
agreed to a long-term contract with star shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
According to the Miami Herald, the deal will be for six years and worth up to
$70 million, bu
Yankees place P Albaladejo on DL with elbow injury >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees placed righthanded
pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with an
elbow injury.
The 25-year-old was pulled in the sixth inning of the team's 6-5 lo
Report: D'Antoni accepts offer to coach Knicks >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike D'Antoni will reportedly bring his
run-and-gun coaching style to the "Big Apple" next season.
The Boston Globe reported on its website Saturday that D'Antoni, who was
granted permission by t
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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