08/28/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Los Angeles Dodgers wind up eventually falling short in their quest to win the National League West, the team will likely point to its current road trip -- and in particular, this series with the Washington Nationals -- as a reason for its failure.
The Dodgers will attempt to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of Washington, owners of the worst record in baseball, when these two clubs meet again tonight at Nationals Park.
Wednesday's 5-4 defeat to the Nationals was the sixth straight loss for Los Angeles to open its 10-game road trip, and the Dodgers have now dropped eight their last eight away games. Joe Torre's stumbling squad began the trek with four consecutive defeats in Philadelphia.
Despite their recent futility, the Dodgers remain just three games behind Arizona, which has lost four in a row, for first place in the NL West. Los Angeles will visit the Diamondbacks for three crucial contests beginning on Friday.
The Dodgers hit three home runs off Nationals starter Tim Redding last night, but all were solo shots. Los Angeles also had errors from pitcher Greg Maddux and second baseman Jeff Kent that led to a pair of Washington runs.
Redding (9-8) threw six effective innings to get the win, allowing just the three runs on eight hits. Joel Hanrahan come on with two outs in the top of the eighth and got out of a bases-loaded jam, then tossed a scoreless ninth to record his sixth save.
Ryan Zimmerman hit his first home run since May 17 and scored twice for Washington, which has won back-to-back games for the first time since taking both games of a doubleheader against Colorado on August 7. Emilio Bonifacio finished 2-for-4 with a run scored in the win.
Casey Blake, James Loney and Andre Ethier had the solo homers for Los Angeles, with both Ethier and Loney ending 3-for-5 on the night. Blake collected a pair of hits and knocked in two runs.
Maddux (6-11) gave up four runs -- two earned -- on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings.
The Dodgers now pin their hopes on the talented left arm of 20-year-old Clayton Kershaw in the team's attempt to end its skid. The rookie has been outstanding for much of this second half, although he's coming off a shaky performance in his last start.
Against the Phillies on Saturday, Kershaw was tagged for six runs on seven hits over four innings to take the loss in LA's 9-2 setback. In a five-start stretch prior to that outing, the young phenom had gone 2-0 with an excellent 1.45 earned run average.
That outstanding run began with a July 27 matchup with the Nationals at Dodger Stadium in which Kershaw fired six shutout innings to lead Los Angeles to a 2-0 triumph.
Washington will be sending out a rookie of its own tonight in John Lannan, who will be hoping to break out of his recent struggles at home. The left-hander has surrendered 16 runs (14 earned) and 16 hits in just 9 2/3 innings of work over his last two starts at Nationals Ballpark, losing on both occasions.
For the season, Lannan is just 2-7 with a 6.27 ERA in his 10 home starts, compared to a 2.71 ERA on the road.
The 23-year-old is coming off a win at Chicago's Wrigley Field on Friday, although he permitted five runs and a pair of homers in 6 1/3 innings.
Lannan faced the Dodgers for the first time on July 25 and received a hard- luck loss. He pitched seven innings in that game and was reached for three runs on six hits.
Los Angeles swept a three-game series versus Washington at Dodger Stadium from July 25-27 and is 11-3 over its past 14 meetings with the Nationals.
<< Around FCS: CAA Heavyweights Take Aim For Title
Philadelphia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Every week in the Colonial Athletic
Association is something akin to a series of heavyweight elimination bouts.
The contestants get battered and bruised and a team or two is eventually is
left standing with
<< Red Sox hoping to pay last respects to Yankee Stadium with sweep
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Lester attempts to bounce back from one of his worst
starts of the season this afternoon, when the Boston Red Sox try to complete a
three-game sweep of the New York Yankees in what will likely be the final game
played
<< Angels activate Willits from disabled list
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim activated
outfielder Reggie Willits from the 15-day disabled list prior to Wednesday's
6-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
Willits pinch-hit for Mike Napoli in the ninth t
<< Brown, Davis help A's hold off Angels
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Emil Brown hit a two-run homer and finished
with three runs driven in, while Rajai Davis scored twice and notched his
first career four-hit game, as the Oakland Athletics edged the Los Angeles
Angels
Rays aim for monumental win in finale with Blue Jays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red-hot right-hander Edwin Jackson goes for a sixth win in
seven starts when the first-place Tampa Bay Rays close out a three-game
midweek series with the visiting Toronto Blue Jays tonight at Tropicana Field.
The
Angels continue homestand with visit from Rangers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels continue to tune up for the
postseason as they open a four-game series with the Texas Rangers tonight at
Angel Stadium.
Los Angeles enters tonight's tilt having dropped nine of its last 14
Twins visit A's in next stop on grueling trip >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins continue their push towards the
postseason this evening, when they continue their 14-game road trip with the
first of four clashes against the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
Minnesota,
Around FCS: Rest Of Conference Chases McNeese State >>
Philadelphia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - McNeese State regained its swagger in 2007,
going undefeated in the regular season on the way to another Southland
Conference title.
It was the second straight championship for the Cowboys after they had slipp
2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds
The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year.
Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.”
“ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.”
MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards:
Odds to win the Achievement in Directing:
Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1
Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17
Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1
Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1
Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1
Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1
Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5
Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1
Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1
Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1
Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50
Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1
Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1
Best Animated Feature Film:
"Cars": 1/3
"Happy Feet": 2/1
"Monster House": 20/1
Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year:
"Water" – Canada: 22/1
"The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2
"After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1
"Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1
"Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10
Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film:
"Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5
"Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2
"Helmer & Son": 5/2
"The Saviour": 6/1
"West Bank Story": 7/2
Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay:
"Babel": 7/4
"Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1
"Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20
"Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4
"The Queen": 5/4
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"Babel": 11/4
"The Departed": 1/2
"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2
"Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10
"The Queen": 20/1
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10
Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1
Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1
Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5
Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1
Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1
Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1
Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8
Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1
Film To Win Most Oscars:
Dreamgirls: 2/3
Pans Labyrinth: 6/5
The Departed: 6/1
The Queen: 11/1
Babel: 15/1
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1
Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1
Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds
Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.
Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.
"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."
Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.
Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.
But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.
Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.
Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Baltimore Ravens 15-1
Buffalo Bills 50-1
Carolina Panthers 18-1
Chicago Bears 10-1
Cincinnati Bengals 15-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-1
Denver Broncos 15-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
Green Bay Packers 50-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 30-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 75-1
New England Patriots 10-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 20-1
New York Jets 30-1
Oakland Raiders 100-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1
Saint Louis Rams 60-1
San Diego Chargers 6-1
San Francisco 49ers 75-1
Seattle Seahawks 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1
Tennessee Titans 40-1
Washington Redskins 50-1
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