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04/22/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins hope to get a pair of games in Wednesday, as they square off in a day-night doubleheader from Fenway Park.
Last night's opener of a quick two-game series was postponed due to rain, although the forecast continues to call for showers this evening.
After a slow start the Red Sox seem to have found their way. They will try to win their sixth straight game this afternoon. Boston completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, as Dustin Pedroia went 4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored in a 12-1 blowout on Patriots Day.
Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and scored three times, while David Ortiz and Mike Lowell each drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who have surged lately after starting the season with wins in just two of their first eight games.
Boston also improved to 5-2 in its building this season.
Justin Masterson (1-0), starting in place of the injured Daisuke Matsuzaka, got the win as he gave up just one run on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings of work.
The Red Sox will hand the ball this afternoon to veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning of his last start on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. Wakefield lost the no-no with one out in the eighth when Kurt Suzuki laced a singe back up the middle. Wakefield still got the win, surrendering a pair of runs and four hits in the complete- game effort.
Wakefield, 42, has faced the Twins 25 times (23 starts) and is 13-5 against them with a pair of saves and a 4.31 ERA.
Brad Penny is slated to take the hill in the nightcap, and he is 1-0 with an 11.00 ERA in two starts this season. Penny won his Boston debut on April 11 against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing three runs in six innings of a 5-4 victory. He didn't factor in the outcome of a 10-8 win versus Baltimore on April 17 despite giving up eight runs in only three innings.
The righty faced Minnesota once in his career on June 10, 2005 as a member of the LA Dodgers and did not record a decision in a 6-5 win. Penny allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings against the Twins
Minnesota, meanwhile, has also caught fire following a slow start. The Twins enter Wednesday's first game on the heels of taking all three games in their weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays, including a 3-1 win to cap off the sweep at the Metrodome.
Jose Morales picked up two hits, an RBI and scored a run in Sunday's win, while Carlos Gomez went 3-for-3 and drove in a run for the Twins, who have won four of their last six games to get back to .500 (7-7).
Glen Perkins (1-1) yielded four hits and a run over eight innings to earn his first win of the season. Joe Nathan struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Today the Twins turn to Scott Baker, who is coming off a disappointing season debut on Wednesday against Toronto. Originally slated to be the Twins' Opening Day starter, Baker started the year on the disabled list after experiencing soreness in his shoulder just before the start of the season. His initial start, though, lasted just four innings, as the Blue Jays tagged him for six runs on five hits - including a career- high four home runs - in a 12-2 loss.
Baker has faced the Red Sox twice (one start) without recording a decision, but has only allowed one run in 10 innings of those outings.
Francisco Liriano is still searching for his first win of the 2009 season and will counter Penny in the second game tonight. Liriano is 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA in three starts, and most recently suffered a loss to Toronto on April 16. He surrendered two runs -- one earned -- in six innings of a 9-2 defeat. The lefty, who allowed nine runs in his first two starts, has never faced Boston.
The Red Sox won four of their seven meetings with the Twins last season, including all three matchups at Fenway, where they have won five of their last six in the series.
<< Hornets try to even series with Nuggets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Orleans Hornets didn't look like much competition
for the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their Western Conference quarterfinals
series, suffering a 113-84 drubbing to George Karl's team at the Pepsi Center
on Sund
<< 76ers try to steal another win at Orlando
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers hope to build on a thrilling
comeback win when they face the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of their Eastern
Conference quarterfinals series.
Andre Iguodala's fadeaway jumper from the top of t
<< Hawks aim for 2-0 edge in series with Heat
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat hope to bounce back from an awful
performance in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series with
the Atlanta Hawks when the two teams resume the set at Philips Arena tonight.
Josh
<< Report: Rose to be named season's top rookie
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bulls have called a news conference
for this afternoon, when it's expected guard Derrick Rose will be named the
NBA's Rookie of the Year.
A Chicago native, Rose was drafted first overall by th
Capitals try to even series in NYC >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals were finally able to break out of
their offensive slump in Game 3 and will try to tie their Eastern Conference
quarterfinal series tonight, when they visit the New York Rangers for Game 4
at Madison Sq
Flames aim to even series in Game 4 against Blackhawks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Flames will try to even things in their Western
Conference quarterfinal series tonight, when they host the Chicago Blackhawks
at the Saddledome for Game 4 of this best-of-seven set.
The home team has won every
Pirates go for sweep of Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Marlins haven't managed many runs versus the Pirates
and they haven't even faced their top pitcher yet. Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm
looks to extend his torrid start today in the finale of a three-game set with
Florida at PNC
Haren hopes for a little support versus Rockies >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Haren hopes his string of hard-luck starts comes to an
end when the Arizona hurler takes the hill for the Diamondbacks in today's
rubber match of a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field.
Haren has
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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