Marquee mound matchup on tap in Angels-A's tilt

Baseball Betting Lines

09/04/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- This afternoon's showdown between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Oakland Athletics may have little effect on the American League playoff race, but fans attending the Coliseum today should be treated to a top-notch pitching matchup between a pair of All-Stars.

The Angels' sputtering offense will have to go up against A's standout Trevor Cahill in the second test of this three-game series, while the three-time defending AL West champions counter with ace Jered Weaver in hopes of evening this set and avenging last night's 8-0 loss to their division rival.

Cahill has been marvelous in his second major league season, with the talented youngster having compiled a 14-6 record along with a 2.82 earned run average over 24 starts. He's been especially tough on the Coliseum mound, having gone 8-2 with a sensational 1.84 ERA in 11 outings and limiting the opposition to a meager .194 batting average.

The right-hander will have to bounce back from a subpar showing in his most recent appearance, however, a four-inning stint on the road against the New York Yankees on Monday in which Cahill was rocked for eight runs and nine hits and served up a pair of homers. Prior to that defeat, he had posted a 5-1 record and an 0.77 ERA over a six-start stretch from July 28-August 25 and worked at least seven innings in each of those games.

Cahill will be seeking a third straight winning start against the Angels at the Coliseum. The 22-year-old yielded just one run in eight innings in a home victory over Anaheim on June 10, then held the Halos to an unearned run and five hits through seven strong frames a month later.

In six career starts versus the Angels, Cahill is 3-1 with an excellent 2.09 ERA.

Oakland's emerging ace will get to face an Anaheim team that's mustered only 11 runs while losing five of its last seven games and was shut out for the third time in a week with Friday's verdict. The Angels could manage a mere five hits against Gio Gonzalez and three A's relievers in last night's setback.

Gonzalez (13-8) worked the first six innings and allowed just four hits and three walks while fanning six batters, with Michael Wuertz, Henry Rodriguez and Brad Ziegler combining to let up only one hit the rest of the way.

The victory halted a string of four straight losses for the Athletics and enabled them to gain some ground on first-place Texas in the AL West, although the Rangers still own a comfortable nine-game lead in the standings.

"We wanted a win tonight," said Gonzalez afterward. "We wanted to stop the bleeding. Our bats were swinging today, we were hot. We felt good and it was good to be back home."

Oakland had a 2-0 lead after the first six innings, then scored six times in the seventh to break open the contest. Kevin Kouzmanoff and Cliff Pennington each belted two-run homers during the outburst, with Rajai Davis and Gabe Gross contributing RBI singles.

Angels starter Scott Kazmir (8-13) was able to hold the Athletics to two runs despite walking a season-high six batters in his 5 2/3-inning stint, with Oakland registering only two hits off the left-hander.

"Once I was able to keep the direction toward home plate, it felt a little easier to throw the ball where I wanted," said Kazmir of his performance.

Weaver will take the ball today seeking to end a personal three-start losing streak. Although the competitive right-hander didn't pitch well in two of those defeats, he's received no help from his club's punchless offense as well, as the Angels were shut out in each of those three games.

The 27-year-old was outstanding in Sunday's tough-luck 1-0 loss to Baltimore, permitting just the one run and five hits in eight innings. Weaver also struck out 11 Orioles on the day to run his season total to 200, tied with Seattle's Felix Hernandez for the most in the majors this year.

Weaver hasn't been as sharp when he's pitched at the Coliseum this year, however. The former first-round draft choice was tagged for six runs and 12 hits over six innings in a lopsided road loss to the A's on June 8, and surrendered five runs in six frames while being outdueled by Cahill in a June 11 clash held in Oakland.

In 14 career starts against the Athletics, Weaver is 3-5 with a 3.42 ERA.

These two AL West foes have split 14 meetings thus far in 2010, with Oakland having prevailed in five of eight bouts held at the Coliseum.

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Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook

Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds.  The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.

Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.

Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).

Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.

World Series odds

Adam Dunn 15-1

Albert Pujols 5-1

Alex Rodriguez 12-1

Alfonso Soriano 15-1

Andruw Jones 25-1

Barry Bonds 50-1

Carlos Delgado 40-1

David Ortiz 8-1

Jermaine Dye 40-1

Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1

Lance Berkman 40-1

Manny Ramirez 20-1

Richie Sexson 40-1

Ryan Howard 6-1

Travis Hafner 20-1

Vladimir Guerrero 40-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.

Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.

Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.

NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&amp;M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6

For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com