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07/20/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics are in dire straights right now, having lost nine of their last 10 games. The A's are a pathetic 1-6 since the All-Star break and now trail the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by 11 1/2 games in the American League West. With a 45-50 record on the season, Oakland needs an immediate turnaround in order to become a serious contender for a postseason birth in the American League.
Oakland's demise began right before the All-Star break, when the club dropped three of four games to the Seattle Mariners. The A's continued their losing after the break, dropping five straight games to the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers. Things will not get easier for Oakland over the next three weeks, as they play 20 straight games without a day off. The results of those next 20 days could in fact decide the A's season.
Oakland' series loss to the last-place Rangers was the worst showing of the 10-game stretch. Despite a solid effort from starter Dallas Braden, Monday's opener ended in a 4-1 Oakland loss.
Braden allowed four runs on eight hits through six innings, while striking out seven. The A's did little to support their hurler, however, collecting just six hits in defeat.
Tuesday's game ended in another embarrassing loss, as the A's fell by an 11-4 margin. Starting pitcher Chad Gaudin was knocked around, surrendering five runs on eight hits through six innings. However, it was the play of the Oakland bullpen that sealed the deal, as the A's relievers surrendered five runs over the final three innings.
The A's finally got things going in Wednesday's finale, capturing a 6-0 win to snap their nine-game losing streak. Starter Lenny DiNardo carried the A's to victory by allowing just three hits through seven shutout innings. Oakland only managed six hits in the win, but received a 2-for-3 performance from second baseman Mark Ellis.
Following the game, manager Bob Geren spoke about the importance of Wednesday's victory.
"It was a much-needed win for the team," Geren said. "I couldn't be happier with the entire performance, it was a real nice win."
A'S SEND STRUGGLING KENDALL TO CUBS
The A's dealt catcher Jason Kendall to the Chicago Cubs on Monday. In return Oakland received catcher Rob Bowen and minor league pitcher Jerry Blevins. The trade was not a total shock, as general manager Billy Beane has been known for making deals at the trade deadline and the team having fallen almost completely out of the playoff picture.
Kendall became expendable after failing to break out of a season-long slump that saw him bat just .226 with 26 RBI through the first half of the season.
The veteran catcher was in his third season with the A's and was coming off an impressive 2006 campaign in which he batted .295. However, Oakland's recent struggles have forced the team to make some decisions that will either lead them into the postseason, or clear some salary for the offseason market. Kendall falls into the latter, as he was scheduled to make $13.5 million this season.
Outfielder Mark Kotsay, who is a close friend of Kendall's, is optimistic he will be able to turn things around in Chicago.
"He's one of the most professional guys I've ever come across," said Kotsay. "He's just the epitome of what a big league player and teammate should be. But this is probably a good thing for Jason. He's had a lot of success in the NL Central. He had the best years of his career in that division, and I'm sure he'll be able to give (the Cubs) a big boost in what they're trying to do."
As for Bowen, he will be playing for his third team this season. The catcher played 30 games for the San Diego Padres before being traded to the Cubs on June 20. He struggled with Chicago, batting just .065 in 10 games, and is hitting .212 with two home runs and 13 RBI over 40 contests this year.
Bowen will back up rookie catcher Kurt Suzuki, who was named the starter following the trade. Suzuki has shown promise behind the plate but is struggling worse than Kendall with the stick. The rookie is batting just .200 with 10 strikeouts in 35 plate appearances this season.
Kendall's trade may signify Oakland's surrender, as the team has fallen 11 1/2 games back in the AL West. The pitching staff has been thwarted with injuries and the latest losing streak may have been enough to put the Athletics out of the race for good. However, Beane was quick to announce that the Kendall trade had no bearing on the team's immediate future.
"Certainly with the injuries we've had, we're not in a place we'd like to be sitting right now. It's quite an uphill battle. ... But this doesn't necessarily mean anything team-wise beyond [trading Kendall]."
PIAZZA ON THE MEND
Designated hitter Mike Piazza may be able to return from the disabled list, following a productive rehab stint in Triple-A Sacramento. Piazza, who has missed more than two months with a shoulder sprain, is batting .400 with a home run and two RBI during his minor league assignment. That success at the plate may prompt the A's to recall the catcher for this weekend's series against the Baltimore Orioles.
Prior to the All-Star break there was some talk about moving Piazza into a backup catcher role. However, that idea died quickly when Piazza told the A's front office that his arm would not be strong enough to catch on a regular basis. Either way, the A's need Piazza's bat back in their ailing lineup. The veteran DH was batting .282 with eight RBI in just 26 games before his injury.
Geren is excited about Piazza's return, but does not want to rush the veteran and risk further injury.
"He's gonna be ready to DH, but I can't predict how many games he'll play right away," Geren said. "But anybody that's a major hitter of his stature is going to help our lineup."
INJURY NEWS
The A's were forced to place right-hander Rich Harden back on the DL with a strained right shoulder. Harden had already missed most of the season with the same injury, but returned to the A's bullpen on June 21. He pitched well in a relief role, holding opponents scoreless over three separate appearances. However, things took a turn for the worse when he was placed back in the rotation on July 7.
Harden was forced to leave that game against Seattle after just 2 2/3 innings. He complained of stiffness upon entering the dugout and was eventually placed back on the DL for the second time this season.
Beane was not discouraged upon hearing about Harden's diagnosis, however.
"It's obviously a blow for the club, but we've managed to do a pretty good job of staying afloat without him for most of the first half," Beane said.
WHO'S HOT
Rookie Travis Buck has come on over the past month, hitting safely in seven of his last 10 games. The outfielder is batting .273 with six home runs and 23 RBI this season.
WHO'S NOT
Kotsay continues to struggle, as he has gone just 5-for-34 at the plate over his last 10 games. The center fielder is batting just .186 in the month of July and has watched his average slip to .219 on the season.
ON DECK
The A's will welcome the Baltimore Orioles to town for a three-game set from McAfee Coliseum beginning Friday. Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.36) will take on Orioles ace Eric Bedard (8-4, 3.22) in Friday's opener. Saturday's game will feature Dan Haren (10-3, 2.33) and Baltimore's Steve Trachsel (5-6, 4.95) before Braden (1-4, 6.07) and Jeremy Guthrie (5-3, 3.06) close out Sunday's finale.
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NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.
Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.
There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.
Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.
The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.
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The NFL preseason is approaching. Time for players, coaches and teams to turn over a new leaf. General managers have hired some new coaches, while coaches have added some offensive and defensive assistants to try and improve things. Here’s a look at some changes to look for in the preseason.
New York Jets: The Jets were one of the surprise teams in the NFL last season, making the playoffs under hard-driving first-year coach Eric Mangini. Mangini rebuilt the offensive line with rookies D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the No. 4 pick in the 2007 Draft) and Ohio State center (the 29th pick in the first round). This season he upgraded the defense with rookie linebacker David Harris (Michigan) while the secondary picked up a much needed top-notch corner in Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall).
The Jets have added balance to the offense for QB Chad Pennington with RB Thomas Jones, essentially stolen from the Bears. He will upgrade a New York ground game that was 20th in rushing with a weak 3.5 yards per carry. They have their first true feature back since Curtis Martin. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer prefers ball control, like his father Marty. In preseason, behind Pennington you’ll see second-year QB Kellen Clemens and mobile newcomer QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The heat is on Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as the Jaguars flopped last season despite a ton of talent. Keep in mind that under Del Rio the Jaguars have been outstanding in preseason with a 12-4 SU, 11-5 ATS August mark. online football betting Their defense is loaded, it’s the offense that has been stuck in first gear the last few years.
Enter a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter, the former Boise State and Arizona State pass-happy coach. He will try and upgrade a passing game that ranked 24th last season. Del Rio has criticized wide receivers and Matt Jones this summer, both of whom have battled injuries. It will be interesting to watch the “new” Jaguars passing game in preseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Word out of Arizona is that the players like new coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator last year. We think of Arizona as all-passing because their running game has been awful of late because of a poor offensive line. However, keep an eye on the running game in preseason as they’ve made a lot of changes.
The new coach brings in Russ Grimm to coach the offensive line (Grimm did a marvelous job building the Steelers line). They took Penn State OT Levi Jones in the first round and signed two offensive linemen, Mike Gandy and Al Johnson, to provide depth. Reggie Wells was moved from right tackle to left guard and they want more speed out of the offensive line for pulling and traps, a Pittsburgh staple under Bill Cowher.
Atlanta Falcons: While all the attention has been focused on QB Mike Vick’s off-field problems, new coach Bobby Petrino is revamping the Falcons from an all-running team to a more balanced one. Petrino likes the experience of backup QB Joey Harrington and he has veteran backup Chris Redman, who used to play for Petrino at Louisville and knows his offenses better than anyone. Petrino wants Vick to be more of a pocket passer.
The addition of FB Ovie Mughelli is a sign Petrino wants a power rushing attack behind a physical fullback and newcomer WR Joe Horn should upgrade what was a below average wideout corps. Petrino is changing their old zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional in-line blocking scheme and the offensive line is bigger. Rookie DE Jamaal Anderson was grabbed in the first round and the secondary got younger with former Auburn cornerback David Irons, who the Falcons think was a steal as a sixth-round pick.
Cleveland Browns: The 2007 Browns look like a double-edged sword. There was the excitement of the offseason, trading for RB Jamel Lewis, upgrading the offensive line with Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (the No. 2 pick in the draft) and free agent LG Eric Steinbach, then trading for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn when he fell to No. 22. GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel feel they have a talented, balanced offense with these new pieces, plus TE >Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards.
However, were these moves made in desperation? And were they foolish ones? The Browns gave up their 2008 first-round pick for Quinn and we all know QBs take time to develop. And even first-round QBs can be busts (Joey Harrington, Akili Smith). We also don’t know if the offensive line is that much improved (31st in rushing in 2007) and they did nothing to improve a defense that was awful against the run (142 yds pg allowed).
The Browns have a new offensive coordinator in Rob Chudzinski. This is a young offense and Quinn looked tentative, indecisive and inaccurate early in camp. Crennel will play Charlie Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson in preseason. And there is a mixed bag for rookie QBs receiving significant starts: Tim Couch (14), Kerry Collins (13), Ben Roethlisberger (13), Vince Young (13), Joey Harrington (12), Matt Leinart (11) and Kyle Boller (nine). While all the focus will be on the Browns new-look offense, I’m more concerned with the defense.
Carolina Panthers: Coach Jon Fox loves the ground game, but Carolina has made some interesting changes for 2007. Fox fired offensive coordinator Dan Henning and brings in Jeff Davidson to run the offense. Davidson has brought in zone-blocking schemes to the Panther offense, a dramatic change for a system that's been built around a power-running style.
In zone-blocking, offensive linemen are responsible for blocking any defender who appears in their zone, instead of focusing on one defender. The Broncos and Falcons have had success with the system, which features smaller, more athletic offensive linemen and can create running lanes on the inside and outside. Keep an eye in preseason on how Carolina adjusts as it will take time to learn the system. Fox has been one of the top coaches in preseason, with a 15-5 SU, 12-7-1 ATS August record.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Terrell Owens is still here, but QB Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells are gone. New head coach Wade Phillips takes over, replacing Parcells. He ran the Chargers defense last season. Phillips was chosen by teary-eyed owner Jerry Jones partly because he is one of the best 3-4 coaches in football and the Cowboys have loaded up on players for that scheme.
Remember that Phillips was blitz-happy with the Chargers last season and early reports out of the Dallas camp have mentioned how the Cowboys have been blitzing a lot, a departure from Parcells. The theme of the 2007 Dallas defense appears to be one of attack.
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