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05/12/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After an unscheduled day off, the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers will pull double duty with a day-night twinbill beginning this afternoon at Comerica Park.
The second test of this four-game series, slated for Tuesday, was postponed due to rain and will be made up as the opener of today's doubleheader, with a pair of struggling pitchers set to go head-to-head in the Yankees' Javier Vazquez and Detroit youngster Rick Porcello.
New York has been beaten in four of Vazquez's five starts to begin 2010, however, with the offseason acquisition having compiled a disappointing 1-3 record and a woeful 9.78 earned run average thus far. He posted a 15-8 mark with a 2.87 ERA in 32 starts for the Atlanta Braves in 2009, finishing fourth in voting for last year's National League Cy Young Award.
Vazquez has been given some additional time to work out his problems, as he hasn't pitched since being roughed up for five runs on seven hits while walking four batters in a three-inning stint against the Chicago White Sox on May 1. The right-hander was spared another loss, however, when his team rallied later in the game to erase an early deficit.
The 33-year-old also allowed three homers to the White Sox and has served up eight long balls in just 23 innings of work this season.
A trip to the Comerica Park mound may not bode well for Vazquez's chances of turning things around, as he's 2-5 with a 6.09 ERA over seven career starts in the Motor City. Overall against the Tigers, the veteran hurler is 6-7 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 appearances.
Porcello also enters this assignment in a rut, having surrendered five runs or more while going 1-3 over his last four starts. The 21-year-old's woes continued in a loss at Minnesota this past Wednesday, in which he was tagged for five runs (3 earned) and walked four batters over a 5 1/3-inning stretch that actually lowered his season ERA to 7.50.
The former first-round draft pick is 2-0 in three Comerica Park starts this season, but has pitched to a 5.51 ERA over those outings while allowing 23 hits in 16 1/3 innings. In his most recent home appearance, Porcello permitted five runs on eight hits through 5 1/3 frames in a win over the Angels on April 30.
Porcello was also hit hard when facing the Yankees at Comerica on April 29 of last season, with New York battering the right-hander for six runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings in an 8-6 verdict.
While both Vazquez and Porcello have had their troubles, the Yankees' Phil Hughes has been on quite a roll since the beginning of this season. The talented right-hander has ripped off four consecutive winning decisions to start the year and currently ranks second among AL pitchers with a 1.69 ERA, having allowed two runs or fewer in each of his first five appearances.
Hughes followed up seven shutout innings in a May 2 victory over the White Sox by firing seven frames of two-run ball to help New York defeat the rival Boston Red Sox Friday at Fenway Park. He struck out seven while walking just one and did not give up a homer for the fourth straight start.
The 23-year-old is 2-2 with a 5.30 ERA in five lifetime meetings with Detroit, three of which have come in a starting role. Both of those wins took place last season, with Hughes combining for nine scoreless innings in his three games pitched in the series.
The Yankees will be attempting to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season this afternoon. After being dealt a 9-3 defeat by the Red Sox on Sunday, New York was on the wrong end of a 5-4 decision in Monday's opener.
Brennan Boesch led the way for Detroit with two hits and three RBI, while Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to help the Tigers snap a string of five straight losses to the Yankees and win for only the second time in their last six overall tilts.
"We've had a little road trip here that we didn't win as many games as we like, and now we come back home and get that first win against a ball club like the Yankees," said Boesch. "It's a big win. It was a team win, it was a battle all night."
Eddie Bonine (3-0) made a big contribution as well, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of emergency starter Brad Thomas to pick up the victory. Thomas worked the first three innings and allowed two runs filling in for Dontrelle Willis, who was scratched prior to the game due to an illness.
Johnny Damon, facing his former team for the first time since departing the Yankees for Detroit as a free agent during the offseason, chipped in a solo homer in the win.
New York's Sergio Mitre (0-1) was making a substitute start as well, with Andy Pettitte forced to miss a turn in the Yankees' rotation due to inflammation in his throwing elbow. He was reached for four runs (3 earned) in 4 1/3 frames to take the loss.
Mark Teixeira had a two-run homer for New York, the first baseman's fourth in the last three games, with ex-Tiger Marcus Thames adding an RBI single on the evening.
Teixeira is 0-for-12 lifetime against Jeremy Bonderman, who gets the call for the Tigers in tonight's second game. The oft-injured righty was last in action Friday at Cleveland, where he was torched for six runs on seven hits before exiting after only 2 2/3 innings. Those poor numbers were erased, however, when heavy rains forced the contest to be stopped before it became official.
Bonderman had registered a no-decision in each of his three prior starts and is 1-1 with a 5.74 ERA in five games this season. He's performed well in his two Comerica Park appearances, however, allowing a scant three runs (two earned) over an 11-inning span while netting a win and a no-decision.
The 27-year-old is just 3-7 with a 5.55 ERA over 12 encounters (11 starts) with New York, but hasn't faced the Bronx Bombers since 2008.
Prior to Monday's loss, the Yankees had won four of their past five games with the Tigers held in Detroit.
<< Indians try to add to Royals' recent misery
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Indians try to hang a seventh straight loss
on the Kansas City Royals this evening, when the American League Central
cellar-dwellers play the middle test of their three-game set at Kauffman
Stadium.
Clevelan
<< Rangers, A's to resume set between co-AL West leaders
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derek Holland makes his season debut when the Texas Rangers
and Oakland Athletics continue their three-game series this evening at Rangers
Ballpark in Arlington.
One of the top pitching prospects in the Rangers' system, Ho
<< White Sox aim for sweep of short set with first-place Twins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox go for a sweep in the finale of their
brief two-game series with the Minnesota Twins this afternoon at Target Field.
No team was happier to see the Metrodome close than the White Sox, who had
dropped
<< Astros continue series with rival Cards at Busch
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While Houston's Wandy Rodriguez will try to bounce back
from his shortest outing of the season tonight, St. Louis' Kyle Lohse will
again be aiming for his first victory of 2010 as the Astros and Cardinals
continu
Red Sox close homestand with finale against Jays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox will attempt to close out a long
homestand with a result that's been a familiar one so far this season, a win
over the Toronto Blue Jays.
With Tim Wakefield set to make his first start in more than two
Pens host surprising Habs in Game 7 of East semis >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens have pushed the
defending Stanley Cup champions to the brink in the Eastern Conference
semifinals and it all comes down to tonight, when the Habs visit the
Pittsburgh Penguins for a decisi
Flyers try to stay alive in Game 6 vs. Bruins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers will try to stay alive in the
Eastern Conference semifinals once again when they host the Boston Bruins
tonight at Wachovia Center in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series.
The seventh-seeded Flyers lo
Injury scratches Hurricane Ike from Preakness >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hurricane Ike, winner of last month's Derby
Trial, has been withdrawn from the Preakness Stakes with a leg injury. Trainer
John Sadler made the announcement Wednesday morning.
"My horse isn't so fine. It'
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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Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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