Hernandez, O's top Royals
Baseball Betting Lines
07/01/2008 -
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ramon Hernandez finished 2-for-4 with two
runs batted in, as the Baltimore Orioles held on to beat Kansas City, 7-5, in
the second contest of a four-game series with the Royals.
Radhames Liz (3-0) picked up the win after giving up three runs on seven hits
in six innings of work for Baltimore, which snapped a two-game slide. The
Orioles have won five of Liz's six outings since he was called up in early
June.
"I thought Liz probably had the best command since he's been with us," Orioles
manager Dave Trembley said. "I thought he showed his breaking pitch and his
changeup early in the game, which was a real plus for him. I thought he was
wobbling there in the fifth. In the sixth I think he was up against the ropes
and he was done."
Aubrey Huff went 2-for-4, while Brian Roberts hit a solo homer for the
Orioles. Brandon Fahey had a double and RBI in place of shortstop Alex
Cintron, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained
left hamstring. Cintron suffered the injury in Monday's matchup.
Luke Hochevar (5-6) gave up six runs on six hits in six frames to take the
loss, his first since a May 29 outing against Minnesota. Kansas City had
won six consecutive games on the road, but has now lost three of four
overall.
"He's still got to command the bounding ground ball to right field and the
line drive to left," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He has to locate
better, no doubt."
Alex Gordon finished with a double and homer, while Mark Teahen also homered
and drove in two to power Kansas City's offense.
The Orioles led by one entering the home third, and used a two-out rally to
surge ahead. Nick Markakis led off with a single, and after a Huff ground out,
Kevin Millar reached base. Luke Scott then grounded into a fielder's choice
and Melvin Mora walked to load the bases with two down.
Hernandez then stroked a single to left to drive in Markakis and Scott, and on
the throw Mora and Hernandez advanced to scoring position. An Adam Jones
single to right drove them in, putting Baltimore up 6-1.
Teahen's leadoff shot to center in the fifth got one run back for the Royals,
and his sacrifice fly in the sixth brought Gordon home to bring the club
within 6-3.
Roberts' leadoff homer in the seventh, off Jimmy Gobble, restored Baltimore's
four-run lead. The Royals, though, staged a potential ninth-inning comeback.
Dennis Sarfate began the inning for the Orioles and walked Ross Gload before
getting Miguel Olivo to fly out. Then Joey Gathright walked, bringing
Sarfate's stay to a close as George Sherrill entered.
Sherrill had blown two saves in a row, including Monday's game against the
Royals. He initially got Mike Aviles to ground out, but that advanced the
runners to scoring position. Mark Grudzielanek's single to right plated Gload
and Gathright to bring Kansas City within two.
But Sherrill struck out Gordon to end the game, and nail down his 27th save in
the process.
"I would have preferred to stay away from Sherrill. I said earlier if it was a
save situation I wouldn't be reluctant to put him in," Trembley said. "If you
got a guy down there that's a closer on this team and it's a save situation,
he's going to get him."
Kansas City jumped out to the early lead when Gordon crushed a two-out solo
homer to right in the first inning. Huff's RBI single in the home half,
followed by Fahey's RBI double in the second put Baltimore on top, 2-1.
Game Notes
To replace Cintron on the roster, Baltimore selected the contract of shortstop
Freddie Bynum from Triple-A Norfolk. Tuesday, the Orioles also transferred
reliever Danys Baez from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL in order to
make room for Bynum on the 40-man roster. Baez is still recovering from elbow
surgery performed last September...The Royals left seven runners on base,
while Baltimore stranded four...The Orioles' Daniel Cabrera (5-4) and the
Royals' Gil Meche (6-8) are expected to start Wednesday's game.
<< Wilson, McLouth help Pirates rally in 11th to down Reds
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jack Wilson and Nate McLouth used RBI hits
in the 11th to help lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 win over the
Cincinnati Reds in the middle contest of a three-game series.
Wilson had three hits
<< Victorino, Phillies power past Braves in series opener
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane Victorino homered and drove in four, and
the Philadelphia Phillies downed the Atlanta Braves, 8-3, in the opener of a
three-game set.
Kyle Kendrick (8-3) scattered seven hits and three runs over six-pl
<< Rockies' Taveras leaves game
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Colorado Rockies outfielder Willy Taveras
left Tuesday's 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning with
soreness in his left quadriceps.
The 26-year-old Taveras was 1-for-3 with an RBI
<< Garza outduels Wakefield as Rays top BoSox
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Garza twirled seven strong innings
and Dioner Navarro drove in two runs, as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the
Boston Red Sox, 3-1, at Tropicana Field.
Garza (7-4) allowed one unearned run and
<< Seattle P Hernandez sent to DL
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez was sent to the
15-day disabled list following Monday's 2-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Hernandez was helped off the field with a sprained left ankle in the fifth
inning
Bruins sign Ryder to multi-year contract >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins improved the talent level on
their forward line on Tuesday when the club signed free agent forward Michael
Ryder to a multi-year contract.
The 28-year-old Ryder played all four seasons o
Utah Blaze (Arena) >>
Accepted the resignation of head coach Danny White.
Rangers nip Yanks with run in ninth >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Young went 2-for-5 and drove in the go-
ahead run in the ninth inning, as the Texas Rangers edged the New York
Yankees, 3-2, in the middle contest of a three-game set at Yankee Stadium.
Chris Da
Sonics' Watson breaks thumb >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seattle SuperSonics point guard Earl Watson
fractured his right thumb and will have surgery Thursday in Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old Watson averaged 10.7 points and 6.8 assists, both career highs
last seaso
Cook tosses gem, ends Rockies' eight-game losing streak >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Cook pitched a complete game for the first
shut out of his career, and Matt Holliday was the only Rockie with two hits as
Colorado beat San Diego, 4-0, in the middle of a three-game set from Coors
Field.
Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting
So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.
Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?
If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)
Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).
In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.
Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.
As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.
(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)
If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
 The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.
Work left to do:
Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.
Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).
Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.
For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com
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Big 12 Conference betting odds
Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State
 Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.
Work left to do:
Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.
Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.
Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.
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