NFL betting players in Chicago have Soldier Field, although it’s been totally rebuilt. In the Windy City, MLB betting players have Wrigley Field, which is the second-oldest active ballpark in the major leagues, and it looks the same as it ever has.
Wrigley Field was built in 1914, but didn’t open until 1916, when it was called Weeghman Park. It was remaned Wrigley Field in 1926, with the name coming from William Wrigley Jr., who was the owner of the Cubs at the time after he purchased them with money from his chewing-gum empire. Wrigley Field was also the home of the Bears from 1921 to 1970 before they built Soldier Field, but since, it’s been the home of the Cubs. The capacity is 41,118, making it the 10th-smallest stadium in the major leagues.
But as small as it is, there are few stadiums that can top Wrigley Field for atmosphere. The ivy-covered walls are instantly recognizable, and along with Fenway Park, Wrigley Field is one of the last stadiums anywhere to have a hand-turned scoreboard. Then there’s the “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” tradition, sung by legendary announcer Harry Caray when he started with the Cubs in 1978. When he passed away in 1997, the tradition lived, and now, celebrities and other sports stars will often be brought out to lead the Chicago fans in song.
While the Cubs may not be a very good team right now, heading to Wrigley Field is something that every sports fan and MLB betting player should have on their bucket list.
In a case of two teams headed in opposite directions, MLB betting matchups could never be better, as the Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays square off in a three game set this weekend. Both teams are full of youth and each pitching matchup this weekend has fans licking their chops when looking at the betting lines.
The first game which goes tonight from Coors Field is a dream match pitching wise, as the Rockies send staff ace and potential CY Young award winner Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound, while the Blue Jays will look to counter with future ace Ricky Romero. To say both pitchers have been dominant this season would be an understatement. Jimenez leads the entire MLB with a 0.93 earned runs average and 11 wins, while Romero has had two complete games and flirted with a no hitter earlier this season. The Blue Jays bats have been silenced over the last five games, only achieving three runs in that time frame. The task of scoring runs will be even more difficult tonight when they face Jimenez for the first time. However, the team leads the league in home runs and will be looking to use the long ball against Jimenez and the Rockies.
For the games on Saturday and Sunday, the pitching is also strong as the Jays will send flame thrower Brandon Morrow to the mound to face Jason Hammels. On Sunday it will be a battle of two pitchers returning from injury, as Rockies star Canadian pitcher Jeff Francis makes his fifth start since returning from the disabled list with a shoulder injury, and the Jays will counter with Jesse Litsch who has not pitched in the big leagues since May 2009.
Both teams are young and full of talent, and will look provide their fans with reasons to continue cheering them on.
MLB betting players have had an exciting start to the season, with a no-hitter, two perfect games, and one more that should have been called if not for an awful mistake by an umpire. Dana White only wishes UFC 116 betting match ups could be as exciting. But four teams have distanced themselves from the rest of the majors, and it’s going to take a lot to overtake them.
The top four teams are the defending champions from New York, the Yankees (+325), 2008 runners-up Tampa Bay (+425), 2008 champions and 2009 runners-up Philadelphia (+645), and the 2006 champions from St. Louis (+805). The Yankees and Rays are staging what could be an epic battle in the American League East, and both teams have great pitching and hitting. The Phillies’ offense has struggled badly as of late, their pitching staff is still one of the best in the major leagues. St. Louis have two Cy Young candidates leading their rotation and the probable National League MVP, and it’s tough to see anyone getting past them in the Central.
Minnesota (+1215), Boston (+1415), Atlanta (+1615) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (+1815) are in the next tier, and the Red Sox and Braves are the biggest surprises, but for different reasons. The Red Sox have been battered by injuries and their starting pitching has been terrible. The Braves have played well above their talent level, and they have a Rookie of the Year candidate powering a surprising offense. The Twins are the same old consistent Twins that are always there at the end of the season, while the Dodgers are just trying to avoid a second half like they had in 2009. The online sports betting race for the World Series is just heating up.
Year after year baseball betting becomes more and more difficult in deciding who will win the World Series. Experts and fans alike each know that MLB betting on the American League East is extremely difficult. But in the National League the betting becomes a little easier as the Phillies and Cardinals are usually guaranteed post season births. The most exciting division in all of baseball as seen over the last few years is the National League West. A division made up of the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, LA Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Annually the division and wild card are battled over all the way until the final weekend of the regular season. For the majority of the season, the difference between whoever is in first place and whoever is in last place in the West is only two to five games. As well, for the last few years, the Giants and Diamondbacks are usually out of the race by July, however this year both of those teams look to be getting stronger.
To start the season, the Padres, Giants and Dodgers each got off to strong starts, while the Diamondbacks and Rockies struggled out of the gate. Lately, the Diamondbacks have continued to struggle while the Rockies appear to be rounding into form. Last night the two clubs faced each other in the series finale, with the Rockies claiming an eight to three victory. The Rockies led by stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez reeled off three consecutive home runs in the romp.
Currently, the Padres continue to lead the division, however with the Rockies rounding into form and the Dodgers and Giants gaining steam, the NL West looks to be headed for another dramatic end to the regular season.
Every now and then, there is a moment is sports which makes all of us stop and ponder. On Sunday, football fans put down their NFL betting guide, college football fans slowed their college football betting advice and MLB fans stopped playing pitch and catch when they lost one of their own.
Former MLB All-Star, Jose Lima, who was 37-years-old, died of a heart attack on Sunday, which shocked the world. Lima was not known to have any health conditions, so it came as a big surprise. He is survived by his wife and five children.
Lima used to call his pitching outings “Lima Time” and he had a very vibrant personality. He had a couple of fantastic seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros throughout his career and had recently joined the Dodgers alumni squad.
He will be missed and it serves as a reminder of just how fragile life actually is. A lot of Latin born players around the Majors were surprised and those who bet on sports will see a number of commemorations for him in the coming days. Players such as David Ortiz, Jose Reyes and Jose Guillen were very close with Lima and Guillen will wear his initials to commemorate him.
Sports betting lines will still go on and we will all miss Lima Time, who was taken from us too soon.
Detroit Earns Split With Yankees Thanks to Verlander!!
Thursday night the Detroit Tigers were able to accomplish their second shutout in their last three games as they defeated the New York Yankees six to nothing. The Tigers other shutout was in the first of a two game double header on Wednesday in which they won two to nothing before being shut out eight to nothing. On Thursday staff ace Justin Verlander pitched six and two thirds innings picking up four strikeouts and walks a piece. In a pitching match in which sports betting websites would have had Yankees starter CC Sabathia as the odds on favorite, Verlander was able to out duel the big lefty. Tiger’s first baseman Miguel Cabrera continued his strong play against the defending World Series champions as he hit a solo home run and drove in three.
Month And A Half Into Season Reigning Cy Young Award Winner Picks Up First Win As Ship Gets Righted in Kansas
Royals fans finally have something to cheer about in an otherwise forgettable season, as reigning American League Cy Young award winner Zach Greinke finally picked up his first win of the season. Greinke’s win comes as a pleasant surprise for the Royals after they fired manager Trey Tillman prior to the game, however they did allow him to stay on for the game. Tillman will be replaced by former Brewers manager Ned Yost. Although MLB betting odds are against the Royals, Yost as portrayed by his time in Milwaukee has the ability to build a contender out of struggling franchises. The Royals, led by Greinke, are one of the youngest teams in the league and with the proper guidance by a manager of Yost’s caliber, fans should expect the Royals to contend in the Central in a few years when Greinke, Butler, and Gordon all enter the primes of their careers.
The NHL and NBA are heading to the second round of their playoffs, and with soccer action underway in America and Europe, there is plenty of sports betting for every fan. Baseball enters the second month, and there are MLB odds everyday for every game, but it’s always wise to look ahead to the future and possible playoff outcomes.
The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are expected by many analysts to repeat as League Champions. They will surely contend for the World Series, but there may be a couple sleepers to keep your eye out for as the season progresses.
In the AL, a team that is perennially underrated and ignored is the Minnesota Twins. Their pitching is ignored, and outside of Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, the team is unrecognizable in most markets. The wild card will come out of the AL East, with either the Yankees or Rays, or perhaps still the Red Sox, taking the fourth and final spot. The Twins, however, are in first in their division and have all the tools needed to take the division for the second straight season. They face competition from the Tigers and White Sox, but neither team will run away with the division. A new stadium, a new contract for their hometown star Mauer, and strong pitching by Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano have the Twins on track for the playoffs, where anything can happen.
Moving to the NL, a big surprise so far this season may be a big surprise in the postseason. The San Francisco Giants, 12-9, are lead by three great starting pitchers, and some clutch hitting. They are tied for the league lead with a plus 33 run differential. The division is wide open, but should they win the NL West, the triad of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito is enough to win any series and take down the best pitching. If the team stays healthy, they will be a force to contend with.
The MLB odds are once again stacked in favor of a Boston versus New York showdown in an American League East preview. The Yankees are the Vegas favorites to win the division in 2010.
The Yankees and Red Sox continue to show why the rich are allowed to get richer in baseball while everyone else has to try and live on table scraps. The Yankee reputation and bank account bagged Javier Vazquez to join C.C. Sabathia in the starting rotation. The Yankees have always been good at scouting hitting power and not so great at their pitching prospecting. Their bullpen still relies heavily on Mariano Rivera, who is entering his 15th season on the mound. The good thing about Rivera is that in 2009 he patched the holes in his armor that were showing in 2008.
The Red Sox added John Lackey to their starting rotation and now have probably the best set of starters in baseball provided Josh Beckett doesn’t have a bad season. Power hitter Jason Bay is gone and the Red Sox are now a question at the plate. David Ortiz is past his prime and unable to deliver in the clutch anymore. The Red Sox will have to figure out ways to generate runs, but luckily for them their pitching should make sure that it will not need to be a lot.
The Toronto Blue Jays lost Roy Halladay on the mound and effectively placed themselves in the basement of the division. The Tampa Bay Rays will put up a good fight but their starting rotation is depleted and they will lose ground quickly after the all-star break. The Baltimore Orioles will continue their pattern of a really strong April and May followed by a devastating rest of the season.
As usual, the AL East will come down to a duel between the Yankees and the Red Sox. The 2010 will mirror the 2009 season with the Red Sox starting strong only to have the Yankees take the division handily by the end of the season. Look for the Yankees to be the AL East winners and the Red Sox to take the AL wild card, again.
Pick: New York Yankees
It’s never too early for online sportsbook sharps to ponder the 2010 World Series winner. It’s tough to handicap the candidates when free agency is just getting started but there’s one X-factor to watch closely: Roy Halladay.
It may seem strange to assume whoever gets Roy Halladay becomes the top World Series contender but, based on what his agents say, he’s only going to a team that already has decent World Series odds. Doc won’t be a Pittsburgh Pirate in 2010; he’ll be a Yankee or Red Sock or Angel or Dodger – part of a powerhouse franchise.
If the Red Sox added Roy Halladay to join Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, would Boston not immediately leapfrog the Yankees’ top three? Would he not make the Dodgers the team to beat in the National League? Would he not keep the Angels head and shoulders above the Rangers in the West? The Yankees would be hilariously unbeatable if they landed Doc – and, scarily enough, they seem to be the frontrunners right now.
There are plenty of free agent fish out there – John Lackey, Jason Bay and Matt Holliday lead the list. But no player has higher potential impact than Halladay. Keep a very close on where he lands and don’t be afraid to throw a bet on his new team when you make your 2010 sports picks.
If you’re making a World Series bet on Cole Hamels, it would be nice to know that the Phillies’ lefty could be counted on, because he certainly hasn’t been dependable in these playoffs. Hamels takes on Andy Pettitte in Saturday’s Game 3, and the winner gets a 2-1 lead in the Fall Classic.
Yankees vs Phillies odds – Saturday, October 31, 7:57 PM ET
Pettitte (2-0, 2.37) is 2-2 in seven career starts against the Phillies, posting 3.67 ERA, but he’s 1-0 in two starts in Philadelphia with a 0.75 ERA. He took a no-decision in a 5-4 New York win at home on May 23rd and he was up and down during his seven innings of work, allowing four runs on five hits (including two homers) with five strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Hamels (1-1, 6.75) needs to get it together, as he was taken out after 4.1 innings of a 10-4 win over the Dodgers to clinch the ALCS. He held his own on May 24th in New York when he squared off with the Yankees’ C.C. Sabathia to take a no-decision in a 4-3 extra-innings win, scattering a pair of runs on eight hits over six innings with five strikeouts. That was only his second start against the Yankees in his career, and he’s now 0-1 with a decent 2.77 ERA.
The Yankees are -123 favorites in your sportsbook on Saturday, and after splitting the first two in New York, this game takes on more importance as no one wants to be down 2-1. Hamels needs to find his form from last year’s Fall Classic as he was the MVP of the Phillies’ run. However, he’s struggled all season, while Pettitte keeps rolling at 37 years old.
World Series betting pick: New York -123