Arizona edges San Diego to take NL West lead

Baseball Betting Lines

08/20/2008 - Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer in his home debut and Conor Jackson chipped in two RBI, as Arizona held off San Diego for a 7-6 victory, in the opener of a three-game set.

Chris Snyder, Chris Burke and Mark Reynolds had an RBI each and Augie Ojeda had a pair of hits and as many runs scored for the D'Backs, who broke a tie atop the NL West and moved ahead of Los Angeles by one game. The Dodgers lost, 8-3, to Colorado on Tuesday. It was Arizona's fourth win in the last five games.

Doug Davis (5-7) was effective over six innings, surrendering two runs on seven hits while walking two and fanning six to get the win. Davis was winless over his previous three outings.

Adrian Gonzalez was 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored while Chase Headley had two hits with an RBI and a run scored for San Diego, which has dropped five of its last seven games.

Josh Banks (3-6) struggled with his command from the outset in allowing six runs on four hits, while walking a season-high seven with three strikeouts in four frames.

The Padres, trailing by four runs, made a game of it in the ninth off closer Brandon Lyon. Edgar Gonzalez led off with a double, Brian Giles walked two batters later and Kevin Kouzmanoff took a single to right to load the bases with one away. Adrian Gonzalez laced a two-run single to center and Headley stroked an RBI single to right, chasing Lyon from a 7-6 game.

Tony Pena came on with runners on the corners, and got Nick Hundley to hit the ball back to the mound. Adrian Gonzalez was on third and broke for home, but was tagged out after getting caught in a rundown between third and home for the second out. Headley moved to third on the play, but Luis Rodriguez stranded him with a fly out to center, handing Pena his second save of the season.

Arizona took a commanding 4-0 lead in the first off Banks. Ojeda and Chris Young started with walks before Jackson plated a run with an infield single. Dunn walked to load the bases for Reynolds, who lofted a sacrifice fly to right. Jackson and Dunn both advanced on an errant throw from right fielder Giles before Banks issued an intentional free pass to Chad Tracy to reload the bases. Snyder lined an RBI single to left and Burke capped the scoring with another sacrifice fly.

San Diego shaved two runs off its deficit in the second. Adrian Gonzalez and Headley started the inning with back-to-back singles and Hundley walked to load the bases. Tadahito Iguchi came through with an RBI single through the left side and Sean Kazmar followed with a sacrifice fly to right.

The D'Backs extended their lead in the fourth when Dunn clubbed his 33rd home run of the season, a two-run shot to right.

The two teams traded runs in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Jody Gerut hit an RBI single back through the middle off Jon Rauch in the top half, while Jackson plated a run with a single to center off Brian Falkenborg.

Game Notes

Arizona leads the season series 8-5 and won 10 of 18 matchups from the Padres last season...The Padres made it official Tuesday, sending veteran pitcher Greg Maddux and cash considerations to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor leaguers to be named later or cash considerations...Wednesday's scheduled starters are Jake Peavy (9-8) for San Diego and Dan Haren (13-6) for Arizona...The Padres activated pitcher Brett Tomko off the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Banks.

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SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere.

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

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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.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

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.

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