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07/15/2010 -
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -After Torii Hunter spent the past 48 hours shaking hands, hosting parties and generally serving as the Angels' unofficial host of the All-Star game, the Los Angeles outfielder was more than ready to get back to his day job.
``I had about 30 family members here, and they don't believe in sleep,'' Hunter said. ``I was up at 7 in the morning every day. I thought this was the All-Star break, man.''
While the All-Star festivities were a big success, the Angels' quest for a fourth straight AL West title could be in trouble if Hunter and his teammates don't get it going soon. The Angels, who open the second half at home with a four-game series against Seattle, lost six of seven leading into the break, getting outscored 44-14 on a trip to Chicago and Oakland.
``Hopefully guys weren't even watching the game,'' Hunter said Tuesday night after going 0 for 2 at Angel Stadium. ``Hopefully they were just relaxing on the beach, taking a step back from the game, and getting ready to come back.''
Los Angeles entered the break at 47-44, trailing first-place Texas by 4 1/2 games in the AL West. The deficit would have been even worse if the Rangers hadn't lost four straight to lowly Baltimore before the break.
Hunter is the Angels' clubhouse leader, but he also has been the most potent offensive force in a lineup that could use a little more pop - either through improved efforts or a trade.
After Los Angeles led the majors in multiple offensive categories for long stretches of last season, the bats aren't helping out a solid starting rotation. The Angels fielded a lineup with nine .300 hitters in August last season, but nobody on their current roster is hitting .300.
``We have to all come together,'' said Hunter, batting .298 with 15 homers and 62 RBIs. ``Some guys need to step up. I need to step up. We can make it happen. Every team has that dry spell. We had it in the last week, but we can get back.''
The Angels have won five of the past six division titles, but this season hasn't seemed terribly promising for a lineup that still hasn't recovered from the offseason departure of leadoff hitter Chone Figgins and slugger Vladimir Guerrero.
So far, the Angels' season has been most memorable for two reasons: The All-Star game, and one of the wackiest serious injuries in baseball history.
Kendry Morales, the Angels' slugging Cuban first baseman, was lost for the year when he broke his leg jumping on home plate after a game-ending grand slam against Seattle on May 29.
The injury will go down in sports infamy, but it isn't making the Angels laugh just yet.
``The break came at a good time,'' said ace Jered Weaver, who made his first All-Star game but wasn't allowed to pitch because he had been on the mound last Sunday in Oakland. ``The injury to Kendry hurt us from a lot of standpoints. A lot of guys are playing more than they normally would have, so hopefully the break gave everybody a chance to get recharged.''
Catcher Mike Napoli has filled in capably at first base for Morales, producing 14 homers and 37 RBIs. Others haven't been so sharp: Veteran slugger Bobby Abreu is batting just .257 with 10 homers and 47 RBIs, while Hideki Matsui has been mostly unimpressive in his first season on the West Coast. The reigning World Series MVP is batting just .252 with mediocre power numbers as the replacement for Guerrero, who rebounded to make the AL All-Star team with Texas.
Manager Mike Scioscia knows the Angels likely need reinforcements on offense to keep up with the Rangers, who dramatically improved their pitching by acquiring Cliff Lee from Seattle. Yet Los Angeles has never been a team to loot its farm system for a desperate postseason run, and general manager Tony Reagins seems unlikely to change that philosophy.
``Our lineup needs to get deeper,'' Scioscia said. ``If there's someone out there who can make us deeper, Tony is going to act on it. The offensive end obviously has been a concern.''
Scioscia credits his starting pitching for the Angels' ability to ``hold our heads above water.'' Indeed, all five starters in his solid rotation have won at least six games, with Weaver (8-5, 3.20 ERA), newcomer Joel Pineiro (9-6, 3.95) and Ervin Santana (8-7, 3.76) all posting strong numbers.
``We can get it together,'' Hunter said. ``It's still July. This team knows what time it is.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Report: Bobcats agree with G Livingston
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Charlotte Bobcats have reportedly agreed
to sign guard Shaun Livingston to a three-year contract worth $10.5 million.
The Charlotte Observer first reported the deal, while The Washington Post
report
<< Toronto comes back in fourth to top Calgary
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Johnson scored a late touchdown and
Toronto scored 12 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as it stunned the
Calgary Stampeders at Rogers Centre, 27-24, in its home opener.
Defense was key fo
<< Jazz, Bell agree to terms
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz have reportedly signed
guard Raja Bell to a three-year contract worth $10 million.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Bell was scheduled to meet with the Lakers
on Wednesday before com
<< Seattle, D.C. could welcome reinforcements for MLS clash
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two Major League Soccer clubs that sit
second-from-the-bottom in their respective conferences square off on Thursday
night when D.C. United hosts Seattle Sounders FC at RFK Stadium.
Both teams have
NBA's West has plea hearing on Md. weapons charges >>
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) - Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West is scheduled to appear in court in Maryland for a plea hearing stemming from his 2009 arrest for carrying weapons and speeding on a motorcycle.A spokesman for Prince George's County S
McIlroy posts record-tying 63 at St. Andrews >>
St. Andrews, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rory McIlory said the thought crept
into his head on 17 that he could set or match the low round in a major.
He missed his four-footer for birdie on 17, but closed with a three-foot
birdie put
Golf Tidbits: Which 50-something will make a run at the British? >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The British Open returned to the Old
Course at St. Andrews this week for the 28th time. No course has hosted more
Open Championships.
In keeping with the vintage of the historic venue, the story of the las
McIlroy posts record-tying 63; Woods four back >>
St. Andrews, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rory McIlory said the thought crept
into his head on 17 that he could set or match the low round in a major.
He missed his four-footer for birdie on 17, but closed with a three-foot
birdie put
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The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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