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06/07/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves cooled off a bit out West at the start of their 11-game road trip. A trip to Arizona to facing the struggling Diamondbacks should be enough to get them rolling again.
National League East-leading Atlanta kicks off a four-game series tonight at Chase Field against Arizona, which hopes it has turned the corner since its horrid 10-game losing streak.
The Braves kicked off their road trip with four games versus the Los Angeles Dodgers and took Thursday's opener to stretch their winning streak to nine games. However, they then lost two of the next three versus Los Angeles, including Sunday's 5-4, 11-inning defeat.
Atlanta's Martin Prado went 3-for-6 with a homer to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, while Brian McCann also went deep for the Braves. Prado is hitting .404 (21-for-52) with seven RBI and 12 runs scored over his run.
Tim Hudson gave up four runs -- three earned -- over seven-plus frames, while Jesse Chavez allowed the winning run in the 11th inning after the Braves, who are still 20-6 since May 10, left 11 men on base.
"We had the lead but couldn't keep it," said Braves manager Bobby Cox. "We had 100 opportunities to win the game, a lot more than they did, but we couldn't get the big hit."
Atlanta owns a two-game edge over second-place Philadelphia in the NL East standings and is likely to be without Chipper Jones for a fifth straight contest tonight due to a right finger injury.
The Braves might not need Jones, considering the way they have played against Arizona as of late. They have won five of their last seven overall meetings with Arizona and six of the last nine played between the teams at Chase Field.
The Diamondbacks notched an 11-1 win at Atlanta on May 15 in the middle set of a three-game set, but the Braves responded with a 13-1 rout the following day to take the series victory.
Dan Haren suffered the loss on that day for Arizona, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- over a season-low 4 1/3 innings. He fell to 3-2 with a 6.44 earned run average lifetime against the Braves and will seek some revenge tonight.
Haren is just 5-4 with a 4.83 ERA this year, but he might have turned a corner last time out. After going 1-3 over his previous four starts with a 7.92 ERA and 10 homers allowed, he pitched eight shutout innings on Tuesday versus the Dodgers, working around seven hits without a walk and seven strikeouts.
"Every pitch I threw was 100 percent effort. I felt good. I'm starting to feel like I did in the past," said Haren after tossing a career-high 126 pitches.
The 29-year-old righty did not factor into the decision versus Los Angeles, a game his club lost 1-0 in extra innings, and he faces a Braves starter tonight in Derek Lowe that has won three straight times.
Lowe, who turned 37 last Tuesday, is 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA over his last five starts since allowing seven runs in a loss to the Phillies on May 7. He got his revenge on Philadelphia Wednesday, limiting the club to a run on six hits over a season-high eight innings while striking out a season-best seven batters.
The right-hander improved to 8-4 with a 4.44 ERA on the season and is 6-8 with a 3.68 ERA in 18 career starts versus Arizona.
The Diamondbacks will try to snap Lowe's win streak one day after a tough 3-2 loss to Colorado and Ubaldo Jimenez in the finale of a three-game series. Arizona managed just Conor Jackson's two-run homer in the eighth inning, snapping a 21-inning scoreless drought versus Jimenez while ending the hurler's personal consecutive scoreless-innings run at 33.
Arizona nearly got to Jimenez in the first inning, loading the bases on an error, walk and single. However, Chris Young hit into an inning-ending double play.
"We made a run at the end, but we missed a few opportunities early, especially in the first," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said. "We were a foot away from not only scoring first, but also making Jimenez get to maybe 40 pitches in the first inning, which changes the entire complexion of the game."
Arizona, which had won the first two contests of the series to snap its losing streak at 10 straight, set a club record with its seventh one-run game in a row as it opened a 10-game homestand.
Shortstop Stephen Drew did not play for Arizona on Sunday after suffering a right finger injury the previous night and is day-to-day.
<< Astros head to Colorado hoping to continue strong stretch
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Offense hasn't been the Houston Astros' strength this
season, but they were able to swing the bats well over a recently-completed
homestand.
That has Houston looking for a sixth victory in seven games this evening, when
i
<< Reds' Cueto aims to keep win streak intact in opener vs. Giants
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati Reds starter Johnny Cueto was bailed out by an
offensive surge his last time out to keep his current unbeaten streak intact.
He'll try not to rely on the bats tonight in his first career appearance
against the San
<< Phillies shoot for much-needed series win over Padres
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies have won just two series since
mid-May and have a chance to make it three tonight, when they close out a
four-game set versus the San Diego Padres from Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies swept Milwa
<< Angels take winning streak into Oakland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take their torrid play
into the Oakland Coliseum for a key four-game series with the fellow American
League West member Athletics that begins this evening.
The three-time defending d
Dodgers, Cardinals to face off in NLDS rematch >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Playing in close games has become a habit of the Los
Angeles Dodgers as of late. That wasn't the case the last time they faced the
St. Louis Cardinals.
Los Angeles and St. Louis square off for the first time since last sea
Selig and MLB slow to stifle replay controversy >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - To say Jim Joyce feels bad for costing
Armando Galarraga's chance at history would be a gross understatement. But
consider the silver lining that came from one of the game's all-time gaffes;
the realization th
Drosselmeyer: Not the best horse last Saturday >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Drosselmeyer won the 142nd Belmont Stakes
but the most promising colt that ran at Belmont Park was not even entered in a
stakes race.
The fourth race on the card gave horseplayers a glimpse of future grea
NBA finals are Boston bound tied at a game apiece >>
BOSTON (AP) -Chin resting in his hand, mouth barely moving as he spoke, Kobe Bryant had the look of someone who would have rather been anywhere but Staples Center.The next few nights might make him long to be back home.The NBA's best rivalry is retu
Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
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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