08/20/2008 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ken Griffey Jr. belted his first home run in a White Sox uniform and Nick Swisher homered for the third consecutive game, as Chicago completed a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 15-3 rout at U.S. Cellular Field.
A.J. Pierzynski and Alexei Ramirez also homered for the White Sox, who clubbed 10 home runs while outscoring the Mariners 33-8 during the series. Chicago scored at least 13 runs for the third time in four games and ran its winning streak to five.
The Sox, with their 73rd victory, surpassed their win total from last season when they finished 72-90. They also remained one game ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central, as the Twins beat the Athletics on Wednesday afternoon.
Gavin Floyd (13-6) threw six solid innings to earn the win and improve to 3-0 in his last five starts. He yielded three runs on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Seattle starter R.A. Dickey (3-8) was blasted for eight runs in just two innings and fell to 0-2 with a 10.90 earned run average in five outings this month.
Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in defeat, while Raul Ibanez connected for his 20th homer and drove in all three Seattle runs. The Mariners have lost six straight and finished 1-7 on an eight-game road trip.
<< Smith to start third preseason game for Ravens
Owings Mills, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Ravens will again go
with Troy Smith at quarterback to start the team's third preseason tuneup
against the St. Louis Rams on August 23.
Smith, who started the team's second
<< Travers gets evenly matched field of 12
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A dozen evenly matched three-year-olds
have been entered in Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race
Course, led by Jim Dandy Stakes winner Macho Again and Jim Dandy runner-up
Pyro.
<< Astros claim Castillo on waivers
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros claimed infielder Jose
Castillo on outright waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
Castillo is expected to report to the team Friday after being designated for
assignment
<< Sixers bring back Ratliff
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers have signed free
agent center Theo Ratliff.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a report Tuesday in the Philadelphia
Daily News said the 35-year-old Ratliff has accepted a
Rox disable P Herges, recall P Speier >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies placed
pitcher Matt Herges on the 15-day disabled list with lower back stiffness
Wednesday and recalled pitcher Ryan Speier from Triple-A Colorado Springs.
The rost
Cards' hurler Lohse suspended >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse was
suspended five games and fined an undisclosed amount on Wednesday.
Lohse was penalized for an incident in his last start on Sunday, when he threw
a pitch near th
Verdasco rolls; Karlovic falls at Pilot Pen >>
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco was
an easy third-round winner, while second-seeded Croat Ivo Karlovic went by way
of the upset Wednesday at the $708,000 Pilot Pen Tennis event, a final U.S.
Open tune-
Phillies activate 3B Feliz >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies activated
third baseman Pedro Feliz from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.
Feliz has been on the DL since July 25 while suffering from a bulging disc in
his lower back.
Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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