Jays try to keep slim postseason hopes alive in St. Pete

Baseball Betting Lines

09/07/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays still have a mathematical shot at the playoffs and will open a three-game series against the AL East-rival Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

Toronto is 6 1/2 games off the wild card lead and has won four of six and eight of the last 13 games. In Wednesday's finale of a three-game series against Boston at Fenway Park, the Jays salvaged the set with a 6-4 victory as Vernon Wells belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lead the way.

Wells finished with three hits and two runs scored, while Troy Glaus also homered for the Blue Jays. Reliever Jeremy Accardo earned the win by recording the final five outs and starter Shaun Marcum allowed two runs and five hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts in five innings.

Blue Jays starter Dustin McGowan will shoot for an encore performance when he takes the hill tonight. McGowan hurled eight strong innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 victory over Seattle on September 1.

McGowan, who is 9-8 with a 4.00 ERA in 22 starts this season, had been 0-3 in four starts before his solid outing against the Mariners. The righty is 0-0 with a 3.95 earned run average in three career games (two starts) against the Devil Rays.

Tampa Bay has been playing well as of late, winning two of three games against the Baltimore Orioles. In Wednesday's 17-2 pounding of the O's in the series finale at the Trop, Carlos Pena belted a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and finished with a franchise-record seven RBI.

Delmon Young hit a three-run homer, while Brendan Harris and Jonny Gomes clubbed solo shots for the Devil Rays, who had a season-high 22 hits and won for the seventh time in nine games.

Young finished with four RBI for the Devil Rays, who set a couple of records and fell shy of two others. Their 40 total bases and 15-run margin of victory are new records. Their high-water mark for runs in a game is 19, last accomplished July 29, 2006 at Yankee Stadium. The team record for hits is 24, at Toronto on June 24, 2004.

Pena has 37 homers this season and eclipsed Paul Sorrento's previous team record of six RBI at Cleveland on May 3, 1998. Pena has a career-best 105 RBI this year. Starter Andy Sonnanstine gave up nine hits and two runs over six innings to win his third consecutive start.

Taking the ball for the D-Rays tonight will be Edwin Jackson, who is 4-13 with a 5.78 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) this season. Jackson lost his last outing on September 1 in a 9-6 loss at Yankee Stadium, giving up seven runs -- six earned -- in 3 1/3 frames.

In four career games (three starts) against Toronto, the right-handed Jackson owns an 0-1 record with a 3.26 earned run average.

The 2007 season series between Toronto and Tampa Bay is tied at six wins apiece. The Jays are 29-20 in the last 49 matchups with the Devil Rays.

Wwwhkcyber Baseball Betting News

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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

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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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