AL West: Rangers' bats starting to flex some muscle

Baseball Betting Lines

06/15/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Conventional wisdom suggests it was only a matter of time before the Texas Rangers' offense really got going.

After all, this was an offense that ranked second in the American League in home runs last year, and that was before adding eight-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero in the offseason. Having won five of their last six games entering Tuesday's off day, the Rangers are no doubt starting to live up to the hype.

And make no mistake, it is the offense that has been the catalyst during the team's recent surge, having averaged 8.3 runs in their nine victories this month. On the season, the Rangers' .277 team batting average ranks third in the majors. They rank fifth overall in runs (321), hits (601) and RBI (303).

Third baseman Michael Young is one hit away from tying former catcher Ivan Rodriguez as the club's all-time leading hitter. Young now has 1,746 base knocks, thanks to his current eight-game hitting streak. Over the last four games, Young has gone 9-for-21.

However, Young isn't the only one swinging a red-hot bat at the moment. In fact, Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero and Julio Borbon all currently have hitting streaks of at least 10 games.

Hamilton is 15-for-37 (.405) during his 10-game hit streak, and that includes home runs in four of the last five games. On the season, he is now hitting .309 with 15 homers and 46 RBI.

Guerrero has hit safely in 11 straight games, posting a .348 average (16- for-46) in that time frame. Borbon also has an 11-game hit streak, during which he is hitting .474 (18-for-38) to raise his average from .233 to .285.

In addition, shortstop Elvis Andrus is having a breakout year, as evidenced by the fact that he ranks second among American League shortstops behind the Yankees' Derek Jeter. The second-year player is sporting a .295 batting average to go along with 19 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

A hot June has pushed Hamilton into the All-Star conversation, as the Rangers' left fielder is hitting .412 with six homers and 19 RBI in 13 games this month. According to the most recent polls, he trails teammate Nelson Cruz by 87,000 votes for the third outfield spot on the American League roster. Cruz has been out since late-May with a torn hamstring, which has certainly helped Hamilton in his bid for a third consecutive All-Star start.

He has also been helped by a different approach in pre-game batting practice. Like Mark McGwire of the mid-90s, Hamilton has become known for putting on a show of mammoth home runs in BP. But lately, he has changed his mind set in that regard.

"(Batting practice) is not for a show," Hamilton said. "It's for working on things. Things you do in the cage carry over into batting practice. And then it's trying to work on the same things in batting practice. And then, when the game comes along, just go up there and hit it. Trust yourself."

Of course, that's not the only adjustment that has helped Hamilton. Swing- wise, he has eliminated the toe-tap and is working on keeping his weight on his back leg to generate more power. Lineup-wise, he is hitting .385 since being switched from third to fifth in the lineup, behind cleanup hitter Guerrero.

Thanks in no small part to the middle of the order, Texas (35-28) entered Wednesday with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for first place in the AL West.

A'S GET OFF TO ROCKY START IN INTERLEAGUE PLAY

Over the weekend, the Oakland Athletics (32-33) were swept in a three-game set by their friends across the bay, the San Francisco Giants. The sweep dropped the A's below .500 for the first time since May 21, and also put them four games behind division-leading Texas.

For the most part, they'll want to put that series behind them. In the three games against San Francisco, the A's committed four errors and stranded 27 baserunners (4-for-32 RISP). Struggling utility player Jake Fox, who was sporting a .214 batting average since being acquired from the Cubs in a five- player deal in December, was designated for assignment following Sunday's 6-2 loss.

Oakland continues its interleague stretch Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs, who have endured their own struggles of late. It marks Oakland's first trip to Chicago's Wrigley Field since 2004, the only other time these two teams met in the regular season.

ANGELS' AYBAR DAY-TO-DAY AFTER COLLISION

During the second inning of Monday's 12-2 loss to Milwaukee, Angels shortstop Erick Aybar hyper-extended his left knee after bearing the brunt of a hard slide at second base. Aybar had to be helped off the field by team trainers, however the good news is his injury is listed as day-to-day.

Considering the Angels have already lost first baseman Kendry Morales for the season, an extended absence from their leadoff man and shortstop would have presented quite a hurdle. Thankfully for the Angels, it appears they've dodged a bullet.

"It looked bad when it happened," manager Mike Scioscia told The Orange County Register after the game. "But after the game it was examined. Everything sets up much better right now. He's walking around a little. We're relieved to see him walking around in this clubhouse. Hopefully, it'll be a little strain and he won't be out for too long."

Aybar had been heating up at the plate of late, batting .393 over his previous 14 games. He had a four-game multi-hit streak entering Sunday. Thanks in part to Aybar's hot bat, the Angels (36-31) are 10-4 in the month of June as they trail the Rangers by just one game.

MARINERS CONTINUE TO FREEFALL

Since winning the first three games of June, the Seattle Mariners (24-40) have gone an abysmal 2-9 to fall further out of contention in the AL West. And with each passing road trip, the Mariners dig themselves a deeper hole.

They are now just 9-23 away from home, and their current 10-game trek concludes when they wrap up a three-game set in St. Louis on Wednesday. Seattle entered Tuesday 11 1/2 games back in the division after opening the Cardinals series with a 9-3 setback on Monday night.

The team will get a much needed rest on Thursday, which wraps up a grueling stretch of 20 games in 20 days. Despite the Mariners' ongoing offensive struggles, manager Don Wakamatsu decided to cancel batting practice prior to Monday's series opener with his team arriving in town at midnight on Sunday night.

"We've worked extremely hard and taken a lot of extra batting practice to try to get this offense going," Wakamatsu said. "You start to see where some of these guys, physically, are getting pretty exhausted. We knew there was going to be quite a bit of humidity (in St. Louis), and add the time change and it's very difficult."

On Saturday night, veterans Cliff Lee, Milton Bradley and Chone Figgins called a players-only meeting following the team's 7-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. That loss was Seattle's fifth straight and eighth in its last nine outings. The meeting seemed to pay immediate dividends with a 4-2 win at San Diego on Sunday. But Monday in St. Louis, it was back to the loss column for the fading Mariners.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines. 

MySportsbook.com refunds all bets on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay from NFL week one.

(September 14) – Week one of NFL action saw three teams go scoreless for the first time since 1977.  Another four were unable to get a touchdown and almost half of the underdogs covered the spread. Those three teams saved bettors at MySportsbook.com from losing out completely, thanks to the company’s unique NFL Shutout Rule -- which ensures that if the team you backed goes scoreless, your wager is refunded.

Sportsbook refunded tens of thousands of dollars to customers who bet on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay, the three teams that stunk up the field so badly that their fans and backers never had a chance to get up from their couches and cheer.  In the spirit of the low scoring start to the season, odds makers at the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino have set odds on how many total shutouts there will be this season. 

MySportsbook.com has posted updated sports betting lines for week two of the season.  Ben Roethlisberger’s health status is still questionable, so Willie Parker will try to lead Pittsburgh again as they travel to Jacksonville as a one point favorite.  After beating up on his little brother last week, Peyton Manning will look to lead the Colts to victory against Houston. Indianapolis is a whopping 13.5 favorite in the match-up.

Seattle, last year’s highest scoring team, showed the power of their defense with their gritty 9-6 win in Motown over the ravenous Lions.  They take their act back home to the comforts of Qwest Field where they will face the resurgent Arizona Cardinals.  The Seahawks are favored by a touchdown. 

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.