Nats call on Detwiler for Sunday's start

Baseball Betting Lines

07/25/2010 - Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals recalled left-hander Ross Detwiler from Double-A Harrisburg to start the team's series finale versus the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

Detwiler, who was the Nationals' sixth overall pick in the 2007 draft, was 2-2 with a 2.48 earned run average over seven starts for Harrisburg this season.

The 24-year-old began the season on the disabled list after having surgery to repair a torn right hip labrum. He is 1-6 with a 4.93 ERA in 16 career games -- 14 starts -- with the big league club.

To open the roster spot, right-hander J.D. Martin was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained lower back. Martin lasted only 2 1/3 innings in Saturday's 4-3 loss to Milwaukee. He allowed one run on three hits with three walks and as many strikeouts before exiting with the injury. Over nine starts with the Nats this season, Martin is 1-5 with a 4.13 ERA.

Sportventureclub Baseball Betting News

<< After busy summer, ACC ready for football season
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -So much for a lazy summer at Atlantic Coast Conference headquarters.Realignment rumors. An NCAA investigation into agent involvement with players at one of its marquee institutions.No wonder the ACC is ready for the offseason

<< 'The savior of the Big 12' - and how he did it
IRVING, Texas (AP) -A few days after the Big 12 was preserved, commissioner Dan Beebe brought together the athletic directors of the 10 remaining schools.There were lots of things to figure out. There also was some healing to do.Egos had been bruise

<< Langer wins first senior major at Carnoustie
Carnoustie, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bernhard Langer bogeyed the final hole Sunday, but it was enough to give him a one-stroke victory at the Senior British Open. Langer posted a one-over 72 to finish at five-under-par 279. The

<< Marlins recall Volstad, place Marinez on DL
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins placed pitcher Jhan Marinez on the 15-day disabled list and recalled right-hander Chris Volstad from Triple-A New Orleans. Marinez was 1-1 with a 6.75 earned run average in four relie

<< Giants' Velez put on DL
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Francisco Giants outfielder Eugenio Velez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a head contusion and concussion suffered as a result of being hit by a foul ball during Saturday's game ag

Overbay's HR in ninth lifts Blue Jays over Tigers >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lyle Overbay belted the tie-breaking two-run homer in the ninth inning, boosting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-3 win over the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a doubleheader. Jose Molina also clubbed a two-run sh

McMurray wins Brickyard 400, gives Ganassi "triple crown" >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jamie McMurray gave team owner Chip Ganassi a trifecta in American motorsports on Sunday by the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. McMurray, who won the Daytona 500 in February, gra

Pettersson comes from behind for Canadian Open win >>
Etobicoke, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sweden's Carl Pettersson posted a three-under 67 on Sunday to come from behind and win the Canadian Open at St. George's Golf & Country Club. Pettersson finished at 14-under 266 and won by a singl

Mets' Dickey departs start against Dodgers >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey left Sunday's start against Los Angeles in the sixth inning. Dickey landed awkwardly while delivering a pitch to Russell Martin but the veteran right-hander recovered t

Brigman wins in Columbus >>
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.J. Brigman fired a seven-under 64 on Sunday to come from behind and win the Children's Hospital Invitational at The Ohio State University Scarlet Course. Brigman finished at 10-under 274 and won by a str

Betting Football

NFL Football Betting Online

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.