Astros haven't been able to stop the bleeding

Baseball Betting Lines

06/03/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros are finding out the hard way just how quickly fortunes can change.

A week ago, they sat at seven games above .500, and were just 1 1/2 games back of the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs. Since then, however, those two have drifted in different directions.

The Cubs have ripped off eight straight wins and they now own the best record in the majors. Meanwhile, the Astros have gone on to lose five straight, and just like that, Houston has fallen seven games off the pace in the division standings.

Manager Cecil Cooper knows these sorts of stretches are bound to happen over a 162-game schedule. And though he said it's taking quite a bit of effort on his part, he is trying to keep an even keel.

"I can't just wallow in it," he said. "If I did, then they would start to do that, too. So I can't do that. I have to bite my lip, bite my tongue, do what I have to do and do it and not let it bother me, at least to a point where they know it's bothering me."

Offensively, things have gotten, well, downright offensive. During their five- game skid, the Houston lineup has produced a grand total of six runs. The Cubs, to put that in perspective, are averaging about six runs per game on the season.

The misery began on Wednesday in St. Louis, against the club that has since taken over second place in the division. After beating the Cardinals in Tuesday's series opener, St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright stymied the Astros bats to just one run on three hits in eight innings of work.

Home runs by Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman accounted for Houston's only two runs on Thursday, as St. Louis put the stamp on the series with a 3-2 win.

Things went from bad to worse this weekend in Milwaukee, where in the three games, the Astros were outscored, 19-3.

In Friday's opener, Houston starter Brandon Backe allowed five runs in five innings, while the Astros offense managed just one run on seven hits for the game. On Saturday it was Ben Sheets' turn to quiet the Astros' bats. Sheets pitched 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball, as the Brewers went on to notch a 4-1 victory. Sunday's 10-1 loss was just downright ugly. Starter Shawn Chacon was chased after just one inning of work, having allowed four runs to cross the plate. Meanwhile, Brewers starter Dave Bush scattered just four hits and one run over seven innings.

"Nothing worked (Sunday)," Cooper said. "Nope. It was a bad day at the office. We didn't hit, didn't pitch very well, for the most part, and even threw it around a little bit. Nothing worked."

With their nine-game road trip now making its stop in Pittsburgh, the best the Astros can hope for is a 4-5 ledger on the trip. But first, they might just want to start with a multi-run game.

BERKMAN REWARDED WITH NL PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Despite the team's recent struggles, the one constant has been Berkman. During the month of May, Berkman hit .471 with nine home runs. Not surprisingly, he was named the NL Player of the Month for May. During his tear, Berkman also racked up 11 doubles, 22 RBI and scored 31 runs. He had 16 multi-hit games, and hit safely in 17 straight games.

"I didn't know he was the greatest hitter in the history of baseball until this guy showed up for the last month or so," Astros general manager Ed Wade said on the team's Web site. "It's like watching a guy play big league baseball, only he's playing tee ball. That's how easy he's making it. You know how difficult this game is, and he's simplified it to the 'nth degree."

For the season, Berkman ranks second in the majors in batting average (.385), second in home runs (17), and fifth in RBI (47).

GEARY READY FOR ACTION

Reliever Geoff Geary was activated from the 15-day disabled list following Sunday's loss. He had spent the last two weeks on the DL with a strained groin.

Geary, acquired in the offseason from Philadelphia as part of the Brad Lidge trade, reported no pain while throwing a simulated game on Saturday. He has been one of the steadies arms out of the bullpen this season, posting a 1.47 ERA in 19 games.

To make room for Geary, the club optioned Jack Cassel to Triple-A Round Rock. Cassel surrendered six runs on Sunday, though he was likely headed back down to the minors regardless of that outing.

WHO'S HOT

Berkman. Is any elaboration really needed anymore when you're hitting .475 over the past month?

WHO'S NOT

Neither of the catchers, J.R. Towles and Brad Ausmus. Over the past month, Ausmus is hitting .150, while Towles is batting .096.

A LOOK AHEAD

Opening up the Pirates series will be left-hander Wandy Rodriguez (1-1, 2.89), who struggled in his first outing since coming off the DL. He will face Phil Dumatrait (2-2, 3.52). On Wednesday, Roy Oswalt (4-5, 5.45) will square off with Zach Duke (2-4, 4.41). And on Thursday, Backe (4-6, 4.54) looks to get back on track against Paul Maholm (3-5, 4.74).

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Betting the NFL preseason

Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."

When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. 

The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.

The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.

“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”

The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.

“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”

The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.

“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”

Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.

“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."

So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?

“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.

Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.

Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.

“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.

Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.

The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.

“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.

Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

Chiefs' Treen Green out for Sunday's game

How long Trent Green will remain sidelined is unknown. Coach Herm Edwards said Monday he will miss a second straight start Sunday when the Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Green was going into a feet-first hook slide when he was knocked unconscious by a thunderous, head-snapping hit from Cincinnati's Robert Geathers.

Oddsmakers at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the 49ers.

The 49ers got beat by Philadelphia 38-24 as a 6.5-point underdog last week. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (42.5).

Alex Smith completed 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown. Michael Robinson rushed for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns on five carries.

The Chiefs lost 9-6 to Denver last week as an 11-point underdog. The combined score was well UNDER the posted over/under total (38).

Larry Johnson rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries. Damon Huard completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

To visit this online sports book got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.