Royals to host White Sox in Yost's debut

Baseball Betting Lines

05/14/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ned Yost era in Kansas City will commence tonight, when the Royals resume a six-game homestand with the first of three straight games versus the AL Central-rival Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

After the Royals ended a seven-game slide and salvaged the finale of a three- game series versus the Cleveland Indians with a 6-4 win on Thursday, Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore relieved manager Trey Hillman of his duties and named Yost the new skipper. Hillman knew before the win that he would lose his job, but wanted to finish off the set with the Tribe.

"He (Hillman) said, 'I'm not going out losing seven in a row. I'm going out a winner [Thursday]'," said Moore. "Obviously he wore that all day, but during that game didn't share his emotions with anybody else and went out there and managed a baseball game."

Hillman had a 151-207 mark in two-plus seasons with the club, but the Royals still sit at 12-23 and just one game ahead of Baltimore for the worst record in the majors this year. Yost, meanwhile, had been in the Royals front office serving as a special advisor to baseball operations, a position he was appointed to in January. Yost spent 2003-2008 with Milwaukee and managed the Brewers to a 457-502 record, but was fired in September of 2008.

Before Hillman lost his job, reigning AL Cy Young Award honoree Zack Greinke threw six effective innings to pick up his first win of the season (1-4). He allowed three runs and eight hits and struck out eight batters. Joakim Soria threw a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

Alberto Callaspo helped his pitching staff with a three-run homer and both David DeJesus and Yuniesky Betancourt had two hits and an RBI for Kansas City, which won for just the second time in 11 tries.

Like Greinke was yesterday, Royals starter Gil Meche is still in search of his first win of the season, having gone 0-4 with an 8.24 ERA in six starts. Meche, who will take the ball in Yost's debut, has dropped back-to-back starts but pitched well enough for the win in his previous outing despite not getting enough run support. In a 3-2 loss at Texas last Saturday, Meche gave up three runs over eight decent innings, but walked a season-high seven batters.

The right-hander, who is 0-2 in three home starts, lost his last appearance against the White Sox on May 3, when he allowed all five runs and nine hits in five innings of a 5-1 loss. Meche, however, is 8-4 with a 4.23 earned run average in 18 career starts against tonight's opponent.

Chicago just split a two-game set with Minnesota and suffered a 3-2 loss on Wednesday at Target Field. John Danks was saddled with the loss after he permitted all three runs and seven hits in seven innings.

"I was battling out there, went deep into the game and gave us a chance to win," Danks said about his outing.

Paul Konerko finished with two hits and an RBI for the Pale Hose, who have dropped four of their last six games. Juan Pierre contributed a pair of hits in defeat.

Mark Buehrle will try to pull the White Sox from their slumber when he makes his eighth start of the season Friday night. After winning his first two starts of 2010, Buehrle is 0-4 with a 6.23 earned run average in his last five trips to the mound.

The left-hander previously pitched last Friday in a 7-4 loss versus Toronto, but did not factor in the outcome after tossing eight innings of three-run ball. Prior to that start, Buehrle was rocked for five runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 frames in a 12-3 setback at New York on May 2.

He will face Kansas City for the first time in 2010 and has a bevy of experience in this series, having gone 20-9 with a 3.55 ERA over 43 games (41 starts) against the Royals.

Chicago won two of three games at home versus the Royals earlier this month and has taken 10 of the last 16 matchups between the teams.

7decks Baseball Betting News

<< Orioles seeking good start in series opener with Tribe
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles try to win three straight games for the second time this season when they open a three-game set against the Cleveland Indians this evening at Camden Yards. Baltimore claimed its first series win in al

<< Mets aim to bounce back in second test with Marlins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets try to regroup after a horrendous loss on Thursday when they play the second of four games against the Florida Marlins tonight at Sun Life Stadium. Unfortunately, though, the Mets turn to the winless

<< Moyer, Phillies open series in Milwaukee
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After becoming the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a shutout, the Phillies' Jamie Moyer probably appreciates the extra days of rest he has received. The ageless left-hander will try to build off his spectacu

<< Padres send Garland to mound vs. Dodgers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While Mat Latos is quickly becoming a sensation in San Diego, teammate Jon Garland has been putting together a very good run of his own in the shadows. Garland will try to win his fifth start in a row tonight wh

<< Ego will steer James' next move
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once tried to define pornography, but had a tough time doing so. "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that

Upstart Nats try to keep rolling in Colorado >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Runs may be scarce in tonight's matchup between the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies, as two of the top ERA leaders get together in the second portion of a four-game series from Coors Field. Rockies ace Ubaldo Jim

Braden faces Angels in first start since perfecto >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Now that the dust has settled on the 19th perfect game in Major League history and all the television appearances have subsided, Oakland Athletics starter Dallas Braden will get back to work tonight in the opener of a three-g

Vickers being treated for blood clots >>
Dover, DE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR driver Brian Vickers is being treated for blood clots at an undisclosed Washington, D.C. hospital, Red Bull Racing vice president and general manager Jay Frye confirmed Friday at Dover International Speedwa

Stamps release Carpenter >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Stampeders have released linebacker Dwaine Carpenter, who spent the past three seasons with the club. Carpenter appeared in 50 games and recorded 119 tackles with two sacks, two interceptions, f

Heart Attack claims life of Skip Away >>
Midway, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Horse of the Year Skip Away died from an apparent heart attack Friday morning in Kentucky. The 17-year-old stallion was living at Hopewell Farm. Skip Away was a four-time Eclipse Award winner ha

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.