05/13/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Having completed the first quarter of the season, there is no question what has been the culprit for the Detroit Tigers' horrendous start.
The starting pitching, by and large, has just been awful. Entering play Tuesday, Detroit's starters have assembled a 9-18 record and a 5.55 ERA, both of which rank way at the bottom of the majors.
The offense, on the other hand, has at least been respectable. That the Tigers and their potent lineup rank third in the American League in runs scored (180) and fifth in team batting average (.264) should come as little surprise, considering hitting was supposed to be the team's M.O. this season.
But these Tigers are proving quite convincingly that all the hitting in the world doesn't make a difference as long as you're giving up more runs than you're scoring. It's like an Olympic downhill skier living in Louisiana.
After Sunday's rainout and Monday's off day, the Tigers will have had a couple of days to rest up and refocus as they kick off a six-game road swing, beginning in Kansas City tonight. And the rest could not come at a better time, with Detroit having lost seven of its last nine and falling further off the pace in the division.
Manager Jim Leyland acknowledged over the weekend that, despite the inconsistencies of the entire division, the Tigers will need to get going soon. Easier said than done. Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Yankees more or less encapsulated what has plagued the Tigers all season long.
Jeremy Bonderman barely pitched long enough to break a sweat, getting yanked after four innings, five earned runs and a deficit from which the Tigers would never recover. It was the first time in five games this season that the Yankees got the best of the Tigers.
On Tuesday, Detroit will have a chance to exact some revenge of its own, as they try to pay Kansas City back for that season-opening sweep which got the Tigers off on the wrong foot. They've been climbing uphill ever since.
SHEFFIELD, CABRERA ADJUSTING TO NEW POSITIONS
Apparently, Gary Sheffield just needed some change of scenery. Since being switched from third to sixth in the order, and from the designated hitter spot to left field, Sheffield appears to be re-ignited. In the five games since the change, he is batting .333 with a pair of doubles and three RBI.
Despite a nagging shoulder injury, Sheffield said playing the field has improved his focus level.
"I feel more like a baseball player, being in the game, getting a sweat going," Sheffield said on the team's Web site. "I feel better when I'm in tune with the game."
Meanwhile, Miguel Cabrera is still getting adjusted to his new role at first base. Every day, he is getting extended work there prior to batting practice. At the plate, Cabrera is hitting just .252. He hasn't homered since May 1st.
"I think he's going to relax here shortly and go on a tear is what I think," manager Jim Leyland said of Cabrera, who signed a $153 million contract in the offseason. "I think he's getting ready, close, and I don't know if I'm right or not, but I just kind of smell like he's getting close to going on a tear."
REINFORCEMENTS COMING TO BACK END OF 'PEN
Oft-injured relievers Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney are set to make their respective rehab assignments. They've both been throwing off the mound and this week, they are both scheduled to throw to hitters.
"They're making progress, but we're going to make sure everything's right," Leyland told the team's Web site. "We're not rushing anything."
Zumaya had surgery on his right shoulder in November and wasn't expected to be available until sometime this summer. Rodney has had a nagging case of tendinitis in his right shoulder, though he has been pain-free lately.
WHO'S HOT
Magglio Ordonez (8-for-20), Placido Polanco (8-for-18) and Ivan Rodriguez (7- for-14, four doubles) have each been swinging a hot stick.
WHO'S NOT
Curtis Granderson is in a 2-for-20 rut.
A LOOK AHEAD
Tonight in Kansas City, Nate Robertson (1-4, 6.64) will look to put together his first quality start of the season when he faces up-and-comer Zack Greinke (4-1, 1.80). Justin Verlander (1-6, 6.43), yet another one of Detroit's struggling starters, will take on Luke Hochevar (2-2, 4.94) on Wednesday. And on Thursday, veteran southpaw Kenny Rogers (3-3, 5.82) will square off with Gil Meche (2-5, 6.31).
Jeremy Bonderman (2-4, 4.80) gets the nod in Friday's series opener in Arizona, and he will face Dan Haren (4-2, 3.04).
<< Ready to rumble: Gabbard, Rangers take on M's and Hernandez
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Five days after their bench-clearing brawl in Seattle, two
of the major figures in the fracas square off this evening when the Mariners
and Texas Rangers play the second test of their three-game series at Rangers
Ballpark.
<< Twins host Jays for three games at Metrodome
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins will try to continue their solid play
at home tonight, as they begin a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays
at the Metrodome.
The Twins have won 10 of their last 11 as the host and are 14-7
<< Royals try to down Tigers again
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit has underachieved so far in 2008, a campaign that
got off to a bad start thanks to Kansas City. The Royals will try to stifle
the Tigers once again tonight in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman
Stadium
<< Athletics head to Cleveland to take on Indians
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics hope to continue their early-season
success against the Cleveland Indians when the teams square off again tonight
at Progressive Field in the opener of a three-game series.
The Athletics and Indians m
D'Backs try to stop slide vs. Rockies >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suddenly, the Diamondbacks are a team that can be beat.
Arizona will try to halt its season-long losing streak tonight in the opener
of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field.
Arizona was sw
Davydenko, Ferrer ease into third round in Hamburg >>
Hamburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fourth-seeded Russian star Nikolay
Davydenko and fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer were easy second-round
winners Tuesday at the $2.955 million Masters Series Hamburg, a clay-court
French Open tuneup.
Rays aim to maintain winning ways in rematch with Yanks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays try to extend their franchise-record
home-winning streak to 11 games this evening, when they continue their four-
game series with the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field.
Tampa moved six games abo
Cubs resume successful homestand with another test from Padres >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs will shoot for their
fifth straight win this evening, when they resume a four-game series with the
San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs, who are one game ahead of St. Lou
My fellow Americans, as tempting as it may be to don the coat and HD-ready tie in order to deliver this State of the Game address before the cameras, I know better. As Brad Paisley sings on his latest album, "I'm so much cooler online."
The ideas for this annual essay to kick off the MySportsbook.com college football betting preview flowed like frat-house beer, which is to say they were cheap and spilled all over the floor. The 2007 season will be better than 2007, if only because there will be more of it. A year ago, the NCAA Football Rules Committee made two rule changes in the interest of speeding up the game. These changes went over like Kobe burgers at a vegan banquet.
To its credit, the rules committee rectified its mistakes. This season the clock once again will start when a kickoff is received, rather than when it is kicked, and the clock will not start so quickly on a change of possession.
However, kickoffs have been moved back five yards, to the 30, which will force more returns. (Thus forcing the clock to run. Clever, huh?) Special teams might decide a lot of games, because coaching strategy will come straight out of another new Paisley lyric (almost), I'd like to check you for kicks.
Paisley sings with a twang, which is why he's appropriate for this college football season. The sun coming up over the 2007 college football betting lines season rises from the south. It's a Southern football world. As the Southeastern Conference begins its 75th year, the power shift is noticeable.
Eight-figure budgets, glamorous settings -- and that's just for the head coaches. The SEC has four coaches who have won national championships -- the greatest aggregation of coaching know-how since Eddie Robinson dined alone.
Steve Spurrier, Phil Fulmer, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer have given lie to the idea that a conference championship game is too daunting a hurdle on the road to No. 1. In six of the past 10 seasons, the national champions played and won a conference championship game -- three of the six (Tennessee, 1998; LSU, 2003; Florida, 2007) from the SEC.
There will be more of the same this season, if the preseason prognostications are correct. Six SEC teams are in the preseason coaches' poll, more than from any other conference. Only one conference has talent so deep that a team with 15 returning starters, including the best quarterback in the league, from an eight-win season is considered an afterthought. That may speak more to Kentucky's losing legacy than to the wisdom of the predictions, but there you have it. And seriously, keep an eye on Wildcats QB Andre' Woodson.
The reach of the South extends all the way to No. 1. Take a look at the team that is a consensus pick to win the national championship. The quarterback is from Shreveport. The best wide receiver is from Nashville. The top recruit is from New Orleans.
So what's the campus doing in Los Angeles? Hey, it is the University of Southern California.
USC lost two Pacific-10 Conference games a year ago, the first time that had happened in five seasons, and university officials withstood the urge to form blue-ribbon panels to unearth the cause of such a disaster. Instead, the Trojans gathered themselves and routed Michigan, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl.
USC's losses at Oregon State and at UCLA last year should have given pause to those who question the Pac-10's football prowess (such as, without naming names, L.M. from Baton Rouge). The league only got deeper this season; Dennis Erickson is taking over an Arizona State team that never quite got out of its own way under his predecessor, Dirk Koetter.
Erickson will resume his quest to become the first coach to win a national championship at two schools. Both he and Spurrier, now in his third season at South Carolina, returned to college football at schools with lower profiles than where they won their titles.
That isn't the case for the third coach looking for the national championship double. You may have missed this, but NASA reported the astronauts on the space shuttle last spring made contact with what can only be described as beings from another galaxy.
The leader of the aliens said, "We come in peace," followed by, "So how do you think Nick Saban will do at Alabama?"
The public is reacting to the new Crimson Tide coach as if he is the Barry Bonds of college football -- beloved at home for what his fans believe he is going to do, hated on the road for his intimidating attitude and for what his detractors believe he did (bend NCAA recruiting rules). I made this comparison from the dais at a charity dinner in Mobile, Ala., last month, and the chill that washed over me didn't come from the air conditioning.
Saban will attempt to prove that he can remake in Tuscaloosa what he built in Baton Rouge, much like another member of the national championship fraternity. Bobby Bowden is attempting to remake at Florida State what he built at, um, Florida State. Bowden rebuilt his offensive staff, bringing in four new coaches led by Saban's former offensive coordinator, Jimbo Fisher, to jump-start an offense that has been dead for a couple of years.
The Atlantic Coast Conference is expected to show new signs of life, too. That is said with no disrespect toward last season's champion, Wake Forest, which provided one of the best story lines of 2007. The Demon Deacons begin this season in their customary position, overshadowed by the Virginia Techs, Miamis and Florida States.
It's not that Wake will find it difficult to duplicate its success in 2007 as much as the feeling that success engendered. Surprising success is the narcotic of sport. It never feels quite so euphoric the next time. Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese has figured this out. He refers to 2007, when a league looked down upon by fans and foes alike took three undefeated teams into November, as "Cinderella."
The fairy tale may be over, but the Big East has four genuine Heisman Trophy candidates in Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm, West Virginia tailback Steve Slaton and quarterback Pat White, and Rutgers tailback Ray Rice. Rutgers, as did Wake Forest and, of course, Boise State, proved last season that the have-nots in college football occasionally have quite a lot.
The Broncos' rousing 43-42 overtime victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl has raised the profile of all schools in conferences that don't get automatic BCS bids. This season, TCU and Hawaii are the preseason favorites to burst through the BCS doors and earn an at-large bid. The Warriors return 14 starters from an 11-3 team, including quarterback Colt Brennan.
Brennan not only broke the single-season record with 58 touchdown passes in 2007, but he also led Division I-A in passing efficiency (186.0). The senior is expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy, and neither his success nor the rise of his team should come as any surprise in the 2007 season.
After all, Hawaii is the southernmost team in the country.
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The NFL preseason is approaching. Time for players, coaches and teams to turn over a new leaf. General managers have hired some new coaches, while coaches have added some offensive and defensive assistants to try and improve things. Here’s a look at some changes to look for in the preseason.
New York Jets: The Jets were one of the surprise teams in the NFL last season, making the playoffs under hard-driving first-year coach Eric Mangini. Mangini rebuilt the offensive line with rookies D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the No. 4 pick in the 2007 Draft) and Ohio State center (the 29th pick in the first round). This season he upgraded the defense with rookie linebacker David Harris (Michigan) while the secondary picked up a much needed top-notch corner in Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall).
The Jets have added balance to the offense for QB Chad Pennington with RB Thomas Jones, essentially stolen from the Bears. He will upgrade a New York ground game that was 20th in rushing with a weak 3.5 yards per carry. They have their first true feature back since Curtis Martin. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer prefers ball control, like his father Marty. In preseason, behind Pennington you’ll see second-year QB Kellen Clemens and mobile newcomer QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The heat is on Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as the Jaguars flopped last season despite a ton of talent. Keep in mind that under Del Rio the Jaguars have been outstanding in preseason with a 12-4 SU, 11-5 ATS August mark. Their defense is loaded, it’s the offense that has been stuck in first gear the last few years.
Enter a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter, the former Boise State and Arizona State pass-happy coach. He will try and upgrade a passing game that ranked 24th last season. Del Rio has criticized wide receivers and Matt Jones this summer, both of whom have battled injuries. It will be interesting to watch the “new” Jaguars passing game in preseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Word out of Arizona is that the players like new coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator last year. We think of Arizona as all-passing because their running game has been awful of late because of a poor offensive line. However, keep an eye on the running game in preseason as they’ve made a lot of changes.
The new coach brings in Russ Grimm to coach the offensive line (Grimm did a marvelous job building the Steelers line). They took Penn State OT Levi Jones in the first round and signed two offensive linemen, Mike Gandy and Al Johnson, to provide depth. Reggie Wells was moved from right tackle to left guard and they want more speed out of the offensive line for pulling and traps, a Pittsburgh staple under Bill Cowher.
Atlanta Falcons: While all the attention has been focused on QB Mike Vick’s off-field problems, new coach Bobby Petrino is revamping the Falcons from an all-running team to a more balanced one. Petrino likes the experience of backup QB Joey Harrington and he has veteran backup Chris Redman, who used to play for Petrino at Louisville and knows his offenses better than anyone. Petrino wants Vick to be more of a pocket passer.
The addition of FB Ovie Mughelli is a sign Petrino wants a power rushing attack behind a physical fullback and newcomer WR Joe Horn should upgrade what was a below average wideout corps. Petrino is changing their old zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional in-line blocking scheme and the offensive line is bigger. Rookie DE Jamaal Anderson was grabbed in the first round and the secondary got younger with former Auburn cornerback David Irons, who the Falcons think was a steal as a sixth-round pick.
Cleveland Browns: The 2007 Browns look like a double-edged sword. There was the excitement of the offseason, trading for RB Jamel Lewis, upgrading the offensive line with Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (the No. 2 pick in the draft) and free agent LG Eric Steinbach, then trading for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn when he fell to No. 22. GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel feel they have a talented, balanced offense with these new pieces, plus TE >Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards.
However, were these moves made in desperation? And were they foolish ones? The Browns gave up their 2008 first-round pick for Quinn and we all know QBs take time to develop. And even first-round QBs can be busts (Joey Harrington, Akili Smith). We also don’t know if the offensive line is that much improved (31st in rushing in 2007) and they did nothing to improve a defense that was awful against the run (142 yds pg allowed).
The Browns have a new offensive coordinator in Rob Chudzinski. This is a young offense and Quinn looked tentative, indecisive and inaccurate early in camp. Crennel will play Charlie Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson in preseason. And there is a mixed bag for rookie QBs receiving significant starts: Tim Couch (14), Kerry Collins (13), Ben Roethlisberger (13), Vince Young (13), Joey Harrington (12), Matt Leinart (11) and Kyle Boller (nine). While all the focus will be on the Browns new-look offense, I’m more concerned with the defense.
Carolina Panthers: Coach Jon Fox loves the ground game, but Carolina has made some interesting changes for 2007. Fox fired offensive coordinator Dan Henning and brings in Jeff Davidson to run the offense. Davidson has brought in zone-blocking schemes to the Panther offense, a dramatic change for a system that's been built around a power-running style.
In zone-blocking, offensive linemen are responsible for blocking any defender who appears in their zone, instead of focusing on one defender. The Broncos and Falcons have had success with the system, which features smaller, more athletic offensive linemen and can create running lanes on the inside and outside. Keep an eye in preseason on how Carolina adjusts as it will take time to learn the system. Fox has been one of the top coaches in preseason, with a 15-5 SU, 12-7-1 ATS August record.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Terrell Owens is still here, but QB Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells are gone. New head coach Wade Phillips takes over, replacing Parcells. He ran the Chargers defense last season. Phillips was chosen by teary-eyed owner Jerry Jones partly because he is one of the best 3-4 coaches in football and the Cowboys have loaded up on players for that scheme.
Remember that Phillips was blitz-happy with the Chargers last season and early reports out of the Dallas camp have mentioned how the Cowboys have been blitzing a lot, a departure from Parcells. The theme of the 2007 Dallas defense appears to be one of attack.
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