10/30/2008 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira highlight a list of 65 Major League players who filed for free agency on Thursday.
Garret Anderson, Jason Varitek, Derek Lowe, Ryan Dempster and Ben Sheets were also among the players who filed just a day after the Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series title since 1980.
Potential free agents have until November 13 to make themselves eligible to the masses.
Though Ramirez, 36, only spent two-plus months with Los Angeles, his presence was surely felt in carrying the Dodgers to the postseason and a National League Division Series sweep of the Chicago Cubs. After a tumultuous split with the Boston Red Sox that ended with a three-team deal at the July 31 trade deadline, the outfielder belted 17 home runs and recorded 53 RBI in just 53 regular season games with the Dodgers.
Teixeira was also a mid-season acquisition of the American League Western Division champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. After being dealt from the Atlanta Braves, the 28-year-old first baseman hit .358 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 54 games with the Angels.
His teammate Anderson did not have his contract option picked up by the Angels after 15 seasons with the club. The 36-year-old outfielder compiled a .293 average with 15 homers and 84 RBI last year.
Varitek, a staple behind the plate of two Red Sox championships (2004, 2007), was a paltry .220 at the plate this season with 13 round-trippers and 43 RBI for Boston.
Three premiere pitching options in Lowe, Dempster and Sheets will be available to those looking for an extra arm. Lowe, in his 13th season, went 14-11 with a 3.24 earned run average last year, his fourth with the Dodgers.
Dempster had his best year in the majors in what was his 11th season and fifth with the Chicago, posting a 17-6 mark with a 2.96 ERA in 33 starts for the National League Central champion Cubs.
Sheets struggled with injuries at the tail end of the 2008 season, but he started 31 games -- his most since 2004 -- and went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA in helping to lead the Brewers to a postseason appearance.
The St. Louis Cardinals had the most players file for free agency on Thursday with six: shortstop Cesar Izturis, catcher Jason LaRue, second baseman Felipe Lopez, and pitchers Braden Looper, Russ Springer and Ron Villone.
Other notable players filing included the Yankees' Bobby Abreu and Ivan Rodriguez, the Angels' Jon Garland, the Rangers' Hank Blalock and Milton Bradley and the Mariners' Raul Ibanez.
<< Mets ink Tatis to one-year deal
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets re-signed third
baseman/outfielder Fernando Tatis to a one-year contract Thursday. Per team
policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Tatis, the National League Comeback
<< Blues sign goaltender Holt
Peoria, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Blues President John Davidson
announced on Thursday the club has signed goaltender Chris Holt.
Holt, 23, has played in two games with the Blues' American Hockey League
affiliate, the
<< Letzig and Jones share first at Ginn sur Mer Classic
Palm Coast, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Letzig and Kent Jones both fired
rounds of seven-under 65 on Thursday and shared first place at the Ginn sur
Mer Classic.
Ryan Palmer is alone in third place at five-under 67 at The Conservato
<< New Cowboys stadium to host 2010 NBA All-Star Game
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NBA announced Thursday that the 2010 All-
Star Game will be held at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Most of the events surrounding the All-Star Game will be held at American
Airlines Ce
Lakers, Bynum agree to contract extension >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center
Andrew Bynum to a multi-year contract extension.
Terms weren't announced by the team, but the Los Angeles Times reported it's a
four-year deal worth $57.4 millio
Girardi keeps Rangers streaking with game-winner against Atlanta >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Daniel Girardi scored the game-winner with
6:27 to go in the game, and the New York Rangers defeated the Atlanta
Thrashers, 3-2, at Madison Square Garden.
Nikolai Zherdev and Markus Naslund also
Wozniak reaches quarters at Quebec City >>
Quebec City, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak reached the
quarterfinals at the $175,000 Bell Challenge after defeating American Carly
Gullickson.
The fifth-seeded Wozniak made quick work of her opponent, defeating Gul
Carter lifts Flyers past Isles in OT >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Carter's second goal of the game came
with 22.9 seconds to play in overtime as the Philadelphia Flyers downed the
New York Islanders, 3-2, at the Wachovia Center.
On the power play in the extra
Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends
We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS. Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned. For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go. As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190). Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet. For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction. On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later. Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick. Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com
New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times.
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season.
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS.
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”. With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit. Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.
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