Astros, Cubs meet again at Wrigley

Baseball Betting Lines

09/17/2011 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie right-hander Henry Sosa gets the first opportunity to delay history for the Houston Astros today when they head to Wrigley Field for the middle game of a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.

Houston dropped Friday's opener, 4-3, in 12 innings for its 99th loss of the season. The Astros have never lost 100 games in one year, dating back to their origins as the Colt 45s in 1962.

The franchise's highest loss total entering 2011 had been 97 - in 1965, 1975 and 1991. It lost 90 games or more in each of its first seven seasons, but had reached 90 just three times since.

No. 99 came Friday when Chicago's Marlon Byrd drove in the winning run with a dribbler down the third-base line in the bottom of the 12th.

David Carpenter (0-3) loaded the bases with one out in the 12th. Byrd's hit bounced off the third-base line and seemed to land in foul territory before Chris Johnson touched the ball with his glove. It was ruled a fair ball on the field, which allowed Starlin Castro to score the winning run.

Geovany Soto hit a solo homer for the Cubs, who snapped a three-game skid. Alfonso Soriano and Jeff Baker added an RBI apiece.

Chicago starter Matt Garza went nine innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. Carlos Marmol pitched two scoreless innings and Jeff Samardzija (7-4) tossed a flawless 12th to pick up the win.

Houston first baseman Carlos Lee went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers, including a game-tying two-run blast in the ninth.

Wandy Rodriguez allowed three runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings for the Astros, who have lost two in a row.

Sosa, a 26-year-old Dominican, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2004 and made his major-league debut on Aug. 10 with a six-inning outing in a 6-3 loss at Arizona.

He faced the Cubs and took a 4-3 loss in his second start five days later, then won two straight before dropping 3-1 and 8-2 verdicts in his last two outings against Washington and Pittsburgh.

Overall, in 37 2/3 innings, he's allowed 36 hits, 21 runs and 15 walks while striking out 28.

In the loss to the Cubs, also at Wrigley, he was touched for seven hits and four runs in six innings.

He's opposed by Mexican veteran Rodrigo Lopez, who got the win in the Aug. 15 matchup after lasting 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on five hits.

The 35-year-old, who's made 251 big-league appearances, is 2-2 in seven career meetings with the Astros - posting a 5.05 earned run average across 35 2/3 innings.

Lopez was a 12-8 winner at Cincinnati in his last start on Sept. 12, ending a four-start skid in which he'd gone 0-3 with a no-decision.

The Cubs are 5-5 in his last 10 appearances.

Roultette Baseball Betting News

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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeanmar Gomez aims to win his fourth straight start when the Indians resume their series against the Minnesota Twins this afternoon. The 23-year-old right-hander has given up a total of three earned runs during his winning

Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

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