Mets trade Jacobs to Blue Jays

Baseball Betting Lines

07/30/2010 - Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets have traded first baseman Mike Jacobs to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later.

Jacobs signed with the Mets this offseason, but played in only seven games in April before being designated for assignment. He hit 5-for-24 with one home run for New York.

The 29-year-old has hit .260 with 15 homers and 57 RBI at Triple-A Buffalo this season.

Wwwnyra Baseball Betting News

<< Veloso seals move to Genoa
Genoa, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Genoa has agreed to a deal that will bring them midfielder Miguel Veloso from Sporting Lisbon, it was confirmed by the Portuguese club on Friday. The 24-year-old Veloso has been linked with a number o

<< Canadiens sign D Henry
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Alex Henry to a two-year, two-way contract on Friday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Henry did not appear in the NHL last season, but over 68 games

<< Rangers get Guzman from Nationals
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals have dealt infielder Cristian Guzman to the Texas Rangers for prospects. A story on the Nationals' official website cited Guzman's agent in reporting the move, which was c

<< Wizards re-sign F Josh Howard
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Wizards signed free agent forward Josh Howard to a one-year deal Friday. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, TNT analyst David Aldridge reported ear

<< Lightning add F Moore
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning signed free agent forward Dominic Moore to a two-year contract on Friday. The 29-year-old spent last season split between the Panthers and Canadiens, tallying 10 goals and 28 p

NL Central: Pirates' purge won't be like years past >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The final few days of July are almost always antsy ones for veteran players of the Pittsburgh Pirates, not to mention an absolute nightmare for the organization's media relations staff, equipment managers and clubhouse attend

German midfielder Khedira joins Real Madrid >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid agreed to a transfer for Germany midfielder Sami Khedira from Stuttgart on Friday. The 23-year-old will sign a five-year contract after undergoing a physical in Madrid. Khedira emerged in the re

Vikings come to terms with RB Gerhart >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly signed running back Toby Gerhart. The Star Tribune revealed Friday that Gerhart, the 51st overall draft pick back in April, was given a four-year, $3.767 mill

Fisher flirts with 59, takes Irish Open lead >>
Killarney, Ireland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ross Fisher fired a 10-under 61 on Friday to grab sole possession of first place after the second round of the Irish Open. Fisher finished 36 holes at 12-under 130 and is three strokes cl

A's activate Anderson, disable Bailey >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics made several moves on Friday, among them reinstating pitcher Brett Anderson from the 15-day disabled list and placing pitcher Andrew Bailey on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 21.

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds

Will he or won't he?  Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.

Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.

"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."

Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.

Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.

But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.

Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback.  It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.

Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1


Atlanta Falcons 50-1


Baltimore Ravens 15-1


Buffalo Bills 50-1


Carolina Panthers 18-1


Chicago Bears 10-1


Cincinnati Bengals 15-1


Cleveland Browns 100-1


Dallas Cowboys 15-1


Denver Broncos 15-1


Detroit Lions 100-1


Green Bay Packers 50-1


Houston Texans 100-1


Indianapolis Colts 6-1


Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1


Kansas City Chiefs 30-1


Miami Dolphins 40-1


Minnesota Vikings 75-1


New England Patriots 10-1


New Orleans Saints 18-1


New York Giants 20-1


New York Jets 30-1


Oakland Raiders 100-1


Philadelphia Eagles 18-1


Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1


Saint Louis Rams 60-1


San Diego Chargers 6-1


San Francisco 49ers 75-1


Seattle Seahawks 20-1


Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1


Tennessee Titans 40-1


Washington Redskins 50-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.