Canadian MLB Report: Votto powering Reds' hot start

Baseball Betting Lines

05/25/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A strong start to the season from Joey Votto has helped the Cincinnati Reds sit atop the National League Central division standings through the first 45 games of the season. The Reds tied the St. Louis Cardinals for the division lead after a 7-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night.

Through weekend play, Votto was hitting .307 with 10 homers, 33 runs batted in and a .406 on-base percentage. He ranks in the top 10 in the NL in home runs, on-base percentage, and walks. The 26-year-old is leading the Reds in all four of the above categories, in turn cementing himself as the centerpiece of the franchise.

Votto has also made a habit this year of delivering in the clutch. He is batting .356 with runners in scoring position, firmly entrenching himself as the No. 3 hitter in the Reds' order.

Cincinnati's second-round draft pick in 2002 will be in line for a big payday when his current contract runs out, as he continues to emerge into one of the league's elite first basemen.

SURGING

Jason Bay: All Bay needed was a new calendar month or, perhaps, more time to get used to the new environs of Citi Field. Either way, the month of May has been much more pleasant to Bay than his first in a Mets uniform. Bay has recorded a hit in 15 of his last 17 games, a stretch that included an 11-game hit streak. Bay, who is currently hitting .350 in May, has raised his team- leading average to .307.

The three-time All-Star also helped propel the Mets to a series victory over their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees, in interleague play this past weekend. Bay went 7-for-10 in the three-game set, amassing four extra base hits along the way, including two home runs in the series finale Sunday night.

Mark Teahen: The White Sox starting third baseman extended his hit streak to seven games after going 3-for-4 with three RBI Monday night against the Cleveland Indians. Teahen is in year one of a three-year deal he signed with Chicago in the offseason, after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Kansas City Royals. During the streak, Teahen has seen his batting average rise by 30 points and is currently batting .248 with two homers and 11 RBI through 40 games.

A MAJOR RETURN

Jeff Francis: Francis followed up his solid 2010 debut with another strong start this past weekend, winning his first MLB game since 2008. The southpaw has allowed only one run in 13.1 innings of work to start the season. The 29- year-old is well on his way to a successful comeback, as he attempts to ease the load staff ace Ubaldo Jimenez has been carrying and help the Rockies reach the postseason for the third time in four years.

George Kottaras: Kottaras has assumed the role of starting catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers since Gregg Zaun was placed on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder. The Scarborough, Ont. native has shown some pop over 49 at bats this season, as nine of his 12 hits have gone for extra bases, including three homers and 11 RBI. Despite hitting .245, Kottaras is sporting a .443 OBP.

Wrldwidegamble Baseball Betting News

<< Hall looking like he could be an Oiler
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hockey is a team game, but you'd have to think Windsor Spitfires forward Taylor Hall was out to prove something of an individual nature during the 2010 Memorial Cup, which ended Sunday with the Spits claiming

<< Henin wins in French return; Safina exits Paris
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Four-time champ Justine Henin made her return to the French Open a successful one with a straight-set victory over Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova, while two-time runner-up Dinara Safina went by way of t

<< Roddick sneaks into second round in Paris
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former top-ranked star Andy Roddick went the distance Tuesday to post an opening-round victory at the 2010 French Open. The sixth-seeded American needed all five sets to overcome Finnish veteran Jarkko Niem

<< Angels hope to bounce back against Jays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One night after being shut down by a young Toronto Blue Jays left-hander, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will attempt to bounce back against another tough southpaw when these two teams resume a three-game series this eveni

<< Tigers continue trip in Seattle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers make the final stop on a three-city tour of the West Coast in tonight's opener of a two-game series with the Seattle Mariners from Safeco Field, where ace pitcher Justin Verlander will put a four-start win

Pirates place Pearce on DL >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates have placed first baseman Steve Pearce on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained right ankle. Pearce was hurt during Monday's game against Cincinnati. In 15 games th

Indians and Tigers to make up May 7 rainout on July 17 >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers will make up their May 7 rainout at Progressive Field as part of a day/night doubleheader on Saturday, July 17. The rescheduled game will take place at 1:05

Can favored Blackhawks come through with Cup? >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sometimes a team has to be very bad before it can climb to the top of the mountain. Look at the Pittsburgh Penguins. They finished last or next-to-last in the two seasons surrounding the lockout and by 2008

Boston's Cameron returns from DL >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox have activated outfielder Mike Cameron from the 15-day disabled list. He had been sidelined since April 19 because of a lower abdominal strain. The 37-year-old Cameron initia

NYRA to receive $25 million loan from state >>
Elmont, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will receive a loan of $25 million from the State of New York to continue operations beyond Wednesday, June 9. A spokesman for Gov. David Patterson said Tuesday that the loan

FOOTBALL BETTING

Sportsbook Betting

After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.