Rays host Jays in series opener at the Trop

Baseball Betting Lines

08/30/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Youngster Wade Davis makes his second start since returning from the disabled list tonight, when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game home series at Tropicana Field.

A soon-to-be 25-year-old, Davis will celebrate a birthday on Sept. 7 and was shelved following a six-inning stint against Minnesota in which he allowed 10 hits and six runs while picking up a no-decision in an 8-6 loss.

He returned on Aug. 24 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and allowed six hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings while earning a 10-3 verdict for his 10th win of the season.

Davis is actually unbeaten since June 27, when he lost a 2-1 decision to the Arizona Diamondbacks in an interleague matchup. He's 5-0 in seven starts since while pitching at least seven innings three times and allowing three runs or less on five occasions

He is 5-6 in 12 home starts in 2010.

The Rays remained tied with the Yankees for first place in the American League's East Division on Sunday with a 5-3 defeat of the Boston Red Sox in the rubber match of their three-game series.

Dan Johnson capped a three-run sixth inning with an RBI single, while Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena each homered for the Rays, who have won six of eight.

James Shields (13-11) allowed three runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings to win his third straight start. He also struck out eight and walked one.

Toronto will start 24-year-old southpaw Brett Cecil, who's won four times in five career decisions against the Rays.

The 6-1, 235-pound Cecil topped Tampa Bay, 2-1, on Aug. 6 in Toronto after allowing four hits and a run in seven innings.

He's downed the Rays two other times in 2010 as well, including a 6-5 win in his initial start of the season on April 23 and a 3-2 victory on June 10 at Tropicana Field.

The Dunkirk, Md. native was a 6-3 winner over the Yankees in his most recent start on Aug. 25 and is 6-4 in 13 road starts.

On Sunday in Toronto, Rick Porcello spun seven solid innings and Ryan Raburn belted two home runs, finishing with four RBI, as the Tigers pounded the Blue Jays, 10-4, to salvage a split of a four-game series at Rogers Centre.

Toronto starting pitcher Marc Rzepczynski (1-3) gave up four runs -- three earned -- on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Rzepczynski, who was celebrating his 25th birthday on Sunday, struck out a season-high eight batters but walked five to match his career high.

The Blue Jays have won each of their last four matchups with the Rays to even the season series at six games apiece. Toronto has lost four of six at Tropicana Field.

Jazzports Baseball Betting News

<< Nats hand ball to Marquis in Florida
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Despite pitching well over his last two starts, Nationals hurler Jason Marquis is still searching for his first victory in nearly a year. Unfortunately, tonight's opponent, the Marlins, have given him issues over th

<< Pettitte's health the key to the Yankees repeating
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the New York Yankees hope to win a second straight world championship they'll need a healthy and productive Andy Pettitte on the mound come October. Before the 38-year old lefty went down with a strained groin

<< NL Central-leading Reds seek a win over Wolf, Brewers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In winning 11 of their last 15 games the Reds now own their largest division lead this season. Perhaps that momentum can help them solve Brewers starter Randy Wolf. Cincinnati will try to defeat Wolf for the f

<< Phils shoot for fourth straight victory versus Dodgers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies are hoping a recent sweep of the talented San Diego Padres will catapult them back into the postseason. Currently standing in the way of that goal are the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will welcome the tw

<< Padres seek to snap season-long skid in clash with D-Backs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres are mired in a season-high losing streak and look to get back on track tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series between division foes at Chase Field. The National L

First-place Rangers, Royals square off in KC >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The first-place Texas Rangers can get their road record to .500 and maintain a stranglehold on the American League's West Division tonight, when they visit the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game series

NHL: Five burning Central Division questions >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With training camps opening Sept. 12, there is no better time than the present to begin asking the single-most important question for each of the 30 NHL teams. The first of six installments begins in

Does NHL have something to Fehr? >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The revolving door to the president's office at the National Hockey League Players' Association is once again in motion and the punditocracy is foaming with rumors that former baseball players' union boss Don

Prosecutors charge Mizzou RB with assault >>
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -Prosecutors have charged suspended Missouri running back Derrick Washington with sexual assault.Assistant Boone County prosecutor Andrea Hayes says a single count of felony deviate sexual assault was filed Monday. She says she wi

Walcott putting World Cup snub behind him >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The biggest decisions most 16-year-old boys have to make involve a choice of which car to buy, which girl to ask to the dance, or what their Facebook status will be. But Theo Walcott was not your typic

NFL Football Office Pool Printable Schedules
MySportsbook.com , leading online sportsbook, offers free NFL football office pool printable sheets! Run your own NFL Football Office Pool. Create your own pool, invite your friends to join. Compete with your with co-workers, friends or family for bragging rights every week. Exchange some hard hits without risk of injury -- Trash Talk with your fellow co-workers.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football sportsbook needs.

Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

For more March Madness odds go to MySportsbook.com

For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.