Braves' Jones back in lineup in 4-0 win over Mets

Baseball Betting Lines

07/10/2010 -

NEW YORK (AP) -When Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones had back spasms after one night in the team hotel in New York, his solution was easy: sleep on the floor.

Jones was back in the starting lineup in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the New York Mets after sitting out the previous night. He has spent two nights on the floor in his room and said he plans to also sleep there Saturday night.

``I don't have a problem with any of the other beds in the league except these,'' he said.

Jones said he was still bothered by his back Saturday. During one play in the infield, he let a ball go through his legs. He also said it hurt more to swing right-handed than left-handed.

But Jones said he has made adjustments for the pain.

``It was doable today,'' he said.

Manager Bobby Cox said before the game - perhaps jokingly - that the beds were uncomfortable.

Jones was booed during pregame introductions and each at-bat. He entered Saturday's game batting .319 with 42 home runs in his career against the Mets. He scored one run and had two hits in the Braves' second consecutive win against the Mets.

He isn't the only Braves player dealing with injuries.

Rookie outfielder Jason Heyward is on the 15-day disabled list because of a deep bone bruise in his left thumb that will keep him out of the All-Star game.

Heyward was scheduled to take batting practice with Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday night. He will travel to Anaheim, where the All-Star game will be held Tuesday. Heyward will not play, but will take batting practice Monday and Tuesday.

``Hopefully, he'll be back after the break,'' Cox said. ``But we don't know until he starts swinging.''

Braves outfielder Nate McLouth started a rehab assignment with Gwinnett on Friday night, going 1 for 3 against Charlotte. He's been out since June 9, when he collided with Heyward chasing a fly ball and hurt his head.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Waskjeeves Baseball Betting News

<< Report: Redskins OL Williams to miss season
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Post is reporting that Redskins starting right guard Mike Williams could be sidelined for the 2010 season because of blood clots near his heart. Team sources have told the paper

<< Dutch, Spain both eye history-making victory
Johannesburg, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - History will be made at Soccer City on Sunday in the final of the FIFA World Cup as either the Netherlands or Spain will claim its first-ever World Cup title. One of the two sides will becom

<< Soto and Castro carry Cubs past Dodgers
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Geovany Soto and Aramis Ramirez homered and the Cubs scored six times in the first three innings to land a 7-3 win against the Dodgers in the continuation of a four-game series from Chavez Ravine.

<< Hudson dominates Mets
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Hudson's RBI double punctuated a four-run fifth inning that propelled the Atlanta Braves to a 4-0 win over the New York Mets. Hudson (9-4) was masterful on the mound, limiting New York to four hits i

<< Wilcox leads by one in Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Will Wilcox fired an eight-under 64 Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Dakota Dunes Casino Open. Wilcox completed 54 holes at 19-under-par 197 to break the three-round tourn

Nash thinks Miami has great tools, needs a team >>
HARRISON, N.J. (AP) -Steve Nash says there is no doubt the Miami Heat have the talent to win an NBA title next year.The question the All-Star guard has is: Do they have the team?Speaking at halftime of a New York Red Bulls MLS game, Nash says he und

Opportunistic Earthquakes edge Union >>
Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes earned an opportunistic 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer action at PPL Park on Saturday evening. The win was made possible because of a num

Awesome Gem edges Rail Trip to win Hollywood Gold Cup >>
Inglewood, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Awesome Gem, ridden by David Flores, found room along the rail and was able to hold off defending champ Rail Trip to capture Saturday's $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park. The seven-year-o

Heyward pulls out of All-Star Game >>
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Braves rookie right fielder Jason Heyward won't play in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Heyward, 20, was voted as a starter by the fans but is currently on the 15-day disabled list with a thumb ailment. He

Furcal replaces Reyes on NL All-Star roster >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes will miss the All-Star Game on Tuesday due to a strained right oblique. Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal was chosen to replace Reyes and will make his second appearance in

American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

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