Mets try to keep momentum going in San Francisco

Baseball Betting Lines

06/02/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets are playing the kind of baseball right now that could save a manager's job. Willie Randolph's crew will try to maintain its hot play in the opener of a three-game set tonight with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.

Randolph received a vote of confidence from general manager Omar Minaya last Monday, just a day after the Mets lost to the Rockies for their sixth loss in seven games. Though Randolph's job was not guaranteed for the rest of the season, New York is playing like a club that wants to keep him around.

The Mets lost last Monday's test with the Marlins, but have since won five of six, taking three of four against the Dodgers over the weekend. New York's big and pricey names stepped up, as Johan Santana pitched into the eighth inning, while Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church each hit two-run homers.

Santana (7-3) allowed six hits and the lone run while striking out six over 7 2/3 innings to win for the sixth time in his last seven decisions. Church, meanwhile, had three hits after returning to the starting lineup for the first time since suffering a minor concussion -- his second of the year -- in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Atlanta on May 20.

David Wright had three hits and two RBI, and Jose Reyes went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Reyes, who has reached base safely in 32 straight games, extended his hitting streak to 17 games, hitting .338 (25-74) with 14 runs scored, five home runs and 11 RBI over that stretch.

The Mets send Oliver Perez to the hill tonight to pitch this opener. Perez has posted consecutive no-decisions, including Wednesday when he gave up five runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. He was hurt by the long ball, allowing three homers in a game for the second time this year.

Perez, who is 4-3 with a 4.83 earned run average this year, has yet to defeat the Giants in his career, going 0-4 against them with a 5.83 ERA in eight starts.

The Giants will try to carry the momentum of Sunday's comeback win over the Padres into tonight's test. San Francisco found itself down 3-1 in the bottom of the 10th after Alex Hinshaw (1-0) gave up a two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez in the top of the frame, but rallied for three runs in the inning.

Fred Lewis drove in the first two runs of the stanza with a pinch-hit triple that scored both Ray Durham and Brian Horwitz, while Jose Castillo later brought home Lewis with an infield single to win the game.

The win helped the Giants avoid getting swept in the three-game series and was their fourth in six games.

Though he is batting just .245 on the season and has only one hit in his last 12 at-bats, the Giants might want to keep Rich Aurilia's bat in the lineup tonight, as he has four homers and 10 RBI in 31 at-bats in his career against Perez.

Jonathan Sanchez starts for the Giants and brings a 3-3 record and 4.26 ERA into tonight's outing. Sanchez halted a five-start winless stretch (0-2) on Wednesday versus the Diamondbacks, holding them to a pair of runs and six hits over six innings of an 11-3 victory. The left-hander also struck out six, giving him 63 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings this year.

Sanchez, who has allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last eight outings, will make his first career start against the Mets tonight. He has faced them twice in relief, posting a victory while holding them without a hit or run in 1 2/3 total innings.

The Mets won four of six against the Giants last year, going 2-1 at AT&T Park.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

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