08/13/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh lefty Paul Maholm will try to continue a recent run of quality pitching at home tonight, when the Pirates host the Cincinnati Reds in the middle contest of a three-game series at PNC Park.
Maholm, a first-round draft choice in 2003 (eighth overall), has performed superbly in front of the home faithful this season, going 5-1 with a 3.14 earned run average over 77 1/3 innings at PNC Park.
He got a tough-luck no-decision in his most recent Steel City outing, allowing just four hits and a run in seven innings of his team's 3-1 loss to San Diego.
In Maholm's last 10 starts, however, he has gone 3-2 and has allowed three runs or fewer eight times, while completing at least six innings in all 10 outings.
The southpaw is 2-3 in 10 lifetime starts against the Reds and last faced them on June 30, when he allowed five hits and two runs over seven innings for another no-decision in a 4-3 Pirates loss.
Maholm will be opposed by veteran Josh Fogg, who has won just once in six starts since returning to the rotation after early season bouts with ineffectiveness and injury.
The 31-year-old product of the University of Florida was 1-2 with a 9.85 ERA in his initial 28 1/3 innings this season before missing more than a month of time between late May and early July.
Fogg returned on July 5 for a no-decision against Washington, beat the New York Mets on July 19 and has gone 0-2 in three more starts since then.
In the six most recent outings combined, the Massachusetts native has been touched for 37 hits and 21 earned runs in 30 1/3 innings.
He is 1-1 in three lifetime starts against the Pirates.
The Reds, who have unloaded Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn since the All-Star break, are bringing up the rear in the National League's Central Division, trailing the first-place Chicago Cubs by 19 1/2 games.
The Pirates, meanwhile, are just one spot better in fifth, leading the Reds by 2 1/2 games but trailing the Cubs by a full 17 contests.
On Tuesday, Brandon Phillips belted a two-run homer to lift the Reds over the Pirates, 5-1. Javier Valentin added a solo shot and Corey Patterson drove in two runs on two hits as the Reds halted a season-high six-game slide.
The Reds continued their youth movement on Monday, shipping Dunn to the Arizona Diamondbacks for three prospects, including minor league pitcher Dallas Buck.
Andy LaRoche drove in the only run for the Pirates, who have dropped three of their last four.
Edinson Volquez (14-5) picked up the win after yielding one run on five hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. Volquez had five strikeouts along the way.
Jeff Karstens (2-1) suffered his first defeat as he surrendered four runs, one of which was unearned, in seven innings.
In his third career National League start, the 2003 Yankees' draft choice allowed seven hits and two walks, while striking out two.
Pittsburgh is 6-4 versus the Reds this season and swept a three-game series at PNC Park from April 11 - 13.
<< White Sox aim to stay atop Central versus KC
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After regaining the top spot in the American League Central
on Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox hope to stay there following tonight's clash
with the Kansas City Royals at U.S. Cellular Field.
Chicago moved a half-game in f
<< Lester tries to do more for Red Sox vs. Rangers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox have been one of baseball's best teams
at home this season, while Jon Lester has been nearly unbeatable when he has
taken the Fenway Park mound.
Lester tries to pitch the Red Sox to a second straigh
<< Cubs, Braves set to play two in Atlanta
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After having a day off due to inclement weather in the
Atlanta area on Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs will try again for their sixth
straight road win when they kick off a six-game trek this afternoon with a
day-night doubleheader
<< Red-hot Angels go for sixth straight in finale with Mariners
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are going to try and make
their short series with Seattle a good one. The club concludes a two-game set
with the Mariners tonight at Angel Stadium.
Tonight's test brings to a close an e
Marlins continue series with Cardinals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies are
floundering out west in LA, the Florida Marlins are slowly climbing their way
back to the top of the division.
The Marlins will try to gain more ground on the Phillies to
Maine set for return as Mets battle Nationals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets hope that John Maine can make a
successful return from the disabled list tonight, when he takes the ball in
the second test of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.
Maine exited early in h
Blue Jays shoot for another win over troubled Tigers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With a healthy Vernon Wells, the Toronto Blue Jays aren't
ready to give up on the American League Wild Card just yet. The Blue Jays try
for their third straight win over the Detroit Tigers tonight in the
continu
Astros send Wolf to hill to take on Giants >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - California-born left-hander Randy Wolf can stay unbeaten
during his brief stint with Houston tonight, when the Astros host the San
Francisco Giants in the third game of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros en
Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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Matt Kenseth And Kevin Harvick Favorites To Take NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship
(September 15)—The NASCAR season has hit the homestretch with the opening event on this year’s Chase for the Cup taking place this weekend at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. With 10 races remaining to determine the Cup Series champion, leading online sportsbook MySportsbook.com today announced odds on all 10 Chase qualifying drivers capturing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
One of the largest sportsbook sites on the Internet, MySportsbook.com currently lists the top two drivers in the point standings as the early favorites to win the Nextel Cup. Entering the Chase for the Cup with a slim five-point lead in the point standings, 2003 NASCAR champ Matt Kenseth has been made a slight favorite to win his second Cup at 7/2 betting odds. 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick has betting odds listed at 5/2 and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is listed at 6/1 to capture the Nextel Cup this year.
Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father who won six NASCAR titles, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands at 8/1 to breakthrough with his first Cup victory. Staying with the family theme, MySportsbook.com lists 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch at 14/1 to succeed big brother Kurt’s 2004 NASCAR title. While Kasey Kahne was the final driver to qualify for the Chase with a third place finish last week, the oddsmakers give him a fighting chance at 10/1 mainly due to several mile-and-a-half tracks remaining on the schedule. Despite going winless on the NASCAR circuit this season, Jeff Burton enters the Chase at 5/1 to capture the Cup title. Meanwhile, rookie Denny Hamlin is 4/1 to win the championship, while veteran driver Mark Martin enters the Chase for the Cup as a 15/1 long shot to win his first NASCAR title in his 24th and final season.
MySportsbook.com will offer comprehensive Nascar betting lines on every race remaining on the Nextel Cup series including driver match-ups, props and odds to win each race. For a complete list of NASCAR odds, please visit www.MySportsbook.com.
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