Reds, Ludwick complete 1-year deal
Baseball Betting Lines
02/08/2012 - Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds and outfielder Ryan Ludwick have finalized a one-year contract.
The deal, reported last month but not announced until Wednesday, includes a mutual option for the 2013 season.
The Reds also signed left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis to a minor league deal and invited him to spring training. They designated right-hander Carlos Fisher for assignment.
Ludwick, 33, joined his sixth team. The nine-year veteran played his final 38 games for the NL Central-rival Pirates last season after being traded to Pittsburgh from San Diego in July.
He had 13 homers and 75 runs batted in over 139 games last year and is three seasons removed from belting a career-high 37 home runs for the Cardinals in 2008.
Francis, 31, went 6-16 with a 4.82 earned-run average in one season for the Kansas City Royals. He also pitched six seasons for the Colorado Rockies and is 61-66 with a 4.78 ERA in 181 career games. He won a career-high 17 games for the Rockies in 2007.
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arbitrators ruled Wednesday in favor of Emilio Bonifacio against the Miami Marlins. Bonifacio will make $2.2 million next season instead of the $1.95 million salary targeted by the team, according to MLB.
<< Ruler On Ice and Shackleford meet in Donn Handicap
Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Triple Crown race winners Ruler On Ice
and Shackleford head a field of 11 older thoroughbreds for Saturday's 1 1/8-
mile Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. The two four-year-olds will each be
making
<< Capello walks away from England post
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Football Association confirmed on
Wednesday that Fabio Capello has resigned as England manager.
Capello was critical of the FA in an interview with Italian television when it
was announced that J
<< Super Bowl underdogs cash in again
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Betting the underdog in the Super Bowl is
never a sure thing as evidenced by Green Bay's win and cover as the favorite
in the 2011 contest. However, with the Giants victory as 2.5-point underdogs
last S
<< Good weather means increases at Oaklawn
Hot Springs, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Not one day of racing has been missed at
Oaklawn Park in 2012 allowing the track to increase daily purses. The track
announced Wednesday that overnight purses are going up $5,000 a day starting
this we
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The appointment of Fabio Capello as manager of England's national team in December 2007 was supposed to be a step in the right direction following the disappointing 18-months that Steve McClaren spent at the hel
Panthers sign long snapper to 4-year deal >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Panthers signed long snapper
J.J. Jansen to a four-year contract on Wednesday.
Jansen, 26, has played all 48 games in his three NFL seasons with the Panthers
and went without a mistake this p
Catania, Roma finish all square in resumed match >>
Catania, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The final 25 minutes of Roma's match at
Catania concluded on Wednesday with neither side able to break the 1-1
deadlock they started the day with.
The match was suspended after 65 minutes bec
Wildcat Creek comes in for Hutcheson Stakes >>
Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A field of six three-year-olds have
been entered for Saturday's $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The
seven-furlong contest is an early prep for next month's $1 million Florida
Derby.
Benschop helps AZ join PSV at the top of the league >>
The Hague, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A hat trick from Charlison Benschop
helped AZ Alkmaar on its way to a 6-0 triumph at Den Haag on Wednesday,
allowing the club to join PSV Eindhoven at the top of the Eredivisie table.
AZ slip
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING
NCAA Football BettingMany fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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