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07/22/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - As Canada prepares to host the 2010 IBAF World Junior Baseball Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont., beginning Friday, here's a closer look at its final 20-player roster.
It all starts behind the plate.
Canada's top player, Kellin Deglan, will be looked to as the leader of a team that has won the event just once in 1991.
The Langley, British Columbia native is the heart and soul of the club and after the 2010 MLB Draft, the face of it too. The 18-year-old catcher caught the attention of an entire country when the Texas Rangers selected him 22nd overall this past June.
Deglan is the big left-handed bat that head coach Greg Hamilton will rely on in the middle of the order. However, Deglan comes with more than just a bat and keen baseball sense. As one player mentioned, "You can't compete with his work ethic."
Deglan's leadership will play a large factor in his team's ability to channel the home crowd hysteria into victories.
INFIELD
Canada is also strong in the middle infield, anchored by shortstop Brandon Dailey, from Brantford, Ont.
Standing in at 5'10", 170-pounds, Dailey isn't the most imposing player physically, but nonetheless a solid athlete with a multi-use skill set.
Described by the coaching staff as a leader on the team, Dailey should provide consistent contact at the top of the order (likely second) given his aggressive approach at the plate and tendency to square up on pitches. His ability to run and hit for average are both amplified when you consider his exceptional defensive talents, behind a strong infield arm and soft hands.
Fresh off an exhibition tour that saw the Junior National Team play 11 games in 15 days, there's still uncertainty as to how the middle infield will fill out.
One thing they'll have is depth - soon-to-be 17-year-old Justin Atkinson provides the team with a high-ceiling player that projects to be a top-level talent. At 6'1", Atkinson has the frame and athleticism to be a special player but it remains to be seen what type of impact the youngster will make during the tournament.
Also competing for playing time at second base will be Raymond, Alberta native Jimmy Ralph. The 17-year-old infielder is a solid defender with a simple, straight stroke that will keep defenses on their toes.
One of the keys to Canada's success in the tournament will be the play of its corner infielders. The corner infield of third baseman Jalen Harris (Toronto) and first baseman Jordan Boston (Brampton) is big on size and high on potential.
Both players are physically gifted, especially Harris (6'2", 210), who is one of the top athletes on the roster. His defense should be solid, as he plays with a strong sense of composure and has good hands. If Harris can get himself into a groove at the plate, he has the potential to make an impact in the tournament.
OUTFIELD
Canada looks to be solid in the outfield, headlined by three players selected in the MLB Draft - Rowan Wick (Milwaukee, 18th round), Dalton Pompey and Philip Diedrick (Toronto, 16th and 45th round, respectively).
Pompey is a multi-talented player, evidenced by the Jays' decision to sign the Mississauga, Ontario native almost immediately following the draft.
A switch-hitter with the ability to spray the ball to both sides of the field, Pompey will give Hamilton and his coaching staff plenty of flexibility with the roster. Pompey's speed and athleticism are assets both in the field and on the basepaths, and he figures to find himself at the top of the order.
Both Diedrick (Ajax, Ont.) and Wick will be relied upon, along with Deglan, to provide the power in the lineup. This will most likely be Canada's greatest weakness, but they overshadow it by playing a brand of ball that includes solid contact and line drive hitting.
The two outfielders both have good size and possess the strength to hit the ball out of the park. Wick's ability to spell Deglan behind the plate and a very strong arm make the North Vancouver native a key player in Canada's run for a medal.
PITCHING
Here's where Canada's hopes for success truly lie.
With six of the 11 players drafted by major league teams coming from the mound, Team Canada will be blending a strong mix of veteran leadership with high- ceiling talent.
Lead by Evan Grills, who signed with the Houston Astros after being taken in the 10th round, the Canadian staff features three left-handers and two ace- quality arms.
Grills, in his fourth year with the national team and competing in his second world championship, is an imposing 6'5", 205-pound lefty with strong command of his breaking ball and changeup. He won't overpower you on the mound but the Whitby native knows how to pitch, fading and sinking his fastball in and out to keep hitters off balance.
One of the youngest players to ever play for the national team (at age 14), the competitor in Grills should rise to the occasion and he'll look to seize the moment in his final appearance with the Juniors.
The other top-flight arm - keeping in mind, the staff itself is strong top to bottom - is Windsor native Joel Pierce.
Pierce is a big strong 17-year-old who has been labeled by scouts as a highly promising talent. The 6'4" right-hander has a heavy sinker to go with a live fastball in the low-to-mid 90s and a good changeup. Pierce also has an intimidating presence on the mound, something the Canadians will look to use against strong teams such as South Korea and the United States.
Although it hasn't been officially announced, the thought is that Hamilton will go with Brian Bardis (St. Constant, Que.) to close games. Given the versatility Hamilton has with lefties and righties in the rotation, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team close games by committee, depending on matchups.
Bardis isn't your typical closer, in that he's a bit undersized to be classified as a "power pitcher", but has exceptional poise and makeup on the mound and should be able to use his confidence to pitch effectively in tight games.
While Canada will be in tough against strong opposition, it's a squad heavy on leadership, defense, and quality pitching. It's a combination that often wins games.
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Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Chiefs have signed tight
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Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed
defenseman Grant Clitsome to a one-year contract.
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2010.
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Pirates C Doumit lands on DL with concussion >>
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MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined
Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.
"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."
Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)
According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.
As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).
Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.
Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at
17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.
*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007
New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers
By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.
"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."
While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."
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It’s time to see how the biggest NFL free agent signings will perform for their news teams. Some will work out and could be the difference that makes a difference in the win column.
We look at the best off-season signings and if they should influence your NFL betting this season. Julius Peppers – Peppers was the biggest prize available on the 2010 NFL free agent market and the Chicago Bears opened the bank to bring his talents to the south side.
Peppers is explosive, he can get around blockers and cause quarterbacks to lose their minds. We all remember the classic Peppers game last year against the Vikings where he hounded Brett Favre into his worst game of the season. Peppers joining the Bears could be the reason Favre retired for good Tuesday morning. In addition to Peppers, the Bears added Chester Taylor to back up Matt Forte, Forte didn’t have the same intensity in 2009 compared to 2008 and bringing in Taylor will challenge Forte to bring it every game or he’ll risk losing carries to Taylor.
Betting on the Bears is a good option this season because of Julius Peppers and to a lesser extent Taylor. Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens – The Cincinnati Bengals signed two former number one wide receivers to line up with Chad Ocho Cinco. Antonio Bryant had a huge season in 2008 catching 83 passes for over 1200 yards but regressed last season. Playing for the Tampa Bay Bucs last season was a large part of the regression, everyone was bad in TB last season.
Bryant should have a bounce back season if he can win the number two spot from Terrell Owens. If Bryant wins the number 2 WR spot, it will open up a completely new set of problems for the Bengals. If Owens is forced to the bench in favor of Bryant, his attitude will create trouble for Carson Palmer and head coach Marv Lewis. If Owens is the number two receiver, it means Bryant can’t live up to his past numbers and the Bengals are still limited in the passing game. NFL bettors should be wary of laying their money down on what could potentially be the biggest gong show in the league in 2010. 2010 football betting lines for this can be found at this top online sportsbook. Karlos Danby – The Miami Dolphins have a great running back tandem in Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, a good young QB in Chad Henne and now the Bill Parcells regime is building a solid defense.
NFL bettors should be wary of laying their money down on what could potentially be the biggest gong show in the league in 2010. Karlos Danby – The Miami Dolphins have a great running back tandem in Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, a good young QB in Chad Henne and now the Bill Parcells regime is building a solid defense. They signed away the Arizona Cardinals top linebacker Karlos Danby. In the past two seasons, Danby has totaled 228 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles. The Dolphins are the forgotten team of the AFC East with the second longest odds to win the division but with the addition of Karlos Danby and a trade for WR Brandon Marshall makes the Miami Dolphins legitimate contenders in the AFC East and in the NFL’s Eastern Conference.
The Dolphins will make NFL wagering fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.
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