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With Yost, Royals looking at better days to comeBaseball Betting Lines07/15/2010 - KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -The first thing Dayton Moore told Ned Yost was that his chances of becoming Kansas City's permanent manager would be considered at the end of the season, along with other candidates. Now it must be tempting for Kansas City's general manager to change his mind. Since Moore reluctantly fired his friend Trey Hillman on May 13 and put Yost in charge, the Royals are 27-26. Yes, it's a record that might have a Yankees manager cleaning out his desk. But for a franchise that's had only two winning seasons in 15 years and been shut out of the playoffs for a quarter of a century, 27-26 is uncrate-the-champagne success. No one is saying there won't be additional steps backward before the next few laborious steps can be taken forward. The Royals did, after all, end the first half with three blowout losses in Chicago. But right before that, Yost's team won 10 of 13 and beat some of the top pitchers in the league. Fragile though it may be, there seems to be a new confidence among players and fans alike. Signs abound of better days ahead. Outfielder David DeJesus and first baseman Billy Butler have become solid hitters and dependable run-producers. All-Star closer Joakim Soria leads the majors in saves. DeJesus is batting .326, four percentage points better than Butler. Jose Guillen seems to have found new life under Yost. He had a 21-game hitting streak and leads the Royals with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs. The Royals - and this is something they never did for an entire season even in their glory era of 1976-85 - lead the majors in hitting. In addition, some of the most promising young prospects in the minor leagues belong to the Royals, including infielders Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, who was 4 for 5 in the Futures Game. As of today, at least, the Royals' lackluster 12-23 start under Hillman seems just an unwelcome reminder of the bad old days they're trying so hard to forget. Yost, aside from getting rid of third base coach Dave Owen, granting the gimpy-legged Guillen's wish to play more defense and tinkering a bit with the batting lineup, has made few visible changes. The difference in results may instead be due to a change in approach. Hillman was self-conscious about being the only manager without big league experience as either a player or coach. In his first spring training, he embarrassed his players by loudly chewing them out in front of an opposing team. But the players like Yost, who seems smart, understanding and tough. ``He's got that edge,'' said catcher Jason Kendall, who also played for Yost in Milwaukee. ``He's very intense and at the same time, he lets you play. He's definitely one of the best in baseball.'' And the players have made a favorable impression on him. ``I like their intensity,'' Yost said. ``I like their desire to win.'' Before making any big changes, Yost wanted to get to know everybody. ``You've got to find out what makes them tick, things that you learn being with them day in and day out,'' he said. ``If you're perceptive and you're really studying and watching, you see which guys have the makeup to be a champion and a winner and what guys can do and can't do.'' The 53-year-old former Brewers manager also has a history in Atlanta, where he was on the coaching staff from 1991-2002. Royals fans are starting to worry that he could also be a candidate to replace retiring Braves skipper Bobby Cox. But he seems to like it here. ``I might even enjoy (managing) more here (than in Milwaukee),'' he said. ``We've got a great group of players on this team that I like. I like the city. I love the stadium. There's nothing I don't like about being here.''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.
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Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Rockets have retained the services of guard Kyle Lowry after matching Cleveland's offer to the restricted free agent guard. Houston general Manager Daryl Morey said on
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2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year. Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.” “ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.” MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards: Odds to win the Achievement in Directing: Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1 Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17 Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1 Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1 Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1 Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1 Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1 Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5 Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1 Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11 Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1 Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1 Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50 Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1 Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1 Best Animated Feature Film: "Cars": 1/3 "Happy Feet": 2/1 "Monster House": 20/1 Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year: "Water" – Canada: 22/1 "The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2 "After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1 "Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1 "Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10 Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film: "Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5 "Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2 "Helmer & Son": 5/2 "The Saviour": 6/1 "West Bank Story": 7/2 Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay: "Babel": 7/4 "Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1 "Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20 "Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4 "The Queen": 5/4 Best Motion Picture of the Year: "Babel": 11/4 "The Departed": 1/2 "Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2 "Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10 "The Queen": 20/1 Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10 Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1 Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1 Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5 Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1 Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1 Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1 Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1 Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8 Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1 Film To Win Most Oscars: Dreamgirls: 2/3 Pans Labyrinth: 6/5 The Departed: 6/1 The Queen: 11/1 Babel: 15/1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1 Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1 Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards. Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet). For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win. TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures. Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs. |
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