Reeling Rockies return home to battle Bucs

Baseball Betting Lines

07/27/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The suddenly-skidding Colorado Rockies welcome another struggling National League team to Coors Field tonight, when they open a three-game midweek series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Colorado, which has lost six straight games, enters the set sitting fourth in the NL's West Division - eight games behind the first-place San Diego Padres and 4 1/2 games off the pace of the Wild Card-leading San Francisco Giants.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is dead-last in the NL Central, 20 1/2 games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals.

The Rockies, who are 31-16 at home, come in after a four-game sweep at the hands of Philadelphia in a series that ended with a 5-4 defeat on Monday, when Brian Schneider hit a two-run triple and Joe Blanton threw six solid innings for the Phillies.

Jason Hammel (7-6) allowed five runs -- four earned -- in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss for Colorado.

The Pirates come in having dropped four straight, including a 6-3 home loss to San Diego on Sunday, when Chris Denorfia and Adrian Gonzalez each homered for the Padres.

Ronny Cedeno hit a two-run homer for the Pirates, who went 4-6 on a 10-game homestand. Starting pitcher Brad Lincoln (1-4) lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on eight hits. He also had an RBI.

Colorado sends lefty Jorge De La Rosa to the mound in search of a first win since returning from an extended stay on the disabled list.

The 29-year-old was 3-1 with a 3.91 earned run average through his initial four starts in April, but is 0-1 with a pair of no-decisions in three outings since returning to full-time duty on July 9. He's given up 13 hits and 16 runs in 13 2/3 innings over three starts.

De La Rosa is 3-1 lifetime against the Pirates with a 4.26 ERA in eight appearances, four of which have been starts.

For Pittsburgh, lefty Zach Duke aims for a second straight triumph after ending a five-start losing streak.

The 27-year-old Texan fell from 3-4 to 3-9 over five straight outings between May 28 and July 16, but bounced back in a 15-3 rout of Milwaukee on July 21 in which he gave up six hits and two earned runs in six innings. It was Duke's first win since May 18.

Lifetime against the Rockies, Duke is 3-2 with a 6.90 ERA in five starts. He is 2-4 over six road starts in 2010.

Colorado won six of nine matchups with the Pirates last year and has dominated this series at home over the past two seasons, having gone 9-1 against Pittsburgh at Coors Field since 2008.

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

Bet NFL Sports Lines

Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

Betting Line

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