05/10/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Saunders will try to continue his dominating efforts for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tonight, when they battle the Tampa Bay Rays in the second contest of a three-game stint at Tropicana Field.
Saunders has been one of the biggest surprises in baseball, as the southpaw enters this matchup with a tremendous 6-0 record and an equally impressive 2.61 ERA. Over his previous two seasons, Saunders recorded a 15-8 ledger in 31 starts with an ERA well over four runs per contest.
The 26-year-old actually ran into some trouble in his last start, surrendering four runs on a whopping 12 hits in just five innings of duty against Baltimore. Despite the mediocre showing, however, Saunders and the Angels were able to snag a 6-5 victory.
One of the biggest reasons for Saunders' success is due to his play on the road, as the lefty is currently 3-0 with a strong 2.33 ERA. In 19 1/3 innings of work away from home Saunders has allowed only five runs.
As for the Rays, Scott Kazmir will be making his second start since coming off the disabled list. Tampa is hoping for a better outcome from its ace hurler, as the southpaw was rattled in his season debut.
Against Boston this past Sunday, the 24-year-old was battered by the Red Sox and surrendered four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks. Kazmir did strike out five batters, but lasted only four innings for Tampa, which eventually fell by a 7-3 margin.
Kazmir has two previous starts against the Angels in his career and the southpaw owns a 1-1 ledger with a 4.72 ERA.
On Friday, Evan Longoria hit the game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth and James Shields pitched a one-hit shutout as the Rays beat the Angels, 2-0.
Shields (4-2) was dominant throughout, retiring 25-of-27 batters with the exceptions being a Brandon Wood single in the third and a ball that hit Erick Aybar in the fourth. In addition to allowing only two baserunners, Shields, who retired the final 17 batters he faced, struck out eight.
It was Shields' second shutout in his last three starts. He threw a two-hitter in a 3-0 home win over the Red Sox on April 27. In his previous outing, Shields was charged with 10 hits and seven runs through 3 2/3 innings in a loss at Boston.
Tampa Bay matched a franchise record by winning its seventh straight home game. The Rays last won seven straight at home, June 9-26, 2004. The Rays have won three of their last four overall.
Los Angeles starter Jon Garland went toe-to-toe with Shields through eight scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out two. The Angels have lost two in a row following a four-game winning streak.
Justin Speier (0-2) came on in the ninth for LA and gave up a leadoff single to right from Upton. Pena grounded out to first moving Upton to second. Longoria made sure of the outcome taking a Speier fastball into the seats in left-center to win the game and preserve Shields' extraordinary effort.
LA won six of eight from the Rays last season.
<< Yankees send Rasner to hill against Tigers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Yankees pitcher Darrell Rasner will make his
second start of the season this afternoon, when he takes the hill in the
second contest of a three-game set with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Rasner
<< Jays, Tribe continue set in Cleveland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Currently sitting at the bottom of the AL East Division,
the Toronto Blue Jays will try to grab a victory this evening, when they take
on the Cleveland Indians in the second meeting of a four-game series at
Progres
<< Sheets, Brewers square off with Cards
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ben Sheets will try to keep his perfect record intact this
evening, when he leads the Milwaukee Brewers in the second installment of a
four-game series versus the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park.
Sheets is 4-0 wit
<< Padres' Maddux goes for win No. 350 vs. Rockies
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Greg Maddux will try again for career win No. 350 when he
leads the San Diego Padres tonight in the second test of a three-game series
versus the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.
Maddux has lost two straight starts and
White Sox, Mariners to battle again at Safeco >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In the midst of a 10-game road trip, the Chicago White Sox
will try to keep the good times rolling when they battle the Seattle Mariners
tonight in the second installment of a three-game set at Safeco Field.
While the W
Red Sox try to stop Twins at Metrodome >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A battle between division leaders resumes tonight, as the
Boston Red Sox will collide with the Minnesota Twins again in the second
installment of a four-game set at the Metrodome.
The Red Sox currently lead the AL
Olson leads O's against KC >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles will try to continue their strong
play when they take on the Kansas City Royals in the third tilt of a four-game
series at Kauffman Stadium.
Garrett Olson will head to the hill for the O's for ju
Rangers, A's resume series in Arlington >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers will try to continue their hot play when
they take on the Oakland Athletics this evening in the middle matchup of a
three-game set at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
In order for the Rangers to ext
Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back
With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.
"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."
Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .
Get all your baseball betting lines, MLB lines and MLB team props at the My Sportbook.
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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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