All-Star Game MVPs

Baseball Betting Lines

07/13/2010 -

2010 - Brian McCann, Atlanta, NL

2009 - Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay, AL

2008 - J.D. Drew, Boston, AL

2007 - Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle, AL

2006 - Michael Young, Texas, AL

2005 - Miguel Tejada, Baltimore, AL

2004 - Alfonso Soriano, Texas, AL

2003 - Garret Anderson, Anaheim, AL

2002 - None

2001 - Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore, AL

2000 - Derek Jeter, New York, AL

1999 - Pedro Martinez, Boston, AL

1998 - Roberto Alomar, Baltimore, AL

1997 - Sandy Alomar Jr., Cleveland, AL

1996 - Mike Piazza, Los Angeles, NL

1995 - Jeff Conine, Florida, NL

1994 - Fred McGriff, Atlanta, NL

1993 - Kirby Puckett, Minnesota, AL

1992 - Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle, AL

1991 - Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore, AL

1990 - Julio Franco, Texas, AL

1989 - Bo Jackson, Kansas City, AL

1988 - Terry Steinbach, Oakland, AL

1987 - Tim Raines, Montreal, NL

1986 - Roger Clemens, Boston, AL

1985 - LaMarr Hoyt, San Diego, NL

1984 - Gary Carter, Montreal, NL

1983 - Fred Lynn, California, AL

1982 - Dave Concepcion, Cincinnati, NL

1981 - Gary Carter, Montreal, NL

1980 - Ken Griffey Sr., Cincinnati, NL

1979 - Dave Parker, Pittsburgh, NL

1978 - Steve Garvey, Los Angeles, NL

1977 - Don Sutton, Los Angeles, NL

1976 - George Foster, Cincinnati, NL

1975 - Bill Madlock, Chicago, NL, and Jon Matlack, New York, NL

1974 - Steve Garvey, Los Angeles, NL

1973 - Bobby Bonds, San Francisco, NL

1972 - Joe Morgan, Cincinnati, NL

1971 - Frank Robinson, Baltimore, AL

1970 - Carl Yastrzemski, Boston, AL

1969 - Willie McCovey, San Francisco, NL

1968 - Willie Mays, San Francisco, NL

1967 - Tony Perez, Cincinnati, NL

1966 - Brooks Robinson, Baltimore, AL

1965 - Juan Marichal, San Francisco, NL

1964 - John Callison, Philadelphia, NL

1963 - Willie Mays, San Francisco, NL

1962 - x-Maury Wills, Los Angeles, NL

1962 - x-Leon Wagner, Los Angeles, AL

x-two gamesCopyright © 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 The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Loteryamerica Baseball Betting News

<< Oilers give Dubnyk two-year contract
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Oilers have come to terms with goaltender Devan Dubnyk on a two-year contract. The team also agreed with defenseman Shawn Belle on a one-year deal. The 24-year-old Dubnyk appeared in 19

<< Jazz acquire Al Jefferson from Timberwolves
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz have acquired center/forward Al Jefferson from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for center Kosta Koufos, the Memphis Grizzlies' protected 2011 first-round pick (obtain

<< Rahal reunites with Newman/Haas Racing
Lincolnshire, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newman/Haas Racing announced Tuesday that Graham Rahal will rejoin the team and pilot the No. 02 Dallara/Honda/Firestone entry for six of the remaining series races. Five of those races will see Rahal s

<< Griffin ahead at Publinx in second stroke-play round
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John-Tyler Griffin of Georgia Tech holds a one-shot lead after playing two rounds of the U.S. Amateur Public Links. Griffin, who is from Wilson, North Carolina, about two hours west of Greensboro

<< Southern Nevada's Bryce Harper wins Golden Spikes Award
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Southern Nevada slugger Bryce Harper, the top overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, has won the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, presented to the top amateur basebal

Twilight shadows hold down All-Star scoring >>
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -Until the sun finally went down on Angel Stadium, the 81st All-Star game was just another boring chapter of the twilight saga.Sunlight slivers and shadows across the field made the first few innings of the midsummer classic pre

McCann makes up for near-miss, wins All-Star MVP >>
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -Brian McCann came to the plate and the Angel Stadium scoreboard posted a curious piece of info: This was his fifth straight All-Star appearance.Five in a row? Really? Who knew?McCann atoned for his silent showings in the summer

Big bats mostly silenced in All-Star game >>
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -The biggest hitters in the All-Star game were the biggest zeros.Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Adrian Gonzalez, Vladimir Guerrero and Ichiro Suzuki couldn't muster any offense Tuesday night, when the National League snapped its 13

McCann comes up big, NL finally wins All-Star game >>
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -One key swing by Brian McCann pulled the National League out of the All-Star shadows.McCann's three-run double in the seventh inning provided the NL all the offense it needed to capture its first Midsummer Classic since 1996 wi

Hunter goes 0 for 2 as All-Star host >>
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -Angels center fielder Torii Hunter caught the ceremonial first pitch from former Angels great Rod Carew before the 81st All-Star game on Tuesday night and autographed the ball for the 15-time All-Star.That turned out to be the

Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.