Banged-up Marlins open set with Dodgers

Baseball Betting Lines

07/10/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Apparently, getting one key player back tonight from injury isn't enough for Florida. With Josh Johnson set to return from Tommy John surgery, the Marlins are also expected to get Dan Uggla back in the opener of a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.

Johnson is returning to the Marlins rotation less than one year after undergoing ligament replacement surgery. The right-hander last pitched on July 4 of 2007, a five-inning performance in San Diego, before undergoing the procedure on August 3 of last year.

Johnson went 0-3 in four starts in 2007, meaning he is in search of his first victory since August 28, 2006. The 24-year made five rehab starts prior to tonight's start, tossing eight shutout innings with Double-A Carolina on Friday. He gave up five hits with seven strikeouts.

Johnson is 1-1 with a 9.00 earned run average in two career starts versus the Dodgers, but is expected to step in as a top-of-the rotation guy for a Marlins team whose starters currently sport a 5.16 earned run average, ranked 14th in the National League.

Florida is giving Johnson as much help as he needs, seeing that second baseman Uggla is set to return to action tonight after missing the last 11 games due to a sprained left ankle. Uggla hasn't played since June 28, and the All-Star is tied for third in the NL with 23 homers to go along with a .289 average, 58 RBI and 57 runs scored.

The Marlins got an excellent outing from Scott Olsen on Wednesday in a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. Olsen (5-4) threw eight innings that saw him allow just one run on four hits in his first win since May 6.

Mike Jacobs hit a two-run homer, while Hanley Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a solo homer for the Marlins, who have won three of four and remained 1 1/2 games behind first-place Philadelphia in the NL East. Cody Ross had a hit to extend his career-high hitting streak to 13 games, batting .434 (23-for-53) on the run.

The Marlins improved to 3-4 on their current 11-game road trip.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, took two of three from the Atlanta Braves, getting two outstanding pitching efforts in their two wins. On Monday, Hiroki Kuroda carried perfection through seven innings before Mark Teixeira doubled in the eighth en route to a one-hit shutout, and last night Derek Lowe took a perfect game into the seventh inning.

Lowe ended up allowing just a run over 7 2/3 innings, holding the Braves to just two hits. The right-hander retired the first 18 batters he faced before Gregor Blanco broke up the perfect game bid with a leadoff single in the seventh.

Matt Kemp homered for the Dodgers, while former Brave Andruw Jones added an RBI single. The win, Los Angeles' seventh in nine games, moved the Dodgers into a tie atop the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Chan Ho Park makes his fifth start of the season for the Dodgers tonight. He has won his last two decisions and faced the Giants on Saturday. He gave up just a run on three hits over six innings of a no-decision.

The right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four starts this year, striking out 26 in 21 innings. He also has a 4-2 overall mark this year with a 2.36 ERA and one save, while posting a 0.62 ERA in two starts and eight relief outings at home in 2008.

Park is 4-3 with a 5.04 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) lifetime versus Florida.

The Dodgers swept a three-game series in Florida when these clubs met for the first time this year on April 29 - May 1.

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NFL Football Betting


BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES

It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.

BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES

All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.

COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES

Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.

TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES

Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.

RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES

Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.

PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES

Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.

JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES

Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.

SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES

I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.

VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES

Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.

DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES

Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.

SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES

I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.

BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES

Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.

BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES

Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.

RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES

A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.

PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers

Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.