Giants, Lincecum reach 2-year deal

Baseball Betting Lines

01/24/2012 - San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Giants and two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum have reached a verbal agreement on a two-year contract, avoiding arbitration.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the deal on Tuesday, which will buy out Lincecum's final two years of arbitration eligibility, to be worth $40.5 million. According to the paper, the right-hander will earn $18 million this coming season and $22 million in 2013. He also receives a $500,000 signing bonus.

Lincecum, 27, had 2.74 earned run average and struck out 220 batters over 217 innings last season but still wound up with a losing record (13-14) because of the Giants' light-hitting offense. San Francisco was next-to-last in the league in runs with 570. Only Seattle (556) scored fewer than the Giants.

The Washington native owns a career record of 69-41 with a 2.98 ERA.

Baskteball Baseball Betting News

<< Prince goes to Detroit for a king's ransom
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Say what you want about super agent Scott Boras, but in the end he always gets his man his money. The latest example came on Tuesday when Prince Fielder, who some suggested over the weekend may have to set

<< Arlington Million XXX on for August
Arlington Heights, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 30th running of the Arlington Million has been scheduled for Saturday, August 18. The 1 1/4-mile turf stakes is the centerpiece of Arlington Park's annual race meet. Won in 2011 by Cape Blanc

<< Report: Tigers win Prince Fielder sweepstakes
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers have reportedly reeled in the biggest remaining free agent on the market: Prince Fielder. Multiple media outlets are reporting the first baseman agreed to a nine-year, $214 million contract with the

<< Milwaukee's Bennett named MISL Player of Week
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Milwaukee Wave forward Ian Bennett was named the Major Indoor Soccer League's Player of the Week on Tuesday for Week 12. Bennett recorded 15 points in three games as the Wave maintained their lead in the MISL Ce

<< PSG's Pastore to miss 3-4 weeks
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PSG playmaker Javier Pastore suffered a thigh muscle tear in Friday's Coupe de France win over Sable-sur-Sarthe and will be out of action three to four weeks, the French club said Tuesday. Pastore, 22, was t

Cincinnati extends Jones for three years >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Head football coach Butch Jones received a three-year contract extension from Cincinnati on Tuesday. The extension runs through the 2017 season. "I have tremendous faith in Coach Jones and his ability

La Russa to manage 2012 NL All-Star team >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The retired Tony La Russa will serve as the manager of the National League All-Star team for the 2012 Midsummer Classic at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on July 10th. The longtime manager of the St. Lo

Bobcats' Augustin to miss 4 games >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Charlotte Bobcats guard D.J. Augustin will miss four games due to an inflammatory condition of the sesmoid bones that lie in the flexor tendons on his right big toe. Augustin was seen by Charlotte orthoped

Rays bring back Pena >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays signed first baseman Carlos Pena to a one-year, $7.25 million contract on Tuesday. Pena, 33, played for the Rays from 2007-10 before joining the Chicago Cubs last season. He bat

Dolphins' Soliai added to AFC Pro Bowl roster >>
Davie, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Paul Soliai has replaced Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata on the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Soliai had 27 tackles in 16 games (12 starts) this season. He will be play

How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

MySportsbook.com offers Blackjack contest and $10,000.00 in Free Prize money!

Every month MySportsbook.com's casino host, Jack Black, gives away $10,000.00 in free casino prize money. To Enter - All you have to do is play at least 10 hands (total) of Blackjack on one of the specified dates of the blackjack contest. The online casino host randomly hands out free bonuses ranging from $50 - $500, and one lucky player who will receive a free $2,500.00 bonus.

"We have been running this monthly free blackjack contest to our active mebers for 5 years now, and the players just love it," says Jack Black, online casino host at MySportsbook.com. "And why wouldn't they love a free chance to win some extra online blackjack cash."

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Mastercard needs.