Posts Tagged ‘Power Ratings’

2012 MLB Baseball Power Ratings (As of 7/1)

July 1st, 2012 by Bankroll Sports Staff | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on 2012 MLB Baseball Power Ratings (As of 7/1)

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*Our Current MLB Power Rankings & Records are as of 7/1/2012
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 7/25/2012)

1. Texas Rangers (50-29) – Texas has won five in a row, and became the first team in Major League Baseball to win 50 games. The Rangers are looking to sweep the Oakland Athletics at home on Sunday. Texas is the top offensive team in all of Major League Baseball with 426 runs scored, a .284 batting average and .346 slugging. The Rangers’ Josh Hamilton leads the team with 25 homeruns, while driving in 73 runs as well. Texas plays at Chicago on Tuesday.

2. New York Yankees (47-30) – Despite losing C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte in the same week; the Yankees are in full control of the American League East. The Yankees lead the Orioles by five games. New York has seen Robinson Cano lead the way with a .308 batting average, while Curtis Granderson has blasted 23 homeruns and drove in 46 runs. New York will start a big week on Monday with a trip to Tampa Bay, before taking on the Red Sox over the weekend.

3. Los Angeles Angels (43-35) – After a slow start, the Angels are right back into the mix within the American League postseason chase. Despite their hot play – the Angels trail Texas by 6.5 games in the AL West. Los Angeles is the AL leading team for the first of two wildcard spots. The Angels are the fifth best batting team with a .268 batting average, led by Mike Trout’s .336. The Angels head to Cleveland on Monday to open up a series.

4. Washington Nationals (44-32) – The Nationals continue to be a surprise story in all of Major League Baseball. Washington is 12 games over .500, and leads the NL East by 2.5 games. The Nationals are the top pitching team in all of MLB with a 3.18 earned run average. Washington also has 50 quality starts; which ranks third in the game. The Nationals will welcome the San Francisco Giants to town on Tuesday for a three game series.

5. San Francisco Giants (44-35) – The Giants 2012 success was seen through the 2012 All Star game voting. The Giants got three starters into the game; Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval and Melky Cabrera. San Francisco has been hot as of late; moving to 9 games over .500. Lately, San Francisco has had a tough time scoring, as the Reds have beat them twice in a row. San Francisco is led by Cabrera’s .350 batting average.

6.  Los Angeles Dodgers (43-36) – Los Angeles is having a tough time scoring runs. The Dodgers were shut-out on Friday and Saturday by the New York Mets. Los Angeles has scored just 304 runs on the season; which ranks them 24th overall. The Dodgers look to get their top offensive threat Matt Kemp back immediately after the All Star break. Los Angeles will play the Sunday night game of the week, and then welcome Cincinnati to town.

7. Cincinnati Reds (43-34) – The National League Central leading Reds were shut-out on Thursday night but came back with impressive wins Saturday and Sunday in San Francisco. The Reds hold just a slim one game lead over Pittsburgh in the National League Central. Cincinnati is led by Joey Votto’s .350 batting average, along with Jay Bruce and his 17 homeruns and 54 runs batted in.  The Reds continue their road trip with a visit to Los Angeles to start the week.

8. Chicago White Sox (42-36) – The White Sox continue to be surprise leaders out of the American League Central. Robin Ventura in his first season as manager has done a great job with a mix of veterans and youngsters. Chicago leads Cleveland by 2.5 games in the division. The White Sox are 7th in the league with 366 runs scored; led by Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn. Chicago will start a series with the two time defending AL champion Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

9. Baltimore Orioles (42-36) – The Orioles made a statement that they were going to do whatever they could to contend in the second half. Baltimore is 42-35 overall, and in second place in the AL East. The Orioles traded on Saturday for veteran Jim Thome. The former Phillie slugger is expected to be a regular as designated hitter for the Orioles. Baltimore’s Adam Jones is leading the team with a .300 batting average and 19 homeruns.

10. Atlanta Braves (41-36) – Atlanta continues to hang around in the National League East divisional race. Atlanta is the 9th highest scoring team in the league with 353 runs, while batting .260. The Braves’ Martin Prado is batting .323 while Jason Heyward has blasted 12 homeruns. The pitching for Atlanta has been anchored by Tommy Hanson, with 9 wins. The Braves will host the Chicago Cubs on Monday in an effort to get hot before the All Star break.

11. New York Mets (43-36) – The Mets are getting great starting pitching, especially from their knuckleball pitcher – R.A. Dickey. New York shut-out the Dodgers in both games on Friday and Saturday and head into their Sunday night game with Dillon Gee on the mound. The Mets offense is seeing third basemen David Wright put together a great season, with a .355 batting average. New York comes into Sunday trailing Washington by 2.5 games.

12. Pittsburgh Pirates (42-35) – The Pirates had a good weekend in St. Louis winning the first two games by scoring a bunch of runs. Andrew McCutchen is having a sensational season, with a .346 batting average and 15 homeruns. Pittsburgh is trying to break the longest streak in professional sports history of being under .500. The Pirates come into Sunday trailing Cincinnati by just a single game. Pittsburgh’s A.J. Burnett leads the team with 9 wins.

13. St. Louis Cardinals (40-38) – The Cardinals, following their five game winning streak lost three straight to Miami and Pittsburgh. St. Louis has been one of the top hitting teams in all of the game, but still trail Cincinnati by 3.5 games coming into Sunday’s action. The Cardinals top offensive player has been their catcher Yadier Molina with a .311 batting average and 13 homeruns. Molina was one of four Cardinals named to the All Star game.

14. Boston Red Sox (41-37) – The Red Sox are the second highest scoring team in all of baseball; with 404 runs. The Red Sox are fourth in the game with a .270 batting average. On Saturday; the Red Sox scored just 2 runs in a loss to the Mariners. Boston’s offense has seen David Ortiz bat .305, hit 21 homeruns and drive in 53 runs on the season. The Red Sox will head out to Oakland this week before taking on the Yankees over the weekend.

15. Tampa Bay Rays (41-37) – The Rays have dropped seven of their last ten to fall into fourth place in the American League East. Tampa Bay got a great outing Friday from David Price, but then could not back it up with a win on Saturday. The Rays offense is led by the power of Matt Joyce, with 11 homeruns. The Rays are one of the worst offensive teams, as they are batting just .233 as a team. Tampa Bay prepares to take on divisional leading New York this week.

16. Cleveland Indians (40-38) – The Cleveland Indians feel they can make a run in the American League Central if they are able to shore up their pitching. The Indians have the third worst ERA in all of baseball; with a 4.61. The offense for the Indians has been led by Asdrubal Cabrera, who is batting .292 with 11 homeruns. The Indians come into Saturday in second place in the division. Cleveland’s catcher Carlos Santana is day-to-day with a couple nagging injuries.

17. Toronto Blue Jays (40-38) – The Blue Jays put up 11 runs on Saturday over Los Angeles, to make the two day total 18. Toronto has the ability to score with anyone, especially in their home field. The Blue Jays Jose Bautista has once again shown the ability to hit the long ball, as he leads the AL with 26 homeruns. Third basemen Edwin Encarnacion also has 20+ on the season. The Blue Jays are without their top starting pitcher Brandon Morrow.

18. Detroit Tigers (38-40) – The Detroit Tigers would like to catch fire, and play to the level they feel they should be playing. The Tigers, who many felt should win the American League Central are three games under .500. The Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander was defeated Friday night by Tampa Bay, and their ace David Price. The Tigers have seen their center fielder Austin Jackson lead the way with a .324 batting average. Miguel Cabrera has blasted 16 homeruns on the season.

19. Arizona Diamondbacks (39-38) – Arizona has played good baseball as of late. With their winning ways, they have climbed back into the National League West chase. The Diamondbacks come into Saturday trailing San Francisco by just four games. The Diamondbacks saw their second base men Aaron Hill pick up his second cycle of the season. The Diamondbacks youngster Wade Miley leads the team with 9 wins and a 2.19 earned run average.

20.  Oakland Athletics (37-42) – The Athletics let one get away on Friday night. Oakland let 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 8th, only to see Texas come back to win the game 4-3. The Athletics have scored 295 runs and allowed 294 on the season. Oakland heads into Saturday’s action, 12 games behind the Rangers within divisional play. The Athletics top offensive threat has been Josh Reddick, with a .260 average, along with 18 homeruns and 39 runs batted in.

21. Milwaukee Brewers (35-42) – At 8 games under .500 – the Brewers are also 8 games behind the Reds in the National League Central. After winning the division and getting to the NLCS a year ago – Milwaukee appears to be sellers at the trade deadline. The Brewers top trading chip could be right hander Zach Greinke, who leads the team with 9 wins. The Brewers have a team earned run average of nearly 4.25 on the season. Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is once again having another MVP type season.

22. Miami Marlins (38-40) – The Marlins have struggled through most of the season, but their struggles have reached a new level in the month of June. The Marlins have lost seven of their last ten overall. Miami was able to pick up a win on Friday night, behind Josh Johnson. The Marlins offense has struggled a bit; scoring 289 runs on the season, which ranks them 27th in all of Major League Baseball. The Marlins are 8.5 games back in the NL East.

23. Philadelphia Phillies (36-45) – Marred in last place within the National League East – the Philadelphia Phillies need to get going. Charlie Manuel’s team come into Saturday 10 games behind the Nationals for first place in the National League East. Cliff Lee, one of the Phillies top starting pitchers has yet to record a win in 2012. The Phillies offense ranks 10th in the league with 343 runs, while also ranking 7th with a .265 batting average. The top offensive threat for Philadelphia has been catcher Carlos Ruiz, who is batting .356.

24. Kansas City Royals (35-41) – Kansas City is playing some of the best baseball in all of MLB. The Royals have won four straight games and moved to within four games of .500. The Royals offense has enjoyed the success of Alcides Escobar, and his .316 batting average. Kansas City as a team is batting .264, which ranks in the top ten in all of Major League Baseball. Despite being under .500 – the Royals are just 5.5 games behind Chicago in the American League Central.

25. Seattle Mariners (34-46) – The Mariners are 16.5 games behind the front running Texas Rangers in the American League West. Seattle was shut-out by the Red Sox Friday night. The Mariners are 27th in the league in batting, with an average just over .230. The Mariners’ youngster Justin Smoak has provided the power; as he leads the way with 11 homeruns. The Mariners’ Jason Vargas leads the starting pitchers, with 7 wins.

26. Houston Astros (32-46) – The Astros have fallen on some tough times recently, as they have dropped to 13 games below .500. On Friday, Houston was unable to score; as the Cubs beat them 4-0. The Astros lone All Star will most likely be Jose Altuve, who leads the team with a .309 batting average. Houston’s Lucas Harrell leads the team with 7 wins on the season.

27. Minnesota Twins (32-45) – The Twins come into the weekend with the worst record in the American League. The Twins took a 4-3 loss on Friday to Kansas City to fall 5.5 games behind the Royals for fourth place. The Twins offensive numbers are led by Josh Willingham, who has 15 homeruns and 50 runs batted in, while scoring 40 runs. The Twins pitching is 29th in all of baseball with an earned run average of 5.02.

28. Colorado Rockies (30-47) – The Rockies cannot seem to find a solution to their porous pitching staff. Colorado’s earned run average is over 5 on the season. The Rockies have put together just 18 quality starts in 76 games. The Rockies offense is anchored by Carlos Gonzalez, who is batting .338, and has also blasted 17 homeruns. Colorado is in fourth place in the National League West. The Rockies are 13 games behind the Giants in the division.

29. San Diego Padres (29-50) – The Padres allowed 10 runs on the road at Colorado to drop their 50th game of the season. San Diego is the worst offensive team in all of Major League Baseball, with just 263 runs scored. The pitching for the Padres has fared a little better behind Clayton Richard. Richard has an ERA of just 3.77. San Diego comes into the weekend 16 games behind the National League West leading San Francisco Giants.

30. Chicago Cubs (28-49) – The Cubs continue to re-build as they call up their prospect in Anthony Rizzo during the past week. Chicago has dropped to 22 games under .500, and look to be shipping a few guys off at the deadline. The latest names to be sent out include Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. The Cubs are 29th in all of baseball with just 280 runs scored. The pitching for Chicago ranks 27th in MLB with an earned run average of nearly 4.50. Starlin Castro will most likely be the lone Cub representative on the National League All Star team.

2010 College Football Picks: Top 25 ATS Power Rankings

September 7th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2010 College Football Picks: Top 25 ATS Power Rankings
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The best college football betting teams in the land don’t always put together the best performances for NCAA football picks. Here at Bankroll Sports, we have your ATS Top 25 rankings ready and raring to go following one week of play.

1. Boise State Broncos (1-0 ATS) – The Broncos clearly made a name for themselves by putting up a huge cover that totally went against the grain of popular belief last week. Virginia Tech went from a short dog to a short favorite in this de facto road game across the country. Give Boise credit. It certainly proved it was for real and definitely got our attention.

2. Arizona Wildcats (1-0 ATS) – On national TV in a standalone game, when you can basically hold your opponent scoreless on defense and put together 41 on your own in one of your most impressive offensive displays in decades, you’re going to turn heads. The Wildcats did just that, and they’re going to start the year as a team we watch for as an ATS hero.

3. Michigan Wolverines (1-0 ATS) – Welcome to the big time, Denard Robinson! Michigan has a new hero, and he is finally the vintage dual threat quarterback that Rich Rodriguez has been dying for. Robinson torched one of the best defenses in the Big East in the form of the UConn Huskies last week, and more covers like that against big time foes are going to have us wondering whether Rich Rod really has his team heading towards a huge bowl game.

4. Utah State Aggies (1-0 ATS) – When you can march into Norman and nearly come away with an outright victory as five TD underdogs, you’ve done something special. The Aggies were one of the top ATS teams in the land last year, and they are well on their way this year to doing the same type of thing. For whatever reason, the oddsmakers just have not caught up to this team yet.

5. Oregon Ducks (1-0 ATS) – The Ducks posted 72 points and 720 yards last week, so it’s no wonder that they absolutely pounded an already huge spread against the New Mexico Lobos. We clearly think that this is a team that can beat anyone in the nation, and as long as the oddsmakers are wondering how well these guys will cope without Jeremiah Masoli, we’ll continue to capitalize.

6. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0 ATS) – Few coaches in the country know how to coach ’em up like good ol’ Steve Spurrier. He had never lost a game before, having gone a perfect 38-0 against non-BCS conference schools in his career. However, Southern Miss came to Columbia looking to take the bagel out of that category. There were suspensions to deal with and a ton of pundits picking the Golden Eagles, and what happened? Spurrier is now 39-0 all-time against non-BCS conference schools and his team picked up one of the most impressive covers of the season to date.

7. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0 ATS) – The Pokes got some great running from Kendall Hunter and used a tremendous offensive explosion to ditch Washington State at home over the weekend. We are really impressed with the way that this team is already coming together in the post Zac Robinson era, and this might be the start of a slew of covers for a feisty team.

8. East Carolina Pirates (1-0 ATS) – Style points certainly count for something. A Hail Mary to beat the Golden Hurricane last week really wasn’t necessary for East Carolina to pick up an already impressive ATS victory, but it did affirm that this team is significantly better than the oddsmakers think. We’ll hope that the Pirate ship leads us to some buried treasure all season long.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0 ATS) – The only blunder for the Buckeyes in the first week of the season was a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. Aside from that, Terrelle Pryor played like a Heisman Trophy candidate and the defense that was billed as one of the best in the land lived up to expectations. A comfortable cover only added the cherry on top.

10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-0 ATS) – A seven point victory against a Sun Belt team is usually nothing to be impressed about, but we loved the way that the Gophers came together and took care of business in a very workmanlike manner against Middle Tennessee State on Thursday night. If Minnesota can get Duane Bennett running like this all season long, it might be able to contend for a bowl game in the crowded Big Ten.

11. Syracuse Orange (1-0 ATS) – Ok, so it was Akron… No big deal, right? Still, any covers for the ‘Cuse are still good ones, and few teams in the land did it by more points this week than they did. Syracuse might be able to sneak up on some teams this year and hit some backdoors, as the offense appears to be competent. This is a team to watch for certain.

12. Florida State Seminoles (1-0 ATS) – It was a picturesque performance for the garnet and gold in Jimbo Fisher’s first game on the sidelines, and we think that that could really continue this week. The Noles might not beat the Sooners, but one thing is for certain, and that’s that they are going to give everything they’ve got to try to get back on the map. For a team that historically struggles with covering games, this could be the year it all changes.

13. Florida Atlantic Owls (1-0 ATS) – Do the Owls really have some spark in them this year in spite of the fact that Rusty Smith has finally graduated? We trust Howard Schnellenberger 100% in this case, and we can’t help by wonder if there are a ton of covers coming after FAU pulled the outright upset off at UAB last week.

14. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0 ATS) – Beating the Ragin’ Cajuns wasn’t really all that impressive, and neither was covering the spread. What got our attention Between the Hedges was the fact that the Dawgs did all of this without AJ Green. Green is a real difference maker in the lineup, and he could make this team very, very scary.

15. BYU Cougars (1-0 ATS) -It was one of the games that sort of flew under the radar last week, but the Cougars went on the road and took out U-Dub in what could be the first of a number of covers this year. BYU is sort of the forgotten team in the Mountain West and can change that this week against Air Force with another big win to start off the campaign.

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-0 ATS) -For the first time in a number of years, the Bulldogs might finally have it going on this year. Ditching Chris Relf might be a great start for a team that has direly lacked quarterback play, and we think that the 49-7 win over Memphis might be the start of some great things in the deep south.

17. Miami Hurricanes (1-0 ATS) – The Canes could be incredibly underrated this season, and a stomping on Florida A&M probably didn’t sway the oddsmakers one way or the other. Still, Miami put together one of the most complete performances in the country last week, albeit against a team that will struggle to finish .500 in the FCS.

18. Iowa State Cyclones (1-0 ATS) – Does anyone realize that this has the potential to be a bowl team once again this year? ISU, behind Austen Arnaud, might really have a chance to contend in the Big XII North, and because the opening act against NIU really flew under the radar, this could be a great chance to hop aboard and start a good run of ATS results for the Cyclones.

19. Maryland Terrapins (1-0 ATS) – In a week where BCS busting was the theme, the Terps would have none of it against one of the best mid major programs in the country. Navy was sunk by Maryland thanks to some fantastic defensive play. If Ralph Friedgen can ever get his offense in gear, the Turtles could come out of their shell and post some ATS victories in a hurry.

20. Idaho Vandals (1-0 ATS) – Idaho came out of nowhere last season to impress and make a bowl game, and the same could be said this year. No one really thought that the Vandals were capable of beating anyone 45-0, but in spite of the fact that this was an FCS foe, it was impressive nonetheless.

21. Tennessee Volunteers (1-0 ATS) – Does Derek Dooley really have his ducks in a row? UT might not be such a bad spot right now to be, especially since the SEC is starting to look more and more open. Knocking off UT-Martin by a whopping 50-0 score is really, really impressive for a team that many were down on to start the year.

22. San Diego State Aztecs (1-0 ATS) – The ranks of the teams posting shutouts continues with San Diego State, who blanked Nichols State 47-0 to start off the season. The Aztecs are going to get a cupcake roadie before the fun really starts. That’s when we’ll see whether these guys are for real or not.

23. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0 ATS) – We just couldn’t leave the Tide off of this list after rolling over San Jose State. Yes, the Spartans stink, and yes Trent Richardson is probably every bit as good as Mark Ingram, but when you take a Heisman Trophy winner out of the lineup and still win by 45 points, your accomplishment is worth noting.

24. Buffalo Bulls (1-0 ATS) -Ya think Turner Gill wants to trade places right now? His current team was just beaten by an FCS nobody. His former team posted a 31-0 shutout. That’s a major, major improvement for a club that missed a bowl game this year. The Bulls might be worth watching.

25. Central Florida Knights (1-0 ATS) – UCF isn’t getting all that much respect this year in Conference USA by the oddsmakers even though several accredited media people think that it is going to challenge for the conference crown. Starting off with a 38-7 win against South Dakota was good enough to cover a spread, but not so alarming as to catch the oddsmakers’ eyes.

2010 NFL Betting: Preseason Top 10 ATS Power Rankings

August 14th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on 2010 NFL Betting: Preseason Top 10 ATS Power Rankings
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The 2010 NFL betting campaign is just around the corner! In order to keep you up on all the action, Bankroll Sports has listed the Top 10 ATS teams from 2009, their 2010 Super Bowl odds, and our NFL predictions for them for this season!

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#1 Green Bay Packers (+1000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Pack posted the best marks in the league last year for NFL betting fans, going 11-4-1 ATS. They are going to be back with a fantastic offense loaded with talent. QB Aaron Rodgers is likely to reach the 4,000 yard barrier for the third straight season to start his career, which is a feat that even some of the greatest in NFL history never even remotely came close to. If DC Dom Capers’ defense can keep its head on straight and post some of the best numbers in the league once again, there’s no reason to think that the Green Bay won’t once again be on top of the NFL ATS power ratings.

#2 Atlanta Falcons (+2500 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): It’s impressive to think that the Falcons followed up a playoff campaign in 2008 with a non-playoff one in 2009 but still went a lofty 11-5 ATS. Could that bode even better for this year? HC Mike Smith thinks he has a winning formula, so he brought back the majority of players from last year’s 9-7 team. The only real key additions were LB Sean Weatherspoon, acquiring in the first round of the NFL Draft, and DB Dunta Robinson, who was picked up via free agency from the Houston Texans. Picking up Robinson was key, as it was the pass defense that really hurt this team late in games last season. Asking for 11 covers again this season might be a bit much, but Atlanta should post another great record this year.

#3 Indianapolis Colts (+600 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): As long as #18 is roaming the sidelines for the Colts, they are going to be a difficult team to bet against. One would figure that the oddsmakers would be incredibly tough on them week in and week out, but in spite of the fact that their numbers are almost always at least a tad inflated, they went a rock solid 10-5-1 ATS in 2009. This could be the year that Indy snaps back to earth if the NFL spreads keep as high as they have been in recent seasons. It has a brutal schedule, and QB Peyton Manning is going to have to contend with a new offensive coordinator, as Tom Moore has retired.

#4 San Francisco 49ers (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): This is probably a make-or-break season in the coaching career of Mike Singletary. No man asks for more from his team, nor will anyone get more from his players than does Singletary. Still, in spite of the fact that he went an awesome 9-4-3 ATS in last year’s regular season, Singletary has still yet to take this team to the playoffs. With a quarterback rotation set in stone and one of the most talented offensive lines in the game, the 49ers have no excuses this year. As long as the oddsmakers don’t start putting up unrealistically high numbers on it, San Francisco is going to be a great bet, particularly as underdogs this season.

#5 Cleveland Browns (+10000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Browns closed out last season by winning four straight games both SU and ATS to finish the year at 10-6 ATS. The turnaround was sparked by the addition of GM Mike Holmgren to the staff. Holmgren decided to retain HC Eric Mangini, but he dumped both of his quarterbacks. If QB Jake Delhomme can reinvent himself and the Browns play as hard as they did down the stretch last season, they could challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC. The Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens need to be very careful when this team turns up on the schedule. The end result should be covers galore!

#6 Minnesota Vikings (+1000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): This is a team that is probably damned if it does and damned if it doesn’t. If QB Brett Favre does come back to Minnesota, it will likely be overinflated in most every game it plays due to the fact that Favre had an epic season last year. If he doesn’t come back, the oddsmakers are still probably going to overrate this team due to the fact that Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels flat out stink. Duplicating last year’s 9-6-1 ATS mark is going to be virtually impossible unless someone comes up with a truly Herculean effort.

#7 Philadelphia Eagles (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Fly Eagles, fly! Philly could be an interesting team to back this year if QB Kevin Kolb can step right into the role that QB Donovan McNabb vacated when he was traded to the Washington Redskins in the offseason. The Eagles could have a porous defense which holds them back this year though, which could make that 9-7 ATS mark from 2009 difficult to repeat. Still, a lot of NFL lines are going to be tight when this team takes on its competitors, so if you think Philadelphia can win nine games, you probably think it can cover nine spreads as well.

#8 New York Jets (+1200 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Last season, the Jets fooled a lot of teams, and the end result was a stellar 9-7 ATS mark. They marched all the way to the AFC Championship Game on the back of a strong defense and a rushing attack that ranked first in the NFL. Conventional wisdom suggests that the additions of DB Antonio Cromartie and DB Kyle Wilson could make this defense even more frightening, especially now that DT Kris Jenkins is healthy. Still, it’s going to take QB Mark Sanchez improving his game for New York to put up these types of results again.

#9 Denver Broncos (+6500 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Though many are down on the Broncos this year, we have to remember that most of the pieces to this puzzle are once again back in place. The big losses are WR Brandon Marshall, TE Tony Scheffler, and LB Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil, who led the team with 17 sacks last year, might be able to play at the end of this season after tearing a pectoral muscle in the preseason. However, the oddsmakers are seemingly making huge adjustments to this team. Yes, the Broncos collapsed down the stretch last year, but losses don’t mean failed covers. If the numbers get too large, improving on a 9-7 ATS record from ’09 is doable.

#10 Carolina Panthers (+5000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The same could be said about the Panthers and their 9-7 ATS record from last year. Losing QB Jake Delhomme might be addition by subtraction, as both Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen can’t do much worse than the former Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun did last year. This season will once again revolve around the defense and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers might be able to surprise, as several are down on their chances of making the postseason in what could be the final year for HC John Fox.

2010 College Football Betting: Preseason Top 25 ATS Power Rankings

July 17th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   1 Comment »
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The 2010 college football betting season is nearly here! Though anyone can rank the teams No. 1 to No. 25 in the nation in terms of SU records, here at Bankroll Sports, we are ranking our Top 25 underrated teams that could be monsters for your against the college football odds this season.

25. Ball State Cardinals (2-10, 6-5 ATS in 2009) – After a magical run in 2008 in which the Cardinals flirted with an undefeated season, Ball State came crashing back down to Earth last year under first-year HC Stan Parrish. However, this year Ball State returns their entire offense from 2009, including 2nd team All-MAC RB Miquale Lewis who should go down as the school’s all-time leading rusher with even a halfway decent 2010 campaign. The Cardinals have been friends to college football betting fans over the past five years, going 35-22-1 ATS in that span.

24. Air Force Falcons (8-5, 7-4-1 ATS in 2009) – Since taking over for the legendary Fisher DeBerry, HC Troy Calhoun has excelled in his first three years at the Air Force Academy, taking the Falcons to a 25-14 record and three straight Armed Forces Bowl appearances. QB Tim Jefferson is a dual-threat passer who can beat team with his arm or his legs and should be one of the best in the conference if he can stay healthy for the whole season.

23. Syracuse Orange (4-8, 6-5 ATS in 2009) – The Orange may be seen as a surprising candidate to be on this list, but Syracuse showed marked improvement in their first year under new HC Doug Marrone. Although the Orange managed just one more win in 2009 than in 2008, the Syracuse program showed signs of life for the first time in years, especially when the mass exodus of 20+ players prior to the start of the 2009 season is considered. The key to the offense will be RB Delone Carter who carried the ball for 1,021 yards and 11 TDs last year.

22. Rice Owls (2-10, 4-7-1 ATS in 2009) – Much like Ball State, Rice went from a fantastic 2008 CFB wagering season to a disastrous campaign in 2009. For the 2010 season though, the Owls bring back 18 starters and one of the more experienced offensive lines in the nation to provide protection for QB Nick Fanuzzi. Fanuzzi showed some promise last season in completing 60 percent of his passes for 1,598 yards with 11 TDs and eight INTs and will look to get even better in 2010.

21. Idaho Vandals (8-5, 8-5 ATS in 2009) – In any other conference in America, QB Nathan Enderle would have garnered all-conference honors last season and would be considered one of the conference favorites for Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, Venderle completed over 60 percent of his passes for 2,906 yards with 22 TDs and nine INTs while leading the Vandals to their first winning season of the decade.

20. Oregon State Beavers (8-5, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – Over the last decade, the Beavers have been one of the best teams against the NCAA betting odds in the country, going 68-48-1 ATS. With the return of the Rodgers brothers (WR James and RB Jacquizz), HC Mike Riley’s Beavers have one of the most formidable offenses in the Pac-10 and should once again challenge for the Pac-10 title now that the Trojans are ineligible to take home the trophy.

19. North Texas Mean Green (2-10, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – With only five wins over the past three seasons, it seems rather unlikely that North Texas could be on any Top 25 list, but the Mean Green have 17 returning starters and a very manageable schedule. RB Lance Dunbar had a monster season for North Texas last year, carrying the ball for 1,378 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to 1st team All-SBC honors in 2009. Dunbar looks to continue the tradition of quality running backs at North Texas, following in the footsteps of Jamario Thomas and Cedric Cobbs.

18. Baylor Bears (4-8, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Many pundits thought that 2009 would be the year that the Baylor Bears turned the corner, but those dreams were derailed in Week 3 after sensational QB Robert Griffin tore his ACL and back-up QB Blake Szymanski injured his shoulder. Griffin looks like he is back to form though and if he can stay healthy has a real chance to take the Bears to their first bowl appearance since 1994.

17. Miami Redhawks (1-11, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Things haven’t looked good in Oxford over the past half decade, but there is reason for Redhawks fans to be excited in 2010. In HC Mike Haywood’s second year, the Redhawks return 19 starters from 2009 while many of their opponents in the MAC East are reloading. Miami probably isn’t good enough to make a bowl this season, but should keep games close and cover a lot of college football gambling spreads.

16. UTEP Miners (4-8, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Inconsistent wouldn’t even begin to describe the UTEP Miners’ 2009 season. In their first C-USA game of the season, the Miners upset #12 and then undefeated Houston 58-41 as a two TD underdog on the NCAA gambling odds. In UTEP’s very next game they suffered an embarrassing 15 point loss at Memphis, giving the Tigers their only FBS win of 2009. With one of the best backfield tandems in the conference in QB Trevor Vittatoe and All-American RB Donald Buckram, the Miners will be able to put up a lot of points this season.

15. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-6, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – With the graduation of the record-setting Tim Tebow, the SEC East is the most open its been in years and the Gamecocks are in good position to take advantage of this. They usually have one of the better defenses in the country and if QB Stephen Garcia can continue to develop like he has over the past two seasons, South Carolina could flirt with a 10 win season.

14. Connecticut Huskies (8-5, 9-2-1 ATS in 2009) – Few would deny that Randy Edsall has done one of the best jobs in the country in guiding UConn from the FCS level to the FBS level. Over the past three years, Edsall has really hit his stride with the team going 25-14 and winning back-to-back bowl games. The Huskies have also been one of the best teams for NCAA wagering enthusiasts with the team going 63-42-2 ATS since 2000.

13. Texas A&M Aggies (6-7, 6-7 ATS in 2009) – Mike Sherman’s Aggies benefit from only having four road games this year, and in only one of those four road games (@ Texas) will they be a prohibitive underdog. Texas A&M has 16 returning starters this season, including QB Jerrod Johnson who passed for 3,579 yards to go with 30 TDs against just eight interceptions on his way to a 2nd team All-Big 12 selection in 2009.

12. UCF Knights (8-5, 9-3 ATS in 2009) – Last year, not much was expected of the UCF Knights after a 2008 campaign in which the Knights had one of the worst offenses in the country. However, HC George O’Leary turned to the running game last year and found a valuable asset in RB Brynn Harvey. Last season, Harvey ran for 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns while picking up 3rd team All-C-USA honors. Harvey suffered a knee injury in spring, but is expected to miss no more than a few games at most.

11. Michigan Wolverines (5-7, 5-6 ATS in 2009) – HC Rich Rodriguez might be on the hottest seat in the country after managing just an 8-16 record and zero bowl appearances in his first two seasons as the head coach of one of the most storied programs in the country. This season, though, will be the first where Rodriguez has a clear-cut choice at QB to run his system in Tate Forcier. With Forcier at the helm, the Wolverines will almost certainly improve on their paltry 7-16 mark against the CFB betting line over the past two seasons.

10. Temple Owls (9-4, 8-4 ATS in 2009) – Al Golden has done a remarkable job in turning around a horrific Temple program that hadn’t made a bowl game in 30 years prior to the Owls making the EagleBank Bowl in 2009. This season, the Owls return almost all of their skill position players and 16 starters to a team that should be considered the favorite to win the MAC East.

9. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-5, 5-6 ATS in 2009) – North Carolina may have the best defense in the country this season with a bevy of NFL prospects at every position along the defensive front. DE Robert Quinn, LB Quan Sturdivant, CB Kendric Burney, and FS Deunta Williams all garnered 1st team All-ACC selections in 2009, while DT Marvin Austin, LB Bruce Carter, and SS Da’Norris Searcy all picked up 2nd team honors. With 19 returning starters in all, the Tar Heels should be one of the best teams against the NCAA odds in 2010.

8. Nevada Wolfpack (8-5, 7-6 ATS in 2009) – When QB Colin Kaepernick pulls the strings, the Wolfpack have one of the most exciting offenses in the country. Last season, Nevada managed an NCAA first when the Wolfpack had three different players (Kaepernick, Vai Taua, and Luke Lippencott) rush for over 1000 yards. In WAC play, the Wolfpack have been especially great the past five seasons, going 26-14 ATS for CFB wagering fans over that time.

7. Washington Huskies (5-7, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – Jake Locker is considered by many to be the top pick in the 2011 draft, and the strong-armed quarterback showed off just what he could do in his first year under new HC Steve Sarkisian. In 2009, Locker became much more polished as a quarterback, throwing for 2,800 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in a season where they flirted with a bowl bid. This year, with 18 returning starters, the Huskies will be in great shape to make their first bowl appearance since 2002.

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6, 4-8 ATS in 2009) – Although QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate have departed, the Fighting Irish are primed to turn some heads in the first year of new HC Brian Kelly. Kelly had one of the best offenses in the country at Cincinnati last year and inherits an offense with a lot of weapons in RB Armando Allen, WR Michael Floyd, and TE Kyle Rudolph. The key to the season for Notre Dame will be how well sophomore QB Dayne Crist can perform in his first season running the offense.

5. Florida State Seminoles (7-6, 4-8 ATS in 2009) – Before getting hurt, QB Christian Ponder looked well on his way to having one of the best seasons in school history. Still, Ponder finished with great numbers, completing 68.8 percent of his passes for 2,717 yards with 14 TDs and seven picks. He’ll also have the luxury of being behind one of the best and most experienced offensive lines in the country, anchored by Jacobs Award winning LG Rodney Hudson.

4. Auburn Tigers (8-5, 6-6 ATS in 2009) – Despite questions over whether he was the right man for the job or not, HC Gene Chizik led the Tigers to a respectable season in 2009. With the help of offensive guru Gus Malzahn, the Tigers offense went from one of the worst in the SEC in 2008 (17.3 PPG) to one of the best in the conference last year (33.3 PPG). The Tigers dodge both the Vols and the Gators in conference play and with eight home games could turn many heads this NCAA wagering season.

3. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (10-3, 10-3 ATS in 2009) – QB Dwight Dasher may have been playing in the lowly Sun Belt last season, but his numbers were good enough for any conference in the country. The athletic Dasher turned a lot of heads in 2009, by throwing for 2,789 yards along with 23 TDs and 14 INTs while also running for 1154 yards and 13 scores. With Dasher under center, the Blue Raiders have a very good chance for back-to-back 10 win seasons.

2. Cincinnati Bearcats (12-1, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Though QB Tony Pike and HC Brian Kelly have since departed, the Bearcats should still have one of the best offenses in the Big East in 2010 under new HC Butch Jones and QB Zach Collaros. Collaros was impressive in his limited playing time in 2009, completing 75 percent of his passes for 1,434 yards with ten TDs against just two INTs. USC transfer WR Vidal Hazelton will also pack some punch to a WR corps that lost Mardy Gilyard.

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4, 9-5 ATS in 2009) – Since taking over for Bill Callahan, Bo Pelini has brought respect back to the Blackshirts and pride back to Husker Nation. Pelini’s Huskers were one last second FG away from making it to a BCS bowl and ruining Texas’ undefeated season in the Big XII Title Game, and although they do lose Heisman Trophy candidate DT Ndamakong Suh, Nebraska returns six starters to the defense that only gave up 10.4 PPG last CFB gambling season.

2010 World Cup Power Rankings (Updated 7/5)

July 5th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in Soccer   2 Comments »

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Just four teams remain in the World Cup betting festivities, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’re breaking the teams down, #1 to #32 for your World Cup Power Rankings.

1: Germany (2-0-1, 6 pts) – Not that we ever doubted the strength of the Germans, but there clearly hasn’t been a team stronger in this World Cup than they have been. F Miroslav Klose now has 14 goals for his World Cup career, leaving him one short of Ronaldo for Brazil for the all time scoring lead. He is also just one goal off of the Golden Boot pace going into the semifinals as well. Germany has dropped eight goals in the knockout rounds already and is virtually assured of being the highest scoring team in this tournament. How many tremendous performances can this team expect to come up with, though? England and Argentina have already fallen, but Spain provides perhaps the toughest task to date.

2: Holland (3-0-0, 9 pts) – La Oranje are just two regulation victories away from matching the feat of the 2002 Brazilian team that won the World Cup. Holland would become one of the rare teams in World Cup history to win all of its group stage matches and then not need at least one period of extra time to win the tournament. Holland put forth a tremendous come from behind effort against Brazil in the last round, erasing the memories of knockout round defeats to the winningest team in World Cup history in both 1994 and 1998.

3: Spain (2-0-1, 6 pts) – David Villa strikes again! The Spanish have only gotten goals from their top striker so far in this knockout round, as Villa was the hero in 1-0 wins against both Portugal and Paraguay. Spain knows that this is the best chance that it has ever had to win the World Cup in the country’s second trip ever to the semifinals of this tournament. Wasting this opportunity would be a bitter disappointment in Madrid and all across Spain. However, someone aside from Villa is going to have to figure out how to hit the back of the net. At times, it feels like the Spanish have just waltzed around the pitch waiting for Villa to do something special. That won’t cut it against Germany.

4: Uruguay (2-1-0, 7 pts) – In a tournament where all five South American sides made it out of the first round of the tournament, none figured that Uruguay would be the last team standing representing COMNEBOL. Alas, perhaps it shouldn’t still be here. The Uruguayans needed a deliberate handball from F Luis Suarez right on the goal line in the 120th minute against Ghana to preserve a chance at a shootout. To their credit, they did win the sudden death challenge four goals to two, but not since Diego Maradona and the “Hand of God” goal that helped Argentina win the World Cup has there been such a controversy.

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5: Brazil (2-0-1, 7 pts) – Shame on the Brazilians for not only blowing a 1-0 lead, but blowing their composure as well. After giving up that fluke goal on a cross to Holland’s F Wesley Sneijder, the team just appeared to mentally check out. As a result, manager Dunga was sacked and Brazil has come home empty handed from South Africa.

6: Argentina (3-0-0, 9 pts) – Was a berth in the quarterfinals good enough to save Diego Maradona’s job? We tend to believe so, as the Argentines ran into a brick wall against Germany in their final game here in South Africa. We always wondered how Argentina would react to a bit of controversy, and the answer is simple: Not well. A 4-0 defeat sent one of the favorites of this tournament crashing out of the World Cup.

7: Paraguay (1-2-0, 5 pts) – Give Paraguay all the credit in the world for hanging in there against Spain for almost the entire match. One defensive lapse really cost the team, though one has to wonder what would have happened had the Paraguayans converted on their penalty kick attempt late in the match.

8: Ghana (1-1-1, 4 pts) – Ghana doesn’t want to talk about penalty kicks, though. The Black Stars were all but through to the semifinals when F Luis Suarez literally robbed them red handed of a strike in the 120th minute of a 1-1 match. However, F Asamoah Gyan had a chance to be a hero and sink a penalty shot that would’ve done the exact same thing. He hit the crossbar, and Ghana went on to lose the shootout very predictably by the count of 4-2. Still, the Black Stars have nothing to be ashamed about, as they clearly put on the best show that any African team has ever put on in this tournament.

9: Portugal (1-2-0, 5 pts) – There is no shame in the way that Portugal was knocked out of the World Cup, as the 1-0 defeat to Spain was disappointing, yet expected.

10: United States (1-2-0, 5 pts) – Manager Bob Bradley may get sacked for the defeat to Ghana, but all things considered, the US should be thrilled about getting into the Round of 16 here in South Africa.

11: England (1-2-0, 5 pts) – The Three Lions were one of the most disappointing teams in this tournament, and though a defeat to Germany was at least in the realm of possibility back home, losing by four goals will certainly leave manager Fabio Capello on the unemployment lines.

12: Japan (2-0-1, 6 pts) – Losing in a penalty shootout is always the cruelest way to leave a tournament, especially after 120 scoreless minutes. Give the Samurai Blue some credit for reaching this point, as they put together a fantastic effort and can hold their heads high for a strong effort in South Africa.

13: Mexico (1-1-1, 4 pts) – The Mexicans never really stood a chance of advancing into the quarterfinals against mighty Argentina, but just like the Japanese, there should be no level of shame here either. This was a very tough Group A to get out of, and Mexico did just that to make its homeland proud of its effort in the 2010 World Cup.

14: Chile (2-0-1, 6 pts) – Two wins in their first two matches were fantastic, but the Chileans ended up losing out to both Spain and Brazil in their L/2 matches, proving that there is still a ways to go to get them up to the highest level of international play.

15: South Korea (1-1-1, 4 pts) – A 2-1 loss to Uruguay crushed the South Koreans in their effort to duplicate their outstanding run to a third place finish in the 2002 World Cup on their home soil. Better is expected in the future, but for now, a place in the last 16 will have to do for one of the top Asian nations.

16: Slovakia (1-1-1, 4 pts) – The Slovaks never stood a chance to beat Holland in the Round of 16, but watching Robert Vittek score his fourth goal of the tournament in stoppage time was a nice send off for the most unlikely team to advance out of the group stage of the World Cup.

17: Switzerland (1-1-1, 4 pts) – Disappointing and lifeless draw against Honduras kept the Swiss out of the second round of this tournament.

18: Slovenia (1-1-1, 4 pts) – It simply had to be heartbreaking to watch Landon Donovan boot the Slovenians out of this tournament with his stoppage time strike against Algeria. Still, a loss to England and blow a two goal lead to the USA wasn’t worthy of a bid in the second round for Slovenia.

19: Ivory Coast (1-1-1, 4 pts) – The Ivory Coast was probably the best club not to reach the second round of this tournament, but this is the second straight World Cup that the “Group of Death” claimed Les Elephants.

20: Denmark (1-0-2, 3 pts) – A heartless effort against the Japanese sent the Danish Dynamite home without a berth into the second stage of this tournament, but there are still great signs to point at for the direction of this team in the future.

21: South Africa (1-1-1, 4 pts) – No, it ultimately didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but South Africa’s win over France in the final group stage match in Group A was a great boost to the host nation. The Bafana Bafana became the first host nation to not advance to Round 2, though.

22: Australia (1-1-1, 4 pts) – Give the Socceroos some credit for beating Serbia on the final match day in Group D even though it wasn’t enough to get through. The future of soccer here is very, very bright, especially considering the fact that the results just kept getting better and better for the Aussies.

23: New Zealand (0-3-0, 3 pts) – There probably isn’t a team prouder in this tournament than New Zealand is. Once a 400-1 longshot to win it all, the Kiwis managed three draws and were just one stroke of genius away from becoming the least likely qualifier for the second round in years in this tournament.

24: Italy (0-2-1, 2 pts) – Shame on you, Italy! Even a draw against lowly Slovakia would’ve been enough to put the defending champions through to the second round of the World Cup, but it wasn’t meant to be. Now, the Azzuri have to go home and wonder what went wrong in a tournament that didn’t even provide a single win.

25: Serbia (1-0-2, 3 pts) – Simply put, the Serbs blew it. They had their chance to get into the second round of this tournament, but a shocking defeat to Australia kept them from advancing.

26: Greece (1-0-2, 3 pts) – Greece still has never scored a goal against a team that had a full 11 men on it in the World Cup, but at least it got its first points ever in this tournament with a ‘W’ against Nigeria.

27: Nigeria (0-1-2, 1 pt) – If not for miss after miss after miss in the dying moments of their match against South Korea, the Nigerians would have survived into the second round of this tournament. A 2-2 draw was a fair result, but was one that has to leave a bitter taste in their mouths, knowing that advancement was oh so close.

28: Algeria (0-1-2, 1 pt) – Algeria fought off the United States for 90 minutes before Donovan scored in stoppage time, but in the end, not being able to score a goal in this tournament was the reason that the Desert Foxes are going home.

29: Cameroon (0-0-3, 0 pts) – The Cameroonians once thought that they were the top African team in this tournament, but it’s hard to make that argument with no points under their belt through the group stage.

30: Honduras (0-1-2, 1 pt) – The Hondurans earned a point in their final match against Switzerland in a rather pathetic 0-0 display for both clubs. Still, this was a team that was just happy to be here.

31: France (0-1-2, 1 pt) – The French were clearly the biggest embarrassment of the World Cup, getting just one point against Uruguay to show for three matches. Rumors may or may not be true that manager Raymond Domenech was asked to walk home instead of getting on the team charter.

32: North Korea (0-0-3, 0 pts) – Giving up 12 goals in three matches is never a good sign no matter who you are playing. North Korea was as bad as it has ever gotten at this level.

Top 10 Players in the 2010 World Cup

June 26th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in Soccer   Comments Off on Top 10 Players in the 2010 World Cup
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With one round of play in the books at the World Cup, here at Bankroll Sports, we’re ranking the ten best players that are still in this field that you should be keeping an eye on in the knockout rounds of this tournament.

1: David Villa, Spain -Villa is going to be looked upon as the man that really needs to step it up for the Spanish once again to continue on the path towards the first World Cup that the country has ever won. He scored twice against the Hondurans in the opening match and followed that up with a strike against Chile that helped secure qualification into the second round after a rough loss in the opener against Switzerland.

2: Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina – All of Higuain’s damage in this tournament came in the match against South Korea, but my, what a match it was! The Argentine striker netted a trio of goals, notching what will probably be the only hat trick that this tournament sees. Higuain is a prime candidate for the Golden Boot Award, especially if Argentina can survive a quadrant of teams that includes England or Germany awaiting in the quarterfinals.

3: Landon Donovan, United States -The chosen boy of American soccer right now is really evolving into a national hero. Donovan scored the goal that set up the USA’s comeback against Slovenia to salvage a 2-2 draw, and he followed that up with the most important strike in American soccer history, a blast into the Algerian net that took the Stars and Stripes into the Round of 16 for the first time since 2002. If the USA is advancing anywhere in this tournament, Donovan is going to be the man to keep a very, very close eye on.

4: Diego Forlan, Uruguay – Uruguay was absolutely dominant in the first round of this tournament, and a lot of that was because of the play of Forlan. He struck twice in the group stages and was the biggest reason that the Uruguayans ended up outscoring their opponents 4-0 in the first three matches. Before this tournament, there was an outside chance of Forlan coming up big in Group A and being a candidate for the Golden Boot. Now that Uruguay is probably a favorite amongst itself, South Korea, the United States, and Ghana to reach the semifinals of this tournament, Forlan could be a prime suspect.

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5: Robert Vittek, Slovakia – If we really believed that Slovakia would be hanging around deep into this tournament, we would have Vittek ranked higher in our World Cup Power Rankings. There’s no doubt that he is a hero right now though, as he scored twice in the shocking upset of Italy in the final match in Group E to put the Slovakians through.

6: Lionel Messi, Argentina – Yes, Lionel Messi still doesn’t have a goal under his belt but he has been the biggest offensive threat arguably in the entire tournament. He set up all four goals in a 4-1 romp over South Korea. It only seems to be a matter of time until Messi ends up getting onto the score sheet, especially if the Argentines can make a bit of run. Manager Diego Maradona knows that Messi is going to be the one to carry this squad to the World Cup if it is going to happen.

7: Elano, Brazil – The Brazilians look like a finally tuned offensive unit right now, and Elano is one of the two men to thank on the squad. Perhaps Elano wasn’t the more aggressive of he and his fellow offensive teammate, but he has lit up the scoreboard twice in this competition and should be considered a real threat for to a number of lesser teams that are about to feel the wrath of one of the best teams in the entire world.

8: Luis Fabiano, Brazil – Perhaps Elano and Luis Fabiano should be 7A and 7B, because without them both, the Brazilians wouldn’t have ended up getting seven points in the first round of matches. Fabiano will be the aggressor of the bunch, as he ended up setting up a number of the five goals that the team put forth against Portugal, Ivory Coast, and North Korea.

9: Asamoah Gyan, Ghana – The Ghana soccer team wouldn’t be anywhere near the second round of the World Cup without the efforts of Gyan. Not only did he end up taking over half of the shots and half of the shots on target for his team, but he also buried both of the team’s goals as well. Unfortunately, both ended up coming from the spot area, and the Black Stars have yet to figure out how to score from anywhere aside from a penalty kick. Gyan is going to be the man that is going to have to score against the Americans in all likelihood, or the last African team standing will be eliminated fairly quickly.

10: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal – The chosen boy of Portuguese soccer is going to have to step it up a lot more than he did in the first round of this tournament. He only scored one goal against North Korea in that 7-0 romp. However, Portugal didn’t score a goal against either the Ivory Coast or Brazil, which is setting up what could be a disaster against its neighbors from Spain in the first match of the Round of 16.

2010 MLB Baseball Power Ratings (After 6/14)

June 15th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on 2010 MLB Baseball Power Ratings (After 6/14)

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*Baseball Records & Team Rankings are as of 6/12/2010
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/28/2010)

1. Tampa Bay Rays (40-22) – The Rays continue to lead the American League East but by a slim margin. Tampa Bay comes into Sunday’s action just one game ahead of the New York Yankees at the top of the division. The Rays ranks fourth in all of baseball with an earned run average of 3.42, along with the second best WHIP – 1.23. Offensively Carlos Pena has blasted 15 homeruns over the fence, while Evan Longoria has drove in 48 runs, and Carl Crawford has scored 46 times. Tampa Bay will look to win two out of three over the Marlins on Sunday – then take Monday off, before heading to Atlanta and Miami for three game series against NL East teams.

2. New York Yankees (39-23) – The Yankees will look for a three game sweep over the lowly Houston Astros on Sunday. New York has seen an emerging star in Robinson Cano just carry the entire load offensively. Cano is batting .371, while hitting 12 homeruns, driving in 46 runs, and also scoring 47 runs. New York comes into Sunday’s action just one game behind the Rays at the top of the AL East. The Yankees offense is second in all of baseball with a .280 batting average, and also second in runs batted in; 329. New York’s pitching has also been solid – 9th in earned run average (3.80) and 4th in WHIP (1.25). The Yankees, after sending Houston out of town will take Monday off, before hosting the Phillies for three and Mets for three during next week.

3. Minnesota Twins (36-26) – The Minnesota Twins continue to sit in cruise control atop the American League Central division. The Twins are three games ahead of the Tigers for the top spot. Minnesota has out scored opponents 292 – 238 on the season. The offense has been keyed by first base men Justin Morneau. Morneau leads the team in batting average (.357), homeruns (13), runs batted in (43) and runs scored (40). Minnesota, as a team is 7th in all of baseball with a .270 batting average, and sixth with a 3.68 earned run average. The Twins will look to win two of three over Atlanta on Sunday, and then spend Monday awaiting the arrival of the Colorado Rockies. The Twins and Rockies will play Tuesday – Thursday, and then Minnesota will head to Philadelphia for a weekend series.

4. San Diego Padres (37-25) – The Padres have won two straight games, and six out of their last ten overall. San Diego is looking for a three game sweep over Seattle on Sunday afternoon. The Padres, despite their .248 batting average, sit in first place in the National League West, and have the best record in all of the NL. The Padres have been winning games with their pitching. The pitching staff for the Padres has a 2.95 earned run average, which is best in all of baseball. On the offensive side, despite the struggles, Adrian Gonzalez continues to mash the baseball, leading the team in batting average, homeruns and runs batted in. The Padres will welcome the American League East’s Toronto Blue Jays on Monday through Wednesday, and then take Thursday off. On Friday, the Padres and Baltimore Orioles will start a weekend series at Petco Park.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers (36-26) – The Dodgers, following their three game home sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, have lost their last two to city rivals – Angels. The Dodgers will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon to the Angels. Los Angeles ranks 9th in baseball with their .265 batting average, led by Andre Ethier’s .351 mark. Either also leads the team in homeruns (11) and runs batted in (40). The Dodgers are just one game out of first place in the NL West, and a game and ½ ahead of third place San Francisco. The Dodgers will travel to Cincinnati for a three game road series through Thursday. Over the weekend, Los Angeles will play at Fenway Park in Boston, against the Red Sox.

6. Boston Red Sox (37-27) – The Red Sox have moved to within four games of the Rays at the top of the American League East. Boston has been successful with their high powered offense; leading first in baseball in runs batted in (336) and runs scored (619). The Red Sox have hit the second most homeruns, trailing only Toronto, with 83. Boston’s Adrian Beltre leads the team in offense with a .336 batting average, while Kevin Youkilis has hit 12 homeruns and scored 54 runs. The Red Sox will seek to sweep the Phillies on Sunday, and then take Monday off. Following the off day, Boston will head home to host the Diamondbacks and Dodgers for three game series’.

7. Atlanta Braves (36-27) – The Braves, with their 19-6 home record have a lead at the top of the National League East. Atlanta has split their last ten games, including a split with the Minnesota Twins over the weekend. The Braves will look to finish the series with the Twins on a high note on Sunday. Atlanta has seen Martin Prado bat .326 to lead the team, while Troy Glaus has hit 11 homeruns and drove in 46 runs. The Braves, after leaving Minneapolis, will host the Rays for three, and then the Royals over the weekend.

8. Cincinnati Reds (36-27) – Cincinnati holds a slim 1.5 game lead over St. Louis at the top of the National League Central. The Reds have been winning games due to their major league leading best .281 batting average, along with 77 homeruns and 314 runs batted in. The Reds have seen resurgence from third base men Scott Rolen, as he is batting .313 with 14 homeruns. Cincinnati will look to win the second of three from Kansas City on Sunday, and then use the off day Monday to prepare for the three game series at home with the Dodgers. When Los Angeles leaves town on Thursday, the Reds will head to Seattle for a three game weekend series.

9. St. Louis Cardinals (34-28) – The Cardinals have shown signs of concern with their team offense. St. Louis ranks 19th in all of baseball with a .258 batting average. Even top offensively player Albert Pujols has slipped below .300, at .296. Pujols does lead the team in homeruns, with 14, and runs batted in (44). St. Louis has seen excellent pitching, ranking second with a 3.17 earned run average. Adam Wainwright leads the pitching staff with 8 wins, while rookie Jaime Garcia has an ERA of 1.49. The Cardinals will look to take two of three from Arizona on Sunday, then come home and host the Seattle Mariners Monday through Wednesday, before welcoming the Oakland Athletics for a weekend series.

10. San Francisco Giants (33-27) – The Giants have moved to just 2.5 games behind the Padres in the National League West. San Francisco has won two straight, over Oakland, and seven of ten overall.  The Giants boast the third best earned run average in all of baseball; 3.36. San Francisco’s offense ranks 8th in batting average (.266), 20th in homeruns (50) and 26th in runs batted in (241). San Francisco, after playing Oakland on Sunday will welcome the lowly Baltimore Orioles to town on Monday, and then head north of the border to take on the Blue Jays over the weekend.

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11. Toronto Blue Jays (34-29) – The Blue Jays have struggled a bit of recent, to fall to fourth place in the American League East. Toronto will look to avoid a three game sweep in Denver on Sunday afternoon against the Rockies. Jose Bautista has provided the power for Toronto, hitting 18 homeruns and driving in 45 runs, and scored 41 runs. The Blue Jays are in fourth place in the AL East; 6.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. Toronto ranks first in baseball with 99 homeruns hit. After the Blue Jays and Rockies finish their series, the Blue Jays will play in San Diego Monday – Wednesday, and host the Giants over the weekend.

12. Texas Rangers (34-28) – The Rangers have won six of their last ten games overall and re-gained a slim ½ game lead of the Angels at the top of the American League West. Texas has been led offensively by Vladimir Guerrero and his .338 batting average, along with 14 homeruns and 54 runs batted in. The Rangers have out scored opponents 314 – 280 on the season. After playing the final game of a three game series in Milwaukee, the Rangers will take Monday off, before playing in Miami against the Marlins and then in Houston, against the Astros.

13. New York Mets (34-28) – The Mets have won three straight games, and seven of their last ten overall. New York has been treated to David Wright’s solid season, batting .286, along with 12 homeruns and 47 runs batted in. The Mets are just 1.5 games behind the Braves at the top of the National League East. The pitching for the Mets ranks 7th in baseball with a 3.70 earned run average. New York will look to complete a three game sweep over Baltimore on Sunday, before taking Monday off. On Tuesday the Mets and Indians will play a three series in Cleveland, and then play a city rivalry series with the Yankees over the weekend.

14. Los Angeles Angels (35-30) – The Angels are just ½ game behind the Texas Rangers at the top of the American League West. Anaheim has beaten the Dodgers in the first two games of the series. The Angels have the 18th best batting average (.259), along with the 21st best earned run average (4.39). Los Angeles will finish the series with the Angels on Sunday, and then welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to town on Monday. Over the weekend, the Angels will play three games at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

15. Detroit Tigers (32-29) – Despite winning three straight games, the Tigers are still three games out of first place in the American League Central. Detroit is led by Miguel Cabrera and his .330 batting average, along with 19 homeruns and 56 runs batted in. The Tigers rank sixth in baseball with a .270 batting average. Detroit’s pitching has struggled through most of the season, with a 4.18 earned run average which is 18th in baseball. The Tigers seek a three game sweep over the Pirates on Sunday, and then welcome the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks to town for the next six games.

16. Philadelphia Phillies (31-29) – The Phillies’ struggles have continues, as they have dropped to just two games above .500. Philadelphia will look to avoid a sweep on Sunday, at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. The Phillies are in third place in the National League East, 4 games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies offense has slowed down, dropping to 20th in baseball, with a .258 batting average. Placido Polanco, the leading vote getting for the National League All Star game, at third base, leads the team with a .319 batting average. After the Phillies leave Boston, they will take Monday off, and then play three at Yankee Stadium, against the red-hot Yankees. On Friday, Philadelphia will host the American League Central leading Minnesota Twins.

17. Colorado Rockies (32-30) – Colorado continues to use the right arm of Ubaldo Jimenez to lead them to a 32-30 record. The Rockies come into Sunday’s action with the Blue Jays in fourth place in the National League West, but just four games behind the front running San Diego Padres. Colorado ranks 5th in all of baseball with a 3.62 earned run average, as Jimenez remains under 1.00. The Rockies will take Monday off, then head to Minnesota for a three game series against the Twins during the mid-week. On Friday, the Rockies and Brewers will start a three game series in Milwaukee.

18. Oakland Athletics (32-31) – Oakland is looking to avoid a three game sweep at the hands of cross town rival – San Francisco Giants on Sunday. The Athletics have dropped to 32-31 overall, and 3.5 games out of first place in the American League West. Oakland’s top offensive player has been Ryan Sweeney, as he is hitting .314. The Athletics pitching ranks 11th with a 3.97 earned run average, led by Gio Gonzalez and his 6 wins and 3.79 earned run average. After the Athletics leave San Francisco, they will take Monday off, then head to Wrigley Field, to take on the Chicago Cubs in a three game series. On Friday, the Athletics will head to Busch Stadium in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals.

19. Florida Marlins (30-32) – The Marlins are in the mix when it comes to the National League East division. Despite being in fourth place, the Marlins are just six games out of first place. Florida is led offensively by a slew of players, with Cody Ross hitting .291, and Dan Uggla blasting 14 homeruns. The Marlins are 10th in baseball, with a .263 batting average, and 14th in earned run average (4.07). Florida will host the Texas Rangers for a three game series starting Tuesday, then once again play the Tampa Bay Rays, this time in Miami.

20. Washington Nationals (30-33) – Washington will look to avoid a three game sweep in Cleveland, with their young pnenom Stephen Strasburg taking the mound. The Nationals have fallen to three games under .500, and six games out of first place in the National League East. Washington is 18-12 when playing at home, and 12-21 on the road. Ryan Zimmerman leads the team with a .306 batting average, while Adam Dunn has blasted a team high 14 homeruns. Washington ranks 14th in baseball with a .261 batting average. Washington will head to Detroit on Tuesday to take on the Tigers, and then host the Chicago White Sox for a three game series over the weekend.

21. Chicago White Sox (28-33) – The White Sox have moved their season high winning streak to four, after beating their cross town rival – the Cubs two straight. The White Sox are led offensively by Alex Rios and Paul Konerko. Rios is batting .321, while Konerko has blasted 17 homeruns and 46 runs batted in. Chicago ranks sixth in all of baseball with 74 homeruns. After finishing the series with the Cubs, the White Sox will take Tuesday off, then head to Pittsburgh for a three game series with the Pirates. The White Sox will then head to Washington to take on the Nationals over the weekend.

22. Chicago Cubs (27-35) – After another Lou Pinella blowup, the Cubs have lost the first two games to city rival – the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs are eight games under .500, and 8 games behind first place in the National League Central. Marlon Byrd leads the Cubs in batting, with a .336 batting average. Alfonso Soriano and Derrek Lowe both hit their 300th career homeruns this week; Soriano now leads the team with 10. The Cubs and Sox will play the Sunday night game of the week, and then wait for the Athletics and Angels to come to town for three game series during the week.

23. Milwaukee Brewers (26-36) – After taking the first of a three game series against the Texas Rangers, the Brewers fell on Saturday behind Manny Parra. Milwaukee, who has been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball, comes into Sunday’s action 9.5 games out of first place in the National League Central. Ryan Braun, the Brewers left fielder leads the team in batting average (.297) and runs (41), while Corey Hart has popped 17 homeruns. Milwaukee, after Sunday’s action will head out west to take on the Angels Monday through Wednesday, and then on Friday play in Denver against the Rockies.

24. Kansas City Royals (26-37) – Kansas City will look to take two of three on Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. The Royals will send Zack Greinke to the mound in the afternoon affair. Kansas City ranks 5th in baseball with a .275 batting average, as well as 27th in earned run average (4.89). The Royals started the game on Sunday 10 games behind the Twins at the top of the AL Central. The Royals will host the Houston Astros for three games Tuesday through Thursday, and then play three games in Atlanta over the weekend, against the Braves.

25. Cleveland Indians (25-36) – The Cleveland Indians will look to sweep the weekend series against the Nationals in a Sunday afternoon affair in Cleveland. The task could be tough, as the Indians will face Stephen Strasburg, the young phenom from Washington. Cleveland is led offensively by Shin-Soo Choo. Choo leads the team with 8 homeruns, along with 32 runs batted in, and 36 runs scored. Cleveland ranks 24th in all of baseball with a .247 batting average as well as 28th in homeruns with 43. The Indians come into the affair with Washington 11 games out of first place in the American League Central. Cleveland will host the New York Mets for a three game series Tuesday through Thursday, and then play three games in Pittsburgh, against the Pirates over the weekend.

26. Houston Astros (25-38) – Houston is having all sorts of problems offensively, ranking last in batting average, and 29th in homeruns and hits. Jeff Keppinger has been the leading offensively player for the Astros, hitting .292 as a team. The Astros come into Sunday’s action 10.5 games out of first place, behind the Cincinnati Reds. Houston will look to avoid the sweep game sweep on Sunday, at the hands of the Yankees. After Houston leaves the Bronx, they will take Monday off, and then play three in Kansas City from Tuesday through Thursday. Over the weekend, Houston will then host the Texas Rangers for a three game series.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (23-39) – The Pirates come into Sunday’s affair with the Tigers, losers of seven straight games. Pittsburgh will look to end the streak on Sunday. The team batting has struggled big time, ranking 29th with a .237 batting average. Pittsburgh also ranks just 25th in homeruns with 44 on the season. The Pirates offense is also 29th in all of baseball, with a 5.24 earned run average, and 1.56 WHIP. Pittsburgh after finishing the series against the Tigers will take Monday off, and then head home to host the Chicago White Sox Tuesday –  Thursday, and then the Cleveland Indians Friday – Sunday.

28. Arizona Diamondbacks (25-38) – Arizona hit a season high four homeruns in a 7-2 win over the Cardinals on Saturday night. The Diamondbacks will look to win their second straight on Sunday behind Edwin Jackson. The Diamondbacks rank dead last in all of baseball with a 5.45 earned run average. The offense has struggled most of the season, leading baseball in strikeouts, all while batting just .250 as a team. Stephen Drew leads the team with a .279 batting average, while Mark Reynolds has pumped 15 homeruns and driven in 45. The Diamondbacks will take Monday off to travel to Boston, where they start a three game series on Tuesday against the Red Sox. On Friday, Arizona will play in Detroit against the Tigers.

29. Seattle Mariners (23-39) – Seattle is 23-39, and losers of five straight games. The Mariners have fallen to 11 games out of first place in the American League West. The Mariners offense ranks 27th in baseball average (.243), and last in homeruns (33). The Mariners pitching has also struggled, with a 4.14 earned run average, which is 16th in all of baseball. Ichiro Suzuki has been one of the lone bright spots for the Mariners, with his .343 batting average. Seattle will look to take the final game of the series in San Diego, before traveling to St. Louis for a three game series starting on Monday with the Cardinals. Seattle then will head back home to host the Cincinnati Reds.

30. Baltimore Orioles (17-45) – With the worst record in all of baseball, the Baltimore Orioles are trying everything they can to garner some success. Baltimore ranks last in all of baseball with 192 runs batted in. Their top RBI guy is Ty Wigginton with 35, along with 13 homeruns. Baltimore is trying to avoid another sweep on Sunday, at the hands of the New York Mets. After the Mets leave town, Baltimore will head out west and take on the San Francisco Giants on Monday through Wednesday. Following an off day Thursday, the Orioles will play in San Diego for a three game series.