Bagwell taking over as Astros hitting coach

Baseball Betting Lines

07/11/2010 -

HOUSTON (AP) -Former Astros All-Star Jeff Bagwell is taking over as Houston's hitting coach after the team fired Sean Berry on Sunday.

Berry became ``a victim of circumstances'' as the Astros' offense has sputtered this season, general manager Ed Wade said. Still, Wade believes the offense can do more and hopes Bagwell can help that happen.

``We know we can get better, but we also know there are players here that should be better and hopefully with a different voice in Jeff Bagwell, they'll recognize the measure of accountability that they have in this whole process so we will get better,'' Wade said.

The move gives Houston hitters a chance to work with one of the most beloved and successful players in franchise history.

In 15 seasons with the Astros, the former first baseman set franchise records with 449 home runs and 1,529 RBIs. Bagwell was the National League rookie of the year in 1991, the NL's most valuable player in 1994 and a four-time All-Star.

Berry, who has been the hitting coach for the past five seasons, was given a chance to remain with the franchise in a development role. He hadn't yet decided if he'll accept that opportunity.

Wade knows great players don't necessarily make good coaches, but believes Bagwell will be successful after what he's shown working with the team as special assistant to the general manager since retiring in 2006.

``He's very levelheaded,'' Wade said. ``He communicates very well, particularly with regard to the nuances of the game. We've seen him have a significant impact on some of our minor league hitters with the information he's able to convey. So he's got the interest and the passion in doing this and we think it's appropriate to give him the opportunity to see if it works or not.''

Bagwell was not in uniform for Sunday's game against the Cardinals and will join the team Thursday in Pittsburgh for a workout before the start of Friday's series with the Pirates.

``Fans love Bagwell so that's the first thing. He's a legend here,'' center fielder Michael Bourn said. ``(He) did a lot of damage here so of course he knows how to hit. So I'm pretty sure he has some (things) he could point out to us and he's probably been seeing some things from up top. So we'll see what it does for us.''

The Astros entered Sunday's game with the second worst batting average in the majors (.237), the worst on-base percentage (.295) and are tied for 28th with just 57 home runs this season. Only Seattle and Pittsburgh have fewer hits than the 691 Houston has managed this year.

Star slugger Lance Berkman entered Sunday's game hitting .252 and cleanup hitter Carlos Lee is batting .238. Each has 12 home runs apiece. Second baseman Jeff Keppinger has the best average in Houston's starting lineup at .279.

Berkman said it stings to know the struggles of the offense cost Berry his job.

``I haven't hit and Carlos hasn't hit like he can and others haven't and it's not Sean's fault,'' Berkman said. ``It's one of those things that when things aren't going well with the players, you have to shake something up and the most expendable pieces a lot of times are the coaching staff.''

Though he was disappointed to see Berry leave, Berkman is looking forward to working with Bagwell.

``Jeff has always been one of my mentors in the game and I'm excited that he's going to be around more,'' Berkman said. ``I told him (Saturday) that he helps me more than anybody even when he's not around just from all the things that he told me during the time that we played together. So it will be great to have him around and have his expertise available.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

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