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Manne wrote: He is the greatest Seattle Mariner of all time and saved baseball in that city, the biggest reason that Safeco Field was even built in the Pacific Northwest. And now Ken Griffey Jr. is finally stepping away from baseball, with Junior a lock first-ballot Hall of Famer when he’s eligible five seasons after this one.

Manager Don Wakamatsu told reporters that Griffey was retiring Wednesday afternoon. Griffey was not at Safeco Field and was not expected to attend Wednesday's game. The team will make an official announcement on the field before Seattle takes on Minnesota.

Griffey played for Seattle from 1989-1999 and came back again in 2009. He really never should have left the Mariners for his hometown Reds, which he did following the 1999 season. In his 11 seasons in Seattle before leaving, Junior was easily the best player in baseball and arguably the best center fielder ever. He played less than 120 games just twice in his first stint with Seattle and had six seasons of more than 40 homers and seven years with 100-plus RBIs.

With the Reds, injuries plagued Griffey and likely cost him a chance to be the guy to pass Hank Aaron’s home run record before Barry Bonds did. Junior played 145 games in his first season in Cincy but never played that many again. In one three-season stretch (2002-04), he played just 206 games because of injuries and hit only 41 homers – that was a season’s worth with the Mariners. This season has been a disaster, with Junior hitting .184 with no homers and seven RBIs. He had had only seven at-bats since May 18 and was caught in a bit of criticism when he reportedly was asleep in the clubhouse during a game when he was needed as a pinch-hitter. But steroid rumors, which plagued many of his peers, never surrounded Griffey.

Junior, a 13-time All-Star retires with 630 home runs (fifth all-time), 1,836 RBIs (14th), 2,781 hits, a career OBP of .370 and 10 Gold Gloves. He is first in Mariners history in home runs (417); second in slugging percentage (.553), RBIs (1,216), doubles (341), total bases (3,495), runs (1,113), games (1,685) and at-bats (6,317); and third in hits (1,843). He was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1997.

"Ken is both the finest ballplayer I have ever known and one of the finest people I have ever known," Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said in a statement. "I consider myself unbelievably fortunate to have had the opportunity to watch a first-ballot Hall of Famer's career unfold in front of me, and in front of the great fans in Seattle."

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Since im from the Seattle area this is a little bitter sweet, sucks seeing him go but we all knew it would happen very soon. He will hands down bet he greatest baseball player on the 90's. He will be missed
Join: 2010/01/27 Messages: 11
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Manne wrote: So much for the NL East being a foregone conclusion for the Philadelphia Phillies, as the reigning two-time pennant winners fell out of first place thanks to Monday night’s loss to the streaking Atlanta Braves. And host Atlanta is a -140 favorite on Bodog’s MLB odds for Tuesday night’s Game 2 of the series.

Hard to imagine how an offense with guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth can struggle so much (it misses Jimmy Rollins), but in their last nine games, the Phillies have scored 10 runs. They have not scored more than five runs in a game since May 17. The Phils have gone 13 straight games with fewer than 10 hits, the longest such streak since 1983. They have not hit a home run in 63 consecutive innings, the longest such streak since July 1999.

The Braves won 9-3 on Monday as Troy Glaus continued his recent resurgence. Glaus hit his eighth homer of the season and sixth of May. He hit .194 with nine RBIs in April and .330 with 28 RBIs in May. The Braves, winners of six straight, are one-half game ahead of Philadelphia, which has dropped two straight and nine of 13. Atlanta has gone 16-4 since May 10 and has made up 7 1/2 games in the NL East since May 17, when they were in last place. The team hasn't held first place in the NL East this late in a season since they won the last of 14 straight division titles in 2005.

Philadelphia turns to lefty Cole Hamels (5-3, 3.82) tonight. Philadelphia is 9-3 in his past 12 starts against Atlanta, and he's 8-2 with a 4.03 ERA over that span. The Braves counter with Tim Hudson (5-1, 2.24). He has yet to allow more than three earned runs this season and Atlanta is 5-1 in his past six starts.

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I think he hit his peak for his career. Nobody can do what he did besides a great player and we know that those players dont come by very often
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The MLB power rankings make quite a strong case for divisional realignment. Based on current play, the strongest teams in baseball all play in the American League East. The New York Yankees lead the division at 43-26 but the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox are a game back each.

The Red Sox lead the power rankings overall, having gained major ground during the month of June. They’re currently riding a six-game winning streak.

Next up in the power rankings are the red-hot Texas Rangers, winners of eight straight, and the Atlanta Braves, who have won five in a row and are the only National League club playing .600 baseball. The Chicago White Sox may not be trade-deadline sellers after all; Ozzie Guillen’s group has won six straight to climb back into the AL Central race.

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:dirol
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With baseball’s All-Star Break at hand, it’s the official if unofficial halfway point of the MLB season (most teams have played about seven more games than the true 81-game halfway point). Thus it’s time to re-evaluate some MLB player prop futures, and in particular the American League home run champion. Click here for the NL story.

The American League home run leader at the break was someone who was completely off the radar and wasn’t even a betting option on Bodog during the preseason: Toronto’s Jose Bautista with 24. Bautista’s career high for dingers is just 16 in a season, so there’s reason to think he will tail off. He is currently 7/2 to win the AL home run title on Bodog.

There are four other players with at least 20 homers: the Rangers’ Josh Hamilton, the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera, the Rangers’ Vladimir Guerrero and the White Sox’s Paul Konerko. Cabrera is the 3/1 favorite to hit the most (he won it in 2008), but he plays in a bad hitter’s park at Comerica Park. There’s an outside chance that he can win the AL Triple Crown, which would be quite a feat in this day and age. Players tend to wear down in the dog days of summer in that Texas heat, so I’m not sure Hamilton (4/1) or Guerrero (13/2) is the best bet. Both have a recent history of injury problems as well. Thus Konerko, who has home games in the hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field, might be a good bet at 15/2.

How about Home Run Derby champion David Ortiz? Big Papi sits at 18 homers and is 12/1 to win the home run crown. And don’t rule out the Yankees’ Mark Teixeira, who is the defending co-home run king (with Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena) and who has 17 dingers so far. Teixeira is great value at 22/1.

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If you were a Cincinnati Reds believer back in spring then you probably cashed in a pretty penny today.

Right fielder Jay Bruce hit a walk off homerun to help his Reds beat the Houston Astros 3-2 and clinch the NL Central.

Bruce became the fifth player MLB history to walk off his team into a division title.

It had been 15 years since the Reds had played in October, and we can only imagine what the MLB odds were to win the division in the Bodog Sportsbook back in April when the Reds were considered one of baseball's bottom feeders.

"When he hit that one up there, there was a big sigh of relief and the party was on," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I'm as happy as a man can be. This is sweet. This is a special group, special guys and a special feeling."

Now the Reds embark on an unlikely journey into October. Odds have them listed at 4/1 to win the National League, and 9/1 to win the World Series.

How far do you think the Reds can go? Leave your comments.

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Manne wrote: If you were a Cincinnati Reds believer back in spring then you probably cashed in a pretty penny today.

Right fielder Jay Bruce hit a walk off homerun to help his Reds beat the Houston Astros 3-2 and clinch the NL Central.

Bruce became the fifth player MLB history to walk off his team into a division title.

It had been 15 years since the Reds had played in October, and we can only imagine what the MLB odds were to win the division in the Bodog Sportsbook back in April when the Reds were considered one of baseball's bottom feeders.

"When he hit that one up there, there was a big sigh of relief and the party was on," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I'm as happy as a man can be. This is sweet. This is a special group, special guys and a special feeling."

Now the Reds embark on an unlikely journey into October. Odds have them listed at 4/1 to win the National League, and 9/1 to win the World Series.

How far do you think the Reds can go? Leave your comments.

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And the padres and braves still battling for the wildcard, looking forward to the playoffs
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Here's some odds and props for the upcoming MLB season from bodog sportsbook.

Odds to win the 2010 World Series


Philadelphia Phillies 2/1 (+200)
New York Yankees 7/2 (+350)
Tampa Bay Rays 9/2 (+450)
San Francisco Giants 7/1 (+700)
Minnesota Twins 8/1 (+800)
Cincinnati Reds 11/1 (+1100)
Texas Rangers 11/1 (+1100)
Atlanta Braves 12/1 (+1200)

Odds to win the 2010 National League Championship


Philadelphia Phillies 5/7 (-140)
San Francisco Giants 3/1 (+300)
Cincinnati Reds 5/1 (+500)
Atlanta Braves 11/2 (+550)


Odds to win the 2010 American League Championship


New York Yankees 17/10 (+170)
Tampa Bay Rays 2/1 (+200)
Minnesota Twins 4/1 (+400)
Texas Rangers 9/2 (+450)


2010 World Series - Exact World Series Matchup


New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies 7/2
New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants 9/1
New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds 12/1
New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves 12/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies 4/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. San Francisco Giants 10/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cincinnati Reds 15/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Atlanta Braves 15/1
Minnesota Twins vs. Philadelphia Phillies 7/1
Minnesota Twins vs. San Francisco Giants 16/1
Minnesota Twins vs. Cincinnati Reds 25/1
Minnesota Twins vs. Atlanta Braves 25/1
Texas Rangers vs. Philadelphia Phillies 8/1
Texas Rangers vs. San Francisco Giants 18/1
Texas Rangers vs. Cincinnati Reds 28/1
Texas Rangers vs. Atlanta Braves 28/1


2010 World Series - Which League will the World Series Winner come from?



American League -130
National League EVEN






MLB PLAYOFFS - DIVISIONAL SERIES PRICES
New York Yankees (Series Price) -190
Minnesota Twins (Series Price) +165


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Exact Series Result
New York Yankees 3-0 4/1 (+400)
New York Yankees 3-1 5/2 (+250)
New York Yankees 3-2 7/2 (+350)
Minnesota Twins 3-0 9/1 (+900)
Minnesota Twins 3-1 11/2 (+550)
Minnesota Twins 3-2 4/1 (+400)


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Number of Games in Series
3 5/2 (+250)
4 3/2 (+150)
5 31/20 (+155)


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Runs in Series
Over/Under 34


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Home Runs in Series
Over/Under 9.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - CC Sabathia (NYY)
Over/Under 5.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - Francisco Liriano (MIN)
Over/Under 6


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Hits in Series - Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
Over/Under 4.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
Over/Under 3.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Will Alex Rodriguez (NYY) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -160
No +130


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Mark Teixeira (NYY)
Over/Under 2.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Will Mark Teixeira (NYY) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -150
No +120


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Robinson Cano (NYY)
Over/Under 2.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Derek Jeter (NYY)
Over/Under 2.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Hits in Series - Joe Mauer (MIN)
Over/Under 5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Joe Mauer (MIN) Total
Over/Under 3


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Will Jim Thome (MIN) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -175
No +145


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Delmon Young (MIN)
Over/Under 3


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Hits in Series - Denard Span (MIN) Total
Over/Under 4.5


MLB PLAYOFFS - DIVISIONAL SERIES PRICES
Texas Rangers (Series Price) +130
Tampa Bay Rays (Ser
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ixgames wrote: Here's some odds and props for the upcoming MLB season from bodog sportsbook.

Odds to win the 2010 World Series


Philadelphia Phillies 2/1 (+200)
New York Yankees 7/2 (+350)
Tampa Bay Rays 9/2 (+450)
San Francisco Giants 7/1 (+700)
Minnesota Twins 8/1 (+800)
Cincinnati Reds 11/1 (+1100)
Texas Rangers 11/1 (+1100)
Atlanta Braves 12/1 (+1200)

Odds to win the 2010 National League Championship


Philadelphia Phillies 5/7 (-140)
San Francisco Giants 3/1 (+300)
Cincinnati Reds 5/1 (+500)
Atlanta Braves 11/2 (+550)


Odds to win the 2010 American League Championship


New York Yankees 17/10 (+170)
Tampa Bay Rays 2/1 (+200)
Minnesota Twins 4/1 (+400)
Texas Rangers 9/2 (+450)


2010 World Series - Exact World Series Matchup


New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies 7/2
New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants 9/1
New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds 12/1
New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves 12/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies 4/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. San Francisco Giants 10/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cincinnati Reds 15/1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Atlanta Braves 15/1
Minnesota Twins vs. Philadelphia Phillies 7/1
Minnesota Twins vs. San Francisco Giants 16/1
Minnesota Twins vs. Cincinnati Reds 25/1
Minnesota Twins vs. Atlanta Braves 25/1
Texas Rangers vs. Philadelphia Phillies 8/1
Texas Rangers vs. San Francisco Giants 18/1
Texas Rangers vs. Cincinnati Reds 28/1
Texas Rangers vs. Atlanta Braves 28/1


2010 World Series - Which League will the World Series Winner come from?



American League -130
National League EVEN






MLB PLAYOFFS - DIVISIONAL SERIES PRICES
New York Yankees (Series Price) -190
Minnesota Twins (Series Price) +165


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Exact Series Result
New York Yankees 3-0 4/1 (+400)
New York Yankees 3-1 5/2 (+250)
New York Yankees 3-2 7/2 (+350)
Minnesota Twins 3-0 9/1 (+900)
Minnesota Twins 3-1 11/2 (+550)
Minnesota Twins 3-2 4/1 (+400)


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Number of Games in Series
3 5/2 (+250)
4 3/2 (+150)
5 31/20 (+155)


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Runs in Series
Over/Under 34


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Home Runs in Series
Over/Under 9.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - CC Sabathia (NYY)
Over/Under 5.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - Francisco Liriano (MIN)
Over/Under 6


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Hits in Series - Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
Over/Under 4.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
Over/Under 3.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Will Alex Rodriguez (NYY) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -160
No +130


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Mark Teixeira (NYY)
Over/Under 2.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Will Mark Teixeira (NYY) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -150
No +120


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Robinson Cano (NYY)
Over/Under 2.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Derek Jeter (NYY)
Over/Under 2.5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Hits in Series - Joe Mauer (MIN)
Over/Under 5


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Joe Mauer (MIN) Total
Over/Under 3


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Will Jim Thome (MIN) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -175
No +145


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total RBI's in Series - Delmon Young (MIN)
Over/Under 3


ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins - Total Hits in Series - Denard Span (MIN) Total
Over/Under 4.5


MLB PLAYOFFS - DIVISIONAL SERIES PRICES
Texas Rangers (Series Price) +130
Tampa Bay Rays (Ser
MLB PLAYOFFS - DIVISIONAL SERIES PRICES
Cincinnati Reds (Series Price) +240
Philadelphia Phillies (Series Price) -280


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Exact Series Result
Cincinnati Reds 3-0 14/1 (+1400)
Cincinnati Reds 3-1 13/2 (+650)
Cincinnati Reds 3-2 13/2 (+650)
Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 11/4 (+275)
Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 5/2 (+250)
Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 11/4 (+275)


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Number of Games in Series
3 21/10 (+210)
4 3/2 (+150)
5 17/10 (+170)


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Runs in Series
Over/Under 31.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Home Runs in Series
Over/Under 7.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - Edinson Volquez (CIN)
Over/Under 5.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - Roy Halladay (PHI)
Over/Under 6.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total RBI's in Series - Joey Votto (CIN)
Over/Under 3


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Will Joey Votto (CIN) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -200
No +160


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies -Total Hits in Series - Scott Rolen (CIN)
Over/Under 4


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies -Total Hits in Series - Brandon Phillips (CIN)
Over/Under 4.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies -Total RBI's in Series - Jonny Gomes (CIN)
Over/Under 2.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies -Total RBI's in Series - Jay Bruce (CIN) Total
Over/Under 2


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies -Will Jay Bruce (CIN) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -115
No -115


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Hits in Series - Ryan Howard (PHI)
Over/Under 4.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total RBI's in Series - Ryan Howard (PHI)
Over/Under 3


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Will Ryan Howard (PHI) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -165
No +135


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Hits in the Series - Chase Utley (PHI)
Over/Under 4


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total RBI's in the Series - Chase Utley (PHI)
Over/Under 2.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Will Chase Utley (PHI) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -115
No -115


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Hits in the Series - Placido Polanco (PHI)
Over/Under 5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total Hits in the Series - Jayson Werth (PHI)
Over/Under 4.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Total RBI's in the Series - Jayson Werth (PHI)
Over/Under 2.5


NLDS - Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Will Jayson Werth (PHI) Hit a Home Run in the Series?
Yes -125
No -105


MLB PLAYOFFS - DIVISIONAL SERIES PRICES
Atlanta Braves (Series Price) +145
San Francisco Giants (Series Price) -165


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Exact Series Result
Atlanta Braves 3-0 15/2 (+850)
Atlanta Braves 3-1 4/1 (+400)
Atlanta Braves 3-2 5/1 (+500)
San Francisco Giants 3-0 4/1 (+400)
San Francisco Giants 3-1 7/2 (+350)
San Francisco Giants 3-2 3/1 (+300)


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Number of Games In Series
3 13/5 (+260)
4 3/2 (+150)
5 3/2 (+150)


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total Runs In Series
Over/Under 28.5


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total Home Runs In Series
Over/Under 7


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - Derek Lowe (ATL)
Over/Under 4


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total Strikeouts in Game 1 - Tim Lincecum (SF)
Over/Under 7


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total Hits in the Series - Omar Infante (ATL)
Over/Under 4.5


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total Hits in the Series - Martin Prado (ATL)
Over/Under 5.5


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Total RBI's in the Series - Martin Prado (ATL)
Over/under 2.5


NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Tot
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Behind the blazing arm of Cliff Lee the Texas Rangers move on the MLB Playoffs for the first time in team history.

The Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 and displayed the offensive and defensive versatility that will make them a tough opponent for the New York Yankees.

Lee, who is now 6-0 in the postseason in his career, pitched nine innings, allowing just the one run while striking out 11.

The Rangers, a team that was only built for power in the past, displayed their ability to play big and small ball in the decisive game. Elvis Andrus stole second in the first before being driven home. Nelson Cruz stole third then was waived home on a throwing error by catcher Kelly Shoppach. And Ian Kinsler jacked a two-run home run in the ninth to seal the victory.

The Rangers were on the road when they won their first playoff series, and also made history by playing in a series where no team won at home. This proves, once again, that home field doesn’t matter when placing a bet on MLB odds.

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Cliff Lee had another solid outing in the MLB playoffs, but Tim Lincecum was simply better as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Texas Rangers 3-1 to win their first World Series since 1954.

The game was a pitcher's dual through six innings, but that all changed with one swing by Edgar Renteria. With two on and two out Renteria swung on a Lee fastball and squeaked a home run out of Rangers Ballpark to give the Giants a 3-0 lead. Lincecum would give up a home run in the bottom of the seventh, but it proved to be the only mistake he and closer Brian Wilson would make the rest of the way.

Lincecum finished with 10 strike outs in eight innings pitched and only gave up three hits, which included the home run from Nelson Cruz.

The Giants were underdogs coming into the series, but quickly proved they were a force to be reckoned with, with dominant pitching and timely hitting. Renteria, who was on the disabled list three times during the season, ended up with the MVP trophy. He batted .412, with two home runs, six RBI and six runs.

This is the first World Series for the Giants since 1954 when they were still playing in the Polo Grounds in Harlem.

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Longtime New York Mets clubhouse manager Charlie Samuels has been fired by the organization, it announced Friday.

Samuels is part of an NYPD gambling investigation headed by Queens District Attorney Richard Brown's office, a law enforcement source has told ESPNNewYork.com.

The Associated Press has reported that Samuels admitted to Major League Baseball officials that he bet on baseball on at least one occasion, that MLB believes most of Samuels' alleged gambling involved NFL games, and that law enforcement is investigating the possibility that Samuels borrowed money from team accounts for short periods of time without authorization and then paid the money back.

The Mets issued a statement that read: "The New York Mets announced today that they have terminated Charlie Samuels' employment with the Mets for conduct in violation of club policies. This decision is the result of a thorough internal investigation over the course of several months. The Mets will have no further comment on this matter."

Samuels had been the team's equipment manager for 27 seasons. He succeeded the late Herb Norman, the original equipment manager with the expansion team, after the 1983 season after spending four years as an assistant.
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The Boston Red Sox have landed the biggest fish of this offseason so far by acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez – a player the Red Sox have long coveted – from the San Diego Padres.

All Boston had to do was give up prospects and no current major leaguers. Yes, they are good prospects, but you can never predict how those turn out. This means the Red Sox likely won’t re-sign third baseman Adrian Beltre and will move first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third base.

You could argue this move immediately jumps Boston ahead of the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, although the Yanks are expected to counter by adding pitcher Cliff Lee any day now. Boston isn’t likely done yet, either.

Gonzalez hit 161 homers during his five seasons in San Diego, and of course the Padres play in the extremely hitter unfriendly Petco Park — Gonzalez hit 48 homers on the road the past two years away Petco. He also has driven in 99 runs in each of the past four seasons and he’s only 29. Over his seven big-league seasons (two with Texas), Gonzalez has hit.284 and averaged 32 home runs and 99 RBIs. Even Padres GM Jed Hoyer, a former Red Sox assistant GM, said "I think he's going to be a monster at Fenway."

Gonzalez would have had just one more season at $6 million remaining on his current contract and the Padres knew they couldn’t afford to lock him up long term, so they are officially in full rebuilding mode now even though they nearly won the NL West last year. Boston and Gonzalez reportedly have agreed on a seven-year, $154 million contract extension.

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When the Boston Red Sox acquired All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres for prospects a few days ago and then agreed to a reported seven-year, $154 million extension with Gonzalez, it was assumed that Boston’s huge spending was finished this offseason.

Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Late Wednesday night came the news out of Beantown that Boston had signed Tampa Bay Rays free agent outfielder Carl Crawford, the best position player on the free agent market this offseason, to a reported seven-year, $142 million deal.

Now it’s your move, New York Yankees.

The shocker here is that Crawford was never really tied to Boston but more so the Yankees, Texas Rangers and especially the Los Angeles Angels. Crawford has been described as a "game-changer" by Red Sox manager Terry Francona and will form a terrific defensive outfield with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and right fielder J.D. Drew. Former Gold Glove winner Mike Cameron would serve as the fourth outfielder and likely spell the starters a few times a week and serve as insurance if Drew gets hurt, as he usually does.

Crawford had probably his best season at the plate in 2010 with the Rays, batting .307 with 110 runs, 19 homers, 90 RBIs and 47 steals. The four-time All-Star is one of the best defensive left fielders in baseball and now will take up residence right in front of the Green Monster. He doesn’t like to lead off, however, so probably will bat second behind Ellsbury.

This signing clearly makes Boston the American League favorite right now depending on how the Yankees respond. And this move almost forces the Yanks to overpay to get the top free agent pitcher, Cliff Lee. And if New York somehow misses out on Lee, it falls way behind Boston in the AL pecking order. The Angels also are big losers here.

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The New York Yankees have added a Cliff Lee consolation prize of sorts by signing former Dodgers catcher Russell Martin to a reported one-year deal. That means you may never see Jorge Posada behind the plate for New York again, with Martin expected to be the starter, Francisco Cervelli the backup and top prospect Jesus Montero waiting in the wings. Posada, who is a defensive liability at catcher at this point in his career, will be the team’s designated hitter.

The Dodgers non-tendered the 27-year-old Martin earlier this month, ensuring he would not receive a raise through arbitration from the $5.05 million he made in a disappointing 2010 season. Martin was one of the National League’s best catchers in 2007 and ’08, as he was a back-to-back All-Star while compiling a .286 batting average, .380 on-base percentage and 32 homers. But he has been trending downward and injury-prone since then. This past season he tore the labrum in his hip early in August and missed the rest of the year. He hit .248 in 97 games last season with just five homers and 26 RBIs but had an on-base percentage of .347.

New York beat out the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays for Martin’s services, but this hardly lessens the sting of Lee going to Philadelphia. Plus the Red Sox already have added two All-Stars this offseason in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford – right now Boston would have to be considered the clear favorite not just in the AL East but in the American League.

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When the Miami Heat added LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play alongside Dwyane Wade this summer, the foundation of the NBA was rocked to its core by the forming of one of the most talent trios in league history.

A similar seismic event shook Major League Baseball this past week when free-agent starter, and former Cy Young winner, Cliff Lee shocked baseball bettors and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lee, who played a half a season with Philadelphia in 2009, snubbed the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, taking less money to form one of the greatest potential pitching rotations in the history of baseball. Lee joins forces with two-time Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, former World Series MVP Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, who went 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 12 starts for the Phillies last summer.

Bodog oddsmakers jumped on board this hot topic, setting MLB prop odds for the Phillies’ Big Four. The combined win total for the four starters was set at 61 wins, allowing baseball fans to judge the over and under.

Lee won 12 games as a member of the Rangers and Mariners last year, and 14 games the season before between his time with the Phillies and Indians. Halladay picked up 21 victories in 33 starts in his first season with Philadelphia, while Hamels and Oswalt combined for 25 wins in 2010, with Oswalt splitting his season between Philly and the Astros.

The Phillies boast one of the deepest lineups in baseball, providing sufficient run support for their starters, while the bullpen ranked 18th in the majors with a 4.02 ERA, 40 saves, and 19 blown saves. The starting staff recorded 70 wins in 2010, posting a collective 3.55 ERA.

With the win total set at 61, prop bettors would need almost 16 wins from each of Lee, Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels. While Philadelphia’s rotation is deeper than the ocean, that mark seems a tad inflated thanks to all the media hype surrounding Lee’s signing.
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Manne wrote: When the Miami Heat added LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play alongside Dwyane Wade this summer, the foundation of the NBA was rocked to its core by the forming of one of the most talent trios in league history.

A similar seismic event shook Major League Baseball this past week when free-agent starter, and former Cy Young winner, Cliff Lee shocked baseball bettors and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lee, who played a half a season with Philadelphia in 2009, snubbed the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, taking less money to form one of the greatest potential pitching rotations in the history of baseball. Lee joins forces with two-time Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, former World Series MVP Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, who went 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 12 starts for the Phillies last summer.

Bodog oddsmakers jumped on board this hot topic, setting MLB prop odds for the Phillies’ Big Four. The combined win total for the four starters was set at 61 wins, allowing baseball fans to judge the over and under.

Lee won 12 games as a member of the Rangers and Mariners last year, and 14 games the season before between his time with the Phillies and Indians. Halladay picked up 21 victories in 33 starts in his first season with Philadelphia, while Hamels and Oswalt combined for 25 wins in 2010, with Oswalt splitting his season between Philly and the Astros.

The Phillies boast one of the deepest lineups in baseball, providing sufficient run support for their starters, while the bullpen ranked 18th in the majors with a 4.02 ERA, 40 saves, and 19 blown saves. The starting staff recorded 70 wins in 2010, posting a collective 3.55 ERA.

With the win total set at 61, prop bettors would need almost 16 wins from each of Lee, Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels. While Philadelphia’s rotation is deeper than the ocean, that mark seems a tad inflated thanks to all the media hype surrounding Lee’s signing.
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Perpetual problem child Milton Bradley, currently an outfielder for the Seattle Mariners, was arrested on Tuesday in Los Angeles on suspicion of making terrorist threats against a woman. He was released on $50,000 bail late Tuesday afternoon and will have to appear in court on Feb. 8.

So now the question is whether the Mariners can get out of the $12 million owed to Bradley, which they no doubt would love to do. Bradley was traded to Seattle last offseason for pitcher Carlos Silva, and Bradley hit just.205 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 73 games.

Bradley has had numerous on and off-field troubles in his career. Last season Bradley was placed on baseball's restricted list by the Mariners for two weeks in May and given psychological counseling after he left the stadium during a game. He had been removed from the game by former manager Don Wakamatsu, who felt Bradley was putting too much pressure on himself.

As a member of the Cleveland Indians in 2004, an altercation with manger Eric Wedge during spring training prompted his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In November of that same year, Bradley was arrested after he allegedly confronted a police officer during a traffic stop in Ohio.

The problem is that the MLB players’ union is so strong that it’s unlikely the Mariners can just release Bradley without paying him – Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez assaulted his father in law in the clubhouse last season and is still with the team. Should the Mariners attempt to void that final year of Bradley’s contract, the Uniform Player Contract in Baseball contains two relevant clauses: Paragraph 7(b)(1) authorizes a team to terminate a contract if a player “fails, refuses or neglects to conform his personal conduct to the standards of good citizenship and good sportsmanship or to keep himself in first-class physical condition or to obey the club’s training rules.” Paragraph 7(b)(3) similarly lets teams terminate a contract if a player “fails, refuses or neglect to render his services hereunder or in any manner materially breach this contract.”

Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik released a statement on the matter:

“After reaching Milton Bradley’s representatives, I was able to confirm that Milton had been arrested, and subsequently released, in Los Angeles. While we do not yet have full details on what occurred, we are aware of the situation and take it very seriously. We are in the process of determining the full circumstances of what occurred. Until we have more information, we will not be able to comment further.”

Bradley isn’t expected to get much playing time this season, so perhaps Seattle might try to negotiate a buyout.

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The American League champion Texas Rangers added big-ticket third baseman Adrian Beltre this offseason (largely because they weren’t able to re-sign Cliff Lee), which means that former third baseman Michael Young was expected to take over at designated hitter in place of the departed Vladimir Guerrero. So why is Texas now pursuing free agent Manny Ramirez?

Manny is probably the biggest free-agent name still on the market, a bit ahead of Johnny Damon (likely headed to Rays) and Guerrero (possibly back to Angels). Texas did kick the tires on adding left-handed hitting designated hitter Jim Thome and would seem to be right-handed heavy in its lineup with only two lefty hitters in the projected starting nine: Josh Hamilton and Mitch Moreland.

GM Jon Daniels said that while the lineup is right-handed hitting heavy, it would make more sense to add a right-handed hitting veteran bat off the bench since that person would likely impact the outfield and first base spots in terms of playing time and most of those players are left-handed.

In addition, adding a DH would be insurance in case Young has to move elsewhere on the infield should a player get hurt – Young is versatile enough to play every infield position. Plus the Rangers aren’t sure what Moreland will give them considering he has just 145 career regular-season at-bats, and if he struggles then Young could move to first base. Plus Young would probably supplant Moreland anyways against left-handed pitching.

Ramirez, 38, hit .298 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. He was limited to 265 at-bats in 2010 because of problems with his right knee and left groin. He had hernia surgery in October. The Angels, Blue Jays and Rays also had interest in Manny. The Twins had been interested before they re-signed Thome.

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If you’ve seen the baseball movie “The Natural,” then you certainly remember the scene when Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford, literally knocks the cover off the baseball in his first game as a major leaguer. Apparently that’s not as far-fetched as one would think.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones did a similar thing on Tuesday. While hitting in an indoor batting cage at Turner Field, the 38-year-old hit a baseball with enough force to unravel the stitching and leave the cover hanging loosely from the ball’s core.

“I think this one’s done,” Jones said, handing the ball to a team official before continuing his hitting session. Older baseballs, sometimes slightly damaged, are typically used during batting practice. Still, this type of thing isn’t exactly a usual occurrence.

Jones’ 2010 season ended prematurely because he tore ligaments in his knee in a game last August and needed knee surgery amid reports that he also might retire after the season. He tore the same ligament in 1994 spring training and had surgery that pushed back his rookie season until 1995. Well, Jones isn’t retiring and in fact now vows to be ready for Opening Day. Jones said he would likely begin agility drills later this week, and doesn’t expect to have any restrictions when the Braves begin full-squad spring training workouts Feb. 19. The former MVP has been hitting since December but hasn't taken any ground balls yet.

"My knee isn't quite there yet. I can run straight ahead, but it still feels like my left leg is five pounds heavier than my right," said Jones, who hit .265 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs in 95 games last season. "That's just something that comes with the surgery."

Atlanta went 91-71 last season but was beaten in the NLDS by the San Francisco Giants. The Braves have added slugging second baseman Dan Uggla as well as a new manager in Fredi Gonzalez. Atlanta is currently 22/1 on Bodog’s MLB odds to win the 2011 World Series

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For years, Michael Young has been one of the most popular Texas Rangers and one of the team’s leaders. In fact, Young switched positions twice with Texas without much fuss and was preparing for a move to first base/designated hitter this year once Texas signed free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre. But now the Young-Rangers marriage has disintegrated, with Young ripping the team and demanding a trade.

Things went downhill once the Rangers also acquired Mike Napoli, who presumably would play DH most days. Thus Young would be relegated to a super-utility role. Clearly that didn’t sit well with Young, who still has three years and $48 million left on his contract.

"The suggestion that I had a change of heart and asked for a trade is a manipulation of the truth. I asked for a trade because I've been misled and manipulated and I'm sick of it,” Young said.

Young would seem to have all the power here because in May he becomes a 10-and-5 man, meaning he can veto a trade to any team. Until then, Young can veto trades to 22 of 30 teams; reportedly the teams to which he's willing to accept a trade are the Yankees, Twins, Astros, Cardinals, Padres, Dodgers, Rockies and Angels. Young also said he'd consider teams not on his list "on a case-by-case basis." The Rockies and Rangers reportedly have been talking all offseason and Colorado still appears to be his most likely destination. Still, his loss would be a blow to the reigning AL champion Rangers, who are 18/1 on Bodog’s MLB odds to win the 2011 World Series.

Young isn’t great in the field anymore but can play pretty much any infield position – he has been a regular at second, short and third in his career. Obviously a trade to the National League would mean he would have to play the field, which is what Young wants to do. Young hit .284 with 21 homers and 91 RBIs last season and is a career .300 hitter. Young has had seasons at three different primary positions (2B, 3B, SS) in which he had at least 180 hits. Only three other players in MLB history have accomplished that feat.

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