Maddux Sports Blog

The Cubs are as hot as can be. They just capped off a seven game home stand with seven wins and now they head out to play easily winnable series against San Diego and the Dodgers. I’d like this team much better, though, if they could play on the road. They have the best record in baseball, and the best home record in baseball, but they are just 10-13 on the road. In their last three road trips they have gone 2-4, 2-4, and 2-3. I have faith that if anyone can turn that around it is Lou Piniella, but until he does I will have a real tough time buying into this team for the long haul. They were 41-40 last year on the road, so they do have the ability to be decent. The disparity between the two records in hurting bettors, too - they are the second most profitable home team behind the Red Sox, but they are significant betting losers on the road. If you want a plus side to it all, I suppose that their road struggles might keep their home prices a bit more reasonable.

Speaking of Chicago baseball, is there a more entertaining guy in all of baseball than White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen? His team lost three straight in Tampa bay, and he didn’t like it at all. He basically blew up his team, saying that general manager Kenny Williams had better make some changes by Tuesday or he’s going to do it himself by turning the lineup upside down nightly until he finds some much needed hits. He even went as far as to say that Williams could fire him if he thought it would create hits. Guillen is entertainingly ridiculous, but he’s right in this case - the team is in first place in a terrible division and they have the playoffs in the palm of their hand, but they just need to hit like they should be able to on paper.

I really like the Reds. Not this year, but soon. Jay Bruce is obviously a freak 13-for-22 is a pretty good way to start a major league career), and he’s joined by talented guys with long futures like Joey Votto, Ryan Freel, and Brandon Phillips. There is a lot to like on the pitching staff, too. Edinson Volquez is more than impressive, and Johhny Cueto had another strong start tonight. He’s young and inconsistent, but his stuff is nasty and when he figures it out he’ll be scary. Aaron Harang is underrated, too. They are a solid 19-10 at home, and, like so many teams in the league, they would be competitive if they could learn to play on the road. They finally have good management in place, and the future seems pretty darned bright.

All sorts of interesting news that affects the sports betting world today:

• The Vikings are taking a big risk with Jared Allen. He’s a very good player and he’s in his prime, but they gave up three picks for him including a first rounder this year and two thirds, and then they had to ante up with a big new contract for him. He had better be really productive for several years or this can be a setback in a big way. One thing that this does do, though, is it makes me reevaluate my expectations for the Vikings this year and adjust then upwards - they must be serious about competing now if this is the investment they are willing to make. You don’t spend this kind of money and assets unless you think it is one of the final pieces in the puzzle.
• Apparently Memphis isn’t attractive without Derrick Rose. In a bizarre move, both Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier have declared for the NBA draft. That means that all five starters are now on the list. Obviously the most recent two don’t have agents yet because there is very little chance that either would get picked, and almost none that they would go in the first round and get a guaranteed contract. I never thought that they would look to go now that Calipari has a new contract and super stud Tyreke Evans is headed there next year. Maybe Calipari just suggested that they go through the draft process for the experience and whatever learning they can do. Whatever the reason, I just hope they don’t do something stupid because a senior year at Memphis would probably be a lot more fun than a year in the NBDL.
• Pacman Jones is headed to Dallas. I would say that that is a much needed boost to Dallas’ secondary, but until he gets reinstated, shows that he can stay out of jail for at least a month, and is still in some kind of game shape I am going to assume he is irrelevant. I have no concerns about handling his attitude if everything else is okay - they have done fine with Owens.
• The Reds made a great move. They fired the essentially useless GM Wayne Krivsky and replaced him with Walt Jocketty. Jocketty did great jobs in Oakland and St. Louis, and he should do a great job of turning around a team that has lots of nice young talent but seems to be lacking direction. If nothing else he should provide some stability - he is the fourth GM in six years, so so stability is definitely absent.
• Detroit beat the 76ers easily tonight. The temporary period of panic can end and the sun will come up in Detroit tomorrow after a period of darkness.
• Not that it is surprising because he has always seemed a bit unstable, but Tony Stewart appears to have officially lost his mind. Reports say that Stewart is negotiating to lose Joe Gibbs Racing after this season to go to Haas CNC. If you don’t spend much time following NASCAR it boils down to this - Gibbs is really quite good, and Haas really, really isn’t. Haas has never finished in the top 25 in owner points. The incentive is fairly obvious, though - Stewart is a star, and he will be able to negotiate partial ownership of his new team into the deal. That will allow him to cash in even more on his name and his brand than he does now. From a betting perspective it means that Stewart won’t be an automatic consideration next year like he is now because his car will be behind in development to start, and it will also unleash a chain reaction of driver moves that could further confuse the landscape. NASCAR is a bigger soap opera than the soap operas.