Maverick’s Off Season Moves Smart, Strategic

This year’s NBA free agency made a big splash, mostly in South Beach. While other teams made high profile moves and Lebron James broadcasted his decision on prime television, the Mavericks acquisitions were expected and relatively quiet.

They managed to keep Dirk Nowitzki at a discounted rate and they re-signed center Brendan Haywood. In typical Maverick fashion, they also traded away Eric Dampier for center Tyson Chandler from the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Mavericks moves also received their fare share of criticism. Everyone expected them to keep Dirk, but many felt Brendan Haywood was overpaid. Their have also been questions about Tyson Chandler’s health status. Despite all this, the Maverick’s free agency was both smart and strategic. Read more

Dallas Mavericks Get Tyson Chandler

1310 the Ticket has just reported the Dallas Mavericks moved Erik Dampier, Eddie Najera and Matt Carroll to the Charlotte Bobcats and will get back Tyson Chandler and Alex Ajinca. If this deal gets confirmed I believe the Mavericks made a great move getting rid of three spare parts for an athletic center in Tyson Chandler. Chandler has had some injury problems over the last couple seasons, but when he is healthy he will add another long athletic body behind Brendan Haywood, helping solve one of the Mavericks long standing problem.

More to come when this deal is confirmed.

Dallas Round-Up: Rangers at the All-Star Game – Nowitzki Stays

If you’re betting on NFL football odds for the upcoming season, it’s pretty quiet for a change around the Cowboys’ camp, so there’s not much to talk about there, as well as with the Stars.  In baseball, the Rangers are sending a few players to the All-Star (held at the stadium of their division rival, no less), while the Mavericks ensured their star will probably retire in Dallas.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers will have a pair of All-Star starters in Los Angeles, as outfielder Josh Hamilton and designated hitter Vladdy Guerrero will represent Texas.  This is an extra-special trip for Guerrero, who played at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim for five years and was a fan favorite there.  Guerrero is second in the American League in RBIs and fifth in homers after most MLB betting players thought he was washed up, while Hamilton is third in average, second in homers and fourth in RBIs, showing everyone that last season’s decline was due to injuries.  Closer Neftali Feliz is tied for second in the league with 23 saves, so that was enough to get him on the roster, and the Rangers could have a fourth player if Michael Young wins the fan vote.

On the field, the Rangers have certainly cooled off, losing two of three at home to the White Sox last weekend, but they rebounded to win two of three at home against Cleveland through the week.  Hamilton had another big week, hitting .308 with three dingers and five RBIs, while Joaquin Arias also added five RBIs for the Rangers, who will wrap up the first part of their schedule with a four-game set against Baltimore at the Ballpark, and the Orioles are the worst team in the major leagues, so the Rangers will expect to take at least three of four heading into the All-Star break.  The Rangers swept a two-game set with the Orioles at home back in May.

Dallas Mavericks

College football betting players don’t have to worry about players staying for a team for 12 years, but they surely understand the importance of Dirk Nowitzki retiring as a Maverick.  That should happen now as the Mavericks re-signed their franchise player to a four-year, $80-million deal, and this benefits both sides.  One, Nowitzki knows that the market won’t be as good for players when the new CBA is negotiated, so he had to opt out of his previous deal so he could get as much as he could, but he was never in danger of leaving Dallas.  Second, he gave the Mavericks a bit of a hometown discount so they could pursue other free agents in hopes of helping Nowitzki get a championship.  Check out the Mavericks’ odds for next season when you’re betting online.

Brendan Haywood to Stay in Dallas

Well Mavericks fans, we can breathe a sigh of relief. Brenden Haywood is reportedly going to be with the Dallas Mavericks for the next 5 years if the sources over at ESPN Dallas are correct. Now that the Mavericks have secured Haywood and Dirk the speculation can begin on what the Mavericks will do with some of their trade chips during the offseason. This speculation will have to wait until after the Lebron James Holiday is televised on ESPN tonight. The Mavericks still have their mid level exception and some expiring contracts like Erik Dampier’s so hopefully we can bring a usable big or shooting guard in for next season.

Brenden Haywood averaged a little over 9 points and 9 rebounds last year and is expected to step up and take the starting center role this year. It is a happy day for this Maverick fan because last year may have been the last time we will ever have to watch Dampier in a Mavericks jersey. Read more

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Looking To Make Moves, Mavs Getting Worried About Dirk?

World Cup betting players in Dallas may have had the blow of the United States elimination in South Africa softened by the recent hot streak of the Texas Rangers, who are looking to build on their lead heading into July.  Elsewhere in the NBA, the Mavericks will be kicking off a crucial free-agent period.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers had an 11-game winning streak snapped last Friday against Houston, but they still went on to win two of three against the Astros, and they had split a pair against the Angels in Los Angeles ahead of Thursday’s series finale.  Josh Hamilton had 10 hits over six games, and his 49 hits in June was a franchise record.  Vladdy Guerrero also went deep three times and drove in 10 runs for the Rangers, while Ian Kinsler is regaining his power stroke with two homers and six RBIs last week.  On the pitching side, Scott Feldman didn’t have a good week with a 7.71 ERA in two starts, and those who bet on MLB odds know that you have to have a little bit of pitching to be successful in the postseason.  The Rangers are apparently hot on the heels of Houston’s Roy Oswalt, and they could even go after Seattle’s Cliff Lee, but their financial problems may put Lee out of their reach.   The Rangers also may have helped their hitting problem behind the plate by picking up Bengie Molina from San Francisco.  Texas has the worst-hitting catchers in the league, and Molina’s also a solid defensive catcher, so this should work out for the Rangers, but they will keep an eye for a pitcher to bolster themselves for the stretch run.

Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki figured to be a Maverick for life, but stranger things have happened (look at Ghana, who are on the verge of reaching the World Cup semi finals betting stage).  But he did opt out of his contract and is officially fielding offers from other teams in the 2010 free-agent summer sweepstakes.  Now, the odds are still very good that Nowitzki will remain in Dallas, where he has spent all 12 years of his NBA career, and some feel that he’s just trying to get a contract under the current CBA, which will expire after next season.  But the Mavericks are going to have to go out and aggressively pursue another big free agent to join Nowitzki in Dallas, and some have even said they’re a solid betting darkhorse to land LeBron James, who is good friends with Dallas owner Mark Cuban.  Although that’s unlikely, the Mavericks have to go out and get someone better than Caron Butler to boost their betting odds.

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Have Company At The Top; Could Dirk Rejoin Nash?

With World Cup betting taking up a lot of attention in the sports world, it’s easy to forget about baseball since the season is so long, but Texas is off to a decent start despite a rough last week.  Meanwhile in the NBA, there are whispers of Dallas losing their star.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers are tied with Oakland atop the American League West, but they split a pair in Kansas City last week, and then were swept in Minnesota last week.  The Rangers managed just seven runs against the Twins all weekend and allowed 16 as they were completely outclassed by the Twins, and they’re now 9-15 away from home.  The Rangers managed just one homer last week by Justin Smoak, and Nelson Cruz is on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring problem, which was not what Texas needed to see right now.  Vladdy Guerrero missed Wednesday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox as he took a ball in the eye in batting practice, so betting players are going to have to pay attention to that as Guerrero was just getting into a groove in the Texas lineup.  The Rangers will finish their series in Chicago, in which they won the opener by a score of 9-6 on Tuesday with Rich Harden getting the win, and they had to score five runs in the sixth inning to take control of the game.  Finally, it’s back to the confines of the Ballpark, where the Rangers will host Tampa Bay in what should be an entertaining series, followed by a visit from division rival Seattle.

Dallas Mavericks

Since Dirk Nowitzki opted out of his final year with the Mavericks, there have been stories kicking around the web about possible scenarios for the former MVP.  Although it’s very likely that he’ll re-sign in Dallas, where he’s spent his entire 12-year career, Nowitzki could be intrigued by other destinations as it’s shaping up to be a busy offseason with the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and others on the market.  Another player on the market is Amare Stoudemire, who is likely going to leave Phoenix, which leaves the Suns in the market for a power forward that scores a lot, and plays occasional defense.   Remember, Steve Nash and Nowitzki played in Dallas together for six years before Nash was traded to Phoenix, and they’re still very good friends.  Nash probably wouldn’t come back to Dallas as they have Jason Kidd (although they’d make that trade in a heartbeat), but there are a lot of factors in the way of Nowitzki going to Phoenix, the biggest one, Mark Cuban, who has proven to be very loyal to the German.  If you see Nash and Nowitzki catching a World Cup contest in South Africa, don’t be surprised.

Dellas Round Up: Rangers Still on Top | Offseason: Cowboys Mavs Stars

World Cup betting players in Dallas won’t find anyone from FC Dallas in the American team, but there is plenty of action in and around the city that it won’t be a big deal for most people.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers sit atop the AL West by two games over Oakland, but they didn’t have the best week, dropping two of three in Chicago against the Cubs in interleague play, and then they split a two-game set in Kansas City.  However, the big news comes off the field, where the Rangers will be funded in the interim by Major League Baseball until the team’s bankruptcy case concludes.  On the field, it doesn’t get any easier for the Rangers as they travel to Minnesota for a three-game set against the Central-leading Twins, then they head to Chicago again, this time to face the White Sox.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys’ NFL betting odds will be based on their receivers’ ability to provide targets for Tony Romo, and Roy Williams is already hinting at a fierce competition in the group.  However, the Cowboys took a step backwards as rookie Dez Bryant left OTAs (Organized Team Activities) with stomach problems, although he should be fine in the long term.  Bryant has already battled a hip pointer, and his life in Dallas is off to a rocky start.

Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki would obviously make Germany his World Cup Group D betting choice, but will he choose to stay with the only team he has ever played for?  The former MVP surprisingly opted out of his contract for next season, making an already-historic free-agent class even better.  The odds are very good that Nowitzki will stay in Dallas, and given his production, he’s earned the right to see what he can get on the market before a new CBA is installed.  In other news, Mark Cuban was fined $100,000 for letting everyone in on the worst-kept secret in basketball: owners are interested in LeBron James.

Dallas Stars

The Stars are slated to pick 11^th in the NHL draft, which will take place on June 25-26 in Los Angeles, and most seem to think that they’ll aim to take defenseman Derek Forbort, a massive player who laces them up for the US Developmental Team.  Forbort is 6’4” and almost 200 pounds, but at 18 years old, he’s still has yet to fill out, really.  The Stars weren’t a great defensive team last year, and they’ll be looking to shore up that part of the team first.  If Forbort is gone, the play could be Nino Niederreiter, a Swiss winger who plays in Portland, or Stanislav Galiev, a Russian winger who skates for Moncton.  But above all, the Stars are just looking for a small boost to their online betting odds for next season.

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Move Up To First; Mavs Looking To Blow It Up?

Before you settle into some Preakness betting, you should check out the status of the Texas Rangers, who are making moves up the ranks in the American League West, while the Dallas Mavericks wonder if they should start all over again.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have had a great week, sweeping Kansas City at home in a four-game series, and they had split the first two games of their three-game set with Oakland heading into Thursday afternoon’s finale.  The last week has been kind to Vladimir Guerrero and Josh Hamilton, the duo that many thought would power the Rangers to the top of the division, and over the last seven days, they’ve shown why.  Guerrero had a .348 average in six games last week, along with four homers and eight RBIs.  Hamilton wasn’t far behind with a .296 average, three homers and nine RBIs.  If they continue to hit like this, the Rangers will have one of the premier power duos in the entire majors, but Guerrero and Hamilton have to stay healthy.  As for the pitchers, C.J. Wilson and Derek Holland both had excellent starts against the Royals and Athletics, and Wilson is being counted on for the win in Thursday’s finale against Oakland.  Coming up this week, the Rangers will head to Toronto for the weekend before returning home for meetings with Guerrero’s former team, the Los Angeles Angels, as well as a visit from Baltimore. The Rangers’ MLB betting odds are looking up.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are still sorting through the rubble of their first-round implosion against San Antonio, and even though NBA championship odds thought they would challenge Los Angeles for the Western Conference title, all there is another opening-round exit for a team that has won 50 games or more in each of the last 10 seasons. Dirk Nowitzki is the biggest question as he has a $21.5 million player option, which many think he’ll take, but he has to wonder about the state of the team.  Will Jason Kidd be moved after an awful postseason, especially if they try and give more minutes to Roddy Beaubois?  Shawn Marion is another piece of trade bait who didn’t perform that well, especially own the stretch.  They would probably like to move Erick Dampier as well, but with $13 million owed to him next year, it may be hard to find a dance partner.  The Mavericks don’t have much in the way of cap room unless they make some moves, but they’re becoming the NBA’s version of the San Jose Sharks.  However, even the Sharks broke through this year, which means that maybe next year will be the Mavericks’ time if you’re going to bet on sports.

Dallas Round-Up – With Mavs Out Of The Way, Rangers Get Full Attention

Once again, Dallas’ NBA championship odds went up in flames at the hands of a bitter rival for another big upset in the playoffs.  With the Stars quietly mulling over their offseason options, that will leave the Rangers to draw the ire of Dallas fans in Texas.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks seemed like they weren’t even interested in staving off elimination as they were down 22-8 at the end of their first quarter in the sixth game of their first-round series with San Antonio, but to their credit, they fought back gamely.  However, it wasn’t enough as the Mavericks fell 97-87 to the Spurs, falling out in the first round for the third time in four seasons.  Dirk Nowitzki tried to put the team on his back with 33 points, while Caron Butler had 25 points, but Jason Kidd finally started to look his age with a 1-of-6 performance, even though he added eight boards and six assists.  Now, the Mavericks will wonder if Nowitzki will opt out of the final year of his deal and test free agency, although it’s pretty unlikely that he’ll leave the only franchise he has ever played for in 12 years of NBA action.  Kidd was not present at the final team meeting of the season, and they could look to move the veteran point guard to give more time to Roddy Beaubois, who had 16 points in 21 minutes of the Game 6 loss.  Either way, there may be a change to the Mavericks, who must look at Spurs Suns betting odds and feel sick.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers swept the Mariners in Seattle last weekend, with two of the wins coming in extra innings, while Rich Harden began a three-game set in Oakland by getting a win against the team that drafted him in 2000, and where he spent 5 ½ seasons before he was traded to Chicago, where the Cubs were looking to improve their MLB betting odds in the National League.  The Rangers then dropped the last two games of the series in Oakland, and heading into the first of their four-game set at home with Kansas City, the Rangers were 14-14, which is good for second behind the Athletics in the American League West by a half-game.  The Rangers will go up against the reigning Cy Young winner, Kansas City’s Zack Greinke, on Friday night, while Harden will go the next day on Saturday night.  After the Royals, the Rangers will then welcome Oakland to town for their second series of the season against their West rivals before they gear up for a trip north to Toronto.  The Rangers are easing Ian Kinsler back into the lineup after his ankle injury, and as he gets more comfortable, online sports betting players will get more comfortable with picking the Rangers.

Mike Bacsik Fired From 1310 the Ticket

As Many of you know the producer for the Norm Hitzges show, Mike Bacsik was suspended for some distasteful tweets. Word has come down now that his apology to the hispanic community in San Antonio was not enough to save his job. Norm announced that Mike Bacsik was fired from 1310 the ticket and will no longer be with the radio station.

Anyone who listened to the Norm Hitzges show knew that Mike Bacsik was the former major league baseball relief pitcher who gave up the infamous homer to Barry Bonds. You also need to know that he is a die hard Dallas Mavericks fan, and apparently took the Mavs game a little to personally. Judge for yourself by checking out the tweets that got Mike Bacsik fired from 1310 the Ticket.

Deadspin: Mike Bacsik Mavericks Tweets

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