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.
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.
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