Friday’s Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Weather to watch
Texas Rangers at San Francisco Giants - 16 mph winds are expected to blow out to centerfield.
Who’s hot
Euro 2012: Greece have lost just one of 21 games under Fernando Santos and were unbeaten during their qualifying campaign.
MLB: Yankees are 8-3 in their last 11 interleague games.
MLB: Over is 20-6 in Cardinals last 26 home games.
WNBA: Connecticut Sun are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 road games.
Who’s not
Euro 2012: The Czech Republic has won three of their last five international matchups, but suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat to Hungary in their last warm-up match.
MLB: Padres are 2-9 in their last 11 overall.
MLB: Dodgers are 8-20 in their last 28 interleague games.
WNBA: Over is 8-21-1 Tulsa Shock's last 30 overall.
Key stat
7.3 – The Seattle Mariners averaged 7.3 runs per game during their nine-game road trip. They went 5-4 against the Rangers, White Sox and Angels while playing over the total six times. They’re averaging only 4.25 runs per game on the year heading into their series with the visiting Dodgers.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Milan Baros, Czech Republic – Baros strained a hamstring in Tuesday’s training session and is having a tough time getting fit for Friday’s match with Russia. He’s one of the club’s big scoring threats, having netted 41 international goals.
Game of the day
New York Mets at New York Yankees (-130, N/A)
Notable quotable
"We are up to this task. For sure one thing that will not be lacking in us is determination and will for the fight. We can talk about all sorts of things today, but tomorrow we have to go out and show what we have in our shorts." - Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowsk about opening the 2012 Euro tournament on home soil against Greece, which spoiled the party for 2004 host Portugal in the opener. Poland is set as a -118 favorite with the draw at +220 and a Greece upset at +320.
Notes and tips
Jason Marquis will be activated by the Padres on Thursday and will start against the Giants at Petco Park. "I'm excited to get going," Marquis, 33, said "Mentally, I'm refreshed. I feel good physically." The last 10 months have been rough for Marquis, who has a 106-102 record with a 4.63 ERA in a career that spans 13 seasons and now eight teams. He had a 2-4 record with an 8.47 earned run average when the Twins released him 10 days ago.
The New York Liberty has rebounded to win and cover in consecutive games after dropping their first five of the year straight up, but they still have some work to do on the road. The Liberty are in Washington Friday a place where they haven’t won since 2009. New York has lost its three road games this season by an average of 21.3 points.
The last-place Phillies were dealt another blow when Gold Glove-worthy rookie second baseman Freddy Galvis was plopped on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back injury. Galvis, who has started 44 of the Phillies' 58 games this season in place of injured All-Star Chase Utley, exited Wednesday's game in the middle of his at-bat in the fifth inning. The Phils now have nine players on the disabled list, including a former MVP (Ryan Howard), a two-time Cy Young Award winner (Roy Halladay) and two other former All-Stars (Chase Utley and Jose Contreras).