Gibbons signs minor league deal with Milwaukee

Baseball Betting Lines

07/23/2008 - St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Veteran outfielder Jay Gibbons is finally on the path back to the big leagues, after signing a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 31-year-old Gibbons hit 121 home runs during eight seasons with the Orioles, but a power drop in recent years, capped by an awful 2007 in which Gibbons hit .230 with six homers and 28 runs batted in 84 games, led the Orioles to release him in March.

Gibbons was one of the players mentioned in former Sen. George Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drugs that was released in December, and he later admitted to using human growth hormone to help his recovery from a wrist injury.

A career .260 hitter, Gibbons hit as high as .277 three times, and drove in 100 runs in 2003, when he clubbed 23 homers. His career high for homers in a season is 26 in 2005, but he only hit 13 in 2006. The Orioles signed him to a lucrative deal that pays him nearly $12 million per season this year and next, but still released him in March.

Unable to catch on with any major league team this year, Gibbons even resorted to sending letters to nearly every team in the league, pleading his case and requesting a chance. The Brewers finally came calling.

Gibbons will start at Double-A Huntsville, and is expected to be promoted to Triple-A Nashville within the next two weeks. He could be a September call-up for the big league club.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.