Before college football betting starts to warm up, let’s check out who were the stars of the first half of the MLB season, and get ready for an exciting second half.

American League

MVP – Miguel Cabrera, Detroit

Texas teammates Josh Hamilton and Vladdy Guerrero come close, but Cabrera doesn’t have another bonafide slugger in the lineup to help him out.  Cabrera leads the AL in average and RBIs, and he’s tied with Hamilton for second in homers….and he just turned 27 in April.

Cy Young – David Price, Tampa Bay

This would be the NFL football betting equivalent of Aaron Rodgers beating out Brett Favre and Peyton Manning for the MVP award, as the young Price gets the nod over New York teammates C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte.  Price is tied for the AL lead in wins with Sabathia, while leading in ERA.

Manager Of The Half-Year – Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay

Boston’s Terry Francona, as well as all the division leaders, deserve a mention, but Maddon has done a wonderful job of getting this young and insanely talented team back on track after last year’s disappointment. 

Rookie Of The Half-Year – Brennan Boesch, Detroit

The 25-year-old is fourth in the league in average, second among rookies in OBP, and first in homers, RBIs and slugging.  Boesch is quickly becoming the Robin to Cabrera’s Batman in the Motor City.

National League

MVP – Albert Pujols, St. Louis

Listen to this: 10^th in average, second in OBP, third in slugging, tied for second in homers and fourth in RBIs.  Does that sound like an “off” year to you?  Well, it is by “King” Albert’s standards, and all this means is that the gap this year has closed on him.  But he’s still the best.

Cy Young – Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado

If he keeps this up, and the Rockies make the playoffs, Jimenez may be MVP.  He leads the majors in wins, and he’s fifth in the NL in ERA.  Seriously, if he can get to 25 wins, Jimenez is in the MLB betting conversation for MVP.

Manager Of The Half-Year – Dusty Baker, Cincinnati

Atlanta’s Bobby Cox could get it, as he’s retiring and his Braves are rolling through the East, and he has four of these things already.  San Diego’s Bud Black doesn’t have one, but can he hold onto Adrian Gonzalez for the rest of the season?  Baker gets it because no one in the baseball world expected the Reds to be anywhere near first in the Central this year.

Rookie Of The Half-Year – Jason Heyward, Atlanta

Chicago’s Tyler Colvin and New York’s Ike Davis gets a mention, but Heyward is living up to all the hype in Atlanta, playing for a first-place team.  His wrist should be healthy enough to come back after the break to resume his assault, and Heyward may be the safest online betting pick in this list.

While it’s not quite World Cup betting, there’s still a huge matchup to pay attention in the baseball world on Wednesday as a pair of American League East rivals will go at it in the finale of a three-game set in Florida.   Tampa Bay will take on Boston, and their young (and newly minted) All-Star will take on a pitcher 19 years his senior.

Red Sox Rays Betting – Wednesday, July 7, 7:10 PM ET

43-year-old Tim Wakefield (3-6, 4.96) went eight strong innings in his last outing, allowing a pair of runs on seven hits to lead the Red Sox to a 3-2 win over Baltimore.  Wakefield struck out four and walked one to win his third game of the season, but he also was taken deep for the seventh straight start.  NFL betting players would compare Wakefield to Drew Bledsoe late in his career: he’s capable of giving you brilliance, but it’s more likely that it won’t end well, and that’s bound to happen when you pitch into your 40s.  Wakefield has faced the Rays 42 times in his career, starting 32 of those games, and he has a 20-5 mark with three saves and an ERA of 3.45.  However, in the last three years (since Tampa Bay has been relevant), the knuckleballer is 5-3 in 10 starts with a 5.01 ERA, and he’s 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA at Tropicana Field.

24-year-old Davis Price (11-4, 2.42) is showing everyone why he was the first pick in the 2007 draft, and NCAA football betting players could compare this to a player that had loads of promise as a freshman, but was brought along slowly and is proving himself.  He was a bit wild in a 2-1 loss in Minnesota in his last outing, giving up a pair of runs on four hits over eight innings, striking out six and walking four.  Price is still a bit wild when it comes to his command as he’s ninth in the American League in walks, but that’s something he’ll harness in the future.  Price is 1-1 in two career starts against the Red Sox, but they’re going to have a tough time beating him at Tropicana Field, where he is 5-1 in seven starts with a 1.99 ERA so far this year.

The Rays should be favored at home, and they took the first game of this series 6-5 on Monday, coming back from a 5-1 deficit.  Price would love to celebrate his All-Star berth with a victory, especially over a bitter rival that is trying to keep pace with them in the division.  Wakefield hasn’t been consistent at all this year, even moreso than usual, and it appears as though the knuckleball is losing whatever steam it had.

Online betting pick: Tampa Bay

World Cup betting is getting real serious right now as the final eight has been decided, and we’ll know who the final four will be by the end of the weekend.  Here are your sports betting picks for the big tournament.

Netherlands Brazil Betting – Friday, 10:00 AM ET

This could be the best matchup of the bunch, and Brazil is a -120 favorite over the Dutch, who have won two and drawn four of their nine meetings with the Samba Kings.  Brazil may be without playmaking midfielder Elano, who has an ankle injury, while there are rumors of dissention in the Dutch camp.  Both teams have been impressive so far, but Holland’s Arjen Robben may be the one player who decides this match. (World Cup betting pick: Netherlands +320)

Uruguay Ghana Betting – Friday, 2:30 PM ET

The Uruguayans are -105 favorites in a clash of two countries who have never met, and Ghana would have to be considered the soccer betting darkhorse in the quarterfinals.  Asamoah Gyan is sure to earn some attention from European teams for his clutch goal-scoring ability, but Uruguay has Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez, who have arguably been the best strike duo in the World Cup.  (World Cup betting pick: Uruguay -105)

Argentina Germany Betting – Saturday, 10:00 AM ET

In a match of two teams that had controversial decisions go their way in the knockout round, Argentina is favored at +115 over the Germans, who would have likely beat England anyway.  Argentina has eight wins and five draws in 18 meetings with the Germans, and there’s still bad blood from the 2006 meeting at this very same stage, which the Germans won on penalties.  Germany says that Argentina doesn’t respect the referees, while Argentina responded with saying that Mexico, the team they beat in the last round, is better than Germany.  It’s revenge day in South Africa. (World Cup betting pick: Argentina +115)

Paraguay Spain Betting – Saturday, 2:30 PM ET

Spain is the biggest favorite of the quarterfinals at -210, and David Villa has been a beast for the World Cup pre-tournament favorites, who are improving with each match.  Paraguay needed penalty kicks to rid of Japan in the knockout stages, and the strikers are going to have to play better if they want any chance against Spain, who have won one and drawn two of their three meetings with the Paraguayans.  Fernando Torres looks to get another start for Spain despite not finishing a match so far in this tournament.  We’re putting our online betting money on Xavi to run the midfield for the Spanish, which will lead them into the semifinals. (World Cup betting pick: Spain -210)

One of the things that seems to be lost in all of the World Cup betting that has been going on lately is the plight of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies were a team that everyone was betting on to make the World Series before the 2010 season started. The addition of pitcher Roy Halladay and the presence of Ryan Howard made everyone that takes part in MLB betting anticipate a Philadelphia repeat as NL champions.

Things have not really worked out as expected for Halladay and the Phillies in 2010. While Halladay does hold an impressive 9-6 record and an even more impressive 2.29 ERA this season, the Phillies sit in third place in the NL East, three and a half games behind first place Atlanta. Why is that? Because the rest of the Phillie pitching staff is nowhere near the caliber of Roy Halladay, and with the exception of Jamie Moyer, Halladay is the only pitcher on the staff with a complete game.

The Cincinnati Reds are a surprise this season. Currently the Reds are in first place in the NL Central holding a tentative half-game lead over the second place St. Louis Cardinals. But as good as the Cardinals are this season, the Reds have stay with them in the standings almost all season long.

World Cup finals betting has nothing on the potential for this game. Halladay takes his 9-6 record to the mound against Reds starter Aaron Harang. Harang has a 6-7 record and a 5.09 ERA this season. He won his last game 10-3 against the Cleveland Indians, but he gave up five walks in that game. His control is suspect, and the Phillies are definitely not the Indians.

What has brought the Reds to this point is their hitting. They have the best team batting average in the NL at .274, 90 team home runs and have scored an NL leading 376 runs. The Reds pitching has a team ERA of 4.38 and the Reds bullpen has blown nine out of 31 save opportunities.

The Phillies have average hitting this season, and most of their stats sit in the middle of the NL. Both of these teams have won six of their last 10 games, but the Phillies are only .500 on the road. While that may be important to note in the other games in this series, with Harang on the mound, the Phillies road record may not make a whole lot of difference.

This game is a Cy Young pitcher with five complete games this season versus a pitcher with a control problem and an inconsistent bullpen. There is not much that the Phillies would have to do to win this game except step in the batter’s box. Halladay has proven to be the model of consistency this season, and even with spotty run support he manages to put together elite numbers. With a guy like Halladay on the mound, that knows how to nail a game down, the Reds will have their hands full.

Pick: Philadelphia Phillies 4-3

2010 World Cup betting players have seen injuries take their toll on some teams in the tournament, and injuries pop up in every sport, causing situations to change.  Toronto had high hopes for Chris Carpenter before he was hurt, and St. Louis has reaped the benefits of having the Cy Young winner around.  Carpenter will make his first appearance in Toronto since 2005 on Wednesday when his Cardinals take on the Blue Jays.

Cardinals Blue Jays Betting – Wednesday, June 23, 7:07 PM ET

Carpenter (8-1, 2.83) didn’t have his best stuff in a 6-4 win at home over Oakland, but he still earned his eighth win of the year by allowing four runs on 10 hits over seven innings, striking out five and walking one.  Carpenter is now third in the National League in innings, going at least five strong in each of his 15 starts this season.  The 35-year-old has faced his former team only once, and that was in Toronto during his Cy Young-winning season of 2005, and it was a memorable one.  Carpenter took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and tossed a one-hit complete-game masterpiece, striking out 10 in a 7-0 win.  Like people who write a World Cup blog even know, revenge is a great motivating factor.

Ricky Romero (6-3, 3.08) had some control problems in his last outing, but still came away with a 7-1 win in San Diego as he gave up a run (none earned) on five hits over six innings, striking out five and walking three.  Romero threw 108 pitches in those six innings of work, and that’s about par for the course for the southpaw, who is third in the American League in strikeouts, but eighth in walks.  This is the first start against the Cardinals for the 25-year-old.

MLB betting odds should have the Blue Jays as the favorite at home, and they beat the Cardinals in two of three at Rogers Center back in 2005, but they had nothing for Carpenter, who tossed a gem in the middle of a three-game series.  It’s a similar situation for Carpenter as it’s also the second of a three-game set, and it doesn’t matter how often he comes to Toronto, Carpenter will always want to do well against his former team.  Romero would do well to watch the efficient Carpenter, who doesn’t waste many pitches and will be again one of the favorites for the Cy Young in the National League.  It won’t be a one-hitter like in 2005, but Carpenter will bring his best stuff to Toronto on Wednesday night, and he’ll lead his team to a close win over the young Romero and the Blue Jays in what should be a low-scoring affair.

Online sports betting pick: St. Louis

If you’re going to bet on World Cup odds, there’s another full slate of games on Friday in South Africa that is bound to get your attention.

Germany Serbia Betting – Friday, 7:30 PM ET

The Germans are favored at -175 in this contest, while Serbia comes in at +500, and a draw is rated at +270.  Germany put in the best performance of the opening volley of matches with a 4-0 trouncing of Australia, who went down to 10 men after 56 minutes.  The Serbs were upset 1-0 by Ghana as Aleksander Lukovic committed a handball in the 74^th minute, giving Ghana a penalty.  These two have met 27 times, with the Germans winning 16 times and drawing four, and they looked ruthless in the first match, and the Serbs will have to attack, which could expose them.

Betting Pick: Germany -175

USA Slovenia Betting – Friday, 10:00 AM ET

The Americans are favored at +100 in this World Cup contest, while Slovenia comes in at +200, and a draw is rated at +250.  This is the first time that these two have met, and both were the recipients of goalkeeping errors in their first match, the Americans in their 1-1 draw with England, and Slovenia in their 1-0 victory against Algeria.  The Americans will aim to get a good game out of Landon Donovan, who played out of position against England, and Team USA needs him to break out and pull the strings as he and Clint Dempsey, the goalscorer against the Three Lions, are their most threatening offensive players.  The Slovenians may be rattled by their first-game shock.

Betting Pick: USA +100

England Algeria Betting – Friday, 2:30 PM ET

The English are a -450 favorite if you’re going to bet soccer online, while the Algerians are listed at +1000, and a draw is rated at +500 in another first-time match between Group C opponents.  These two will have to deal with their goalkeeping problems, as Robert Green doesn’t seem to have the faith of manager Fabio Capello, while Fawzi Chaouchi may be the only option for Rabah Saadane.  England also has to replace Ledley King, who didn’t come out after halftime of the match against the United States, although it was announced that Gareth Barry would be available to start against Algeria.  The Three Lions are aiming for a big result as their fans were up in arms after the USA game, and it’s going to be interesting for whoever they start in goal.  But more importantly, they’re going to need Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney to create scoring chances for their team, and this should be a comfortable and much-needed win.

Betting Pick: England -450

NBA Finals betting players are still wagering on the Celtics and Lakers, but it’s not too early for us to take a look back at the most disappointing teams of the season.  Here’s who fell short of their benchmark this year.

Cleveland

Really, any team with LeBron James that doesn’t win a title is going to be considered a bust, but the Cavaliers really stepped in it this year.  Shaquille O’Neal and Antawn Jamison were brought in and the Cavaliers ended up with the best regular-season record, but they had nothing for Boston, who let James do his thing and shut down the rest of the team.  Now, James is a free agent, leading the most heralded class in NBA history, and they fired Mike Brown and are trying to lure Tom Izzo from Michigan State.  This is like placing a World Cup bet on Spain, and having them fall short.

Orlando

The Magic also fell to Boston in the playoffs, and there are a few reasons for their disappointing season: Dwight Howard’s foul troubles in the postseason and the fact that he still doesn’t have a post game despite being mentored by Patrick Ewing, Vince Carter’s play in the Boston series, and more complaining about anything and everything by coach Stan Van Gundy.  The Magic aren’t going to go anywhere until Howard learns to do more than dunk consistently.

Toronto

The Raptors were a mess all season, reeling off long losing and winning streaks right after one another.  Chris Bosh was lost for some of the year, and now it’s very likely that he’ll be leaving Toronto.  One year into a monster contract, Hedo Turkoglu also said he wants to leave after a poor season, and we’re not sure if Jay Triano is a NBA head coach.  If you’re planning on taking Toronto’s NBA betting odds next year, don’t bother.

Denver

This is more about off-court stuff, and it was out of the Nuggets’ hands when coach George Karl had to leave the team for chemotherapy relating to his cancer.  The Nuggets badly missed Karl’s leadership, especially in their first-round playoff loss to Utah, but they were also hurt by injuries to big men Kenyon Martin and Chris “Birdman” Andersen. 

New Orleans

No one expected them to win the Western Conference, but the Hornets were at least a solid pick to make the playoffs, which they failed to.  Most of that was down to an injured Chris Paul, and while Darren Collison definitely turned some heads with his play, he’s no Chris Paul.  David West especially missed Paul, and they also fired Byron Scott, replaced him with Jeff Bower, and now Monty Williams will lead them into next season.  It would be for the best to stay away from New Orleans’ betting odds next year.

Before UFC 116 betting, the NBA will hold their annual draft on June 24 at the mecca of basketball betting, Madison Square Garden, in New York City.  While everyone is talking about the top two picks, Kentucky’s John Wall and Ohio State’s Evan Turner, there is an abundance of quality among the big men, of which there is a lack of in the NBA.  Here are the top five big men available in this draft.

Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

Favors is the one player that people think will challenge Wall and Turner in the top two picks, while New Jersey would be happy to take him with the third pick. He may be the most intriguing player in the draft as Favors was hampered by awful point-guard play, but he’s an athletic freak who can run the floor as well as any big man in a long time.

DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

Cousins/Favors may be the next big debate after Wall/Turner, and it was Cousins, not Kentucky teammate Wall, who was the SEC’s Freshman of the Year.  He has amazing footwork and an array of post moves for a young player, and he’s a physical monster, although he could stand to turn some of his bulk into muscle.  The biggest question about Cousins is his maturity, but if he can harness that, he’ll be a solid addition to any team’s NBA championship betting odds.

Greg Monroe, Georgetown

Monroe isn’t a bruiser by any stretch.  Think a young Kevin Garnett, but without the intensity on defense, or in general, really.  But Monroe’s skill set is enough for someone to make him a lottery pick as he’s a phenomenal passer for a 6’11” player, and he’s long enough to be a pain on the defensive end.  The big knock on Monroe is that he doesn’t have a killer instinct, and he really should have dominated more in college, and that may not be good for a team’s online betting odds.

Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Aldrich, along with Cousins, is a legitimate center and his defensive instincts will earn him playing time right away for whatever team takes him.  He also improved his offensive game during his time at Kansas, and he probably could have left after his sophomore year, but decided to come back for a title, which shows a bit of maturity.

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

Another player who probably could have left prior to this year, Aminu was a double-double threat for his two years at Wake Forest, but like Favors, was bogged down with bad guard play.  Aminu could stand to extend his range, but he’s a tremendous athlete with a huge upside, moreso than North Carolina’s Ed Davis.  Aminu could end up being an NBA betting darkhorse for Rookie of the Year.