08/16/2008 - Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to terms with third baseman Pedro Alvarez, the second overall selection in the 2008 June Draft, prior to Friday's midnight (et) signing deadline.
Alvarez batted .317 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 30 runs batted in 40 games during his junior season at Vanderbilt. Despite missing 23 games during the season with a broken hamate bone in his right hand, Alvarez tied the all- time Vandy home run record with 49.
The 21-year-old Alvarez also hit .329 with a school record 22 home runs and 64 RBI as a freshman while being named the Southeast Conference Freshman-of-the- Year.
"Pedro Alvarez is an accomplished college hitter with the potential to be a middle of the order bat at the major league level for us," Neal Huntington, Pirates senior vice president and general manager said. "Equally important, he is a quality young man who comes from a very strong family. We appreciate their trust in the Pirates organization. We are excited to add him to our system and about the potential impact he can have."
The six-foot-two, 225-pound Alvarez was selected to the USA National Team twice during his collegiate career. In 2006, he captured the Gold Medal in the FISU World Championship by leading the team with a .379 average to go along with five home runs and 43 RBI in 31 games. In 2007, Alvarez led Team USA in batting average (.315), hits (40), home runs (7), RBI (30), total bases (70) and slugging percentage (.551), while winning the Silver Medal at the Pan Am Games and finishing third at the World Port Tournament.
<< Homer-happy A's get game-winner from Suzuki to stun Chicago
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kurt Suzuki hit a game-winning, pinch-hit,
two-run home run in the ninth and Jack Cust added two homers himself, as the
Oakland Athletics edged the Chicago White Sox in dramatic fashion, 6-4, in the
opener
<< Old-timer's day: Moyer, Phillies top Maddux, Padres
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jamie Moyer was masterful through seven
frames of shutout ball and Pat Burrell hit the game-winning home run, as
Philadelphia edged San Diego 1-0 in the opener of a three-game set from PETCO
Park.
<< Rivera's wild pitch hands KC victory, continues Yanks' slide
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Esteban German had two doubles and scored twice,
including the go-ahead run in the ninth, to lead the Kansas City Royals in a
4-3 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game set.
The Royal
<< Reds sign top pick Alonso
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds signed their
first-round draft pick from 2008, first baseman Yonder Alonso, on Friday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Cincinnati had until midnight (et) Friday to
Tottenham's Berbatov hands in transfer request >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov is
reported to have handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move
to Manchester United.
The 27-year-old Bulgaria international is rumored to be
Stoke City adds Faye before EPL opener >>
Stoke-in-Trent, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stoke City made a major signing on
the eve of the new Premier League season, signing central defender Abdoulaye
Faye for $4.5 million from Newcastle.
The 30-year-old Senegal international has s
Safina to battle Dementieva in Olympic final >>
Beijing, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It'll be an all-Russian affair in the
women's singles title match at the Olympics after Dinara Safina and Elena
Dementieva won their semifinal contests on Saturday.
The sixth-seeded Safina overcame a doubles
U.S. women announce three post-Olympic matches >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The United States women's national team, which
is currently in the semifinals of the Olympics, added to its busy season Friday
by adding three games against Ireland in September.
The United States, which has
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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