Colorado rocks Hamels, Phils in home opener

Baseball Betting Lines

04/10/2009 - Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Garrett Atkins' first hit of the season -- a two-run homer -- highlighted a five-run third inning, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-3, in the home opener at Coors Field.

Ryan Spilborghs was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored for Colorado, which took two of three in Arizona to begin the 2009 campaign. Clint Barmes had two hits and scored three times, while Todd Helton drove in three.

Jason Marquis (1-0), who was picked up from the Cubs in the offseason, continued his success at Coors Field, allowing two runs and five hits with two walks and as many strikeouts over seven solid innings. The veteran right- hander is now 4-0 in five starts in the Mile High City. Marquis also helped his cause at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and a run batted in.

Coming off a stellar postseason a year ago in which he emerged as an elite pitcher, punctuated by capturing MVP honors in both the NLCS and World Series, Cole Hamels struggled in his season debut for Philadelphia. The lefty was slated to start on Opening Day, but elbow issues during spring training delayed his start.

Hamels (0-1) was hit hard by Colorado, yielding seven runs on 11 hits with a walk and one strikeout in 3 2/3 innings to take the loss.

Jayson Werth went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a homer and three runs scored for the Phillies, who are off to a 1-3 start. Pedro Feliz knocked in the other two runs.

The Phillies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Werth led off with a double and later scored on a Feliz sacrifice fly.

Colorado then put up a crooked number in the third. Barmes doubled to lead off the frame and raced home after Marquis' grounder found a hole on the left side of the diamond. One out later, Spilborghs lined a double to right and Helton's ground out plated Marquis before Atkins stepped in and homered to left field. Brad Hawpe then hit a ground-rule double and Troy Tulowitzki followed with an RBI triple.

Philadelphia got a run back in the top of the fourth, as Werth, once again, smacked a double to begin the inning and scored following a pair of groundouts, the second one from Feliz.

The Rockies plated two more runs in the bottom half. Barmes had a leadoff single, advanced to second on a sac bunt, took third on a ground out and waltzed home on a double by Spilborghs. Helton then slapped a base hit past a diving Ryan Howard at first for a 7-2 lead.

Colorado added three more runs in the eighth off Chad Durbin on bloop singles by Dexter Fowler and Spilborghs and a sac fly from Helton.

Werth went deep to open the ninth inning.

Game Notes

Marquis became the first Rockies starter to earn a win in the home opener since Shawn Chacon in 2003...Colorado is 10-7 all-time in home openers... The Rockies have hit at least one home run in each of their first four games of the season...Philadelphia won all five of its matchups with Colorado last season after being swept (0-3) in the 2007 NLDS...Howard was hitless in four at-bats and grounded into three double plays...J.A. Happ tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames for the Phillies.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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