Diamondbacks and Pirates make trade

Baseball Betting Lines

07/31/2010 - Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired outfielder Ryan Church, infielder Bobby Crosby and pitcher D.J. Carrasco from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for catcher Chris Snyder, infielder Pedro Ciriaco and cash considerations.

Church is in his seventh big league season and has been traded for the second time in as many years. He was dealt from the New York Mets to Atlanta last season and signed as a free agent with the Pirates in January.

The 31-year-old veteran is batting just .182 with three homers and 18 runs batted in over 69 games for the Pirates this season. He is a career .264 hitter with 54 homers and 160 RBI in 617 games for Montreal/Washington, the Mets, Braves and Pirates.

Crosby, the 2004 AL Rookie of the Year with Oakland, was also in his first season with the Pirates and was batting just .224 with one homer and 11 runs batted in over 61 games. He spent his first seven seasons with Oakland and owns a career batting average of .237.

Carrasco had a record of 2-2 with a 3.88 earned run average in 45 games out of the bullpen for the Pirates this season, his first with the club. The 33-year- old right-hander has also pitched for Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox, compiling a mark of 22-18 with a 4.37 ERA in 226 games, 23 of which have been starts.

Snyder had spent his entire seven-year career with Arizona and this season was batting .231 with 10 homers and 32 runs batted in through 65 games. The 29- year-old veteran hit 16 homers in 2008 and owns a career average of .233 with 62 homers in 556 games.

"Chris Snyder is a solid major league player who will provide us with a quality catching option for this year and next year," said Pirates general manager Neal Huntington. "He brings leadership to the club, along with a game calling and receiving ability that will help our pitching staff mature. Additionally he will add some home run power to our lineup."

Ciriaco, just 24, was batting .259 with six homes, 51 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases in 87 games for Arizona's Triple-A affiliate in Reno. The Dominican native was the Arizona organization's top base stealer the last two seasons, as he swiped 40 bases in 2008 and 38 last year.

Snyder will join the Pirates, while Ciriaco will head to Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates have also recalled infielders Argenis Diaz and Jeff Clement from Indianapolis for Saturday's game against St. Louis.

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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. 

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