Wednesday MLB, Obama and McCain Betting Updates

The Chicago White Sox will continue their playoff push at home on Wednesday night, but they’ll get a tough game against Roy Halladay. Here’s your Daily Sports Roundup …

Event of the day . . .

The White Sox and the Twins have both been playing sluggish baseball over the past couple of weeks, but that has at least allowed Chicago to hold onto top spot in the AL Central division. After hosting the Toronto Blue Jays in a doubleheader on Tuesday the White Sox will sent Mark Buehrle to the mound to face Halladay on Wednesday night.

Buehrle (12-11, 3.98 ERA) is coming off a big win over the Angels on September 5 in which he allowed just three hits and fanned seven over six shutout innings of work. That was a big improvement on the lefthander’s previous outing, in which he was rocked for seven earned runs in 4 2-3 innings pitched against the Red Sox. Buehrle faced the Blue Jays way back on May 2, giving up just two unearned runs over eight strong innings.

Halladay (18-9, 2.64 ERA) has picked up the win in each of his last five starts, and he hasn’t given up more than three earned runs in a contest since July 19. The right-hander also has eight complete games and a pair of shutouts on the season. Halladay had a start against Chicago on May 4, allowing one earned run over 7 1-3 innings in a win.

Betting event of the day…

Grandmaster sports handicapper Joe Duffy reported yesterday how the far-left is helping John McCain and Sarah Palin. Now the McCain campaign is trying to give some love back by completely distorting Barack Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” comment. Bonehead Matt Damon assured more Palin vitriol came from Hollywood, but calling Palin “scary” and telling us that it’s inevitable that McCain dies in office.

It’s only a matter of time before somebody blames George Bush for Hurricane Ike. The latest political betting odds have the race tightening, though both Intrade and sportsbooks have Obama ahead.

With tomorrow being September 11, which side and their supporters can sabotage themselves more on the 911 anniversary?

Joe Biden’s comment about Chuck Graham to “stand up” in his wheelchair, Swift Boat Politics, Obama’s 57 states slip of the tongue, makes us all wonder if the issues will have any affect on the race.  

Non-event of the day . . .

The Indians/Orioles game on Wednesday night features a pitching matchup of Scott Lewis (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Chris Waters (2-2, 5.40 ERA). The Rockies/Braves contest will showcase pitchers Livan Hernandez (11-11, 6.16 ERA) and James Parr (1-0, 0.00 ERA). Only die-hard fans will be tuning in to see any of those also-rans take the field.

Also on the schedule . . .

The Twins will send Kevin Slowey (11-9, 3.75 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday to face the Royals and Kyle Davies (6-6, 4.59 ERA). Rounding out the day’s American League schedule: Oakland at Detroit, the Yankees at the Angels, Texas at Seattle, and Tampa Bay at Boston in the finale of their three-game series at Fenway Park.

Brett Myers (9-10, 4.19 ERA) and the Phillies will host Ricky Nolasco (13-7, 3.56 ERA) and the Marlins on Wednesday afternoon, while C.C. Sabathia (9-0, 1.42 ERA in the NL) will try to pitch the Brewers past the Reds and Bronson Arroyo (14-10, 4.84 ERA). The rest of the NL slate: Arizona at San Francisco, Colorado at Atlanta, Washington at the Mets, Pittsburgh at Houston, the Cubs at St. Louis, and the Dodgers at San Diego.

News from the wire . . .

The Dodgers hope to get starting pitcher Brad Penny (shoulder) back from the disabled list this weekend, but he might be headed for the bullpen . . . Diamondbacks starting pitcher Max Scherzer might join the team’s rotation permanently down the stretch . . . Raiders WR Javon Walker missed the team’s blowout loss on Monday night due to his hamstring injury . . . Seahawks WR Nate Burleson (knee) is now out for the season.

Peek at the future . . .

Ben Sheets (13-7, 2.82 ERA) is expected to start for the Brewers in the opener of their weekend road series against the Phillies on Thursday night . . . Friday night features a clash between a pair of ranked college football teams – No. 13 Kansas vs. No. 19 South Florida . . . the Patriots will try to get by without Tom Brady behind center on Sunday afternoon when they play on the road against Brett Favre and the new-look Jets.

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