'Seven or eight' scouts linked to gambling investigation
A former Washington Nationals part-time scout is at the center of a probe by Major League Baseball that has led to the firing of one scout and could result in disciplinary action against at least seven others, ESPN.com has learned. Frank Falzarano, 54, of Seaford, Long Island, pleaded guilty in April to felony enterprise corruption and gambling charges and is to appear Sept. 24 in Queens County, N.Y., Supreme Court. Falzarano, who is free on USD 200,000 bail, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Sources close to the bookmaking probe identified one of the alleged bettors as Alan Marr, a respected high-ranking scout fired by the Baltimore Orioles last month. Marr acknowledged knowing Falzarano, but declined further comment when reached by ESPN.com at his home in Sarasota, Fla. The investigation has identified "seven or eight" other scouts who bet through Falzarano, though it's possible that number could grow as New York City police continue to pursue the case. Major League Baseball's newly formed investigative unit is assisting law enforcement. To date, only Marr has been fired by his club and no disciplinary action has been taken by MLB against any of the scouts. It is expected, however, that a report will be forwarded to Bud Selig within 30 days and that the baseball commissioner could discipline Marr and perhaps the others. The scouts are under investigation only for placing bets and not for being involved in the bookmaking operation.
Marr's name was first to surface, sources said, because he had a longer relationship with Falzarano and his name came up more frequently during the investigation. Two sources said investigators captured Marr in phone conversations with the bookie, Falzarano. According to the indictment, the Long Island-based gambling operation took betting sites on professional baseball, basketball, hockey and football games between March 8 and Dec. 5, 2007. Sources, however, said none of the scouts is believed to have bet on baseball. Marr, a one-time middle infielder in the Giants' minor league system, is believed to have limited his betting to football and basketball games.
Falzarano was last affiliated with baseball in 2006, when he served as a part-time area scout, known in baseball circles as a "bird dog." His contract with the Nationals was not renewed after that season. He reportedly also had scouted on a part-time basis in the past for the San Francisco Giants and the Florida Marlins. Marr, 50, had been with the Orioles since 2004 and was the No. 2 person behind director Joe Jordan in the AL East team's amateur scouting department. He previously spent five years as East Coast scouting supervisor for the Giants, and his most notable find for them was Joe Nathan, now an All-Star closer with the Minnesota Twins.
With Baltimore, Marr had been a valuable set of eyes for his boss, Jordan, traveling coast-to-coast as a cross-checker to evaluate players recommended by the team's 15 full-time scouts and three regional scouting supervisors.
"From a baseball standpoint, (Marr) is one of those guys that never really turns it off," Jordan said. "He is 24/7. I had to tell him to go home at times because he would stay out and try to get to see as many guys as he could. He cared a lot about getting to the scouts' players."
Marr's fall from grace surprised many in the scouting fraternity, where he had risen through the ranks and was known for a dogged work ethic. Word of a gambling scandal had been a hot topic for months, scouts said, although Marr wasn't suspected until his firing. One American League scouting director, who asked not to be identified, said that in the short term, it's a serious blow to the Orioles' scouting department.
"I wasn't familiar with his personal life, but professionally he was all about scouting," said John Mirabelli, the Cleveland Indians' assistant general manager of scouting operations. "He was a very passionate, committed baseball guy. He lived it, breathed it. Nobody worked harder than that guy, I can tell you that. I had a lot of respect for him. I think the industry did as a professional. I respected how he went about his job and his judgment, which is the most important thing in a scout."
The Baltimore Sun first reported Marr's termination on July 5. SI.com later reported his name had surfaced from Major League Baseball's investigative unit in conjunction with an unidentified probe into illegal gambling. Marr is originally from New York, and investigators identified him as a longtime friend of Falzarano's. The indictment describes Falzarano as the kingpin behind the bookmaking operation, saying he "controlled and oversaw the enterprise, constituting the final authority on decisions affecting the overall operation of the enterprise." Wagers were accepted primarily through a toll-free telephone line, as well as an Internet Web site.
"It wasn't online betting" in Marr's case, a source told ESPN.com. "It was more 'Pick up the phone and call him.'"
The friendship between Marr and Falzarano dates to the mid-1990s, when Falzarano, playing in an over-30 baseball league, regularly came by a Long Island batting facility where Marr worked in the offseason. Falzarano eventually made inroads into the scouting fraternity through Marr. The FBI first approached Marr in his Florida home this past November. Although the Orioles fired him on June 27, MLB has not announced the terms of any suspension he could be facing.
"My guess is it is going be pretty tough, at least in the short term," Mirabelli said. "I know the guy is a character guy. I think he has a big heart. And I think there are probably a lot worse things that people have done in the game and they are still in it. If you put everything aside, I would consider hiring him, yeah, absolutely. I'm guessing it is a one-time mistake, a big mistake."
Marr was not named in the indictment and presumably would have been called as a witness had Falzarano gone to trial. Sources said Marr and the other bettors are not likely to be charged. Also indicted with Falzarano were Robert Jacobs, the controller who managed the day-to-day affairs of the operation; Joseph Fowles; Michael Moore; Sal Portannese; Peter Caliendo; Jeff Palsen; and Scott Slone. Falzarano declined comment when reached by phone, saying "Talk to my lawyer."
His attorney, Peter Tomao, said, "At this point, I can't give you any information."
This isn't the first time law enforcement has charged Falzarano in a major gambling scheme. In June 2007, the former scout pleaded guilty in Queens County to attempted enterprise corruption and was sentenced to conditional discharge. In that case, Falzarano was among 27 people charged in connection with a massive illegal Internet gambling operation, which authorities said rivaled Las Vegas casinos and booked more than USD 3.3 billion in wagers over a 28-month period. Falzarano was alleged to have been a top earner in a network of more than 2,000 bookies who used the sports gambling Web site.
2008 ESPN Internet Ventures.
Cleveland vs Tampa Bay MLB Matchup and Betting Site Preview
Cleveland has dominated this team this year, and owned the series between the two. They are 4-0 heads up this year with convincing 13-2, 5-0, 8-4 type wins with Cliff Lee getting the 5-0 shut out on July 11th.
Cleveland has dominated this team this year, and owned the series between the two.
They are 4-0 heads up this year with convincing 13-2, 5-0, 8-4 type wins with Cliff Lee getting the 5-0 shut out on July 11th. Tampa Bay has beaten many teams this season, but not the Cleveland Indians. Cliff Lee comes in for the Indians inarguably one of the best in baseball this year. "I've got to get ahead and mix up my pitches more," Lee, the AL's ERA leader, told the Indians' official Web site. "I think I got a little predictable with what I was doing." Lee is 2-0 his last three times out with one no decision. On the year he has a impeccable WHIP of 1.06 along with a 2.58 ERA in almost 150 innings pitched. He has just been amazing all season long. When Lee takes the mound at Tampa Bay, he will be one of three starters vying to join Arizona's Brandon Webb as the only pitchers in the majors with 15 victories.
2008 Sports Handicapping
Online MLB Baseball Betting Picks - Padres at Cardinals
While the St. Louis Cardinals, (54-43, 52-45 RL) have overachieved all season long for the BetUS MLB online betting community in recording their solid straight up record in the BetUS Sportsbook and have won two straight games and three of their last four coming into tonight's baseball wagering matchup, the lowly San Diego Padres, (37-59, 43-53 RL) have been one of the most beleaguered teams in all of baseball this season, floundering from the very start of the season and currently riding a three-game losing streak that includes a close 4-3 loss to the Cardinals on Thursday.
Tonight, San Diego will turn to Hall of Fame-bound right-hander Greg Maddux, (3-8, 3.90 ERA), who has been looking for a victory for over two months now, having last recorded a victory on, his 350th career win, way back on May 10. Maddux, 42, has gone 0-5 with a 4.11 ERA over his last 12 starts, the longest stretch of his career without a win since going 13 starts without winning from May 11 through July 14, 1990 when he was still a member of the Chicago Cubs.
"I enjoy going out there and I enjoy the opportunity to pitch," he told the Padres' official Web site. "I'd rather be out there losing than not playing at all."
Maddux, a four-time Cy Young Award winner, has allowed two earned runs or less in eight starts spanning his personal drought and limited the Atlanta Braves to three runs on six hits in seven innings of a 4-1 loss on Saturday.
"It's extremely frustrating," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He's pitched well enough to, one might say, have double digits in wins with the way he's throwing. But he's a professional and he goes out there and makes his turn on every fifth day and competes as well as anybody I've been around. It's great to see."
The Cardinals are now within four games of the NL Central-leading Cubs and got two home runs from big-bopper Troy Glaus on Thursday.
"It's getting warmer," said Glaus, who had four home runs in his previous 91 at-bats. "That's baseball. It's just a good stretch now."
The Cardinals will counter San Diego with right-hander Braden Looper (9-7, 4.25) who has allowed six runs in his last two starts covering 13 innings, though he has received just one total run of support during the span. I know the Cardinals are far and away the better team in tonight's matchup, but I am going against the grain and picking the lowly Padres to break their modest losing streak and actually pick up a surprising, but close victory over the Cardinals tonight. Take the Padres and the runs, to cover the Run Line and possibly win outright for the venerable Greg Maddux.
Copyright 1994-2008 BetUS.com.
MLB Baseball Betting Action-Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles
BetUS online baseball betting site fans looking to make some MLB bankroll-increasing wagers as the 2008 regular season moves further toward its mid-season point, may want to take a long, hard look at the Houston Astros, (33-37, 38-32 RL) and wager against them when the opportunity presents itself as the ballclub is in the midst of some immense struggles, having dropped five straight games in the BetUS Sportsbook, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the New York Mets that ended with Sunday's 13-0 shellacking, while also losing 14 of their last 17 games overall.
After a day off on Monday, the Astros will take their act on the road for an interleague sports betting matchup with the surprising Baltimore Orioles, (34-34, 37-31 RL), winners of two of their last three contests, though they lost their last outing, 5-4 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in extra innings. While the Orioles have overachieved all season long and come into this contest with a .500 record, the same can't be said for the Astros as they have underachieved all season long despite having several quality veterans on its roster.
"I was totally embarrassed by this, and we're not going to settle for it any more, won't happen again," Astros manager Cecil Cooper told the team's official Web site after a closed-door meeting with his players. It's simple. Today we didn't play hard, we didn't even show up...didn't even compete... total embarrassment. Forty thousand people, and we don't even show up. It won't happen again."
Baltimore has won eight of its last 13 games overall and will turn to left-hander Greg Olson, (5-2, 4.53 ERA) to lead them to victory tonight. Olson was rocked in his last start, allowing a season-high, six runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 road loss to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. The Astros will counter with Brandon Backe (4-8, 5.00), who lost his third straight game in his last start, allowing five runs in just four innings of a 10-6 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. The MLB online sports wagering community has an easy pick on their hands in this contest as Houston's Brandon Back has been absolutely awful lately and the Baltimore Orioles are playing at home after coming off a disheartening loss. Take the Orioles to win this matchup, though it could be a bit closer than expected if some other Astro besides Lance Berkman actually sows up to play.
Copyright 1994-2008 BetUS.com
Online MLB Baseball Betting Action-Reds at Phillies
The online sports betting community who like to wager on MLB baseball, should be happy campers today if they went along with my MLB Wagering Free Pick that predicted a solid Cincinnati Reds, (29-31, 23-36 RL) victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, (35-26, 28-33 RL) and mediocre starter Brett Myers in Wednesday's BetUS Locker Room article. After calling last night's baseball betting site contest correctly for BetUS online baseball bettors everywhere, I have what looks like one of my infamous 'lock' picks which nearly guarantees the correct outcome the majority of the time.
The Phillies had their scorching-hot bats silenced in Wednesday night's 2-0 by Reds' flame-throwing right-hander Edinson Volquez, but will have an excellent opportunity to get right back to their winning was tonight by sending out all-star southpaw Cole Hamels, (5-4, 3.73 ERA) despite the fact that Hamels has struggled in each of his last two starts, allowing a whopping 13 runs on 15 hits in just 9 2/3 innings. Hamels was almost literally rocked on Saturday, giving up a season-high seven runs on eight hits, including three long balls, in just 5 2/3 innings of Philadelphia 7-3 loss to the Florida Marlins.
"His command has been off the last two times out," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told the team's official Web site. "He'll figure it out. It's part of going through the season. These things happen."
Even if Hamels continues to struggle, Philadelphia prolific offense should be able to get back to outing some runs on the board after facing the overpowering Volquez on Wednesday and getting just two hits in the process. "A shutout against this club in this ballpark is almost impossible," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
Philadelphia should have a much easier time winning tonight and covering the sports betting spread for online baseball bettors as they will faceTriple-A call-up Homer Bailey in tonight's series finale. Bailey posted a respectable 4-2 record but high, 5.76 ERA in nine starts as a rookie last season but is just 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA in 12 minor league starts this season. Red Hall of Fame-bound centerfielder Ken Griffey Jr., still seeking his 600th career home run, sat out his third consecutive game on Wednesday, pinch-hitting in the eighth inning and getting walked for the second consecutive night. Griffey will join the exclusive 600-home run club featuring Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa.
Copyright 1994-2008 BetUS.com
MLB Baseball Betting Odds - Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs
This one could get ugly. The Colorado Rockies begin a three-game sports betting series versus the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field tonight. This after getting swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in their last three. Things aren't going very well for the Rockies who have been scoring, on average, around 3.5 runs a game in their last 17. They will also be without a few of their power-hitters in this game. To make matters even worse, the Rockies send Jeff Francis to the mound. I was talking smack about Francis earlier this season, then I backed off, now I've got to start talking smack again. Francis just hasn't been very good this year. His ERA is a horrible 6.18 and his record is 1 and 5. Then, of course, there's the fact that Derek Lee, the Cubs' best hitter, has gone 6 and 6 against Francis.
The Cubs counter with pitcher Jason Marquis. Although Marquis' numbers aren't spectacular at 2 and 3 with a 4.97 ERA, his record against the Rockies is flat-out fantastic. The guy sets them up and knocks them down when he faces the Rockies. From an MLB baseball betting point-of-view, he is almost unstoppable. He's 2 and 0 with a 1.98 ERA in his last four games versus Colorado. The BetUS online sportsbook wagering site is only offering, at this point, an online betting money-line wager on both the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs. The online sportsbook baseball betting site is also offering a money-line wager on both Jeff Francis and Jason Marquis.
We could get into some of the online wagering trends, but the truth about this baseball betting opportunity is that we cannot, in good conscience, even consider taking the Colorado Rockies in this game. Trends would help us if BetUS were offering odds on Marquis -1 and a half runs at positive money, but because our online wagers are limited, we have to pretty much decide which team is going to win this game. That would be the Chicago Cubs at -150. I wouldn't even begin to debate on whether or not Jason Marquis can last the required innings in order to qualify as a money-line online bet. Instead, I would go ahead and just put up the extra 50 bucks in order get the Cubs on the money-line.
I don't see Francis lasting more then three or four innings in this game. Not only that, but the Rockies will hard-pressed to come close to their 3.5 run average. Making an online baseball bet on the Cubs to beat the Rockies straight-up looks like a good one to me.
Copyright 1994-2008 BetUS.com
Online Baseball Betting- Rangers Look to Complete Sweep of Mariners
Talk about polar opposites! The Seattle Mariners, (14-21, 14-18-2 O/U) and Texas Rangers, (15-20, 18-14-3 O/U) currently define that word as each ballclub is headed in opposite directions at the moment.
Picked to be a contender for the American League Pennant and AL West division title, the Mariners have struggled all season long and have dropped eight of their last ten games in the BetUS Sportsbook, including back-to-back losses to the Texas Rangers, winners of seven of their last ten games overall, including a convincing 2-0 win over the Mariners and staff ace Erik Bedard on Wednesday. Tonight, the Mariners will try to stop the bleeding by sending gifted young right-hander Felix Hernandez (1-0, 3.04) to the mound hoping for a better outing than the one he delivered in his last start as he allowed six runs on 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Mariners lost to the New York Yankees 6-1 on Saturday.
Hernandez did however, shut the Rangers down in his first start of the regular season, limiting them to one unearned run on five hits in seven innings though Seattle lost 5-4. The Rangers will counter with their own young hurler in Kason Gabbard, (1-0, 2.18 ERA) who will make his first start since coming off the disabled almost three weeks ago with back troubles. Prior to his injury, Gabbard looked like the Rangers' best pitcher, allowing just five earned runs in 20 2/3 innings. Gabbard made one rehab start at Double-A Frisco, allowing one run and one hit in four innings.
"That sharp pain isn't there anymore," Gabbard told the Rangers' official Web site. "There's still a little stiffness in the morning when I wake up, but when I come to the ballpark and do all my work, it loosens up."
Here is a look at tonight's key trends followed by my MLB Wagering Free Picks:
The Rangers are 4-1 in Gabbard's last five starts vs. a team with a losing record. The Rangers are 7-2 in Gabbard's last nine starts on grass. The Mariners are 5-1 in Hernandez's last six home starts vs. a team with a losing record. The Mariners are 8-2 in Hernandez's last ten starts vs. a team with a losing record. The Over is 6-0 in Gabbard's last six starts as a road underdog. The Under is 4-0 in Hernandez's last four starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5. The Under is 5-1 in Hernandez's last six starts vs. Rangers. The Under is 7-3-1 in the last eleven meetings.
Copyright 1994-2008 BetUS.com
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