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07/22/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - As Canada prepares to host the 2010 IBAF World Junior Baseball Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont., beginning Friday, here's a closer look at its final 20-player roster.
It all starts behind the plate.
Canada's top player, Kellin Deglan, will be looked to as the leader of a team that has won the event just once in 1991.
The Langley, British Columbia native is the heart and soul of the club and after the 2010 MLB Draft, the face of it too. The 18-year-old catcher caught the attention of an entire country when the Texas Rangers selected him 22nd overall this past June.
Deglan is the big left-handed bat that head coach Greg Hamilton will rely on in the middle of the order. However, Deglan comes with more than just a bat and keen baseball sense. As one player mentioned, "You can't compete with his work ethic."
Deglan's leadership will play a large factor in his team's ability to channel the home crowd hysteria into victories.
INFIELD
Canada is also strong in the middle infield, anchored by shortstop Brandon Dailey, from Brantford, Ont.
Standing in at 5'10", 170-pounds, Dailey isn't the most imposing player physically, but nonetheless a solid athlete with a multi-use skill set.
Described by the coaching staff as a leader on the team, Dailey should provide consistent contact at the top of the order (likely second) given his aggressive approach at the plate and tendency to square up on pitches. His ability to run and hit for average are both amplified when you consider his exceptional defensive talents, behind a strong infield arm and soft hands.
Fresh off an exhibition tour that saw the Junior National Team play 11 games in 15 days, there's still uncertainty as to how the middle infield will fill out.
One thing they'll have is depth - soon-to-be 17-year-old Justin Atkinson provides the team with a high-ceiling player that projects to be a top-level talent. At 6'1", Atkinson has the frame and athleticism to be a special player but it remains to be seen what type of impact the youngster will make during the tournament.
Also competing for playing time at second base will be Raymond, Alberta native Jimmy Ralph. The 17-year-old infielder is a solid defender with a simple, straight stroke that will keep defenses on their toes.
One of the keys to Canada's success in the tournament will be the play of its corner infielders. The corner infield of third baseman Jalen Harris (Toronto) and first baseman Jordan Boston (Brampton) is big on size and high on potential.
Both players are physically gifted, especially Harris (6'2", 210), who is one of the top athletes on the roster. His defense should be solid, as he plays with a strong sense of composure and has good hands. If Harris can get himself into a groove at the plate, he has the potential to make an impact in the tournament.
OUTFIELD
Canada looks to be solid in the outfield, headlined by three players selected in the MLB Draft - Rowan Wick (Milwaukee, 18th round), Dalton Pompey and Philip Diedrick (Toronto, 16th and 45th round, respectively).
Pompey is a multi-talented player, evidenced by the Jays' decision to sign the Mississauga, Ontario native almost immediately following the draft.
A switch-hitter with the ability to spray the ball to both sides of the field, Pompey will give Hamilton and his coaching staff plenty of flexibility with the roster. Pompey's speed and athleticism are assets both in the field and on the basepaths, and he figures to find himself at the top of the order.
Both Diedrick (Ajax, Ont.) and Wick will be relied upon, along with Deglan, to provide the power in the lineup. This will most likely be Canada's greatest weakness, but they overshadow it by playing a brand of ball that includes solid contact and line drive hitting.
The two outfielders both have good size and possess the strength to hit the ball out of the park. Wick's ability to spell Deglan behind the plate and a very strong arm make the North Vancouver native a key player in Canada's run for a medal.
PITCHING
Here's where Canada's hopes for success truly lie.
With six of the 11 players drafted by major league teams coming from the mound, Team Canada will be blending a strong mix of veteran leadership with high- ceiling talent.
Lead by Evan Grills, who signed with the Houston Astros after being taken in the 10th round, the Canadian staff features three left-handers and two ace- quality arms.
Grills, in his fourth year with the national team and competing in his second world championship, is an imposing 6'5", 205-pound lefty with strong command of his breaking ball and changeup. He won't overpower you on the mound but the Whitby native knows how to pitch, fading and sinking his fastball in and out to keep hitters off balance.
One of the youngest players to ever play for the national team (at age 14), the competitor in Grills should rise to the occasion and he'll look to seize the moment in his final appearance with the Juniors.
The other top-flight arm - keeping in mind, the staff itself is strong top to bottom - is Windsor native Joel Pierce.
Pierce is a big strong 17-year-old who has been labeled by scouts as a highly promising talent. The 6'4" right-hander has a heavy sinker to go with a live fastball in the low-to-mid 90s and a good changeup. Pierce also has an intimidating presence on the mound, something the Canadians will look to use against strong teams such as South Korea and the United States.
Although it hasn't been officially announced, the thought is that Hamilton will go with Brian Bardis (St. Constant, Que.) to close games. Given the versatility Hamilton has with lefties and righties in the rotation, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team close games by committee, depending on matchups.
Bardis isn't your typical closer, in that he's a bit undersized to be classified as a "power pitcher", but has exceptional poise and makeup on the mound and should be able to use his confidence to pitch effectively in tight games.
While Canada will be in tough against strong opposition, it's a squad heavy on leadership, defense, and quality pitching. It's a combination that often wins games.
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BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back
With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.
"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."
Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .
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