40 Saves

Baseball Betting Lines

09/30/2006 -

The major league relief pitchers who have saved 40 or more games in a season with saves, team and year (date and game number of 40th save in parentheses):Through Sept. 30

57 - Bobby Thigpen, Chicago White Sox, 1990 (Aug. 19, 118)

55 - John Smoltz, Atlanta, 2002 (Aug. 8, 114)

55 - Eric Gagne, Los Angeles, 2003 (Aug. 14, 120)

53 - Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 2004 (Aug. 14, 116)

53 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 1998 (Aug. 20, 127)

53 - Randy Myers, Chicago Cubs, 1993 (Sept. 6, 138)

52 - Eric Gagne, Los Angeles, 2002 (Aug. 14, 120)

51 - Dennis Eckersley, Oakland, 1992 (Aug. 23, 124)

51 - Rod Beck, Chicago Cubs, 1998 (Aug. 31, 136)

50 - Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 2001 (Aug. 25, 130)

49 - Francisco Cordero, Texas, 2004 (Aug. 27, 127)

48 - Dennis Eckersley, Oakland, 1990 (Aug. 31, 131)

48 - Rod Beck, San Francisco, 1993 (Sept. 4, 135)

48 - Jeff Shaw, Cincinnati-Los Angeles, 1998 (Sept. 4, 141)

47 - Chad Cordero, Washington, 2005 (Aug. 24, 126)

47 - Armando Benitez, Florida, 2004 (Sept. 1, 131)

47 - Jason Isringhausen, St. Louis, 2004 (Sept. 7, 138)

47 - Lee Smith, St. Louis, 1991 (Sept. 14, 141)

46 - Lee Smith, St. Louis-New York Yankees, 1993 (Aug. 14, 117)

46 - Jose Mesa, Cleveland, 1995 (Sept. 8, 123)

46 - Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels, 2006 (Sept. 8, 131)

46 - Mike Williams, Pittsburgh, 2002 (Sept. 7, 142)

46 - Dave Righetti, New York Yankees, 1986 (Sept. 15, 144)

46 - Tom Gordon, Boston, 1998 (Sept. 11, 145)

46 - Bryan Harvey, California, 1991 (Sept. 19, 146)

45 - John Smoltz, Atlanta, 2003 (July 31, 108)

45 - Randy Myers, Baltimore, 1997 (Aug. 23, 126)

45 - Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City, 1993 (Aug. 26, 128)

45 - Kazuhiro Sasaki, Seattle, 2001 (Sept. 1, 136)

45 - Bryan Harvey, Florida, 1993 (Sept. 5, 136)

45 - Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 1999 (Sept. 8, 139)

45 - Bruce Sutter, St. Louis, 1984 (Sept. 9, 141)

45 - Eric Gagne, Los Angeles, 2004 (Sept. 11, 141)

45 - Antonio Alfonseca, Florida, 2000 (Sept. 12, 143)

45 - Eddie Guardado, Minnesota, 2002 (Sept. 9, 144)

45 - Dennis Eckersley, Oakland, 1988 (Sept. 13, 145)

45 - Bob Wickman, Cleveland, 2005 (Sept. 13, 145)

45 - Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City, 1983 (Sept. 16, 145)

45 - Duane Ward, Toronto, 1993 (Sept. 15, 146)

45 - Robb Nen, San Francisco, 2001 (Sept. 21, 148)

45 - Jose Mesa, Philadelphia, 2002 (Sept. 14, 149)

45 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 2006 (Sept. 19, 150)

45 - Francisco Rodriguez, L.A. Angels, 2005 (Sept. 21, 151)

44 - Joe Nathan, Minnesota, 2004 (Sept. 10, 140)

44 - Todd Worrell, Los Angeles, 1996 (Sept. 8, 142)

44 - Billy Wagner, Houston, 2003 (Sept. 9, 144)

44 - Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City, 1984 (Sept. 12, 145)

44 - Mark Davis, San Diego, 1989 (Sept. 19, 151)

44 - John Smoltz, Atlanta, 2004 (Sept. 21, 151)

44 - Billy Koch, Oakland, 2002 (Sept. 19, 153)

44 - Jeff Brantley, Cincinnati, 1996 (Sept. 20, 153)

43 - Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 1997 (Aug. 31, 134)

43 - John Wetteland, Texas, 1999 (Sept. 7, 140)

43 - Dennis Eckersley, Oakland, 1991 (Sept. 15, 144)

43 - Keith Foulke, Oakland, 2003 (Sept. 10, 146)

43 - Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 2005 (Sept. 16, 146)

43 - Armando Benitez, New York Mets, 2001 (Sept. 18, 146)

43 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 2000 (Sept. 15, 148)

43 - Roberto Hernandez, Tampa Bay, 1999 (Sept. 17, 148)

43 - Jose Mesa, Pittsburgh, 2004 (Sept. 19, 148)

43 - Lee Smith, St. Louis, 1992 (Sept. 22, 150)

43 - Mitch Williams, Philadelphia, 1993 (Sept. 21, 151)

43 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 2005 (Sept. 21, 151)

43 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 2001 (Sept. 25, 151)

43 - Doug Jones, Cleveland, 1990 (Sept. 22, 153)

43 - Jeff Shaw, Los Angeles, 2001 (Sept. 30, 156)

43 - Joe Nathan, Minnesota, 2005 (Sept. 27, 157)

43 - John Wetteland, Montreal, 1993 (Sept. 28, 157)

42 - John Wetteland, New York Yankees, 1996 (Sept. 13, 146)

42 - Jeff Reardon, Minnesota, 1988 (Sept. 17, 148)

42 - Rick Aguilera, Minnesota, 1991 (Sept. 20, 148)

42 - Troy Percival, Anaheim, 1998 (Sept. 17, 149)

42 - John Wetteland, Texas, 1998 (Sept. 15, 150)

42 - Todd Jones, Detroit, 2000, (Sept. 18, 150)

42 - Keith Foulke, Chicago White Sox, 2001 (Sept. 26, 152)

42 - Jeff Shaw, Cincinnati, 1997 (Sept. 19, 153)

42 - Robb Nen, San Francisco, 2002 (Sept. 21, 155)

42 - Jose Mesa, Philadelphia, 2001 (Oct. 2, 157)

42 - Derek Lowe, Boston, 2000 (Sept. 27, 158)

42 - Brad Lidge, Houston, 2005 (Sept. 28, 158)

42 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 1996 (Sept. 27, 160)

41 - Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox, 2006 (Sept. 11, 144)

41 - Danny Graves, Cincinnati, 2004 (Sept. 14, 144)

41 - Jose Jimenez, Colorado, 2002 (Sept. 15, 150)

41 - Rick Aguilera, Minnesota, 1992 (Sept. 22, 151)

41 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 2004 (Sept. 25, 155)

41 - Armando Benitez, New York Mets, 2000 (Sept. 24, 156)

41 - Eddie Guardado, Minnesota, 2003 (Sept. 23, 157)

41 - Danys Baez, Tampa Bay, 2005 (Sept. 27, 157)

41 - Robb Nen, San Francisco, 2000 (Sept. 28, 159)

41 - Ugueth Urbina, Montreal, 1999 (Sept. 29, 159)

41 - Jeff Reardon, Montreal, 1985 (Oct. 5, 160)

40 - Jeff Reardon, Boston, 1991 (Sept. 17, 145)

40 - Troy Percival, Anaheim, 2002 (Sept. 17, 151)

40 - Mike Jackson, Cleveland, 1998 (Sept. 20, 154)

40 - Steve Bedrosian, Philadelphia, 1987 (Sept. 25, 154)

40 - Trevor Hoffman, San Diego, 1999 (Sept. 25, 155)

40 - Robb Nen, San Francisco, 1998 (Sept. 25, 160)

40 - Billy Wagner, New York Mets, 2006 (Sept. 29, 160)

40 - Tom Henke, Texas, 1993 (Oct. 1, 160)

40 - Todd Jones, Florida, 2005 (Oct. 1, 161)

40 - Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, 2003 (Sept. 28, 162)

Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.