09/05/2008 - Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Galaxy will be hoping to snap a 10-game winless skid on Saturday when the team welcomes Real Salt Lake to the Home Depot Center, however they will have to do so without a number of star players.
Due to international duty, the team's leading scorer, striker Landon Donovan, will be out along with fellow American Eddie Lewis and England's David Beckham. Canadian Ante Jazic will also not be available.
Donovan has scored 16 goals and recorded seven assists in 18 games, while Beckham has tallied five times with eight assists in 20 matches. Their absence leaves the scoring load to Edson Buddle, who has notched 12 goals in 19 games but will be the lone threat in attack for the Galaxy.
RSL will be missing Andy Williams due to international duty, while the team also has injury concerns in Dema Kovalenko (calf strain), Kyle Beckerman (hamstring strain) and Robbie Findley (heel contusion).
Despite the team's futility over the past 10 games, the Galaxy is still just two points out of a playoff spot. L.A. still has eight games to play in the current campaign, and there are plenty of opportunities to get back into the playoffs after missing out the last two years.
However, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena knows that Saturday's match will not be easy without his biggest stars on hand.
"It's difficult. We'll lose four players - we are losing Beckham, Donovan, Lewis and Jazic, so that's not easy, but we are going to do our best and have a good week of training and be ready to play Salt Lake on Saturday," Arena said. "But at this time of year, it's tough to obviously get any continuity and consistency in a team when you have a limited number of games remaining and you have an international calendar that impacts our team."
While L.A. continues to fight for a spot in the playoffs, RLS is busy chasing Western Conference leaders Houston, who own a five-point lead on Jason Kreis' side.
RLS is in second place in the West and they got a much-needed win their last time out, beating Colorado 2-0 to snap a two-game losing streak.
Fabian Espindola scored both goals for the team in his first start since May 31 because of injury, but Kreis feels as though that performance could spell good things to come for both Espindola and the team.
"He was spectacular," Kreis said of Espindola. "It's been a long time coming. I know he's been so very, very frustrated with his injury situation because it's lasted a lot longer than he anticipated, or any of us anticipated. To get him back to full fitness and for him to have a game like that on Friday going into this stretch before the end of the season should mean great things for us and great things for Fabian."
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Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies have reportedly
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JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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