MLB betting players know that sign-stealing has been a concern in baseball, well, as long as teams have been using signs, but New York Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi began a small uproar when he accused Toronto of stealing signs, particularly at home, and that spawned an ESPN article with numbers and other sources trying to prove that theory.

The ESPN article has been derided in most circles for “cherry-picking” numbers that prove the argument that they want to make, but there is really only one number that needs to be considered here: the Blue Jays are 31-29 at home. If they really were stealing signs at home, where they are accused of having a man in a white shirt who sits in center field and signals to the Blue Jays what pitch is going to be thrown, shouldn’t they have a better record at the Rogers Center than just two games over .500?

Another aspect that hasn’t been lost on many sports betting players is that it’s the Yankees complaining about a team breaking the moral code. This is a team that annually attempts to buy a World Series championship, and in Alex Rodriguez, they are employing a player who has admitted to using steroids, and there was an incident in Toronto in which he yelled at an opposing player who was trying to make a catch. The hypocrisy is laughable coming out of the Yankees camp, and if they want confirmation that the Blue Jays aren’t stealing signs, all they need to do is look at Toronto’s sports betting odds.

With the 2011 NCAA football season right around the corner, it might seem strange to be talking about next year’s recruiting classes, but coaches are already out on the hunt for next year’s freshman stars. Several of the top-ranked prospects have already verbally committed for next year, so here’s a rundown on a few players who could make an impact in the fall of 2012.

Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State

The son of a former Dallas Cowboys cornerback, Edwards is a big kid at 6-4, 270 pounds and reportedly has the frame to get even bigger. He has good first-step quickness which allows him to get under blockers and power through them to get after the quarterback. Ranked by ESPN.com as the #1 recruit in America and #2 by Rivals.com, he’s been compared to former Clemson recruit Da’Quan Bowers, about to start his NFL career in Tampa Bay.

D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida

Despite projecting as an offensive lineman, Humphries has the athleticism of an NBA forward – something you might expect from a five-star defensive end, not a tackle. He has great feet to seal the edge in pass protection and get up the field on stretch running plays. Florida coach Will Muschamp might be a defensive-minded guy, but with Humphries he has a young man that could be the anchor of his offence for three or four years if he develops as expected.

Eddie Williams, WR/OLB/S, Alabama

Williams is an elite athlete who could end up playing all over the field for the Crimson Tide. In 2009 he threw for five scores, ran for another five and caught three, while also grabbing a couple of interceptions. He shows great awareness when the ball is in the air, able to bring down jump balls on offence and defence. His athleticism should make him an impact player early in his Alabama career.

Johnathan Gray RB, Texas

Gray is a thickly-built back who would excel in a one-cut, downhill scheme. In the last two seasons he has posted a ridiculous 5,853 yards and 104 touchdowns, displaying all the quickness and power you could ask for in a number-one back. In prospect camps he’s also displayed remarkable instincts and in the passing game, running crisp routes and showing soft, natural hands. He could be a monster for the Longhorns in a few years.

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

The Seminoles have been stockpiling talent recently, and Winston might turn out to be the guy that all those prospects coalesce around. A terrifying dual-threat QB, he can make every throw, whether on the run or from the pocket. He’s a good enough athlete to play wide receiver and is even considered a top-tier centrefield prospect in the 2012 MLB draft. If he sticks with football and works on reading defences, he could become a star.

A lot of mid-season baseball trade acquisitions tend to fall into two drastically different camps – the “highly-touted prospects” and the “rental player.” While dumping effective veterans for teenagers who might not play in the majors for two or three years doesn’t exactly ignite a fanbase, it’s one of the best ways to build a roster without breaking the bank.

Ultimately, though, the moves that make headlines and sell tickets are the ones made to boost a playoff run – recognizable names on the market either because of declining production, age, or impending free agency. Like any year, 2011’s MLB trade deadline saw a few former All-Stars and solid contributors on the move. Here’s five who stand to make the biggest impact in this season’s stretch run.

• Carlos Beltran, RF, San Francisco Giants – The Giants paid a steep price to acquire a player who might only spend three months with the team, but with a line-up that scores the second-fewest runs in the majors, they really had little choice. Beltran is a proven middle-of-the order hitter who should add some much-needed production in Buster Posey’s absence. Of course, if the Giants allow the Diamondbacks to pass them, miss the post-season entirely and Beltran walks, it will be a tough pill to swallow.
• Michael Bourn, CF, Atlanta Braves – Bourn is one of the baseball’s true lead-off hitters. He leads the majors in steals, adding a dimension that was totally absent from the Braves’ offence in the first half of the season. They might not catch the Phillies at the top of the MLB standings, but the Braves now should have a dynamic offence to pair with their excellent young pitching staff. The Wild Card is theirs to lose.
• Koji Uehara/Mike Adams, RPs, Texas Rangers – Putting these two together might be cheating, but they’re two of the most dominant set-up men in baseball right now and will combine to give the Rangers excellent innings ahead of closer Neftali Feliz. What once was one of the shakier bullpens in baseball is now one of the most terrifying.
• Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Cleveland Indians – Arguably the biggest risk/reward acquisition this year, Jimenez is only 12 months removed from starting for the National League in the 2010 All-Star game, has a very club-friendly contract, and is only 27 years old. Still, his drop-off, both in statistics and on the radar gun, are serious red flags. One of the premier fireballers in baseball last year, he’s lost a good 3 mph on his fastball, and his ERA has jumped from 2.88 to 4.46. If he can get his power back, the Tribe will have one of the best 1-2 starting combinations in the league. If he’s simply a pitcher on the decline, they may have paid a very steep price for a back-of-the-rotation starter.
• Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Milwaukee Brewers – Like many big-money Mets acquisitions of late, K-Rod had fallen out of favour and his hefty contract was looking like a burden. The Mets did well to unload him, but that isn’t to say the Brewers acquired a terrible contract and nothing else. With John Axford doing an excellent job in the closer role, Rodriguez becomes one of the best set-up men in baseball. The Brewers have made it abundantly clear that they’re making a real run this year, and this is the kind of aggressive addition that could make a big difference in the post-season.

Baseball betting players and fans alike remember the damage the lockout did in 1994, and the NBA is likely to experience the same as it doesn’t look like there will be any professional basketball in the upcoming months. The biggest shame of it all is that the league is coming off their most fascinating season in years, with all of the attention paid to the Miami Heat, who went on to lose to Dallas in the finals, and the Heat would likely be the breeders cup betting favorites again this season (you can even still find their odds on the internet). But with each day that passes, the likelihood of a season does down.

Billy Hunter, head of the players’ union, has come out and stated that commissioner David Stern isn’t allowed to be flexible at the negotiating table thanks to a group of newer owners who are set in their ways and don’t want to compromise. Of course, this could all be a negotiating tactic, but one that helps the players. The two sides have met just once since the lockout began on July 1^st, and absolutely no progress was made. Hunter says that the sides are at least $800 million apart, and he wouldn’t wager on a season, which has led some players, such as Deron Williams, to take contracts overseas.

The NFL lockout was a walk in the park compared to this one, as both sides are stubborn and the owners are willing to lose a year to get what they want. If you’re an NBA betting fan, you may want to find other ways to bet on sports.