Surrey's Ellis chasing major league dream

Baseball Betting Lines

07/28/2010 - Thunder Bay, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Ellis is like any other player on Canada's junior national baseball team - following his passion by playing the sport he loves.

What's different about him and the rest of Team Canada's 18-and-unders is that they're chasing a dream very few people their age will ever experience.

So when the 18-year-old pitcher from Surrey, B.C. was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 35th round of the 2010 MLB Draft in June, Ellis accomplished something far from the norm of his peers.

He remembers following the draft online before going to school that day and how it sunk in later that night that his dream of making it to the major leagues was very much alive.

"I was sitting down and it hit me that I have an opportunity to still play pro ball and it doesn't really matter what round I get selected, but where I end up," said Ellis at the junior national team's workouts in Toronto earlier this month.

Where he is now is in Thunder Bay, Ont. representing his country and competing for a world title against the best young baseball players on the planet.

"It's special being able to play for your country," said Ellis, after throwing four scoreless innings in a 9-2 win over Panama at the Worlds on Tuesday night. "I've never had a chance to do that in a tournament like this."

Ellis, who has experienced the perils and spoils of being a star pitcher in his hometown of Surrey, said nothing's quite like donning the red and white on an international stage.

"I've played in a few national tournaments but compared to this, it's a whole new level," he said prior to arriving in Thunder Bay.

He's experienced that other level too, joining teammate and Texas Rangers' first round pick Kellin Deglan at the Seattle Mariners' pre-draft training camp prior to being selected by the Padres.

For a pitcher whose strengths lay in his ability to command the strike zone and keep hitters off balance with breaking pitches, Ellis said it was a little overwhelming to be in an environment where six-foot-five, 230-pound college players were a dime a dozen.

"It really was humbling knowing the kind of competition you're getting into, the guys you're competing for spots with," he said. "I know that I don't have the body type to be the 95-98 miles per hour fastball guy that strikes everybody out.

"I try to be efficient and stay within myself."

At six-foot-one and 180 pounds, Ellis said he focuses on fooling hitters with off-speed pitches rather than blowing them away with heat.

The right-hander's arsenal includes a slider he's been working on since spring training in Florida, one he said back-doors on righties and cuts in on lefties.

With a fastball topping out in the 88-90 miles per hour range, Ellis is constantly trying to figure out ways to maximize his strengths on the mound.

"I want to get a little bit better throwing to both sides of the plate with all my pitches," he said, describing the benefit of working with guys such as pitching coach and former major league pitcher Paul Quantrill. "We have really good coaches with a lot of good insight and professional experience."

Ellis knows locating his pitches will be key in a tournament like the Worlds, where Padres' scouts are sure to be in attendance as he tries to pitch his way into a major league contract.

Should the Padres choose not to sign him before the August 15 deadline, Ellis will attend Florida International in Miami, a Division I school where he expects to compete for a spot in the starting rotation.

Wwnytimes Baseball Betting News

<< Campbell joins Newcastle on one-year deal
Newcastle, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Veteran defender Sol Campbell signed a one-year contract with Newcastle on Wednesday, the club confirmed. The 35-year-old Campbell made 14 appearances for Arsenal last season, but couldn't agree t

<< Talbot adds heat to Winter Classic
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thank goodness the NHL still has a few guys like Max Talbot. Today's athletes are generally so concerned with image that they are constantly guarding themselves against saying something controversial. If y

<< Royals demote Marte, call up Bullington
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Royals optioned reliever Victor Marte to and recalled pitcher Bryan Bullington from Triple-A Omaha Wednesday. This will be Bullington's second stint with the big league club this s

<< Raul completes Schalke switch
Gelsenkirchen, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid legend Raul has confirmed the new chapter in his career by joining Bundesliga side Schalke. The 33-year-old striker has agreed to a two-year contract with Schalke after officia

<< McGowan joins St Mirren on loan
Paisley, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St Mirren have signed striker Paul McGowan on a season-long loan deal from SPL side Celtic. The 22-year-old has made just a handful of starts for the Bhoys to date and has previously been loaned

Phillies put Victorino on DL, call up Domonic Brown >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies have placed outfielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list and selected the contract of prized outfield prospect Domonic Brown from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

CFL East: Blue Bombers dominant with Jyles at the helm >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The East division took full advantage of home cooking last week, as Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg all won within their friendly confines. Hamilton was the lone East team to fall, as touchdowns in their match

PGA Championship Hole-By-Hole Preview >>
Haven, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - HOLE ONE - Par 4 - 408 yards: Bending from right to left, the opening hole on the Straits Course gives the player his first glimpse of mighty Lake Michigan, not to mention the myriad bunkers strewn across the cours

Sochaux adds Maiga from Le Mans >>
Montbeliard, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sochaux completed the signing of Mali international striker Modibo Maiga from Le Mans on Wednesday. Maiga scored seven goals in 32 appearances for Le Mans last season, but after the club was relega

Pironkova knocked out in Istanbul >>
Istanbul, Turkey (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wimbledon semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova was a second-round upset victim Wednesday at the $220,000 Istanbul Cup hardcourt tennis event. Russian-born Aussie Anastasia Rodionova upended the fi

NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.