With hockey, basketball, and golf all going on, there is plenty of opportunity to bet on sports. What's more, 2010 World Cup betting as the globe's biggest sporting event nears. Baseball too is in full swing, however in a long season it is important to keep track of the ups and downs in the league.

One of the hottest teams in the majors right now is the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have won eight straight, including a series swept over division rival San Diego. They have moved up the standings are now are only two games back in the West, trailing the Padres and the San Francisco Giants. The recent streak has been built on great team pitching; they have allowed only six runs in their past four games, ad no more than three in any of the games in their eight victories.

However, despite their recent successes, the Dodgers suffered a big blow over the weekend. They have lost their best player to injury, as Andre Ethier fractured his pinky finger during batting practice on Saturday. He will be out for an unknown amount of time as the team decides whether to place him on the 15-day DL.

Ethier is far and away their best hitter of the season, and irreplaceable in the middle of the lineup. He leads the NL in batting average and RBIs, and has hit 11 home runs, tying him for the league lead. If they are to continue their winning ways, Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and James Loney will have to step up at the plate. Ramirez in fact may be the key, with his carefree attitude and ability to summon power out of nowhere and remain unaffected by his surroundings.

The NL West is incredibly tight, with Colorado in fourth place only two games back of the Dodgers. The schedule does not get any easier for the Dodgers while Ethier is out: the Padres, Tigers, Cubs, and Rockies are on the slate in the next 10 days.