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After finishing in last place in the National League West with 65 wins in 2010 the Arizona Diamondbacks were a big surprise in 2011 with 94 victories as they claimed that division title. Can the D-Backs come up big for their MLB betting supporters once again in 2012?
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If Arizona does manage to win the NL West title for a second year in a row it won't be at long odds this time around – the Diamondbacks are set at just +200 at Bovada to win their division title this season.
That, however, doesn't make them the favorite on that list, as the Giants are set at +130 on the MLB futures. San Francisco won the NL West with 92 victories in 2010, but slipped to 86 wins in 2011 and missed the playoffs altogether.
Of those two clubs the D-Backs made the biggest signing over the winter, adding former Twins outfielder Jason Kubel with a two-year, $15 million contract. Kubel hit .273 for Minnesota last season with 12 home runs and 58 RBI in just 99 games.
The Dodgers finished third in the NL West in 2011 with 82 wins, and they're third at Bovada at +550 to win the division in 2012. The Rockies, who won 73 games last season, are next at +700 on the odds to win the NL West at Bovada.
And finally the Padres are the +1500 longshot to claim that division title in 2012, and they're coming off a fifth-place campaign in which they won just 71 contests. If San Diego is going to pay off on that wager this year they'll have to pull a worst-to-first turnaround – just like the Diamondbacks did last year.
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If Arizona does manage to win the NL West title for a second year in a row it won't be at long odds this time around – the Diamondbacks are set at just +200 at Bovada to win their division title this season.
That, however, doesn't make them the favorite on that list, as the Giants are set at +130 on the MLB futures. San Francisco won the NL West with 92 victories in 2010, but slipped to 86 wins in 2011 and missed the playoffs altogether.
Of those two clubs the D-Backs made the biggest signing over the winter, adding former Twins outfielder Jason Kubel with a two-year, $15 million contract. Kubel hit .273 for Minnesota last season with 12 home runs and 58 RBI in just 99 games.
The Dodgers finished third in the NL West in 2011 with 82 wins, and they're third at Bovada at +550 to win the division in 2012. The Rockies, who won 73 games last season, are next at +700 on the odds to win the NL West at Bovada.
And finally the Padres are the +1500 longshot to claim that division title in 2012, and they're coming off a fifth-place campaign in which they won just 71 contests. If San Diego is going to pay off on that wager this year they'll have to pull a worst-to-first turnaround – just like the Diamondbacks did last year.
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The Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central last season, and the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, but neither of those clubs sit atop the current NL Central futures list at Bovada.
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Instead it's the Cincinnati Reds who are the 7/5 favorites on that list, as the oddsmakers look for them to have a bounce back campaign after they put up just 79 wins and missed the playoffs in 2011. The Reds won the NL Central back in 2010.
The Cardinals are next at 19/10 odds, but they have to hope that Carlos Beltran is an adequate replacement for Albert Pujols in their lineup. St. Louis signed the outfielder to a two-year, $26 million contract in the offseason after their first baseman bolted to the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent.
Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs and 84 RBI for the Mets and Giants last season; Pujols hit .299 with 37 home runs and 99 RBI last year for the Cardinals.
St. Louis went 90-72 in 2011, which put them six games back of the 96-66 Brewers. Milwaukee, though, also lost a slugger over the winter, with Prince Fielder leaving town to sign with the Tigers. The Brewers, at 11/4 on the NL Central odds, also got a scare from Ryan Braun's PED suspension, but that banishment ended up being overturned.
The Pittsburgh Pirates went 72-90 last season, while the Chicago Cubs were 71-91 and the Houston Astros put up a miserable mark of 56-106. The Cubs have the best MLB futures of those three clubs at 18/1 to win the NL Central after bringing in former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein to become their President of Baseball Operations.
The Pirates are then at 30/1 to win the NL Central, with the Astros a 100/1 longshot.
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Instead it's the Cincinnati Reds who are the 7/5 favorites on that list, as the oddsmakers look for them to have a bounce back campaign after they put up just 79 wins and missed the playoffs in 2011. The Reds won the NL Central back in 2010.
The Cardinals are next at 19/10 odds, but they have to hope that Carlos Beltran is an adequate replacement for Albert Pujols in their lineup. St. Louis signed the outfielder to a two-year, $26 million contract in the offseason after their first baseman bolted to the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent.
Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs and 84 RBI for the Mets and Giants last season; Pujols hit .299 with 37 home runs and 99 RBI last year for the Cardinals.
St. Louis went 90-72 in 2011, which put them six games back of the 96-66 Brewers. Milwaukee, though, also lost a slugger over the winter, with Prince Fielder leaving town to sign with the Tigers. The Brewers, at 11/4 on the NL Central odds, also got a scare from Ryan Braun's PED suspension, but that banishment ended up being overturned.
The Pittsburgh Pirates went 72-90 last season, while the Chicago Cubs were 71-91 and the Houston Astros put up a miserable mark of 56-106. The Cubs have the best MLB futures of those three clubs at 18/1 to win the NL Central after bringing in former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein to become their President of Baseball Operations.
The Pirates are then at 30/1 to win the NL Central, with the Astros a 100/1 longshot.
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While most teams are still in spring training the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics will be playing for real this week – they'll get regular-season MLB betting underway early on Wednesday morning with a game at the Tokyo Dome.
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First pitch for Wednesday is set for 6:10am ET from Japan, and the teams will also be playing at the Tokyo Dome early on Thursday morning (5:10am ET) before returning to North America to resume their schedules next week.
The Mariners and Athletics find themselves as afterthoughts in the AL West heading into this season, as they're well behind the favored Angels and Rangers on the MLB futures list for their division. Oakland is at +3000 to win the AL West, with Seattle at +4500; in comparison, the Angels are at -125 and the Rangers are EVEN on that list.
Last year the Athletics finished third in the AL West at 74-88, 22 games back of the division-champion Rangers. The Mariners posted a mark of 67-95 last season.
Seattle will send ace right-hander Felix Hernandez to the mound for Wednesday's opener, and he went 14-14 last season with a 3.47 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 233.2 innings. Hernandez lost his last three starts of 2011, allowing 14 earned runs in 16.1 innings, but he's 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA in 21 career starts against the A's.
Oakland will counter with Brandon McCarthy on Wednesday; McCarthy went 9-9 last season with a 3.32 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 170.2 innings. The right-hander is 2-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 11 career appearances against the Mariners.
This week's games at the Tokyo Dome will be a homecoming for Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki; Suzuki batted under .300 for the first time in his career in 2011 (.272) and will be trying to recapture some of his old form in his native country.
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First pitch for Wednesday is set for 6:10am ET from Japan, and the teams will also be playing at the Tokyo Dome early on Thursday morning (5:10am ET) before returning to North America to resume their schedules next week.
The Mariners and Athletics find themselves as afterthoughts in the AL West heading into this season, as they're well behind the favored Angels and Rangers on the MLB futures list for their division. Oakland is at +3000 to win the AL West, with Seattle at +4500; in comparison, the Angels are at -125 and the Rangers are EVEN on that list.
Last year the Athletics finished third in the AL West at 74-88, 22 games back of the division-champion Rangers. The Mariners posted a mark of 67-95 last season.
Seattle will send ace right-hander Felix Hernandez to the mound for Wednesday's opener, and he went 14-14 last season with a 3.47 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 233.2 innings. Hernandez lost his last three starts of 2011, allowing 14 earned runs in 16.1 innings, but he's 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA in 21 career starts against the A's.
Oakland will counter with Brandon McCarthy on Wednesday; McCarthy went 9-9 last season with a 3.32 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 170.2 innings. The right-hander is 2-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 11 career appearances against the Mariners.
This week's games at the Tokyo Dome will be a homecoming for Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki; Suzuki batted under .300 for the first time in his career in 2011 (.272) and will be trying to recapture some of his old form in his native country.
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We knew Magic Johnson had money, but not franchise money. The Lakers superstar along with baseball executive Steve Kasten has purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers, a move that will likely affect MLB Futures.
The price tag for the storied franchise was $2 billion. And if you're wondering what other North American franchise had a price tag like that, there isn't one. The closest were the recently purchased Miami Dolphins for $1.1 billion.
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Johnson and Kasten aren't the only one's part of the group. The entire group is called Guggenheim Baseball Management and has several other investors, among them Mandalay Entertainment chief executive Peter Guber, Guggenheim Partners president Todd Boehly and Bobby Patton, who operates oil and gas properties among his investments. Kasten is the former president of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.
But Johnson is the only investor that matters, as he brings a championship-caliber face to a franchise that has been mired in ugly legal battles.
"If they invested that much money, I'm sure they'll invest to get us a winner," said Tommy Lasorda, the Dodgers' retired Hall of Fame manager.
That's what MLB bettors should believe as well. Johnson has already told ESPN-com that he was, "in it to win" back in December when he joined the group. If he hold to that it should help the Dodgers MLB futures which currently sit at 40 to 1 odds to win the 2012 MLB World Series and +550 to win the NL West.
The 2012 World Series is probably out of the question. However, with more stability with the franchise and superstars like Matt Kemp on the roster a run at the division is not as crazy as it sounded 24 hours ago.
The price tag for the storied franchise was $2 billion. And if you're wondering what other North American franchise had a price tag like that, there isn't one. The closest were the recently purchased Miami Dolphins for $1.1 billion.
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Johnson and Kasten aren't the only one's part of the group. The entire group is called Guggenheim Baseball Management and has several other investors, among them Mandalay Entertainment chief executive Peter Guber, Guggenheim Partners president Todd Boehly and Bobby Patton, who operates oil and gas properties among his investments. Kasten is the former president of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.
But Johnson is the only investor that matters, as he brings a championship-caliber face to a franchise that has been mired in ugly legal battles.
"If they invested that much money, I'm sure they'll invest to get us a winner," said Tommy Lasorda, the Dodgers' retired Hall of Fame manager.
That's what MLB bettors should believe as well. Johnson has already told ESPN-com that he was, "in it to win" back in December when he joined the group. If he hold to that it should help the Dodgers MLB futures which currently sit at 40 to 1 odds to win the 2012 MLB World Series and +550 to win the NL West.
The 2012 World Series is probably out of the question. However, with more stability with the franchise and superstars like Matt Kemp on the roster a run at the division is not as crazy as it sounded 24 hours ago.
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The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are the betting favorites on Bovada’s MLB baseball odds to win the American League and National League pennant, respectively, so it’s no surprise that those two powerhouse clubs with baseball’s two highest payrolls are projected to finish with the most wins this season at 93.5.
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New York (13/4 to win the AL and 7/1 to win the World Series) won 97 games last season in winning the AL East crown by six games over Tampa Bay. However, New York was knocked out of the playoffs in the Division Series. The Yankees have been money for at least mid-90s wins since 1997. Since that season, New York has won less than 94 games only twice (2000, ’08). The Yanks’ lineup will be mostly the same as a year ago, adding only Raul Ibanez to platoon at DH with Andruw Jones. The pitching staff has been fortified by adding starters Michael Pineda (who starts year on DL) and Hiroki Kuroda.
The Phillies (9/4 to win the NL and 11/2 to win the World Series) were the only club to crack 100 wins a season ago, winning a franchise-record 102 in winning their fifth straight NL East title. Philly has won at least 92 games in each of the past four seasons after not having reached 90 wins from 1994-2007. Philadelphia will have to play without All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard likely until June after he tore ligaments in the team’s NLDS elimination loss to St. Louis last season. And the status of All-Star second baseman Chase Utley is uncertain due to chronic knee troubles. So that lineup will be considerably weaker to start the year.
The team projected to have the fewest wins this season is the Houston Astros at 63.5. Houston, which heads to the AL West next season, is in full rebuild mode. And winning 63 games would represent a huge jump for this franchise after the Astros only won 56 games a season ago, easily the fewest in franchise history. Houston would love to trade veterans Wandy Rodriguez, Carlos Lee and Brett Myers before July’s trade deadline.
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New York (13/4 to win the AL and 7/1 to win the World Series) won 97 games last season in winning the AL East crown by six games over Tampa Bay. However, New York was knocked out of the playoffs in the Division Series. The Yankees have been money for at least mid-90s wins since 1997. Since that season, New York has won less than 94 games only twice (2000, ’08). The Yanks’ lineup will be mostly the same as a year ago, adding only Raul Ibanez to platoon at DH with Andruw Jones. The pitching staff has been fortified by adding starters Michael Pineda (who starts year on DL) and Hiroki Kuroda.
The Phillies (9/4 to win the NL and 11/2 to win the World Series) were the only club to crack 100 wins a season ago, winning a franchise-record 102 in winning their fifth straight NL East title. Philly has won at least 92 games in each of the past four seasons after not having reached 90 wins from 1994-2007. Philadelphia will have to play without All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard likely until June after he tore ligaments in the team’s NLDS elimination loss to St. Louis last season. And the status of All-Star second baseman Chase Utley is uncertain due to chronic knee troubles. So that lineup will be considerably weaker to start the year.
The team projected to have the fewest wins this season is the Houston Astros at 63.5. Houston, which heads to the AL West next season, is in full rebuild mode. And winning 63 games would represent a huge jump for this franchise after the Astros only won 56 games a season ago, easily the fewest in franchise history. Houston would love to trade veterans Wandy Rodriguez, Carlos Lee and Brett Myers before July’s trade deadline.
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After finishing in last place in the NL West in 2010 the Arizona Diamondbacks turned heads in 2011 with a 94-win campaign that put them in the playoffs as their division champions. Now, they look to repeat that success as the MLB betting season begins.
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Arizona ended up getting bounced in five games in the NLDS by the Milwaukee Brewers, so they'll be looking to return to the playoffs and make a little more noise this season. At Bovada the Diamondbacks are listed at +200 to win the NL West once again in 2012, which puts them second to the San Francisco Giants (+150) on those MLB futures.
The Diamondbacks are also at 14/1 to win the NL Pennant and at 28/1 to claim the World Series in the fall. Arizona's wins OVER/UNDER at Bovada has been pegged at 86.5.
For Arizona to win anything in 2012, however, they'll need another pair of big seasons from the top two pitchers in their starting rotation – Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson.
Kennedy went 21-4 last season with a 2.88 ERA while striking out 198 batters in 222 innings of work. That was a breakout performance for the right-hander, who was 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA in his first season with the Diamondbacks in 2010.
Hudson was 16-12 in 2011 with a 3.49 ERA, fanning 169 batters over his 222 innings pitched; he went 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA in just 11 starts for the team back in 2010.
Kennedy and Hudson both enter the season at 20/1 odds to win the NL Cy Young award this season. Outfielder Justin Upton sits at 12/1 to win the NL MVP award and at 40/1 to lead the Senior Circuit in home runs.
Upton batted .289 with 31 home runs and 88 RBI for the Diamondbacks in 2011. He'll have a little more support in the lineup this year as the team signed Jason Kubel to a two-year, $15 million contract over the winter.
Arizona's season will get underway on Friday night with a home game against the Giants.
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Arizona ended up getting bounced in five games in the NLDS by the Milwaukee Brewers, so they'll be looking to return to the playoffs and make a little more noise this season. At Bovada the Diamondbacks are listed at +200 to win the NL West once again in 2012, which puts them second to the San Francisco Giants (+150) on those MLB futures.
The Diamondbacks are also at 14/1 to win the NL Pennant and at 28/1 to claim the World Series in the fall. Arizona's wins OVER/UNDER at Bovada has been pegged at 86.5.
For Arizona to win anything in 2012, however, they'll need another pair of big seasons from the top two pitchers in their starting rotation – Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson.
Kennedy went 21-4 last season with a 2.88 ERA while striking out 198 batters in 222 innings of work. That was a breakout performance for the right-hander, who was 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA in his first season with the Diamondbacks in 2010.
Hudson was 16-12 in 2011 with a 3.49 ERA, fanning 169 batters over his 222 innings pitched; he went 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA in just 11 starts for the team back in 2010.
Kennedy and Hudson both enter the season at 20/1 odds to win the NL Cy Young award this season. Outfielder Justin Upton sits at 12/1 to win the NL MVP award and at 40/1 to lead the Senior Circuit in home runs.
Upton batted .289 with 31 home runs and 88 RBI for the Diamondbacks in 2011. He'll have a little more support in the lineup this year as the team signed Jason Kubel to a two-year, $15 million contract over the winter.
Arizona's season will get underway on Friday night with a home game against the Giants.
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The headline regards what Bovada oddsmakers believe to be the case this season as new Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols is the 11/2 favorite on MLB player props to win the AL MVP in his first season in that league.
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Pujols stunned the baseball world by taking a $250 million contract from the Halos, who weren’t even considered a primary suitor, and leaving the Cardinals team he had just led to the World Series. Pujols won two rings and three NL MVP awards in his 11 seasons in St. Louis and is off to a hitting start in his career never seen before – he could retire now and be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. However, Pujols could be showing his age. He had the lowest batting average (.299) and RBI total (99) of his career in 2011 and third-fewest homers (37). Pujols’ over/under for this season at Bovada for homers is 37.5.
The second-favorites to win AL MVP at 15/2 are Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera won the AL batting title a season ago with a .344 average and added 30 homers and 105 RBIs. Gonzalez, in his first season in Boston, was second to Cabrera with a .338 average and hit 27 homers and knocked in 117.
The next group at 12/1 is Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder and Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. Bautista has led the majors in home runs the past two seasons and looks to become the first player since Mark McGwire in the late-1990s to win three straight. Fielder signed a $214 million free agent deal to sign with the Tigers and hit behind Cabrera. Fielder was second in the NL in homers last season with 38 and in RBIs with 120. And Cano finished second in the AL in RBIs in 2011 with 118 to go with a .302 average and 28 homers. He is far and away the best at his position in baseball.
Last season, Detroit’s Justin Verlander, in addition to winning the Cy Young, became the first pitcher to win AL MVP honors since Dennis Eckersley in 1992. Verlander is 25/1 to repeat.
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Pujols stunned the baseball world by taking a $250 million contract from the Halos, who weren’t even considered a primary suitor, and leaving the Cardinals team he had just led to the World Series. Pujols won two rings and three NL MVP awards in his 11 seasons in St. Louis and is off to a hitting start in his career never seen before – he could retire now and be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. However, Pujols could be showing his age. He had the lowest batting average (.299) and RBI total (99) of his career in 2011 and third-fewest homers (37). Pujols’ over/under for this season at Bovada for homers is 37.5.
The second-favorites to win AL MVP at 15/2 are Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera won the AL batting title a season ago with a .344 average and added 30 homers and 105 RBIs. Gonzalez, in his first season in Boston, was second to Cabrera with a .338 average and hit 27 homers and knocked in 117.
The next group at 12/1 is Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder and Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. Bautista has led the majors in home runs the past two seasons and looks to become the first player since Mark McGwire in the late-1990s to win three straight. Fielder signed a $214 million free agent deal to sign with the Tigers and hit behind Cabrera. Fielder was second in the NL in homers last season with 38 and in RBIs with 120. And Cano finished second in the AL in RBIs in 2011 with 118 to go with a .302 average and 28 homers. He is far and away the best at his position in baseball.
Last season, Detroit’s Justin Verlander, in addition to winning the Cy Young, became the first pitcher to win AL MVP honors since Dennis Eckersley in 1992. Verlander is 25/1 to repeat.
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Oddsmakers at Bovada have listed Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto as the 7/1 favorite on MLB player props to win the National League MVP award this season – the same award Votto won in 2010.
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Votto hit .324 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs in winning the 2010 award as he led Cincinnati to the NL Central title and the Reds’ first playoff berth in more than a decade. Despite playing in 11 more games last year, Votto’s numbers were down across the board: .309 average, 29 homers and 103 RBIs as the Reds sunk to a 79-83 record. But Cincinnati appears to be the favorite again in the Central this year with Milwaukee losing Prince Fielder and St. Louis losing Albert Pujols.
L.A. Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp won the NL MVP award last year and is at 9/1 to repeat. Kemp nearly did the unthinkable in 2011 in winning the Triple Crown: he led the NL with 39 homers and 126 RBIs but finished third in batting at .324, 13 points behind the Mets’ Jose Reyes. Kemp was the first Dodgers NL MVP since Kirk Gibson in that memorable 1988 season for L.A.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is the reigning NL MVP and is at 10/1 to repeat. Braun hit .332 last season (second in NL) with 33 homers, 111 RBIs and 33 steals in leading the Brewers to the NL Central title. Braun was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball this offseason after it was revealed that Braun tested positive for a banned substance in last year’s playoffs, but in a stunner, Braun won his appeal and he is eligible to play from Day 1. But he no longer has Fielder to protect him in the lineup.
The rest of the favorites are young Marlins slugger Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton at 11/1, and Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton and Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki at 12/1. The NL MVP field is definitely more wide open this season with Pujols now in the American League.
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Votto hit .324 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs in winning the 2010 award as he led Cincinnati to the NL Central title and the Reds’ first playoff berth in more than a decade. Despite playing in 11 more games last year, Votto’s numbers were down across the board: .309 average, 29 homers and 103 RBIs as the Reds sunk to a 79-83 record. But Cincinnati appears to be the favorite again in the Central this year with Milwaukee losing Prince Fielder and St. Louis losing Albert Pujols.
L.A. Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp won the NL MVP award last year and is at 9/1 to repeat. Kemp nearly did the unthinkable in 2011 in winning the Triple Crown: he led the NL with 39 homers and 126 RBIs but finished third in batting at .324, 13 points behind the Mets’ Jose Reyes. Kemp was the first Dodgers NL MVP since Kirk Gibson in that memorable 1988 season for L.A.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is the reigning NL MVP and is at 10/1 to repeat. Braun hit .332 last season (second in NL) with 33 homers, 111 RBIs and 33 steals in leading the Brewers to the NL Central title. Braun was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball this offseason after it was revealed that Braun tested positive for a banned substance in last year’s playoffs, but in a stunner, Braun won his appeal and he is eligible to play from Day 1. But he no longer has Fielder to protect him in the lineup.
The rest of the favorites are young Marlins slugger Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton at 11/1, and Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton and Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki at 12/1. The NL MVP field is definitely more wide open this season with Pujols now in the American League.
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After being sold for over $2 billion in the offseason, can the Los Angeles Dodgers bounce back from a lacklustre 2011 and contend on the MLB betting lines in the NL West this season?
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The Dodgers went 82-79 in 2011, which put them 11.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in third place in the division standings. That was actually a small improvement for the Dodgers, who went just 80-82 in 2010.
The Dodgers are listed third at +550 to move even farther up the standings this season and claim the NL West crown. The San Francisco Giants lead the way at +150 on that list, with the Diamondbacks just behind them at +200 odds.
Los Angeles is also at 18/1 odds to win the NL Pennant, and at 40/1 to win the World Series this fall. Their wins OVER/UNDER for the season has been set at a modest 80.5.
For the Dodgers to win anything this season they'll need repeat performances from the two key players on their roster – starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw and outfielder Matt Kemp.
Kershaw won the NL's Cy Young award in 2011 by posting a record of 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA, while striking out 248 batters in his 233 1-3 innings of work. The left-hander went just 13-10 in 2010, but has a career ERA of 2.88; he's at 11/2 on the MLB props at Bovada to win a second straight Cy Young award, and at 30/1 to win the NL MVP award.
Kemp sits at 9/1 to win the MVP this season, after batting .324 in 2011 with 39 home runs and 126 RBI. That was a big step forward for Kemp, who posted a batting average of just .249 with 28 home runs in 2010. He's also at 18/1 to lead the NL in home runs in 2012.
The Dodgers open their season on Thursday night this week on the road in San Diego, with Kershaw making the start. Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly and offseason acquisitions Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano will join the ace left-hander in the team's rotation this season.
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The Dodgers went 82-79 in 2011, which put them 11.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in third place in the division standings. That was actually a small improvement for the Dodgers, who went just 80-82 in 2010.
The Dodgers are listed third at +550 to move even farther up the standings this season and claim the NL West crown. The San Francisco Giants lead the way at +150 on that list, with the Diamondbacks just behind them at +200 odds.
Los Angeles is also at 18/1 odds to win the NL Pennant, and at 40/1 to win the World Series this fall. Their wins OVER/UNDER for the season has been set at a modest 80.5.
For the Dodgers to win anything this season they'll need repeat performances from the two key players on their roster – starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw and outfielder Matt Kemp.
Kershaw won the NL's Cy Young award in 2011 by posting a record of 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA, while striking out 248 batters in his 233 1-3 innings of work. The left-hander went just 13-10 in 2010, but has a career ERA of 2.88; he's at 11/2 on the MLB props at Bovada to win a second straight Cy Young award, and at 30/1 to win the NL MVP award.
Kemp sits at 9/1 to win the MVP this season, after batting .324 in 2011 with 39 home runs and 126 RBI. That was a big step forward for Kemp, who posted a batting average of just .249 with 28 home runs in 2010. He's also at 18/1 to lead the NL in home runs in 2012.
The Dodgers open their season on Thursday night this week on the road in San Diego, with Kershaw making the start. Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly and offseason acquisitions Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano will join the ace left-hander in the team's rotation this season.
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The Colorado Rockies will be looking for Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki to lead the way this season as they try to pay off for their supporters on the posted MLB futures.
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The Rockies went just 73-89 last season, which put them 21 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, and had them just two games up on the last place San Diego Padres in those division standings.
The futures at Bovada for the 2012 season the Rockies are again ahead of only the Padres, as they're listed at +650 to win the NL West title this year; San Diego is the biggest longshot on that list at +1200.
Colorado is also set at 18/1 to claim the NL Pennant this season, and they've been given 35/1 odds to win the World Series in the fall. On the MLB props board, the Rockies have a wins OVER/UNDER of 81.5 for 2012.
Tulowitzki and Gonzalez paced the Rockies' attack in 2011; Tulowitzki batted .302 with 30 home runs and 105 RBI in 143 games, while Gonzalez hit .295 with 26 home runs and 92 RBI in just 127 games.
The MLB props board at Bovada offers action on both of those sluggers right now, with Tulowitzki at 12/1 to win the NL's MVP award and at 30/1 to hit the most home runs in the league this year. Gonzalez sits at 18/1 odds to win the NL MVP award in 2012.
The Rockies will get their season underway on the road on Friday night, as they'll be in Houston to take on the Astros. Their home opener is next Monday against the Giants.
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The Rockies went just 73-89 last season, which put them 21 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West, and had them just two games up on the last place San Diego Padres in those division standings.
The futures at Bovada for the 2012 season the Rockies are again ahead of only the Padres, as they're listed at +650 to win the NL West title this year; San Diego is the biggest longshot on that list at +1200.
Colorado is also set at 18/1 to claim the NL Pennant this season, and they've been given 35/1 odds to win the World Series in the fall. On the MLB props board, the Rockies have a wins OVER/UNDER of 81.5 for 2012.
Tulowitzki and Gonzalez paced the Rockies' attack in 2011; Tulowitzki batted .302 with 30 home runs and 105 RBI in 143 games, while Gonzalez hit .295 with 26 home runs and 92 RBI in just 127 games.
The MLB props board at Bovada offers action on both of those sluggers right now, with Tulowitzki at 12/1 to win the NL's MVP award and at 30/1 to hit the most home runs in the league this year. Gonzalez sits at 18/1 odds to win the NL MVP award in 2012.
The Rockies will get their season underway on the road on Friday night, as they'll be in Houston to take on the Astros. Their home opener is next Monday against the Giants.
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After sinking to the bottom of the NL West standings in 2011 the San Diego Padres will be trying to get back on track this season – but they'll have to do it as a big underdog on the current MLB futures.
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The Padres posted a 71-91 record in 2011, which put them 23 games back of the division-winning Arizona Diamondbacks. That was a huge step back for San Diego, as they'd won 90 games in 2010 and just missed out on a playoff berth in the National League.
San Diego bolstered its offense over the winter by acquiring outfielder Carlos Quentin from the Chicago White Sox, but they're going to have to wait a bit for him to make his debut with the team – he had surgery on his knee and isn't expected back until the end of April.
Quentin batted .254 with 24 home runs and 77 RBI last season for the White Sox in just 118 games; he's never played more than 131 games in a season in the big leagues. On the MLB props at Bovada, Quentin is listed at 50/1 odds to win the NL MVP award this year.
Bovada also has the Padres back at +1200 odds to win the NL West division title this season, well behind the +150 favorites from San Francisco. San Diego also sits at 50/1 odds to win the NL Pennant, and at 100/1 odds to win the World Series this fall.
On the wins OVER/UNDER prop at Bovada San Diego's victory total is set low at 73.5. The Padres will try for their first win of the season on Thursday night as they begin a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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The Padres posted a 71-91 record in 2011, which put them 23 games back of the division-winning Arizona Diamondbacks. That was a huge step back for San Diego, as they'd won 90 games in 2010 and just missed out on a playoff berth in the National League.
San Diego bolstered its offense over the winter by acquiring outfielder Carlos Quentin from the Chicago White Sox, but they're going to have to wait a bit for him to make his debut with the team – he had surgery on his knee and isn't expected back until the end of April.
Quentin batted .254 with 24 home runs and 77 RBI last season for the White Sox in just 118 games; he's never played more than 131 games in a season in the big leagues. On the MLB props at Bovada, Quentin is listed at 50/1 odds to win the NL MVP award this year.
Bovada also has the Padres back at +1200 odds to win the NL West division title this season, well behind the +150 favorites from San Francisco. San Diego also sits at 50/1 odds to win the NL Pennant, and at 100/1 odds to win the World Series this fall.
On the wins OVER/UNDER prop at Bovada San Diego's victory total is set low at 73.5. The Padres will try for their first win of the season on Thursday night as they begin a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw was the National League Cy Young Award winner a season ago, and he is the 11/2 Bovada MLB player props favorite with Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay to take home the hardware this season.
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Kershaw won the NL pitching triple crown in 2011, tying for the league lead in victories with 21, and leading it with 248 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA at just age 23. He was the eighth Dodger to win the award -- Sandy Koufax won it three times (giving the Dodgers 10 Cy Young Awards total) -- and the first since Eric Gagne in 2003. Kershaw was the youngest NL winner since Dwight Gooden earned the honor in 1985 at age 20. Kershaw will start on Opening Day for the Dodgers on Thursday at San Diego. He got a nice new two-year $19 million contract this offseason.
Halladay, the 2010 NL Cy Young winner, finished second to Kershaw in 2011. Halladay finished second to Kershaw and Arizona’s Ian Kennedy with 19 wins and also was second in ERA at 2.35. Halladay may have lost some votes to teammate Cliff Lee, who is 8/1 to win the award this season. Perhaps no player has the pinpoint control of Lee, who walked just 42 batters in 232.2 innings last season, going 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA.
The co-fourth favorites at 10/1 are Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke and San Francisco Giants righty Tim Lincecum. Greinke, who can become a free agent after this season, was 16-6 with a 3.83 ERA in his first season in the National League last year. Lincecum won back-to-back Cy Youngs in 2008-09. He had a down season by his standards in 2011, going 13-14 despite a 2.74 ERA and 220 strikeouts as Lincecum got terrible run support.
The longest shot on Bovada’s board is Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto. He had some injury problems last year, going 9-5 with a 2.31 ERA in just 24 starts.
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Kershaw won the NL pitching triple crown in 2011, tying for the league lead in victories with 21, and leading it with 248 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA at just age 23. He was the eighth Dodger to win the award -- Sandy Koufax won it three times (giving the Dodgers 10 Cy Young Awards total) -- and the first since Eric Gagne in 2003. Kershaw was the youngest NL winner since Dwight Gooden earned the honor in 1985 at age 20. Kershaw will start on Opening Day for the Dodgers on Thursday at San Diego. He got a nice new two-year $19 million contract this offseason.
Halladay, the 2010 NL Cy Young winner, finished second to Kershaw in 2011. Halladay finished second to Kershaw and Arizona’s Ian Kennedy with 19 wins and also was second in ERA at 2.35. Halladay may have lost some votes to teammate Cliff Lee, who is 8/1 to win the award this season. Perhaps no player has the pinpoint control of Lee, who walked just 42 batters in 232.2 innings last season, going 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA.
The co-fourth favorites at 10/1 are Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke and San Francisco Giants righty Tim Lincecum. Greinke, who can become a free agent after this season, was 16-6 with a 3.83 ERA in his first season in the National League last year. Lincecum won back-to-back Cy Youngs in 2008-09. He had a down season by his standards in 2011, going 13-14 despite a 2.74 ERA and 220 strikeouts as Lincecum got terrible run support.
The longest shot on Bovada’s board is Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto. He had some injury problems last year, going 9-5 with a 2.31 ERA in just 24 starts.
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The San Francisco Giants will be looking to get back atop the NL West standings this season after slipping in 2011, and they're the favorites on the MLB futures right now to accomplish that feat in 2012.
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San Francisco went 92-70 and won the NL West back in 2010 but they only managed to win 86 times last season to end up eight games behind the division-winning Arizona Diamondbacks.
This year, though, San Francisco is back atop the futures at +150 to win the NL West, slightly ahead of the +200 Diamondbacks on that odds list. The Giants are also sitting at 7/1 to win the NL Pennant, and at 14/1 to win the World Series.
As well, San Francisco's wins OVER/UNDER on the MLB props is sitting at 87.5 victories.
The Giants will be looking for their starting staff to lead them back up the standings in 2012 and they currently have three pitchers on the NL Cy Young odds list at Bovada – Tim Lincecum at 10/1, Matt Cain at 15/1 and Madison Bumgarner at 20/1.
Lincecum went just 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 217 innings pitched for the Giants last year; he had won at least 15 games in each of the previous three seasons.
The Giants will be hoping for good health for catcher Buster Posey this season, as he was limited to just 45 games last year due to a serious ankle injury. Posey hit .284 with four home runs last year and batted .305 with 18 home runs in 108 games back in 2010.
Posey is listed at 25/1 to win the NL MVP award this season, and he'll get to work on his case starting on Friday night when the Giants open their campaign on the road in Arizona.
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San Francisco went 92-70 and won the NL West back in 2010 but they only managed to win 86 times last season to end up eight games behind the division-winning Arizona Diamondbacks.
This year, though, San Francisco is back atop the futures at +150 to win the NL West, slightly ahead of the +200 Diamondbacks on that odds list. The Giants are also sitting at 7/1 to win the NL Pennant, and at 14/1 to win the World Series.
As well, San Francisco's wins OVER/UNDER on the MLB props is sitting at 87.5 victories.
The Giants will be looking for their starting staff to lead them back up the standings in 2012 and they currently have three pitchers on the NL Cy Young odds list at Bovada – Tim Lincecum at 10/1, Matt Cain at 15/1 and Madison Bumgarner at 20/1.
Lincecum went just 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 217 innings pitched for the Giants last year; he had won at least 15 games in each of the previous three seasons.
The Giants will be hoping for good health for catcher Buster Posey this season, as he was limited to just 45 games last year due to a serious ankle injury. Posey hit .284 with four home runs last year and batted .305 with 18 home runs in 108 games back in 2010.
Posey is listed at 25/1 to win the NL MVP award this season, and he'll get to work on his case starting on Friday night when the Giants open their campaign on the road in Arizona.
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The Miami Marlins will have a special guest at the opening of their brand new stadium on Wednesday night; with the defending-champion St. Louis Cardinals in town for a quick one-game series to begin the season for both teams.
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And the Cardinals and Marlins find themselves close together on the MLB futures at Bovada heading into the season, despite the fact that St. Louis won the championship last year while Miami finished in last place in the NL East standings.
The Cardinals are listed at 25/1 to win the World Series once again this season, while they're at 10/1 to claim the NL Pennant, and at 2/1 to win the NL Central division title.
The Marlins are at 22/1 on the World Series futures at Bovada as they get ready to open their 2012 season, and they're at 9/1 to win the NL Pennant, and 9/2 to win the NL East.
As well, both teams enter the year with a wins OVER/UNDER of 85.5 on the MLB props market. St. Louis won 90 games last year but lost slugger Albert Pujols over the winter. Miami won 72 games last year but added star shortstop Jose Reyes, starting pitcher Mark Buehrle and relief pitcher Heath Bell to their roster in the offseason.
Miami will also hope to get a complete season from ace pitcher Josh Johnson in 2012 after he was only able to make nine starts in 2011 because of a shoulder injury. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 60 1-3 innings in that limited action.
Johnson gets the start on Wednesday night for the Marlins, and he'll be up against St. Louis right-hander Kyle Lohse – who went 14-8 last season with a 3.39 ERA and 111 strikeouts over his 188 1-3 innings of work.
St. Louis will have Thursday off before starting a three-game series in Milwaukee on Friday afternoon. Miami will be right back in action on Thursday on the road in Cincinnati.
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And the Cardinals and Marlins find themselves close together on the MLB futures at Bovada heading into the season, despite the fact that St. Louis won the championship last year while Miami finished in last place in the NL East standings.
The Cardinals are listed at 25/1 to win the World Series once again this season, while they're at 10/1 to claim the NL Pennant, and at 2/1 to win the NL Central division title.
The Marlins are at 22/1 on the World Series futures at Bovada as they get ready to open their 2012 season, and they're at 9/1 to win the NL Pennant, and 9/2 to win the NL East.
As well, both teams enter the year with a wins OVER/UNDER of 85.5 on the MLB props market. St. Louis won 90 games last year but lost slugger Albert Pujols over the winter. Miami won 72 games last year but added star shortstop Jose Reyes, starting pitcher Mark Buehrle and relief pitcher Heath Bell to their roster in the offseason.
Miami will also hope to get a complete season from ace pitcher Josh Johnson in 2012 after he was only able to make nine starts in 2011 because of a shoulder injury. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 60 1-3 innings in that limited action.
Johnson gets the start on Wednesday night for the Marlins, and he'll be up against St. Louis right-hander Kyle Lohse – who went 14-8 last season with a 3.39 ERA and 111 strikeouts over his 188 1-3 innings of work.
St. Louis will have Thursday off before starting a three-game series in Milwaukee on Friday afternoon. Miami will be right back in action on Thursday on the road in Cincinnati.
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The official opener to the 2012 Major League Baseball season happened very quietly last week in Japan between Seattle and Oakland. And the opener in the U.S. is tonight when the reigning World Series champion Cardinals christen the Miami Marlins’ new schedule. But the REAL Opening Day is Thursday and that schedule is highlighted when Boston visits Detroit in a matchup of top AL contenders.
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Detroit opened as a -139 favorite on Bovada’s MLB baseball odds – there will be live betting at the book for the ESPN2 telecast -- because the Tigers start the best pitcher in baseball in reigning AL Cy Young and MVP winner Justin Verlander, who is the Bovada betting favorite to repeat as Cy Young winner. Verlander won the AL pitching Triple Crown in 2011, leading in wins (24 career-high and tops in ML😎, ERA (2.40, also career best) and strikeouts (250, MLB high). Verlander also set career highs in innings pitched with 251.0 and fewest hits allowed (174) and WHIP (0.92). The right-hander started twice against Boston last year, going 1-0 with 1.72 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. The Red Sox hit just .182 against him.
The Tigers will be missing one expected starter in the lineup for the first few weeks as second baseman Brandon Inge starts on the 15-day disabled list. Thus Ramon Santiago starts at second base. The switch-hitter has made most of his starts against right-handed pitchers the last few years. Santiago and Inge probably will platoon this year, with Inge facing lefties. And of course this game marks the debut of Prince Fielder, who got more than $210 million as a free agent this offseason. Fielder starts at first base and hits behind reigning AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera, who has moved to third base.
Boston starts its ace, lefty Jon Lester. He was 15-9 with a 3.47 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 191.2 innings last season, but Lester was among the many Red Sox who struggled in September as the team blew a historic lead in the wild-card race. Lester didn’t face Detroit a season ago. He did pitch on Opening Day and was roughed up by Texas.
If the Red Sox have a lead in the ninth inning Thursday, they likely will have to turn now to Mark Melancon. That’s because projected closer Andrew Bailey is out until at least the All-Star break due to thumb surgery. Melancon saved 20 games for the Astros last season, becoming the closer in May. He had a 0.59 ERA over the last month of the season, not allowing a run in his final 11 outings.
(Editor’s note update: Alfredo Aceves has been named surpisingly named the closer to start the season by manager Bobby Valentine over Melancon, who will be the primary set-up man. Aceves has four career saves, including two with the Red Sox last season. He had spent the spring competing for a spot in the starting rotation. Melancon will close when Aceves is unavailable.)
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Detroit opened as a -139 favorite on Bovada’s MLB baseball odds – there will be live betting at the book for the ESPN2 telecast -- because the Tigers start the best pitcher in baseball in reigning AL Cy Young and MVP winner Justin Verlander, who is the Bovada betting favorite to repeat as Cy Young winner. Verlander won the AL pitching Triple Crown in 2011, leading in wins (24 career-high and tops in ML😎, ERA (2.40, also career best) and strikeouts (250, MLB high). Verlander also set career highs in innings pitched with 251.0 and fewest hits allowed (174) and WHIP (0.92). The right-hander started twice against Boston last year, going 1-0 with 1.72 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. The Red Sox hit just .182 against him.
The Tigers will be missing one expected starter in the lineup for the first few weeks as second baseman Brandon Inge starts on the 15-day disabled list. Thus Ramon Santiago starts at second base. The switch-hitter has made most of his starts against right-handed pitchers the last few years. Santiago and Inge probably will platoon this year, with Inge facing lefties. And of course this game marks the debut of Prince Fielder, who got more than $210 million as a free agent this offseason. Fielder starts at first base and hits behind reigning AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera, who has moved to third base.
Boston starts its ace, lefty Jon Lester. He was 15-9 with a 3.47 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 191.2 innings last season, but Lester was among the many Red Sox who struggled in September as the team blew a historic lead in the wild-card race. Lester didn’t face Detroit a season ago. He did pitch on Opening Day and was roughed up by Texas.
If the Red Sox have a lead in the ninth inning Thursday, they likely will have to turn now to Mark Melancon. That’s because projected closer Andrew Bailey is out until at least the All-Star break due to thumb surgery. Melancon saved 20 games for the Astros last season, becoming the closer in May. He had a 0.59 ERA over the last month of the season, not allowing a run in his final 11 outings.
(Editor’s note update: Alfredo Aceves has been named surpisingly named the closer to start the season by manager Bobby Valentine over Melancon, who will be the primary set-up man. Aceves has four career saves, including two with the Red Sox last season. He had spent the spring competing for a spot in the starting rotation. Melancon will close when Aceves is unavailable.)
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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista emerged from total obscurity to win the 2010 Major League Baseball home run title with 54 that season – a whopping 12 over the second-place finisher. Many thought Bautista was a one-year wonder like former Oriole Brady Anderson, but Bautista proved doubters wrong last year when he again led baseball with 43 homers. Can he become the first player since Mark McGwire in the late 1990s to win three straight home run crowns? Bautista is the 13/2 favorite on Bovada’s MLB baseball betting odds.
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Bautista’s homers and RBIs were down a year ago from 2010, but his .302 average was 42 points better than the previous season and Bautista led the majors in walks in 2011 with 132. That could be the problem – he could continue to get pitched around without a superstar hitting behind him. Bautista has an over/under of 38.5 homers at Bovada for this season.
The second-favorites at 9/1 are the Angels’ Albert Pujols and the Marlins’ Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton. Pujols of course spent his first 11 Hall of Fame seasons in St. Louis before signing a $250 million deal with the Halos this offseason. Pujols, the AL MVP betting favorite at 6/1, won the NL home run title twice, including leading all of baseball with 47 in 2009. His over/under homer total for this season on Bovada is 37.5.
Stanton, meanwhile, is perhaps the top young slugger in the game at age 22. He hit 34 homers a season ago and with 56 has the third-most home runs of any player before their 22nd birthday. Stanton’s home run total is set at 35.5 for the season.
Detroit’s Prince Fielder followed Pujols from the NL Central to the American League, and Fielder is at 10/1 to win his first home run title. The lefty hitter had 38 homers last season with Milwaukee. His career high is 50, set in 2007 when Fielder led the NL. Fielder’s over/under homers total this season is 35.5.
If bettors want to get the most bang for their buck, Boston DH David Ortiz is the longest shot on the board at 90/1. The 36-year-old his 29 dingers in 2011 and has a career-high of 52, set in 2007 when he was the AL leader. Ortiz’s over/under homers total this season is 25.5.
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Bautista’s homers and RBIs were down a year ago from 2010, but his .302 average was 42 points better than the previous season and Bautista led the majors in walks in 2011 with 132. That could be the problem – he could continue to get pitched around without a superstar hitting behind him. Bautista has an over/under of 38.5 homers at Bovada for this season.
The second-favorites at 9/1 are the Angels’ Albert Pujols and the Marlins’ Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton. Pujols of course spent his first 11 Hall of Fame seasons in St. Louis before signing a $250 million deal with the Halos this offseason. Pujols, the AL MVP betting favorite at 6/1, won the NL home run title twice, including leading all of baseball with 47 in 2009. His over/under homer total for this season on Bovada is 37.5.
Stanton, meanwhile, is perhaps the top young slugger in the game at age 22. He hit 34 homers a season ago and with 56 has the third-most home runs of any player before their 22nd birthday. Stanton’s home run total is set at 35.5 for the season.
Detroit’s Prince Fielder followed Pujols from the NL Central to the American League, and Fielder is at 10/1 to win his first home run title. The lefty hitter had 38 homers last season with Milwaukee. His career high is 50, set in 2007 when Fielder led the NL. Fielder’s over/under homers total this season is 35.5.
If bettors want to get the most bang for their buck, Boston DH David Ortiz is the longest shot on the board at 90/1. The 36-year-old his 29 dingers in 2011 and has a career-high of 52, set in 2007 when he was the AL leader. Ortiz’s over/under homers total this season is 25.5.
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The Milwaukee Brewers begin defense of the National League Central Division title on Friday afternoon when the Brew Crew host the St. Louis Cardinals in a rematch of the 2011 NLCS. Milwaukee opened as a -125 favorite on Bovada’s MLB baseball odds for this game.
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The Cardinals already have taken the field this season as they begin life without Albert Pujols. They opened on Wednesday night in Miami and won 4-1 behind a stellar outing from Kyle Lohse. David Freese, the World Series MVP, had a two-run single in the first inning to give Lohse the cushion he needed. Freese and Rafael Furcal each had three of the Cardinals' 13 hits. Lance Berkman has moved from the outfield to Pujols’ spot at first base and Berkman was 1-for-3 with two walks.
Milwaukee won 96 games in 2011 and took the division by six games over St. Louis, which won the wild card on the final night of the season. But the Cards ousted Milwaukee in six games in the NLCS. There’s no way to fully replace Fielder’s production, but Mat Gamel gets the shot at first base now. He tore up the minors last year but hit just .115 with no homers in 26 big-league at-bats in 2011. At least the Brewers have reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun. He was suspended 50 games by MLB for failing a drug test during last year’s playoffs but stunningly won the appeal. New third baseman Aramis Ramirez now hits in Fielder’s spot behind Braun in the lineup.
The Brewers start righty Yovani Gallardo for the third straight Opening Day. Gallardo had his best season in 2011, going 17-10 with a 3.52 ERA in a career-high 33 starts. However, the Cardinals own him as Gallardo is 1-7 with a 5.66 ERA in 11 regular season starts vs. St. Louis. Of course, those Cards teams had Pujols. Milwaukee is 0-4 in Gallardo’s past four home starts vs. the Cards.
St. Louis counters with lefty Jaime Garcia. He was 13-7 with a 3.56 ERA last season. Garcia made two starts against Milwaukee, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14 innings. The Cards have won five of their past six at Miller Park.
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The Cardinals already have taken the field this season as they begin life without Albert Pujols. They opened on Wednesday night in Miami and won 4-1 behind a stellar outing from Kyle Lohse. David Freese, the World Series MVP, had a two-run single in the first inning to give Lohse the cushion he needed. Freese and Rafael Furcal each had three of the Cardinals' 13 hits. Lance Berkman has moved from the outfield to Pujols’ spot at first base and Berkman was 1-for-3 with two walks.
Milwaukee won 96 games in 2011 and took the division by six games over St. Louis, which won the wild card on the final night of the season. But the Cards ousted Milwaukee in six games in the NLCS. There’s no way to fully replace Fielder’s production, but Mat Gamel gets the shot at first base now. He tore up the minors last year but hit just .115 with no homers in 26 big-league at-bats in 2011. At least the Brewers have reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun. He was suspended 50 games by MLB for failing a drug test during last year’s playoffs but stunningly won the appeal. New third baseman Aramis Ramirez now hits in Fielder’s spot behind Braun in the lineup.
The Brewers start righty Yovani Gallardo for the third straight Opening Day. Gallardo had his best season in 2011, going 17-10 with a 3.52 ERA in a career-high 33 starts. However, the Cardinals own him as Gallardo is 1-7 with a 5.66 ERA in 11 regular season starts vs. St. Louis. Of course, those Cards teams had Pujols. Milwaukee is 0-4 in Gallardo’s past four home starts vs. the Cards.
St. Louis counters with lefty Jaime Garcia. He was 13-7 with a 3.56 ERA last season. Garcia made two starts against Milwaukee, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14 innings. The Cards have won five of their past six at Miller Park.
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After getting back to the playoffs in 2011 the Tampa Bay Rays will try to navigate the tough AL East again in 2012 and take another shot at the MLB betting lines and a World Series championship.
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Tampa Bay went 91-71 last season, which was just good enough to edge the 90-72 Boston Red Sox for second place in the AL East and the league's Wild Card berth. The Rays ended up six games back of the first-place Yankees in the division standings.
Once in the playoffs, however, the Rays went away meekly, falling in just four games to the Texas Rangers in the ALDS.
And despite finishing second in the AL East in 2011, the Rays are actually listed third on those MLB futures at Bovada heading into this season; they're at +450 odds to claim the division title, which has them behind New York (-130) and Boston (+275).
The Rays are also sixth behind the Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Red Sox and Rangers at 9/1 odds to win the American League this season, and they're at 20/1 odds to win their first World Series in franchise history.
On the props market the Rays' wins OVER/UNDER for the season is listed at 87.5, with Evan Longoria at 12/1 odds to win the AL MVP award this season. Longoria, who hit 31 home runs in just 133 games last year, is also at 25/1 to lead the AL in long balls.
Tampa Bay has given Longoria some extra support in the lineup this year, as they brought first baseman Carlos Pena back to the team after he played last season with the Cubs. The Rays also signed outfielder Luke Scott over the winter.
The Rays get their 2012 campaign underway on Friday afternoon at home against the Yankees, with right-hander James Shields getting the ball against New York left-hander CC Sabathia. The first pitch of that contest is set for 3:10pm ET.
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Tampa Bay went 91-71 last season, which was just good enough to edge the 90-72 Boston Red Sox for second place in the AL East and the league's Wild Card berth. The Rays ended up six games back of the first-place Yankees in the division standings.
Once in the playoffs, however, the Rays went away meekly, falling in just four games to the Texas Rangers in the ALDS.
And despite finishing second in the AL East in 2011, the Rays are actually listed third on those MLB futures at Bovada heading into this season; they're at +450 odds to claim the division title, which has them behind New York (-130) and Boston (+275).
The Rays are also sixth behind the Yankees, Tigers, Angels, Red Sox and Rangers at 9/1 odds to win the American League this season, and they're at 20/1 odds to win their first World Series in franchise history.
On the props market the Rays' wins OVER/UNDER for the season is listed at 87.5, with Evan Longoria at 12/1 odds to win the AL MVP award this season. Longoria, who hit 31 home runs in just 133 games last year, is also at 25/1 to lead the AL in long balls.
Tampa Bay has given Longoria some extra support in the lineup this year, as they brought first baseman Carlos Pena back to the team after he played last season with the Cubs. The Rays also signed outfielder Luke Scott over the winter.
The Rays get their 2012 campaign underway on Friday afternoon at home against the Yankees, with right-hander James Shields getting the ball against New York left-hander CC Sabathia. The first pitch of that contest is set for 3:10pm ET.
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Just reaching the playoffs makes a season a success for most teams, but not for the New York Yankees. After getting bounced in the ALDS by the Tigers in 2011 the Bronx Bombers will be looking to make a little more noise this time around.
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The Yankees' wins OVER/UNDER for the year is sitting at 93.5, while the Bovada MLB props have Robinson Cano at 12/1 to win the AL MVP award. Mark Teixeira is at 18/1 to win the AL MVP, with Alex Rodriguez at 25/1, Curtis Granderson at 40/1 and both CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter at 50/1.
New York cruised to the American League East title in 2011, going 97-65 and ending up six games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and seven games up on the rival Boston Red Sox – who missed the playoffs altogether.
Despite having the best record in the Junior Circuit, the Yankees couldn't get past the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs and started their offseason early.
Still, the Yankees' lineup remains loaded and they enter the 2012 season as the -130 favorites on the MLB futures at Bovada to win the AL East once again. Boston is next at +275, with Tampa Bay at +450, Toronto at +1000, and Baltimore the +7500 longshot.
New York is also atop the AL Pennant odds at 7/2, which puts them ahead of the 4/1 Tigers and Angels, and they're behind only the Phillies at 7/1 odds to win the World Series this season; Philadelphia is listed at 11/2 on those futures.
The Yankees will get their 2012 campaign underway on Friday afternoon on the road against the Rays, with ace starter Sabathia taking the mound for New York against Tampa Bay's James Shields. First pitch is set for 3:10pm ET.
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The Yankees' wins OVER/UNDER for the year is sitting at 93.5, while the Bovada MLB props have Robinson Cano at 12/1 to win the AL MVP award. Mark Teixeira is at 18/1 to win the AL MVP, with Alex Rodriguez at 25/1, Curtis Granderson at 40/1 and both CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter at 50/1.
New York cruised to the American League East title in 2011, going 97-65 and ending up six games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and seven games up on the rival Boston Red Sox – who missed the playoffs altogether.
Despite having the best record in the Junior Circuit, the Yankees couldn't get past the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs and started their offseason early.
Still, the Yankees' lineup remains loaded and they enter the 2012 season as the -130 favorites on the MLB futures at Bovada to win the AL East once again. Boston is next at +275, with Tampa Bay at +450, Toronto at +1000, and Baltimore the +7500 longshot.
New York is also atop the AL Pennant odds at 7/2, which puts them ahead of the 4/1 Tigers and Angels, and they're behind only the Phillies at 7/1 odds to win the World Series this season; Philadelphia is listed at 11/2 on those futures.
The Yankees will get their 2012 campaign underway on Friday afternoon on the road against the Rays, with ace starter Sabathia taking the mound for New York against Tampa Bay's James Shields. First pitch is set for 3:10pm ET.
Join:
2006/12/07
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The Phillies posted the best record in the National League last season – by far. Philadelphia won 102 games in 2011 behind their star-studded pitching staff and potent offense, which put them six games up on the Brewers for the top mark in the Senior Circuit.
And that also allowed them to end up 13 games ahead of the second-place Braves in the NL East; Atlanta won 89 games in 2011, while Washington won 80, the Mets won 77, and the Marlins ended up in last place with just 72 victories.
The Phillies won't have slugging first baseman Ryan Howard in the lineup to start the regular season – he's still recovering from Achilles surgery – but nonetheless they're listed as the 1/2 favorites on the MLB odds at Bovada to win the NL East this season.
Following Philadelphia on that list is last year's fifth-place club, now known as the Miami Marlins and playing out of a new ballpark that should add significant dollars to the team's bottom line. The Marlins spent over $150 million dollars to acquire shortstop Jose Reyes and starting pitcher Mark Buehrle, and they're listed at 11/2 odds to win the NL East.
The Braves then sit back at 6/1 on that list; Atlanta missed out on the league's Wild Card spot last season by just one game to the eventual-champion Cardinals.
The Nationals, who made strides with 80 wins last year, are at 8/1 to win the division as they look for a healthy campaign from starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg. And finally, the Mets – who lost Reyes to the Marlins - trail badly back at 50/1 odds to win the NL East.