Give the Los Angeles Dodgers this much. At least they are going for the gold right now. Now that there is new ownership and new financial backing behind them, they are out to spend all of the money that they can to try to beat the World Series odds in Tinseltown. Join us at Bankroll Sports, as our expert baseball handicappers make their case for why this team should be favored on the odds to win the World Series a day after pulling off the massive trade to bring Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez to Dodgertown.

Manager Don Mattingly has always been looked at as one of the best potential managers in baseball, and now, he has a team at his disposal that could ultimately prove him to be a star. General Manager Ned Colletti has pushed all of the buttons that he has needed to push this year to get his team to the top, and he has done so by amassing just a slew of payroll. Shane Victorino first came from the Philadelphia Phillies, and then Joe Blanton was right behind him in a post-July 31st trade with the boys from the City of Brotherly Love. Hanley Ramirez was a disgruntled member of the Miami Marlins before he was dealt out to the West Coast to be with the Dodgers. But now, in the coup of coups, Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez are in Los Angeles after being sent here in an August 25th trade with the Boston Red Sox, who clearly needed to hit the self-destruct button. Carl Crawford is on his way as well, and that means that next year, someone that is in this crowded outfield is going to be pushed out.

Star power doesn’t always translate into wins, especially in the playoffs, but in this case, we think that there is a real chance for the Dodgers to shine and to beat the World Series betting lines. When you think of the teams in the National League, you see a lot of squads that can pitch. However, what you don’t see a lot of are teams that truly are dangerous from 1 to 8 in their batting order. The Dodgers, when they are totally healthy, are now arguably baseball’s most dangerous team.

When Dee Gordon returns from his wrist injury, he figures to return to the leadoff role and playing shortstop, while Ramirez will likely shift over to third base on more of a full-time basis. Luis Cruz will be pushed out, but the middle of the order will feature the likes of Ramirez, Gonzalez, Kemp, and Ethier in some sort of order. Victorino is likely going to be shoved down towards the bottom of the lineup as well, and that leaves just Mark Ellis and AJ Ellis as the other two batters in the fold. Mark Ellis has done a nice job this year at second base, and he has done a yeoman’s job leading off for this team while Gordon has been out of the lineup. AJ Ellis has very quietly batted .284 this year with 10 homers and an OPS of .815, numbers that most teams would kill for out of their catcher.

It’s not like the cupboard is bare in the rotation either. Clayton Kershaw has a Cy Young under his belt, and though he isn’t going to win the honor this year, he is still going to be amongst the best pitchers in the league in terms of ERA. This will be another season where his ERA ends with a two in front of it, and behind him, there are three other starting pitchers in Chris Capuano, Chad Billingsley, and Aaron Harang that all that winning records and sub-3.70 ERAs. Ted Lilly might be able to make a comeback for the playoffs, and Beckett and Blanton will prove to be the wild cards.

Blanton hasn’t pitched all that well this year, going a combined just 8-12 with a 5.02 ERA, while Beckett has been a disaster and a half in Beantown. Still, both have playoff success and tons of it, and both are going to bring that experience into this staff in one form or another.

It’s not like the bullpen is slacking either. Kenley Jansen has gone 25-of-31 in save chances this year, and he has a 1.93 ERA. Scott Elbert, Randy Choate, and Ronald Belisario are the go-to men out of the pen, and that’s a great combination to parlay with guys like Blanton and potentially Harang from the starting staff for the second season.

In the end, the only question that is left in our eyes is whether the squad is going to gel quick enough to get the job done. There are still two games separating the Dodgers from the San Francisco Giants for the top spot in the NL West, and if the playoffs started today, the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals would be in, while the Dodgers would be a half-game out.

The schedule though, is relatively easy. These next 11 games are against Miami (finishing this weekend series), Colorado, Arizona, and San Diego, and there should be at least seven wins in the bunch. From there, the Dodgers embark upon their toughest stretch of schedule. They take on the Giants on the road for three, the D’Backs on the road for two, then get the Cardinals at home for four before going east one last time for six games with the Nationals and Reds. The season finishes with three in San Diego, three at home against the Rockies, and three at home against the Giants, the last three games of the season that could prove to be the difference in the season for both teams.

In the end, if the Dodgers are one of the five teams in the National League that get into the playoffs, watch out! They are going to be a force to be reckoned with, and we think that they have the best team in baseball. The oddsmakers, as you can see, have adjusted their World Series lines (all Los Angeles Dodgers World Series odds listed above), but we don’t think that any of them have adjusted far enough. The Dodgers are here to stay, and they could be the team that goes all the way to win the Fall Classic.

The World Baseball Classic might still be a full year away from being complete, but qualifying for the tournament is about set to get started in September. Join us for our first look at the 2013 World Baseball Classic odds and which teams you should be looking out for to claim this illustrious title down the line.

This really is a matter of three teams, one of which is probably going to end up winning the World Baseball Classic. The favorites for the time being is the Dominican Republic (World Baseball Classic Odds: 2 to 1 SportBet Sportsbook). The Dominicans have some outstanding starts on their team, including some powerful outfielders like Jose Bautista and Nelson Cruz. Robinson Cano, Hanley Ramirez, and Jose Reyes will arm the infield, and the pitching staff has some great arms like Johnny Cueto, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Edinson Volquez. It’s not the greatest staff in the world, but in a tournament like this one, this lineup should be able to pick up the slack for what the pitchers might not be good enough to do.

There has only been one team that has been able to win this tournament in the past, and that is Japan (Odds To Win World Baseball Classic: 2.50 to 1 SportBet Sportsbook). The man that has won the MVP Award in the previous two World Baseball Classics, Daisuke Matsuzaka just doesn’t feel like he is going to be able to contribute to his team in 2013. Yu Darvish should be able to carry the load as the main ace of this team. Other major leaguers like Kosuke Fukudome, Ichiro Suzuki, and Kenji Johjima will help the team, but in the end, we always have to remember that a lot of these others players work together in the Japanese league, and that camaraderie is something that cannot be underestimated. There is a reason that baseball is so big in Japan, and that’s why this team is one of the best in the world year in and year out.

Home field advantage will go to the United States (2012 World Baseball Classic Betting Lines: 2.50 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). Of course, the Americans have had the advantage of playing in their own backyard over the course of the last two World Baseball Classics, but they only have one fourth place finish to show for their work. It’s not that this team is void of talent for sure. Just look at some of the names of the men that could start… Brian McCann behind the plate, Evan Longoria at third, Jimmy Rollins at short, Kevin Youkilis at first, Ryan Braun, Adam Dunn, Curtis Granderson, and Shane Victorino in the outfield… and that doesn’t even include a bullpen with Heath Bell, Jonathan Broxton, Joel Hanrahan, and others that really have the ability to shut the door. The starting pitchers are thin right now, but the options are there for the Americans to be able to put a heck of a lot of players that are aces on this roster if they want to join the team.

There is only one other team that has succeeded in medaling in both of the first two World Baseball Classics. South Korea (World Baseball Classic Futures Lines: 15 to 1 SportBet Sportsbook) is one of the longest shots on the board, and we wonder if this team is going to be able to get the job done again. Just as baseball is big in Japan, it is just as big in South Korea as well. There are a heck of a lot of young players on this team, but there aren’t all that many players that are even thought about as big league players. That doesn’t mean that the squad isn’t going to be able to win once again, and if Japan can do it, so can South Korea.

Odds to Win the 2013 World Baseball Classic @ Sportbet Sportsbook (as of 8/7/12):
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Dominican Republic 2 to 1
Japan 2.50 to 1
United States 2.50 to 1
Chinese Taipei 12 to 1
Cuba 12 to 1
Canada 15 to 1
South Korea 15 to 1
Mexico 18 to 1
Puerto Rico 20 to 1
Venezuela 225 to 1
Panama 35 to 1
Field (Any Other Team) 15 to 1

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*Our Current MLB Power Rankings & Records are as of 7/1/2012
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 7/25/2012)

1. Texas Rangers (50-29) – Texas has won five in a row, and became the first team in Major League Baseball to win 50 games. The Rangers are looking to sweep the Oakland Athletics at home on Sunday. Texas is the top offensive team in all of Major League Baseball with 426 runs scored, a .284 batting average and .346 slugging. The Rangers’ Josh Hamilton leads the team with 25 homeruns, while driving in 73 runs as well. Texas plays at Chicago on Tuesday.

2. New York Yankees (47-30) – Despite losing C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte in the same week; the Yankees are in full control of the American League East. The Yankees lead the Orioles by five games. New York has seen Robinson Cano lead the way with a .308 batting average, while Curtis Granderson has blasted 23 homeruns and drove in 46 runs. New York will start a big week on Monday with a trip to Tampa Bay, before taking on the Red Sox over the weekend.

3. Los Angeles Angels (43-35) – After a slow start, the Angels are right back into the mix within the American League postseason chase. Despite their hot play – the Angels trail Texas by 6.5 games in the AL West. Los Angeles is the AL leading team for the first of two wildcard spots. The Angels are the fifth best batting team with a .268 batting average, led by Mike Trout’s .336. The Angels head to Cleveland on Monday to open up a series.

4. Washington Nationals (44-32) – The Nationals continue to be a surprise story in all of Major League Baseball. Washington is 12 games over .500, and leads the NL East by 2.5 games. The Nationals are the top pitching team in all of MLB with a 3.18 earned run average. Washington also has 50 quality starts; which ranks third in the game. The Nationals will welcome the San Francisco Giants to town on Tuesday for a three game series.

5. San Francisco Giants (44-35) – The Giants 2012 success was seen through the 2012 All Star game voting. The Giants got three starters into the game; Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval and Melky Cabrera. San Francisco has been hot as of late; moving to 9 games over .500. Lately, San Francisco has had a tough time scoring, as the Reds have beat them twice in a row. San Francisco is led by Cabrera’s .350 batting average.

6.  Los Angeles Dodgers (43-36) – Los Angeles is having a tough time scoring runs. The Dodgers were shut-out on Friday and Saturday by the New York Mets. Los Angeles has scored just 304 runs on the season; which ranks them 24^th overall. The Dodgers look to get their top offensive threat Matt Kemp back immediately after the All Star break. Los Angeles will play the Sunday night game of the week, and then welcome Cincinnati to town.

7. Cincinnati Reds (43-34) – The National League Central leading Reds were shut-out on Thursday night but came back with impressive wins Saturday and Sunday in San Francisco. The Reds hold just a slim one game lead over Pittsburgh in the National League Central. Cincinnati is led by Joey Votto’s .350 batting average, along with Jay Bruce and his 17 homeruns and 54 runs batted in.  The Reds continue their road trip with a visit to Los Angeles to start the week.

8. Chicago White Sox (42-36) – The White Sox continue to be surprise leaders out of the American League Central. Robin Ventura in his first season as manager has done a great job with a mix of veterans and youngsters. Chicago leads Cleveland by 2.5 games in the division. The White Sox are 7^th in the league with 366 runs scored; led by Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn. Chicago will start a series with the two time defending AL champion Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

9. Baltimore Orioles (42-36) – The Orioles made a statement that they were going to do whatever they could to contend in the second half. Baltimore is 42-35 overall, and in second place in the AL East. The Orioles traded on Saturday for veteran Jim Thome. The former Phillie slugger is expected to be a regular as designated hitter for the Orioles. Baltimore’s Adam Jones is leading the team with a .300 batting average and 19 homeruns.

10. Atlanta Braves (41-36) – Atlanta continues to hang around in the National League East divisional race. Atlanta is the 9^th highest scoring team in the league with 353 runs, while batting .260. The Braves’ Martin Prado is batting .323 while Jason Heyward has blasted 12 homeruns. The pitching for Atlanta has been anchored by Tommy Hanson, with 9 wins. The Braves will host the Chicago Cubs on Monday in an effort to get hot before the All Star break.

11. New York Mets (43-36) – The Mets are getting great starting pitching, especially from their knuckleball pitcher – R.A. Dickey. New York shut-out the Dodgers in both games on Friday and Saturday and head into their Sunday night game with Dillon Gee on the mound. The Mets offense is seeing third basemen David Wright put together a great season, with a .355 batting average. New York comes into Sunday trailing Washington by 2.5 games.

12. Pittsburgh Pirates (42-35) – The Pirates had a good weekend in St. Louis winning the first two games by scoring a bunch of runs. Andrew McCutchen is having a sensational season, with a .346 batting average and 15 homeruns. Pittsburgh is trying to break the longest streak in professional sports history of being under .500. The Pirates come into Sunday trailing Cincinnati by just a single game. Pittsburgh’s A.J. Burnett leads the team with 9 wins.

13. St. Louis Cardinals (40-38) – The Cardinals, following their five game winning streak lost three straight to Miami and Pittsburgh. St. Louis has been one of the top hitting teams in all of the game, but still trail Cincinnati by 3.5 games coming into Sunday’s action. The Cardinals top offensive player has been their catcher Yadier Molina with a .311 batting average and 13 homeruns. Molina was one of four Cardinals named to the All Star game.

14. Boston Red Sox (41-37) – The Red Sox are the second highest scoring team in all of baseball; with 404 runs. The Red Sox are fourth in the game with a .270 batting average. On Saturday; the Red Sox scored just 2 runs in a loss to the Mariners. Boston’s offense has seen David Ortiz bat .305, hit 21 homeruns and drive in 53 runs on the season. The Red Sox will head out to Oakland this week before taking on the Yankees over the weekend.

15. Tampa Bay Rays (41-37) – The Rays have dropped seven of their last ten to fall into fourth place in the American League East. Tampa Bay got a great outing Friday from David Price, but then could not back it up with a win on Saturday. The Rays offense is led by the power of Matt Joyce, with 11 homeruns. The Rays are one of the worst offensive teams, as they are batting just .233 as a team. Tampa Bay prepares to take on divisional leading New York this week.

16. Cleveland Indians (40-38) – The Cleveland Indians feel they can make a run in the American League Central if they are able to shore up their pitching. The Indians have the third worst ERA in all of baseball; with a 4.61. The offense for the Indians has been led by Asdrubal Cabrera, who is batting .292 with 11 homeruns. The Indians come into Saturday in second place in the division. Cleveland’s catcher Carlos Santana is day-to-day with a couple nagging injuries.

17. Toronto Blue Jays (40-38) – The Blue Jays put up 11 runs on Saturday over Los Angeles, to make the two day total 18. Toronto has the ability to score with anyone, especially in their home field. The Blue Jays Jose Bautista has once again shown the ability to hit the long ball, as he leads the AL with 26 homeruns. Third basemen Edwin Encarnacion also has 20+ on the season. The Blue Jays are without their top starting pitcher Brandon Morrow.

18. Detroit Tigers (38-40) – The Detroit Tigers would like to catch fire, and play to the level they feel they should be playing. The Tigers, who many felt should win the American League Central are three games under .500. The Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander was defeated Friday night by Tampa Bay, and their ace David Price. The Tigers have seen their center fielder Austin Jackson lead the way with a .324 batting average. Miguel Cabrera has blasted 16 homeruns on the season.

19. Arizona Diamondbacks (39-38) – Arizona has played good baseball as of late. With their winning ways, they have climbed back into the National League West chase. The Diamondbacks come into Saturday trailing San Francisco by just four games. The Diamondbacks saw their second base men Aaron Hill pick up his second cycle of the season. The Diamondbacks youngster Wade Miley leads the team with 9 wins and a 2.19 earned run average.

20.  Oakland Athletics (37-42) – The Athletics let one get away on Friday night. Oakland let 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 8^th, only to see Texas come back to win the game 4-3. The Athletics have scored 295 runs and allowed 294 on the season. Oakland heads into Saturday’s action, 12 games behind the Rangers within divisional play. The Athletics top offensive threat has been Josh Reddick, with a .260 average, along with 18 homeruns and 39 runs batted in.

21. Milwaukee Brewers (35-42) – At 8 games under .500 – the Brewers are also 8 games behind the Reds in the National League Central. After winning the division and getting to the NLCS a year ago – Milwaukee appears to be sellers at the trade deadline. The Brewers top trading chip could be right hander Zach Greinke, who leads the team with 9 wins. The Brewers have a team earned run average of nearly 4.25 on the season. Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is once again having another MVP type season.

22. Miami Marlins (38-40) – The Marlins have struggled through most of the season, but their struggles have reached a new level in the month of June. The Marlins have lost seven of their last ten overall. Miami was able to pick up a win on Friday night, behind Josh Johnson. The Marlins offense has struggled a bit; scoring 289 runs on the season, which ranks them 27^th in all of Major League Baseball. The Marlins are 8.5 games back in the NL East.

23. Philadelphia Phillies (36-45) – Marred in last place within the National League East – the Philadelphia Phillies need to get going. Charlie Manuel’s team come into Saturday 10 games behind the Nationals for first place in the National League East. Cliff Lee, one of the Phillies top starting pitchers has yet to record a win in 2012. The Phillies offense ranks 10th in the league with 343 runs, while also ranking 7th with a .265 batting average. The top offensive threat for Philadelphia has been catcher Carlos Ruiz, who is batting .356.

24. Kansas City Royals (35-41) – Kansas City is playing some of the best baseball in all of MLB. The Royals have won four straight games and moved to within four games of .500. The Royals offense has enjoyed the success of Alcides Escobar, and his .316 batting average. Kansas City as a team is batting .264, which ranks in the top ten in all of Major League Baseball. Despite being under .500 – the Royals are just 5.5 games behind Chicago in the American League Central.

25. Seattle Mariners (34-46) – The Mariners are 16.5 games behind the front running Texas Rangers in the American League West. Seattle was shut-out by the Red Sox Friday night. The Mariners are 27^th in the league in batting, with an average just over .230. The Mariners’ youngster Justin Smoak has provided the power; as he leads the way with 11 homeruns. The Mariners’ Jason Vargas leads the starting pitchers, with 7 wins.

26. Houston Astros (32-46) – The Astros have fallen on some tough times recently, as they have dropped to 13 games below .500. On Friday, Houston was unable to score; as the Cubs beat them 4-0. The Astros lone All Star will most likely be Jose Altuve, who leads the team with a .309 batting average. Houston’s Lucas Harrell leads the team with 7 wins on the season.

27. Minnesota Twins (32-45) – The Twins come into the weekend with the worst record in the American League. The Twins took a 4-3 loss on Friday to Kansas City to fall 5.5 games behind the Royals for fourth place. The Twins offensive numbers are led by Josh Willingham, who has 15 homeruns and 50 runs batted in, while scoring 40 runs. The Twins pitching is 29^th in all of baseball with an earned run average of 5.02.

28. Colorado Rockies (30-47) – The Rockies cannot seem to find a solution to their porous pitching staff. Colorado’s earned run average is over 5 on the season. The Rockies have put together just 18 quality starts in 76 games. The Rockies offense is anchored by Carlos Gonzalez, who is batting .338, and has also blasted 17 homeruns. Colorado is in fourth place in the National League West. The Rockies are 13 games behind the Giants in the division.

29. San Diego Padres (29-50) – The Padres allowed 10 runs on the road at Colorado to drop their 50^th game of the season. San Diego is the worst offensive team in all of Major League Baseball, with just 263 runs scored. The pitching for the Padres has fared a little better behind Clayton Richard. Richard has an ERA of just 3.77. San Diego comes into the weekend 16 games behind the National League West leading San Francisco Giants.

30. Chicago Cubs (28-49) – The Cubs continue to re-build as they call up their prospect in Anthony Rizzo during the past week. Chicago has dropped to 22 games under .500, and look to be shipping a few guys off at the deadline. The latest names to be sent out include Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. The Cubs are 29^th in all of baseball with just 280 runs scored. The pitching for Chicago ranks 27^th in MLB with an earned run average of nearly 4.50. Starlin Castro will most likely be the lone Cub representative on the National League All Star team.

In a shocking move on Thursday, Albert Pujols was announced to sign a new contract reportedly worth over $250 million with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Here at Bankroll Sports, we are breaking down some of the MLB props that have been recently posted, all courtesy of BoDog Sportsbook!

Los Angeles Angels Win Total Over/Under 87.5: Here’s the thing about the Angels on one blush. They have been a relatively average team over the course of the last few years. In the last four years, they have only won more than 82 games once, and now all of a sudden, they are expected to win 88 games in a division that still features an awfully tough Texas Rangers outfit. Pujols immediately becomes the best No. 3 hitter in the game, and the also newly signed CJ Wilson immediately steps into the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind Jered Weaver. But is the rotation better for it? All of a sudden, the dollars have all been spent, and building a bullpen might be difficult. If Wilson, who has gone 31-15 in his last two seasons, can’t figure out how to keep that pace up this year now that he doesn’t have the tremendous Texas lineup and a huge hitter’s ballpark to help him out, we’re really not all that sure. Don’t be shocked if the Angels, who are the toast of the town right now, still don’t turn out to be pretty much a .500 team once again.

Albert Pujols Over/Under 37.5 Home Runs: This past year was the worst of Pujols’ career, as he only hit 37 home runs. He has 445 bombs in his career, and he is sure to at least challenge the all-time home run mark over the course of the end of his career in Tinseltown. Busch Stadium was a place where Pujols was comfortable hitting. The park factor at Busch Stadium ranked No. 26 in the league at .896, runs per game, and that number has decreased now that he is at Angel Stadium on Anaheim to a .836. Not only that, but Miller Park (No. 10), Wrigley Field (No. 23), and PNC Park (No. 17), all of which are stadiums that typically have treated Pujols well in his career have been replaced by parks like the O.co Coliseum (No. 20) and Safeco Field (No. 26). Angel Stadium ranked No. 25 in MLB park factor for home runs this past year. We expect to see Pujols’ home run production dip, especially as he has to get used to a totally new set of pitchers.

Will Albert Pujols Win the AL MVP Award?: We’re only getting 3 to 1 odds at this point on Pujols, and they certainly aren’t worth backing. For one, we’re really not all that sure that Pujols is going to be playing on a playoff team, which generally eliminates players from MVP consideration. The truth of the matter as well, is that this isn’t likely to be another season in which there just aren’t any MVP candidates in the AL. Players like Miguel Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and all of the big bats on the Boston Red Sox are going to have to shine eventually. Pujols will probably need 45 home runs, a .320 batting average, and 130 RBIs to be the MVP in the American League, and we aren’t willing to only take 3 to 1 on that happening.

The odds to win the World Series MVP award have been posted for the 2011 World Series, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’re tearing apart all of the odds to find the best World Series predictions for you to bet on!

The man that everyone is rightfully going to be afraid of in the World Series MVP voting is Albert Pujols (Favorites On the Odds To Win World Series MVP: 5 to 1 @ BoDog Sportsbook / Unlimited 10% Bonus if you Click Here). And why not? There is no hitter in the game on a nightly basis that is more feared than Pujols, and he is batting well over .400 in the postseason with double digits of RBIs as well. When this lineup is clicking, it’s impossible to avoid Pujols, and with an OPS of nearly 1.200 for the playoffs, there’s no reason to think that he won’t come up with his stats. Don’t think that there isn’t just a tad bit of extra motivation there, as well. Remember that Pujols is a free agent as soon as this series is over, and though we do tend to think that he is staying in St. Louis, every hit, run, RBI, and home run is worth that much more to him when he cashes his first paycheck of next season.

Since we really don’t see too many other options on the Cardinals that we’d like to bet on for World Series MVP picks, we’re going to go with some Rangers now. The man that we absolutely cannot avoid right now is the hottest hitter on the planet, Nelson Cruz (Odds To Win the World Series MVP Award: 8 to 1 @ JustBet Sportsbook / Amazing 100% Bonus if you Click Here). There was never a doubt that Cruz was going to win the ALCS MVP award after hitting a whopping six home runs, two of which came in the 11th inning to essentially end games in the series against the Detroit Tigers. On top of that, there were a few shots that looked like they could have gotten out of the park, especially at Comerica Park. Cruz is dialed in, and there is no way that we can go against him in this situation, especially against a slew of starting pitchers that have, for the most part, been atrocious in the postseason.

And then there is Neftali Feliz (World Series MVP Odds: 25 to 1 @ BoDog Sportsbook / Unlimited 10% Bonus if you Click Here). It’s not often that you see a closer winning this type of award, but Feliz is the type of guy that is fiery enough to get the job done. The righty has only allowed one run in the postseason, and he isn’t going to be blowing games in all likelihood. If you believe that the Rangers are going to win a tight series, this might be the man for you, as four saves is a distinct possibility. Remember that Feliz is a huge strikeout guy, and Manager Ron Washington isn’t afraid to call on him for a four or a five out save situation either. One of those and two or three other saves in a series where no one particularly stands out, and all of a sudden, Feliz could be your man to win the World Series MVP voting.

2011 World Series MVP Odds @ Bodog (as of 10/18/11)
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Albert Pujols 5 to 1
Adrian Beltre 6 to 1
Nelson Cruz 6 to 1
Josh Hamilton 7 to 1
David Freese 10 to 1
Ian Kinsler 10 to 1
Matt Holliday 10 to 1
Michael Young 10 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 12 to 1
Lance Berkman 14 to 1
Yadier Molina 14 to 1
John Jay 15 to 1
Elvis Andrus 18 to 1
CJ Wilson 20 to 1
Chris Carpenter 20 to 1
Mike Napoli 20 to 1
Jason Motte 25 to 1
Neftali Feliz 25 to 1
Allen Craig 30 to 1

Current Odds To Win World Series MVP Award @ JustBet (as of 10/18/2011):
(Bet The 2011 World Series MVP Odds & Get A 100% Bonus @ JustBet Using This Link)

Albert Pujols 5 to 1
Alexi Ogando 30 to 1
Allen Craig 30 to 1
Chris Carpenter 12 to 1
CJ Wilson 15 to 1
Craig Gentry 40 to 1
David Freese 10 to 1
David Murphy 25 to 1
Elvis Andrus 15 to 1
Ian Kinsler 12 to 1
Jason Motte 15 to 1
Jon Jay 12 to 1
Josh Hamilton 5 to 1
Lance Berkman 12 to 1
Matt Holliday 8 to 1
Michael Young 8 to 1
Mike Napoli 18 to 1
Mitch Moreland 50 to 1
Neftali Feliz 15 to 1
Nelson Cruz 8 to 1
Rafael Furcal 15 to 1
Skip Schumaker 25 to 1
Yadier Molina 12 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 5 to 1

The MLB All-Star Game is always chock full of tremendous MLB props to sink your teeth into, and this year is no exception. Check out the listing of all of the All-Star Game props below and some of our MLB picks for tonight’s clash!

First Team to Strikeout – Simply put, we just don’t see Roy Halladay pitching the first inning without getting at least one strikeout. Sure, the righty probably isn’t going to be putting everything into this one as he would in a regular season game, but with almost as many strikeouts as innings pitched this year, Halladay is hard to bet against. Take a look at that AL lineup as well. Curtis Granderson and Asdrubal Cabrera have over 150 strikeouts between them this year, and they’re both K’s waiting to happen. All Star Game Prop Pick – American League -200

Will There Be a Blown Save – The relievers this season in the All-Star Game just don’t seem to be as strong as they were in seasons past. We also have to remember that we are basically just betting on a lead change at some point from the 5th inning on to qualify as a blown save. Inevitably, the team that is trailing after five innings is going to end up posting a comeback at some point, and though that team might not ultimately win, we do have confidence that this one will become at least a tie game at some point in the latter frames. This is a generous price on the All-Star Game odds. All Star Game Prop Pick – Yes +120

Will Anyone Get 3 or More Hits – This is absolutely a sucker prop that the books are hoping that you bet yes on to have something to root for. Last year, there were only three players in the game that were able to even get three at bats, let alone have three hits. The likelihood of any player nowadays coming up with three or more hits in a game is highly unlikely unless we end up in a situation where we have position players coming in to pitch in the 14th inning of a game that both managers just want to have end. There’s just no way that we see it happening inside of a game that lasts even a dozen innings, as there just won’t be that many players that get the opportunity in all likelihood to see the plate that many times.

Complete List of 2011 All-Star Game Props @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 7/12/11):
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Time it Takes Jordan Sparks To Sing Star Spangled Banner
Over 1:52.5 -115
Under 1:52.5 -115

First Pitch by National League Pitcher
Ball +200
Strike -250

First Pitch by American League Pitcher
Ball +200
Strike -250

First Team to Get a Single
American League -140
National League +110

First Team to Get a Double
American League -130
National League +100

First Team to Get a Triple
American League -120
National League -110

First Team to Get a Home Run
American League -120
National League -110

First Team to Draw a Walk
American League -120
National League -110

First Team To Strike Out (Batting)
American League -200
National League +160

First Team to Steal a Base
American League -120
National League -110

First Team to Have a Double Play on Defense
American League -110
National League -120

First Team to Commit an Error
American League -110
National League -120

Will Anyone Get Hit by a Pitch
Yes +150
No -180

Will There be a Triple in the Game
Yes +400
No -600

Will There Be a Ground Rule Double
Yes +600
No -1000

Will Anyone Get a Save
Yes -250
No +200

Will There Be a Blown Save
Yes +120
No -150

Will Game End on a “Walk Off Run”
Yes +220
No -270

Will Anyone Be Tagged Out
Yes -300
No +230

Total Strikeouts 1st Inning
Over 2.5 +180
Under 2.5 -220

Will a Run Be Scored in the 9th Inning
Yes +200
No -250

Will Game Go to Extra Innings
Yes +230
No -300

Will Team Scoring First Win Game
Yes -220
No +180

Will Both Teams Score in the Same Inning
Yes -115
No -115

Will There Be a Sacrifice Fly That Scores a Run
Yes +105
No -135

Will Any Outfielder Get an Assist
Yes +270
No -350

Will Anyone Get 3 or More Hits
Yes +230
No -300

Will More Different Players Get Hits or Strikeouts
Hits +130
Strikeouts -160

Will Any Pitcher Ever Get on Base
Yes +1500
No -3000

Will Anyone Hit Live Ball Into Swimming Pool
Yes +2500
No -5000

Will Game’s First 3-2 Pitch Be Fouled Off
Yes +120
No -150

Will First Hit Come in Left Field Corner or Right Field Corner
Left Field Corner -115
Right Field Corner -115

Will There Be An Intentional Walk
Yes +150
No -180

Number of Different Players to Bat with Bases Loaded
Over 1.5 +130
Under 1.5 -160

Will Anyone Be Caught Stealing
Yes +160
No -200

Will 1st Strikeout Be Swinging or Looking
Swinging -180
Looking +150

The Major League Baseball Season has taken over the spot light in the sporting world. The 2011 MLB season is nearing its All-Star Break, and we are starting to get a great idea of what to expect through out the rest of the year. One of the always interesting aspects of professional baseball is the league’s home run hitters. The guys who have been able to hit the long ball have always packed the stands and provided excitement for viewers. In today’s modern day game, nearly every player has the ability to hit a 400 plus foot home run during any game. However, there are still those who continuously find ways to knock the ball into the stands putting fear into opponents with every swing of the bat. One very interesting MLB Prop Bet for 2011 is which player will finish the season with the most home runs? We break down and rank the top power hitters in Major League Baseball while providing some insight on who may possibly end the season with the most home runs.

You will find odds next to each homerun hitter which are the current futures odds for that particular player to finish the season with the most home runs on the year. These are the current odds at Oddsmaker Sportsbook as of July 9, 2011.  Oddsmaker Sportsbook offers Bankroll Spots readers and customers a Free $100 Bet when you use any Oddsmaker link on the Bankroll Sports blog.

Top Home Run Hitters In Baseball

Jose Bautista (29)
Curtis Granderson (25)
Mark Teixeira (25)
Lance Berkman (24)
Matt Kemp (22)
Prince Fielder (22)
Paul Konerko (22)
Jay Bruce (20)
Mark Reynolds (20)
Nelson Cruz (20)

Top 5 Home Run Odds Picks Picks

No. 1 – Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays (1 to 4 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

A year after hitting 54 homers, Bautista is back on a clip to hit well over 50 bombs once again this season. We’re just puzzled as to where all of this power suddenly came from for the 30 year old out of the Dominican Republic. Bautista only had a grand total of 59 home runs under his belt in his entire career before last year. Now, he has 83 in his last 243 games, and he is probably the only man that can threaten the 60 home run mark this year.

No. 2 – Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds (50 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

We just love the MLB odds here on Bruce even though he is nine off of the pace of the league lead in homers. This is a towering man to say the least. Bruce is 6’3″, and he is only 24 years old with plenty of bright days in front of him. This is going to be his best home run production season of his career, and he’ll surely end up at least in the 30s, and probably closer to the 40s by the time the season is over with. If there is a man that has the home run stroke that can get back into the thick of things in a hurry, this is it. Bruce has a great lineup around him in Cincinnati as well, and he isn’t often pitched around. Sure, he’s got 82 strikeouts and has fanned far more than we’d like to see, but we know that Bruce is the type of man that really can get on fire in a hurry and start blasting balls out of the Great American Ballpark at a ridiculous clip.

No. 3 – Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees (Even Money at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Maybe Big Tex shouldn’t be even money at this point to lead the league in homers, but when push comes to shove, would you want to bet against him? Teixeira just hit the 300 home run mark for his career back on June 30th, and though he has been cool as a cumcumber in terms of home runs since that point, he could heat up at a moment’s notice again as well. Tex has a great swing for hitting homers at Yankee Stadium, and we know that he is going to take full advantage of his surroundings for the rest of the year and will post his third straight 30+ home run season with the Bronx Bombers.

No. 4 – Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (100 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

At 100 to 1, how can we pass on Pujols? Yeah, sure. He’s a dozen homers off of the pace and only has 17 for the season, and yes, he hasn’t hit a home run since coming back to the lineup after recovering from his wrist injury. However, this is a man that has hit 40+ home runs six times in his career and has never had a season with fewer than 32 home runs. As long as Pujols gets healthy over these next couple of weeks, we’re not totally throwing out his chances of leading the league in home runs this year, which makes that 100 to 1 a very tempting price even though it is an incredibly long shot.

No. 5 – Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees (Field, 2 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Like him or lump him, Granderson just continues to get balls to fly out of Yankee Stadium. With 25 homers, we can’t discount the ability of Granderson to cash in on the field this year to lead the league in dingers. He doesn’t have the prettiest swing in the world, but we know that in his 221 games played in a New York uniform, he has 49 home runs to show for his work. A dozen of those homers have come at home this season, and with a ton of home games still on the slate, we aren’t counting out Granderson from maybe even reaching 50 home runs on the campaign.

2011 Home Run Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 7/9/11):
(Get a FREE $100 Free Bet W/ NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED at Oddsmaker.com When Using This Link)

Albert Pujols 100 to 1
Miguel Cabrera 50 to 1
Prince Fielder 3 to 1
Ryan Howard 20 to 1
Mark Teixeira Even Money
Adam Dunn 1,000 to 1
Jose Bautista 1 to 4
Adrian Gonzalez 20 to 1
Joey Votto 300 to 1
Carlos Gonzalez 200 to 1
Mark Reynolds 15 to 1
Josh Hamilton 300 to 1
Nelson Cruz 8 to 1
Ryan Braun 20 to 1
Alex Rodriguez 30 to 1
Jay Bruce 50 to 1
Evan Longoria 750 to 1
Kendry Morales 10,000 to 1
Mike Stanton 25 to 1
Jason Heyward 750 to 1
Justin Morneau 10,000 to 1
Robinson Cano 200 to 1
Carlos Pena 10 to 1
Dan Uggla 750 to 1
Troy Tulowitzki 40 to 1
Adam Lind 100 to 1
Jayson Werth 1,000 to 1
Paul Konerko 10 to 1
Pedro Alvarez 1,000 to 1
Buster Posey 10,000 to 1
Tyler Colvin 100 to 1
Chase Utley 1,000 to 1
Ian Kinsler 500 to 1
Shin Soo Choo 1,000 to 1
Carlos Lee 1,000 to 1
Adrian Beltre 80 to 1
Chris Young 250 to 1
Matt Kemp 30 to 1
Hanley Ramirez 1,000 to 1
David Wright 1,000 to 1
Carlos Quentin 25 to 1
David Ortiz 60 to 1
Justin Upton 200 to 1
Colby Rasmus 1,000 to 1
Andre Ethier 1,000 to 1
Ryan Zimmerman 10,000 to 1
Kevin Youkilis 1,000 to 1
Matt Holliday 1,000 to 1
Travis Snider 1,000 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 2 to 1