The 2014 Major League Baseball season is upon us, and we’ll take a look at the odds to win the World Series and some teams that present some value. The complete listing of World Series odds can be found at the bottom of this post, courtesy of JustBet.

The New York Yankees are currently 14/1 (@ JustBet) to win the series, and wouldn’t it be a great sendoff for the future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter? The Yankees made some big off-season acquisitions, signing CF Jacoby Ellsbury, RF Carlos Beltran, C Brian McCann, and Japanese pitching prospect Masahiro Tanaka. The Yankees lost Mariano Rivera to retirement, and 2B Robinson Cano to free agency. Their lineup looks potent and could be a factor in the loaded AL East if 1B Mark Teixeira and Jeter can stay healthy. Their rotation looks respectable, with Tanaka, left-hander C.C. Sabathia, and the young Ivan Nova, who looks like he could have a breakout season. New York has been planning for departure of Rivera, and David Robertson has been groomed well for the closers role. In a loaded division, any team could win and it could very well be the New York Yankees.

I’m seeing some value in the Pittsburgh Pirates at 28/1  (@ JustBet). The Pirates made their first postseason appearance in over 20 years last season, and look to get back to the postseason with a very talented, yet underrated lineup. They are led by 2013 NL MVP CF Andrew McCutcheon, and have the key parts to make a postseason run. Also in the order are 3B Pedro Alvarez, who hit 36 HR’s last season, and young LF Starling Marte. They have the pitching, with left-hander Francisco Liriano, and the up and coming Gerrit Cole. They also have another hurler in waiting, in young right-hander Jameson Taillon, the 2010 second overall pick. The bullpen was one of the best in the majors last season, with Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli pitching magnificently. Can we expect a repeat performance? Maybe, but at 28/1 the Pittsburgh Pirates deserve some consideration.

The Seattle Mariners look like an attractive play at 33/1  (@ JustBet). The Mariners not only signed the superstar second baseman, but also added some key role players in DH slugger Corey Hart and RF Logan Morrison. They also have LF Dustin Ackley, who could be poised for a breakout season, and 3B sparkplug Kyle Seagar. The promising 24-year-old centerfielder Abraham Almonte could be the centerfielder of the future, and will more than likely be called up at some point this season. The rotation is of course led by none other than ‘King’ Felix Hernandez, and Hisashi Iwakuma. Iwakuma should be ready to go in mid-April, as him and Hernandez pose one of the better 1-2 punch combo’s in the American league. In a division that has teams struggling with injuries (A’s, Rangers), Seattle could be one of the surprise teams this season.

Current 2014 World Series Odds From JustBet Sportsbook (as of 4/1/2013)
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Los Angeles Dodgers      13/2
St. Louis Cardinals           15/2
Detroit Tigers                     9/1
Washington Nationals    10/1
Boston Red Sox                 12/1
Tampa Bay Rays                12/1
New York Yankees          14/1
Atlanta Braves                   16/1
San Francisco Giants       16/1
Texas Rangers                   16/1
Los Angeles Angels         20/1
Oakland Athletics             20/1
Cincinnati Reds                 25/1
Toronto Blue Jays            25/1
Pittsburgh Pirates            28/1
Baltimore Orioles             33/1
Kansas City Royals           33/1
Philadelphia Phillies        33/1
Seattle Mariners                33/1
Cleveland Indians             40/1
Arizona Diamondbacks  50/1
San Diego Padres             50/1
Chicago White Sox           66/1
Milwaukee Brewers       66/1
Chicago Cubs                     75/1
Colorado Rockies             75/1
New York Mets                 75/1
Miami Marlins                   100/1
Minnesota Twins             100/1
Houston Astros                 250/1

The 2013 World Series is finally here and it features two of baseballs power dominant teams.  For baseball purists, this is one of the most exciting World Series matchups in a very long time.  You’ll find the World Series TV Schedule and TV listings for each of the games.  Be sure to keep an eye on this page every post-season as our staff will be regularly updating this page through future postseasons.  We will have all of the World Series and playoff games each and every year.  Bookmark This Page (Internet Explorer Only) to check back and see the up to date TV schedule, along with the probable starting pitchers and the final scores of each of the games, as this page will be updated nightly in the playoffs!

Current Event: World Series: Full World Series Schedule & TV Listings
World Series Scheduled Dates: Wednesday, October 23-31, 2013 (TV Network: FOX)
Italics Denote If Necessary Games – Highlighted Matchups Are The Next Upcoming Game

World Series Game 1: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 7:30pm ET
Matchup St. Louis Cardinals @ Boston Red Sox (TV Network: FOX)
Listed Pitchers: RHP Adam Wainwright (St. Louis) vs LHP Jon Lester (Boston)
World Series Game 1 Odds: Boston -117 / St. Louis +110 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook
World Series Game 1 Over/Under: Over 7 -120 / Under 7 +110 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

World Series Game 2: Thursday, October, 24, 7:30 ET – Cardinals @ Red Sox (TV Network: FOX)
World Series Game 3: Saturday, October, 26, 7:30 ET – Red Sox @ Cardinals (TV Network: FOX)
World Series Game 4: Sunday, October, 27, 8:00 ET – Red Sox @ Cardinals (TV Network: FOX)
World Series Game 5: Monday, October, 28, 7:30 ET – Red Sox @ Cardinals (TV Network: FOX)
World Series Game 6: Wednesday, October, 30, 7:30 ET – Red Sox @ Cardinals (TV Network: FOX)
World Series Game 7: Thursday, October, 30, 7:30 ET – Red Sox @ Cardinals (TV Network: FOX)

Wacha Wacha Wacha! If you didn’t know the name of RHP Michael Wacha before this week, you sure as heck do now. This kid has been lights out here in the playoffs, and he now has been named the MVP of the NLCS. All Wacha did in two games against one of the best teams in baseball and against the Cy Young Award winner in LHP Clayton Kershaw was throw 13.2 shutout innings, allowing seven hits and two walks in those outings. Wacha has been a stud in these playoffs, and the argument could be made that he should be starting Game 1 against the Red Sox in the World Series. We won’t go that far yet, because RHP Adam Wainwright is certainly well rested having only had to pitch one game against the Dodgers. This series was always going to be won by St. Louis right out of the blocks, as it won the first two games and never looked back. These Cards are legit, and they might be the favorites in the Fall Classic to get their 12th World Series ring in franchise history.

Game 163 (AL Wild Card Tiebreaker)
Monday 9/30, 8:07 PM – Rays 5 @ Rangers 2 (TB Wins AL Wild Card)

LHP David Price was masterful on Monday night against a team that was expected to give him fits. He threw nearly 120 pitches to get arguably his most important win of his career, taking down the Rangers without really getting into too many tough jams. 3B Evan Longoria had three hits on the night, including the two-run homer that Texas never really fully recovered from. The Rangers are now going into the offseason wondering if Manager Ron Washington is going to still be with the team, while Tampa Bay advances to take on the Indians on Wednesday night.

NL Wild Card Playoff Game
Tuesday 10/1, 8:07 PM – Reds 2 @ Pirates 6 (PIT Wins NL Wild Card)

If you haven’t seen the video of the fans forcing Johnny Cueto to drop the baseball on the mound, you need to watch it. The next pitch was the home run that probably sealed the deal in the game. Pittsburgh’s fans were nuts as we expected at PNC Park, and they did such a massive job of helping out their hometown team, it isn’t even funny. We haven’t seen a home field advantage like this is the playoffs in quite some time, and we know that this is the key to keeping the Pirates alive in the playoffs as long as possible. The crowd clearly got under the skin of the Reds, and that’s why they’re going home early.

AL Wild Card Playoff Game
Wednesday 10/2, 8:07 PM – Rays 4 @ Indians 0 (TB Wins AL Wild Card)

It looked to be a day where Danny Salazar was going to declare himself the next great Indians pitcher, but that mark only really lasted for a couple innings. When Delmon Young rode a high fastball well over the wall in left field to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead, that was all the help that the team needed. The Tribe had their chances against Alex Cobb, but to his credit, he pitched a heck of a game and got himself out of every jam that he was in. Tampa Bay has now won back to back elimination games, and it’s time to ship off to Boston, where the hated Red Sox are waiting and licking their chops for a big time game.

ALDS: Full Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Series Schedule

Italics Denote If Necessary Games
Game 1: Friday 10/4, 3:00 ET – Rays 2 @ Red Sox 12 (BOS Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Saturday 10/5, 5:30 ET – Rays 4 @ Red Sox 7 (BOS Leads Series 2-0)
Game 3: Monday 10/7, 6:00 ET – Red Sox 4 @ Rays 5 (BOS Leads Series 2-1)
Game 4: Tuesday 10/8, 8:30 ET – Red Sox 3 @ Rays 1 (BOS Wins Series 3-1)

The Rays had a chance in this series, but the truth of the matter is that they were overmatched for the most part. They kicked the ball around in the outfield quite a bit, and though they weren’t helped out by a lot of calls from a shaky umpiring crew, they weren’t able to come up with the big hits when they needed them either. The Boston bullpen was flawless outside of a home run by C Jose Lobaton that won Game 3, while the Rays were a disaster in the pen the whole series. The Red Sox scored more runs in their four games of this series than any other team did in the LDS, and heck… they scored almost as many runs in one game as any other team did in the LDS as well! This is a team that can really mash the baseball, and all of the awesome base running by men like OF Jacoby Ellsbury and OF Shane Victorino is really putting pressure on teams. This won’t be an easy team to knock out of the playoffs.

ALDS: Full Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics Series Schedule

Italics Denote If Necessary Games
Game 1: Friday 10/4, 9:30 ET – Tigers 3 @ Athletics 2 (DET Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Saturday 10/5, 9:00 ET – Tigers 0 @ Athletics 1 (Series Tied 1-1)
Game 3: Monday 10/7, 1:00 ET – Athletics 6 @ Tigers 3 (OAK Leads Series 2-1)
Game 4: Tuesday 10/8, 5:00 ET – Athletics 6 @ Tigers 8 (Series Tied 2-2)
Game 5: Thursday 10/10, 9:00 ET – Tigers 3 @ Athletics 0 (DET Wins Series 3-2)

Second verse, same as the first. What the A’s are finding out is that they don’t have the ace pitcher that can shut down a series the way that the Tigers have RHP Justin Verlander. Verlander was flat out awesome in this series. He might have been beaten in Game 2, but he still has allowed just one run in four starts against the A’s here in the playoffs over the course of the last two seasons. Oakland hosted Game 5 in both cases, but in both games, Verlander came up with a shutdown performance. The Athletics will look at Game 1 as the missed opportunity. They went through more than two full games without allowing a single run to the Tigers, yet they were down 1-0 after one game and were lucky to still be in the series after four games. Once the Detroit bats got going again with eight runs in Game 4, it was all over.

NLDS: Full Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Series Schedule

Italics Denote If Necessary Games
Game 1: Thursday 10/3, 8:30 ET – Dodgers 6 @ Braves 1 (LA Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Friday 10/4, 6:00 ET – Dodgers 3 @ Braves 4 (Series Tied 1-1)
Game 3: Sunday 10/6, 8:00 ET – Braves 6 @ Dodgers 13 (LA Leads Series 2-1)
Game 4: Monday 10/7, 9:30 ET – Braves 3 @ Dodgers 4 (LA Wins Series 3-1)

Manager Don Mattingly gets all of the credit in the world for making the right choice with his starting pitching in this series. LHP Clayton Kershaw looked him in the face and said, “I’ve got the ball in Game 4,” and though he left in a suspect situation, the decision paid off, as the game was won and the series was clinched. Kershaw proved that he is a man on a mission this year, and no team looked more impressive in our eyes in the opening round of the playoffs than LA did. Five men pounded out six hits in the series, and OF Carl Crawford hit three of the seven home runs in the four games. Atlanta was overmatched from the get go, and it almost seemed like winning Game 2 was a bit of a farce as well, as that game easily could have gone the other way had the Dodgers not made a blunder on the base paths in the ninth inning.

NLDS: Full Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals Series Schedule

Italics Denote If Necessary Games
Game 1: Thursday 10/3, 5:00 ET – Pirates 1 @ Cardinals 9 (STL Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Friday 10/4, 1:00 ET – Pirates 7 @ Cardinals 1 (Series Tied 1-1)
Game 3: Sunday 10/6, 4:30 ET – Cardinals 3 @ Pirates 5 (PIT Leads Series 2-1)
Game 4: Monday 10/7, 3:00 ET – Cardinals 2 @ Pirates 1 (Series Tied 2-2)
Game 5: Wednesday 10/9, 5:00 ET – Pirates 1 @ Cardinals 6 (STL Wins Series 3-2)

The Pirates gave it everything that they had, but when they only scratched out one hit in Game 4 of this series with RHP Michael Wacha on the mound, it was all over but the crying. As was the case in the regular season, there was never really all that much of a chance for the Pirates to overcome the Cardinals in the end, and the better team ultimately prevailed. The Cards didn’t amass a ton of hits, but they got the clutch ones that mattered, and they rode their ace to easy wins in Game 1 and the decisive Game 5. The penalty is that RHP Adam Wainwright won’t be available until Game 3 of the NLCS, but you take what you can get, and it’s better to live to fight another day. Pittsburgh has nothing to be ashamed of for this year, as just the ability to go on to play 168 games over the course of the season was very refreshing after two decades of losing baseball.

ALCS: Full ALCS Series Schedule

Italics Denote If Necessary Games
Game 1: Saturday 10/12, 8:00 ET – Tigers 1 @ Red Sox 0 (DET Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Sunday 10/13, 8:00 ET – Tigers 5 @ Red Sox 6 (Series Tied 1-1)
Game 3: Tuesday 10/15, 4:00 ET – Red Sox 1 @ Tigers 0 (BOS Leads Series 2-1)
Game 4: Wednesday 10/16, 8:00 ET – Red Sox 3 @ Tigers 7 (Series Tied 2-2)
Game 5: Thursday 10/17, 8:00 ET – Red Sox 4 @ Tigers 3 (BOS Leads Series 3-2)
Game 6: Saturday 10/19, 8:00 ET – Tigers (Scherzer) @ Red Sox (Buchholz) (FOX)
Game 7: Sunday 10/20, 8:00 ET – Tigers (Verlander) @ Red Sox (Lackey) (FOX) (If Nec)

The Tigers and the Red Sox have both been phenomenal over the course of this series, and when this one is said and done with, it is going to go down as one of the most remarkable series that we have ever seen. There have already been a pair of 1-0 games, there was a 5-1 lead that was blown in the final six outs of a game, and a 4-0 lead was nearly squandered. Now, the Tigers are left on the road with their two best pitchers that have to win the two biggest games of the season against the Red Sox. Boston has been badly overmatched in the starting pitching department, but shockingly, it was LHP Jon Lester that was outpitched in Game 1, while both RHP Max Scherzer and RHP Justin Verlander were beaten in Games 2 and 3. The Detroit bullpen hasn’t been remarkable, and that has probably been the difference in the series. There are some issues for sure to be worked out in Boston’s pen as well, but if the team keeps hitting like this and manages to get the job done to not blow leads, it’ll be blood, sweat, and beards in the Fall Classic this year.

NLCS: Full NLCS Series Schedule

Italics Denote If Necessary Games
Game 1: Friday 10/11, 8:30 ET – Dodgers 2 @ Cardinals 3 (STL Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Saturday 10/12, 4:00 ET – Dodgers 0 @ Cardinals 1 (STL Leads Series 2-0)
Game 3: Monday 10/14, 8:00 ET – Cardinals 0 @ Dodgers 3 (STL Leads Series 2-1)
Game 4: Tuesday 10/15, 8:00 ET – Cardinals 4 @ Dodgers 2 (STL Leads Series 3-1)
Game 5: Wednesday 10/16, 4:00 ET – Cardinals 4 @ Dodgers 6 (STL Leads Series 3-2)
Game 6: Friday 10/18, 8:30 ET – Dodgers 0 @ Cardinals 9 (STL Wins Series 4-2)

The Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers are left standing as the two teams to battle it out on the ALCS odds in 2013. Which one will advance to fight it out on the World Series lines? We have all of the answers for you here at Bankroll Sports!

The Boston Red Sox (AL Championship Odds: 1.05 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) have officially come back from the dead. They were all but down 2-0 in the ALCS before getting some more Red Sox magic. We’ve seen this team do it time and time again, but in this case, they got a grand slam from DH David Ortiz to save this series. Ortiz went on to ultimately win the game in the ninth inning. We think that this one proved for sure that the Sox have the better bullpen and the better clutch hitting in this series. The question is going to be whether the starting pitching can really keep up. The truth of the matter is that every single game in this series is going to feature better starting pitching for the Tigers than the Red Sox. They’re going to have to find ways to keep these games close down the stretch and ultimately win them late on, because they aren’t likely to get the better starting pitching. That said, it really feels like that win in Game 2 might be what propels this team to the next level once again. The World Series might be beckoning once again in Beantown, and you can bet that the fans there are going to make life a living hell on Detroit if this series goes back to Fenway Park.

The Detroit Tigers (2013 Odds To Win AL Championship: 1 to 1.25 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) though, do have the home field advantage in this series from here, and that can’t be forgotten. It also can’t be forgotten that the team should be up 2-1 at the end of the night on Tuesday, knowing that RHP Justin Verlander is going to be on the mound. Verlander has put up 28 straight zeroes, and not only is he slated to pitch Game 1 of this series, but Game 7 as well if it gets that far. Detroit would like to think that winning two games here in Motown would be good enough to have this series at least in command up 3-2. However, there are still some issues. This offense hasn’t had a remarkable game in this postseason yet, save for Game 4 against the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS, and inevitably, this is going to have to be what picks this team up. It has to be nice to know that a ton of pitchers combined on a no-hitter in Game 1 of this series, but it has to be just a demoralizing that four relievers each gave up one run apiece against the Sox in Game 2 to blow what should have been the game to go up 2-0. The Tigers have a lot of work to do, but they are the favorites for the time being in this fantastic series.

2013 MLB Odds to Win AL Championship @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 10/14/13):
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Boston Red Sox Win AL Pennant +105
Detroit Tigers Win AL Pennant -125

We’re two games into the NLCS, and it is clear that the St. Louis Cardinals now have a huge advantage over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s not a guarantee that they have locked it up by any stretch of the imagination, but it is clear that this is a series that doesn’t necessarily hang perfectly in the balance any longer. Don’t miss our analysis of the up to date NLCS odds and what each team needs to do to get to the World Series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers (Odds To Win 2013 National League Championship: 3.35 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook) probably never imagined the idea of losing both of the first two games of this series. Of course, they probably never figured that they were going to score two runs in two games either. LHP Clayton Kershaw and RHP Zack Greinke both pitched well in the first two games, but they are now both in a heck of a lot of trouble. Neither is guaranteed a spot on the mound again this season, and either LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu or RHP Ricky Nolasco have to win in these next two games just to get the ball back to the aces (unless Greinke pitches on three days rest). It’s the bats that really have us concerned, though. LF Carl Crawford and 2B Mark Ellis are doing a nice job hitting the ball at the top of the order, but the rest of this lineup has flat out stunk. 3B Juan Uribe has the one and only hit with runners in scoring position, and there aren’t a heck of a lot of hits with runners on base at all in this series either. That’s what is really going to have to change, because the pitching really isn’t getting any better than it was in St. Louis to start this series. There’s trouble in Tinseltown at this point, and losing this series at home would really draw the ire of all of the fans that were expecting it to essentially be Manifest Destiny to win the World Series.

Alas, here come the St. Louis Cardinals (NL Championship Odds: 1 to 4.60 @ SportBet Sportsbook). We’re all going to learn at some point that we can literally never count this team out of the equation in any series, especially with the way that it finds ways to get hits when it really needs it. The Cardinals have done just that time and time again, including in the 13th inning of Game 1. They have been phenomenal on the mound, and they couldn’t even expect that out of RHP Joe Kelly and RHP Michael Wacha. It’s the back of the rotation that has really picked this team up, as that is what kept the Cards in it against the Pittsburgh Pirates and what might get them to win it against the Dodgers. We’re a bit concerned over the fact that this is now three out of four games where the offense has been terrible, but it’s tough to complain when the last four games have all been won. The Cardinals are just figuring out how to manufacture runs and manufacture wins. That’s how this team has won 11 World Series titles in its history, and it might be how it wins World Series #12 this year in 2013.

National League Pennant Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 10/13/13):
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Los Angeles Dodgers Win NL Pennant +335
St. Louis Cardinals Win NL Pennant -460

The All-Star break is upon us, and that means that it’s time to take a look at all of the best action on the diamond with the biggest stars in the game. A collection of sluggers will battle it out on the 2013 Home Run Derby odds, and we’ll be making our HR Derby picks and predictions for what should be a great slug-off in the Big Apple.

2013 Home Run Derby Odds, Picks & Info
2013 Home Run Derby Date: Monday, July 15th
2013 Home Run Derby Location: Citi Field, Flushing, NY
2013 Odds To Win The Home Run Derby Favorite: Chris Davis & Prince Fielder (3.50 to 1)
2013 Home Run Derby TV Coverage – Network: ESPN

The Home Run Derby is so close this year that there are actually co-favorites to win the event. The man that is going to get a lot of publicity is Chris Davis (Current Home Run Derby Odds: 3.75 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) of the Baltimore Orioles. Davis has earned himself the nickname of “Crush” this year, and he is living up to his moniker. Going into the last weekend of the first half of the year, Davis has 35 dingers to lead the league by a country mile. There is at least a mild threat of him reaching the all-time home run record this year, and the hope is that he can put on a real show in this year’s Home Run Derby in front of the Citi Field faithful.

A man that never needs an introduction at the All-Star Game or at the Home Run Derby is the other co-favorite, Prince Fielder (HR Derby Odds: 3.75 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Fielder already has not just one, but two Home Run Derby titles under his belt, and he is the defending Home Run champion after last year when he bombed a whopping 28 home runs, the fifth most ever in this competition. Fielder has 63 home runs under his belt at the Home Run Derby over the years, and he is 14 short of the all-time record for most Home Run Derby homers, 77 set by David Ortiz.

List Of Past Home Run Derby Champions (Since 2000)
2012 Home Run Derby Winner: Prince Fielder
2011 Home Run Derby Winner: Robinson Cano
2010 Home Run Derby Winner: David Ortiz
2009 Home Run Derby Winner: Prince Fielder
2008 Home Run Derby Winner: Justin Morneau
2007 Home Run Derby Winner: Vladimir Guerrero
2006 Home Run Derby Winner: Ryan Howard
2005 Home Run Derby Winner: Bobby Abreu
2004 Home Run Derby Winner: Miguel Tejada
2003 Home Run Derby Winner: Garret Anderson
2002 Home Run Derby Winner: Jason Giambi
2001 Home Run Derby Winner: Luis Gonzalez
2000 Home Run Derby Winner: Sammy Sosa

The new kid on the block who should be blasting balls a long way is Yoenis Cespedes (Current MLB Home Run Derby Lines: 5.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Cespedes only has 15 home runs for the season, but he does have one inherent edge over the rest of the competition. Cespedes is used to needing to hit the ball a mile to get it out of the park at the O.co Coliseum, and he is going to have to do the same thing at Citi Field on Monday night. Don’t be all that shocked if the Cuban superstar turns out to hit some of the longest bombs of the night, as he has become known to do through the years.

We really like the idea of backing Robinson Cano (Odds To Win HR Derby: 6 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) on Monday night as well. Cano is the hometown boy, playing in the Bronx for the New York Yankees, and he really knows how to pack of punch. Of all of the middle of infielders in the game, there isn’t another man that we would rather have blasting homers for us than Cano. He has 21 home runs this year, and this is going to inevitably be his fifth straight season with at least 25 home runs, so don’t let his position in the field throw you off any. Cano can mash, and he has the 2011 Home Run Derby championship under his belt to prove it.

It seems interesting to think that Pedro Alvarez (Home Run Derby Gambling Lines: 6.50 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) is in the Home Run Derby this season. Sure, Alvarez is leading the Pittsburgh Pirates with 23 homers on the campaign, and yes, he did hit 30 bombs last year, but he just doesn’t feel like the type of guy that should be batting in a Home Run Derby. Perhaps we’ll all be proven wrong, and Alvarez will turn out to be a relatively good competitor. However, we just don’t see it turning out that way, and we’re actually a little surprised to see him this high on the totem pole when you consider who else is around him.

Bryce Harper (HR Derby Lines: 7 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) makes for a delightful addition to this year’s game, knowing that he is one of the stars of the future of this game. Harper doesn’t have the following that Yasiel Puig does, but he’ll be the closest thing on the field when he represents the National League. Harper only has 13 home runs this season, but do remember that he has only played in 56 games as well. Harper can really mash the baseball, and he too, is used to pitching in a humongous park in DC. That could play right into his hands as well.

And then there’s the hometown hero, David Wright (Home Run Derby Odds: 12.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Wright hasn’t been in a Home Run Derby since 2006, making it one of the longest layoffs we have ever seen from one Home Run Derby to the next. That season though, the then up and coming star produced 22 home runs on the competition, one of the best marks in the history of this event. Wright was edged out by a homer by Ryan Howard on that day, and he would love nothing more than to get out there and blast a ton of bombs for the hometown crowd at Citi Field.

Finally, we have the man that makes absolutely zero sense whatsoever for being in a Home Run Derby, Michael Cuddyer (Odds To Win HR Derby: 15 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). We’ve seen stranger things before, but this one just doesn’t make any sense to us. Cuddyer has a hot bat at the moment, but he only has 15 home runs for the whole season. He has only hit 30 home runs once in his career, and he only hit 16 homers last season while playing for the Rockies. Cuddyer is helped by that light air in Denver quite a bit, and though he has a lot of home runs on the road too, we’re not talking about homers in parks like this all that often. We’d be shocked to see Cuddyer get out of the first round of the Home Run Derby.

MLB Home Run Derby Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/12/13):
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Chris Davis 3.50 to 1
Prince Fielder 3.75 to 1
Yoenis Cespedes 5.50 to 1
Robinson Cano 6 to 1
Pedro Alvarez 6.50 to 1
Bryce Harper 7 to 1
David Wright 12.50 to 1
Michael Cuddyer 15 to 1

MLB Home Run Derby Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 7/12/13):
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Prince Fielder 3.50 to 1
Chris Davis 3.75 to 1
Bryce Harper 5 to 1
Robinson Cano 5.50 to 1
Yoenis Cespedes 5.50 to 1
Pedro Alvarez 6.50 to 1
David Wright 8 to 1
Michael Cuddyer 9 to 1

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.

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.