Posts Tagged ‘MLB betting’

2011 MLB Free Picks: AL Central Preview and Predictions

March 27th, 2011 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on 2011 MLB Free Picks: AL Central Preview and Predictions
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Complete List of AL Central Lines Can Be Found Below

The AL Central is one of the most interesting divisions this year. There are legitimately three teams that not only could win this division, but that could win the whole enchilada as well. Check out how the AL Central odds stack up this year!

It’s going to be really interesting in this division this year, especially if Adam Dunn can really help out the Chicago White Sox (1.75 to 1 @ Sportbet Sportsbook). This is the man that is really supposed to help out this lineup this year, as there really needs to be some big time pop in the fold. Jake Peavy should help out the rotation as well now that he is once again healthy, and he and Mark Buehrle should make a great 1 and 1A in the Windy City. Manager Ozzie Guillen is certainly out if he can’t get the Palehose in the postseason this year.

The team that is always forgotten about in this division is the Minnesota Twins (1.80 to 1 @ Hollywood Sportsbook). The Twinkies once again have Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau to rely on, but there really aren’t a heck of a lot of other stars that are out there on this club. Still, Manager Rod Gardenhire gets more out of his team every single year than any other manager in the bigs, and that’s what makes this team, a very good home team, a very dangerous one again this year.

General Manager Dave Dombrowski did everything he could to try to help out the Detroit Tigers (2.30 to 1 @ Sportbet Sportsbook) in the offseason. He brought in Victor Martinez to shore up the catcher position, though we’re not so sure how well that’s going to translate when push comes to shove defensively. Justin Verlander has 37 wins over the course of the last two seasons, and he is once again going to have to pitch like a Cy Young Award winner to pitch this team into the second season.

Neither the Kansas City Royals (50 to 1 @ Hollywood Sportsbook) nor the Cleveland Indians (25 to 1 @ Sportbet Sportsbook) are going to contend for anything but the gutter in this division this year. KC made a bad team worse by getting rid of both David DeJesus and Zack Greinke in the offseason. Now, we’re not so sure who any of these pitchers are that are taking the mound at Kauffman Stadium this year. The Tribe at least have some great looking youngsters, but they are definitely at least a couple of years away.

Odds to Win AL Central @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 3/27/11):
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Chicago White Sox 1.60 to 1
Cleveland Indians 20 to 1
Detroit Tigers 2 to 1
Kansas City Royals 40 to 1
Minnesota Twins 1.50 to 1

Betting Lines to Win AL Central @ Sportbet Sportsbook (as of 3/27/11):
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Chicago White Sox 1.75 to 1
Minnesota Twins 1.80 to 1
Detroit Tigers 2.30 to 1
Cleveland Indians 25 to 1
Kansas City Royals 40 to 1

2011 AL Central Odds @ Hollywood Sportsbook (as of 3/27/11):
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Chicago White Sox 1.75 to 1
Cleveland Indians 25 to 1
Detroit Tigers 1.75 to 1
Kansas City Royals 50 to 1
Minnesota Twins 1.60 to 1

2011 AL East Predictions, Picks and Preview with MLB Odds

March 27th, 2011 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on 2011 AL East Predictions, Picks and Preview with MLB Odds

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Complete List of AL East Lines Can Be Found Below

The AL East is going to be one of the toughest divisions in baseball this year, and the favorites on the odds to win the World Series are clearly in this division. Check out how we stack up the five squads for our AL East preview.

Of course, the bona fide favorite to win this division is the Boston Red Sox (1 to 1.65@ Sportbet Sportsbook). This offseason was a particularly amazing one for the Sox, as they landed Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez to help out a lineup that was beaten up via injuries all season long last year. The starting rotation wasn’t really helped out any, but when you’ve got Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, and a slew of pitchers in the minors that are ready to shine, you don’t need much help there. The bullpen didn’t look great in Spring Training, but Jonathan Papelbon is still a great closer. If he fails, Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler were added to really help out.

We’re not really all that thrilled about the New York Yankees (2 to 1@ Hollywood Sportsbook) this season. The Yanks really didn’t do a heck of a lot in the offseason, and they were beaten up by the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason in the battle to get Cliff Lee. Still, Derek Jeter will end up with his 3,000th hit at some point this season, while Alex Rodriguez will end up inching closer to the all time home run lead this year as well. The rest of this team just doesn’t excite us all that much. Rafael Soriano was a nice addition in the bullpen, but Mariano Rivera probably doesn’t need much in the way of help.

The team that is really falling off this year will be the Tampa Bay Rays (10.25 to 1@ Sportbet Sportsbook). The Rays just lost too much in the offseason to really compete. Carlos Pena, Carl Crawford, Matt Garza, and basically the entire bullpen are all gone now, and a lot of the pieces ended up in other venues in the division. There are a lot of youngsters that are coming up to the majors here, but the team is just short of what it was in these recent years.

The other two teams in this division, the Toronto Blue Jays (25 to 1@ Sportbet Sportsbook) and the Baltimore Orioles (26 to 1@ Sportbet Sportsbook) are both trying to become the next version of the Rays. Baltimore is probably closer to getting the job done, as there are a ton of veterans on this team to help out all of the youngsters as well. Manager Buck Showalter did a great job with the O’s after taking over in the middle of last year. Toronto is likely to pull up the rear here, though it could be a bust out year for Ricky Romero on the mound.

Odds to Win AL East @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 3/27/11):
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Baltimore Orioles 20 to 1
Boston Red Sox 1 to 1.70
New York Yankees 1.90 to 1
Tampa Bay Rays 8 to 1
Toronto Blue Jays 14 to 1

Betting Lines to Win AL East @ Sportbet Sportsbook (as of 3/27/11):
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Boston Red Sox 1 to 1.65
New York Yankees 1.90 to 1
Tampa Bay Rays 10.25 to 1
Toronto Blue Jays 25 to 1
Baltimore Orioles 26 to 1

2011 AL East Odds @ Hollywood Sportsbook (as of 3/27/11):
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Baltimore Orioles 15 to 1
Boston Red Sox 1 to 1.75
New York Yankees 2 to 1
Tampa Bay Rays 10 to 1
Toronto Blue Jays 20 to 1

World Series Picks: Odds to Win 2010 World Series MVP

October 26th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on World Series Picks: Odds to Win 2010 World Series MVP

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Complete List of World Series MVP Lines Can Be Found Below

World Series picks have to be in by 7:57 ET on Wednesday, October 27th, and before the first pitch of the Fall Classic, we are here to pick out the odds to win World Series MVP. Don’t miss all of the best World Series coverage here at Bankroll Sports!

It seems awfully unlikely that the favorite to win the World Series MVP is the man with the lowest batting average on the team that is just the slight favorite to win the series, but that’s what the case is right now with Josh Hamilton (4 to 1 @ BetUS Sportsbook). Hamilton clearly has the ability to go off at any given moment for some huge hits, and he is still the most feared man in this lineup in spite of the fact that he only batted .237 in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Want some more proof of how feared the cleanup man in this lineup is? He already has ten walks in the playoffs, and in spite of the fact that he has that low batting average, he is just one RBI shy of the postseason lead for any team in these playoffs.

There’s no way that we can argue with Cliff Lee (5 to 1 @ BetUS Sportsbook) to win this award either. Lee is going to be pitching at least twice in this series in all likelihood, and if the Rangers are going to win their first World Series ever on their home turf by the end of Game 5, Lee is probably going to end up with a pair of wins. It is unlikely that Lee is going to be pitching on three days of rest, so he would be throwing in Game 1 and Game 5, and presumably, that fifth game would be the end of the series. Lee has gone 3-0 in his career against the Giants, and he is already 3-0 in these playoffs as well. No man has pitched better in these playoffs than the southpaw free agent to be. With every great pitch, Lee is hitting the cash register button more and more, and it doesn’t seem like there is anything that can stop him from pitching this well, especially against a team that has struggled offensively in the playoffs.

There are a ton of candidates with the same odds for the Giants, but we love the possibility of Buster Posey (8 to 1 @ BetUS Sportsbook) becoming a rookie MVP of the World Series. Posey, a Florida State product, was one of just two men in these playoffs for the Giants that hit at least .300 in the first two rounds. This is quite possibly the best home run threat on San Fran even though he has yet to go yard in the playoffs. Common thought would suggest that it is only a matter of time until the rook connects with one and drives it a long way, and if Posey catches fire, he could be a real dominating force in this series.

If you’re looking for a longshot, don’t be afraid to go with Freddy Sanchez (18 to 1 @ BetUS Sportsbook). Sanchez might not be the best run producer in the world, nor might he be a big time run scorer, but he is seeing the ball well right now and can make things happen. Sanchez has nine hits in his last five games, reaching base safely in all five. We’re talking about a man that has batted over .300 in his career before and could do it once again in this, his first ever World Series.

Odds to Win World Series MVP @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 10/26/10):
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Andres Torres 20 to 1
Aubrey Huff 15 to 1
Bengie Molina 25 to 1
Brian Wilson 10 to 1
Buster Posey 8 to 1
CJ Wilson 25 to 1
Cliff Lee 5 to 1
Cody Ross 10 to 1
David Murphy 25 to 1
Edgar Renteria 20 to 1
Elvis Andrus 15 to 1
Freddy Sanchez 18 to 1
Ian Kinsler 12 to 1
Josh Hamilton 4 to 1
Juan Uribe 8 to 1
Matt Cain 8 to 1
Michael Young 12 to 1
Mitch Moreland 25 to 1
Neftali Feliz 30 to 1
Nelson Cruz 12 to 1
Pat Burrell 8 to 1
Tim Lincecum 8 to 1
Vladimir Guerrero 12 to 1

2010 MLB Playoff Series Lines & 2010 World Series Odds

October 26th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   2 Comments »

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Complete List of World Series Lines Can Be Found Below

The World Series comes down to the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers! Here at Bankroll Sports, we’ll be updating the World Series odds from a ton of sportsbooks, and we’ll keep updating our World Series schedule.

The Rangers are the slight favorite to cash in on the Fall Classic, and the reason for that is because LHP Cliff Lee is likely to be able to pitch in Game 1, Game 5, and in relief in Game 7 if necessary. Texas has also had a fantastic offense in this postseason and has had a ton of batters hit at least .300. Speed has also killed both the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays so far in the playoffs. The Rangers have been making a ton of deer antlers in the dugout, especially for the 15 stolen bases in 11 games.

The Giants have a fantastic pitching staff though, and should not be messed with. RHP Matt Cain has yet to give up a run in the playoffs, and RHP Tim Lincecum already has a shutout, a win over Philadelphia Phillies’ RHP Roy Halladay, and a hold to his credit in this postseason. The only problem is that the offense has been iffy at best, as there are only two men, C Buster Posey and OF Cody Ross, that are hitting at least .300 for the playoffs.

Pitching Probables for the World Series

Game 1: Wednesday, October 27th, 2010, 7:57 ET: Cliff Lee (L) @ Tim Lincecum (R)
Game 2: Thursday, October 28th, 2010, 7:57 ET: CJ Wilson (L) @ Matt Cain (R)
Game 3: Saturday, October 30th, 2010, 6:57 ET: Jonathan Sanchez (L) @ Colby Lewis (R)
Game 4: Sunday, October 31st, 2010, 8:20 ET: Madison Bumgarner (L) @ Tommy Hunter (R)
Game 5 (if necessary): Monday, November 1st, 2010, 7:57 ET: Tim Lincecum (R) @ Cliff Lee (L)
Game 6 (if necessary): Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010, 7:57 ET: CJ Wilson (L) @ Matt Cain (R)
Game 7 (if necessary): Thursday, November 4th, 2010, 7:57 ET: Colby Lewis (R) @ Jonathan Sanchez (L)


Current 2010 World Series Odds @ Bodog Sportsbook (as of 10/26/10):
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Texas Rangers (-145) vs. San Francisco Giants

Latest Odds To Win The 2010 World Series @ 5 Dimes Sportsbook (as of 10/26/10):
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Texas Rangers (-136) vs. San Francisco Giants

Latest Odds To Win The 2010 World Series @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 10/26/10):
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Texas Rangers (-150) vs. San Francisco Giants

Current 2010 World Series Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 10/26/10):
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Texas Rangers (-145) @ San Francisco Giants

2010 MLB Trade Deadline Report Cards

August 2nd, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on 2010 MLB Trade Deadline Report Cards
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The MLB non-waiver trade deadline came and went on Saturday at 4:00 PM, and though there was a flurry of action right before the wire, several teams were left out in the cold in their quest to better themselves for the rest of this season. Check out how we graded the teams in the hunt for October at Bankroll Sports!

Atlanta Braves: The only move the Braves made during this trade season was picking up SS Alex Gonzalez from the Toronto Blue Jays. How has that move worked out so far? Gonzalez is batting .259 with six extra base hits, one homers, and three RBIs in 15 games with Atlanta. The man he was traded for, SS Yunel Escobar is batting .323 with three dingers and nine RBIs. We won’t mention the two prospects that the Braves gave up in this deal as well. Oops. Look out from behind Atlanta, as the pack is coming to get you in the NL East. Final Grade: D-

Philadelphia Phillies: Give some props to the Phils for going out and getting their man in RHP Roy Oswalt. This is clearly a sign that the boys from the City of Brotherly Love are going for gold once again in the National League. However, this could be a case of too little, too late. The Phils are 3.5 games out of the Wild Card in the race in the NL and are 2.5 back of the Braves. Giving up LHP JA Happ and some prospects to take on all that payroll is risky, but the move worked last year with LHP Cliff Lee. It could work again this year. We love the guts, but aren’t so sure it will be worth the glory. Final Grade: B-

New York Mets: The Mets badly needed to add at least 1-2 starting pitchers at the trade deadline and missed out on everyone. At 6.5 games out from the NL East race and 7.5 back with a trillion teams to hop in the NL Wild Card, the season appears to be over in the Big Apple. GM Omar Minaya badly needed to make a move and failed miserably. Final Grade: F

St. Louis Cardinals: The brass of the Cardinals made a bold move by giving up OF Ryan Ludwick and some minor league prospect talent to get RHP Jake Westbrook from the Cleveland Indians. We aren’t so sure about bringing in a guy who didn’t pitch at all last season and is only 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA this year, but Westbrook does bring some valuable experience. He could be a great fourth pitcher in the postseason behind Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, and Jamie Wright. Final Grade: B

Cincinnati Reds: The Reds really didn’t do much at the trade deadline, and they really didn’t seem all that active on the phones either. There’s a reason for that. Though Cincinnati is in position to make the playoffs now, it is also in a spot to be able to make a run at a number of NL Central titles in the future and everyone knows it. There was no reason to tinker with what was going on. Final Grade: A

San Diego Padres: Hats off to the Padres for getting this trade deadline exactly right. The pitching staff as a whole needed no tweaking whatsoever, as this has been arguably the most consistent unit 1-12 in the majors all season long. A bat would come in handy though in the NL West race, and that’s exactly what San Diego got with OF Ryan Ludwick. Ludwick has all sorts of pop in his bat and has already blasted 11 homers in 77 games this season. Look for him to help boost an offense that struggles at times. Picking up SS/3B Miguel Tejada brings a veteran leader into a very young clubhouse. The Padres are clearly going for glory this year and we love it. Final Grade: A

Los Angeles Dodgers : Someone was going to be trading for Chicago’s LHP Ted Lilly, but at least the Dodgers didn’t give up the farm to get him. Giving up on Blake Dewitt might come back to bit LA in the butt, but at least it acquired handy utility man Ryan Theriot in this deal as well. The Dodgers are 6.5 games behind the playoff chase, but this should at least help a bit in the quest to get back in it. Adding OF Scott Podsednik and RHP Octavio Dotel might help as well. This might not be enough to get the job done, though. Final Grade: B+

Colorado Rockies: Shame on you, Colorado. The Rockies badly needed to go out and find a bat for the middle of the lineup and they failed to do so. Is this a sign on giving up on the season? Didn’t we learn anything last year from the hunt for Rocktober??? Final Grade: F

San Francisco Giants: San Fran had plenty of chances to go out and get a bat in the outfield to improve the team, but the Giants felt the need to stand pat instead. We can’t blame them. This is probably the best chance the team has had to win in years, and the squad has a nice chemistry. 61 wins is tied for the NL lead. Final Grade: B

New York Yankees: The Bronx Bombers added three key pieces to the puzzle on the final hours before the trade deadline, picking up OFs Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns as well as reliever Kerry Wood. Leave it up to GM Brian Cashman to make the moves to make the Yankees win now, but the future seemed to be mortgaged just a bit by giving up a slew of prospects. Final Grade: B-

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays badly needed a bat, but instead, GM Andrew Freidman elected to go with a bullpen arm instead. He clearly bought RHP Chad Qualls at a cheap price, as his ERA was over 8.00 with Arizona this year. Two seasons ago, the team made a similar move by picking up RHP Chad Bradford at the deadline, and he helped pitch Tampa Bay to the World Series. Could this be the same sort of situation? We’re not ones to doubt the cash strapped Rays. Final Grade: B

Boston Red Sox: If the Red Sox thought they were buyers at the trade deadline, why didn’t they take a chance at giving up some of their pitching in the minors for a quality bat? If they thought they were sellers, why not try to move some of these older pieces to the puzzle that aren’t going to be used in the future? We’re certainly puzzled at the fact that there was no activity in Beantown at the gun. Final Grade: D

Chicago White Sox: They needed a bat, but the White Sox grabbed a great arm instead in the form of RHP Edwin Jackson. Jackson will step into the rotation in the place of RHP Jake Peavy, who has been shut down for the year. With postseason experience, Jackson might be just the man to help pitch the Pale Hose into the second season in spite of the fact that he has had a miserable year. Being back in the AL should help where he thrived with Detroit and Tampa Bay the last two seasons. Final Grade: B+

Minnesota Twins: Yikes. Giving up on the best catching prospect in baseball for Matt Capps? We understand that Capps has had a good season as the Nationals closer, but do the Twinkies really need him? This is a troubling and puzzling move for Minnesota, which didn’t help out its situations in the outfield or in the starting rotation either. Final Grade: F

Detroit Tigers: GM Dave Dombrowski must have thought his Tigers were out of it, as they are currently seven games back in the AL Central. He’s probably right. Final Grade: C

Texas Rangers: The AL West race was probably all but over the day that LHP Cliff Lee was inked by the Rangers. As a team in bankruptcy, Texas certainly did a heck of a job making moves at the trade deadline, bolstering an offense as well that was already potent. With an eight game pad in the AL West, we have to give this team the best grade of any team at the deadline. Final Grade: A+

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Ok, so the Halos are probably out of the playoff race, but that doesn’t mean that they didn’t have a great trade deadline. Picking up RHP Dan Haren from the dismal Diamondbacks was a great move to make, not just for this season, but for the future. Haren is young and is still a great arm at the front end of any rotation. Giving up on a Sabermetric nightmare in LHP Joe Saunders was a very small price to pay. Final Grade: A

2010 MLB All-Star Game Rosters

July 6th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on 2010 MLB All-Star Game Rosters

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All-Star RostersThe rosters for the 2010 MLB All-Star Game have been chosen by managers Charlie Manuel and Joe Girardi, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are taking a first glance at the matchup for the All-Star Game odds and which team we think has the upper hand in the mid-summer classic scheduled for next Tuesday in Anaheim. BetUS Sportsbook will have all of your All-Star Game props and MLB All-Star Game betting lines available to you for this annual festival.

Without a doubt, the National League team has the better set of pitchers at their disposal for this game. If anyone aside from RHP Ubaldo Jimenez starts the game for the NL team, it is a travesty. Yes, Jimenez has struggled just a tad over his last few starts, but it isn’t often that you can say that a pitcher is coming into the All-Star Game with at least 14 wins under his belt. Turning the ball over to RHP Josh Johnson and his 1.82 ERA doesn’t seem like such a bad idea either for Manuel. If a game is close in the late innings, there aren’t a ton of closer options for Manuel to turn to. RHP Jonathan Broxton is having another solid year for the Dodgers, as he gone 17-for-19 on save opportunities and has a 2.02 ERA. LHP Arthur Rhodes may be having the best year for any relief pitcher in baseball in Cincinnati, though. The southpaw as three wins and 15 holds, and up until he allowed three runs against the Phillies last week, his ERA was at 0.28. Still, a 1.06 ERA and 0.88 WHIP are nothing to be ashamed of.

The American League has a nice lineup that is chalk full of speed, particularly at the top of the order. One would think that both OF Carl Crawford and OF Ichiro Suzuki are going to be taking off on the base paths quite a bit if they get aboard, while the big bats of 3B Evan Longoria, DH Vladimir Guerrero, 1B Justin Morneau, and OF Josh Hamilton aren’t going to be far behind waiting to produce runs. Off of the bench, the AL has a superior advantage, as 3B Alex Rodriguez and DH David Ortiz could both pop home runs at a moment’s notice to blow the game wide open for the American League.

The AL pitchers are going to have a tougher time finding traction against the NL roster, though. LHP Cliff Lee won’t be starting the game in all likelihood, but he is arguably the hottest pitcher in baseball right now having thrown 73.1 innings in his L/9 starts and allowing just 13 runs in those outings. Lee is also 7-1 to show for his work in that time, which upped his record to 8-3 on the season. Lefties are certainly at no shortage on this AL roster, as both LHP David Price, LHP Jon Lester, and LHP CC Sabathia are amongst the best in the game. As we all know, if the AL has a lead going into the ninth inning, it’s Enter Sandman time. RHP Mariano Rivera has nailed down a number of All-Star Games in his career, and this year could be no exception.

Manuel has a lineup at his disposal that is chalk full of men from his own division. Four of the nine starters for the NL are out of the East, though 2B Chase Utley won’t be playing in the game due to injury. Expect SS Hanley Ramirez to start off the game as the leadoff hitter. He is really the only pure speed that this roster has until you reach the bench, though. Power is the name of the game for the National League, as 1B Albert Pujols leads a slew of sluggers that can change the game on one swing of the bat as well. The bench doesn’t appear as deep for the NL as it does for the AL, especially when you’re talking about everywhere aside from first base. Obviously, 1Bs Ryan Howard and Adrian Gonzalez are amongst the best hitters in baseball, but there just isn’t any pop beyond those two waiting as potential pinch hitters. The fact that the fans voted in OF Jason Heyward as a starter in this game is a joke, as the rookie is only batting .251 on the season. He is currently on the DL with a bone bruise, and it is unknown whether or not he will be able to give it a go in the All-Star Game or not.

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2010 MLB All-Star Game: American League Roster

Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay Rays
Vladimir Guerrero, Texas Rangers
Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox
Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics
Fausto Carmona, Cleveland Indians
Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers
Phil Hughes, New York Yankees
Cliff Lee, Seattle Mariners
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
David Price, Tampa Bay Rays
Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
CC Sabathia, New York Yankees
Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals
Matt Thornton, Chicago White Sox
Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers
John Buck, Toronto Blue Jays
Victor Martinez, Boston Red Sox
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
Ty Wiggington, Baltimore Orioles
Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
Adrian Beltre, Boston Red Sox
Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Vernon Wells, Toronto Blue Jays
David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

2010 MLB All-Star Game: National League Roster

Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
David Wright, New York Mets
Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers
Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves
Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Capps, Washington Nationals
Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee Brewers
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves
Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies
Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins
Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
Evan Meek, Pittsburgh Pirates
Arthur Rhodes, Cincinnati Reds
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants
Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds
Martin Prado, Atlanta Braves
Jose Reyes, New York Mets
Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
Omar Infante, Atlanta Braves
Scott Rolen, Cincinnati Reds
Michael Bourn, Houston Astros
Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs
Corey Hart, Milwaukee Brewers
Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals
Chris Young, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stephen Strasburg May Be Next Big MLB Killer

June 7th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on Stephen Strasburg May Be Next Big MLB Killer

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After a third of the MLB betting campaign has been complete, RHP Stephen Strasburg is finally ready to make his much anticipated debut at the MLB level on Tuesday night as the Washington Nationals play host to the Pittsburgh Pirates. As the #1 pick in last year’s MLB Draft, Strasburg blew through Spring Training and had even some of the best hitters in the game baffled by his precision and power on the bump.

In the minor league level, no one was really able to touch this right hander. He went 7-2 with a 1.30 ERA at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. His K/9 of 10.57 in 55.1 innings of work has almost been comical. Many believe that the quality of players that he is about to be facing in the Pirates on Tuesday night is worse than what he was taking on in Double and Triple-A.

Though they’re probably right, a few things must be considered before immediately jumping on the Strasburg bandwagon.

Yes, Stephen Strasburg has had all sorts of success at both the collegiate and the minor league levels, but this will be the first time that he has had 50,000 peering eyes, national television cameras, and hundreds of media members hungry to see how he performs. The Pirates do have some scouting tape on him from minor league appearances against their affiliate teams, and unlike at the minor league level, where scouting tape isn’t handed out all over the place, at the MLB level, the second that Strasburg takes the mound, there is going to be a scout for every single team dissecting every last little thing that he does.

Strasburg Mania could only be worse if he were a Yankee. After all, the oddsmakers have lined the rookie as a -200 favorite in his first MLB betting outing this week. Granted, this is a home game, it will inevitably have a playoff type of atmosphere to it, and many expect to see Strasburg mow down a miserable lineup, but regardless of the situation, laying -200 is something that the oddsmakers consistently want you to do in baseball.

One must also remember that this is a Washington team with a bullpen that really hasn’t looked pristine 100% of the time. Closer Matt Capps looks like a human being on the mound again, and the wins have dried up just a tad for RHP Tyler Clippard as well. Manager Jim Riggleman’s main goal in this first start of Strasburg’s, and in all of his outings, isn’t necessarily to win games. Riggleman needs to take care of Strasburg’s right arm and assure that he doesn’t get worn out by throwing too many pitches or taking on too many innings of work.

That being said, five shutout innings would still only take up half of the game. Someone for the Nats is going to have to close the door. Plus, if the offense can’t get on course (and why should we feel comfortable with the 20th ranked offense in the bigs?), are you really going to want to be laying -200 with this team against anyone in baseball in any situation?

Strasburg might be the next big thing, and he might come out and totally dazzle us all on Tuesday night, but the bottom line is that he isn’t an arm that is worth backing at these types of prices that we are going to see on him on the MLB betting lines. Buyer beware, as the market on this kid simply isn’t going to be much more ridiculous than it is right now.