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**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:47 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

AL East Preview
By Matt Zylbert

Boston Red Sox - Predicted Record: 92-70

He may not be Kobe Bryant but David Ortiz is getting set to ride off into the sunset, having announced that this will be the final season of his terrific major league career. And it's probably a good thing that he's not the Black Mamba, as while Kobe's Lakers are putting the finishing touches on yet another embarrassing year, Big Papi's Red Sox seemed poised to do some big things in 2016.

Coming off two surprising last-place finishes, Ortiz and the offense appear to be in good shape in being able to help turn things back around. The mammoth designated hitter is just one of several key cogs in this lineup, as there is a host of others capable of providing heavy lumber. Let's start with Mookie Betts, who is a popular candidate to break out and become a star in the coming year. He has the potential to be a terrific all-around player, and quite frankly, he is this team's future as far as offense goes. Xander Bogaerts is also a key piece of Boston's young emerging core, looking to follow up on a really successful '15 campaign. Dustin Pedroia, Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez have always played an important role in manufacturing runs, and despite all three coming off injury-hampered seasons, there is hope they can each bounce back and produce something closer to their expected norm. Another name to look out for is young catcher Blake Swihart, who is a nice sleeper candidate to establish himself. Don't overlook Jackie Bradley, either.

In effort of trying to immediately vault the Red Sox back into contention, the club snagged arguably the most important player available this past offseason, that obviously being ace David Price. Starting pitching was Boston's biggest weakness last year, so this signing should do wonders for the club's outlook. He also has a lot of familiarity pitching in the AL East. Clay Buchholz is right behind him entrenched as a fine No. 2 starter, while fellow veteran Rick Porcello is also decent for the position he's secured within the middle of the staff. Youngster Eduardo Rodriguez and Joe Kelly are featured on the back-end, and even if one falters, the Red Sox also have underrated swingman Roenis Elias waiting in the wings. Not only did they improve their rotation through offseason acquisitions, they did the same with their bullpen when they acquired star closer Craig Kimbrel from the Padres. With former standout closer Koji Uehara and Carson Smith installed as the main setup men, Boston's relief corps will be solid at the very least. The end result to all of this should be a return to prominence for the Sawx.

Toronto Blue Jays - Predicted Record: 87-75

When you end baseball's longest playoff drought and make the playoffs for the first time in over 20 years, well, that tends to make everyone a little more free and relaxed. In the process, that could make things more difficult for the rest of the American League, as the Blue Jays could be starting something very special in the coming years.

Much of that, of course, is related to their explosive offense, which led the league in runs scored a year ago. With mostly the same names back in the lineup, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Toronto pull off that same feat in 2016. After all, you have the reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson still hanging around, and that's just scratching the surface. What about perennial home run threats Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion? While the Jays failed to advance past the ALCS last season, it was Bautista who arguably provided the season's most memorable moment with his iconic bat flip in the deciding win over the Rangers in the prior round. That's the kind of spunk this offense brings. It's also scary to think that they also have Troy Tulowitzki within their supporting cast when he would be the main bat in several other lineups. Russell Martin and Michael Saunders are also capable with the wood, too, and don't forget about intriguing young second baseman Devon Travis, as he'll be back from injury in May.

If there's one thing that can hold the Blue Jays back, it's their starting pitching, which could take a step back in 2016 with David Price and Mark Buehrle no longer on the staff. They will, however, get a full season out of potential star Marcus Stroman barring injury, as he's someone that has real potential to be an ace in the coming years. Marco Estrada is also a crucial name in this pitching rotation, coming off a phenomenal first year with the club. While former NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey appears to be declining, Toronto did bolster their pitching by signing underrated southpaw J.A. Happ to bring some more stability. Aaron Sanchez also may have a hand in how this rotation fares. The relief corps looks to be in a bit better shape, as either the impressive Roberto Osuna or newcomer Drew Storen will be the closer, and former All-Star Brett Cecil is still here in a setup role. No matter what, though, as long as the Jays continue to mash, they'll be a factor, as expected.

New York Yankees - Predicted Record: 81-81

In 2015, the Yankees were finally free of historic farewells, after Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter tearfully said their goodbyes in the previous two campaigns, and the result was a trip back to the postseason, albeit one that ended right away in the AL Wild Card Game. Although they didn't make many notable changes to the roster, there is still hope the Bronx Bombers can craft together one of their trademark storied playoff runs.

Most people don't realize it but New York scored the second-most runs in all of baseball last year, and with much of the same lineup in place, they should at least hover around that same mark in 2016. That will especially ring true if veteran Mark Teixeira can pick up where he left off from his renaissance season of a year ago, and the same sentiment could be made for Alex Rodriguez in the second-to-last campaign of his polarizing career. The Yankees also still have one of the most injury-prone outfields, comprised of Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brett Gardner, but if they can stay healthy for the most part, those three guys can still be productive. Meanwhile, Brian McCann is still a regular contributor from behind the plate, while the club should benefit from the upgrade they made at second base after trading for Starlin Castro.

As impactful as the offense may be, the starting rotation could have just as high a ceiling. Masahiro Tanaka, despite battling injury, showed flashes of his dominance from his rookie season the year prior, and as long as he can stay healthy, that'd be crucial. Michael Pineda endured a bit of a drop-off last season as well, but is still someone that can be leaned upon every fifth day for reliable pitching. There's also Nathan Eovaldi, coming off a nice debut campaign with the Yanks. Interestingly, it could be sophomore Luis Severino who provides the most noteworthy statline at the end of the day, after exhibiting outstanding potential as a rookie. For New York to make a serious push, though, odds are they'll need a productive showing from either C.C. Sabathia or Ivan Nova, which is definitely possible. The area to really get excited about if you're a Yankees fan is their remarkable bullpen, which will now have Aroldis Chapman closing games when he returns from suspension. Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances are also still here, and when the three are working together, it will unquestionably be the most lethal back-end of the bullpen in the majors. However, it will be a real challenge overcoming a division that will be much improved collectively.

Tampa Bay Rays - Predicted Record: 77-85

Despite finishing under .500 in 2015, the Rays still overachieved in getting to 80-82 while staying in the Wild Card hunt for the majority of the campaign, an encouraging accomplishment for a young team in its first year in the post-David Price era. With a solid pitching staff and a scrappy lineup, it now wouldn't catch anyone off guard if Tampa Bay were to end up in the postseason.

As it was alluded to, this is a pitching rotation that rolls pretty deep. Of course, it all starts with Chris Archer, the lively right-hander who has gradually developed into a legitimate ace over the past couple of years. Simply another performance in line with his usual work would be gladly accepted. After him, it's a relatively underrated group that could potentially impress significantly. Drew Smyly, for instance, is someone who flies under the radar, but has a high enough ceiling where he could actually be an All-Star as early as this year. Jake Odorizzi falls in that same category, having posted some pretty impressive numbers during his tenure with the Rays. Also, don't forget about Matt Moore, the former top prospect who was enjoying some success in the bigs until injuries limited him the past two seasons. The bullpen won't be as strong while Brad Boxberger is sidelined, but guys like Xavier Cedeno, Alex Colome and former Mariner closer Danny Farquhar are capable of finishing off ballgames.

Just like in their starting rotation, Tampa Bay only really has one big name concerning their offense, that being Evan Longoria. He's generally always provided steady production at the hot corner, but the Rays are going to need more than that if they plan on making an impact this season. They did acquire Corey Dickerson from the Rockies, and while he put up some pretty standout numbers during his time in Colorado, it may be a taller task trying to do that in another city. Steve Souza, Kevin Kiermaier and Logan Forsythe have shown something in the beginning of their respective careers and the club will need them to build on that in order to make a run. Unfortunately for the former Devil Rays, the AL East should be improved from last year, which will make it harder to stay afloat.

Baltimore Orioles - Predicted Record: 74-88

Right off the bat (pun intended), there's one thing that looks like it will be a certainty pertaining to the Orioles' 2016 season: offense. Lots of it. Playing their home games in a hitter-friendly park, with so many proven mashers, there should be a lot of high-scoring affairs at Camden Yards this year, but that will also be related to a lackluster pitching staff, which should ultimately be the club's undoing.

First, let's look at the good. The Orioles already had a potent lineup in place when the '15 campaign reached its conclusion, boasting such talented bats like Adam Jones and Manny Machado, both of whom are also stellar with the glove as well. They re-signed slugger Chris Davis, who has the ability to match any hitter in home runs over a full campaign. The offense got even more explosive when Baltimore was able to acquire Mark Trumbo and Pedro Alvarez, two guys who bring even more considerable power to this batting order. They also added Hyun-soo Kim, an established big bat in Korea. With Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy also still aboard, the Orioles can truly outslug anyone, one through nine, which should at least ensure a fun season for the faithful of the franchise.

But then there's that starting rotation that could easily finish very close to the bottom in team ERA, especially after losing Wei-Yin Chen. As it stands, Chris Tillman is at the top of the heap despite coming off his worst season in years. The mercurial Ubaldo Jimenez is still here, too, complete with his frustrating inconsistency. Miguel Gonzalez and Kevin Gausman are two solid starters, the latter of which always having a high ceiling, but he's yet to come close to fulfilling that. Baltimore also signed Yovani Gallardo, a fine move by the team for stability, but it just won't be enough to propel the Orioles. They're stuck with that mantra that they could be the Colorado Rockies of the American League, and while it's fun to watch those type of games, it doesn't add up to success in the standings. Thus, there could be a disappointing showing for the O's in their immediate future.

Evaluating AL East Division Bets

The linesmakers just love to sometimes toy around with the emotions of fans in the bigger markets that would love to profit off their team in the coming year. Case in point, the Red Sox have endured consecutive finishes in the AL East basement, and still have some weaknesses, yet are +175 favorites to win the division. In other words, if a gambler were to make the bold call and take the Red Sox to win this tough division, the reward isn't as fruitful as it should be. In any event, they're a team that will certainly rebound. Toronto is also becoming a favorite amongst gamblers, and at +200, they'll draw a decent amount of action. Remember, though, that while they easily outscored the rest of the league last year, their pitching might be worse in 2016, which would easily doom them in this day and age. The Yankees look like a solid value bet at +330 for their potential this year, so bettors should certainly take that under review as well. On the other end of the spectrum, the Orioles and Rays register +700 and +900 odds, respectively, which may look tempting, but simply put, they're just not as complete as the other three division residents. Baltimore's starting pitching should be the worst of the group, if not the entire AL, and will be their downfall, while Tampa Bay's offense ranks far, far below its rivals. Yes, both clubs have the potential to surprise, but to exceed all three of the Sawx, Jays and Yanks? The odds don't even justify making that bet.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:48 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

NL East Betting Preview: Can Mets dominant rotation deliver another division title?
By STEVE MERRIL

2015 was supposed to be the Nationals' year. But it was the Mets who took over the NL East and won not only the division, but the NL Pennant, thanks to dominant pitching and some clutch hitting. But postseason hero Daniel Murphy has traded in his Mets uniform for that of the rival Nats. Has the division swung back in Washington's favor or is the Mets' rotation just too strong?

Atlanta Braves (2015: 67-95, -1,643 units, 81-72-9 O/U)

Division odds: +8,000
Season win total: 67.5

Why bet the Braves: They play in a weak division that saw two other teams (Marlins and Phillies) go just 71-91 and 63-99 last season. Atlanta improved the top of their batting order with the addition of outfielder Ender Inciarte and shortstop Erick Aybar. Right-hander Julio Teheran, has the potential to be an ace for this pitching rotation.

Why not bet the Braves: They went just 67-95 last season despite a solid 28-18 record in 1-run games. Had they not been fortunate to win 61 percent of those close games, their record would have been even worse. In fact, their X-WL (expected won-loss record using runs scored differential) was 61-101 last year.

Season win total pick: Under 67.5 wins

Miami Marlins (2015: 71-91, -1,413 units, 77-77-8 O/U)

Division odds: +1,200
Season win total: 79.5

Why bet the Marlins: There is talent at the top of the lineup card, with second baseman Dee Gordon, who batted .333 last season with 58 stolen bases, and right fielder Giancarlo Stanton who clobbered 27 home runs in just 74 games played. That would translate to 59 home runs over a full 162 game season. The pitching rotation added lefty Wei-Yin Chen, which gives Miami a solid second starter behind ace Jose Fernandez.

Why not bet the Marlins: The team did little to improve their overall roster from last year's 71-91 squad. The bottom of the batting order is very weak and other than Stanton and Justin Bour at the top, no other player had more than 10 home runs last season. Durability is an issue as the team's best hitter (Stanton) missed 88 games last year, while their best pitcher (Fernandez) only started 11 games.

Season win total pick: Over 79.5 wins

New York Mets (2015: 90-72, 589 units, 84-72-6 O/U)

Division odds: -130
Season win total: 89.5

Why bet the Mets: The defending National League champions have the best 1-2-3 punch of any starting rotation in the league with Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, and Noah Syndergaard. They also have a reliable closer in Jeurys Familia, who pitched to a 1.85 ERA last season while converting 43 of 48 save opportunities.

Why not bet the Mets: They lost second baseman Daniel Murphy in the offseason to division rival Washington. Murphy was the team's best offensive weapon in the postseason and the most consistent player in the regular season (130 games played). Durability for the rest of the lineup is a major concern as outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and third baseman David Wright missed 229 regular season games combined last year.

Season win total pick: Over 89.5 wins

Philadelphia Phillies (2015: 63-99, -842 units, 86-64-12 O/U)

Division odds: +8,000
Season win total: 65.5

Why bet the Phillies: They have some young talent which could surprise. Third baseman Maikel Franco hit 14 dingers with 50 RBI in just 80 games last season. His numbers should be even better this year in a full season at the big league level. The team also has power at first base with Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf combining for 35 home runs and 116 RBI last year.

Why not bet the Phillies: The pitching rotation is the worst in the league. They had a 4.69 ERA last season which was only ahead of the Rockies who play in thin air and altitude, while their 5.09 ERA on the road was the worst of any team. The Phillies' top two starting pitchers this year will be Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton. Hellickson's ERA has been 4.52 or worse in each of the past three seasons, while Morton's career ERA is just 4.54. The bullpen provides even less support.

Season win total pick: Under 65.5 wins

Washington Nationals (2015: 83-79, -1,887 units, 83-71-8 O/U)

Division odds: +120
Season win total: 88.5

Why bet the Nationals: The team now has extra motivation and value after underachieving last season and missing the postseason despite being the preseason World Series favorite. Washington is still loaded with talent, including the best overall player in the league in outfielder Bryce Harper. Pair him with three strong starting pitchers in Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez, and Stephen Strasburg and the Nats are primed to bounce back. They also acquired former Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy in the offseason.

Why not bet the Nationals: The Nationals only went 83-79 last season despite playing in the weak NL East division, which had three other teams go 71-91, 67-95, and 63-99. Washington was only 39-45 in all non-division games. They also lost their second best starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, in the offseason to the Tigers.

Season win total pick: Over 88.5 wins

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:48 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

NL East Preview
By Matt Zylbert

New York Mets - Predicted Record: 93-69

What a year it was for the Mets in 2015. From their unlikely run in outlasting the Nationals for the NL East title, to owning October on their way to the franchise's first World Series berth in 15 years, it was the definition of a special campaign. No one has quite had a beat as strong on the Mets as yours' truly, having now predicted New York's final exact record within three games or less in three straight years, including projecting them for last season's improbable playoff run. And there's still more progress on the way as it pertains to the Metropolitans.

First and foremost, the clear-cut main reason the Mets rapidly took off had to do with their remarkable starting pitching. Up and down the staff, this club is built for many years to come, and it's scary to think that this group actually may be even better collectively in '16. Of course, everyone already knew about Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey, two of the brightest young right-handers in the game today who should continue coasting along while in their prime. After an outstanding rookie season, everyone is now aware of Noah Syndergaard and the potential greatness he brings to the table. Steven Matz also flashed that same fantastic potential, albeit in a much shorter sample size due to injury, but the fact remains he's got an extremely promising future. Meanwhile, veteran Bartolo Colon resides at the bottom of the rotation, serving as a placeholder until ultra-underrated right-hander Zack Wheeler is ready to return from Tommy John in a few months. The bullpen is also in desirable shape, with Jeurys Familia established as the overpowering closer, and Addison Reed and newcomer Antonio Bastardo setting him up.

While it was the pitching rotation that paced the Mets to a wildly successful showing last season, it was the arrival of one slugger in particular that really carried the franchise towards solidifying that National League pennant. That, of course, would be in reference to the trade deadline deal for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who single-handedly rejuvenated a formerly lifeless offense that was previously scuffling mightily. Cespedes is the unquestioned star in this lineup, and there are some other good pieces here, too. Curtis Granderson, Travis d'Arnaud, Lucas Duda and longtime captain David Wright each play pivotal roles in helping manufacture runs, and the same should hold true in the new year. Furthermore, Michael Conforto flashed some promise last season as a rookie, while the Mets also added the serviceable Neil Walker to replace the departed Daniel Murphy. All in all, the Mets have everything needed to sustain their success and keep it going.

Washington Nationals - Predicted Record: 90-72

The Nationals entered 2015 with legitimate World Series aspirations, and were even tabbed with the highest win total in baseball by the linesmakers, but instead, the club fell well short of their expectations, even embarrassingly missing out on the postseason. It was a performance that led to the firing of Matt Williams, but with Dusty Baker now in charge, things are shaping up for the franchise to at least win their first postseason series in the post-Montreal era.

There may not be a more dangerous bat in the game today than Bryce Harper, who took another step forward in establishing his excellence with his first career NL MVP award last season. As long as he stays healthy, another monster campaign should be in his immediate future. The fate of the club just won't rest on his shoulders, as the Nats will need notable contributions from their other position players if they want to accomplish big things. For instance, Anthony Rendon must rebound from an injury-plagued campaign and record something more in line with his standout 2014 season. Jayson Werth also endured a forgettable year and it's important he gets back on track. Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos, meanwhile, are two veteran Nationals hitters still capable of making their mark. The team is also expecting an upgrade at second base, where they interestingly installed former rival Daniel Murphy through free agency.

Pitching should be this club's strong suit, boasting perhaps the most dominant 1-2 punch in the league, if not all of baseball. Max Scherzer had a terrific showing in his first year with the Nats, even starting the All-Star game for the National League. Stephen Strasburg, meanwhile, had some injury problems through the first half, but when he returned, the former No. 1 overall draft pick was normal again and absolutely unhittable. His continued progress will be a big factor in where Washington ends up this season. With Gio Gonzalez, Tanner Roark and young Joe Ross following him on the staff, it's a real quality group, and also be on the lookout for top prospect Lucas Giolito. If there's one concern in D.C., it would be concerning the bullpen, which could be an issue at times last year. Veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon is still here, but getting the ball to him isn't a sure thing, with names like Shawn Kelley, Felipe Rivero and Blake Treinen setting him up. Even so, the Nationals should contend once again and will most likely duke it out with the Mets in one of the sport's best growing rivalries.

Miami Marlins - Predicted Record: 85-77

Things got so messy in South Beach last season that the general manager was deployed to manage the team from the dugout, despite having zero prior experience in that area. Thus, the end result of a very disappointing season came as no surprise when factored in with notable injuries, but there is considerable hope that the Marlins can get back on track in '16 with new manager Don Mattingly leading the way.

When it comes to Miami, it all starts with arguably the game's best slugger in Giancarlo Stanton, who is looking to stay healthy after an injury-ravaged campaign a year ago. If he can accomplish that and churn out his usual monstrous home run output, the Marlins will be right in the hunt. They have some other pieces on offense that are worth raving over, too, such as blooming young outfielder Christian Yelich. Also, let's not forget Dee Gordon is coming off a completely unexpected batting title, and is part of one of the niftier middle infield combos in the league alongside Adeiny Hechavarria. Additionally, Justin Bour and JT Realmuto stood out as rookies, and if they can build on those freshman showings, the Marlins will be in really good shape, especially if talented outfielder Marcel Ozuna can return to old form.

The Fish don't just have a superstar on offense; they have one in their starting rotation, too. Jose Fernandez, now more than a year separated from Tommy John, is bracing for his first full year since the surgery, and if he can simply continue what he's been doing since arriving in the 2013 season, the Marlins will have a real dominant ace that can toe the rubber against anyone. Wei-Yin Chen was acquired to slide into the No. 2 slot, and could end up being one of the top offseason signings. With fine innings-eaters like Jarred Cosart and Tom Koehler behind him, there is a pitching staff in place that is actually pretty sound from top to bottom. That's key because their bullpen is also in good shape, as despite losing the electric Carter Capps for the year, they still have A.J. Ramos closing games, with the formidable trifecta of Bryan Morris, Mike Dunn and Kyle Barraclough serving as setup men. Don't be surprised if the Marlins make a push.

Philadelphia Phillies - Predicted Record: 73-89

It's tough these days to be a Philadelphia sports fan, especially as it concerns the city's baseball franchise, which has finished in the NL East basement in consecutive years now. Fortunately, the dreaded rebuild could be reaching its Pinnacle sooner than anticipated, and while it probably won't happen in the upcoming campaign, there's still enough here to perhaps generate a decent season for Philly faithful.

If there's one man in the Phillies lineup that can single-handedly carry the club and help them avoid the NL East basement for a third straight season, it would be rising third baseman Maikel Franco, who impressed as a rookie and appears to be carrying over that momentum through a dazzling spring training. There's a significant gap, however, between Franco and the outlook of the rest of the offense, which is still saddled with the declining Ryan Howard in it. Carlos Ruiz is still here also, and he's shown some signs of fading as well. Cesar Hernandez, Odubel Herrera and Freddy Galvis are some of the youngsters besides Franco that the Phillies are trying to invest in, but there's not a very high ceiling amongst the three of them. The team will also be without Aaron Altherr due to injury for the majority of the slate.

The pitching staff also does not yield a great amount of hope to contend this season, but there are certainly some intriguing young arms amongst this group. Aaron Nola, for one, has the potential to be an upper echelon starter for years to come, and Jerrad Eickhoff, who came over in the Cole Hamels deal, exhibited some real positive signs last year that indicate he's a part of the future, too. In addition, Philadelphia picked up Vincent Velasquez, another talented youngster who has potential to be a solid strikeout artist. With veterans Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton also amongst this group, though, the Phillies will have a tough time matching up against the brilliant rotations in this division. The same could be said of their bullpen, which no longer has Ken Giles or Jonathan Papelbon, and will instead be leaning on either David Hernandez or Andrew Bailey to finish off ballgames. All things considered, the Phillies might actually be a sleeper team in terms of going over their win total, but that's probably the kindest statement that can be made.

Atlanta Braves - Predicted Record: 66-96

Remember that time the Braves won 14 consecutive division titles? Yeah, it's now been 10 years since that historic run came to an end and in that time, Atlanta has amassed just one more NL East crown. Furthermore, they’ve managed to avoid last-place along the way, but entering this season, are looking at the prospect of their first finish in the division cellar since 1990.

Offensively, Atlanta is built around its talented veteran Freddie Freeman, though the star first baseman is still experiencing wrist issues that plagued him in 2015. That's definitely something to keep an eye on because beyond him, there isn't much additional pop. A.J. Pierzynski and Nick Markakis used to be two dependable veterans, but those days are gone, and now they are two miscast bats on a rebuilding roster. The Braves do have some fine youngsters, as Jace Peterson and Adonis Garcia displayed some noteworthy potential a year ago in their rookie campaigns. However, the lineup significantly pales in comparison to that of their division rivals. Hector Olivera and Ender Inciarte are also two unintimidating key components in the batting order.

It's not surprising that the Braves, who succeeded so well on marvelous starting pitching in their glory days, are now suffering from a severe lack of it. Julio Teheran, the staff ace, was tremendously disappointing last season, and will have to improve greatly if this club wants to stay afloat. Atlanta added Bud Norris over the offseason to be a big contributor, and while this author has always been a huge fan of Bud, the fact remains he's coming off an awful year that even led to his release from the Orioles in-season. He did thrive, though, when he was last a regular starter in the NL, so there is potential for him to be a silver lining. At the end of the day, Atlanta must get accelerated development from the likes of Matt Wisler, Manny Banuelos, Williams Perez and Michael Foltynewicz. The bullpen actually looks like it has enough talent to be a main strength for the club, with promising right-hander Arodys Vizcaino closing, and a talented trio of Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson and Alexi Ogando setting him up. However, that won't be enough, and the Braves are staring at a very challenging road ahead.

Evaluating NL East Division Bets

There's no question the Marlins offer the best value with their +800 odds to win the division. For gamblers who don't want to make that commitment, but still want to invest in their potential growth, then Over 79 Wins is probably up your alley. More likely than not, they will be unable to supplant both the Nationals and Mets, but they certainly have the potential to pass one of them when the season is all said and done, which would mean they'd easily register 80-plus wins. Even in third they could still go over the total. They're still the best value, though, because the Mets are an undesirable -125, entering the season with a completely different feel compared to last year, as they are now being hunted not just by their division rivals, but by the rest of the league as well. Meanwhile, Washington is +100, which is tempting, but it'd be nice if there was a slightly bigger payout considering the monumental disaster they went through in 2015. It's still a solid bet, though. Gamblers who like longshots shouldn't waste their time with Braves +6000 and Phillies +6600.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:48 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

American League Central betting preview: The tightest division in baseball?
By MATT FARGO

It may be a little strange to think about because of how bad some of these teams have been over the years, but from top to bottom, the American League Central could be the tightest division race in baseball. With the favorite at +170 and the long shot is just +900. Oh yeah, the defending World Series champs are here too.

Chicago White Sox (2015: 76-86, -1,266 units, 76-79-7 O/U)

Division odds: +560
Season win total: 80.5

Why bet the White Sox: Many thought last year was when Chicago would make a big move up and this year, that is the thought once again. The White Sox improved their offense with the additions of Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie and they possess one of the top starters in baseball in Chris Sale while having arguably the most underrated in Jose Quintana. Defensively, they are improved too which can help an average bullpen.

Why not bet the White Sox: Chicago hit the free agent market last year and struck out big time and it is possible Frazier has hit his max potential while Lawrie is nothing special. The bottom of the batting lineup and the bottom of the rotation are both weak. Only the Mariners, Marlins, and Padres have longer postseason droughts than Chicago so do these players know how to win?

Season win total pick: Under 80.5 Wins

Cleveland Indians (2015: 81-80, -1,320 units, 79-80-2 O/U)

Division odds: +175
Season win total: 85.5

Why bet the Indians: The Indians have now had three straight winning seasons so they know how to win, but need to take the next step. The starting rotation is one of the best in the league led by 2014 Cy Young Winner Corey Kluber and followed by Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, each coming off 14-win seasons. The bullpen had the second lowest ERA in the league last season.

Why not bet the Indians: Michael Brantley, the most consistent hitter over the last three years, had surgery on his right shoulder and could miss the first month of the regular season. This is not good news for a horrible offense that did nothing to improve in the offseason. While Kluber won the CY Young two years ago, he led the league in losses last year so we are not sure what to expect.

Season win total pick: Under 85.5 Wins

Detroit Tigers (2015: 74-87, -1,030 units, 85-68-8 O/U)

Division odds: +500
Season win total: 81.5

Why bet the Tigers: Detroit went from first to worst so there is definitely value with the Tigers this season as injuries played a big role in their decline. They signed Jordan Zimmerman away from Washington and he has been very consistent when healthy. Justin Verlander had a great second half, posting a 2.80 ERA after missing time and pitching poorly early. The offense should be potent again.

Why not bet the Tigers: The Tigers big three, Verlander, Cabrera and Martinez, are 33, 33 and 37 so the fact they were all injured last season is not that surprising. The trades of David Price and Yoenis Cespedes brought in some excellent young talent but is still pretty unproven. Detroit is on the decline while the once youthful teams around them are catching up quickly with Kansas City already moving past.

Season win total pick: Over 81.5 Wins

Kansas City Royals (2015: 95-67, +51,944 units, 73-75-14 O/U)

Division odds: +170
Season win total: 84.5

Why bet the Royals: After winning 95 games during the regular season and capturing the World Series, there seems to be a ton of value with the Royals. The saying goes ‘defense wins championships’ and Kansas City proved that correct with the best defense in the league. This is a very athletic team that can win many different ways even though the long ball is not one of those.

Why not bet the Royals: The big factor now is after two successful years, other teams have the scouting ability to beat the Royals. As mentioned, the offense can rarely win with just one swing of the bat. While it was a given that Johnny Cueto was not going to sign here, his loss will be felt and his replacement is Ian Kennedy. The teams in the Central are not getting any worse.

Season win total pick: Over 84.5 Wins

Minnesota Twins (2015: 83-79, +2,029 units, 72-78-12 O/U)

Division odds: +900
Season win total: 79.5

Why bet the Twins: Manager Paul Molitor thrived in his first season in Minnesota as he led the team to a 13-game improvement and a second place finish. Winning is contagious and after four straight losing seasons, Molitor has brought in a winning culture. The starting rotation improved immensely last year and should be better again while the bullpen will be a lot healthier this year.

Why not bet the Twins: Were the Twins that much better or were the other teams besides Kansas City underachievers? Probably a little bit of both. The offense remains a work in progress as besides Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer, many people would be hard-pressed to name another player in the batting order. An average Ervin Santana is the No. 1 starter with a lot of wild cards behind him.

Season win total pick: Over 79.5 Wins

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

AL Central Preview
By Matt Zylbert

Cleveland Indians - Predicted Record: 91-71

Despite being embattled in a discouraging trend that has seen the team regress in all three years under manager Terry Francona, the fact remains that the Indians are actually entering the new campaign with three consecutive winning seasons. While they haven't advanced past the AL Wild Card Game within that span, there is hope that a deep young pitching staff that just oozes potential can get them back into the playoffs.

One through five, it's a group that really has promise. Of course, it all begins with former AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, who is coming off a down season by his standards, but most would agree that he was actually better than his final numbers. Carlos Carrasco is getting a lot of hype in fantasy baseball circles, and perhaps rightfully so, as he's shown some high-ceiling potential throughout his still-young career. So has Danny Salazar, a notable strikeout artist that, if he can just cut down the walks, has the ability to be an All-Star pitcher. There's Trevor Bauer, who is very good to have in the No. 4 slot, while Josh Tomlin is a fine innings-eater at the bottom of it. Stacked rotations can pace the way for teams like this one, and if this staff stays healthy collectively, they have a real shot of propelling the Indians on a run. They can get some quality relief work as well, with Cody Allen installed as the closer and the underrated Bryan Shaw as his main setup man.

Offensively, Cleveland doesn't have as much to brag about, but they could still have enough, led by a solid nucleus of talent. Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, and the returning Michael Brantley -- as long as he's able to overcome offseason shoulder surgery -- is a nice trio of hitters to lean on, and are definitely capable of sustaining their success another year. The x-factor, though, in this lineup just might be sophomore shortstop Francisco Lindor, who has potential to be really special. His growth and performance could play the most pivotal role in where this team ends up at season's end. Yan Gomes also has a chance to finally break out if he can stay healthy, while veterans Mike Napoli and Juan Uribe are fine to have as role players. With such talented starting pitching leading the way, as long as the offense can perform decently, the Indians will emerge as one of the league's surprise teams in '16.

Kansas City Royals - Predicted Record: 84-78

One year after narrowly losing the World Series in seven games, the Royals were able to get back to the Fall Classic in 2015 and secure their first championship in 30 years, doing so in decisive fashion opposite the Mets while further solidifying their standing as one of baseball's perennial powers. Heading into the new season, does this look like a team that can pull off a repeat?

Well, one thing to their advantage is that they've largely been able to keep the same group together, which is always a plus when you're coming off a championship run. That is especially true as it concerns their fine offense, which has boasted the same core for awhile now. Of course, some of the most recognizable names are World Series MVP Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas, all of whom rank in the top-half of the league at their respective positions. ALCS MVP Lorenzo Cain, who emerged in a big way last season, is still here, too, as is slugging designated hitter Kendrys Morales. Up and down the lineup, it's a very balanced group, and one, as often on display throughout '15, that can be absolutely relentless. With that same approach, the Royals offense should continue to keep them in ballgames.

But ah, here's where Kansas City could fall apart; their starting pitching is definitely suspect. Johnny Cueto is no longer in town, and in his place is Ian Kennedy, whom the club inked over the offseason. That's a pretty noticeable downgrade. Yordano "Ace" Ventura regressed a bit last year from his impressive rookie campaign, and really, the only stable pitcher in this rotation now appears to be Edinson Volquez, something that isn't exactly desirable when you're trying to pull off back-to-back titles. Expecting Chris Young to repeat his renaissance season of a year ago will also be a tough sell. Luckily for the Royals, they still do sport one of the strongest bullpens anywhere, as despite not having Greg Holland for the year, they now have the unhittable Wade Davis locked in as the closer, while Kelvin Herrera, Joakim Soria and Luke Hochevar are as good a set-up trio as you can have. With such a questionable pitching staff, though, not to mention the improvement of their fellow AL Central residents, it could be a struggle for KC to even get back into the playoffs.

Detroit Tigers - Predicted Record: 82-80

It was a hard fall from grace last year for the Tigers, who entered 2015 with four consecutive AL Central titles, not to mention one World Series appearance over that span. Not only did that streak end, it came to a crashing halt, as Detroit crashed all the way into the division cellar. But it wasn't just the team's fault, having to deal with considerable injuries to some of their star players all year long, while most of their rivals were rapidly improving.

If their lineup can stay healthy this time around, it really can be as good as any around, still consisting of such premium sluggers like former Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, J.D. Martinez, Victor Martinez, and now Justin Upton, whom was signed over the winter. In addition, let's not forget about former All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler pacing these mashers atop the batting order. Cameron Maybin and Nick Castellanos have some pop as well. Without question, the Tigers offense is capable of outscoring anybody.

While Detroit's hitting should be a dependable constant, the same cannot be said of their starting pitching, which will be far from any sort of certainty. There's still Justin Verlander here, and while he had a solid rebound campaign last season, he's now years removed from his prime. They managed to sign Jordan Zimmermann over the winter, someone who will definitely provide an upgrade for this pitching staff, but with Anibal Sanchez, Mike Pelfrey and Daniel Norris behind him, it's just not a very encouraging group overall. The bullpen, though, looks like it has enough quality arms to be stable. The Tigers will receive an upgrade at closer with the addition of Francisco Rodriguez, and with Justin Wilson and Mark Lowe serving as his setup men, their relief corps could rank above many when all is said and done. Ultimately, the Tigers should at least get much closer than last year in trying to retain their Central division throne, but at the same time, it wouldn't be a surprise if they settled in the middle of the pack.

Chicago White Sox - Predicted Record: 77-85

There's an argument that could be made that the White Sox were the most disappointing team in the American League last season. With superstar-caliber players featured on both sides of the ball, this was a team that was supposed to take a leap, but ended up taking a backseat in second-to-last place.

One such superstar residing within the south side of Chicago is Chris Sale, the Clayton Kershaw-type ace of the American League who had arguably the most memorable run of any starter in 2015, when he tied the major league record with eight straight starts in which he struck out 10 batters or more. Is there enough beyond him, though? Jose Quintana has been as steady as any mid-rotation pitcher in the game the last few years, but might be a little out of his element cast as the team's No. 2 hurler. Carlos Rodon is a very intriguing prospect with a mega high ceiling, but could experience more growing pains in his sophomore season if he can't cut down on his walks. Meanwhile, John Danks and Mat Latos are below-average options for a major league rotation at this stage in their careers, and their presence could end up being costly for the White Sox. At least the bullpen looks sharp with David Robertson still closing and Nate Jones setting him up along with the resurgent Zach Duke.

Jose Abreu is the other superstar currently logging his prime years in Chicago, and it's his bat that is the main driving force of this lineup. He has another big-time hitter joining him this season on the opposite corner of the diamond, that being regular power threat Todd Frazier (although it cost them Zylbert Guy starting pitching prospect Frankie Montas). Adam Eaton, meanwhile, is not a superstar, at least not yet, but he has developed into a solid leadoff man who has a real leadership-type role on this team. Don't forget about Melky Cabrera either, being someone can still play at a high level when he stays healthy. There's potential with this team, but in such a tough and competitive division, it'll be real difficult again to break through.

Minnesota Twins - Predicted Record: 74-88

Although they did not make the playoffs a year ago, the Twins were undoubtedly one of the surprise teams in all of baseball, hovering around the top of the AL Wild Card hunt all year, even claiming ownership of one of the two spots for much of the campaign as well. They ultimately faded at the very end, but the message was received that they're back on the way up.

Or are they? Their strides last year were impressive, but Minnesota is still a club with glaring weaknesses. For one, their starting rotation is a little concerning. Phil Hughes, after all, is the leader of the staff, but is still prone to getting roughed up on occasion, especially when away from home. While this author has long been a supporter of Kyle Gibson, he may need to pick up his strikeouts if he really wants to ascend into an All-Star-type pitcher and help the Twins progress further. Ervin Santana and Tommy Milone are the other notable arms in place here, and will have to both be successful for Minnesota to make any noise, though that won't be an easy task. Their main relievers are pretty good, at least, as Glen Perkins has been marvelous as the team's closer for a few years now, and he has a fine group setting him up comprised of Kevin Jepsen, Trevor May and Casey Fien.

The Twins offense probably has a higher ceiling, and much of that has to do with the growth of their special youngster over at the hot corner Miguel Sano, who really does have MVP-caliber potential if his rookie showing is any indication. Odds are he's going to be an impact bat for the next several years. Sano is sparking a youth movement that also consists of Byron Buxton, the speedy outfielder that boasts a lot of promise, and Brian Dozier, someone already entrenched as one of the better offensive second basemen in the game. Minnesota will absolutely need more contributions around them, specifically from former AL MVP Joe Mauer, who hasn't been as successful in recent years, but can still swing a solid bat. Trevor Plouffe and newcomer Byung-ho Park will be relied upon as well. Despite an encouraging campaign last year, the Twins might end up taking a step back in one of the more feisty divisions in baseball.

Evaluating AL Central Division Bets

Those looking to bet on Kansas City at +125 to continue their reign should be very weary of their starting pitching this year, as it could be single-handedly be their undoing. Also, the team's mental drive just may not be there this year, after winning it all following a year in which they narrowly lost by seven games in the World Series. Collectively, it's just a much different situation, and will be even tougher with improvements around the division. That's where bettors should consider the Indians at +220, armed with their potentially awesome starting rotation, a quality manager, and one of the game's top managers in Terry Francona. That's probably the best bet within this group. The Tigers are an intriguing bet at +400, as they can outhit anybody, and the pitching staff should ideally be improved after signing Jordan Zimmermann. The problem is their depth is lacking in that area. The White Sox are a very interesting +700 bet, but remember, they were a big disappointment last season, and will enter the new campaign with that annoying off-the-field distraction over Adam LaRoche's son that has pitted the clubhouse against the general manager. Meanwhile, Minnesota made some nice positive strides last year, making their +1000 odds stand out, but more likely than not, they simply won't outlast the other four teams. This is still a young team gradually trying to work its way up.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

National League Central betting preview: Is it finally the Cubs year?
By STEVE MERRIL

Is this the year the Cubs finally break the "Curse of the Billy Goat" and capture their first World Series title since 1908? Well the expectations in Chicago are enormous this season and the question will be can the Cubs hold up to the pressure of those lofty expectations.

Chicago Cubs (2015: 97-65, 1,751 units, 71-81-10 O/U)

Division odds: -240

Season win total: 93.5

Why bet the Cubs: This team continues to improve, including a 97-win playoff appearance last year. The Cubs strengthened their offensive lineup and pitching rotation by acquiring OF Jason Heyward and SP John Lackey from division rival St. Louis in the offseason. Chicago now has one of the best rotations in the league along with Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester.

Why not bet the Cubs: Chicago finished last season with eight straight wins, but they still finished only 3rd in this division as the NL Central is extremely competitive with the Cardinals and Pirates. Chicago was a fortunate 13-5 in extra inning games which inflated their overall record. The Cubs' X_WL (expected won-loss record using runs scored differential) was only 90-72 last year.

Season win total pick: Over 93.5 wins

Cincinnati Reds (2015: 64-98, -3,110 unit, 83-73-6 O/U)

Division odds: +10,000
Season win total: 70.5

Why bet the Reds: The Reds were a bit unlucky in close games last season, including just 5-12 in extra inning affairs. In fact, Cincinnati's X_WL (expected won-loss record using runs scored differential) was 69-93 last year. The team has replaced several unproductive players in the lineup with younger prospects, so there is a level of uncertainty on this roster which could surprise.

Why not bet the Reds: The pitching rotation looks horrible with starters such as Homer Bailey (5.56 ERA), Anthony DeSclafani (4.05 ERA), Raisel Iglesias (4.15 ERA), John Lamb (5.80 ERA), and Michael Lorenzen (5.40 ERA). They also lost 3B Todd Frazier (35 HR, 89 RBI) and closer Aroldis Chapman (1.63 ERA, 33 saves) during the offseason.

Season win total pick: Under 70.5 wins

Milwaukee Brewers (2015: 68-94, -2,081 units, 81-69-12 O/U

Division odds: +6,000
Season win total: 70

Why bet the Brewers: They have some young talent and one of the better farm systems in the league as new general manager David Sterns helped rebuild the Houston Astros. Milwaukee's starting rotation has potential as both Matt Garza and Wily Peralta should pitch better this season after underachieving last year. RHP Taylor Jungmann showed promise with 107 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched as a rookie last year.

Why not bet the Brewers: Milwaukee has a very young and unproven lineup in a very difficult division that saw the Cardinals, Pirates and Cubs win a combined 295 regular season games last year. The Brewers were a competitive 16-16 in one-run games last season, but they went a horrendous 52-78 in all other games.

Season win total pick: Over 70 wins

Pittsburgh Pirates (2015: 98-64, 2,135 units, 75-75-12 O/U)

Division odds: +450
Season win totals: 86.5

Why bet the Pirates: They had the second most wins (98) in the league last season and they had the best overall offense in NL Central, leading the division in team batting average, on-base percentage, hits and runs scored. CF Andrew McCutchen remains one of the best all-around players in the league. RHP Gerrit Cole (2.60 ERA/1.09 WHIP) has become a legitimate ace, and the Pirates acquired LHP Jon Niese from the Mets in the offseason.

Why not bet the Pirates: The Pirates were fortunate to go 36-17 in one-run games last year and will likely regress this season in close games. Pittsburgh's X_WL (expected won-loss record using runs scored differential) was only 92-70 last year, so the team overachieved. Meanwhile, they did not make enough offseason acquisitions to keep pace with the Cubs and Cardinals this season.

Season win total pick: Under 86.5 wins

St. Louis Cardinals (2015: 100-62, 2,247 units, 66-85-11 O/U)

Division odds: +400
Season win total: 87.5

Why bet the Cardinals: They have five straight playoff appearances, including three straight division titles. Last season they became the first team to win 100 regular season games in the past four years, despite missing their best starting pitcher Adam Wainwright for five months due to an Achilles injury. Wainwright is now healthy this season and St. Louis have a dominant bullpen along with closer Trevor Rosenthal.

Why not bet the Cardinals: The depth of the starting pitching rotation is a concern. Wainwright missed five months last season, plus Jaime Garcia and Carlos Martinez had recent injuries. Lance Lynn will miss this entire season due to Tommy John surgery, while RHP John Lackey and OF Jason Heyward were both acquired by division rival Chicago this offseason.

Season win total pick: Under 87.5 wins

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

NL Central Preview
By Matt Zylbert

Chicago Cubs - Predicted Record: 94-68

Arguably the most glaring surprise from all of last season (and brilliantly predicted by this author, remember) was the rapid rise of the Cubs, who gelled together right away under new manager Joe Maddon, en route to reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2008. This time around, however, they will enter the new campaign with rocket-high expectations, but just may have enough blossoming talent to go even further than last year's trip to the NLCS.

There's no arguing that the young nucleus possessed by Chicago is as bright as it gets anywhere else. Kris Bryant made his much-anticipated debut last season, and proceeded to win the NL Rookie of the Year honors with ease. It's more likely than not that he evolves into one of the best third basemen in the sport. Anthony Rizzo is already one of the elite players at his position on the opposite corner of the diamond, and should continue churning out his usual production. Kyle Shwarber is another big name in this youth movement, someone capable of registering outstanding numbers over a full season. The Cubs didn't just stay content with that, also adding Jayson Heyward and Ben Zobrist, two veterans who should bolster the offense and defense. They also re-signed Dexter Fowler to remain in his role as the club's leadoff man.

With last year's NL Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta leading the pitching rotation, the Cubs have arguably the best ace in the league. Jon Lester would be an ace on several other teams, but fits in comfortably as the No. 2 hurler, providing Chicago with a lethal 1-2 punch. The team did make one alteration for this year's staff, prying away John Lackey from the division rival Cardinals, and the reliable veteran is capable of giving his new team an upgrade. Jason Hammel and young Kyle Hendricks round it out, and are fine starters to have on the back-end. The one area the Cubbies could use a little improvement is in the bullpen, but Hector Rondon is coming off a stellar first season as the team's closer. The pair of Pedro Strop and Justin Grimm appears to be solid enough in helping get him the ball for the ninth inning. Overall, it looks like it'll be another mightily successful season for the Cubs, and perhaps the final step in quenching the franchise's thirst for its first World Series title since 1908.

Pittsburgh Pirates - Predicted Record: 87-75

It seems like a distant memory now when the Pirates were the laughingstock of the National League, enduring an absolutely brutal stretch in which they missed the playoffs in 20 straight years. Then manager Clint Hurdle came to town and, no pun intended, turned the ship around for the Pirates. Now, Pittsburgh is firmly established as a perennial contender, with potential to do some big things in '16.

While it's mostly been a balanced effort over the past handful of seasons, the Pirates have easily stood out with their starting pitching staff. Gerrit Cole, for instance, debuted four years ago and has already risen to a very high level in which he is regarded as one of the best aces in the NL. Francisco Liriano has also performed like an upper echelon starter, having revitalized his career since arriving in the Steel City. The club will welcome new addition Jon Niese, who still has potential to be a productive mid-rotation arm in the bigs. They also added Ryan Vogelsong and Juan Nicasio, two guys capable of eating up innings on the back-end in case Jeff Locke falters. The bullpen has been just as stingy, as Mark Melancon has done a tremendous job at closer since taking over the job. Tony Watson, Neftali Feliz, Jared Hughes and Arquimedes Caminero comprise a desirable crew in setting him up.

When you look at Pittsburgh's outfield, it would be a fair argument to make that this could be the main reason why the Pirates advance into October baseball once again. Andrew McCutchen is a former NL MVP, and clearly, he's still very much in his prime as one of the league's best players. Playing alongside him are Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco, two extremely athletic studs who both come with a high ceiling. Also having key role players like Francisco Cervelli, Josh Harrison and Jung Ho Kang, the Pirates still possess a formidable lineup to back up their quality pitching rotation. Boasting the same type of balance that has propelled them in the past few years, the Pirates should still be mixing it up with the league's elite all year long.

St. Louis Cardinals - Predicted Record: 83-79

With three straight division titles under their belt, the Cardinals have built a stronghold over the NL Central, but will 2016 be the year their empire finally falls? It very well could be given the rapid emergence of some of their regular counterparts, but at the very least, this looks like a team that won't be going down without a fight.

When it comes to pitching, St. Louis is always well-stocked both within their rotation and their bullpen, and the same sentiment will ring true in the upcoming campaign. Although they won’t have injured right-hander Lance Lynn for the entire year, they will receive an upgrade in the form of veteran ace Adam Wainwright, who missed almost all of last season before returning at the very end in a relief role. Considering Waino has always been as consistent as anyone, that's huge. Young studs Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez are also back, looking to carry over their gradual progress from recent years. Also, don't forget about Jaime Garcia, who looked like he finally overcame his frequent injury issues, en route to registering his most starts in four seaons. The bullpen maintains a similar type of stability, and will once again implement the services of Trevor Rosenthal at closer. Kevin Siegrist, Jordan Walden and Seth Maness are the other quality arms residing in the 'pen.

On offense, there's an interesting blend of established veterans and blossoming youngsters. Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday and Jhonny Peralta, of course, represent the elder statesmen in the lineup, having each excelled for a number of years now. It's no secret that their health hasn't been as dependable in the recent past, so whenever the changing of the guard takes place, St. Louis still has some very nice young talent to lean on. Kolten Wong and Matt Carpenter have already experienced bouts of notable success, and will look to keep it going. Intriguing newer players like Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty, meanwhile, bring standout potential. At the end of the day, it simply boils down to whether or not this is all enough to stave off the Pirates and Cubs, and for the first time in awhile, it looks like the Cardinals won't be the team on top after game No. 162.

Milwaukee Brewers - Predicted Record: 74-88

Remember those Brewers teams from the early-2000s? Geoff Jenkins, Richie Sexson, Jeremy Burnitz, Ben Sheets, Glendon Rusch. They could mash, but would consistently land near the bottom of the NL Central, and based on last year's showing, in which the franchise produced their worst record in more than 10 years, well, those times could unfortunately be returning.

Milwaukee has a lot of "ifs" as it concerns their offense. If their longtime face of the franchise Ryan Braun can return to dominant form, this is a club that maybe has a chance to compete. Once a perennial All-Star, Braun's output has decreased in recent years. Can newcomer Chris Carter be a viable power source in the heart of the order? Maybe the slugger can finally cut down on his strikeouts, but he does bring intriguing power potential. Can veteran Aaron Hill turn back the clock? Is Domingo Santana ready to establish himself as an everyday slugger in the outfield? Is this the year Scooter Gennett evolves into an upper echelon second baseman? The Brew Crew needs a lot of things to go right for their offense to be consistently reliable.

The pitching staff, meanwhile, has questions of its own. Does Matt Garza still have what it takes to contribute as a mid-rotation starter? Can Wily Peralta somehow duplicate his 2014 showing? At the very least, they do have a couple of young arms with bright outlooks, particularly Taylor Jungmann and Jimmy Nelson. Jungmann, a former first-round draft pick, was sensational as a rookie last year, while Nelson has exhibited the potential that he can be one of the leaders of this group. Also, newcomer Chase Anderson might be an okay fit as a bottom-end starter. Milwaukee hasn't tabbed its closer yet but they do have some potentially fine arms to help finish off games, sporting the likes of Jeremy Jeffress, Will Smith, Cory Knebel and Michael Blazek. On paper, it looks like a transition year is on tap for the Brewers, but based on potential, this team may have the ability to surprise a bit. In other words, they're at least a sleeper team to go over their low win total.

Cincinnati Reds - Predicted Record: 64-98

An argument could be made that the Reds were the most difficult team to handicap last year. Why? Well, hmm, they only started a rookie pitcher in their last 64 games to close out the season, which is a major league record by a mile, shattering the previous mark. In fact, they captured the record before the middle of September. This is what life for the Reds was like after trading away Johnny Cueto.

It was quite a cast of characters, ranging from Anthony DeSclafani, to John Lamb, to Jon Moscot, to Raisel Iglesias. Comically, it looks like Cincinnati is set on sticking to those same options for the rotation from within. DeSclafani and Iglesias actually showed potential they can provide stable work, but the rest of the staff is a mess, especially if Keyvius Sampson and Michael Lorenzen are still starting here. If the Reds have any chance of staying afloat, they'll need Homer Bailey to come back healthy and strong after missing all but two starts a year ago. They'll also require that either J.J. Hoover or Jumbo Diaz steps up as a viable closer with Aroldis Chapman no longer in town.

At least Cincinnati's offense appears to be in better shape. There is still former NL MVP Joey Votto pacing the offense, getting assistance from other quality bats like Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce. Zack Cozart and Devin Mesoraco have also experienced success, though they were limited by injuries in 2015. Todd Frazier is gone but the club still does have electric leadoff man Billy Hamilton, who still may have untapped potential. It all may not matter, though. More likely than not, the Reds pitching staff will finish near the bottom in team ERA, and even when they do have a lead, there's notable uncertainty with their bullpen. Coinciding with the further rise of their division rivals, it looks like another tough year is in store for the Reds.

Evaluating NL Central Division Bets

The Cubs are obviously a trendy favorite to pick up where they left off in 2015, but with -200 odds to win the NL Central, most people will probably be scared away, and rightfully so. Remember, this was the best division in baseball last year, featuring three legitimate elite teams. In fact, the three best records in all of baseball last season were right here in this division, so why are the linesmakers being so unfair in overinflating Chicago's division odds? It's probably to protect themselves from countless people loading up on the Cubs. In any event, the Cardinals and Pirates carry solid value as a result, at +300 and +350, respectively, leaving open the possibility for gamblers to bet both sides and churn out a guaranteed profit in the end if the Cubs don't beat out the other two perennial behemoths. At the other end of the spectrum, the Brewers at +5000 and the Reds at +6600 might as well be burning money. Since I don't want to go against my own personal prediction that the Cubs will capture the NL Central title, I'm definitely not making a futures bet on the division, but it is an interesting thought that you can make a decent profit by betting both the Pirates and Cardinals, as long as Chicago doesn't prevail in the end. Just something to keep in mind.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:50 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

American League West betting preview: Can Rangers hold off Astros, Angels?
By MATT FARGO

The Rangers rode one of the hottest second halves to claim last season's American League West crown away from the Astros. Can Texas hold off the hotshot youngsters of Houston and arguably baseball best player in Mike Trout and the Angels to defend their division title?

Houston Astros (2015: 86-76, -278 units, 73-80-9 O/U)

Division odds: +140

Season win total: 88.5

Why bet the Astros: After close to a decade of losing, the Astros had a winning season last year and made the playoff for the first time since 2005. The winning should be here to stay as the days of rebuilding are gone as Houston boasts one of the best all-around players in the game in Carlos Correa and has a great one-two punch at the top of the rotation. The Astros have a new closer in Ken Giles to head the best bullpen in baseball.

Why not bet the Astros: The Astros have the pieces to make another playoff run but the division is tougher this season. Houston led the American League in strikeouts, whiffing 1,392 times but was second in home runs so it is all or nothing. While the top of the rotation is one of the best, the backend is susceptible to inconsistencies. Houston had several players that had its best years ever so a repeat of those may be tough.

Season win total pick: Under 88.5 Wins

Los Angeles Angels (2015: 85-77, +230 units, 76-78-8 O/U)

Division odds: +485
Season win total: 80.5

Why bet the Angels: The Angels have one of the best players in baseball in Mike Trout and he can put a lot on his shoulders, both offensively and defensively. The starting rotation has a bunch of young arms that have already found success so replacing Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson if needed will not be a problem. The bullpen is adequate with the strength being the setup/closer duo of Joe Smith and Huston Street.

Why not bet the Angels: While Trout is awesome, he could not carry enough of the offense so there needs to be production elsewhere. Albert Pujols is not getting any younger and the lower part of the lineup did not improve at all. Injuries have hurt the starters at different times so there is no guarantee they will be in full health. To compete, Los Angeles has to have a big year from the starters which could be too much to ask.

Season win total pick: Over 80.5 Wins

Oakland Athletics (2015: 68-94, -2,942 units, 86-66-10 O/U)

Division odds: +1200
Season win total: 75.5

Why bet the Athletics: Oakland won just 68 games last season and while the total is higher this year, this is the one team in baseball that can overachieve with the best of them. It was basically a fire sale prior to 2015 and the chemistry just was not there but a year later should improve that. Sonny Gray is one of the top starters in baseball and they improved their bullpen in the offseason after finishing with the highest ERA in the A.L.

Why not bet the Athletics: Even though improvements to the pen were made, it may not be enough to get significantly better. After Sonny Gray, there is no sure second starter which shows the lack of quality depth. Oakland had a huge decrease in runs scored from 2014 and the biggest addition to help was Khris Davis which is not saying a lot. While everyone else in the West has gotten better, Oakland has fallen the other way.

Season win total pick: Under 75.5 Wins

Seattle Mariners (2015: 76-86, -2,056 units, 79-76-7 O/U)

Division odds: +360
Season win total: 82.5

Why bet the Mariners: Expectations have been high over the last few years for the Mariners and they have disappointed. They brought in a new GM and he made a lot of moves in the offense to improve a shaky offense and a very poor bullpen. Robinson Cano had a great second half and can hopefully carry that over. Felix Hernandez is still the king and he has a decent group behind him with a very high ceiling.

Why not bet the Mariners: While changes were done to improve the team, sometimes change can hurt early on and Seattle could fall into a hole and not be able to recover. Hernandez, despite winning 18 games last season, had his highest ERA since 2007 and the bullpen behind him did not help matters. The 4.15 ERA was 25th in the league and they blew 24 saves so improvements need to be massive.

Season win total pick: Under 82.5 Wins

Texas Rangers (2015: 88-74, +2,955 units, 72-80-10 O/U)

Division odds: +300
Season win total: 83.5

Why bet the Rangers: It was an incredible turnaround last season as on August 13th, the Rangers were a game under .500 but went 32-17 down the stretch to overtake the Astros. Now they have Cole Hamels for an entire season and get Yu Darvish back from Tommy John surgery which makes the top of the rotation dangerous. The offense finished third in baseball in runs scored so the production should be there again.

Why not bet the Rangers: Texas went from worst to first so was it a fluke ending or has it improved this much? After taking a 2-0 lead against Toronto in the A.L. Divisional Series, they lost three straight which may be hard to recover from. Darvish will not be back until mid-May so it will up to bottom half of the rotation to pick up the slack. Texas will not be sneaking up on anybody this season.

Season win total pick: Over 83.5 Wins

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:50 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

AL West Preview
By Matt Zylbert

Houston Astros - Predicted Record: 89-73

From 2011-13, the Astros were the biggest laughingstock in all of baseball, averaging a woeful 108 losses annually over that span. They made some progress in the 2014 campaign, getting to 70 wins, so when the club broke out with 86 victories a year ago, en route to stifling the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game, it was one of baseball's bigger surprises in quite some time. Now, Houston is expected to contend, with potential to do so much more.

Looking at the lineup, there's really a lot of talent in place here that could have the Astros set for a really long time. They're certainly in terrific shape concerning the shortstop position, after former No. 1 overall draft pick Carlos Correa made his long-awaited debut and impressed the baseball world right away. If you watched him even briefly, you know the comparisons to a young Alex Rodriguez are legitimate. Of course, the Astros already have a star playing alongside him at second base, that of course being Jose Altuve, while George Springer certainly has mammoth potential to be one as well if he can just stay healthy. So right there, that's three upper echelon youngsters Houston has to build around. Carlos Gomez and Evan Gattis are plus bats in this offense, too, and should help ensure the Astros are in the mix all season long.

With last year's AL Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel leading the rotation, it's easy to say Houston's starting pitching is in a healthy state as well. In fact, Keuchel was so good that he finished the campaign a perfect 16-0 at home, including playoffs. Collin McHugh clocks in right behind him, coming off a season in which he nearly won 20 games. There's more quality depth with youngster Lance McCullers, who had a nice rookie showing in '15, and while he's beginning the new season on the disabled list, the club does have serviceable veteran Scott Feldman to keep his spot warm in the meantime. Proven Doug Fister, who was acquired over the offseason, and Mike Fiers round it out to comprise just a nice group overall. The bullpen received an upgrade as well with the addition of Ken Giles as the new closer, and with former closer Luke Gregerson setting him up, it's one of the better 1-2 punches finishing off ballgames. Having desirable talent everywhere, the Astros should be playing into October for a second straight year.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Predicted Record: 87-75

You might not realize it but the Angels have established quite the track record over the past decade and change, possessing 10 winning seasons in the past 12 years. The problem? A lack of success when it comes time for the playoffs, often falling short of high expectations, and last year was just another such instance in a long line of them.

That doesn't mean they won't be right back in the thick of things, as remember, this is the team that employs the best player in all of Major League Baseball, that of course being in reference to the great Mike Trout. The former AL MVP is obviously the main piece here, and he's received some nice assistance from fellow intimidating slugger Albert Pujols, but one of the Angels' main issues in recent years is the lack of depth surrounding them. However, this could be the year that all changes. Kole Calhoun and C.J. Cron, for example, are two fine youngsters who are starting to come into their own as everyday players with a plus bat. Recognizing a need for extra lumber, Anaheim went out and acquired Yunel Escobar and defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons, who both will provide an upgrade to the left side of the infield. Pesky second baseman Johnny Giavotella is also worth pointing out as well.

If the Angels are to get back into the postseason, though, they'll probably need more of an improvement as it concerns their starting pitching. Jered Weaver is still one of the main arms in this rotation, but with significantly declining velocity, his days appear to be numbered. Thus, it's important Garrett Richards continues to solidify himself as an upper echelon starter. C.J. Wilson, who bounced back nicely last season, is dealing with injury issues and will begin the year on the disabled list, so it is very imperative that the likes of Andrew Heaney and 2015 All-Star Hector Santiago continue to evolve into dependable major league pitchers. Fellow youngsters Nick Tropeano and Tyler Skaggs -- the latter returning from Tommy John surgery -- could end up being very important pitchers for Anaheim, too. The bullpen, fortunately, looks to be stable, with Huston Street still serving as the closer, and a pretty good pair in Joe Smith and Fernando Salas setting him up. It looks like another winning season is in the cards for the Halos, but their playoff destiny will be up to how well the young starting pitching holds up.

Texas Rangers - Predicted Record: 83-79

It's pretty rare to see a team complete a worst-to-first transformation, but that's exactly what the Rangers did in 2015 under then-new manager Jeff Banister. In fact, their improvement of 21 games from the previous season was the second largest increase in major league history, and they became the fifth team ever to make the postseason one year after having the league's worst record (which was mainly due to injuries). So, what's next for Texas?

Given their hard-hitting offense, which plays half its games in one of the friendliest parks for hitters in all of baseball, the Rangers should still be one the main players in the AL West. Prince Fielder will have a say in the lineup's continued success, having bounced back in a huge way after missing nearly all of 2014, so much so that he was rewarded with the AL's Most Improved Player award last season. There's also still Adrian Beltre, one of the most dangerous third basemen in the game. Shin-Soo Choo and Mitch Moreland can still rake, while Rougned Odor is a trendy pick to break out into an upper echelon second baseman this year. Plus, they also added Ian Desmond to play the outfield with Elvis Andrus still at shortstop, and that's something that could end up being one of the more underrated moves over the winter.

The Achilles' heel for the Rangers historically has always been their starting pitching, but they could actually end up having one of the better rotations in the American League. It will be dependent on the health of their staff ace, Yu Darvish, who missed all of 2015 thanks to Tommy John surgery. He's set to make his season debut at some point in May or June, and if all goes according to plan, Texas should be good with their pitching. They have another ace-caliber starter behind him in Cole Hamels, whom the club acquired from Philadelphia last year at the trade deadline. Derek Holland, Martin Perez and Colby Lewis follow suit, providing decent work on the back-end. The relief corps can also be a strength for the Rangers, as Shawn Tolleson was outstanding last year in his first time closing, while Keone Kela and Sam Dyson form an above-average pair in setting him up. With how tough the AL West is these days, it's hard to tell if the Rangers can repeat as division champs, but they'll certainly be in the mix.

Oakland Athletics - Predicted Record: 78-84

It's still hard to believe that halfway through the 2014 season, the Athletics were the best team in the American League, mowing down through the competition and taking on all adversaries with ease. Then overrated general manager Billy Beane put his fingers on the roster, and poof, all those big plans vanished and the A's have literally been the worst team in the American League since.

To Beane's credit, he did make some slight alterations for this year's group, and the results could be considerably positive. For one, he deserves a tip of the cap for acquiring the underrated Khris Davis, someone that has displayed enormous power potential and is surely a breakout candidate, now being one of the focal points of an offense unlike during his time in Milwaukee. He also lured in underappreciated Yonder Alonso, another slugger with notable potential, and brought back Jed Lowrie, one of the better slugging second basemen in the league. Combine those names with what's already in place in Oakland, such as Josh Reddick, Stephen Vogt, "Country Breakfast" Billy Butler and emerging leadoff man Billy Burns, and you have a pretty formidable lineup to trot up to the plate.

The starting pitching that's here is pretty good, too. Sonny Gray, entering his fourth season in the big leagues, is already one of the more established aces in the AL. The A's have a drop-off in talent after him, but there's still a group beyond him capable of being productive. Jesse Hahn, for instance, must stay healthy and will be capable of a nice full season. The same argument could be made for Kendall Graveman. There were also a couple of sneaky additions over the winter for this rotation, one being Rich Hill, who absolutely blossomed after a September call-up with the Red Sox last year. The other was former All-Star Henderson Alvarez, and while he's set to begin the year on the disabled list, his inclusion could pay dividends. Sean Doolittle is in place as the closer, meanwhile, with Ryan Madson and newcomer Liam Hendriks keeping leads in place for him. One thing is for certain; Oakland should be much improved from last year's disaster.

Seattle Mariners - Predicted Record: 74-88

The Mariners were supposed to be really good a year ago, even entering the campaign with World Series possibilities in the eyes of some (including this author), only to disappoint mightily and land in second-to-last place. It was a season that led to the dismissal of Lloyd McClendon. Now Scott Servais is in place, and with much of the same roster, Seattle will still have lofty expectations to trying to end baseball's longest playoff drought.

It's been 15 years now since the Mariners last made the postseason, but it looks like they have an offense that can contend with many. For instance, they sport one of the game's premier power hitters in Nelson Cruz, who is still comfortably in his prime and is a regular amongst the league-leaders in home runs annually. Also residing in the heart of the order is Robinson Cano, and while he is coming off a down season by his high standards, he did enjoy an encouraging second half of 2015 that would indicate he should be fine for the upcoming campaign. Those two will absolutely need to put up their usual numbers for the Mariners to be in solid shape because the supporting cast isn't anything to brag about. Kyle Seager is a very nice player to have at the hot corner, and the club did add underrated power bat Adam Lind, but with an outfield projected to include Nori Aoki, Leonys Martin and Seth Smith, it's just not a desirable group.

The pitching rotation may have a bit of a higher ceiling, as always being led by Felix Hernandez, though "The King" will be following up a season in which he produced his highest ERA since 2007, and recorded his fewest strikeouts since '08. Nonetheless, there's pretty good depth beneath him on the staff, with the return of Hisashi Iwakuma in the No. 2 slot despite almost bolting for the Dodgers over the offseason. The club's two talented young arms, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, are both still here, and whether or not they can finally harness their awesome potential may be one of the season's key storylines for Seattle in trying to lock up that elusive playoff berth. The team also acquired Wade Miley and Nathan Karns, who are both fine additions for the back-end. Speaking of acquisitions, the Mariners have a new closer with the arrival of Steve Cishek. He'll be set up by Joaquin Benoit and good ol' reliable Charlie Furbush. Overall, it looks like Seattle has a team that could end up producing a wide variety of results, but in a tough division, the odds may not be in their favor of advancing into the postseason.

Evaluating AL West Division Bets

In my opinion, this is the toughest division in baseball this year to handicap from a futures bet standpoint. That's because all five teams -- even the A's, who have been pegged by many to finish in last again -- all have potential to go on an extensive run and win the AL West. Oakland, as alluded to, made some minor additions that could go a long way in getting them back to where they were before the 2014 trade deadline, so their +1200 odds are a little tempting, but probably not the way to go. The Astros are clearly on the way up with their rebuilding process over and their youth fully arrived for the most part. Thus, grabbing them at +150 could prove to be a pretty good investment. The Rangers are right behind them with +300 odds, which is excellent value for the club that just won the division title a year ago, and with ace Yu Darvish coming back, a repeat wouldn't be a surprise at all. Meanwhile, the Mariners have been knocking on the door for the past few years now, so it could be their turn to break out, though bettors would like more than the +365 odds that's currently being offered. And if the Angels can get acceptable starting pitching, they look like great value in the +420 range. As emphasized, it's just really, really tough to call.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:50 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

National League West betting preview: Did the D-backs do enough in the offseason?
By STEVE MERRIL

The Arizona Diamondbacks added a no. 1 and a no. 2 arm to the top of their starting rotation in the offseason. Will that be enough for them to challenge for the penthouse in the National League West?

Arizona Diamondbacks (2015: 79-83, +154 units, 80-74-8 O/U)

Division odds: 9/2
Season win total: 81.5

Why bet the Diamondbacks: Arizona made the league's biggest offseason acquisition by signing ace Zack Greinke and taking him away from division rival Los Angeles. Greinke was incredible last season with a 1.66 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. The D-Backs also acquired Shelby Miller who will pair nicely with former All-Star Patrick Corbin to form a strong 1-2-3 starting rotation. The offensive lineup has two superstars in CF A.J. Pollock and 1B Paul Goldschmidt.

Why not bet the Diamondbacks: The bullpen is still mediocre, especially in the middle of the game while trying to setup closer Brad Ziegler. Arizona had no home field advantage last season in hitter-friendly Chase Field as the D-Backs posted a better record on the road (40-41) than at home (39-42). The franchise has only one winning season in the past seven years and overall they have won 82 games or less in 10 of the past 12 seasons.

Season win total pick: Over 81.5 wins

Colorado Rockies (2015: 68-94, -1289 units, 84-74-4 O/U)

Division odds: 50/1
Season win total: 71.5

Why bet the Rockies: The heart of the lineup has two powerful offensive superstars in RF Carlos Gonzalez (40 HR) and 3B Nolan Arenado (42 HR) who will, once again, benefit from playing in the thin air and altitude of Coor's Field. The Rockies held their own against right-handed starters, going 57-62 in those games, compared to just 11-32 versus southpaws last year.

Why not bet the Rockies: Colorado's overall offensive stats last season were very misleading as, despite leading the league in runs scored (due to hitter friendly Coor's Field), the team ranked dead last in the league in batting average and on-base percentage when using road games only. The pitching rotation is once again extremely weak from top to bottom this year.

Season win total pick: Under 71.5 wins

Los Angeles Dodgers (2015: 92-70, -1122 units, 78-79-5 O/U)

Division odds: 11/10
Season win total: 90

Why bet the Dodgers: They have the most consistent pitcher in baseball with ace Clayton Kershaw who has posted 1.83, 1.77, and 2.13 ERA's the past three seasons. Los Angeles acquired Scott Kazmir in the offseason to follow Kershaw in the rotation. The Dodgers were a better offensive team than their overall numbers indicated last year as they play home games in a pitcher friendly ballpark. They led the league in on-base percentage when using road games only. The Dodgers won 92 games last year, despite going just 6-9 in extra-inning games and only 23-26 in close games decided by one run.

Why not bet the Dodgers: The rotation lost SP Zack Greinke (1.66 ERA, 0.84 WHIP) to divisional rival Arizona in the offseason. While they did acquire Kazmir, the rest of this rotation is suspect with Brett Anderson, Kenta Maeda, and Hyun-jin Ryu. The bullpen is the team's biggest weakness and ranked 11th in the league (out of 15 teams) with a poor 3.91 ERA last year. The Dodgers failed to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman this offseason.

Season win total pick: Under 90 wins

San Diego Padres (2015: 74-78, -1924 units, 93-62-7 O/U)

Division odds: 40/1
Season win total: 73.5

Why bet the Padres: This team underachieved last season and had to use multiple lineups as key players missed significant time due to injuries, including Wil Myers who only played in 60 games. There is potential in the middle of this lineup with 3B Yangervis Solarte and OF Matt Kemp who combined for 37 home runs last year. The pitching rotation has strong arms at the top with Tyson Ross and James Shields combining for 428 strikeouts last season.

Why not bet the Padres: Overall, the offensive lineup is extremely weak with no depth. The Padres ranked dead last (30th) in all of baseball last season in team batting average and on-base percentage. San Diego also has a poor bullpen and a pitching staff that ranked third to last in the National League last year with a 4.44 ERA in road games. This team has now posted a losing record in seven of their past eight seasons.

Season win total pick: Under 73.5 wins

San Francisco Giants (2015: 84-78, -70 units, 79-73-10 O/U)

Division odds: 7/5
Season win total: 88.5

Why bet the Giants: San Francisco has won 3 of the past 6 World Series titles and each came after missing the playoffs in the previous season. San Francisco added starting pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija in the offseason to bolster an extremely veteran rotation that also features ace Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy, and Matt Cain. The bullpen is excellent and posted the third best ERA in the league last season.

Why not bet the Giants: The offense lacks power and ranked 26th in all of baseball last year in total home runs with only four individual players hitting more than nine. The Giants acquired leadoff hitter Denard Span from the Nationals this offseason, but he is injury prone and missed 101 games last year.

Season win total pick: Over 88.5 wins

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:51 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

NL West Preview
By Matt Zylbert

Arizona Diamondbacks - Predicted Record: 90-72 (Best Bet: Over 82 Wins)

By making a number of noteworthy moves over the offseason, the Diamondbacks have launched themselves into the conversation pertaining to this year's potential breakout teams. The most impactful of those transactions were geared towards the pitching staff, which had been mediocre at best in recent years, but could be the difference in a possible monumental 2016 campaign.

Of course, the Diamondbacks instantly made a huge splash when they were able to sign former division rival Zack Greinke, giving the club a much-needed true ace. Arizona also acquired Shelby Miller from the Braves through a bit of a head-scratching deal in which they surrendered two very promising young players, but it shows the organization is confident in being able to win right now, as Miller adds a solid presence in the upper half of the rotation. Patrick Corbin is in there, too, ready for his first full big league season since Tommy John surgery after showcasing promising work in his return a year ago. The bullpen doesn't quite have the same ceiling to match that of its starters, but it could be a formidable group with veteran Brad Zeigler closing games, and Daniel Hudson teaming with newcomer Tyler Clippard to share set-up duties.

Offense has long been the main strength in Arizona, and it should be explosive once again in the new season. It all starts with perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt, of course, coming off yet another fabulous year. The x-factor, however, just might be the emerging A.J. Pollock, who enjoyed a sensational breakout campaign in '15, en route to his first career All-Star berth. With Yasmany Tomas and David Peralta also in the outfield, this is definitely an effective group despite flying under the radar collectively. The team also added Jean Segura, who certainly should be an upgrade at shortstop with the bat. Behind the plate, Wellington Castillo can be one of the league's better offensive backstops. Taking everything into account, the D-backs have the makeup of a team on the rise, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them continuing on into October.

San Francisco Giants - Predicted Record: 88-74

It's an 'even' year, and in today's day and age, that tends to result in an eventful season for the Giants. In fact, they've won the World Series in each of the past three 'even' years dating back to 2010, and with a fortified pitching staff for the new campaign, San Francisco may have the goods to make it four in a row.

At the top of the rotation, there is ol' reliable Madison Bumgarner, who matches up well with any other ace in the game. Behind him are a couple of key acquisitions that could ultimately make or break the club's season, starting with the arrival of Johnny Cueto to fill the No. 2 slot. Considering his previous dominance in the National League while with the Reds, the presence of Johnny Beisbol gives the Giants an elite 1-2 punch. Jeff Samardzija was also signed over the winter, and despite a disappointing season as a member of the White Sox, he definitely has notable potential to rebound in his return to the NL. Don't forget about Chris Heston, too, as he'll be returning after a surprisingly effective rookie showing. As long as their starting pitching can meet expectations, the always trusty bullpen should take care of the rest, with Santiago Casilla closing games and the likes of Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez setting him up.

Within their lineup, the Giants feature some players to get excited about as well, starting with arguably the best catcher in all of baseball, Buster Posey, who had another standout year in '15. Overall, the entire infield actually could be exceptional, as Brandon Belt has developed into a solid middle-of-the-order bat, while Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford are in the process of joining the upper echelon of their respective positions. Matt Duffy, entering his sophomore season, was very impressive as a rookie at third base. The outfield already has the dynamic Hunter Pence, and should ideally receive a boost with the addition of leadoff specialist Denard Span. It won't be easy, given how competitive the NL West might be, but San Francisco appears to have a roster that can get them back to the postseason. Oh, and don't forget that 'even' year magic.

Los Angeles Dodgers - Predicted Record: 83-79

A new era of Dodger baseball is on the horizon, not just because this will be the final year for legendary play-by-play announcer Vin Scully, but also because the club has a new skipper at the helm. Despite capturing their third straight NL West crown in 2015, Los Angeles dismissed Don Mattingly, leading to the arrival of manager Dave Roberts, who will seek to guide the Dodgers to postseason success after disappointing shortcomings in recent years.

Although Zack Greinke is no longer in town, there is still a potentially lethal pitching rotation in place that can help preserve LA's presence at the top of the standings. For one, they boast arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball today, Clayton Kershaw, who is coming off yet another marvelous campaign. Hyun-Jin Ryu missed all of last year thanks to shoulder problems, but will be back this season, hoping to help fill the void left by Greinke. The biggest wild card on this staff, though, just might be new import Kenta Maeda, who comes to the team following a very successful career in Japan. The Dodgers didn't stop there, also adding proven innings-eater Scott Kazmir. Meanwhile, the bullpen should be a considerable strength as always behind the dominant Kenley Jansen, one of the top closers in the league.

While the pitching figures to be consistent, Los Angeles could end up experiencing a wide variety of results as it concerns their lineup. Adrian Gonzalez is as reliable as they get at first base, but after him, who can be counted on? The polarizing Yasiel Puig has enjoyed notable success already in his big league career, but was a major disappointment last season. Joc Pederson and Corey Seager are two youngsters that will be depended on for integral roles in 2016, though each could experience more growing pains like a year ago. Justin Turner was a bright surprise at the hot corner, but many would say he peaked, plus he's coming off knee surgery. The club would also like a bounce-back effort from Yasmani Grandal, who was abysmal in the second half following an unlikely berth on the All-Star team. While the Dodgers certainly have a fine chance of repeating their division success, they'll be facing significant pressure from the Diamondbacks and Giants, and it could be their undoing.

Colorado Rockies - Predicted Record: 77-85

Since reaching the franchise's first World Series in 2007, the Rockies have descended back into obscurity, and enter the new campaign having finished in the NL West cellar in three of the past four seasons. It's all connected to the same reasoning: Colorado is annually all offense and no pitching, so is this the year they finally get consistent quality work from their starting rotation?

First off, that regularly potent lineup should still be productive with all those talented hitters they have assembled. Carlos Gonzalez, when healthy, is one of the best all-around outfielders in the game, and is capable of an MVP-caliber season -- but that could be a big "if" regarding his health. Nolan Arenado, meanwhile, has arguably developed into the most important piece of the team, as he's been outstanding both at the plate and in the field over at the hot corner. Colorado got nice breakout seasons a year ago from Charlie Blackmon and D.J. LeMahieu, and if both can provide a similar output, that would help to ensure the offense remains in top shape. The only question comes at shortstop, which has a void right now with Jose Reyes facing a lengthy suspension. The club also added Gerardo Parra, who could be a sleeper.

Looking at Colorado's rotation on paper, it may not look pretty, but there are some guys here with potential to break out. Jorge De La Rosa is the most proven of the bunch, having contributed solid work over the past few seasons. Chad Bettis is coming off a fine debut campaign with the club, and the Rox will be leaning on him to build off of that. There is also the intriguing Tyler Chatwood, set to return from Tommy John surgery and could end up being a valuable arm. The starter with the highest ceiling, however, looks to be former No. 3 overall draft pick Jon Gray, who will be entering his second big league season. And what about Jordan Lyles and David Hale? The bullpen received an upgrade, now having Jake McGee close out ballgames, but in a tough division, it's hard to envision this group placing higher than third at best.

San Diego Padres - Predicted Record: 73-89

Expected to be one of the emerging contenders a year ago after an eventful offseason, the Padres instead fell completely flat, clocking in as one of the biggest disappointments in all of baseball in 2015. Instead of competing for the division crown, San Diego dug itself a hole they could never quite escape. So, how does this long-struggling franchise get back on track?

Well, the big free-agent signing of James Shields to lead the rotation ended up being a colossal bust, as the durable 10-year veteran ended up tied for the most home runs allowed in all of baseball - and that's while pitching within the friendly confines of Petco Park! Andrew Cashner was a huge disappointment as well, and he'll have to trend back in the other direction if this club has any chance at competing this season. Tyson Ross, at least, contributed his usual underrated work, and can be counted on for stability. Their pitching staff will have potential if Brandon Morrow and/or former reliever Brandon Maurer pan out successfully. Meanwhile, the bullpen can be pretty good, with free agent Fernando Rodney replacing the departed Craig Kimbrel to take over closing duties. Kevin Quackenbush stands out as a set-up man still on the rise.

The main reason the Padres were supposed to ascend last year was because of a much-improved offense, but that projection never really took shape. Justin Upton was the big acquisition going into last season, but he's no longer in San Diego. Wil Myers was an important added piece, too, and he ended up getting hurt early on and missing more than 100 games. If he can return to form, that'd be huge. Matt Hemp is still in town, looking to build off his terrific second half, and San Diego hopes it can a nice season out of the intriguing Cory Spangenberg, but other than that, this offense really doesn't have much depth compared to its division rivals. New manager Andy Green could be in for some growing pains in his first year at the helm.

Evaluating NL West Division Bets

With +400 odds to take the division title, the Diamondbacks look like the best value bet of the five NL West division residents. They made a lot of slick moves over the offseason that will work towards improving their chances for 2016, and the final product should be a very competitive team that at least hovers around the top of the division for the duration of the campaign. It's also why they're my best win total bet this year at Over 82 Wins. If you like betting on teams to continue their dominance over a division, the Dodgers at +110 probably sticks out, but it should once again be noted that I feel their reign will be coming to an end this year. The Giants are the favorite here at -110, partly because of the "even" year aura, but don't let that coincidental trend be your main deciding factor. Are they a good team that improved over the offseason? Yes, which is why they’re one of the main contenders, but -110 juice to win a tough division is not exactly desirable. The Rockies at +4000 is interesting because their offense can still go toe-to-toe with the best, so if you think their starting pitching can finally make the leap, a small bet wouldn't hurt at all. The Padres contain +2000 odds, which show how far they've fallen from last year's preseason projections.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:51 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

MLB notebook: Red Sox 3B Shaw beats out Sandoval
By The Sports Xchange

Travis Shaw unseated $17 million third baseman Pablo Sandoval to win the starting job for the Boston Red Sox coming out of spring training.
"For right now to start the season this is what's best for our team," manager John Farrell said of the decision Thursday. Farrell said salary is not his concern when determining the best lineup for the Red Sox.
Shaw, 25, has a 2016 salary for the league minimum of $520,000.
Sandoval said the decision from Farrell was difficult. But did say Farrell's call was "the right decision to help the team win."
Sandoval, an eight-year veteran, signed as a big-ticket free agent before last season. He'll be on the bench for Opening Day with outfielder Rusney Castillo, who was signed in 2014 out of Cuba and given a $72.5 million contract.

---John Schuerholz stepped down as Atlanta Braves team president after 25 years among a number of organizational changes.
Schuerholz, who is entering his 51st season in professional baseball, will remain as vice chairman. President of baseball operations John Hart will report to Schuerholz.
Executive vice president Mike Plant has been named President, Development and executive vice president Derek Schiller has been named as president, business.
Schuerholz joined the Braves in October 1990 as general manager and for 17 seasons (1991-2007) oversaw baseball operations. Schuerholz, 75, has served as team president since October 2007 and will be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in August.

---The New York Yankees named Masahiro Tanaka as their Opening Day starter on Monday against the Houston Astros.
Tanaka had surgery in October to remove a bone spur in his pitching elbow and got off to a slow start in spring training before giving up one run in four innings in his final preseason outing on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Thursday that the starting rotation will include Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Luis Severino. The fifth starter is still up for grabs between C.C. Sabathia and Ivan Nova.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:51 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

Pitcher Props - Top Bets
By Matt Zylbert

Baseball player prop season bets have been trending towards becoming a craze in Vegas and on offshore books for years now, with linesmakers providing projected stats pertaining to particular players, giving any gambler the option of betting over or under the aforementioned number. This can range from a wide variety of options, including a player's hits, home runs, wins, or even strikeouts, among others.

They also bare caution, however. As you may recall last year, I went into great detail covering my favorite player prop for the 2015 season, that being Stephen Strasburg Over 14.5 Wins, and unfortunately, while Strasburg had a very nice year overall (not to mention an absolutely dominant second half), he ended up missing well over two months of the season due to an unforeseen fluke back injury, thus limiting him to 11 wins in only 23 starts. In the process, 'over' backers were screwed out of a surefire win despite making the correct call.

Alas, that's the risk you take when choose to bet the 'over' of a season-long player prop, but that bout of bad luck won't phase me as it concerns the 2016 campaign.

Let's take a look at my two best player prop bets for the upcoming year:

Noah Syndergaard - OVER 12.5 Wins

This is my No. 1 prop bet of the season, and it's one that potentially could win with a lot of room to spare. Noah Syndergaard was always considered a top pitching prospect dating back to his tenure in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, and when he finally made his debut in May of last season, the 23-year-old did not disappoint.

Despite losing in his major league debut, Syndergaard would end up having a terrific rookie campaign, finishing 9-7 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, while amassing a remarkable 166/31 K/BB ratio in his 150 total innings pitched. Furthermore, he was also successful on the high-pressure postseason stage, including nabbing the Mets' only World Series victory over the Royals. Overall, he started three games in the playoffs, two of which registered as quality starts, and a point could be made that it was his October showcase that further solidified his arrival as a big-time pitcher for the years ahead.

So what will Syndergaard's sophomore season entail? Well first off, it's already common knowledge that he's part of a legitimate contender, not to mention one that arguably has the best pitching rotation in all of baseball. Interestingly, he might have as high a ceiling as everyone else on the staff, which is why it's very advantageous to lock in this prop bet with a win total so relatively low. In other words, this is the equivalent of buying someone as low as they're probably ever going to be in the eyes of the linesmakers.

Just taking one quick glance at the man otherwise known as Thor and it's easy to observe how notably strong the right-hander truly is. At 6-foot-6, 242 pounds, the 23-year-old right-hander is built for the long haul, and has exhibited no signs of fatigue or any potential injury throughout the new season. In fact, one can argue that he's already in midseason form based on how his spring training has gone. In four starts, spanning 17.2 innings, Syndergaard has put together a marvelous statline consisting of a 2.04 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and an outstanding 19/1 K/BB ratio.

The native Texan is clearly and quickly entering his prime, seemingly with ease as he routinely dominates on the hill. If you've ever read any of his interviews or quotes, you'd instantly get the impression that he loves doing what he does and looks forward to taking the ball every fifth day with the upmost confidence. When you take everything into account, it's a bet worth making for at least a few units. Bettors should be riding Syndergaard during his obvious ascension -- before he's regularly recognized nationally as one of the game's best hurlers.

Marcus Stroman - OVER 12.5 Wins

As already alluded to, the biggest concern when taking a player prop bet over the long haul has to do with potential injury, and that's obviously something that especially sticks out with young Marcus Stroman, considering he endured a torn ACL just last spring and missed all but one month of the 2015 season.

But here's the silver lining: that injury had nothing to do with Stroman's pitching arm or shoulder, and was more so a fluke incident. Not only that, when he returned to the mound last September, it was as if he had never left, as the 24-year-old proceeded to seemingly pick up from where he last left off the year prior.

And remember, Stroman was fantastic in 2014. That season -- his last full one in the bigs -- he finished 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, while stringing together an impressive 111/28 K/BB ratio in 130.2 total innings. His numbers were even a bit more impressive if you take out his relief appearances, as in his 20 starts, he actually posted a 3.29 ERA, while hitters slashed just .242/.287/.323 against the promising youngster in those contests.

That led to last year's return, when he won all four of his starts, en route to recording a 1.67 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, all coming against tough AL East offenses. In addition, he received some assignments in the playoffs and impressed once again, as two of his three starts in the postseason went down as quality ones.

With his impressive six-pitch repertoire, including a sinker he developed in the second half of '14 that was being compared to Roy Halladay’s, Stroman is armed to succeed and appears poised to be Toronto's next big-time pitcher. Bettors might shy away from the right-hander because of the park he plays in at Rogers Centre, but Stroman is capable of inducing a lot of groundballs. In fact, 53.8 percent of the balls put in play against him in his last full slate of starts came on the ground, which is a number that ranked even higher than Clayton Kershaw's mark. Plus, he allowed just seven home runs total in that aforementioned 2014 campaign.

There's no question Stroman has the potential to be an upper echelon starting pitcher in the major leagues despite his curiously low height, standing at only 5-foot-8. But don't let that steer you away. This kid has all the tools to succeed, including a passion for pitching that is topped by no one else around the league. Wearing his emotion on his sleeve every fifth day, Stroman is as animated as they come, and that's a good thing when you invest in someone over the course of a full season. Much like Syndergaard, Stroman is on the verge of developing into a perennial All-Star, and being on a team that will contend -- let alone one with the best offense in the majors -- he should definitely go over the win total he was dealt by the linesmakers.

**TheGame** · 04-01-2016, 08:52 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 New York Yankees Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series
by Alan Matthews

With pitchers and catchers set to report to spring camps in two weeks, it's time to start our baseball previews. And what better place to start than the most popular team in the game, the New York Yankees.

If I'm putting my cards on the table, I didn't see the Yankees winning 87 games last season, much less making the playoffs as a wild-card team. The Bombers led the AL East for a large chunk of the first half of the season before the Toronto Blue Jays caught fire after trading for David Price and Troy Tulowitzki. The Yankees finished six games behind the Jays but were the AL's top wild-card team. New York hosted Houston in that one-game playoff, but the Yanks couldn't solve Dallas Keuchel and lost 3-0. Hey, at least the Yankees made the playoffs for the first time since 2012. But MLB's most successful franchise hasn't won a pennant since 2009. George Steinbrenner is spinning in his grave.

Speaking of the late Boss, he surely would have spent a fortune this offseason on a very good free-agent class. But the new Yankees run by son Hal Steinbrenner simply don't operate that way. Believe it or not, the team hasn't signed a single free agent to a major-league contract as of this writing. The Yankees have never not signed at least one since free agency began after the 1976 season. There's not much left out there, so I don't expect anything major. The team did make a few interesting trades, however. I'll address those below.

New York opens the season on April 4 at home against those Astros. It's a tough first stretch to open the year as trips to Detroit, which will be much better this season, and Toronto follow.

Yankees 2016 Projected Lineup

The lineup should look the same as it did last season -- when every projected starter was healthy -- other than at second base. That's because the Yankees acquired three-time All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro from the Cubs for pitcher Adam Warren. Castro, however, will play second. I think that's a good move for the Bombers. Castro is overpaid, but then all MLB players are. He is owed $38 million over the next four seasons and has a team option for $16 million in 2020. Castro was really struggling last season in Chicago until he was moved from shortstop to second and then hit better than .300 the rest of the way. Second base was a black hole for New York in 2015, so this is an upgrade no matter what. Overall, Castro batted .265 with 52 runs, 23 doubles, 11 home runs and 69 RBIs in 151 games last year. Castro likely will hit eighth, one spot ahead of double-play partner Didi Gregorius, who was a great pickup last offseason from Arizona. He hit .265 with nine homers and 56 RBIs while playing good defense.

At leadoff again is center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, and as always with him it's about staying healthy. Frankly, that's the case for several veteran members of this lineup. Ellsbury was limited to 111 games last year and hit just .257 with an on-base percentage of .318. That's not good enough. He wasn't even in the starting lineup in the wild-card game. Supposedly Ellsbury is in terrific shape right now for what that's worth. He's still owed $105 million.

Fellow outfielder Brett Gardner will bat second; originally the Cubs wanted him for Castro but the Yankees said no. Then comes the heart of the order: DH Alex Rodriguez, first baseman Mark Teixeira, outfielder Carlos Beltran, catcher Brian McCann and third baseman Chase Headley. All but Headley have injury worries. A-Rod hit 33 homers and knocked in 86 last season in a huge bounce-back year, but he wore down big-time over the final two months during which he hit .191 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs. The guy will be 41 in July, so it's unrealistic to see him playing 151 games again, much less hitting 33 dingers. He is 13 away from 700.

Teixiera was limited to 111 games due to injury but did hit 31 homers and knock in 79. He's soon to be 36 and hasn't played more than 123 games since 2011. Beltran is soon to be 39 and he can't be hidden at DH with A-Rod there. Neither can McCann. Headley is just OK.

The Yankees got some bad news recently when one of the team's top hitting prospects, first baseman Greg Bird, was lost for the season to shoulder surgery. He was probably going to start the year in the minors but was projected as the top backup to Teixeira and A-Rod eventually this season -- plus Tex's full-time replacement in 2017. Now that's up in the air. Bird hit .261 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs in just 46 last-season games in 2015.

Yankees 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

Injury worries are prevalent here as well. The Yankees were eighth in the AL last season with a 4.05 ERA. The ace remains Masahiro Tanaka (12-7, 3.51), but he hasn't been able to avoid a long DL stint in his two big-league seasons and still is a ticking time bomb for Tommy John surgery with ligament damage already in his pitching arm. No. 2 Michael Pineda (12-10, 4.37) is good, but he's all but guaranteed several weeks on the DL as well considering his history.

The rest of the rotation will be sorted out between top pitching prospect Luis Severino (5-3, 2.70 last season; he's a lock for a spot), big lefty and way-past-his-prime CC Sabathia (6-10, 4.73), who is also coming out of alcohol rehab, Nathan Eovaldi (14-3, 4.20) and Ivan Nova (6-11, 4.82). Nova likely heads to the bullpen to begin things if everyone stays healthy.

Speaking of the bullpen, it shapes up to be perhaps the most dominating in big-league history with the trade for Reds fire-balling All-Star lefty Aroldis Chapman. He will move into a closer role with fellow lefty and last year's closer, Andrew Miller, and All-Star right Dellin Betances setting him up. Assuming the Yanks keep all three (Miller has been rumored in trades), they would be the first team in MLB history to feature three pitchers who had at least 100 strikeouts in relief the season before. Chapman threw the 62 hardest pitches in the majors last year. He is likely to be suspended to start the season for a domestic issue, however. How long is anyone's guess. So some nights, manager Joe Girardi simply needs his starters to go six innings most nights.

The loss of Warren will hurt some as he was one of the best swingmen in the majors, happy to start or relieve. He was 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA in 43 games (17 starts) in 2015.

Yankees Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

New York is +1800 to win the World Series and +700 to take the American League pennant. More futures odds will be out in a few weeks. Teixeira is +5000 to lead the majors in homers and A-Rod is +10000. The Yankees were 80-82 against the spread last season and 77-81-4 O/U. On the moneyline, they were -339 for the season.

New York Yankees 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects New York to finish second in the AL East with an 85-77 record, six behind the Red Sox. Generally the sportsbooks' win totals are pretty close to what FanGraphs projects. I would go 'under' that total. If you could guarantee me all the key guys could stay healthy, then New York could win 90-plus and the AL East. I don't see that as realistic. Yankees finish around .500 and miss the playoffs.

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MLB Betting Info. 4/3

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