MLB Betting Info. 4/3

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

MLB


Sunday's games


National League games


Pirates @ Cardinals


Liriano was 3-0, 3.54 in his last five starts LY. Over was 7-2-1 in his last 10 starts. He was 1-1, 3.71 in four starts vs St Louis LY.


Wainwright's last start was April 25, 2015; he was 2-1, 2.16 in his last four starts before getting hurt. He is 11-6, 4.29 in 23 career starts against the Pirates.


Cardinals won season series 10-9 last year.




American League games


Rays @ Blue Jays


Archer was 1-3, 5.11 in his last seven starts LY. Over was 6-1-1 in his last eight. He was 3-2, 3.11 in six starts vs Toronto LY.


Stroman was 5-0, 2.91 in his last seven starts LY; his last four starts went over total. Stroman is 1-1, 5.73 in two career starts against Tempa Bay.


Rays won season series 10-9 last year.




Interleague games


Mets @ Royals


Harvey was 3-1, 2.64 in his last seven starts LY; over was 8-1-1 in his last ten. He was 0-0, 3.21 in two World Series starts vs the Royals in October.


Volquez was 0-1, 5.29 in his last three starts LY. He was also 0-0, 3.21 in couple of starts against the Mets in the World Series.


Royals beat Mets in five games in World Series last fall.

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

NL Win Total - Best Bets
By Bruce Marshall


NL EAST: BEST BET...It has been a few years since we mentioned "over" and the Philadelphia Phillies (65 ½) in the same sentence inside one of our NL season previews. Assuming, however, the Phils bottomed out during last year's difficult 63-99 slog, there could be a bit of value on the upside in Philly. The organization has finally culled almost all of the dead weight (including slow-to-react GM Ruben Amaro) it was carrying from the recent glory years; of the players who stayed far beyond their sell-by date, only 1B Ryan Howard remains, and even he figures as no more than a platoon option going forward, with Darin Ruf likely getting at-bats against the lefties. New blood began to flow throughout the lineup last season, with 3B Maikel Franco flashing big potential after racking up 14 homers and 50 RBIs in less than a half-season (80 games) of work, and he was swinging a big bat this spring in Clearwater as he is apparently well beyond the broken wrist that ended his 2015 season. Given the shorter dimensions at CBP, Franco could do significant damage, though his contact rate must improve.


Though still a long way from they heydays of Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, the new DP combo of SS Freddy Galvis and 2B Cesar Hernandez has potential, and FA Peter Bourjos should provide a defensive upgrade wherever manager Pete Mackanin sticks him in the outfield. The staff? Well, there is nothing close to an ace in the rotation, at least not yet, though Aaron Nola hinted at plenty of upside as a rookie last season. Journeymen offseason additions Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton are going to have to eat up plenty of innings, but these questions with the staff are why the win total is in the mid 60s, not the mid 80s. And then there's the non-descript bullpen, which might turn to Andrew Bailey, who once upon a time came out of nowhere to win a spot on the All-Star team in 2009, but has since bounced from the A's to the Red Sox and Yankees, and now the Phils, after a succession of elbow and shoulder problems, as the closer after encouraging March work in Clearwater. If they played in the NL Central, we probably don't give the Phils a look, but in the East, climbing above this modest win total is not asking a lot. We look "over" in Philly while planning our next visit to CBP and a chance to devour a "Schmitter" (check it out online) down the left field line.


OTHERS: Things went unexpectedly pear-shaped last season for the Washington Nationals (89), who not surprisingly made erratic manager Matt Williams walk the plank in the aftermath of a 13-win decline (96 to 83) from the 2014 playoff campaign. If only the Nats' problems ended with Williams' dismissal. Instead, the Lerners botched the hiring of a new manager, first appearing to give the job to ex-Padres skipper Bud Black before doing an about-face and bringing Dusty Baker on board instead. Unwittingly, Washington might have stumbled into a better option, as Baker has often provided a quick spark in past managerial assignments. Let's see how he deals with a team that was guilty of so many mental errors last season, while also having to juggle some difficult personalities (Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon atop the list) in a clubhouse that might make Baker wish for the days he was dealing with Barry Bonds in San Francisco.


Still, expect sorts such as 1B Ryan Zimmerman and 3B Anthony Rendon to respond positively to the upbeat Baker, as OF Michael Taylor has already done this March in Viera, while key FA signee Daniel Murphy provides another much-needed left-handed bat in the lineup while adding more flexibility to Dusty's lineup card. Baker also has a staff much deeper than his last job in Cincinnati, with Max Scherzer (two no-hitters last season) and Stephen Strasburg (now in a contract year) among three starters with at least 11 wins a year ago. Prickly closer Papelbon, however, proved a needless deadline acquisition last summer while becoming an unwanted distraction before the season concluded. Dusty might prove a dugout upgrade, but there remain too many internal issues to go overboard with the Nats, whose ceiling seems around 90 wins, with more downside to worry about. It's an "under" 89 wins for us in D.C., but an "over" for chili half-smokes from one of the many Ben's Chili Bowl stands throughout Nats Park.


Though we were among the few on the early bandwagon for the New York Mets (89 ½) last season, and started to believe in late spring, we also didn't expect a run to the World Series that sneaked up on the Big Apple, which didn't seem to catch "Mets fever" until deep into the summer. But New York might have some staying power, and there should be electricity once again in Citi Field after wisely re-signing exciting OF Yoenis Cespedes, who (after his trade deadline acquisition from Detroit) was the catalyst of the post-All-Star Game surge that put the Nationals in the dust.


But it's a young, affordable, hard-throwing rotation that makes the Mets a threat to get back to the postseason. Best of all, none from among starters Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, or Zack Wheeler will be eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season. Provided that sore arms don't become an issue, the rotation once again appears a strength, as should be the bullpen after Jeurys Familia emerged as one of the NL's top closers with his 43 saves and 1.85 ERA in 76 games last season. Thanks partly to Cespedes' late-summer heroics, the Mets would rank 7th in NL runs scored despite a measly .244 BA, but with ex-Pirates 2B Neil Walker now joining Cespedes, RF Curtis Granderson, 1B Lucas Duda, and a hopefully-healthy 3B David Wright in the batting order, there is plenty of pop in skipper Terry Collins' lineup. It should be another exciting "over" season at Citi Field, where a detour to the Shake Shack (before the game and the long lines) in the outfield concourse is still worthwhile.


The glory days are way back in the rear-view mirror for the Atlanta Braves (66 ½), who have gone into semi-2011-13 Houston Astros mode and completely revamped a roster with designs on hitting the ground running in 2017 when the new SunTrust Park opens north of downtown by the I-285 perimeter in Cobb County. (The current Turner Field is being sold to Georgia State University, which plans to turn it into a football venue for its Panthers.) Team president John Hart, architect of the Cleveland Indians revival in the '90s, hopes he is in the early stages of doing the same in Atlanta, though the decline of the Braves has been steep since their last playoff season in 2013, dropping from 96 wins to just 67 wins a year ago, when the offense finished last in the bigs in runs, homers, slugging and OPS...quite an indictment of a team that played half of its games in a hitter-friendly park.


Many observers also feel that Hart is going to sacrifice overmatched manager Fredi Gonzalez this season and jettison him at the end of the campaign (if not before) to spare any new skipper the likely long and difficult slog that will undoubtedly be 2016. Hart did bolster the long-term look of the roster by adding promising SS Dansby Swanson (the Vanderbilt product who was the top draft pick last summer), RHP Aaron Blair, and OF Ender Inciarte from the D-backs in a deal that only cost SP Shelby Miller, who didn't notch a win last season from May 17 until closing day, October 4. The aforementioned offensive struggles might be relieved a bit if RF Nick Markakis and 1B Freddie Freeman are beyond the nagging injuries that reduced their stats last season. But the staff, beyond innings-eater Julio Teheran and perhaps promising Matt Wisler at the top of the rotation, is full of question marks. Since the Braves aren't serious about winning this season, any "over" forecast has to wait for the new ballpark; in 2016, it's an "under" for us in the Showcase City of the South.


We seem to forecast a breakthrough for the Miami Marlins (80 ½) every year, only to end up disappointed. Well, we'll only go half-way this season. Most sources believe that new manager Don Mattingly, out of the L.A .pressure cooker and having to deal with fewer head cases than he had to suffer through at Chavez Ravine, will prove an upgrade in the dugout. But what will help the Marlins more than anything is getting a full season out of rotation ace Jose Fernandez, who has made only 19 starts over the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery. Adding ex-Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen and the well-traveled Edwin Jackson provides more depth for a staff that also is hoping live-armed ex-Astro Jarrod Cosart is beyond the vertigo that stalled his progress last season, and that some of the electric stuff displayed by young lefty Adam Conley this March in Jupiter is not a mirage.


Injuries have also slowed OF Giancarlo Stanton from an expected MVP run the past two seasons, but if healthy, Miami's lineup has plenty of potential pizzazz, especially with 2B Dee Gordon and LF Christian Yelich providing excitement on the base paths. Still, an "over" projection for the Marlins has to assume close to full seasons out of both Fernandez and Stanton, and recent history suggests that might be a bit much to ask. We'd rather not risk a recommendation, so will instead take a pass in Miami.


NL CENTRAL: BEST BET...When Bud Selig announced a new, one-game wild card setup in one of his last meaningful acts as commissioner before the 2013 season, few realized that one team would become a fixture in that mini-playoff. Especially since, at that time, at least, the Pittsburgh Pirates (85 ½) had not qualified for the postseason, or even finished above .500, since 1992. Now, though, the Bucs are at the forefront of discussions to alter the one-game scenario after hosting each NL elimination game since its inception (why not just make the wild card game part of the season ticket package?), losing to hot pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Jake Arrieta each of the last two seasons in the mini-playoff. Whatever. We still can't quite comprehend why Pittsburgh is being projected to drop so far from last year's 98-64 masterpiece, more wins than the franchise's 1971 World Series kings (who won 97) and equaling the 1979 "We Are Family" Bucs champions.


Yes, three starting pitchers have departed since last season, but J.A. Happ and Charlie Morton were replaceable, and former Met Jon Niese should fill one of the rotation spots behind returning co-aces Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano. Watch 6-8 flamethrower Tyler Glasnow, who averaged 11.2 Ks per 9 innings in the minors, and ex-Rockie and Dodger Juan Nicasio, who has created a lot of buzz this March in Bradenton, with both likely to benefit from the sage tutelage of pitching coach Ray Searage. With RF Gregory Polanco poised for a breakthrough year, the Pirates could have the NL's best outfield, alongside former MVP CF Andrew McCutchen and dynamic LF Starling Marte. Moreover, the Pittsburgh defense and baserunning should again be among the NL's best. They're used to winning again these days in Pittsburgh, so we're looking forward to the Perogis, a Primanti Brothers double egg and pastrami, and another "over" at PNC Park.


OTHERS: Every year it seems as if there is one inefficiency in the season-wins market that is driven by unrealistic expectations. For years, the Yankees and Dodgers had their win totals inflated because of market demands. This year, that appears to have afflicted the Chicago Cubs (94 ½). We admitted early last season to a mistake on underestimating the Cubs, as it soon became evident that GM Theo Epstein had dramatically upgraded the roster, manager Joe Maddon was providing a huge difference in the dugout, and several newcomers (such as 3B phenom and eventual NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant) were producing at a higher level than projected. But Chicago is also currently posted 12 wins higher than it was at this stage a year ago (when it went on to record a 97-65 mark). And we've seen surprise teams emerge only to regress the next season (Maddon's Tampa Bay in 2008 & '09 comes to mind).


Getting another Cy Young season out of starter Jake Arrieta might be asking a bit much, and at age 37, not sure the well-traveled John Lackey is going make much of an impact as the newcomer in the rotation. True, the versatile Ben Zobrist and CF Jason Heyward should be worthwhile everyday additions, but we wonder how much defense Maddon is sacrificing by putting all-hit, no-field Kyle Schwarber (a prototype DH...if only he played for an AL team) in left field. (Schwarber is also scheduled to catch on days Jason Hammel is on the mound). Perhaps we are nitpicking, as we still believe the Cubs can make it back to the playoffs, and, who knows, maybe to the World Series for the first time since 1945, and maybe even win it for the first time since 1908, though owner Tom Ricketts seems more concerned at the moment with derailing Donald Trump's presidential bid. A 93-69 or 94-68 mark can get the Cubs on their way to the postseason...and still stay "under" that 94 ½.


Reasons to spend an afternoon or early evening in the upper deck at Great American Ballpark are less now about watching the Cincinnati Reds (70 ½) than enjoying the sight of the barges floating by on the adjacent Ohio River, or perhaps munching on some cheese coneys from a Skyline Chili stand. It's possible that the Reds bottomed out during last year's 64-98 mess. But a turnaround is not necessarily imminent under skipper Bryan Price, whose teams have played to a combined 44 games under .500 and 50 games out of first place in the Central the past two seasons. Even given the roster downgrades with the Reds, many (including us) were surprised at the return of Price, who has certainly not gotten the team to punch above its weight, not to mention his profanity-laced tirade at a beat reporter and ejection before a game against the Indians last season, the sorts of acts on top of the losses that have gotten other skippers fired in the past. In Price's defense, he hasn't been given much to work with, and the roster was hardly upgraded in the offseason, dealing one of its few established offensive threats, 3B Todd Frazier, to the White Sox in a three-team deal and receiving only some prospects from the Yankees for fireballing closer Aroldis Chapman.


Cincy's plight is perhaps summed best by CF Billy Hamilton, who is one of the NL's premier base-stealers (113 the past two seasons) but can't get on base, as his .274 OBP in 2015 suggests. With depth concerns as well, any extended injury absences of 1B Joey Votto or RF Jay Bruce could send the Reds to 100 losses. We're not even sure Cincy is into a rebuilding phase, which might at least explain the recent fade. Maybe they're just plain old bad. Listening to vet Reds play-by-play man Marty Brennaman complain on the radio, enjoying a cheese coney, taking in the very worthwhile Reds Hall of Fame at Great American Ballpark, and the view of the barges floating by are probably the only worthwhile things that should be happening the next few months in Cincy, where we look "under" once again, with wins hard to come by in the tough Central.


After winning 100 games a year ago, and averaging 91 wins the past eight seasons, posting the St. Louis Cardinals (86 ½) in the mid 80s might be another chain reaction to the enormous, and perhaps misplaced, love given to the Cubs. As stated, we're not inclined to buy Chicago at its current win prices, but we are intrigued by potential undervaluing with the Redbirds. After all, can losing Jason Heyward in free agency really downgrade St. Louis by 14 wins? We don't think so. Especially since the other key departure, SP John Lackey (also now with Heyward in Chicago), has been effectively replaced in the rotation by a now-healthy Adam Wainwright, who missed last season with an Achilles tendon injury but is now good to go. If you ask us, that's a net plus for the Cards, whose rotation also added ex-Red Mike Leake to hold down a No. 4 or 5 starter's role.


The only other significant roster concern is C Yadier Molina, being brought along slowly during March in Jupiter after two thumb surgeries, but expected to be ready for opening day, and defense in the outfield sans Heyward. But Heyward's power numbers (only 13 HR and 60 RBI last season) can be absorbed, perhaps by Brandon Moss, who came over from Cleveland at the deadline last July and whose bat is likely in the lineup either at 1B (where he likely platoons with Matt Adams) or in LF. While we expect the Cards to drop off somewhat from last year's 100-62, the descent might not be too steep, and the Central title still goes thru St. Louis. Out of habit, we'll do another "over" at Busch Stadium.


While Miller Park remains one of the most festive venues in the bigs, the atmosphere became a bit more subdued last season when the Milwaukee Brewers (70 ½) dropped 14 wins to 68-94 after making an unlikely playoff push into Labor Day the previous year. Not wholly unexpected, as the organization has spent the last year shedding veteran players and salary, gearing for what appears to be a rebuild under 30-year-old GM David Stearns, an Ivy Leaguer who wasn't even born when the Brew Crew made its only World Series appearance in 1982. Stearns, however, was in Houston during the Astros' recent reformatting, and is hoping to do the same in Milwaukee, where a stacked farm system could be ready to deliver MLB-ready pieces...but not until 2017 or 2018 at the earliest. Things have also gone a bit bumpy this March in Maryvale, with projected LF Rymer Liriano suffering serious facial injuries after a beaning incident vs. the Dodgers, and skipper Craig Counsell leaning toward a closer-by-committee arrangement, as the bullpen has yet to find a viable successor to closer Francisco Rodriguez, one of the players let go by Stearns.


We're also not sure how much help is forthcoming from main offensive offseason addition 1B Cris Carter, the quintessential boom-or-bust element, a potential 30-homer bat but also a wind machine due to strikeouts, a category in which he led the AL as recently as 2013. Meanwhile, former MVP RF Ryan Braun has been brought along slowly in March as he recovers from back surgery, while longtime C Jonathan Lucroy might be the next on Stearns' trade list. And since Milwaukee starting pitchers were 45-79 with a 4.79 ERA last season, and there's not much behind Jimmy Nelson and Wily Peralta at the top of the rotation, don't expect the arms to prove a salvation. While we suggest tuning into Brewers radio while we still have a chance to hear 82-year-old Bob Uecker at the play-by-play microphone, the rugged Central and the rebuild in Milwaukee have us recommending little else besides the polish sausage, bratwurst, sausage races, and another "under" at Miller Park.


NL WEST: It's an even-numbered year, which means that it's time to keep an eye on the San Francisco Giants (88 ½), World Series winners in 2010, 2012, and 2014. We still suspect that GM Brian Sabean might have overpaid FA starting pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija after both struggled noticeably the second half of last season. But if vet pitching coach Dave Righetti can't straighten them out, no one can, and staff ace Madison Bumgarner is still around and as dominant as ever. A more useful FA signing might have been ex-Nats CF Denard Span, the best leadoff hitter the Giants have had in a while, creating a potential dynamic presence at the top of batting order with 2B Joe Panik, who had a breakout 2015, and C Buster Posey, still capable of an MVP-caliber performance. And then there is manager Bruce Bochy, who is renowned for pushing the right buttons with this roster if it can make it into October, as well as GM Sabean, who has shown a knack for adding the right pieces at the trade deadline if needed.


We should point out the Giants haven't exceeded 88 wins since their 2012 World Series year, but with so many potential victories in the lowly non-Dodgers portion of the West, it is not much of a stretch to see San Francisco handily clearing 90 wins and heading back into the postseason. Remember, it's an even-numbered year. We're looking forward to an "over" at AT&T Park as well as to another season of enjoying the post-game "Giants Roundtable" featuring non-pareil play-by-play man Jon Miller, plus sidekick Dave Flemming and TV cohorts Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow, gathering for an always-entertaining review of the day's activities on the blowtorch signal of flagship 680 KNBR, and the rest of the Giants radio network, throughout the summer.


OTHERS: It's a good thing that fans in Denver have the Broncos to cheer. There certainly hasn't been much to get excited about lately with the hometown Colorado Rockies (71), who have failed to reach 70 wins three times in the past four years, topping out at a measly 74-88 the past five seasons. If there are some green shoots appearing on the barren landscape, perhaps it's because the organization is finally emerging from a dark period in which grating front office exec Bill Geivett commandeered many of the GM duties from Dan O'Dowd, then would resign after the 2014 season when not given the official GM title after O'Dowd turned down a contract extension...reportedly because he no longer wanted to work with Geivett. Go figure. In the wake of that recent mess, the Rocks began yet another rebuild last year under GM Jeff Bridich, the latest new-wave exec to be immersed in analytics and embracing an emphasis on youth. The payoff could come in a few years, but not 2016, as offseason additions were no more than short-term patches (relievers Jason Motte and Chad Qualls, 1B Mark Reynolds, OF Gerardo Parra), and Bridich might be inclined to deal away any other vets at the deadline in order to speed up the rebuild.


True, there are some nice building blocks in 3B Nolan Arenado and RF Carlos Gonzalez (who quietly posted some monster numbers after the All-Star break) already on the roster, but there are depth concerns, and there is the always-shaky pitching, which does not have the altitude to blame for the NL's worst road ERA (4.41) since late in the 2010 season. Just in case, keep an eye on Chad Bettis, a potential staff-ace-in-waiting who rather impressively allowed just three runs or fewer in nine of his eleven home starts. Good for the Rocks that they're still training in Arizona while Denver gets pelted with another blizzard. But after the snow clears, Colorado will still be no closer to contending. Until further notice, we're looking "under" at Coors Field.


Frankly, we have been very turned off by a lot of the things done lately by the front office of the Arizona Diamondbacks (82), from the ownership group trying to immerse itself in national politics, to CEO Derrick Hall, who reminds of a quintessential government bureaucrat, to the franchise's heavy-handed tactics as it threatens to sue Maricopa County to force upgrades and renovations at Chase Field, which looks pretty darned nice to us whenever we visit Phoenix for a game. But unlike a lot of other teams immersed in youth movements and building for the future (in many cases so they don't have to spend much money now), at least the D-backs seem like they want to win immediately, throwing out huge bucks to pry ace Zack Greinke away from the NL West rival Dodgers, while liberating Shelby Miller from Atlanta (where he lost 17 games last season despite a 3.02 ERA) to give skipper Chip Hale a big upgrade at the front of the rotation. Chief Baseball Officer Tony LaRussa and GM Dave Stewart moved several good-looking prospects (who weren't likely to help in 2016) for Miller, suggesting the win-now mantra in the desert.


There appears to be enough offense, especially if Cuban import Yasmany Tomas settles in RF after being quite uncomfy in his audition at 3B last season. The top of the batting order, which features MVP-caliber 1B Paul Goldschmidt, do-everything CF A.J. Pollock, and power-hitting LF David Peralta, is already capable, and adding ex-Brewers SS Jean Segura was another nice bit of maneuvering by LaRussa and Stewart. After 79 wins a year ago, adding Greinke and Miller to solidify the rotation should be enough to get the D-backs over .500. It's a measured vote for an "over" for us in Phoenix, which we also note is the farthest west one can find our favorite breakfast chain, the Waffle House.


Maybe the San Diego Padres (74) and GM A.J. Preller knew what they were doing last season when gambling on several high-priced veteran additions to spark a quick turnaround. Preller says it was worth the risk, though contention didn't happen, as the Pads stayed stuck in the muck in the lower half of the NL West while cutting ties with manager Bud Black before midseason. Preller, however, insists that his rebuild is still on course, and the short-term spending spree last year resulted in several of those vets moving elsewhere in the offseason and opening up more payroll for Preller to use as he re-stocks the farm system (helped by extra compensatory draft picks) and adds prospects from elsewhere. Unfortunately, the offense, which has been AWOL for most of March in Peoria, appears to remain very sluggish as it risks the declining Matt Kemp as its run-generating source, while there could be problems in the rotation beyond Tyson Ross, James Shields, and Andrew Cashner, who should capably fill the 1-2-3 roles. Meanwhile, Fernando Rodney's high-wire act now anchors the bullpen after Preller shipped closer Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox for more prospects.


Trying to fit the pieces together will be a new skipper, Andy Green, who has experience as a manager at the minor league level, but will be trying to make sense of what will likely be a fluid personnel situation in San Diego, where the fans will also have only one more summer to enjoy HOF announcer Dick Enberg, who will cut back his workload considerably in his final year before retiring as the Pads transition to ex-Red Sox voice Don Orsillo as their main play-by-play voice. We're not risking an "over" pick at Petco Park, where we look "under" instead in yet another transition year in San Diego.


With nothing but exasperating Division Series playoff exits to show for three straight NL West titles, the Los Angeles Dodgers (89 ½) scaled back some of their recent wild spending and lost staff co-ace Zack Greinke to NL West rival Arizona as a result, while playing it a bit low-key in free agency. Enough remains to stay in contention, but the Dodgers also spent part of their offseason hoping to get the clubhouse chemistry right when hiring good guy Dave Roberts to succeed Don Mattingly in the dugout. Unfortunately, Roberts has no managerial experience, which he might need to better deal with a few of the head cases left on the roster, in particular RF Yasiel Puig, whose antics inside and outside of the clubhouse have become such a distraction that many observers believe the Blue will ship him out by the trade deadline unless the Cuban defector begins to mature, and in a hurry.


Meanwhile, GM Andrew Friedman did not completely sit on his hands in the offseason, adding lefty Scott Kazmir and Japanese import Kenta Maeda in free agency to help solidify the rotation behind Clayton Kershaw, whose string of Cy Young wins was broken by the Cubs' Jake Arrieta last year. Though attempts to land Reds closer Aroldis Chapman (off-field issues) and ex-Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma (failed physical) were eventually scuttled. There's still too much top-line talent to dismiss the Blue, but the many disconnected pieces mean this also might be a tall order for a rookie manager such as Roberts, though many locals will continue to remain in the dark as the Dodgers' TV deal with Time-Warner continues to implode, and most non-TW subscribers in the L.A. basin cope with a possible third straight year of no Dodgers on TV. Blasphemous! We'd rather just watch and see what transpires and will instead take a pass at Chavez Ravine, where 2016 will become a season-long tribute to longtime, 88-year-old play-by-play man Vin Scully, who still sounds good but is reportedly due to retire at the end of the season. Pull up a chair, indeed!

[TheGame]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

AL Win Total - Best Bets
By Bruce Marshall


AL EAST: BEST BET...The East remains a treacherous neighborhood, where flaws can be exploited ruthlessly. And we see plenty of those on the roster of the Baltimore Orioles (78 ½), who appear on course to continue their descent that began last season, when they dropped 15 games (all of the way to .500) from their 2014 ALCS qualifier. Playing even .500 ball would be a nice trick this summer, however, as skipper Buck Showalter deals with an alarming shortage of quality arms. The best of those probably belongs to Kevin Gausman, but since he will be needing frequent cortisone shots to deal with shoulder tendinitis and could open the season on the DL, his chances of moving into (and staying at) the number one slot in the rotation are probably slim. Meanwhile, Ubaldo Jimenez has endured a rough March in Sarasota and could be earning a demotion to the bullpen, while ex-Brewer Yovani Gallardo has been auditioning for Showalter.


Meanwhile, C Matt Wieters has been dealing with an elbow injury that might also land him on the DL, and top offseason additions Pedro Alvarez (likely the main DH) and and 1B-OF Mark Trumbo are noted strikeout risks, which adds to the already considerable wind power in a notorious swing-and-miss lineup. The Birds will occasionally thrill with the long ball and exciting plays from 3B Manny Machado and CF Adam Jones, but it will not be enough to compensate for subpar pitching. It's an "under" for us at Camden Yards, still worth the visit if you can quickly get in and out of downtown Baltimore, and allow enough time to enjoy some of Boog Powell's BBQ and Eutaw Street, or some of the sinful sausages at the Polock Johnny's stand on the concourse.


OTHERS: We know for sure there will be some serious smoke coming out of the bullpen for the New York Yankees (85), who added Reds fireballer Aroldis Chapman to a relief corps that already boasted of Dellin Betances, who displayed some 91-octane stuff last summer when striking out 151 over just 84 IP. Along with Andrew Miller, New York could challenge the Royals for the AL's best relief corps. But once again the Yanks were not major players in free agency, going the trade route to add Chapman (who will miss the first 30 games as he deals with an MLB suspension stemming from an off-field domestic incident) and Starlin Castro, the ex-Cub SS now now penciled in at 2B for skipper Joe Girardi, who squeezed 87 wins and a wild card berth out of last year's roster that was minus key cogs 1B Mark Teixeira and CF Jacoby Ellsbury for long swaths of the campaign. Even adding the 26-year-old Castro, the Yanks still have the appearance of a baseball version of George Allen's long-ago Washington Redskins "Over the Hill Gang," with a lineup dotted by players in their mid-to-late 30s, and even their 40s, the latter including A-Rod, who has announced his will be his penultimate trip around the track but who nonetheless cracked a surprising 33 homers a year ago, working almost solely as a DH. Of those in the 30-plus-years-old brigade, Teixeira (now in a contract year) hit 31, C Brian McCann hit 26 homers, and RF Carlos Beltran another 19 a year ago. But keeping all of those oldsters healthy over 162 games might be a chore.


Worryingly, one of the top fill-ins, 23-year-old 1B Greg Bird, who impressed in Teixeira's absence down the stretch last year, is already down for the season with a torn labrum, though versatile Rob Refsnyder's impressive spring in Tampa suggests he could be a useful super-utility option. There is some upside in the rotation, especially if CC Sabathia is beyond some of his off-field problems. Another ace-like season from Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda finally living up to his hype as a top prospect in the Mariners' system, Nathan Eovaldi finding a way to miss bats with his mid-90's fastball, and Luis Severino reprising last year's impressive rookie campaign can get the Yanks in contention. We're looking "over" in The Bronx, where we hope to finally get to the new Yankee Stadium in early June when making our annual trip to the Belmont (the Tigers are in for a visit that June 10-11-12 weekend).


There seems an-almost obligatory bent among the national media to hype the Boston Red Sox (87) whenever possible. And with new GM Dave Dombrowski wheeling and dealing over the winter, the pundits have their latest reason to go overboard, as the Bosox would ink lefty David Price to the most expensive FA contract (seven years, $217 million!) ever given to a pitcher, while bolstering the bullpen by trading several prospects to the Padres for Craig Kimbrel and his pterodactyl-like stretch on the mound. But there has been something wrong with all of the disparate parts assembled over the past few years, with Boston well under .500 in three of the last four seasons, including the last two, though winning the World Series in the other (2013). Reflective of some of the recent dysfunction were last year's disappointing performances by Hanley Ramirez, a ballyhooed FA signee who flopped in LF but is now being auditioned at 1B, and ex-Giant Pablo Sandoval, who far undershot expectations at 3B. Unless Ramirez and Sandoval bounce back, aging DH David Ortiz (another 37 homers in 2015) looks the only reliable power source, and Big Papi turns 39 this season.


There also remain questions in the rotation behind Price, and though Kimbrel should prove an upgrade in the closer role, the bullpen still had the third-worst ERA in the AL a year ago. Even manager John Farrell, back in the dugout after last summer's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatments, has been involved in some off-field controversy. The over/under of 87 wins suggests a consistent contender, but lately this has been a very erratic bunch. And even if Price delivers as advertised, he only plays in one of every five games, at the most. We're thinking attention in Beantown turns fully to the Patriots by September, as the Bosox go "under" and miss the playoffs again.


The Toronto Blue Jays (86 ½) caught lightning in a bottle after the All-Star break last season, racing to the AL East title and the ALCS before bowing in an exciting six-game series vs. the Royals. But before the NHL Maple Leafs could put together a losing streak, GM Alex Anthopolous, architect of the playoff roster, would leave the organization, and staff ace David Price would bolt (as expected) in free agency after anchoring the rotation following his July acquisition by Anthopolous from the Tigers. New GM Ross Atkins was thus enlisted from Cleveland, where he worked under new Toronto club president and CEO Mark Shapiro. Moving fast to limit the damage after Price's departure, Atkins quickly inked a 2-year deal to retain starter Marco Estrada and would add from Oakland the durable Jesse Chavez, plus sign JA Happ (a Blue Jay from 2012-14) in free agency, at least solidifying the back end of the rotation. Adding Chavez and Happ allows skipper John Gibbons to move Aaron Sanchez to the bullpen as the Blue Jays look for a proper bridge to young, 20-year-old closer Roberto Osuna, who emerged out of nowhere to record 20 saves a year ago.


There is also hope that SS Troy Tulowitzki, who struggled after his deadline acquisition from Colorado, will be more settled this season, and if so he provides extra dynamite for the left side of the infield that already includes AL-MVP 3B Josh Donaldson (41 HR last year). Had DH Edwin Encarnacion (39 HR) hit one more dinger last season, he would have joined RF Jose Bautista (40 HR) and Donaldson and made Toronto the first team with three 40-homer players since the 1997 Rockies (Larry Walker, Andres Galarraga, Vinny Castilla). There's enough offense to get back to the playoffs, and unless the post-Price staff regresses, there's no reason the Blue Jays should drop too much from a year ago. Another "over" at the Rogers Centre, giving Toronto fans something to cheer as they endure another Stanley Cup Playoffs absence from the Leafs.


It might surprise some that the Tampa Bay Rays (82 ½) won three more games last year (80) than they did in 2014 (77), the final season in which skipper Joe Maddon and GM Andrew Friedman were in the St. Pete fold before bolting for greener pastures. But the Rays would hold their own despite a series of injuries that shut down much of the rotation for parts of the campaign and depleted the everyday lineup. Manager Kevin Cash kept uncovering capable arms, with Chris Archer finishing fifth in AL Cy Young voting and Jake Odorizzi taking nearly a run off his 2014 ERA as the Tampa Bay starters would surprisingly post the AL's best ERA (3.63). Theoretically, things should improve in 2016 if Cash can get full seasons out of Drew Smyly and Matt Moore and if Alex Cobb can return by midseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery last May.


The problem last season was runs, or, more specifically, scoring too few of them, as the Rays' measly 644 runs were second-lowest in the AL and almost 250 fewer than the Blue Jays. At 3B, Evan Longoria continues to produce at a high level, but help is needed from 2B Logan Morrison, acquired from Seattle, and RF Steven Souza, Jr., who clubbed 16 homers as a rookie while missing nearly two months due to injury. We view Tampa Bay as the X-factor of the East, as even slight improvement from the offense gets the team above .500 and perhaps to the periphery of the playoff chase. But the Rays have limited financial clout with which to add needed pieces during the season, and an injury to Longoria would completely short-circuit the offense. As always, we'll tune into one of our favorite play-by-play men, Dewayne Staats, describing the action on MLB Extra Innings, but we're simply going to pass at the Trop.


AL CENTRAL: BEST BET...As a year ago, the oddsmakers seem to be making this an easy call for us in the Central. Or perhaps it is the fault of the wagering public, which for some reason remains cool on the Kansas City Royals (84) despite their back-to-back World Series visits (which even the teams of the George Brett-led glory era between 1976-85 couldn't accomplish) and dramatic success in the Fall Classic a year ago. The roster has only a few tweaks from a year ago with the core still intact, and the lights-out bullpen might even be stronger by adding the accomplished Joakim Soria. He has been an effective closer in the past but now likely becomes one of the bridges along with Kelvin Herrera to gas-throwing closer Wade Davis, who proved an upgrade from Greg Holland and converted 17 of 18 chances after assuming the closer's role following an injury to Holland (now a free agent). Even last summer's staff addition Johnny Cueto, who would move to the Giants in free agency, is not likely to be missed after he proved a significant disappointment following his acquisition. But the starters usually have to worry only about going six innings, and the rotation should fill in seamlessly for Cueto with Ian Kennedy, signed as a FA after a couple of effective years with the Padres.


The everyday lineup is full of accomplished, still-mostly-young talent that continues to blossom, with SS Alcides Escobar the next possible star after sorts such as LF Alex Gordon, CF Lorenzo Cain, 3B Mike Moustakas, 1B Eric Hosmer, and C Salvador Perez have already reached that status, and the defense and baserunning should remain among the AL's best. Again, why are these guys being discounted? Just as automatic as ordering a burnt ends plate at Arthur Bryant's BBQ is another "over" recommendation at the Big K.


OTHERS: There is an awful lot of respect being given to the Detroit Tigers (82 ½) after their nosedive to 74-87 a year ago, a stunning 16-win drop from 2014. Longtime GM Dave Dombrowski was a casualty of the meltdown and was relieved of duties before the 2015 season was complete, with assistant Al Avila promoted in his place. Avila wasted little time addressing needs in the offseason, quickly trying to rebuild a bullpen that has been more of an arson squad in recent campaigns and was again one the AL's worst a year ago. New closer Francisco Rodriguez, along with Cubs SP John Lackey being the last remaining active links to the Angels' 2002 World Series team, was added in a trade with the Brewers, with Avila also dealing with the Yankees for lefty Justin Wilson and signing FA Mark Lowe from the Blue Jays as late-inning bridges to "K-Rod." With the bullpen hopefully solidified, Avila tried to upgrade the rotation, signing a high-priced deal with ex-Nat Jordan Zimmerman and also inking ex-Twin and Met Mike Pelfrey. The workhorse Zimmerman, however, logged a lot of innings in Washington, and holdover Justin Verlander has not resembled his old Cy Young-winning form for some time. (We're not sure if blame goes to girlfriend Kate Upton or a succession of injuries over the years.)


Offensively, there is hope for a bounce-back year from DH Victor Martinez, who slumped to just 11 HR in an injury-riddled 2015, but he's now 37, and the recovery is no guarantee. Outfielders Justin Upton and Cameron Maybin are new additions to a lineup that still features 1B Miguel Cabrera, like V. Martinez off an injury-plagued year. While Avila has thrown a lot of new pieces into the mix, the pressure is on manager Brad Ausmus to fit them all together. It's possible Ausmus succeeds and gets the Tigers back into playoff contention. But a slow start could also doom Ausmus, who barely survived the purge that claimed Dombrowski. Too much to ask to improve 9 wins, we think, so we look "under" at Comerica Park as we continue to steam about the removal of Leo's Coney Island from the stadium year ago. Blasphemous!


Slowly climbing back to the .500 level after bottoming out at 63-99 in 2013, the Chicago White Sox (80 ½) hope they are ready to make the jump to contending status after finishing a combined 62 games under .500 since 2012. Too much to ask? Maybe not, as AL observers insist the energy level has been much higher this spring in Glendale, due partly to vet offseason additions SS Jimmy Rollins and 3B Todd Frazier, who as much as anything should add much-needed spurs in the clubhouse. Recent Chisox news from the Cactus League had more to do about 1B-DH Adam LaRoche retiring after being told not to bring his son around to work every day, with team VP Kenny Williams receiving the brunt of the criticism. But practically speaking, this should not be a significant negative after LaRoche's disappointing 2015 was part of a team-wide power shortage that resulted in an AL-low 136 homers, hard to do playing half of the games in a hitter-friendly park such as The Cell.


To remedy the lack of pop, GM David Hahn engineered a three-way trade with the Reds and Dodgers that brought the aforementioned Frazier to the South Side, where his 24 HRs from last season have landed him in the cleanup role. Brett Lawrie, who hit 16 HRs for the A's last season, was also added in a deal with Billy Beane and will start at 2B and hopefully provide more protection for 1B-DH Jose Abreu, who socked 30 homers a year ago. The staff, anchored by Chris Sale, should benefit from the departure of Jeff Samardzija, who was worse than awful a year ago, with vet FA Mat Latos hoping to resurrect his career in the middle of the rotation. With the pressure on manager Robin Ventura, and No. 1 Chisox fan President Obama not likely to provide a pardon if the season starts slowly, it's time for the Pale Hose to make their move. That's enough to make us recommend an "over" at The Cell.


The Cleveland Indians (86) are getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers...too much, in our opinion, projecting more wins for the Tribe than for the champion Royals! We're not getting it, nor are we sure the Indians exceed that 86 after losing traction each of the past two seasons for skipper Terry Francona, who hasn't been to the playoffs since his first Cleveland team made it as a wild card in 2013. Already there are injury woes, as key LF Michael Brantley has played in only two Cactus League games as he recovers from offseason surgery on his right shoulder, and could start the season on the DL. Another slow break from the gate would bring back bad memories for the Tribe, who could never really recover from an 11-20 start last season, unable to get above .500 until late September.


Along the way last year, 2014 AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber pitched in bad luck, losing 16 games due mostly to poor run support, receiving two or fewer runs in 18 of his 32 starts. The rotation still posted decent numbers, as its 3.94 ERA was fourth best in the AL while finishing first in the bigs with 969 Ks, as Kluber (245 Ks) was helped by Carlos Carrasco (216 Ks), Danny Salazar (185 Ks), and Trevor Bauer (170 Ks) who all were firing bullets. And the bullpen posted the AL's second best ERA (3.12) behind only the Royals. So why didn't Cleveland win more last season? The power numbers weren't sufficient (1B-DH Carlos Santana led the team with only 19 homers), and to that end GM Mike Chernoff added Mike Napoli, who split last season between Boston and Texas and brings considerable pop to the lineup. The other significant offseason addition, OF Rajai Davis, likely gets playing time as long as Brantley is sidelined. The Indians see something in their core, which they have kept mostly intact, but we think Cleveland has a ceiling in the mid 80s. So, it's an "under" for us by Lake Erie.


It was nice to see the Minnesota Twins (78 ½) back in contention last season, as new manager Paul Molitor pushed many of the right buttons despite a succession of stats that belied a spirited run into wild card contention until the last weekend of the season. The Twins were middling statistically in most offensive categories while their team ERA was one of the worst in the league, yet Molitor kept the team in the playoff discussion. Still, the staff was more effective than in previous years, especially 2014 when it ranked bottom-of-the-bigs in ERA (5.06). And the improvement came even with staff ace Phil Hughes sidelined the last five weeks of the season, and with Ervin Santana suspended for the first 50 games. Santana (already named opening-day starter by Molitor) and Hughes are now together from the start of the season at the top of the rotation, but we are a bit less convinced with other options.


Meanwhile, the offense, defense, and clubhouse might miss the veteran presence that OF Torii Hunter provided last season in a return "home" for one final campaign. Miguel Sano, last year's rookie phenom with 18 homers and 52 RBI in just 80 games, is being moved to RF to take the place of Hunter, but the Twins are still waiting for a return on investment from touted CF Bryan Buxton, who did not have a Sano-like debut at the plate a year ago, and have given up on Aaron Hicks, traded to the Yankees. In a division without any easy touches, it's hard to say where the Twins land. We expect they'll be doing very well to replicate last year's 83 wins, though Molitor proved adept in his first season calling the shots. We're keeping an eye on the Twins, but are not prepared to commit, so we'll just watch the excellent broadcast pair of Dick Bremer and Bert Blyleven on Twins TV and take a pass at Target Field.


AL WEST: BEST BET...It has been a while, back to 2009, in fact, since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (80 ½) won a playoff game. Which means that wondrous OF Mike Trout has never experienced the taste of a postseason win. Certainly not Trout's fault, but we wonder if the Halos are any closer to breaking their playoff-win drought after only marginally addressing some of their roster issues in the offseason. New GM Billy Eppler did not completely sit on his hands, as the Angels should improve in the field, adding SS Andrelton Simmons from the Braves and 3B Yunel Escobar from the Nats following a finish in the bottom third of MLB defensive stats a year ago. But the gloves of Simmons and Escobar are not going to help too much with an offense that has a glaring lack of run producers despite the presence of Trout and a still-productive (knock on wood) Albert Pujols, whose recurring foot issues after yet more offseason surgery have limited his contributions this spring in Tempe. With an opening in left field as wide as the Big A's outfield rock formation, Eppler whiffed, or didn't even take much of a swing, on potential FA targets Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes, instead adding only the low-cost Craig Gentry from the A's and the low-power Daniel Nava as FAs. With a lot of subpar-OBP sorts in the lineup still surrounding Trout, RF Kole Calhoun, and maybe (if healthy) Pujols, we're not sure the Halos improve much from their lowly rank of 12th in AL runs scored a year ago.


Then there's the staff, where Garrett Richards might, or might not, regain his ace-like form prior to his 2014 leg injury, where Jered Weaver's loss of velocity remains a concern, where Matt Shoemaker, who surprised in his 2014 rookie season but disappointed a year ago, and where CJ Wilson opens the season on the DL, remain the main options. (Don't be surprised if young lefty Andrew Heaney emerges as the No. 1 starter sometime this summer.) Meanwhile, the bullpen might be weakened after one of the setup men, Trevor Gott, went to the Nats in the Escobar deal, though Huston Street remains a useful closer. Add it up, and we're not sure where the Halos fit in the West, and are less sure that GM Eppler is capable of making the sort of in-season deal that might be needed to help longtime skipper Mike Scioscia. It's an "under" for us at the Big A, but an "over" on visits to Clyde Wright's Tennessee BBQ stand behind the third-base side of the grandstand.


OTHERS: The Houston Astros (87 ½) arrived as a force last season as they completed a 35-win jump from just two years prior, all of the way into an AL wild card berth. A fluke? Not necessarily, as Houston appears built for the long haul, with a collection of live young arms led by AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and now augmented by ex-Tiger and Nat Doug Fister, who solidifies the back end of what might be the AL's best rotation, one in which Collin McHugh and Lance McCullers also matured in tandem a year ago. Adding reliever Ken Giles in a trade with the Phils also strengthens the bullpen and gives manager A.J. Hinch another interesting closer option and the chance to move Luke Gregerson back into his more comfy setup role. The only offseason personnel subtractions invovled non-essential components, so the core of the roster remains intact.


Yes, the offense tended to blow hot and cold and was responsible for the many streaks (winning and losing) that dotted last year's results. But it uncovered a potential superstar in SS Carlos Correa, who hit 22 homers in just 99 games, while do-everything 2B Jose Altuve was a legit MVP candidate for the first half of last season. After taking advantage of Minute Maid Park's forgiving dimensions and belting 230 homers (ranked second in the bigs) a year ago, Houston is darned fun to watch, and retains exciting potential, especially with LF Colby Rasmus and DH Evan Gattis now providing consistent power. After having the Royals on the ropes in last year's ALDS, the Astros appear on the verge of a jump into the elite level. It's an "over" for us at Minute Maid Park.


In retrospect, the one recent blip on the radar of the Texas Rangers (83) in 2014 can be explained by a rash of injuries two years ago that left the team as an MLB version of this year's NBA New Orleans Pelicans. But even using the DL another 26 times a season ago and losing a staggering 1651 player games due to injuries, the Rangers, fortified with better depth, did bounce back to win the AL West for new manager Jeff Banister and advance to the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons (if counting 2013 and the wild-card loss to the Orioles that season). Now Texas gets lefty Cole Hamels, added at the deadline from the Phils last summer, in its rotation from the outset, while former ace Yu Darvish should return sometime in May after missing all of last season following elbow surgery. More Hamels and any amount of Darvish are a nice start for the staff, which looks good by usual Ranger standards, and Texas also has a reliable closer these days after Shawn Tolleson nailed 35 of 37 save opportunities last season.


Granted, there are age and durability issues in the everyday lineup, with warranties needed for sorts such as 3B Adrian Beltre, 1B-DH Prince Fielder, and LF Josh Hamilton, all of whom having dealt with injuries in recent seasons. But at full strength, Texas is pretty scary, with plenty of power and speed (SS Elvis Andrus and CF Delino DeShields in particular to provide the latter) in the lineup and potential dominators at the top of the rotation if Darvish returns near 100%. There is some uncertainty, but the downside seems limited for Texas, a scenario which can play in the less-than-powerful AL West. We're going "over" in Arlington.


In recent years, we seem to be zigging and zagging in the wrong years with the Seattle Mariners (83), who failed to follow up their 2014 breakthrough when falling 11 wins to a subpar 76-86 a year ago. That latest pratfall caused a system-wide housecleaning, with ex-Angels GM Jerry DiPoto enlisted for the same role at Safeco Field, and DiPoto bringing along a comrade from Anaheim, Scott Servais, as the new manager in place of the dismissed Lloyd McClendon. DiPoto then spent the winter wheeling and dealing, completely restructuring the bullpen, with former Cardinal and Marlin Steve Cishek added in free agency as the likely new closer, while Wade Miley (via the Bosox) and Nathan Karns (via the Rays) arrived in trades and likely will be slotted behind the still-intimidating "King" Felix Hernandez in the rotation. DiPoto didn't stop at the pitching staff in his roster re-make, with FA LF Nori Aoki, plus CF Leonys Martin (via Rangers) and 1B Adam Lind (via Brewers) acquired in more trades and now part of the everyday lineup.


DiPoto didn't fool (at least not yet) with cornerstones 2B Robinson Cano, 3B Kyle Seager, or DH Nelson Cruz, but the recent records of similar roster overhauls (such as last year in Oakland) are not promising, and now Seattle breaks in a rookie big league manager (Servais) to boot. DiPito's moves might work, but history suggests such drastic offseason turnovers usually continue into the regular season, adding to the uncertainties. With so many moving pieces, forecasting a 7-win jump from last season appears a bit much to us, so we'd rather look "under" at Safeco Field.


An annual disclaimer needs to be attached to the Oakland Athletics (76) because of GM Billy Beane, who has often made lemonade from lemons and forged unlikely contenders at the Coliseum, to ever be summarily dismissed (though not all of Beane's personnel moves have worked like charms over the past decade). But the fact the A's remain so unpredictable means discounting them is always a risky option, and Beane has pulled several rabbits out of his hat at the trade deadline over the years. Having said that, the upside of the current bunch looks rather limited after having crashed to an AL-worst 68-94 mark a year ago, though Oakland might not have been as bad as the record indicated last season, with injuries eventually decimating the staff and bullpen and the team ending a staggering 31-53 in games decide by two runs or fewer. The A's would also remarkably have a healthy run differential into September, suggesting that a turnaround might not be far away. Sensing the woeful bullpen as a main contributor to last season's ills, Beane almost totally re-made the relief corps in the offseason while hoping closer Sean Doolittle has recovered from the shoulder woes that had him on the shelf for much of 2015. Ryan Madson, Liam Hendriks, John Axford and Mark Rzepczynski have all been added to the pen since last season, which suggests that the relief corps should certainly not be any worse, with holdover Fernando Rodriguez being the pleasant surprise of March in Mesa. And Beane always seems to find fits for his rotation.


But beyond All-Star Sonny Gray, there are many question marks, and the touted Sean Manaea (groin strain) will likely open the season on the DL. Meanwhile, the offense might get a boost from ex-Brewer Khris Davis, whose 27 HRs last season will be more than welcome in Oakland, though he doesn't fit Beane's OBP model. The real key to any A's renaissance probably lies with the defense, which was one of the AL's worst last season (SS Marcus Semien personally guilty of 35 errors) and looked no better in the Cactus League. We don't expect Oakland to contend, but if the pieces fall together, and Beane displays a little more of his personnel magic, the A's might make a run at .500. With all of those ifs, it seems a better idea to take a pass at the Coliseum.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 MLB opener slated for April 3
The Sports Xchange

Major League Baseball unveiled its 2016 schedule on Tuesday, with the season opener set for April 3 on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball."

Thirteen more games will be played on Monday, April 4, and eight on Tuesday, April 5, with all 30 teams in action for the first time on Wednesday, April 6.

The Opening Day lineup includes six games between divisional opponents and an interleague matchup between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets in Kansas City, Mo.

The annual All-Star Game is scheduled for for Tuesday, July 12, at Petco Park in San Diego. Other key dates are the MLB Draft on Thursday, June 9, and Jackie Robinson Day on Friday, April 15.

A first-ever trip for the San Diego Padres to play in Toronto against the Blue Jays is set for July 25-27.

The regular season is scheduled to end on Sunday, Oct. 2, with 12 divisional games on the slate.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

MLB 2016 schedule set

The first pitch of the 2016 MLB season is scheduled to be thrown April 3 at PNC Park, where the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals open at 1:05 p.m ET.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays will follow at 4:05 p.m. ET and both games will be available on ESPN networks.

The "Sunday Night Baseball" opener that night is a World Series rematch between the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets.

The 2016 regular season ends Oct. 2 with a full slate of games scheduled to start simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

Three live betting long shots who could lead the MLB in home runs
By ANDREW CALEY

The Major League Baseball season is almost upon us and what do we love more about baseball than watching players hit awe-inspiring dingers?

Nothing. That's what.

And what better way to enjoy those dingers, than with some cash on the line? The Westgate LV Superbook has released their odds for who will hit the most home runs in 2016 and while the obvious names like Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper top the list, lets take a look at some live long shots who could round the bases more than anyone else in 2016.

Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (25/1)

It's never bad to back a power hitter who calls Coors Field his home park and that's exactly where Rockies' third baseman Nolan Arenado sets up shop. The 24 year old had a serious breakout season for the Rockies in 2015, knocking out 42 home runs to go along with 130 RBIs and a gawdy .575 slugging percentage (good for third in the bigs behind just Harper and Trout).

Those 42 dingers were good for third in the majors' behind just the Orioles' first baseman Chris Davis (47) and the Mariners' designated hitter Nelson Cruz (44), so just in that regard, Arenado at 25/1 seems like a bargain. Add in Coors Field, which ranked first in ballpark OPS (.846), first in ballpark slugging percentage (.490) and fourth in HR/game (2.49) in 2015 and you have a recipe for a lot of dingers.

The only detractor from Arenado is that he had just 28 home runs in 918 at bats prior to 2015. Last season was also the first year in his three major league seasons in which Arenado played more than 133 games. However, if he manages to stay healthy for the majority of the season there's no reason to think Arenado can't be among the top home run hitters in 2016.

Carlos Correa, Houston Astros (30/1)

Talk about announcing your presence as a big leaguer. The Astros' rookie shortstop hit 22 home runs in just 387 at bats last season. That was a home run in one in every 17.6 at bats. That would have been good for 16th best in the majors among qualified batters. His .512 slugging percentage would have also been good for 17th in the majors.

The 21-year-old right-handed hitting Correa also gets to take advantage of a full season of at bats in the hitter friendly Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Astros' home field, which has one of one of the shortest porch's in left field (315 feet), saw the fifth most home runs per game in 2015 (2.44). Correa hit 12 of his 22 home runs there in 2015.

If Correra gets even better in his first full season at the big league level (which many people are projecting), there is no telling how many dingers Correra could knock out of the park this season and 30/1 is a number that could look a steal come September.

Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles (100/1)

Manny Machado did not disappoint in his first full season after tearing a ligament in his right knee in August of 2014. The 23-year-old Orioles' third baseman played all 162 games in 2015 and finished tied for 13th in the majors with 35 home runs and 20th with a .502 slugging percentage and was 21st with a .861 OPS.

Not many have a more ideal situation than Machado when it comes to going yard. First of all Orioles Park at Camden Yards is one of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball. There were more home runs hit there per game, than at any other park in the majors at 2.74 per game and ranked second in slugging percentage at .442. Machado also has the luxury of hitting ahead of last season's home run king, Chris Davis (15/1), who slugged 47 home runs. That is what is called lineup protection.

While Machado did play in every game in 2015, bettors should acknowledge he has had a history of knee injuries. On top of which, last season was the first in which he showed true power numbers. But at 100/1, that value is almost too good to pass up.

Check out the complete list of home run odds from the Westgate LV Superbook below:

GIANCARLO STANTON 7/1
MIKE TROUT 12/1
BRYCE HARPER 12/1
EDWIN ENCARNACION 15/1
KRIS BRYANT 15/1
JOSH DONALDSON 15/1
CHRIS DAVIS 15/1
NELSON CRUZ 20/1
JOSE ABREU 25/1
JOSE BAUTISTA 25/1
PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT 25/1
NOLAN ARENADO 25/1
TODD FRAZIER 25/1
J.D. MARTINEZ 25/1
MIGUEL SANO 30/1
CARLOS CORREA 30/1
ANTHONY RIZZO 30/1
ALBERT PUJOLS 30/1
GEORGE SPRINGER 30/1
MIGUEL CABRERA 30/1
CARLOS GONZALEZ 30/1
MARK TRUMBO 40/1
JUSTIN UPTON 40/1
KHRIS DAVIS 60/1
TROY TULOWITZKI 60/1
EVAN GATTIS 80/1
JOEY VOTTO 80/1
PEDRO ALVAREZ 80/1
ADAM JONES 80/1
HANLEY RAMIREZ 100/1
DAVID ORTIZ 100/1
MANNY MACHADO 100/1
MARK TEIXEIRA 100/1
YOENIS CESPEDES 100/1
RYAN BRAUN 100/1
JOC PEDERSON 100/1
FREDDIE FREEMAN 100/1
JAY BRUCE 100/1
PRINCE FIELDER 100/1
KYLE SCHWARBER 100/1
YASIEL PUIG 100/1
MICHAEL CONFORTO 100/1
MAIKEL FRANCO 200/1
ADRIAN GONZALEZ 200/1
LUCAS DUDA 200/1
EVAN LONGORIA 200/1
CURTIS GRANDERSON 200/1
ANDREW McCUTCHEN 200/1
COREY DICKERSON 200/1
KYLE SEAGER 200/1
MATT KEMP 200/1
MATT ADAMS 200/1
KOLE CALHOUN 200/1
KENDRYS MORALES 200/1
BRIAN DOZIER 200/1
RANDAL GRICHUK 200/1
COREY SEAGER 200/1
FIELD 15/1

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

Three live long shots who could win the 2016 World Series
By ANDREW CALEY

If you had placed a World Series future bet on the Houston Astros or the Texas Rangers before Opening Day last season, you would have been very happy come October.

Both of these American League teams ended up winning their respective divisions despite being 100/1 long shots to win the World Series, and while in the end, both the Rangers and Astros ended up falling short of the Fall Classic it goes to show there is real value to be had in World Series futures

Heck, you probably would have been thrilled with a wager on the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals, or the Toronto Blue Jays. They both entered the season at 25/1 and met in the ALCS.

While it is the Cubs who are big 4/1 faves to win it all this season, remember it was all about the Nationals last year and they didn't even make the postseason.

So, as players congregate at spring training, let's look at three live long shots to win the World Series and try to find this year's Houston or Texas.

Chicago White Sox (25/1)

Currently the White Sox are the only team on the board at 25/1 and since the defending World Series champs started their last year, this is a good place to start. Last year the South Siders were hoping to make a big jump last year, but could never really find their groove and ended up finishing fourth in AL Central at 76-86.

But that hasn't stopped the White Sox from trying to go for it all again this year. They brought in former Reds third baseman Todd Frazier to finally give slugger Jose Abreu some protection and balance to their lineup. If Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera can consistently get on base, there will be plenty of opportunities to score. Brett Lawrie comes in to take over at second base and Dioneer Navarro and Alex Avila gives them catcher/DH depth.

What could take the Pale Hose over the top is the potential at the front end of their rotation. Led by All-Star Chris Sale, along with Jose Quintana and a full year Carlos Rondon and this unit could be a very dangerous one. Sale led the majors in strikeouts/9-innings (11.82) to go along with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. With David Robinson anchoring the bullpen, the White Sox could be ready to make a move in the Central

Seattle Mariners (40/1)

The Mariners have been one of those teams the last few seasons that make you ask, 'what could happen if they ever put it all together?'

Unfortunately for the Mariners and their fans, they just haven't. They entered last season as one of the sexy pics to make the jump to the post season, but came out of the gate losing seven of their first 10 games and never recovered, finishing the season 4th in AL West at 76-86. Will 2016 be the year it changes for the M's?

Everything for the Mariners starts with their rotation, headed by superstar Felix Hernandez, whom had a down year by his standards last season. 'The King's' ERA was above 3.50 for the first time since 2007, so even a slight bounce back to the norm is a boost. Retaining Hishahi Iwakuma and bringing in Wade Miley and Nathan Karns was big. If talented youngster Taijuan Walker can figure it out, this rotation could be very, very good. Adding Joaquin Benoit and Steve Cishek to what was a terrible bullpen should also help a lot.

As for the offense, everything is fueled by Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz. People thought Cruz would struggle moving from Baltimore to Seattle, but he still finished 2nd in the bigs with 44 homers to go along with 93 RBIs. If Cano can bounce back from his worst season since 2008 and they get what is expected to be a more balanced lineup with the addition of Adam Lind ans Nori Aoki, then the M's can contend in the AL West this year.

Tampa Bay Rays (60/1)

The Rays continue to do what they do. Try to extract the maximum talent from a payroll that regularly ranks near the bottom of the league. And 2016 will be no different.

What also shouldn't be any different about the Rays this season is their starting pitching. From Scott Kazmir to David Price, the Rays have always featured great starters over the years and 2016 could feature some very good ones and it all starts with budding superstar Chris Archer. Archer pitched to a 3.23 ERA a 1.14 WHIP and had the fourth highest strikeouts/9-inning ratio in the bigs. That's a good starting point.

The Rays are also baking on getting mostly healthy seasons from Alex Cobb, Matt Moore and Drew Smyly, who all suffered or were recovering from injuries last season. Throw in Jake Odorizzi coming off a breakout campaign (3.35 ERA, 1.15 WHIP in 2015) and this starting rotation could be even better than the one that finished sixth in starters ERA last year.

Tamp Bay's biggest problem will be supporting those pitchers with enough runs to win games, beginning with Evan Longoria. If the Rays' all-time leader in most offensive categories can have a bounce back season that's a start. A full season from Desmond Jennings wouldn't hurt either. Add in the rise of center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and the additions of Corey Dickerson and Steve Pierce and the Rays could have just enough timely hitting to become a contender.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

Position Battles to Watch: Team by team
By The Sports Xchange

As position players begin to pour into spring training camps this week, the jockeying for regular roles is already underway for starting pitchers across Arizona and Florida.
The fifth (and in some cases fourth) spots in the rotation will be up for grabs on numerous teams.
Even clubs with seemingly formidable pitching staffs, such as the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, must settle on their five starters over the course of the next month. On those teams, the task will be finding the best option among many strong candidates. On other teams, locating any kind of quality to man the back end of the rotation will be a struggle.
Here is a look at each team's most notable position battle to watch this spring, as assessed by The Sports Xchange's national network of baseball correspondents.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: The acquisition of SS Jean Segura opened a lot of possibilities in the middle infield. Does Segura start at shortstop, his primary position? What does that mean for premier defensive SS Nick Ahmed? Does Segura move to second base ahead of incumbent Chris Owings, who had a down year in 2015 as he worked back to 100 percent after shoulder surgery following the 2014 season? Ahmed "saved" 20 runs more than the average shortstop in 2015, according to baseball-reference.com, and the D-backs prize defense. They led the NL and were second to World Series champion Kansas City with 62 runs saved.

COLORADO ROCKIES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: SS Jose Reyes, the highest paid player on the team with a $22 million salary this season, is facing a domestic violence charge for an alleged incident last October in Hawaii. Commissioner Rob Manfred placed him on paid leave Tuesday. That creates an opportunity for prospect Trevor Story, who finished last season at Triple-A Albuquerque, where he hit .271/.324/.504 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs in 61 games. Manager Walt Weiss said he didn't think service-time considerations would affect Story's chances to earn playing time at shortstop. Daniel Descalso and Cristhian Adames, both versatile infielders, could fill in at shortstop if Story is not deemed ready to start the season in the majors.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: The main question new manager Dave Roberts will have to answer at some point this spring is who to bat leadoff. The Dodgers have no obvious choice, and Roberts said "any number of guys" could fill the role from one day to the next depending on pitching matchups -- Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Enrique Hernandez, Joc Pederson, even rookie SS Corey Seager. A leadoff hitter during his playing career, Roberts said analytics have put less emphasis on finding a specific type of hitter to fill that spot. "I think that nowadays it's just another spot in the order," Roberts said.

SAN DIEGO PADRES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Rookie Austin Hedges spent a considerable amount of time behind the plate last season as Derek Norris played some first when the Padres were without both 1B Yonder Alonso and OF/1B Wil Myers. With Norris not needed at first this season, the Padres have three catchers in Norris, Hedges and Christian Bethancourt, who is out of options and figures to be the backup. Hedges, 23, hit only .168 in 137 at-bats as a major league rookie in 2015 and will likely start in Triple-A ... unless the Padres move Norris. Hedges is an excellent defensive catcher and favored by many San Diego pitchers.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: One of the first observations Giants manager Bruce Bochy had after greeting pitchers and catchers on Feb. 17 was how good veteran RHP Matt Cain looked. Then again, Bochy said the same thing multiple times last season, and Cain never demonstrated it in regular-season game action, going 2-4 with a 5.79 ERA as he battled a sore right forearm. The 31-year-old is penciled in to be the team's fifth starter this season, but he will be pushed by RHP Chris Heston, one of last year's biggest surprises (12-11, 3.95). It is a rare occasion when the veteran is the guy with something to prove.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

CHICAGO CUBS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: The starting lineup appears set for now with CF Jason Heyward and 2B Ben Zobrist likely to land atop the order. The biggest battles might come for the No. 4 and 5 starting pitching slots, with plenty of options for manager Joe Maddon to choose from. RHP Kyle Hendricks went 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA last year in his second big league season. RHP Jason Hammel (9-9, 3.74 ERA) struggled in second half as he was apparently hampered by a sore left knee. LHP Travis Wood could be back the picture as a possible fifth starter after moving to the bullpen in 2015, and RHP Adam Warren also will get a look.

CINCINNATI REDS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: The Reds tried to trade 2B Brandon Phillips at least a couple times, most recently to the Washington Nationals. However, rather than jump at the chance to toil for a contender, the 34-year-old veteran invoked his no-trade clause and sought a contract extension. Many believe the Reds acquired Phillips' replacement when they got 21-year-old Jose Peraza from the Dodgers in the three-team deal involving 3B Todd Frazier. If so, Phillips' power play puts a cramp in the Reds' rebuilding efforts. Some believe the club might decide to hand the bulk of the playing time to Peraza anyway to see what the young man can do.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Third base is the greatest concern, both at the big league and minor league level, where there currently is no prospect waiting in the wings. Hernan Perez saw action at third last season after he was picked up on waivers from Detroit, but like so many on Milwaukee's depth chart, he is more comfortable at a middle infield position. Veteran Aaron Hill, acquired from Arizona in the Jean Segura trade, is the leading candidate as camp opens with former Red Sox prospects Gavin Cecchini and Wil Middlebrooks also in the mix as non-roster invitees.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: If 3B Jung Ho Kang is not recovered by Opening Day from the broken leg and torn knee ligaments he sustained last September in a second base collision, 2B Josh Harrison will be needed at the hot corner. That will leave a number of players vying for playing time at second base, including veteran INFs Sean Rodriguez and Pedro Florimon and rookie INFs Alen Hanson and Gift Ngoepe. Rodriguez has logged more time at second base than any other position during his eight-year career. He hit .246 with four home runs in 141 games last season. Florimon is considered an above-average fielder, but he batted just .087 in 24 games in the major leagues in 2015.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: It is go time for 1B Matt Adams, whose Cardinals career could arrive at a crossroads if he can't beat out veteran Brandon Moss for the starting job. Adams emerged from a slump late last May before he tore a quad muscle. He missed three months, finishing the season hitting just .240 in 175 at-bats over 60 games. Moss batted only .226 between Cleveland and St. Louis last season but showed flashes of the 30-homer power he has displayed during his career. The Cardinals believe Moss will be at 100 percent this year after rushing a return from hip surgery to be ready for 2015.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

ATLANTA BRAVES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: 2B Jace Peterson needs a good spring to avoid splitting time with veteran INF Gordon Beckham, signed as a free agent. Peterson, acquired before last season from the Padres, started well at the plate in his first regular duty last year, but he struggled in the second half as he played through a torn tendon in his right thumb. The 25-year-old wound up hitting .239/.314/.335 with six home runs and 52 RBIs in 152 games. Beckham, 29, hit .209/.275/.332 with six homers and 20 RBIs in 100 games for the White Sox in 2015.

MIAMI MARLINS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: RHP Edwin Jackson, who has career numbers of 88-107 with a 4.58 ERA, will have to fight off challenges from David Phelps (4-8, 4.50 ERA last season) and LHP Brad Hand (4-7, 5.30) to land a rotation job. It is an underwhelming list of candidates, and that includes the youngsters who may get a shot in spring training -- LHP Justin Nicolino (5-4, 4.01), LHP Adam Conley (4-1, 3.76), RHP Jose Urena (1-5, 5.25) and RHP Kendry Flores (1-2, 4.97). Other than Jackson, the other six candidates combined to make 64 starts for the Marlins, who are desperate to find a qualified fifth starter.

NEW YORK METS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: It is always good for a team when the most exciting position battle is for the last two spots in the bullpen. RHP Erik Goeddel, who made the National League Division Series roster last fall, has the inside track on one spot. He was 1-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 35 games last year. The Mets could go with a long man such as LHP Sean Gilmartin or RHP Logan Verrett in the final spot. Gilmartin and Verrett also could be stashed as rotation insurance at Triple-A Las Vegas if RHP Jim Henderson, a non-roster invitee, can reclaim the form that allowed him to collect 33 saves for the Brewers in 2013.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: LHPs Brett Oberholtzer and Adam Morgan and RHPs Vincent Velasquez and David Buchanan will compete to be the No. 5 starter. Oberholtzer and Velasquez were two of five players acquired from the Houston Astros in the December trade for closer Ken Giles. Oberholtzer, 26, was 2-2 with a 4.46 ERA in eight starts for the Astros last year. Velasquez, 23, went 1-1 with a 4.37 ERA in 19 games, including seven starts, for Houston. Morgan, 25 and Buchanan, 26, split last season between the Phillies and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Morgan went 5-7 with a 4.45 ERA in 17 starts during his first crack at the major leagues, while Buchanan was 2-9 with a 6.99 ERA in 15 starts for the Phillies.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Michael A. Taylor and Ben Revere could compete to be the starting center fielder. Taylor saw a lot of action in center in 2015 as veteran Denard Span (now with San Francisco) missed a lot of time due to injuries. Taylor flashed his power and speed but also struck out too much -- 158 times in 138 games -- to be an ideal leadoff hitter. Revere, which much more experience, was acquired in a trade from the Blue Jays in January for former closer Drew Storen. Revere led the National League in hits with 184 in 2014 and then batted .306 with 31 steals last year with the Phillies and Blue Jays. Taylor hit .229 with 14 homers for Washington.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

HOUSTON ASTROS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: With Chris Carter non-tendered this offseason and Marwin Gonzalez better suited in the designated super-utility role, Jon Singleton will face his third, and likely last, opportunity to claim the first base job. He scuffled following his 2014 debut, hitting .168/.285/.335 with 134 strikeouts in 362 plate appearances, and failed to make the Opening Day roster last season before hitting .191/.328/.298 over just 19 games. While there are other available options, namely top prospect A.J. Reed and accomplished minor-leaguers Tyler White and Matt Duffy, Singleton enters his age-24 season with the inside track despite his lagging production.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: OFs Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava are the latest candidates to fill the Angels' void in left field. Neither journeyman compiled impressive statistics last year. The 32-year-old Gentry spent most of the season in the minor leagues and batted just .120 in 26 games for the Oakland Athletics. Nava, who turns 33 on Feb. 22, managed only a .194 average in 60 games with the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Though the Angels plan to platoon the duo, Nava has played more career games in left field and offers some needed left-handed power. If neither perform to expectations, look for the Angels to pursue midseason help, as they did last year.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Yonder Alonso, a left-handed hitter, and Mark Canha, who bats right-handed, are expected to platoon at first base, but Canha has the potential to hit his way into a bigger role. As a rookie last season, Canha hit .254 with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs in 124 games. He had five home runs during an 11-game span from Aug. 31 to Sept. 12, and he hit .309 in August. Alonso is a skilled defensive first baseman and a .273 career hitter in 508 major league games, but he hit only five home runs last season for San Diego and has never hit more than nine homers in a season.

SEATTLE MARINERS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: This time last year, the Mariners had one of the most productive closers in baseball (RHP Fernando Rodney) and a young closer of the future (RHP Carson Smith). Both are no longer with the team, so now Seattle is looking toward veteran RHPs Steve Cishek and Joaquin Benoit as possible closers. The inside track belongs to Cishek, who had 39 saves with the Marlins in 2014 but blew four of seven save chances last season before being dealt to the Cardinals. Benoit, 38, had 24 saves with the Tigers in 2014 but has spent most of his career as a setup man.

TEXAS RANGERS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Josh Hamilton should be the answer for what turned into a revolving door in left field last season. However, because of Hamilton's health, that door could still be swinging open. Hamilton was limited to 50 games in 2015 because of injuries, and he has played in just 139 at-bats over the last two years. He had two surgeries on the left knee last year and was still having issues with it as he showed up to camp. The Rangers brought in LF Justin Ruggiano, who could spell a balky Hamilton. Texas also used Joey Gallo some in left last year but would prefer to play him at third base in Triple-A. Top prospect Nomar Mazara is an option for the future.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: INFs Tyler Saladino and Carlos Sanchez each head into spring training with the goal of winning the starting shortstop spot, which was vacated when the White Sox parted ways with veteran Alexei Ramirez. Saladino, 26, played mostly shortstop in the minors but made his major league debut at third base last season. He flashed some great defensive skills there with his athleticism, but hit just .225 with four home runs and 28 RBIs. Sanchez, 23, is a capable defender but not as athletic. He is a switch hitter who batted .224 with five home runs and 31 RBIs last season, playing mostly as the White Sox's starting second base.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: It appeared as though third base was going to be a question mark as spring training began. However, on the day pitchers and catchers reported, the Indians reached an agreement with Juan Uribe on a one-year contract. Assuming he signs, Uribe would immediately become the favorite to win the position. Uribe, 36, hit .253 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs last year. The incumbent at third base was Giovanny Urshela, who as a rookie last year was outstanding defensively but invisible offensively, hitting .225 with a .279 on base percentage. Urshela, 24, probably would need a monster spring to be the Opening Day starter.

DETROIT TIGERS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Cameron Maybin and Anthony Gose will compete to see who mans center field the majority of the games this season. Maybin hits right-handed and Gose bats left-handed, so a platoon is not out of the question. Maybin is the more experienced and has an edge in power, while Gose is much faster. Both pass the eyeball test defensively, but neither stands out in the defensive metrics. Maybin was originally acquired to give Detroit an option in left, a hole that was closed with the signing of Justin Upton. Maybin would seem to have the edge, with Gose giving the Tigers a left-handed bat and speed off the bench.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: 2B Omar Infante, who turned 34 in December, is owed $15.75 million for the next two years, but the Royals need more offense from him. His .220 batting average, .234 on-base percentage and .318 slugging percentage last year will not cut it. Christian Colon, the fourth overall pick in the 2010 draft, will get a chance to wrestle the job away from Infante in spring training. Colon hit .290 in 43 games last season with Kansas City. Infante underwent right elbow surgery in November, but he had no restrictions at the start of spring training. If he hits, he keeps the job.

MINNESOTA TWINS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: C Kurt Suzuki was an All-Star two seasons ago and was so good the Twins signed him to a two-year contract extension worth $12 million at midseason. However, Suzuki struggled mightily at the plate in 2015, hitting .240 and reaching base at a .296 clip. He wasn't much better defensively, and at 32 years of age, his best years are probably behind him. Without a sure thing in the minors, Minnesota decided to trade OF Aaron Hicks to the Yankees to acquire their potential catcher of the future, John Ryan Murphy. It is expected that he will challenge Suzuki for the starting job as soon as this season.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: Right field figured to be the most unsettled position coming into the spring, but that all changed Tuesday when the Orioles reportedly agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal with free agent Dexter Fowler. The veteran center fielder figures to slide to right field with four-time Gold Glove award winner Adam Jones firmly established in center. Mark Trumbo could see some action in right field, although most expect him to spend the majority of his time at designated hitter. Nolan Reimold and Dariel Alvarez were also in the right field mix prior to the Fowler news.

BOSTON RED SOX
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: While just about everything was set for the Red Sox entering spring training, there could be a battle for the starting catcher spot, with Blake Swihart getting the bulk of the time last year when Christian Vazquez was out following Tommy John surgery. Vazquez, the superior defender, could force Swihart to another position. Vazquez said in early February he was ready to go, adding that he learned a lot watching the game during his recovery. The Red Sox are likely to want Vazquez to start the season in Triple-A, with veteran Ryan Hanigan a capable backup to Swihart.

NEW YORK YANKEES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: The Yankees have six healthy starting pitchers at the moment, and they could have a competition for the fifth spot between LHP CC Sabathia and RHP Ivan Nova. Sabathia pitched better in his final few starts before entering rehab for alcohol right before the playoffs. Nova struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery and seems more suited to fill the relief/spot starter role that RHP Adam Warren previously occupied. It seems unlikely Sabathia would go to the bullpen since he is owed $25 million this year. His recent numbers (3-4, 5.28 ERA in 2014; 6-10, 4.73 in 2015) do not correlate to someone being paid so well.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: The deepest position battle looks to be first base, where James Loney returns as a starter but faces challenges from two solid bats acquired in the offseason, Logan Morrison and Steve Pearce. The Rays must decide what to do with Loney, who could be traded for bullpen help. Morrison hit a career-low .225 last season with Seattle but has shown power potential, like his 23 home runs in 2011 with the Marlins. Pearce, who hit .293 with Baltimore in 2014, saw that average drop to .218 last season, but he too has a power swing, producing 21 home runs in 338 at-bats in 2014.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: RHP Jesse Chavez seemed to have the inside track to the No. 5 spot in the rotation after being obtained from the Oakland Athletics. The 32-year-old often loses form in the second half of the season, however, and there could be intriguing developments at spring training that push him to the bullpen. RHP Drew Hutchison, 25, showed enough in 2014 to be named Opening Day starter in 2015, but he had a horrible season before moving to the bullpen late in the season. A return to form at spring training could put him back in the rotation. RHP Aaron Sanchez, 23, also will be viewed as a potential starter after ending the 2015 season in relief.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

SuperBook opens 2016 Player Props

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook recently opened up 2016 MLB regular season props.

The “Most” props are very popular and allow bettors to wager on a variety of categories throughout the season that can be achieved by any player or pitcher.

Below are the highest totals from last season (2015).

Home Runs: 47 Chris Davis (Baltimore)
Runs: 122 Josh Donaldson (Toronto)
Stolen Bases: 58 Dee Gordon (Miami)
Triples: 15 Eddie Rosario (Minnesota)
Losses: 17 Shelby Miller (Atlanta)
Strikeouts: 301 Clayton Kershaw (L.A. Dodgers)
RBI’s: 130 Nolan Arenado (Colorado)
Hits: 205 Dee Gordon (Miami)
Doubles: 45 Michael Brantley (Cleveland)
Wins: 22 Jake Arrieta (Chicago Cubs)
Saves: 51 Mark Melancion (Pittsburgh)
Complete Games: 4 (Six Players Tied)

Along with those wagers, the SuperBook has posted “Regular Season Hits” props. They’ve focused on 14 players and bettors can decide to go ‘over’ or ‘under’ their number of hits.

The American League has nine players while the National League has five. What's a little surprising is that the SuperBook expects 12 of the 14 players to underachieve based on last year's numbers.

Listed below are all of the Westgate numbers.

2016 MLB REGULAR SEASON INDIVIDUAL PROPS

MOST HR's By: Any Player
Over 44½ (-110)
Under 44½ (-110)

MOST RUNS By: Any Player
Over 121½ (-110)
Under 121½ (-110)

MOST STOLEN BASES By: Any Player
Over 63½ (-110)
Under 63½ (-110)

MOST TRIPLES By : Any Player
Over 12½ (-120)
Under 12½ (+100)

MOST LOSSES By: Any Pitcher
Over 17 (-120)
Under 17 (+100)

MOST STRIKEOUTS By: Any Pitcher
Over 276½ (-110)
Under 276½ (-110)

MOST RBI's By: Any Player
Over 127½ (-110)
Under 127½ (-110)

MOST HITS By: Any Player
Over 208½ (-110)
Under 208½ (-110)

MOST DOUBLES By: Any Player
Over 51½ (-110)
Under 51½ (-110)

MOST WINS By: Any Pitcher
Over 21 (+100)
Under 21 (-120)

MOST SAVES By: Any Pitcher
Over 49½ (-110)
Under 49½ (-110)

MOST COMPLETE GAMES By: Any Pitcher
Over 5 (-110)
Under 5 (-110)

2016 MLB REGULAR SEASON HITS

Jose ALTUVE (Houston: 2015 - 200 Hits)
Over 187½ (-110)
Under 187½ (-110)

Robinson CANO (Seattle: 2015 - 179 Hits)
Over 175½ (-110)
Under 175½ (-110)

Manny MACHADO* (Baltimore: 2015 - 181 Hits)
Over 167½ (-110)
Under 167½ (-110)

Dee GORDON* (Miami: 2015 - 205 Hits)
Over 174½ (-110)
Under 174½ (-110)

Adam JONES* (Baltimore: 2015 - 147 Hits)
Over 169½ (-110)
Under 169½ (-110)

Josh DONALDSON* (Toronto: 2015 - 184 Hits)
Over 169½ (-110)
Under 169½ (-110)

Lorenzo CAIN* (Kansas City: 2015 - 169 Hits)
Over 156½ (-110)
Under 156½ (-110)

A.J. POLLOCK* (Arizona: 2015 - 192 Hits)
Over 169½ (-110)
Under 169½ (-110)

Paul GOLDSCHMIDT* (Arizona: 2015 - 182 Hits)
Over 169½ (-110)
Under 169½ (-110)

Anthony RIZZO* (Chicago Cubs: 2015 - 163 Hits)
Over 159½ (-110)
Under 159½ (-110)

Charlie BLACKMON* (Colorado: 2015 - 176 Hits)
Over 166½ (-110)
Under 166½ (-110)

Mookie BETTS* (Boston: 2015 - 174 Hits)
Over 175½ (-110)
Under 175½ (-110)

Mike TROUT* (L.A. Angels: 2015 - 172 Hits)
Over 172½ (-110)
Under 172½ (-110)

Ian KINSLER* (Detroit: 2015 - 185 Hits)
Over 161½ (-110)
Under 161½ (-110)

Major League Baseball Season Must Consist of at least 150 Regular Season Games For Action

*Player Must Play In At Least 1 Major League Regular Season Game For Action

All Bets Are Action Despite Player Trade, Retirement, or Suspension

No Parlays

Odds Subject To Change

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 St. Louis Cardinals Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series
by Alan Matthews

So your first memory of the 2015 MLB season probably is of the World Series, with Kansas City beating the New York Mets in five games. Thus, perhaps just off the top of your head, you assume those were the two best teams in the regular season.

That would be wrong.

The St. Louis Cardinals had 100 regular-season wins, five more than any team. They were the first team since the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies to reach triple digits. The Cards won the NL Central, easily MLB's best division last year, by two games for their third straight division title and advanced to the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year. St. Louis did it largely on the strength of its pitching staff, which led the majors with a 2.94 ERA (only team under 3.00) in 2015. Alas, the Cards were pretty beaten up when the postseason rolled around. They were clobbered by the young sluggers of the Chicago Cubs, who took the NLDS in four games. That was the first-ever playoff series between the bitter rivals.


This offseason has been rather unusual in St. Louis. You would have to say this has been probably the best-run franchise in the majors for a while. It doesn't have the truly big money to spend like the Yankees, Red Sox or Dodgers yet continues to win. The Cardinals have missed the playoffs only four times this century. So perhaps the front office knows better than I do, but it was strangely quiet this winter despite some glaring holes.

The Cardinals open the season on Sunday, April 3 at Pittsburgh.

Cardinals 2016 Projected Lineup

St. Louis ranked just 24th in runs last season and hit only 137 homers, which was 25th and one spot behind the small-ball Royals. I'm not sure this year's lineup is better.

The big loss was outfielder Jason Heyward. He led all regulars with a .293 average last season while hitting 13 homers with 60 RBIs and 23 steals. OK, not huge numbers overall, but Heyward played Gold Glove defense and led the position players in wins above replacement. The Cardinals wanted Heyward back and reportedly offered him around $200 million over eight years. But Heyward decided to sign for less with the Cubs and ticked off the Cardinals by saying he did so because the Cubs' core players were young and on the rise and the Cards' were on the downside of their careers. I think he's right.

I'm still shocked the Cardinals didn't add one of the bevy of free-agent outfielders that were out there, but this franchise rarely spends big free-agent bucks. St. Louis likes to build from within. The only major position player additions were Jedd Gyorko, who is a backup infielder, and Brayan Pena, who will back up catcher Yadier Molina. Speaking of Molina, he was hampered late last season by torn ligaments in his thumb and had to have another surgery after the season. He's availability for Opening Day is up in the air. Outfielder Matt Holliday and first baseman Matt Adams are coming off injury-plagued seasons themselves. Adams played in only 60 games last year and Holliday 73.

At this point, the team's best every-day player is All-Star third baseman Matt Carpenter, and he will continue to lead off this year. Carpenter upped his power stroke last year and hit 28 homers with 84 RBIs. Swinging for the fences dropped his average some (.272) and his strikeouts rose (151). Stephen Piscotty will bat second and play right field. He was great as a rookie, batting .305 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 63 games. Holliday plays left and bats third. Center fielder Randall Grichuk hits fourth. He also was good as a rookie, batting ,276 with 17 homers and 47 RBIs in 103 games.

The rest of the lineup: Jhonny Peralta at short, either Adams or Brandon Moss at first base, Kolten Wong at second and Molina behind the plate. Clearly this lineup is hugely dependent on those two young outfielders proving they weren't one-year wonders. Holliday and Molina appear trending downward.

Cardinals 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

That the Cardinals led the majors in ERA was pretty impressive considering ace Adam Wainwright tore his Achilles' tendon in April and missed most of the season. He made it back late and pitched out of the bullpen. He might have started Game 5 of the NLDS had there been one. Wainwright is healthy now.

But the Cardinals lost two key members of that rotation this offseason. John Lackey was the most consistent guy with 13 wins and a 2.77 ERA, but he also chose to sign with the Cubs. Lance Lynn had been super durable and consistent, but he's out for 2016 following Tommy John surgery. Lynn was 12-11 with a 3.03 ERA last season.

The rest of the rotation behind Wainwright will be good young right-handers Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez (he was shut down late last season with shoulder fatigue so keep an eye on that), lefty Jamie Garcia (great in 2015 but injury-prone) and free-agent addition Mike Leake, who spent last season with the Reds and Giants. Leake is nothing special, but you can generally count on six innings and three earned allowed from him each time out. The Cardinals did make a big offer to free-agent David Price, but Boston trumped that offer by many millions. So Leake was the fallback plan.

Closer Trevor Rosenthal is one of the best in the business, saving 48 games with a 2.10 ERA last year. The Cards did add Korean reliever Seung-hwan Oh to boost the bullpen depth.

Cardinals Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

St. Louis is +1400 to win the World Series and +700 for the National League pennant. The Cards have an "over/under" wins total of 87.5, with both at -110. St. Louis doesn't have a player on the prop to lead the majors in homers, nor should it. The Cards were 81-81 against the spread last season and 66-85-11 O/U. On the moneyline, they were +2247 units on the year.

Cardinals 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects St. Louis to finish 84-78 and tied with Pittsburgh at second in the NL Central, 10 games behind the Cubs. I do think this team is behind the Cubs and Pirates in the division. I also believe it will make a move during the season if need be. Losing in St. Louis isn't acceptable. But as this club stands, go under that wins total and no playoffs.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

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

It's official now that, perhaps the first time since the mid-to-late 1980s, New York is a Mets town over a Yankees town. Sure, the Bombers might still have more worldwide fans, but the young, rising Mets are way more interesting and have all the buzz entering spring training. Winning an unlikely pennant and having one of the most promising young starting rotations in modern MLB history will do that.

I didn't think much of the Mets entering last season. True, Jacob deGrom was coming off a Rookie of the Year season, but he wasn't a highly-touted guy and perhaps a fluke. Matt Harvey was coming off Tommy John surgery, and Zack Wheeler was lost to it. No one had a clue how good Noah Syndergaard might be. The offense looked like one of the worst in baseball.

But thanks to all those fabulous young pitchers and bolstered by the midseason acquisition of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from Detroit, the Mets finished 90-72 and won the NL East by seven games over the heavily-favored Nationals. It was New York's first playoff berth since 2006.

The Mets weren't supposed to upset the NL West champion L.A. Dodgers in the NLDS but did. DeGrom outpitched Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 and then NL Cy Young runner-up Zack Greinke in the clinching Game 5. The Mets weren't supposed to upset the Cubs, the opposite of the Mets as Chicago had the best young hitters in the majors, in the NLCS, either. But good pitching usually beats good hitting in October, and the Mets swept.

New York actually was then favored in the World Series against Kansas City, but that Royals lineup was probably the worst possible matchup because all those guys made contact and never struck out. Had Mets closer Jeurys Familia not blown a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth in K.C. in Game 1, things could have gone very differently. But the Mets went out in five.

The Mets open the season with a World Series rematch at Kansas City on April 3.

Mets 2016 Projected Lineup

The Mets weren't expected to re-sign Cespedes even though he played like an MVP candidate after arriving from the Tigers. The Mets offense ranked last in the majors in many categories before he arrived and then the best in the NL after. Cespedes hit 17 home runs in 57 games, including nine in a 13-game stretch to start the month of September as the Mets pulled away in the division. He set career highs in a number of power categories, including home runs (35), RBIs (105). But Cespedes was expected to be too pricy as the Mets are still a very frugal franchise. A stale free-agent outfield market led Cespedes back to New York on a three-year, $75 million deal. In reality, it might be a one-year deal as he can opt out after next season. Still, that's a home-run signing for New York, which saw its projected wins total jump by three after. Will Cespedes be as good as he was the second half of last season? Doubtful. But he's still the only bat in the lineup that scares opposing pitchers.

The starting lineup figures to have two other new every-day starters in second baseman Neil Walker, who was acquired in trade from Pittsburgh, and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. The Mets were never going to re-sign second baseman Daniel Murphy, the playoff hitting hero (before World Series), and thought they had a deal with free-agent second baseman Ben Zobrist, but he chose the Cubs. Walker isn't a bad Plan B as he hit .269 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs last year. He only cost so-so pitcher Jon Niese. Cabrera had a bounce-back 2015 with the Rays, batting .265 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs.

So we should be looking at a lineup of right fielder Curtis Granderson, Walker, third baseman David Wright (solid when healthy, which isn't often), Cespedes, first baseman Lucas Duda, catcher Travis d'Arnaud, rising star left fielder Michael Conforto and Cabrera.

This will be a low-average, high-strikeout team with some pop. I'd say it's middle of the pack in baseball overall. But Cespedes better stay healthy.

Mets 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

The Mets largely left the pitching staff alone. And why not? The rotation is the envy of baseball. You have deGrom (14-8, 2.54 ERA), Harvey (13-8, 2.71), who should have no innings limit this season, Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24), the guy whom I think will be the best of the bunch eventually, Steven Matz (4-0, 2.27) and Bartolo Colon (14-13, 4.16).

Colon was re-signed to be a placeholder until Wheeler is ready off his TJS. That may not happen until July 1. Wheeler was 11-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 2014. Familia was one of the best closers in baseball last year with 43 saves and a 1.85 ERA. He had been unhittable in the playoffs until that Game 1 World Series mistake.

Wouldn't surprise anyone if the Mets led the NL in ERA and strikeouts this season.

Mets Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

New York is +900 to win the World Series and a +450 second-favorite (to Cubs) to repeat as National League champion. The Mets have an "over/under" wins total of 88, with both at -110. Cespedes is +5000 to lead the majors in homers and Duda +6600. The Mets were 83-78 against the spread last season and 84-72-6 O/U. On the moneyline, they were +589 units on the year.

Mets 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects New York to finish 85-77 and second in the NL East, three games behind Washington. The Mets aren't as bad as they were post-Cespedes or as good as they were with him. He did slump late in the season but that was blamed on a shoulder problem. I will say this: plan on betting on the unders in many, many Mets games in 2016. I see the Mets finishing second in the NL East but likely getting a wild card. I'll go over that wins total but no pennant repeat.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 Kansas City Royals Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series
by Alan Matthews

Happy to eat crow when necessary, and I will on last year's Royals winning the franchise's first World Series since 1985.

Sure, Kansas City had reached the 2014 World Series and stretched the San Francisco Bumgarners, err Giants, to seven games. But the small-market Royals had to say goodbye to ace pitcher James Shields and a few others last offseason. I expected K.C. to be pretty good and a playoff contender, but win the pennant? No chance. Then again, I didn't expect the team to raid its farm system for midseason trades for Reds ace pitcher Johnny Cueto and A's second baseman Ben Zobrist. Or that a few free-agent signings, mainly Kendrys Morales and Edinson Volquez, would work out so well.

Kansas City finished with an AL-best 95 regular-season victories, winning the Central Division by a whopping 12 games. That was easily the biggest margin in baseball. Frankly, the Royals should have lost in the AL Division Series to Houston in four games but staged an incredible comeback from a 6-2 eighth-inning hole to win Game 4 9-6. Game 5 was a formality behind Cueto.

The AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays, who were favored, were finished off in six games in the ALCS. Naturally, Kansas City was an underdog in the World Series against the Mets and all that young pitching. But thanks in large part to another crazy rally in Game 1 that set the tone of the series, the Royals finished the Mets in five. The only negative being that the series was clinched in Queens and not title-starved Kansas City.

The 2016 Royals open their season at home in the Sunday night ESPN opener, April 3 in a World Series rematch with the Mets.

Royals 2016 Projected Lineup

This group will look just about exactly the same as it did for the first half of last season; the only major loss was Zobrist, who signed with the Chicago Cubs. So that puts Omar Infante back as the starting second baseman, and he's one of the worst hitters in the majors. So you might see an upgrade there at some point.

The big news was that Kansas City was able to re-sign outfielder Alex Gordon when it appeared he was long gone as a free agent. Gordon took a hometown discount in signing for four years and $72 million. He probably could have gotten five years and $100 million from another team. The Royals are one of only seven teams that have yet to hand out a $100 million contract in their history. Gordon was limited to 104 games last season due to injury and hit .271 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs. But his value goes beyond numbers. He's maybe the best defensive left fielder in MLB. He's a clubhouse leader. And he's clutch -- it was Gordon who hit the tying homer in the bottom of the ninth of Game 1 of the World Series off Mets closer Jeurys Familia to send the game into extras. The Royals won in 14 innings.

So you are looking at shortstop Alcides Escobar leading off, followed by center fielder Lorenzo Cain, a 2015 MVP finalist, first baseman Eric Hosmer, Morales at DH, third baseman Mike Moustakas, catcher Salvador Perez, Gordon in left, Infante at second and Jarrod Dyson in right.

The only other lineup guy who left is outfielder Alex Rios, with Dyson taking his spot. So the Royals again should be a high-average, high-on base, low-strikeout, low-power team. Hey, it has worked the past two years.

Royals 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

New year, new ace gone. Cueto was never an option to be re-signed and he got big money from San Francisco. Cueto had some rough spots with the Royals but gave them the No. 1 they needed in the postseason.

The new ace is Volquez, who was way better than I thought he would be last year with a 13-9 record and 3.55 ERA. It helps to have the majors' best defense behind you. Yordano Ventura (13-8, 4.08) has the most upside in the rotation. The new addition is former Padre Ian Kennedy. He got a five-year, $70 million deal. Kennedy went 9-15 with a 4.28 ERA despite playing his home games at pitcher-friendly Petco Park. Meh. The rest of the staff will be a mix of Kris Medlen, Danny Duffy and ageless Chris Young. Really nothing to be excited about.

But the Royals are two-time AL champions in large part because of the majors' best bullpen. No reason that won't be a major strength again with the return of closer Wade Davis (0.94 ERA last season, taking over about midway at closer), top set-up man Kelvin Herrera and the free-agent addition of former All-Star closer Joakim Soria. Once again, the Royals will just need six innings from their starters most nights.

Royals Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

ansas City is +1200 to win the World Series and +700 to take a third straight AL pennant. The Royals have an "over/under" wins total of 87, with the under a -115 favorite. Kansas City has no players on the prop to lead the majors in homers, and really it shouldn't. The Royals were 89-73 against the spread last season and 73-75-14 O/U. On the moneyline, they were +1944 on the year.

Royals 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects Kansas City to finish fourth in the AL Central with an 80-82 record, four behind first-place Cleveland. On paper, do I think the Royals are the fourth-best team in the Central? I do. But they also have intangibles you can't define. I don't see another pennant or even a division title and would go just under that wins total. Interesting there's such a gap between computer projections and the first wins totals released of the year.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 Pittsburgh Pirates Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series
by Alan Matthews

I'm starting to actually feel sorry for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It's a small-market franchise that has done just about everything as well as possible given the financial restraints. It built from within and plays in maybe the most gorgeous stadium in baseball, PNC Park. But the Pirates just can't seem to get over the hump in the National League and they aren't ever going to be in a position to add a big-ticket free agent to help the cause. And now the Pirates play in the majors' best division, the NL Central, with the powerhouse Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.

Last year, the Pirates finished second in the majors in wins with 98. But that was only good enough for second in the Central and a home wild-card game with the Cubs. That meant a matchup against Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta, who pitched a five-hit shutout in a 4-0 Chicago win. It was the second straight year the Pirates' season has ended at home in the wild-card game against one of the best pitchers in baseball; in 2014 it was the Giants' Madison Bumgarner who pitched a four-hit shutout. Pittsburgh is looking to advance past the NLDS -- it lost in five games in the 2013 NLDS to the Cardinals after winning a home wild-card game -- for the first time since losing that epic 1992 NLCS to Atlanta.

The good news is that the Pirates have the talent to finally win another pennant. The bad news is that it likely will take the wild-card route again. Pittsburgh opens the season on April 3 at home vs. St. Louis.

Pirates 2016 Projected Lineup

There look to be two changes in the every-day lineup from last season. One is at first base as the Pirates said goodbye to Pedro Alvarez (non-tendered). He led the team with 27 homers but really had become a platoon player because he hits for a very low average and strikes out a ton.

The other is at second base as Neil Walker was traded to the Mets for pitcher Jon Niese. Walker hit .269 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs last season but this was a walk year and he likely would have been out of the team's price range. The Pirates could put either Josh Harrison or Jung-Ho Kang at second with the other at third base.

Kang, who probably plays the hot corner, suffered a major knee injury and a broken leg when the Cubs' Chris Coghlan slid into him while trying to break up a double play on Sept. 17 at PNC Park. By current rules, it wasn't dirty but MLB is expected to alter the rules on players sliding into second before the 2016 season partly as a result of that injury. Kang had a fantastic rookie season, batting .287 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs. He has rods and plates in that leg/knee and it's not thought he will be ready for Opening Day but it's not impossible. The Pirates estimated a 6-8 month recovery time after Kang's surgery, which meant any time between mid-March and mid-May.

Pittsburgh might have the best all-around outfield in the majors in perennial MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen in center field, rising star Gregory Polanco in right and Starling Marte in left. McCutchen is on one of the best contracts in the majors but that runs out after 2018. He probably will cost too much to stick around unless he takes a discount.

So the lineup looks like this: Polanco, Harrison at second, McCutchen, Marte, John Jaso/Michael Morse platoon at first, Kang at third, Francisco Cervelli at catcher and Jordy Mercer at shortstop. The Pirates ranked 11th in runs last year.

Pirates 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

This team was carried by pitching last year with a 3.21 ERA that was second in the majors and 92 quality starts, which were sixth. The bullpen was fantastic, going 31-16 with an MLB-best 2.67 ERA. The Pirates were 83-1 when leading after eight innings and 79-1 when leading after seven.

The top two in the rotation return in Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60) and lefty Francisco Liriano (12-7, 3.38). That's very good, but then the problems arise. All-Star righty A.J. Burnett retired. Charlie Morton was traded. Late-season pickup J.A. Happ, who was unbelievable with the Pirates, left as a free agent. So you are looking at a No. 3-5 most likely of Jeff Locke (8-11, 4.49), Niese and Ryan Vogelsong. Niese was 9-10 with a 4.13 ERA last year in New York. Vogelsong was 9-11 with a 4.67 ERA despite pitching often in pitcher-friendly AT&T Park in San Francisco. All I can say is that Cole and Liriano better be fantastic and stay healthy.

Mark Melancon is one of the best closers in baseball and had 51 saves last season. He's back. Two set-up men, Antonio Bastardo and Joakim Soria, left in free agency. They could be missed. The team took a flier on former Rangers All-Star closer Neftali Feliz in free agency to bolster the pen.

Pirates Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

Pittsburgh is +2000 to win the World Series and +1000 for the NL pennant. The Pirates have an "over/under" wins total of 87, with both options at -110. McCutchen is +10000 to win the majors' home-run title. Pittsburgh was 73-89 against the spread last season and 75-75-12 O/U. On the moneyline, the Pirates were +2135 units on the year.

Pirates 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects Pittsburgh to finish 84-78 and tied for second in the NL Central, 10 games behind the Cubs. The lineup looks very good as long as Kang gets back 100 percent and wasn't a first-year fluke. I like Cole and Liriano and think Niese will be solid enough, but I have no faith in Locke or Vogelsong. Can the Pirates afford to deal for a starter if need be or would they call up top prospect Tyler Glasnow? The bullpen is in good shape.

No pennant again this season, perhaps another wild-card spot, and I'll go slightly over the wins total. It helps the Pirates (and Cubs and Cardinals) get to beat up on the sorry Brewers and Reds 38 times a year.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 Chicago Cubs Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series
by Alan Matthews

I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the Chicago Cubs haven't won the World Series since 1908, which is pretty incredible when you think about it. They haven't even made the Fall Classic since 1945.

But thanks to Theo Epstein, these aren't the "Lovable Losers" any longer. This franchise is set up to be the best in baseball for probably the rest of the decade. And if Epstein, the Cubs' president of baseball operations, wins a World Series on Chicago's North Side after ending the title drought in Boston (where he was GM) as well, he absolutely must go into the Hall of Fame. Epstein also would never have to pay for a meal or drink again in the Windy City.

The Cubs arrived a year ahead of schedule last year in winning 97 games, which was their most since 2008 (last time team made playoffs) yet only the third-most in the NL Central. Chicago hadn't won a playoff game since 2003 but went to Pittsburgh and beat the Pirates in the wild-card game behind ace and eventual Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. Chicago was an underdog in the NLDS against St. Louis, which had the best record in the majors. But the Cubs largely bashed that Cardinals pitching staff in winning in four games. It was the first-ever playoff meeting between the bitter rivals. All those gifted young Cubs sluggers were shut down in an NLCS sweep at the hands of the New York Mets and all their gifted young pitchers. Still, 2015 was an unqualified success for the Cubs because they arrived one year ahead of schedule, as even Epstein has admitted.

Remember, this team had four rookies contributing on an every-day basis in Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell (all called up during the season) and outfielder Jorge Soler. You aren't supposed to win 97 games with four rookies in your lineup. Oh, the farm system is still loaded!

Chicago opens the season with an interleague matchup at the LA Angels on April 4.

Cubs 2016 Projected Lineup

Assuming no regression from the rookies listed above, this should be the best lineup in the National League if not baseball. Plus the Cubs added two of the top free-agent position players on the market in outfielder Jason Heyward (.293, 13 HRs, 60 RBIs, 23 steals) and second baseman Ben Zobrist (.276, 13 HRs, 56 RBIs). Heyward got an eight-year, $184 million deal, turning down more to return to St. Louis because he preferred Chicago's young talented group. Some scouts love Heyward, some are so-so on him. He's never going to be a huge power guy or probably hit .300 but he does everything well and plays Gold Glove defense. For now, Heyward will play center field, although that's not his normal spot.

Zobrist chose the Cubs over the Mets because he wanted a reunion with his former Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon. Zobrist is like Heyward in that he does everything well and Zobrist can play about any position on the diamond. Both Heyward and Zobrist are good at getting on base, and if there was one weakness last year on the Cubs it was they were often boom-or-bust: i.e. homer or strike out.

Zobrist takes the spot of former All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro, who was traded to the Yankees for pitcher Adam Warren. Castro lost his job at short during last season to Russell and had moved to second. Castro is the only major subtraction from last year's club. Zobrist will lead off most likely with Heyward batting second. Then comes perhaps the best 3-6 in the majors: first baseman Anthony Rizzo (.278, 31 HRs, 101 RBIs), third baseman Bryant (.275, 26 HRs, 99 RBIs), the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, Schwarber (.246, 16 HRs, 43 RBIs in just 69 games) in left and Soler (.262, 10 HRs, 47 RBIs in 101 games) in right. Schwarber will catch probably once a week. He's a terrible outfielder but you have to play him every day. Soler could be dealt during the season for young pitching. The rest of the lineup will be catcher Miguel Montero and Russell.

Cubs 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

Arrieta had one of the best years in Cubs history in winning the Cy Young Award. He finished 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA and was an obscene 12-1 with an 0.75 ERA in 107 1/3 innings over 15 starts in the second half of the season. That's the best post-All-Star break ever. Arrieta dominated the Pirates in the wild-card game but then was shaky in the NLDS vs. the Cardinals and NLCS vs. the Mets. The worry is that Arrieta wore down as he pitched way more innings than he ever had. Expect the Cubs to limit him a bit this season when possible. I doubt you see any complete games unless his pitch count is low entering the ninth inning.

Lefty Jon Lester (11-12, 3.34) I suppose was a minor disappointment last season, his first as a National Leaguer. But sometimes it takes a year to adjust to a new league, and Lester clearly was spooked by holding runners on base. The new No. 3 is John Lackey, who was the Cardinals' most consistent pitcher last season at 13-10 with a 2.77 ERA. Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks will fill out the rotation, with new addition Warren waiting in the wings if anyone struggles or gets hurt. Warren is valuable because he's a good starter and reliever. He was 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA last year with the Yankees.

Other than adding Warren, the bullpen is largely back intact. Closer Hector Rondon was 6-4 with 30 saves and a 1.67 ERA last season.

Cubs Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

At BetOnline, Chicago is the +650 favorite to win the World Series and a +350 favorite for the NL pennant. The Cubs have an "over/under" wins total of 89, with both options at -110. Bryant is +1400 to win the major-league home run title, Rizzo is +2500 and Schwarber +3300. Chicago was 81-81 against the spread last season and 71-81-10 O/U. On the moneyline, the Cubs were +1751 units on the year.

Cubs 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects Chicago to finish with the most wins in the majors at 94-68 and win the Central Division by 10 games. That wins total, the first posted I've seen, seems really low. I've seen some projections where the Cubs win 100 games. I'm not ready to say that quite yet. But as this team is currently constructed, I would go over the wins total and this is my World Series team; can you imagine the party in Chicago? Epstein will add pitching if need be at the trade deadline. Bryant has a shot at the homer title, especially if Miami's Giancarlo Stanton gets hurt again.

[NYK]

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/3

2016 Toronto Blue Jays Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series
by Alan Matthews

I was on the Toronto bandwagon much of last season and then really jumped on when the team acquired pitcher David Price, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Ben Revere around the July 31 trade deadline. The Blue Jays took off after that and finished 93-69. They ended the longest playoff drought in baseball and won the AL East for the first time since that previous postseason berth in 1993.

I thought the Jays would win the AL pennant, and they were favored to. I really wonder what would have happened had Toronto gotten home-field advantage throughout. The team finished two games behind K.C. for the No. 1 seed, and I question if Jays officials are still having second thoughts about the team appearing to take its foot off the gas a bit after wrapping up the division. Toronto lost four of its final five regular-season games to cough up the No. 1 seed.

In the ALDS, Toronto knocked off AL West champion Texas in five games despite losing the first two at home. Game 5 of that series featured perhaps the wildest inning -- the seventh -- of postseason baseball in history. That also was the inning of Jose Bautista's epic bat flip following a three-run homer that broke a 3-3 tie. The Jays also lost the first two games of the ALCS in Kansas City and would be eliminated in a Game 6 there. A disappointing end to an otherwise great season, and baseball is definitely alive again north of the border as the Jays regularly sold out and had crazy crowds.

Toronto opens the season April 3 at Tampa Bay.

Blue Jays 2016 Projected Lineup

If I had written this story a few days ago, I might have included Cincinnati outfielder Jay Bruce as part of Toronto's lineup. A three-way deal involving the Jays, Reds and Angels was nearly done, where Toronto would lose outfielder Michael Saunders and a prospect and get Bruce back. But some medical red flags on Saunders and Bruce scuttled the trade.

No matter. Toronto should again have the best lineup in baseball if everyone stays healthy. That's a big if on this team. The Jays led the majors by a mile last season with 891 runs scored and 232 home runs. Everyone of note is back.

Tulowitzki will lead off, and you know he's not going to play 150 games or so; he always lands on the DL once or twice, and last season was no exception. He hit just .239 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 41 games with the Jays and did miss three weeks at the end of the season with an injury. But he should be better adjusted to AL pitching now.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson hit .297 with 41 homers and 123 RBIs in 2015 in winning the AL MVP last year; the Jays absolutely stole him in last offseason's trade with Oakland. Donaldson hits second. Right fielder Jose Bautista, a free-agent-to-be, made news this week by saying he won't negotiate on a new contract this season. He told the Jays what he wanted, reportedly $150 million over five years. If they don't want to give it to him, no problem. Bautista will get it somewhere else, or so he thinks. Bautista was able to stay healthy last year for the most part and hit 40 homers and knocked in 114. He also will be 36 in October, so I wouldn't give him $30 million a season, either. Batting cleanup behind Bautista is DH Edwin Encarnacion (39 HRs, 111 RBIs), another guy up for free agency.

The rest of the lineup should be Chris Colabello (.321, 15 HRs, 54 RBIs) at first base, Saunders (only nine games last year due to injury) in left, catcher Russell Martin (23 HRs, 77 RBIs), center fielder and defensive dynamo Kevin Pillar (.278, 56 RBIs) and Ryan Goins at second. Goins is holding that spot for Devon Travis, who was off to a great start as a rookie in 2015 before going down with a shoulder problem that required surgery. Travis won't be ready to start the season.

There's no reason this lineup won't lead in runs and homers again, although Tulo and Bautista have had their injury issues. Encarnacion occasionally too. Colabello might have been a one-year wonder.

Blue Jays 2016 Projected Rotation & Closer

The Blue Jays wanted to keep Price, but they certainly weren't going to play $200 million-plus to do so. Thus, that leaves an obvious gaping hole in the rotation even as shaky as Price has been in the playoffs in his career. Price was the team's biggest offseason loss. Fellow lefty starter Mark Buehrle also is gone, but he faded big-time late last season and is in semi-retirement.

The new ace is young Marcus Stroman, who was expected to miss all of last season following a ligament injury in the spring. But Stroman returned late and showed why he has been touted as a future Cy Young candidate, going 4-0 with 1.67 ERA. The team re-signed right-hander Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.13) to a two-year deal. Ageless knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (11-11, 3.91) keeps putting up innings. And lefty J.A. Happ was signed in free agency. The guy has been a journeyman for the most part but was 7-2 with 1.85 ERA in 11 starts for the Pirates down the stretch in 2015. I'm skeptical that's for real. Pitching in the AL is a bit different. Young Aaron Sanchez is the leader in the clubhouse for the No. 5 spot, competing against Drew Hutchison and new addition Jesse Chavez.

The Jays fortified their bullpen by trading Revere to Washington for former All-Star Drew Storen. It's presumed he will close; Storen struggled last year when pulled from that role when Washington traded for Jonathan Papelbon. But Storen was good before that and finished with 29 saves and a 3.44 ERA.

Blue Jays Futures Odds & 2015 Trends

Toronto is +1200 to win the World Series and +600 to repeat as AL champion. The Jays are +200 second-favorites to win the AL East again. They have an "over/under" wins total of 86.5, with both at -115. Encarnacion is +1600 to lead the major sin homers and Donaldson and Bautista are +2000. Toronto was 90-72 against the spread last season and 78-73-11 O/U.

Blue Jays 2016 Predictions

FanGraphs projects Toronto to finish with 83 wins, third in the AL East and eight games behind Boston. That pitching staff definitely worries me behind Stroman, who has thrown only 157.2 regular-season innings in his career. Will the Jays be able to go out and add up a big salary in trade at the deadline even with the state of the Canadian dollar? That's the big question. As things stand, no division or pennant. Go over the wins. I think Encarnacion has a decent shot at the HR title because he doesn't have to worry about potential injury while playing in the field. He might play first in interleague play, though.