| 2009 NL East Betting Odds & Predictions |
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| Written by Matt Foust | |||||||
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Thursday, 09 April 2009
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The ever interesting National League East division should provide plenty of entertainment this season as the defending World Series champion Phillies battle it out with a host of, what appear to be, capable squads. Despite their exploits over the past two seasons, Philadephia is not the favorite to win the division this year. That prize goes to the New York Mets, who are currently being listed at +110 moneyline odds at Sportsbook.com to take the 2009 NL East title. Make sure to visit online bookmaker Sportsbook.com today to view their 2009 NL East Betting Odds & Predictions and get down on your favorite to win the NL East. New York fell apart two years ago, giving up a big division lead late in the season to the Phillies and missing the post-season. They acquired pitching sensation Johan Santana last year in hopes of avoiding the same kind of collapse, but they still could not get past the Phillies, finishing second in the division with an 89-73 record. What have they done this offseason to improve their performance? They brought in relief stars J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodrguez to replace the departed Billy Wagner, and they added starting rotation depth in the form(s) of Livan Hernandez and Tim Redding. The Mets should be able to post plenty of crooked numbers on the scoreboard with a lineup that features David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Ryan Church, and Jose Reyes. The Phillies should once again be in the thick of the NL East race, returning largely the same squad that won the 2008 World Series.They did lose rightfielder Pat Burrell and his 33 home runs and 86 RBI to the Rays, but they added outfielder Raul Ibanez who hit 23 home runs and drove in 110 last year for the Mariners. While the Mets starting rotation is not the best in the league, it would appear to have fewer question marks than the Phillies. Cole Hamels is absolutely the real deal, but after him, it gets a little dicey. Jamie Moyer has been rock solid for years, but he will turn 117 in November, okay, he will be 47, but how long can he continue to perform at a quality level? Joe Blanton and Bret Myers can both be outstanding but they can also disappear on occasion, making them uncertain commodities. The Phils also added Chan Ho Park as their fifth starter. Park has a career 4.34 ERA in 280 starts. The Braves are expected to be a better ball club this season, thus their +300 moneyline odds to win the NL East. They lost John Smoltz but added veteran starters Javier Vazquez and Derek Lowe to the rotation. When Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine return from the DL, Atlanta may possess the best top to bottom rotation in the division. The Marlins and Nationals are viewed as longshots to take the NL East's top spot, coming in at +1000 and +2000 moneyline odds respectively. The Marlins could well be an exceptional value at those odds based upon their performance a season ago. The Fish finished third in the division last year at 84-77, and they return principally the same team for 2009. They did trade Mike Jacobs to the Royals but they acquired a capable bullpen arm in Leo Nunez. Florida still has plenty of power bats in the lineup, even with Jacobs gone, as they will field the likes of Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, and Jeremy Hermida. The Marlins starting rotation was also quite effective last year, and young hurlers Ricky Nolasco, Andrew Miller, Josh Johnson, and Chris Volstad should only continue to improve. Sportsbook.com's 2009 NL East Betting Odds & Predictions: New York Mets +110 Philadelphia Phillies +180 Atlanta Braves +300 Florida Marlins +1000 Washington Nationals +2000                        |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 09 April 2009 ) | |||||||
