2009 World Series Odds

Written by Matt Foust

Friday, 10 April 2009

Online bookmaker BetUS.com has released their 2009 World Series Odds for start of the Major League Baseball season. The New York Yankees are currently listed as the favorite to win the Fall Classic at +450 moneyline odds. Close behind the Yanks, at +500 odds, are their bitter division rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

Now, either of these two squads has a good opportunity to win the World Series, but there are more than a few dark horse contenders, much like the Phillies last year or the Cardinals in 2006, that have a chance to surprise. For the sake of ease, dark horse contenders will be classifed as teams receiving odds anywhere between +1000 and +2500.

In the National League, two ballclubs that fit that bill this season are the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Dodgers, currently listed at +1600 moneyline odds to win the World Series, won the NL West last season with an 84-78 record. It is doubtful that will be good enough this year, but who knows with the inconsistent play that the division exhibited in 2008. Los Angeles has three really good starters in Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, and Hiroki Kuroda. They have big questions at the back end of their rotation, but the NL West is not exactly the biggest run producing division in baseball. The Dodgers should be able to plate more runners than the average NL West squad and that should get them into the post-season. And who would have thought that they could sweep the Cubs in the 2008 playoffs?

The Cardinals (+2500) also have their fair share of questions, but the potential exists for them to be a really good team. Offensively, they bring plenty to the plate as they averaged 4.8 runs per game a season ago. That component ought to be the same this year with core run producers Albert Pujols, Ryan Ludwick, and Rick Ankiel returning. St. Louis also added a capable bat in former Padres shortstop Khalil Greene. If the pitching staff, particularly the bullpen, can improve than the Cardinals could be in the thick of things.

Two squads in the American League that could be categorized as World Series winning dark horses are the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels. Yes, it is hard to view two clubs that won a combined 197 games a season ago as defeatists, but they are listed at +1400 and +1000 moneyline odds respectively.

Tampa Bay, despite winning the ALCS last season, is currently pegged as a third place finisher in the AL East. Were they in the Central or even the West, they would likely be getting World Series odds anywhere between +700 and +1000. But they have to deal with the Yankees and the Red Sox and most people, including odds makers, feel that they will take a step back this season. That said, this team still has all the tools to make another post-season run.

The Rays lost pitcher Edwin Jackson, but he never demonstarted a great deal of constancy as a starter. Phenom David Price is expected to take his place sooner rather than later at the back end of the rotation. Additionally, Scott Kazmir appears to be healthy; he fought injuries almost all of last season. Tampa Bay also added Pat Burrell to give their lineup even more run producing pop.

The Angels biggest concern has to be their pitching staff. If it can come together, they could and should make another playoff push. Frontline starters John Lackey and Ervin Santan are currently on the DL, but if the team can make due until they return they will be in a great position. That will be difficult, however, after the recent tragic death of starter Nick Adenhart. Los Angeles will no doubt suffer through a rough couple of months, but that could set them up for success in the late summer and early fall.

BetUS.com's 2009 World Series Odds:

New York Yankees +450

Boston Red Sox +500

Chicago Cubs +650

New York Mets +800

Los Angeles Angels +1000

Philadelphia Phillies +1400

Tampa Bay Rays +1400

Los Angeles Dodgers +1600

St. Louis Cardinals +2500

Check out BetUS.com today to view all of their 2009 World Series Odds and Major League Baseball futures.