Part-2 of the Point-Spreads.com MLB Mid-Season prediction and betting report features the best of the National League and odds on top teams chances of winning the league pennant and World Series. Included will be a commentary based on what I have observed and how oddsmakers at online sportsbook Bodog (Bodoglife.com) see things to come.
Unlike the American League where a team like the Tampa Bay Rays has come from oblivion to challenge the leagues best and traditional clubs like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, the NL doesn’t have many surprises.
In pre-season the Cubs were tagged as the favorite and Chicago’s Northsiders have not disappointed. At the All-Star break the Cubs have a .606 winning percentage and 20 games over .500. Last week they were able to pull off a deal in acquiring power pitcher Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics to bolster their already strong starting rotation.
At mid-season, oddsmakers at Bodog (Bodoglife.com) still see the Cubs as the leagues best having them installed at 3/2 odds to win the NL Pennant and at 7/2 odds to win the World Series.
Under the management of Tony LaRussa , the St. Louis Cardinals are always expected to be in contention. While on paper, these 2008 Cardinals do not look like a team that’s playoffs material but here they are only 5-games behind the Cubs in second place at the break. There is no doubt the Cubs will be looking over their shoulders for the Cardinals whereabouts. Bodog oddsmakers have installed the Cardinals at 9/1 odds to win the NL Pennant and at 26/1 odds to win the WS.
The Milwaukee Brewers are expected to challenge both the Cardinals and Cubs before all the dust clears on the regular season. To help themselves, management perhaps came up with the gem deal of the year by plucking reigning AL Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians a few days prior to the All-Star break. Oddsmakers have installed Milwaukee at 7/2 odds to win the NL Pennant and 12/1 odds to win a world championship.
Point-Spreads.com mid-season prediction for the NL Central: This looks like the year for the Chicago Cubs and possibly the end of a long championship drought. If Chicago can avoid the traditional late season swoon then the sky’s the limit.
Since replacing fired manager Willie Randolph with Jerry Manuel on June 17 the New York Mets seemed to have awakened winning eight straight games in early July. The Mets have now closed the gap in the NL East standings between them and Philadelphia Phillies to a half-game one day prior to the All-Star break. The NL East is shaping up to be a battle between the division leading Phillies, Mets and Florida Marlins.
Only one game separated the three teams at the close of action on Saturday (July 12). Bodog oddsmakers only slightly favor the Phillies having them installed at 11/2 odds to win the NL Pennant and 14/1 odds to win the WS. The Phillies have a very slim odds edge with the Mets installed at 13/2 odds to win the NL crown and 15/1 odds chance of winning the WS.
Point-Spreads.com mid-season prediction for the NL East: Dysfunctional is the best way to describe the Mets early season performance but the team has always had a talent edge over much of the league; especially in the pitching department since Johan Santana joined the club in the off-season from Minnesota. We look for New York to win the division and establish itself as the challenger to the Chicago Cubs for the NL title and possibly a world championship.
The NL West is by far the worst division on the senior circuit and all of MLB. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the team oddsmakers expect to step from the doldrums and win the Western Division, however; just prior to the break trail the Arizona Diamondbacks by 1 ½ games. Oddsmakers have installed the Dodgers as the best of the West at 15/2 odds to win the NL Pennant and 17/1 odds to win the WS. Arizona is installed at 10/1 to win the division and 25/1 to win the WS.
Point-Spreads.com mid-season prediction for the NL West: Maybe just maybe Los Angeles will step forward and establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. That seems doubtful at the moment but we still expect them to win the division, however; any playoff success seems doubtful.
