Photo: USA Today
The latest World Series odds at Bovada.lv are juicier than a story about a Kardashian taking a dump in a public toilet.
Also, leading your division at the All-Star break doesn’t amount to jack squat. Since 2009, only 57% of the teams who led their respective divisions at the break went on to play October baseball.
With that in mind, here are my three best bets:
Washington Nationals – 10/1
Even my grandma knows that pitching wins championships, and she’s been dead for nine years. The Nationals own baseball’s best ERA, and in each of the last two seasons, 7 of the top 10 teams in ERA advanced to the postseason.
Sure, the Dodgers have the best pitcher in baseball in Kershaw, but the Nationals might have the best starting four in Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzalez, and Fister. Washington also has one of the easiest remaining schedules in all of baseball.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 9/1
In each of the last two seasons, the Angels have been a bigger letdown than the Lindsay Lohan Playboy spread. That’s not the case this year, as the Halos own baseball’s best home record and have scored the second most runs in all of baseball.
At +71, the Angels also own the second-best run differential in baseball. You have to think they’re going to do something to combat Oakland’s recent acquisitions, so you might not be able to get them at 9/1 for long.
Toronto Blue Jays – 16/1
It’s always fun to take a flyer on a team instead of putting a ton of cash on one of the favorites. Will Detroit make the postseason again this year? Of course. But at 6/1 to win it all, what’s the fun in that? I’ll throw a nickel down on the Blue Jays and hope for the best.
Scoring runs won’t be an issue, especially when Encarnacion and Lawrie return from the DL. I also like the fact that they have the easiest remaining schedule in the American League, and they’re playing in the AL East, where everybody still seemingly has a shot.
