Baseball Futures – Phillies A Strong Pick to Win National League East

Going into the 2011 MLB baseball season, the Philadelphia Phillies look to be a solid pick to take the division title of the National League East yet again.

Baseball Futures – National League East To Win

-Atlanta Braves +400

-Florida Marlins +1000

-New York Mets +1800

-Philadelphia Phillies -350

-Washington Nationals +2500

Philadelphia will be in the hunt for its fifth consecutive National League East title this season. The Phillies dominated last season, finishing up with an overall record of 97-65, the best in the League before losing the National League pennant to the eventual World Series champions, the San Francisco Giants.

This team is well known for its pitching ferocity, led last season by Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and the recent addition of its former star, Cliff Lee. Behind these three, it’s no wonder the baseball futures odds are stacked so heavily in favor of the Phillies again this season.

In fact, the only team the oddsmakers have even considered to give the Phillies a run for their money would be the Atlanta Braves. The Braves will be beginning a new era under Fredi Gonzalez, who is replacing the Braves long-time manager Bobby Cox, who retired after last season. The Braves put together a strong outing in the 2010 season, capturing the National League Wild Card spot before losing to San Francisco in the National League Division Series.

But a new manager, a new attitude, and a new season all provide fresh opportunities for the Braves to make a run for the division title in 2011.

The New York Mets continue to falter, as Carlos Beltran is still having repercussions from his knee surgery last season that limited his play. The Mets have missed the postseason for four straight years due to below-average records, and it seems that not many changes have taken place during the off-season to compensate.

With manager Edwin Rodriguez beginning his first full season with Florida, the Marlins ballclub hopes to earn a chance in the postseason. The Marlins have not qualified for the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2003. But even then, they were an unlikely pick, so don’t count out Florida too early in the season.

The Washington Nationals hope to rely on their No. 1 pick Stephen Strasburg to lead their bullpen as the team continues to slowly build progress, winning more games in the 2010 season than in the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Nevertheless, the best pick for baseball futures betting is the Philadelphia Philles!