MLB Betting – World Series Futures

The fall seems like a lifetime away, but for MLB betting thinking of the autumn in the middle of March could earn you a big payday at the end of the baseball season. Odds are up for the 2011 World Series and here are the oddsmakers’ favorites to claim the Fall Classic:

Philadelphia Phillies +300

It’s no surprise that the Phillies’ offseason acquisition of Cliff Lee tipped the scales among the World Series contenders. Philadelphia boasts the best rotation in recent memory but will need its bats to step up if they don’t want to spoil those pitching efforts. The Phillies’ lineup did not hold its own last season, especially in the postseason. And without Jayson Werth in the middle of the order, they have a shortage of right-handed power hitters. On top of that, the aging bodies of Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley are big question marks heading into the season.

Boston Red Sox +400

Lost in the buzz of Philadelphia’s staff is just how good the Red Sox got this winter. Boston added Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, giving it the best top-to-bottom lineup in the Bigs. If the Red Sox can avoid the injuries of last year, and squeeze another 25 home runs out of David Ortiz, they will be back in the World Series. The biggest knock against Boston is their fragile pitching staff. Josh Beckett is already dealing with a concussion after pitching just 128 innings last year. The BoSox need the back end of their rotation – Beckett, John Lackey, and Daisuke Matsuzaka – to find the fountain of youth.

New York Yankees +650

The Yankees were holding out for Cliff Lee and instead got left holding their jocks this winter. New York missed out on the free-agent bonanza, adding catcher Russell Martin and reliever Pedro Feliciano along with a slew of past-their-prime names to an aging roster. The Yanks still have talented starters in a trimmed-down CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes and, even though their lineup is getting long in the tooth, it still led the majors in runs per game last year.

San Francisco Giants +1,400

Were the Giants really that good or was their World Series title just a case of right place, right time? The MLB futures seem to think the latter. San Francisco benefited from timely hitting in the postseason from a squad of outcasts, which was ranked in the middle of the pack for most of the season. But, regardless of their bats, the Giants’ rotation is undoubtedly one of the finest in the show and gives them a chance to win every night.

Texas Rangers +1,600

The Rangers are another club impacted by the move of Cliff Lee. Texas will have another good year at the plate, with Josh Hamilton anchoring the order, but can its pitching staff find the form of last summer? The Rangers don’t have Lee leading the charge and will need arms like C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis to step into the vacant role of staff ace.