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NL Wild Card Race Update

There are around 30 games left in the MLB season and while the AL Wild Card race will likely be won by the Rays or Yankees, whoever does not win the AL East, since the Red Sox are 6.5 games back the NL race is still a hot one.

Here are the teams still in the NL race and their odds to win the NL Pennant at one of the leading sportsbooks.

Philadelphia Phillies (+250)

The Phillies are locked in a battle for the NL East crown, they are currently 2 games back of the Braves, and they are in the lead in the NL Wild Card with a slim 1.5 game lead over the San Francisco Giants. The Phillies had a golden opportunity to catch the Braves last week in NL East since Atlanta was swept in a series, but the Phillies could not take advantage getting swept at home by the lowly Houston Astros. They are only 5-5 in their last 10 games. However, this weekend they swept the NL West leading San Diego Padres and their pitching was stellar in the series only giving up 3 runs in 3 games. They will be tough to beat with the 1-2 punch of Roy Halliday and Roy Oswalt so if their offense can perform they will likely make the playoffs. The Phillies still have 3 games left against the Braves and those games are in Philadelphia.

San Francisco Giants (+600)

The Giants are 1.5 games back of the Phillies in the Wild Card race and they are 5-5 in their last 10 games and lost 2 of 3 at home to Philadelphia a week and a half ago. San Francisco has one of the best staff in the Majors, but you would not be able to tell that lately, as in their last 4 games, 3 of which they lost, they gave up a total of 36 runs. Reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum has lost 5 straight starts and he is looking far from the dominant pitcher he has been the last 2 seasons. The offense is playing well, but unless the staff steps it up the Giants will be watching the playoffs from home. They do not have an easy home stretch, as they have to play the Colorado Rockies, who are chasing them in the Wild Card race, 6 times and the NL West leading Padres 4 more times.

St. Louis Cardinals (+800)

The Cardinals have lost 2 in a row and they are only 4-6 in their last 10 games. Albert Pujols has been stellar, but he needs help, especially from Matt Holliday. St. Louis may have to depend on the Wild Card to make the playoffs since they trail the Cincinnati Reds by 5 games in the NL Central. They have to finish the season on fire and hope the Phillies and Giants stumble since they do not face either team for the rest of the season.

Colorado Rockies (+2000)

Can the Rockies go on another miraculous run like they did in 2007 when they made the World Series? Colorado has won 6 of their last 10 games and they face the Giants in 3 very important games starting Monday. Their offense has been solid, but their pitching will have to perform in the last 30 or so games for the Rockies to make the post-season.

August 30th, 2010 3:43:53 PM UTC | Posted in Baseball, Futures, Sports, Sports Betting by Jason Green | No Comments

The Reds, Really?

For a long time the Reds were in the lead in the lead in the NL Central, but many, including me, though the eventually they would be caught by the St. Louis Cardinals. Now it looks as if the Reds will be making the playoffs for the first time since 1995, but can they do in the damage in the pos-season? The Cardinals have had their chances, but they have not played well since the All Star break, which has opened the playoff door for the Reds.

Cincinnati definitely has the offense to compete in the playoffs, but do they have the pitching? The Reds’ staff only ranks 18th in team ERA and 20th in strikeouts. Their staff “Ace” is Bronson Arroyo and even though he has a legit win total in 14 so far his ERA is almost 4 and he has given up 22 long balls this season. The rotation of Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, and Mike Leake will not really instill fear in any opposing lineup and pitching wins in the playoffs. Closer Francisco Cordero ranks 3rd in the National League in saves this season, but can the starters get him the ball with a lead once the post-season rolls around?

The main reason the Reds are winning this season is their solid offense. The Cincinnati offense ranks 4th in the Majors in batting average, 5th in HR’s, 3rd in RBI’s, and 5th in hits. The Reds have had no problem scoring runs this season and the middle of the lineup of lineup of Joey Votto, Scott Rolen, and Brandon Phillips is a formidable one. With the pitching that the Reds have these guys and the whole Reds’ offense will have to step it up in the playoffs.

The NL race for the best record is very close, as the Reds are tied with the Braves with the 2nd best record only one game back of the San Diego Padres. Speaking of the Padres the Reds may match up well against them in the post season since the Padres do not have a good offense, but they also have the best team ERA in the Majors. Basically, for the Reds to do any damage in the post-season they will need to either score a ton of runs or get great pitching and if the season is any indication the first scenario is a more likely one. No matter what the Reds are the Cinderella team this season and unless they implode they will be making the post-season for the first time in a decade and a half.

August 29th, 2010 6:02:25 PM UTC | Posted in Baseball, Sports by Jason Green | No Comments

Is the West the Best?

There has not been a World Series winner form the NL or AL West since the Anaheim Angels won the Fall Classic in 2002. This season the teams in the West may have a legit chance to go all the way and break the 8-year drought. The San Diego Padres have the best record in the National League and while the Texas Rangers have the worst record from any division leader in the American League they currently have the biggest division lead of any team in the Majors, as they are 9.5 games ahead of the second place Oakland A’s in the AL West. The Padres also have the biggest division lead in the NL with a 6 game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West. Let’s take a look at each team from the AL West and NL West and how they may do in the playoffs. Here are those 2 teams and their odds to win the World Series at one of the leading sportsbooks.

Texas Rangers (+800)

While everyone is talking about the Rays and the Yankees in the AL this may be the season that the Rangers can win their first World Series ring. Texas has one of the best offenses in the Majors, as they rank 2nd in team batting average, 6th in RBI’s, and 2nd in hits. Josh Hamilton, who ranks 1st in the AL in batting average, 4th in HR’s, and 5th in RBI’s, leads the Rangers’ offense. The middle of the Rangers’ lineup is a formidable one with Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero, who ranks 4th in the AL in RBI’s. Pitching has been the downfall of the Rangers for a long time, but this season Texas ranks 9th in the Majors in team ERA. They now have Ace Cliff Lee to anchor the staff and that will be HUGE come the playoffs, as he can make at least 2 starts in a series. However, is the season were to end today they would be facing either the Yankees or the Rays in the first round of the playoffs. If that is the case the Rangers will have to pitch solid since both New York and Tampa Bay have such a good offense not to mention good pitching staffs.

San Diego Padres (+1000)

The Padres are winning with pitching, as they rank 1st in the Majors in team ERA, 2nd in strikeouts, and 4th in saves. Their staff is a solid one and they will have to be come playoff time since their offense is not a great one not ranking in the top 20 in the Majors in batting average, HR’s, and hits, and only ranking 19th in RBI’s. Maybe more than any other team the Padres will have to use the home field advantage at Petco Park in the post season. Petco is a pitcher’s park, big time, and San Diego will have to come up with some offense when they hit the road in the post season. The Padres will have a big advantage if they can get leads late in playoff games since their bullpen is stellar and closer Heath Bell leads the NL in saves. If the season were to end today the padres would be facing the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the playoffs.

August 28th, 2010 2:03:51 PM UTC | Posted in Baseball, Futures, Sports, Sports Betting by Jason Green | No Comments

Is Internet Poker Coming to New Jersey?

Even though it looks unlikely that there will be no legislation on the federal level to regulate Internet poker in the United States there is a politician that thinks the next 8 months will have the first state to legalize online gambling.

New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak recently stated in a phone interview, “I believe we will have established Internet gaming with poker-type games by the end of the year. It means a lot to New Jersey because we have a wealthy state and a densely populated state. It will be a big boost to the economy if we are able to get it going.”

Legislation was introduced by Lesniak in the New Jersey state senate in January of last year, which would allow casinos in Atlantic City to run online gambling websites that would have poker games and casino games for New Jersey state residents. A bill similar to this one was already introduced in the state assembly of New Jersey. There has also been a hearing on that bill in the New Jersey senate and Lesniak is planning another hearing later this spring and then there will be a vote this fall.

There is talk on the federal level that Senate Majority Leader and Nevada state senator Harry Reid could introduce another similar bill regarding online gambling regulation. A Reid backed bill may gain momentum even though it is not clear how much a bill from Reid would be endorsed by the poker community after he will not be looking out for his constituent casinos in his home state of Nevada.

Since it is already May there is no movement on the online gambling bill by Barney Frank on the federal level so it looks unlikely a bill would pass this year. The best thing that can happen is a talk about the issue on Capital Hill.

If New Jersey if online poker would become legal it may have a domino effect that may pressure the federal government to get the ball rolling on the issue.

Earlier this year Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association chairman Joe Brennan Jr. said, “If it looks like the states are going to start moving on this one by one, the federal officials might realize they have to start some sort of federal license tax or the states are going to take over and they will be cut out.”

Also, Lesniak has introduced New Jersey state legislation that would offer betting on sports and he filed a federal lawsuit that challenged the law that makes it illegal to bet on sports in every state except Montana, Oregon, Delaware, and Nevada. Lesniak has stated that he would like to get a decision on this by the end of this year so New Jersey could look further into that bill.

August 27th, 2010 10:19:42 PM UTC | Posted in Poker by Jason Green | No Comments

Do the Phillies Have What it Takes?

The Phillies are coming off a recent sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros and even though the Braves have lost a couple in a row it begs the question, can Philly get past Atlanta and make their 3rd straight World Series appearance? The Phillies and Braves have been separated by a couple of games for the last few weeks and even though Philadelphia picked up Roy Oswalt before the trade deadline it does not seem like they have been able to gain much ground.

Sure, it would be a great story if Atlanta skipper Bobby Cox could go out with a playoff win since he is retiring this season, but it looks as if the Phillies feel bad and want to hand it to him the way they are playing. Philadelphia has lost 4 in a row and is only 4-6 in their last 10 games. They have had a great chance to catch the Braves since Atlanta is has only been 5-5 in their last 10 games. Atlanta is at home ageist the Marlins this weekends while the Phillies have to head went to take on the NL West leading San Diego Padres.

It seems as if the Phillies are not playing with any urgency even though they should be being 3 games back of the Braves in late August. The Braves and the Phillies play 3 more games against each other this season and those games will be held in Philadelphia. The Phillies need to find their offense or they will be in trouble, especially when they face the hot bats of Atlanta and the Braves; solid pitching staff. OK well maybe hot bats are not the term since each team is struggling to score runs. RHP Tim Hudson is finally starting to live up to expectations and any start for him lately seems to end up in a win. When he takes the mound in the City of Brotherly Love the Braves will be in good shape.

The season still has a quite a few games and either team can go up and down so you never know what will happen. Cox may get another playoff run, the Oswalt deal may have been the right call, or the NL East winner may come down to a 1 game playoff. You never know, which is why baseball is such a beautiful game, but I really hope the Braves win, as I am a fan of Atlanta and hate the Phillies, but that is just a personal bias. Each team has legit odds to win the NL Pennant and, as of August 25th, the NL East is the closest division in all of the National League.

August 26th, 2010 5:38:33 PM UTC | Posted in Baseball, Sports by Jason Green | No Comments