MLB Betting: Playoff Update

The race for the National league 2nd wild card birth is full on! But who will go to face Atlanta for a shot at having home field advantage for the first two games against the Washington Nationals? Here is the MLB playoff update.

The Cardinals got what they needed and are one game up on the Dodgers for the second wild card berth in the National League. Philadelphia went to Houston where for whatever reason can’t seem to play well and they did exactly that losing three-of-four games. They now trail the Cardinals by four games with 17 games remaining.

Oakland won Sunday and ensured their first winning record season since 1997. They have bigger aspirations, of course, trailing the Al east leading NY yankees by just one game. The Oriole shave five remaining series left and none of them against the Yankees so all they can do is take care of their own business and win. They will play the next three at Seattle and should be able to win the first two game before having to face Hernandez in the finale. 

They then will go to Fenway, where Bobby Valentine is being blamed for the last second missed field goal attempt causing the Patriots to lose to the Cardinals and were installed as double digit favorites. There is something to say, though, about bad chemistry, bad kharma, and Bobby Valentine has once again had to retract statements he made about this being the worst roster in Red Sox history. Here again, I think Baltimore goes to Fenway and wins two-of three games. They will then return home for seven straight games with four against Toronto and three against the Red Sox. The season finale will be a three-game series at Tampa Bay and by then the Rays are likely to have been eliminated. So, my estimate for the Orioles down the stretch is to post an 11-5 run down the stretch to finish at 93-69 for the season. 

The Yankees took two-of-three form the Rays and have backed them into a corner and for practical purposes are out of the race for the division crown and on the brink of elimination for the second wild card berth. The Yankees start a 3-game series against Toronto, then face the very hot Oakland A’s for three games. Two of these though start at 1:05 PM and that equates to 10:05 PM ET for the A’s internal clock so that may favor the Yankees a bit more in winning the series. Yet, only a fool would underestimate the powerful potential of the Oakland A’s.

Making a long story short, i see the Yankees completing their remaining regular season schedule with a 10-6 record and being in a tie with the Orioles for the division crown. Anaheim’s remaining schedule is brutal with six games against the Rangers, three against the Chicago White Sox, and six against Seattle. So, the East will be won by Baltimore in a playoff and then the Yankees and Texas Rangers will play a one-game play-in game to face the Oakland A’s in the ALCS. How do you like that? But, that is how I see it today!

MLB Playoff Update

A month ago, the focus was on the incredible race in the American League where no less than eight teams were within 2 ½ games of each other for divisional and wild card berths. Now, the National League has joined the excitement and we are at the point where every game for these contenders takes on huge consequences.

The Dodgers got a huge win Saturday, but also received some catastrophic news about their ace starter Clayton Kershaw, who is dealing with inflammation in his right hip. This is a critical injury as the right hip and right knee are critical to a left hander’s mechanics and power. If he is not able to plant that right leg without pain or tightness, he becomes an average starter at best even though he is the defending Cy Young award winner.

Not often do you find a situation in MLB where one starter can have this dramatic effect on the playoff race, but clearly this gives a lift to the Cardinal chances for gaining the second wild card berth.

One thing is certain though in this uncertain playoff race. The team that gains the second wild card berth will travel to the Atlanta Braves for one game. Should they win that game they will then host the first two games of the NLDS against the Nationals. Not a bad opportunity at all given that the Nationals have decided to shelve Stephen Strasburg as a starter.

Whoever does face the Nationals in the NLDS will have a solid opportunity to defeat them. The Nationals are making a huge mistake not bringing back Stephen Strasburg for the playoffs even if used just for a few innings of middle relief. It is hard enough for any team to make it to the playoffs, but when you do, you have go into them with all guns on deck. Period.

Right now, betting on the Cardinals and Braves to win the Pennant appear to be solid ‘dark horse’ propositions.