Looking At The Best And Worst World Series Scenarios For 2011

With roughly two and a half months left in the sports betting MLB season, fans and experts alike are beginning to think of the best and worst possible World Series finals for the 2011 season. This year has been one of the more intriguing MLB betting seasons, as many teams that by all accounts should have been out of the playoff hunt by now remain intact. Today, we will be looking at the best and worst case scenarios for the 2011 MLB World Series.

According to the MLB standings, if the playoffs started today, the teams to make the post season would be Boston, Detroit, Texas and New York in the AL and Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Francisco and Atlanta in the NL. However, for all intents and purposes, we are basing this article on how we believe the final standings will turn out.

In our scenario, Boston, Cleveland, Texas and New York are the AL playoff teams. Meanwhile, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Arizona are the NL playoff teams. Here are a couple of the best and worst scenarios for these eight teams.

Best Scenarios:

Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies – On paper, this World Series final is literally a baseball fans dream, as the two best teams in the entire MLB, get to find out who truly is the best. Boston’s incredible offense would go toe to toe with Philadelphia’s outstanding pitching staff.

New York Yankees vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – In a rematch of the 2001 World Series, New York and Arizona would put together a great series. Now, at first glance, many would believe that the Yankees should sweep Arizona. However, consider that Arizona has been one of the best teams in the NL this year, and fans have plenty to get excited about. Similar to the Red Sox vs. Phillies World Series, this would feature a hitting verses pitching match again.

Texas Rangers vs. San Francisco Giants – For the second year in a row, the high powered Rangers would take on the flame throwing Giants. This time, we believe that Texas could win the World Series, as their pitching staff is more diversified than the 2010 World Series runners up team.

Worst Scenarios:

Cleveland Indians vs. Pittsburgh Pirates – In the world of sports, the resurgence of the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates has been one of the most feel good stories ever. Yet, having said that, this World Series would be one of the worst from a viewership standpoint, since nobody but either team’s fans would watch. Both Cleveland and Pittsburgh have developed decent teams, but can they really make it this far?

Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – Playing in two of the hottest States in America, the Ranger and Diamondbacks would be a bad series because the Rangers would obliterate the Diamondbacks.

Baseball Betting: White Sox Look To Make Ground In AL Central Versus Tigers

The Chicago White Sox have been one of the bigger surprises in baseball again this season, and once again it is for all of the wrong reasons. The team that was picked to be among the best in baseball this season has struggled and is looking up at two teams in the American League Central alone. One of the teams that the White Sox are looking up at is the Detroit Tigers, which makes the three-game sports betting set between these two teams that much more important.

Detroit Tigers @ Chicago White Sox

Tuesday, July 26, 2011 – 8:10 PM ET

US Cellular Field, Chicago, Illinois

MLB Betting Pick: Detroit Tigers – 110

The White Sox cannot afford to slide any further out of contention, while Detroit will look to this series as an opportunity to gain some ground on both Chicago and the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. The Tigers haven’t been great on the road this season, but neither has the White Sox at home.

MLB Betting Preview: Detroit Tigers

The Tigers cannot perform at a .500 level on the road and make a World Series run, so whether or not they hold on to first place the focus for the remainder of the season should be on performing regardless of where they play. Detroit will have a strong shot to get the win on Tuesday with their ace Justin Verlander on the mound, as he won’t ask the offense to do too much to help him. Verlander is 13-5 with a 2.24 ERA, and he has allowed more than one earned run just once through his past nine MLB starts. Jhonny Peralta has been a pleasant surprise with his .322 average, and he is surrounded by a ton of offensive talent.

MLB Betting Preview: Chicago White Sox

The White Sox record at home is simply inexcusable, as is the play of hitters such as Adam Dunn, who symbolize all that is wrong with the team so far this season. Dunn will need to do something to help Chicago get to Verlander, while the pressure will be on veteran Jake Peavy, who has also struggled mightily this season. Peavy is 4-4 on the year but his inflated 5.19 ERA is the worst of his career, and he could be in trouble against one of the most powerful offenses in the majors.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The Tigers have too much firepower for the White Sox to compete with as long as Peavy is on the mound, and considering how good Verlander has been it doesn’t look like Chicago’s chances at home are very good once again. Detroit is alone out front in the AL Central, but not by much, and will need this win to push the White Sox even further away while keeping some distance between them and the Cleveland Indians in the race for the sports betting bonus division title.

Gambling Advisor blog Pick: Detroit Tigers - 110

NFC South Turning Into Best Division in NFL

With the NFL set to resume working relations with its players union later this week, it is once again time to open up the sports betting debate as to which of the six divisions to make up the NFL is the best and most challenging? For years, NFL betting lines handicappers have suggested that the AFC is the more difficult conference to win in, while the NFC has more bottom feeder teams. However, over the last couple of years, as seen by Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints in 2010 and Green Bay seven months ago, the NFC is becoming a more respectable conference.

Over the last couple of years, the NFC South, made up of the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has become the best division in the NFL. During the 2010 – 11 NFL seasons, the average amount of wins in the NFC South was an astounding 10. To put this into perspective, consider that in the NFC’s East and West Divisions, a 10 and six record would have allowed a team to win the division. However, in the NFC South, that was only good enough for third place.

Meaning to say, the South is becoming the best division in the entire NFL, if for no other reason, then the fact that they have raised the bar for how well teams must play. Last season, Atlanta came out of nowhere, to accumulate the second best record in the NFL at 13 and three. New Orleans had an equally as impressive record, at 11 and five, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team synonymous with mediocrity finished third in the division with an overall record of 10 and six. Detroit rounded out the division with a six and 10 record, which if they had played in the NFC West, may have got the team a divisional crown.

This offseason, while the NFL lockout was lifted for the draft, the NFC South laid the smack down on the rest of the league, as each of the four teams drafted absolute studs. Atlanta traded eight draft picks to be able to draft Julio Jones, a wide receiver to compliment Roddy White. New Orleans had two picks in the first round, as they picked up former Heisman winner and only running back of the first round, Mark Ingram, as well as defensive stand out Cam Jordan. While both Atlanta and New Orleans made great moves at the draft to help them contend now, Detroit and Tampa Bay acquired talent for the future.

Detroit had one of the best drafts in the last couple of years, as Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley literally fell into the Lions lap with the 13th pick. Fairley and former 2009 second overall pick Ndamukong Suh will form one of the scariest defenses for years to come. Tampa Bay on the other hand, was able to draft two stud defensive prospects in Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers. In theory, with the improvements to both Detroit and Tampa Bay, the fourth place team in the NFC South may win 10 games next season.

MLB Betting: Red Sox Look To Build Cushion In East Against Orioles This Week

Despite a slow start to the 2011 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox rallied to take control of the American League East by the All Star break, and if they can avoid another terrible stretch they should be able to lock up yet another division title this year. The Red Sox took two of three against the Tampa Bay Rays to open up the second half, and will look to take another series on the road against an AL East opponent as they take on the Baltimore Orioles to open this week.

Boston Red Sox @ Baltimore Orioles

Tuesday July 19, 2011 – 7:05 PM ET

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

MLB Betting Pick: Boston Red Sox - 120

Despite consecutive wins the Orioles headed into their series against Boston an unbelievable 18.5 games back of the division leaders after posting the worst record in the AL through the first half. Baltimore managed to hurt the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians a bit in their first series back from the break, but should have a much tougher time against the Red Sox.

MLB Betting Preview: Boston Red Sox

While Boston’s bats continue to pace the majors in runs scored, the team has struggled to find consistent pitching behind All Star starters Jon Lester and Josh Beckett this season. The Red Sox will hand the ball to 24-year old Kyle Weiland on Tuesday hoping that the rookie can be better than he was in his first start, in which he gave up six earned runs in just four innings of work against this same Baltimore team. Weiland should feel a little more comfortable after getting his MLB debut out of the way, but Boston will need to give him a ton of run support if he is going to have any chance at clinching his first career win.

MLB Betting Preview: Baltimore Orioles

That run support will have to come against the 3-13 Jeremy Guthrie, who has allowed six earned runs in two of his four straight losses to see his ERA rise to 4.45 on the campaign. The 32-year old wasn’t awful in his last appearance against the Red Sox, but will need to stay in command of his location and make sure not to become too flustered early on. Unlike Weiland, Guthrie won’t have the best sports betting bonus offense in the majors behind him to bail him out if he struggles early, so he will need to bring his best.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The expectation is that Weiland will be calmer in his second career start, and that will translate to more consistency at the dish as he does a better job against the Orioles than he did when he made his sports betting debut against them. Guthrie has struggled over the past month, so Weiland shouldn’t have to be too good to get his first win.

GAB Betting Pick: Boston Red Sox - 120

2011 Copa America Betting: Uruguay favorite against Peru

The Copa America semifinal started with Peru against Uruguay on Tuesday July 19th, 2011. Both teams fell apart in the tie after the teams that left as Luxbet online betting favorites.

The Peruvian franjirrojos beat Colombia in overtime, while the Uruguayans, reissued the "Maracanazo" 61 years ago against Brazil, in putting the competition to host Argentina in a penalty shootout. Uruguay, as bettors are favorites on the odds, but seeing how it's going the Copa America so far, full of surprises, any talk of favoritism.

In the group stage, teams were finalists with the final result of a tie. Paolo Guerrero Peru ahead on 23 minutes and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez managed to equalize in injury time of the first half in a match where charrúas deserved more. Uruguayan defender Mauricio Victorino is ultimately discharged with a thigh injury in his left leg produced during the match against the Argentines, and neither will play Diego Pérez expulsion. Meanwhile, Diego Godin and Edinson Cavani, are a serious doubt to play the "semis". If you can count charrúas with Sebastian Coates, who returns after serving a penalty.

As far as Peru is concerned, makes it to the semifinals 14 years after his last appearance. It is a Uruguayan Sergio Markarian, who has starred this sprung from the bench, and not the first time the Peruvian away to Uruguay's victory. In 1939 they took the championship to the "celestial," which finished second in the playoffs where the America's Cup was decided at that time. It was not until 1975 that Peru was able to reissue the championship, after getting rid of Colombia in three games. From then until 1983, when he finished third, one can not mention any results worth mentioning.

Baseball Betting: East Division Battle Will Once Again Pace AL in Second Half

When the Boston Red Sox failed to reach the postseason a year ago, the sports betting media around the league was quick to point out that they were a team that was only a couple of offensive pieces and a healthy roster away from being a legitimate World Series contender. General Manager Theo Epstein went out and signed Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to mega deals, and a ton of Red Sox stars took the winter to rest and rehab from a variety of injuries that had compromised their 2010 season. Boston was labeled as the consensus favorite to win the AL after they completed those moves, and despite a slow start they rallied over the past couple of months to clinch the best record in the American League at the All Star break.

The Red Sox are one of the few teams in the league that can win games both ways, whether it’s an explosive performance by their offense or an outstanding start from one of the deeper pitching staffs in the MLB standings. Led by All Star starters Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortix, Boston finished the first half of the season with the league’s top-ranked offense, scoring 482 runs through their first 90 games, and registered the best team batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. They also sent two of their starting pitchers to the Midsummer Classic with Jon Lester and Josh Beckett both getting the nod, and if they could find some consistency with John Lackey and Clay Buchholz they could have one of the best staffs in the AL. That depth will be one of the keys to the Red Sox closing out the year with a pennant and clinching home field advantage for the postseason, but they are still a ways away from doing that.

The New York Yankees are right behind Boston in the AL East, riding the league’s best run differential to first place in the division for most of the season. The resurgence of AJ Burnett, Bartolo Colon, and Freddy Garcia behind CC Sabathia has been one of the biggest MLB betting surprises of the year, and how well those guys are able to hold up the remainder of the way will go a long way to determining their fate. This is still a team that gets by with its power-hitting, which is illustrated by the Yankees’ dominance with the long ball as Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson are right behind home run leader Jose Bautista. The loss of Alex Rodriguez for a couple of weeks could hurt, but New York should still be able to lock up a Wild Card spot.

The Central and West divisions remain wide open as well, although it would take a major collapse for the defending AL champion Texas Rangers to lose out to a Los Angeles Angels’ team that hasn’t been able to pass them despite an outstanding first-half finish. The Cleveland Indians have been one of the surprise MLB contenders this season, and their playoff hopes will come down to whether or not they are able to stay consistent over the second half and hold off the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers have long been considered a talented team that just couldn’t make it over the hump, and this could finally be the year that they get the job done in the AL Central.

American League Side Looks To Bounce Back With Bautista Leading The Way

After hitting 28 home runs up until a week away from the 2011 MLB All Star game, Toronto Blue Jays’ slugger Jose Bautista will lead his American League side into the summer classic looking to get them back on track. The AL conceded their first All Star game in 14 years with a 3-1 loss in 2010, but with a powerful order led by the reigning home run king, they should be able to get back in the sports betting win column.

2011 MLB All Star Game

American League vs. National League

Tuesday July 12, 2011 – 8:00 PM ET

MLB Betting Odds: American League - 110

Bautista leads the top-three home run hitters so far in 2011 on the American League side, with New York Yankees’ teammates Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson right on his heels, and heading to Arizona as two of the five pinstripes’ players that will start.

MLB Betting Preview: American League

With David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox also among the starters named, the AL side has a decisively East division flavor. All but two of the starters are from the AL East, with Detroit Tigers’ catcher Alex Avila and reigning AL MVP Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers in the outfield. The AL might not have the big name pitching staff of its league rivals, but there is much more power in their order, and they should have no problem crushing some long sports betting bonus balls with Bautista leading the way.

MLB Betting Preview: National League

The National League has become known for its complete-game dominance, and the Philadelphia Phillies are a big reason for it. That is illustrated in the fact that the Phillies will send three starting pitchers to the All Star game in reigning NL Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Cliff Lee. All three of those pitchers could be the ace of nearly any team in this league, and the fact that all three come from Philadelphia is a big reason why they have dominated the NL in 2011. A couple of top hitters that those pitchers are very familiar with have been among the best in baseball in Atlanta Braves’ catcher Brian McCann, and New York Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes, whose month of June showed everyone why he has long been considered one of the most dangerous hitters in the MLB.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

As far as the home run derby is considered, consider it to be in the books. The All Star game is a little different, but the AL has enough arms that they should be able to take care of the NL order, and as Bautista showed in the Blue Jays’ series against the Phillies last weekend, he is more than capable of going yard against both Halladay and Lee. The AL has dominated this midsummer classic for years, and in 2011 they will return to the top.

MLB Betting Pick: American League - 110

Baseball Betting: Red Sox Look To Flex Muscle Against Blue Jays Tuesday

The Boston Red Sox have struggled to stay above the .500 mark over their past 10 games, and are hoping to get back on track against a Toronto Blue Jays’ team that has struggled to hit that mark over the course of the season so far. The Red Sox are looking up at the New York Yankees in the top spot in the American League East, and will need to put together a couple of quality outings to close the sports betting gap before the All Star break.

Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox

Tuesday July 5, 2011 – 7:10 PM ET

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

MLB Betting Odds: Boston Red Sox – 130

In order to get that done the starting rotation will need to find a way to slow down All Star voting winner Jose Bautista, whose major-leading 27 home runs earned him a record 7.4-million votes. Bautista has been among the best in baseball since clinching the home run crown last season, and it will be on Boston ace Jon Lester to slow him down Tuesday.

MLB Betting Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

For all that Bautista has done for the Blue Jays this season, he could sure use some support. Bautista has hit .337 with 27 home runs, but the rest of the Toronto order has been largely inconsistent. With the exception of Adam Lind, the Blue Jays will need much more out of their young stars, with players such as Aaron Hill needing to step up in a major way. Toronto will send Brett Cecil to the mound on Tuesday, and that means the offense will need to be even better. Cecil has allowed at least five earned runs in three of his past four starts, and his ERA heading into the game is an awful 7.24.

MLB Betting Preview: Boston Red Sox

When you contrast that 7.24 mark with the 3.43 that Lester has sported so far this season, the picture for this game begins to really come into focus. Adrian Gonzalez is among the leaders for AL MVP, and although he hasn’t been able to match Baustista’s numbers his are very close, and he has gotten a ton of support from the rest of the order. Lester is 10-4 this season and is coming off perhaps his best start, a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in which he didn’t allow a run in seven innings of sports betting bonus work.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The Red Sox will enter this game with a lethal combination of offense and pitching, and that makes it hard to imagine the Blue Jays will be able to keep it close. Bautista has been arguably the best hitter in baseball the past two years, but he can’t do it alone and Boston simply has too much MLB firepower to compete with as they continue their chase for an AL East crown.

MLB Betting Pick: Boston Red Sox - 130