MLB Futures: Wild Card and Division Races Heat Up | Best Bets
Transcript
00:00talking Major League Baseball. Yes, on a football Friday, there is a lot going on a full slate of Major League Baseball games tonight, Saturday and Sunday, and a lot to determine who's actually going to make these wild card rounds here coming up at the end of September. And I say this too. And I mean, I mean, this, there's money to be paid here in the late months of August and September Major League Baseball. I understand why we turn our focus over to the NFL and college football next weekend in week number zero. But this is fun, man.
00:30October baseball is awesome. But in order to get to October, you still got to make it through the half month here of August and all through September. Things are going to change a lot. Like if we're looking at the leaders here in Major League Baseball in these divisions, the American League. How about two teams with 72 wins right now, the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees. They're fighting for that division supremacy. The winner is going to get home field advantage. The loser is going to be in that wild card round. You take a look at the Guardians, a four game lead over the Minnesota Twins and a six game lead over the Kansas City Royals. Out there in the A's,
01:00AL West, the Houston Astros, a three game lead now over the Mariners when the Mariners look like they were in full control of this division. Now feeling like they're in free fall mode and also looking at the Houston Astros winners of eight of their past 10 games. The National League, the Philadelphia Phillies resurrected once again, a seven game lead over the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. Nine games back now in the East, the Milwaukee Brewers have a nine game lead over both the Reds and the Cardinals. Then the Dodgers out there in the contentious NL West Dodgers, a two game lead
01:30over the Diamondbacks and the Padres. Dubsie, I was just telling the people out here, it's going to be wild over the final parts here of August and September. Not only watching who's going to win the division, but who's going to wind up in those wild card spots.
01:44There's a lot on the line, a couple of intriguing series coming up, especially in the National League. There's a lot on the line. We've already seen a couple of new faces in new places. You highlighted my Dodgers, Donnie. I'm very bullish on where we sit right now.
01:58But take a look at the wild card spots there. The Diamondbacks, they've been playing some fantastic baseball. Obviously, they've got the pedigree. They've got the experience. The Padres have been fantastic over the last month.
02:09And then for the Braves, I know it was a strong series up there against the Giants. Didn't get it done last night, but they're still sitting as the third choice at minus 330. So the playoff push continues.
02:20In terms of the National League, Donnie, there's a couple of teams that stand out from mine. But in terms of the teams chasing on the outside looking in, the Mets, Giants, and the Reds, who's been the standout for you and who has the weapons, maybe the depth to take them?
02:35You know, it's interesting about the New York Mets because we were writing them off and we were led to believe under Steve Cohen that they were just going to buy themselves a World Series championship. All the money in the world go out and pay players. It didn't work out in their favor.
02:47So they sort of torn it down and the expectations dropped for the Mets, but the team camaraderie certainly didn't drop and they're playing much better baseball.
02:54So there is a chance for me that the Mets, if they can hold it together, can make a climb. That's going to depend on what the Atlanta Braves do.
03:01So if we are looking at the wild card watch your dubs in the National League and some of the price points associated with it, you take a look at the NL West first and foremost.
03:10You look at this to make the playoffs for the Diamondbacks, they're a minus 2200 price. This was a team that was floundering around through the months of April and May in the early parts of June.
03:20And we're saying like, when is this team going to wake up? When are we going to see the team that made a run into the World Series last year, knocking off the Philadelphia Phillies?
03:28They're here now. You take a look at the San Diego Padres. They're a minus 3000 price to make the playoffs here.
03:34This was a team last year that you were expecting big things out of and the year previous where the Philadelphia Phillies had knocked them out on their way to a World Series.
03:42This team has gotten hot at the right time. Yeah, they lost Juan Soto. Oh, no, they're not going to be a good baseball team.
03:47There's a ton of talent left on that roster. And then you take a look at the Atlanta Braves, who I've been saying all along that they were always going to make the playoffs.
03:55It looked like they were even more of a shoe in, let's just say, a month and a half ago before they had that sort of downturn.
03:59But they're still a heavy favorite dubs at a minus 330 price to get in. And then you're looking at the underdogs here right now.
04:06If you're looking at the fan, those sportsbook, the Mets, as I just talked about, with a chance to maybe beat the Atlanta Braves, dubs plus 360 price, the Giants at plus 680 price and the Reds off the board currently at this point.
04:17So if we look at the top three teams, I do think those teams all make the playoffs.
04:22The Diamondbacks, the Padres and the Braves, the New York Mets. They got a little bit of work to do, but I don't think it's out of the realm that they can't make a run into it.
04:29And also that San Francisco Giants point when we covered the game with them winning yesterday.
04:33They're 1-2 punch dubs. Fantastic. If they can get into that wildcard round.
04:37And you look at the Mets, Donnie. I mean, they've got the Marlins coming up here this afternoon.
04:42In terms of strength of schedule, they have a decent little run towards October there.
04:46So they're going to have to make up a bit of ground, but certainly have the arms. I guess the offense, you could make the argument there as well.
04:52Jose Quintana, I believe he's getting a start late this afternoon. Severino has been strong.
04:56Guys like Manea, they're probably going to have to step up.
04:59And that's the difference, Donnie, when we're trying to attack the teams that can make a significant push towards the playoffs.
05:04It's all about depth at this time of year. You've got to be finding that momentum.
05:08And no surprises, every ball club is going to go through their struggles.
05:12The Yankees have seen it. The Dodgers have seen it.
05:14And for the Mets, I'm still banking on that upside. You still get a decent price.
05:19Yeah, we'll see if they can climb back into it. As you point out, depth does matter here.
05:23You can't start your pitcher every single day down the stretch to pick up victories.
05:26Those third, fourth and fifth starters really have to help you out here in the dog days of August.
05:31If we flip it over here on the wildcard watch for the American League, Yankees and the Orioles.
05:37One of those teams is going to be in. One of those teams is going to be a wildcard.
05:40That's why they're listed off the board right now.
05:42But how about this? Shout out the AL Central representing here with the Twins and the Royals.
05:48Look at the price points here. The Twins minus $1,300. The Royals at a minus $144.
05:52But you do have some teams creeping around, which includes the very talented Boston Red Sox at a plus $188 price.
05:58If you would have asked me at the beginning of the year and you told me the Guardians, the Twins and the Royals
06:03would all make the playoffs, I would have thought, Dubs, you were crazy.
06:07Who's to buy low spots on in terms of the American League?
06:10We've gone through the highs, the lows. I love what I'm seeing.
06:13Now the Orioles, the Guardians obviously have been playing some fantastic baseball.
06:17And the Yankees, well, it looks like they have figured it out over the last couple of weeks.
06:21The one team I do have an eye out for, and I've liked them and bet them a lot, particularly with RBI props here, Dubs,
06:27let's just say over the past 30 to 45 days, it's the Boston Red Sox.
06:30They weren't supposed to do a lot. And quite frankly, many people picked them to become dead last in the AL East for this season.
06:36And that's very unlike the Boston Red Sox, because typically they'll have a big payroll, superstar after superstar,
06:42challenge for World Series championships. And now they weren't supposed to do that this year.
06:46So when I look at that roster and say some of these young guys, in particular, those left handed batters
06:50surrounded by Raphael Devers, they have done really well. That's one of those teams.
06:54I want to keep an eye on down the stretch, but I think we can probably become in agreements here.
06:59Yankees, Twins, Royals, Red Sox. Those are the four teams you want to watch out, obviously, in that wild card race.
07:04And we'll see how it turns out here. Now, getting into the wild card. Yeah, that's great.
07:08If you win, you make it to the league championship series round and the divisional rounds.
07:12And then the World Series. Let's talk World Series prices right now on a Friday right here on The Bridge.
07:17Final segment of our number one right here on the early line.
07:20Series XM Channel 159 right here on the Sports Grid Network.
07:23Dubs Anderson, Donnie Wright. So I bring in that heat.
07:25And yes, we have a lot more topics to get to in our number two.
07:28But let's put the cherry on top of the Major League Baseball season so far.
07:31That's World Series championship odds here, Dubsy.
07:35And if we look at the leaderboard right now, should I say the odds market at the famed blue sports book?
07:39You're still looking at the same teams we've been looking at for the past months here.
07:43It's two National League teams to start it off. The Dodgers at a three to one price.
07:47The Philadelphia Phillies at a plus 500 price.
07:50Then we get to the two stalwarts in the American League.
07:52That's the New York Yankees at a plus 550 price and the Baltimore Orioles at a seven to one price.
07:58Before we get to the other teams, I always like to ask this question,
08:01because the odds really haven't changed all that much in the leaderboard standings here.
08:05Do you agree, Dubsy, that the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have been and continue to be the favorites here
08:10at the famed blue sports book, to win the World Series?
08:13Yes, I do. And I agree that Jack Flaherty coming across is a great addition here for Dave Roberts and the Dodgers.
08:20They've gone through their own struggles. But you highlighted, Donnie, you know,
08:23if you jumped in to play the futures markets as a baseball better,
08:26why would you have jumped in preseason to take the Dodgers at plus 360?
08:30We can now get them a plus 300. We wanted to see that all the things would fall in line.
08:35We wanted to see that our big fella, Showtime Ohtani, would show up and be that superstar after surgery.
08:41And he is every bit as advertised. Yamamoto, there's whispers that he could be getting closer to a return.
08:47We need Walker Bueller to step up and be that guy. So there's now a bit more depth.
08:51There's no questions against that lineup. Mookie Betts is back in the mix here.
08:54So this is the time of year where you want to build that momentum. I like the price. I like the number.
08:59I've now seen enough for the Dodgers at plus 300 compared to where they were in the preseason World Series futures.
09:05I like this spot. I was big on the Phillies. You asked me this question a couple of weeks ago, Donnie.
09:10I was all in on Philadelphia. This was the best team in baseball. But suddenly they're on the skids.
09:15The Yankees are on the up and the Orioles are sitting there saying, hey, don't worry about us.
09:19Yes, I agree with the oddsmakers. I think the Dodgers certainly have the class.
09:23And we put the intangibles, that little X factor going towards the World Series.
09:27I think they are the team to beat.
09:29How crazy a baseball season is, too, because before the All-Star break, you saw the Dodgers show up in Philadelphia,
09:34get hammered in that three-game stretch. You're like, oh, there we go. That's decided.
09:37The Phillies have like a six-game lead over the Dodgers for that number one seed.
09:40And here we are talking about them today, neck and neck at this point,
09:43even though the Phillies have won five of six games over the Dodgers.
09:46So the Phillies are a five-to-one price. And we do probably agree, the Dodgers and the Phillies,
09:50the two top teams in the National League, if we were to set up the playoff structure,
09:53they probably would meet in the NLCS. Flipping it over here to the American League,
09:58it's the Yankees and the Orioles, plus 550 and a seven-to-one price here for the Orioles, respectively.
10:03Now, these two teams are going to jockey for position.
10:05They're tied right now in the standings in their own division.
10:08And boy, if you can win that division, the fruits of the labor, you have home field advantage.
10:13The other team has to go into the wild card round to make it a little bit more difficult.
10:17So if we're looking at the American League with those two top teams, Yankees and Orioles,
10:20who gets the nod for you, Dubsy? Because for me, I'm still riding with the Yankees.
10:24Do you think it's the Orioles or the Yankees as well here in the American League?
10:29I'm still riding with the Yankees there as well, Johnny, but it's not so much of what I have seen.
10:34It's what I expect to see going towards the next couple of weeks here.
10:38I do think they're starting to find their stride. I love Hill.
10:40I know it's been a bit of a mixed bag for the rookie,
10:42but I think he could be that guy coming in for the Yankees as they look for that depth.
10:46You've got the likes of Carlos Rodan, Nasty Nestor, I should say there.
10:52So the arms, they've got to be a bit more consistent.
10:55The offense looks to be finding stride.
10:57And they probably need Giancarlo Stanton to be the Giancarlo Stanton that we're used to seeing.
11:02We all know Aaron Jones, Juan Soto, a couple of superstars in the mix there,
11:06but they're going to need third, fourth.
11:08Maybe Rice could be the guy up top there as well.
11:10So I'm all in on the Yankees coming out of the American League,
11:14but certainly looks to be very competitive up top of the table.
11:17No, it certainly is. And look at that.
11:19The top four teams, Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees, Orioles.
11:22You know who's right behind them?
11:24The Houston Astros. You can't get rid of this team.
11:27I put a fork in them 15 times this season.
11:29Here they are leaders of the AL West and a 10 to 1 price,
11:33which means a legitimate chance.
11:34The odds makers think that they can actually win another World Series.
11:37The Guardians at a 15 to 1 price, the Braves at 15 to 1,
11:40the Twins at 17 to 1, followed by the Padres and the Diamondbacks out there in the NL West.
11:45If we remove the top four teams and go up to see Astros,
11:48Guardians, Braves, Twins, Padres and Diamondbacks,
11:51I would have to believe myself.
11:53I still think it might be the Padres or the Diamondbacks that can climb this ladder.
11:56You're dubsy. Yeah.
11:58And, you know, there's so much reasons he buys.
12:00The Astros have now rattled off.
12:01I think it's eight straight on the bounce there.
12:03So arguably the hottest team in baseball.
12:06And, like, Donnie, you write them off and they just show you that they've got that dog in them.
12:11They've got that experience, that X-Factor.
12:13They know how to grid out a couple of wins.
12:15And this is the time of year where you want to be finding top stride there.
12:18So Frambois Valdez leading the way for the Astros.
12:20A couple of questions on the injury side of things.
12:23If you want to win a World Series, you need good fortune.
12:25You need a bit of luck.
12:27Right now the Astros have got the momentum.
12:29They need a bit more depth coming in for October.
12:32And playing your best baseball down the stretch means a lot.
12:35Momentum, people.
12:36We got momentum into hour number two next.