MLB Futures
Major League Baseball’s trade deadline has come and gone. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that there won’t be any more trades the rest of the season, it does give us an idea of which general managers think their teams are out of the playoff picture, and which ones expect their teams to make a run in the postseason.
Here are five longshots to win the World Series.
Odds courtesy of Bovada.lv.
Baltimore Orioles +1800
The Orioles have always had the offense to compete, and now they appear to have the pitching to make a long playoff run. I’m buying in on Chris Tillman as a guy who can play the role of staff ace, and I like the acquisition of Bud Norris a lot.
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Buck Showalter has done a fabulous job of changing the culture in the clubhouse, and has this team thinking they can play side-by-side with anyone. The way Chris Davis and Manny Machado have performed this season, it’s safer to get behind them than go against them.
Arizona Diamondbacks +2800
The Diamondbacks have a great one-two punch at the top of their rotation in Patrick Corbin and Wade Miley. The deal that saw Ian Kennedy leave town doesn’t bode well for management’s intentions going forward, but he was having a rough season anyways, and they do get Brandon McCarthy back. Paul Goldschmidt has had an MVP-caliber season, while guys like Miguel Montero, Aaron Hill, and Jason Kubel round out a quality lineup. Gerardo Parra may never get the respect he deserves for the work he does, but Arizona is certainly happy to have him. The playoffs remain in striking distance.
Cleveland Indians +3500
It’s always tough to gauge how a team will perform when a bunch of new pieces come into town, just ask the Toronto Blue Jays. They paid a hefty price to bring in Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, but those moves have paid off in spades. Things have worked out well for the Indians, who have been great in their home ballpark this season. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
It would have been nice to see them do a little more to improve their bullpen at the trade deadline, but there’s still time for that. A championship in Cleveland may sound strange, but manager Terry Francona has a history of exorcising demons.
Colorado Rockies +8000
I had the Rockies pegged as a team that would go on a strong run after the All Star break. That didn’t come to fruition, but they have gotten healthy, and when names like Fowler, Gonzalez, Tulowitzki, and Cuddyer make up the team’s lineup, they can produce runs as well as just about anyone. The team has always been held back by their pitching staff, but I’ve bought in on guys like Jorge de la Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, and Tyler Chatwood. If the Rockies can get hot at the right time, they can claim the always up-for-grabs NL West.
Kansas City Royals +10000
No one has looked better since the All Star break than the Royals. The team’s starting rotation is underrated, with James Shields, Ervin Santana, and Bruce Chen forming a quality 1-2-3 punch, while Billy Butler can provide all the offense they need when he gets going. The team also doesn’t get any respect for their slick defense. The Royals have been a streaky team this season, and if they can avoid another one of the long losing skids that have been their trademark in recent years, they could be a tough out come the postseason.
