MLB Team Preview: New York Yankees
After just one year of disappointing MLB betting fans and sitting out the postseason, the big, bad Bronx Bombers are back in a big way in the 2009 MLB odds. With a new stadium and some, big, shiny new free agents, the New York Yankees enter this online betting season as the top sportsbook favorites for the World Series.
The Bombers’ bats were never in question, even during their lackluster 2008 season, and the new incarnation of Murderers’ Row looks as strong as ever. Alex Rodriguez should be a man on a mission this season and newcomer Mark Teixeira forms a deadly, powerful middle of the order with him. Robinson Cano, offseason acquisition Nick Swisher and hopefully healthy Jorge Posada should bounce back after disappointing years while Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon, though they’re aging, can still set the table at the top of the order.
The Yanks are an atrocious defensive team and there’s no getting around that, even if Tex is an upgrade picking balls at first. Poor “D” probably won’t hurt their 2009 MLB odds, though, because their massively upgraded pitching staff features strikeout pitchers who aren’t too interested in putting balls in play (with the exception of Chien-Ming Wang).
New York made the biggest headlines of any team in free agency, signing C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to anchor their rotation. Sabathia is a true ace, having shown the ability to strike guys out, go deep in games and shut down top hitters. Online betting fans should realize that C.C. doesn’t come without risk; his arm has a ton of mileage on it, even if he hasn’t suffered a major injury so far in his career.
The other big arm acquisition, Burnett, has been to injury hell and back, having had Tommy John surgery a few years ago. Last year, he dispelled his injury prone label and led the American League in strikeouts while going 18-10. Were his numbers deceiving, though? He won more games and stayed healthy but his rate stats – ERA, WHIP, opponents’ average – all went up. Online betting fans should remember that before anointing the Yanks future champs.
Rising star Joba Chamberlain is like a young Burnett – more of a “thrower” than pitcher, the type who uses his great stuff to punch out hitters – and he joins Wang and Andy Pettitte to round out the rotation.
Since the Yankees’ hitting is as strong as ever and they’ve fixed their pitching woes, look for them to contend heavily in this year’s MLB odds. Bullpen depth could still be a question mark if Mariano Rivera suffers an injury, though, so the Red Sox and Rays will certainly give them a run in 2009 MLB betting.
