The Royals epic post season run fell 90 feet short as they watched the tying run get stranded at 3rd base in game 7 of the 2014 World Series. Now, Kansas City will look to use that momentum and swagger that got them to the World Series and hope to repeat their performance in 2015.
Billy Beane as always been deemed a genius when it comes to baseball. He’s taken the lowest of teams and turned them into World Series contenders. He’s going to have that exact task this year as the Oakland A’s shipped away many veterans this offseason as they went toward the youth direction for 2015.
The Arizona Diamondbacks will be looking to improve upon a disastrous 2014 campaign that saw the team go 64-98 when they take to the field in 2015 with a lineup eerily similar to the one that underwhelmed in a big way last year.
The class of the AL Central comes in as slim as a favorite as they’ve been in quite some time. With the Indians returning their whole team, the Royals becoming relevant following their 2014 run, and now the White Sox making a splash in the offseason, the Central is now jammed packed with 4 legit contenders.
The Cubs, by far, made the biggest moves this off season and grabbed the attention of bettors. The question people are beginning to ask are whether or not the Cubs can live up to the big expectations people are giving them or is it just an overhype? Chicago will look to bring the World Series trophy to Wrigley for the first time since 1908.
The Orioles lost their 2014 big bopper, OF/DH Nelson Cruz, to the Seattle Mariners in free agency, but the restoration of health of some of the club’s either key pieces might be enough to pretty well mitigate that departure.
The L.A. Dodgers have all the pieces to be one of the league’s best teams and barring a slew of catastrophic injuries or misfortune this team should clean up in the NL West for a third straight season.
There has been a lot of hype and disappointment with the Toronto Blue Jays over the last couple of seasons.
After some very lean times the Pittsburgh Pirates have been to the playoffs in back to back seasons. They are in a very competitive division – the NL Central – but there is no reason they should not be in the mix again in 2015.
The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most consistent franchises around. Since 2000 they have missed the playoffs only four times. Over that stretch they have won two World Series and played in two others. In short if you have been betting against these guys you have not been making money.
One of the most consistent franchises in the game (the Atlanta Braves) are looking like they might be headed for a serious down cycle. I am all for the pinning the future on promising pitching but they have gutted their lineup, making it older and less talented at the same time.
I bet you probably forgot that the Milwaukee Brewers had a winning record last season. The fact is they have have pretty good success over the past decade but never really broke through (two early playoff exits).
Perhaps no team in the Major Leagues went through more changes this past offseason than the Tampa Bay Rays – from the front office to the product on the field the Rays will be a much different team than the one that has contended virtually every year the last decade.
All eyes will be on the Boston Red Sox once again this season as they attempt to bounce back from a 91-loss campaign last season. 3B Pablo Sandoval, LF Hanley Ramirez, RHP Rick Porcello, LHP Wade Miley, RHP Justin Masterson, C Ryan Hanigan and Robbie Ross are a few names that were added to the lineup that still includes Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz.
Spring Training is underway and nowhere is the spotlight bigger than in the home of the New York Yankees who will have their share of intriguing storylines as we head into the season. A-Rod, CC Sabathia and Carlos Beltran are all examples of aging veterans that could be a huge difference maker for this team – good or bad!
MLB Baseball betting action sees the St. Louis Cardinals taking on the L.A. Dodgers Friday October 2nd at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California PA. Cappers Picks provides free MLB Baseball handicapping tips all season long.
