2009 American League Favorites
Written March 5, 2009 by Jack Jones
With spring training under way and the World Baseball Classic having started the lines makers over at BetUS Sportsbook have already worked out the baseball odds on who is going to win the American League in 2009. There is a clear cut favorite here in the Yankees, unlike the National League which they see as being a more wide open race. With the regular season just around the corner let’s take a look at the best teams in the American League.
1. New York Yankees (+200)
It’s tough to think of a team in recent memory that has looked more dominant on paper than the Yankees do right now. The signings of AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia should shore up the rotation, plus adding Mark Texeira to an already dangerous lineup should cause problems for the rest of the American League. The Alex Rodriguez injury might hurt this team out of the gate, but with the talent NY has a few months without their star shouldn’t put them in a hole.
2. Boston Red Sox (+400)
The arch rivals of the Yankees will be their toughest contenders in 2009 as Josh Beckett seems healthy. The pitching staff is pretty rediculous, especially if John Smoltz can get back close to form ater the All-Star break. The lineup may have lost Manny Ramirez, but Jason Bay is no slouch replacing him.
3. Los Angeles Angels (+500)
The Angels lost their closer in Francisco Rodriguez, so somebody is going to have to step up to finish off games for them. This team dominated the AL West during the regular season but fell off during playoff time. I would consider them as the outsider to Boston and New York.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (+750)
It doesn’t seem too likely that the Rays will repeat as American League champions, simply due to having to keep pace with the two best teams in the league. The American League East is going to be a tough division this year, and the good news for the rest of the league is that these teams might beat each other up enough for someone else to have a chance.
5. Cleveland Indians (+900)
This was a disappointing team last year that struggled with injuries. Grady Sizemore reportedly has a groin problem, Travis Hafner is a shell of his former self, and Victor Martinez was non-existent last year. Will they rebound this year? Time will tell.
6. Detroit Tigers (+1000)
This Tigers team should surprise again in 2009 after being incredibly disappointing last year. Detroit started 0-9 and got hit with injuries and then was never able to recover. Detroit has enough pieces to contend, if they can just stay healthy and get on a roll.
If you plan on doing any betting on MLB games this year, then make sure you give yourself the best chance of winning by signing up for the baseball picks offered by our handicappers!
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- 2009 National League Favorites
- Odds to Win the 2009 American League Central
- Odds to Win 2009 AL Pennant
- 2009 AL Season Win Totals & MLB Odds
- 2009 Patriot League Conference Basketball Tournament Predictions
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