Getty Images

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024

Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports

We said it before the World Series started, if you were going to bet KC for the “Fall Classic” wait until after Game 1, when a loss to Madison Bumgarner was well within the realm.

The Royals jumped from a -120 favorite, to a +170 underdog on the completion of last night’s game.  Clearly the website is working out formula’s without human’s listing the odds before this series began.

It still baffles me how the Giants weren’t favored to win this series to begin with.

Having said this, the time to bet the American League Champions is right now if you were going to bet them at all.  I still believe the Giants will win the series, however the odd has jumped so far in their favor, it doesn’t have enough value to throw some cabbage down on.

Tonight’s matchup (Jake Peavy +106 @ Yordano Ventura -116) favors Kansas City slightly.  But it is more than that.

The young flamethrowing rookie (Ventura) has great hit and miss stuff, and has never faced the Giants lineup, this ultimately is in Ned Yost squad’s favor.

Peavy on the other hand, spent numerous years and season series opposing the Royals as a member of the Chicago White Sox formerly.  He has struggled mightily, owning a 5 – 7 record, with a 4.97 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 14 game starts against Kansas City lifetime.  

Billy Butler has had a field day on the RHP.  Hitting .500 with 3 HRs for his career versus the former Red Sox champ.

Billy Butler needs to step up his power production tonight, and he had fared well against Jake Peavy in his career. Butler will likely serve as just a pinch hitter in Games 3 – 5 in San Francisco, where the National League Park comes with National League rules.

The rest of the series also sets up nicely for the Royals if they can win this contest tonight.  Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie aren’t household names  by any stretch, but Tim Hudson and Ryan Vogelsong are not guaranteed win nights either.

You also will face Madison Bumgarner again in Game 5, however the Game 1 winner is a lot more vulnerable at AT @ T Park for some reason this year.

The LHP lost Game 3 of the NLDS round against Washington at home.

Another reason for wagering on Kansas City to win tonight is the availability to empty the Bullpen.  Ventura may only need to go through 5 innings, and then you can record the last 12 outs with Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland afterwards.  With a travel day between parks on Thursday. the guys can all rest up.

The fighting mentality of the Royals also can’t be questioned.  The fact they lost to the ace of the Giants is no big deal.  Against Peavy, you have to think the team will have some baserunners.  This could equal the run game being started, and result in some runs generated.  

I actually also believe that heading back to San Francisco will help Kansas City as well.  Given that Butler dominates Peavy is one thing, I still would like to take out Michael Morse out of the lineup for “Country Breakfast’ any day.

The Royals still haven’t lost on the road in the playoffs either, winning all 4 contests they have been in.  That is nothing out of the normal for them as one of the better teams.

I foresee the series going to 2 – 2 heading into game #5.  Whoever wins that game will win the series in my view. I did pick the Giants to win the thing at the start, so I won’t waiver that thought process now.

I will say that if Kansas City loses Game 2, than that will be curtains for their year.  I can’t see Bruce Bochy, and the rest of the clutch team losing 4 out of the next 5 following this game.

The only thing that has me curious is what the pending odd will be tomorrow if KC wins tonight.  Will they be favored at -120 to SF’s +100 like the pre-World Series line, or will it be closer?

By the way, the move here would be to wager on KC today, and then hopefully they win game 2 and game 3.  If they are able to do that, you could hedge your bet when SF is down by one.

Please note that it is illegal in most U.S. States to gamble

Odds are courtesy of www.bet365.com

For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries Posts that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.

You can reach me on Twitter here Follow @mlbreports‘

Like us on Facebook here