Category Archives: gambling 101

Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series Currently

 I am fully expecting the Pirates to lock down the 2nd wild card in the National League.  I b

I am fully expecting the Pirates to lock down the 2nd wild card in the National League. I think 86 wins is the magic #

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Last time I did the Odds to win the World Series was the last time I am doing worst odds this year, and furthermore, I am not touching the best value bets for the next few weeks, until the playoffs begin.

I had a subpar week at 5 – 5, after several red hot weeks.  The Cardinals and Orioles took great strides in the wins, while I was wrong in predicting a slight retraction for the Angels and Bucs on the loss side.

The Blue Jays actually have played well in September, but have still fallen in odds because of hot streaks for other clubs.

Kansas City has come back to the pack a little.

I was fully wrong on thinking the Braves would take a run at least a playoff spot.

I forecasted the M’s, Yankees and Brewers to go into a bit of a dry spell. Read the rest of this entry

Current Odds To Win The 2014 MLB Divisions

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My record was 2 – 4 in establishing the best odds in the Division  for value last week, however it is a lot different throwing down bets on the Division on this time of year.

I went 2 – 1 in the National League – and 0 – 3 in the American League with the Yankees, Mariners and Indians all being further underdogs, despite New York and Cleveland having okay weeks.

Atlanta fell further off the Division with scoring 1 run in their last 28 innings, including having been no – hit – than shutout by the Phillies in back to back contests.

San Fran and St. Louis helped me not be abysmal with prognosticating  – with registering my only 2 wins..  

The A’s have gone from being favored to win the AL West at a -140 clip, to a +400 underdog.  I am selecting this as the best wager of the week. Oakland has a penchant for awesome runs in the last 3 weeks of the campaign, as they did in 2012 and 2013.

Picking up Adam Dunn should help compensate for the lack of offense the team lost with Yoenis Cespedes.

I also was big on St. Louis last week, and will continue to ride that truck. as the Brewers are probably done in the Division.  I hate the loss of Carlos Gomez to injury…and where is Ryan Braun?

The Giants are one of the hottest NL teams, while Clayton Kershaw is making a brilliant case for NL MVP.

There is no money to be made in the AL and NL East.

If you are wishing to wager on the Tigers or Royals, there is nice value there.

I am still of the mindset that the Indians at 20/1 odds – and trailing within 5 games is a good longshot stab for a pick. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Another week has passed – and it is time to get serious in our World Series picks.

To start off, I have eliminated 13 teams from the chance to win a World Series.  These clubs include: BOS/CWS/MIN/TEX/HOU/PHI/NYM/COL/SD/ARI/CIN/CHC/TB.

Miami is very close to being put on that list.  Tampa Bay is 9.5 Games Behind the playoff bar, and simply have too many teams to pass to even qualify for the 2nd Wild Card.

I had yet another wicked week of picking value, going 4 – 1, and only suffering a loss because I picked the Jays to go up in their odds.  They were only my 5th favorite on the list.

To my surprise, the Mariners have gone up in the odds, despite being just 3 – 5 in their last 8 games.  Oakland finally fell out of the favorites spot for the 1st time in months.  I was right on this one too.

I also had the fall of the Brew Crew last week.  I did get thwarted on a winning week by the Giants reeling off a 7 – 1 record in their last 8 games.

Kansas City moved up as a favorite as well, but that was a fluke coming off a losing week of baseball.  Still I will take the win.  They are still tied for 9th in odds with San Francisco.

The Royals have a better chance of winning the AL Central, than the Giants have in catching the Dodgers in the NL West.  Having said that, the Giants have taken a nice lead on the 1st position in the Wild Card.

I am still not hot on Milwaukee, and figure them to drop right out of the Central – and fully expect Atlanta to come up for the 2nd Wild Card slot now.

The Cardinals are in  great shape to make another September run with Yadier Molina back behind the plate, and I am locking them down as my favorite pick this week for value. KC is #2 on my faves list.

Baltimore should be rated higher for the very reason they own the biggest division lead.

Finally I like the longshot odd for the Blue Jays.  Out of the teams outside the periphery of the Wild Card Race, these guys are probably the most capable of stringing a lot of wins if their offense becomes hot.

At +3000, the Braves have a nice payout sitting out there.  Yes they can’t score right now, but the Marlins, Phillies and Mets will be the predominant schedule of these guys. and they also play the Nats some more.  They could squeak into a playoff spot.

I think the Angels have jumped too much on the favorites side, and may recede towards Oakland in the next few weeks.  I am banking on Seattle to drop some more in the Standings.

The Brewers are in a free fall, and have played to below .500 since the start of May.

Finally….The Yankees will be lucky to complete the year at .500 Read the rest of this entry

Current Odds To Win The 2014 MLB Divisions + The Week Ahead For The Contenders

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Based on last week’s 4 – 1 – 1 record for picking the best valued odds on the 6 Divisions, I am sticking with the same teams for value again as nothing has really changed.

My only loss for picking the selections, was that Atlanta dropped from +700 to +1000.  I broke even with none of the NL West odds changing.

My AL East pick of the Yankees proved worthy – as they went from +1000 to +800.

My AL Central wager of the week was Cleveland, and they jumped from +2500 to +1800.

The Biggest registered bet was on the Mariners, shaving off a +3500 to a now +2500.  This is the only prognostication I actually put real money on down.

It was a clean sweep for me to win on the American League.

I was 1 – 1 – 1 in the National League.  My St. Louis to rise as a favorite worked in plotting the week.  They are now tied with the Brewers for the odds to win the NL Central.

The Cardinals came up just enough to break me with a .500 record for NL picks.

I have eliminated the Jays and Rays from the Divisional races.  Any double digit deficit will result in this automatically for the rest of the campaign.  

Read the rest of this entry

Yanks Finish 30th In The 2014 MLB ‘Runs Scored” Survivor

The Yankees moved within 2.5 games of the Mariners for the 2nd Wild Card spot, but more importantly, finished their 11th different run variation from 0 - 10 last night, and became the 30th team to do so this year.  We will see you all in 2015!!  Thanks for reading along.

The Yankees moved within 2.5 games of the Mariners for the 2nd Wild Card spot, but more importantly, finished their 11th different run variation from 0 – 10 last night, and became the 30th team to do so this year. We will see you all in 2015!! Thanks for reading along.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The New York Yankees had played 129 games – and finally registered exactly 8 runs in any contest this year – with an 8 – 1 drubbing over Kansas City last night – in a potentially crucial Wild Card matchup against one of the teams they maybe vying for a playoff spot with. 

Why is this important?

Because the Bronx Bombers are the 30th team to complete their quest to score precisely 0 – 10 runs in 11 different variations in the MLB.

Atlanta was the 29th club to finish their mission, and they were done this at the 98 games mark – which was 31 matches ) faster than the “Pinstripers”.

Scoring 8 runs in a game was one of the tougher things to do for all other teams yes, but this Yanks lineup has doled out nearly $130 MIL in player contracts for the 2014 season on their offense alone.

The hitting has been pathetic to say the least – until the last 4 games.  Joe Girardi should win manager of the year for this team even posting a winning record thus far.

Having 4 major Starting Pitching injuries should spell doom for any club, however that hasn’t been the problem with this squad.

Acquired/Organizational Pitchers Brandon McCarthyShane GreeneDavid PhelpsChase WhitleyChris Capuano have peace-mealed a solid effort for the Starting Rotation.

It has been the 1 – 9 batters that have caused this franchise to struggle this campaign.  Nevertheless, they finally pushed across the required amount.  They are the last team to finish, and it happened 4 months and 2 days from when the Giants 1st finished their quest on Apr.23, 2014.

The Rays were the 1st AL club to finish 2 days later – and the Braves were the 29th club to do this – and that was done on July.20, 2014.

Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

The Braves, Indians, Nats and Angels were among the movers up the favorite lis this week, while the Pirates, Yankees, Blue Jays, Reds and Rays a;l took the plunge down the list.

The Braves, Indians, Nats and Angels were among the movers up the favorite lis this week, while the Pirates, Yankees, Blue Jays, Reds and Rays a;l took the plunge down the list.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Another week has passed – and it is time to get serious in our World Series picks.

To start off, I have eliminated 11 teams from the chance to win a World Series.  These clubs include: BOS/CWS/MIN/TEX/HOU/PHI/NYM/COL/SD/ARI+CHC.

It has been a great handicapping year for yours truly, but that could all unravel in the next few weeks.  I had a 6 – 1 – 3 record for best value bets.

As for the entire season, my bets have been plugging away at a great clip.

My best move was to hammer the KC Royals for a $20 wager at 50/1, then hit them for a $7 wager when they rose to 80/1 about 5 weeks ago.

Another highlights was placing $75 on the Tigers when they were at 11/1 odds after a slow 1st week.

I also managed to throw down some nice cabbage on the O’s at a 50/1 odd in May, but also to get them at 6/1 for the Division just after the Jays went on their win rampage – courtesy of Edwin Encarnacion.

Last week I took advantage of a Braves 40/1 odd that presented itself.

I also have heavy bets on the Blue Jays and Angels (got them both at 20/1 – although the Canadian club is looking like a bad selection now.)

For other fringe teams, I also might have lost when plunking down some money on the Yankees at 40/1 last week.

I hit up the Rays pretty good at the start of the season, but more so when they were on fire before trading away David Price.

I will probably lose about $80 on them overall, but I could stand to win in the 2K range, if they could pull a miracle run.

I wagered on the Indians and Bucs back in the 80/1 odds days, and that looks okay…I also hit up the Reds with a big $25 bet at 66/1 odd, which looked nice at the ALL – Star Break, but doesn’t look so good now.

Last week I also made a bet on the Brewers at +1800, before they went down to the same odd the Cards did.

I have never put money on Oakland, Seattle, Washington, St. Louis or Los Angeles to win the World Series because the value has never been there…

On a small note, I did place a $10 bet on the Mariners to win the AL West with a 35/1 odd.  They could make some serious ground if the A’s and Angels split a 4 game series this week, and they continue to roll.

Overall, I am happy with my year recaps, and at least I may be able to hedge some of these bets for a yearly profit at the end of the campaign. Read the rest of this entry

Yankees Have Still Not Completed MLB Scoring Runs Survivor: 30th Place Showing Shows Epic Fail In 2014

You are on the clock New York.  every other team finished Runs Scoring Survivor before the 100 game mark, and you are in jeopardy of running the whole year without plating 8 runs specifically in a game.  We are waiting to close the category up for the year.  You have already secured last place in this deal.  With your payroll on offense at $130 MIL in position players, that would rank you in the top 8 for team salaries alone.  Your hitting has been abysmal - and and EPIC FAIL this year.

You are on the clock New York. Every other team finished Runs Scoring Survivor before the 100 game mark, and you are in jeopardy of running the whole year without plating 8 runs specifically in a game. We are waiting to close the category up for the year. You have already secured last place in this deal. With your payroll on offense at $130 MIL in position players, that would rank you in the top 8 for team salaries alone. Your hitting has been abysmal – and an EPIC FAIL this year!

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The New York Yankees have played 123 games – and still have yet to register exactly 8 runs in any contest this year.  Why is this important?

Because the Bronx Bombers are the 30th team to complete their quest to score precisely 0 – 10 runs in 11 different variations in the MLB.

Atlanta was the 29th club to finish their mission, and they were done this at the 98 games mark – or currently 25 matches (and counting) faster than the “Pinstripers”.

Scoring 8 runs in a game was one of the tougher things to do for all other teams yes, but this Yanks lineup has doled out nearly $130 MIL in player contracts for the 2014 season on their offense alone.

The hitting has been pathetic to say the least.  Joe Girardi should win manager of the year for this team even posting a winning record thus far.

Having 4 major Starting Pitching injuries should spell doom for any club, however that hasn’t been the problem with this squad.

Acquired Pitcher Brandon McCarthy, Shane Greene, David Phelps, Chase Whitley, Chris Capuano have peace-mealed a solid effort for the Starting Rotation.

It has been the 1 – 9 batters that have caused this franchise to struggle this campaign.

i won’t get into this that much more – as that is saved for another blog, but this team has 39 chances left to come up with 8 runs on the nose in a game this year – or this little category of mine will be left unfinished this season.

329 other variations have been authored it is time for New York to quit messing around, and get its act together. Read the rest of this entry

Current Odds To Win The 2014 MLB Divisions: Betting The Longshots The Only Value Left

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Well its another banner prognostication period for me.  Last time we checked on the Divisions, I had the Rays, Angels, Royals, Nationals, Dodgers and Pirates as the best value plays.

I wasn’t expecting Tampa to trade David Price at that point, so I will lose that wager.  I also lost the Bucs value pick, even though they were better odds for the most part of the 3 weeks until the losing streak started.

Overall, the Royals jumped from +800 to just +125 as they skyrocketed up the Division – and now have amassed a 2 game lead over Detroit.

The Dodgers actually had some value 3 weeks ago at -225.  Hope you put some cabbage on them, because now they are -800.

The same can be said for Baltimore, pole-vaulting from +160 – all the way to -900.  They are the biggest favorite in any AL Division.

Washington has played great baseball in the last 21 days, opening up a 6 game lead in the NL East.  They blitzed from -190, to now being -1600.  That odd is not worth wagering anymore..

Los Angeles (on AL Side) have taken over the lead in the AL West by a half game on Oakland, and are still a +125 underdog, to the A’s -150 mark.

It was still good enough to venture from +175 to +125 now, and make me a 4 – 2 prediction selector for the last 3 weeks in duration.  Let’s have it this time around.  If I don’t feel a team has a chance at the Division, i will leave them off the lists.

Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

 

Toronto olunged from +1600 - +4500 in one week.  Even though they have welcomed back EE back, still not sure about their chances in a growing tough AL for playoff spots..

Toronto plunged from +1600 – +4500 in one week. Even though they have welcomed back EE back, still not sure about their chances in a ‘growing tough’ AL for playoff spots..

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Another week has passed – and it is time to get serious in our World Series picks.

To start off, I have eliminated 11 teams from the chance to win a World Series.  These clubs include: BOS/CWS/MIN/TEX/HOU/PHI/NYM/COL/SD/ARI/CHC.

It was a banner week of predicting teams coming and going for yours truly…As bad value of the week I had Toronto (went from +1600 to +4500) as my worst pick..

San Francisco was 2 on the bad list (went from +1400 – +1800)

Oakland was 3rd on the bad list (went from +375 – +450)

Detroit was 4th on the bad list (went from +500 – +650)

St. Louis was 5th on the bad list (went from +1100 – +1400)

A perfect 5 – 0, with the odds lines going way in reverse. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Another week has passed – and it is time to get serious in our World Series picks.

To start off, I have eliminated 12 teams from the chance to win a World Series.  These clubs include: BOS/CWS/MIN/TEX/HOU/MIA/PHI/NYM/COL/SD/ARI/CHC.

Having said this, the Rays season also may be 10 seconds from a toetag.  We will see how they fare this week.

Last weeks selections I was 3 – 1 – 1 for the best odds to wager on.  The Cardinals moved up slightly, and the Nats made a big move up the list thanks to a Braves 8 game losing streak.

I also won with the Dodgers going from +700 to +600.  The only odd I lost was an Angels club going from +1000 – +1000

On the worst odds bets last week I went 3 – 1 – 1. I had the Rays plummeting quickly as my top selection, and I was right on the money, and they plunged from +5000 – to now +10000.  I also pegged the Braves bad road trip, and Yankees fall from grace on the value.

The only odd I lost was the A’s going from +400 to now +375. For the record, I still hate the value, and would surely peg the Dodgers as the #1 team (ranked wise) to win the World Series.

LA holds a 3.5 Games lead on the Giants, who are free-falling.  The Dodger Blue club will also beat up NL West cupcakes of the Padres, Rockies and D’Backs.

While their +600 is about the right odd, I can’t place them in the best wagers for value. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

The Tigers should be a unanimous choice for the 1 odd to win the World Series.  It is only because the A's have to contend with the Angels, and all NL Divisions are close.

The Tigers should be a unanimous choice for the 1 odd to win the World Series. It is only because the A’s have to contend with the Angels, and all NL Divisions are close. I would take Detroit’s rotation and 1 – 9 lineup over Oakland in a series right now, with the A’s possessing a better Bullpen as their only advantage.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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With the trade deadline coming and going, the new odds have been posted to win the “Fall Classic.”

The consensus among bettors is that the Athletics and Tigers by virtue of their trades are the top favorites.

1st off, there is no way the A’s should be rated higher than Detroit.  The Angels are just 1 game behind Oakland, which would force them into the Wild Card Game.

The ‘Motown Boys’ hold a 5 game lead on their nearest Division rival Kansas City, therefore should be a heavier rated club.

Detroit has a playoff pedigree of going to three straight ALCS’s, and the A’s haven’t won a playoff series since 2006.

I am not putting down the A’s, the odds are just so low, that it is not worth a wager.

Tampa Bay is also a big longshot.  They should be pegged worse than what they are right now.  David Price is not on the squad anymore, and the +5000 is based on the run they did when he was on their staff.

The Rays have climbed from +13000 all the way to +5000 in about a 6 week stretch, however this team is more likely to finish around the .500 mark for the rest of the year. Read the rest of this entry

Current Odds To Win The 2014 MLB Divisions

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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With the trade deadline lurking this week, you have to factor this in when you are making bets.

I would be shocked if the Rays trade David Price before July.31, 2014.  This team has erased so many deficits since 2008, and they have been the best team in the league for the last 25% of the year.

I would also predict the Royals to add a bat for the last 2 months.

Pittsburgh has a lot of money in their wallets for a few salary dumps even if they have to wait for the non-waiver deadline.

Cincinnati is fading fast and needs to wheel and deal for some replacement help.

St. Louis has never played well without Molina, and while I love the A.J. Pierzynski addition, they must not stay stagnant here.

The Yankees should break the bank on several more trades now that they are going to be Luxury Tax Abusers yet again!

The Braves should do a deal, yet they have been hampered by all of the payroll B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla eat up.  Maybe 2014 is not their year.

Read the rest of this entry

Current Odds (AL/NL) To Win The MLB League Championships In 2014

The American League has a lot more parity than the National League this year - with about 12 teams in contention for the playoffs, as opposed to about 8 realistic chances for the NL.  The Tigers should be the ultimate favorite for this odd with the chance of the Angles catching the A's, but overall, they assessed decent odds across the board in the junior circuit.  The wheelhouse for value is within the middle teams.

The American League has a lot more parity than the National League this year – with about 12 teams in contention for the playoffs, as opposed to about 8 realistic chances for the NL. The Tigers should be the ultimate favorite for this odd with the chance of the Angles catching the A’s, but overall, they accessed decent odds across the board in the junior circuit. The wheelhouse for value is within the middle teams like the Royals, Indians, Rays and Orioles.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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As you will see in the odds at the end of this point, the NL top 5 teams are not worth betting for the League Odds, but rather the World Series. 

I alluded to this earlier in the year.

For example, the Dodgers are +700 to win the World Series, but are favored at just +275.  This is almost 2.5 times the amount.  In essence, you would need the Dodgers to pay +140 in the Fall Classic, to make the same as winning the LCS, than betting them for the WS.

LA would probably be a great matchup versus any of the AL teams, and likely favored against all except for the Tigers.  The pitching staff is too strong.

The AL has  3 teams totally eliminated from even thinking about playoffs in my view, with the White Sox on the cusp of the threshold.

Give me the Orioles at +1000 any time, as they may have an easier time winning the AL, than in a World Series matchup. 

I also love the value of the Indians and Royals, as both teams are within earshot of the 2nd Wild Card leading Yankees and Blue Jays. and just behind the Mariners.

Like we have discussed so often, the AL Central should have the easiest strength of schedule down the last 60 games or so. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

The Orioles are in a brutal part of their schedule in which they are on a 10 game roadtrip to the west.  They dropped 2 out of 3 to the A's over the weekend, and now play 4 @LAA and 3 @ SEA before returning home to play the Angels again next week.  All of their Division teams won their weekend series, including the Yankees Red Sox and Rays sweeping - and the Blue Jays taking 2 out of three versus Texas.

The Orioles are in a brutal part of their schedule in which they are on a 10 game roadtrip to the west. They dropped 2 out of 3 to the A’s over the weekend, and now play 4 @ LAA and 3 @ SEA before returning home to play the Angels again next week. All of their Division teams won their weekend series, including the Yankees Red Sox and Rays sweeping – and the Blue Jays taking 2 out of three versus Texas.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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With our Monthly Rankings article coming on Thursday, I thought I would do this weekly article right now, even though 3 games have only transpired since the ALL – Star Break.

There has been some movement for sure.  I had a paltry week of predicting at 2 – 5 – 3, but am still prognosticating decently for the year.

Late last week, I bet the Rays, Indians and Red Sox for the World Series at $5 bets.  TB pays out at 100/1, Cleveland 80/1 and Boston 65/1.

I also will win a lot of money in the AL East, unless the Blue Jays or Yankees take down the division.  That is another article for another time. Read the rest of this entry

Braves Are The 29th Team To Finish 2014 MLB Runs Survivor: Yankees Dead Last – But Had A Good Weekend

The Braves offense has been sporadic all season long.  Atlanta gets back at the Bronx Bombers by reaching 8 runs in a game 1st, and made New York finish 30th in this contest The Braves have played 98 Games, while New York has played 97, but even if the Yanks score 8 runs in their next game, then they would lose a won games tie-breaker.

The Braves offense has been sporadic all season long. Atlanta gets back at the Bronx Bombers by reaching 8 runs in a game 1st, and made New York finish 30th in this contest The Braves have played 98 Games, while New York has played 97, but even if the Yanks score 8 runs in their next game, then they would lose a won games tie-breaker.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The Atlanta Braves scored 8 runs last night, and in doing so, ensured themselves of not finishing last for the 2014 MLB Runs Scoring Survivor.

The “Tomahawk Choppers” also kept pace with the Naitonals in the process.

Fredi Gonzalez’s squad finished the trek in 98 games, and while the Yankees could potentially tie them in their next contest (98th game), the Braves have more wins than the Yankees, and that would be the tiebreaker.

We will still inform you when the “Bronx Bombers” complete their mission finally.

Never did I think the “Pinstripers” (who lead the Majors in offensive lineup player salary at $117.8 MIL) would be the last team for the 11 scenarios. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The record for predicting odds last week was 4 – 3 – 3.

The Rays have kept chipping away at their odds, by having a 4 – 2 week.  At +8000 for the World Series, this is still tremendous value.  I actually like the +1800 for the division even better.

Baltimore is holding onto a firm grasp of the AL East (4 games over TOR – and 5 Games over NYY), so how the hell do the oddsmakers have the Blue Jays favored slightly more than the O’s.

I will take the win, and leave the Birds as a best pick this week. I was amazed to see the Jays maintained a +1400 clip despite having a pitiful week, and see the injuries continue to rise. Read the rest of this entry

Cespedes Wins The 2014 MLB HR Derby With An Awesome Power Display: Stop Complaining About The Contest Experts!

Yoenis Cespedes became just the 2nd player to win back to back titles in the M:B HR Derby Last Night.  By winning his 2nd title, he also joins Prince Fielder and the aforementioned Griffey, as the only three guys to win multiple titles.  At just age 28, and with that swing, you have to think he has a chance to eclipse everyone and take down a few more of these HR Derby Trophy's.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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I have had enough with the experts flogging on the HR Derby last night.

Yes, it took long, but not as long as last year. I believe the actual event was under 3 hours. What every one was feeling had a lot to do with the hour plus rain delay.

I loved the new format of 7 outs, and AL vs NL. If there is anything I think the MLB could do away with – is having 5 players in each league participant.

I firmly believe that Jose Bautista and Giancarlo Stanton suffered because of an inactive round caused by them both winning a bye. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 Home Run Derby + ALL – Time Derby Winners + Cespedes Wins 2014 Title

HR Derby 2014

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I said yesterday that I believed Todd Frazier would be an underdog darkhorse to win the HR derby at Target Field.

Little did I know he is tied for the 8th favorite out of 10 hitters.

The ALL – Star longball competition has changed formats.  There are 3 players from the AL and NL that survive the 1st RD (7 outs each hitter).

The top players in each league (during the 1st round) win a bye into the semi-final round automatically, while the 2nd and 3rd seeds in each league square off in the 2nd round in a matchup each.

Once the winners are established in that round (7 Outs), the remaining 4 contestants will be duking it out in their respective leagues to find who owns the National League and American league big fly bragging rights.

It is all players within their own league until the final.

The winners of the AL/NL will face off for the championship.  Again, all rounds contain 7 outs.  Maybe this will ease some of the time constraints. Read the rest of this entry

The Latest Odds To Win Each MLB Division In 2014 With Full Analysis

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

AL EAST

Analysis:  Last month I had the Orioles as my favorite for the Division at +650, and now they are at +130.  

With recent injuries to several Blue Jays and Yankees key personnel, and the continued struggles of Tampa Bay and Boston, this is a no-brainer.

Baltimore has a 3 game lead on Toronto and a 4 game lead on the Bronx Bombers.

With the Bronx Bombers missing 4/5ths of their rotation, I actually believe the Rays are in better position to win the AL East. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

 The Rays are not strangers to being out of the playoff picture by 9 or 10 games at this point in the season.  At 100/1 Odds right now, you can pick them for a massive value wager.  Put 10 bucks on them, and then bet against them tonight for a wager of $12, taking Jason Vargas and KC at  - 113.  If they lose tonight, you are up about 60 cents, and still have the bet for the whole year.  Keep betting like this all week, bet to win $10 a night versus them.   If this team goes 4 - 1 or 5 - 0 for the rest of the week, they are in the hunt. 3 - 2 is still okay.  If the club goes 2 - 3 or worse, they may heat up the David Price chatter over the All - Star break.

The Rays are not strangers to being out of the playoff picture by 9 or 10 games at this point in the season.- and ultimately qualifying for a spot with a huge run in the 2nd half of the year.  At 100/1 Odds right now, you can pick them for a massive value wager. Put 10 bucks on them, and then bet against them tonight for a wager of $12, taking Jason Vargas and KC at – 113. If they lose tonight, you are up about 60 cents, and still have the bet for the whole year. Keep betting like this all week, bet to win $10 a night versus them. If this team goes 4 – 1 or 5 – 0 for the rest of the week, they are in the hunt.- and you may be down $30 – $40, but the worth is still there for the World Series odd, and the team could be kept together with a run.   3 – 2 is still okay. If the club goes 2 – 3 or worse, they may heat up the David Price chatter over the All – Star break.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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It was a 4 – 4 – 2 predicting record for the week,  however I nailed the top bet and worst bet on the board.  The Reds continue to battle in the NL Central, and now have gone up to +3500.  Currently they are tied with Pittsburgh and for 14th best odd.

I think the value is right about where it should be.

Crazy enough on the Brewers, they are now the 10th favored team to win the WS- while the Cards have shot up to 7th on the board.  This despite the Brew Crew still possessing a 4 game lead on the Red Birds.

Weird enough, I won the Boston Red Sox value pick, even though they are plummeting down the standings faster than any other AL East team.  They have no business being 17th on the list.

If you are a believer in the Rays making a comeback like they seem to do every year. they are at 1000/1 to win the Fall Classic.  They will be my best value play for the year.

Another absurd notion is that the Orioles are +2000, while the Blue Jays sit at +1400 now to win the World Series.  Talking about no pulse for what is happening.  Encarnacion is hurt, Baltimore has a 3 game lead, and expect a big 2nd half from Chris Davis. Read the rest of this entry

Mets Latest Team To Complete MLB Runs Survivor 2014: NYY + ATL Last 2 Teams Yet To Finish

28th in MLB Runs Scoring Survivor..

28th in MLB Runs Scoring Survivor – 2014..

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The New York Mets have something to hold over their crosstown rival Yankees this year, besides winning the season series against them.

The club tallied 8 runs this past Sunday for the 1st time.  If officially clinched their 11th different game total from 0 – 10 runs for a game.

This made them the 28th squad to complete the quest, and the 1st team in a few weeks.

The showdown for 29th, and to not come in last – is now a 1996 World Series rematch between the Yankees and Braves. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 World Series Currently + Best/Worst Value Bets

I Have hammered this point to a fault, and sound like a broken record, but look at the proof.  The Cincinnati squad has reeled off 4 wins in a row, 7 out of 10, climbing within  a game of the playoff bar.  With a winning pedigree over the last several years, how are they tied for 16th only in odds to win the World Series with Boston?

I Have hammered this point to a fault, and sound like a broken record, but look at the proof. The Cincinnati squad has reeled off 4 wins in a row, 7 out of 10, and have climbed within a game of the playoff bar. With a winning pedigree over the last several years, how are they tied for 16th only in odds to win the World Series with Boston?  Give me the Redlegs any day with their 42 – 38. and a healthy team for the 1st time all year, and many ALL – Star toting the uniforms.  I nailed the odd when it was +6600, so I am definitely on the bandwagon for a hot team, that is still paying great value.  If they make poststeason, you can extensively hedge if need be with starting base that high.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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So I have finally had a sub-par week for predicting World Series Odds.  My worst selection was putting faith in the Royals, only to see them jump from +2500 – +3300, and the Red Sox plunged a +700 mark to +4000 from +3300.

It was somewhat diffused by picks for Baltimore to shoot upwards as a favorite, and I am still miffed at the Reds receiving no love at all.

Cincy has won 4 in a row and 7 – 10, and are climbing heavily into the Wild Card Race with the Dodgers and Cardinals.

With how fast the Giants are coming back to LA in the NL west, it may be these three teams fighting it out for 2 berths, with the loser of the Nats/Braves division, SF, and the Bucs still right in the loop.

Right now the oldest professional baseball team is playing some great baseball, have a fully healthy squad for the first time all season, and we are talking about a club who has made the playoffs in 3 of the last 4 years.

Billy Hamilton has batting over .300 since the end of April, and now Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce are coming around, and it is only a matter of time before Joey Votto gets right.

Todd Frazier has been one of the best baseball players in the NL this campaign, and is currently tied for 3rd in NL HRs.

Devin Mesoraco is almost averaging an RBI per game, and is slugging .627 as a Catcher, with 14 HRs and 40 RBI in 47 Games Played.

Aroldis Chapman is lighting the lamp with 100 MPH. Jonathan Broxton is filthy. and the Starters are throwing the ball.

This is not the same team that started 3 – 8.  Look the hell out in the 2nd half.  Certainly they should not be tied for the 16th favorite on the odds board. Read the rest of this entry

There Was A Power Outage In The MLB SAT, But Not At Camden Yards: HR Leaderboards 2014

machado

There were just 20 HRs hit in 17 games played worth of action on Sat. June 28th, 2014, or 0.59 Bolts per team.

Added to that, were that no one hit 2 in a game, and none of the 15 players currently in the top 5 of either the AL or NL hit a big fly yesterday either.

Among the HRs hit, was a 5 HR contest held at Orioles Park At Camden Yards in Baltimore on Saturday.

It was not Chris Davis, Nelson Cruz or even Evan Longoria doing the deed, but Manny Machado, Nick Markakis for the O’s – and Desmond Jennings, newcomer Kevin Keirmaier – and Logan Forsythe also hit his 1st blast of the year.

Darin Mastrorianni also went yard for his 1st long ball with the Blue Jays (2nd game) and first for the season.

Seldom used David Ross – and Dayan Viciedo are the only 2 players in the MLB carrying a HR streak, after no one entered Saturday’s play with a consecutive streak.

Really other than C.J. Cron‘s and Jose Abreu‘s 2 tater trots, it hasn’t been a banger weekend for the power bats.

For those that love the long ball we have updated our list on Multi HR Game to add the last 4 HR game in the Majors, along with the fellas that have the last 3 HR and 2 HR contests.

We have done the same with consecutive HR list, where we have 2 games through 8 listed as the last streaks.

Devin Mesoraco is the only one to have a 5 gamer in 2014, where 6, 7, 8 vary from 2012, to 2006, to 1993 respectively. Read the rest of this entry

ATR (Ask The Reports) Returns For One Day Here: June 25th, 2014

Home Of Sully Baseball + #WOB, #SullyMetrics, Baseball Analysis (Audio + Written, Roster Trees, Salaries, Org. Depth Charts, Historical Series for All 30 Clubs + State Of The Unions + Wicked Daily Content,) + tyhe best coverage on the 2014 MLB schedule in the world.   We are not your average "Cookie Cutter" Website.  Also our motto is "THE TRUTH STINGS LIKE A CATCUS!"

Home Of Sully Baseball + #WOB, #SullyMetrics, Baseball Analysis (Audio + Written, Roster Trees, Salaries, Org. Depth Charts, Historical Series for All 30 Clubs + State Of The Unions + Wicked Daily Content,) + tyhe best coverage on the 2014 MLB schedule in the world. We are not your average “Cookie Cutter” Website. Also our motto is “THE TRUTH STINGS LIKE A CATCUS!”

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

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As our website has increasingly adapted to changes both suggested by our readers and writers, we are forever changing our content on our little space carved out on the interwebs.

So for a little bit of nostalgia, I add an installment of a previous segment we once had, called ATR (Ask The Reports).

Q:  I noticed you pulled down the HR leaderboard pages and placed them on a website called www.30mlbteamsreports.com, is this the same ownership of that site?

CB:  Absolutely, I purchased the domain www.30mlbteamsreports.com  to help control some of the amount of stuff we post at http://www.mlbreports.com.  In some cases, we will post some of our work on both websites from now on. Read the rest of this entry

D’Backs Latest Team To Complete MLB Runs Survivor 2014: Only NYY, NYM + ATL Left

 It has not been a banner year for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  They are challenging for the worst record in the Majors and finished 27th in this contest.  At least they completed the Runs Survivor contest with a win (9 - 8 in 14 innings) over Cleveland last night.  The effort also gave the National League a 5 - 0 sweep in Interleague Play

It has not been a banner year for the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are challenging for the worst record in the Majors and finished 27th in this contest. At least they completed the Runs Survivor contest with a win (9 – 8 in 14 innings) over Cleveland last night. The effort also gave the National League a 5 – 0 sweep in Interleague Play

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The Diamondbacks finally fought off the Indians with a 9 – 8 win in 14 Innings last night.  Not only that, but they became the 27th team in the MLB to score in 11 different scenarios 0 – 10 for the 2014 year.

This contest now boils down to the Braves, Yankees and Mets all needing an 8 run contest, to see who can avoid finishing in last.

Arizona has played the most games in the MLB, so I am not surprised they completed before the other teams.

By virtue of the game, they also closed the book on the NL west division, who finished 4th in the divisional race.  Only the AL and NL East have clubs yet to finish. Read the rest of this entry

Cincy Latest Team To Complete MLB Runs Survivor 2014: Only NYY, NYM, ATL + ARI Left

Cincinnati Reds

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The game should have been a great way to cap off their run survivor, with plating 9 runs in a contest for the 1st time this campaign.

Instead, Edwin Encarnacion and CO. kept obliterating baseball into orbit at Great American Ball Park Friday night.

The Blue Jays erased a 8 – 0 2nd inning deficit, to tally a 5 run win at 14 – 9.

But all is not lost Reds fans.  Your team has finished their 11 different scenarios, and therefore have placed 26th in the 2014 MLB Runs Scored Survivor.

This leaves the Yankees, Braves, Mets and D’Backs still on the clock.  Arizona is the only team that needs a 9 run affair, while the Mets, Braves and Bronx Bombers all need exactly 8 runs to come across in a match. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2014 World Series + Best Value Bets Based On Trade Deadline Speculation

Welcome to your new World Series Favorite. according to the oddsmakers.  I see their rationale.  The A's have the best record in the Majors, and also the biggest lead within their Division.  Oh yeah..this club has back to back West Titles, and a deep lineup in a parity league that is the AL.  While I don't endorse them as the favorite for the World Series right now (based on predicting playoffs solely), there is no doubt I would rank them #1 in power rankings currently.

Welcome to your new World Series Favorite. according to the oddsmakers. I see their rationale. The A’s have the best record in the Majors, and also the biggest lead within their Division. Oh yeah..this club has back to back West Titles, and a deep lineup in a parity league that is the AL. While I don’t endorse them as the favorite for the World Series right now (based on predicting playoffs solely), there is no doubt I would rank them #1 in power rankings currently.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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I had another on fire week last week, with 5 right predictions, and 5 draws, with zero outright losses.

Furthermore, Cincinnati jumped from +5500 to now being +4000 – with making it back to .500 last night.

I also have seen the KC Royals skyrocket from +8000 2 weeks ago, to now be sitting pretty at +2500.  The Royals were my best bets 2 weeks ago.

Your new favorite to win the World Series is the Oakland A’s at +650.  I understand the odd believe me, but this will be temporary.

I fully expect the Nationals to take over this position if their recent pitching trends continue.

Also if the Dodgers can come within 2 games of the Giants, they will take over as the Fall Classic Favorites once again.

Again this week I hate the Blue Jays being among the heavy favorites for the title.  These guys gave been slipping recently, and the Orioles and Yankees are breathing down their necks in the AL East.

I also firmly believe with the AL West stranglehold the A’s are sure to bury the Angels, and if Detroit is a matchup for any WILD Card winner out of the AL West, heck even the Royals with James Shields, I favor them over any Halo’s pitcher for 1 game. Read the rest of this entry

Boston Latest Team To Complete MLB Runs Survivor 2014: NYY, NYM, ATL, CIN + ARI Left

It has not been a banner title defense for the BoSox thus far.  What is worse is that the Yankees are ahead of them in the season series and in the standings.  With the 'Beantowners" plating 10 players in a 10 - 3 over Cleveland last night they have left the "Pinstripers" as the last AL team in 2014 MLB Runs Survivor to finish."

It has not been a banner title defense for the BoSox thus far. What is worse is that the Yankees are ahead of them in the season series and in the standings. With the ‘Beantowners” plating 10 players in a 10 – 3 over Cleveland last night they have left the “Pinstripers” as the last AL team in 2014 MLB Runs Survivor to finish.”

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The  Boston Red Sox has a 10 run effort for the 1st time in 2014, and have finally finished their 11th different run scenario quest for the campaign.

This leaves the New York Yankees as the last club in the AL to complete the task. 

The Bronx Bombers came really close with a 7 run contest in a win over Oakland on Friday, where they just require a 8 total for completion of their mission.

If New York had plated 8 guys in the match last night, they would have beat the Red Sox in 2014,

Over in the NL, the Mets and Braves still both need 8 runs in a game, while the Reds and D’Backs are still searching of 9 runs.

We will keep you posted. Read the rest of this entry

Gambling In Baseball, Hedging Your Bets + Value Plays: MLB Reports Picks Of The Year

Get set for another season of throwing some cash around when it comes to baseball.  MLB Reports will have you ready with what we are looking at as well.

Get set for another season of throwing some cash around when it comes to baseball. MLB Reports will have you ready with what we are looking at as well.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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Staked with an initial bankroll of over $1000 thanks to a nice NFL Parlay in the 2013 – 2014 year, I set out to make some bank trying make luck at placing some moolah on the game of baseball.

I head to Vegas frequently enough that I have thrown down almost all of it already, but have a great chance of making my $ back and then some.

Before the year began, I placed a wager for each of the Texas Rangers (Yikes), Tampa Bay Rays (Or should I say Devil Rays?), but they best maneuver before campaign was to slot a $14.44 wager on the Giants at 25/1 odds for the World Series.

That pays about $380.00.

I then followed the Tampa Bays advice ticket Chuck Booth laid out for all of the website.  Even though it will break even as a wager, I would do it every time.

The skinny of that was that I bet $120 on the Tampa squad to lose under 88 games, and I used the potential profit to bet on the team to win the AL East, the ALCS and World Series.

The whole caveat was that I was virtually guaranteed to make my money back if Joe Maddon‘s club struggled, but could make substantial amounts of profit if the organization had a long October run. Read the rest of this entry

Current Odds To Win The 2014 MLB World Series + Best Value Bets – Week 12

The Tigers were not always the favorite to win the World Series in 2014.  At one point, they were listed at +1100 for the Fall Classic.  It has been proven that placing money on the paper champion rarely comes to fruition.  Regardless, this organization resonated with gamblers with 3 straight AL Central Titles, and appearing in 3 straight ALCS's.  I am not a proponent of the new odd listed, and would have to advise on staying clear of putting down cabbage on Detroit.

The Tigers were not always the favorite to win the World Series in 2014. At one point, they were listed at +1100 for the Fall Classic. It has been proven that placing money on the paper champion rarely comes to fruition. Regardless, this organization resonated with gamblers with 3 straight AL Central Titles, and appearing in 3 straight ALCS’s. I am not a proponent of the new odd listed, and would have to advise on staying clear of putting down cabbage on Detroit.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The art of placing a good futures bet in Baseball will always require due diligence on anyone’s part.  In my next article today, I will reveal all of the bets I placed from Vegas so far this year.

The method to my madness is figuring out when to wager on a team based on their value.

In my set of picks to start the year, I selected TB, TEX and SF.  Mind you the 1st 2 look horrid now, but I managed to secure the Giants at a +2500 World Series odd because the LA Dodgers were so heavily favored.

I also pounced on the Tigers having a bad 1st week, and were at +1100 (highest odd on the board this season), before they then jumped out to 27 – 12 for the year.

Detroit has since regressed to a 7 – 18 clip – corresponding with a late plane trip when they left Boston 4 Sundays ago, owners of the MLB best record.

Again gamblers have all the confidence in the “Motown Boys” because they are the 3 time reigning AL Central Champs, have an abundance of premiere talent, and the easiest path of resistance in their own AL Central Division.

I am elated I had the odd at twice the current value.

In the last several days I have hedged a bet with all AL Central teams in forms of a World Series and Division Winner wager.  I am divulging all in the next article. Read the rest of this entry