Yankees Start Season as Favorite After $424 Million Player Spending Spree

[marmar]

Yankees Are World Series Favorites After Spending $424 Million
By Erik Matuszewski


April 5 (Bloomberg) -- The New York Yankees are favored by Las Vegas oddsmakers to add a record-extending 27th World Series title this year after paying $424 million to add CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett.

The Yankees have 3-1 odds to win the World Series, according to Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which advises Nevada sports books on gambling lines. The Chicago Cubs are the second choice at 11-2, followed by the Boston Red Sox at 7-1.

Major League Baseball’s regular season starts today when the defending World Series-champion Philadelphia Phillies host the Atlanta Braves. Another 13 games are scheduled for tomorrow, including openers for the Yankees in Baltimore and the New York Mets in Cincinnati.

The Yankees have the sport’s highest player payroll for the 10th straight year, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Teixeira, with Sabathia and Burnett heading a revamped starting pitching staff. Baseball’s most successful franchise enters this season seeking its first World Series title since 2000.

“The additions of Sabathia and Burnett greatly improve their starting rotation,” said Sean Van Patten, an oddsmaker at Las Vegas Sports Consultants. “Then you have the addition of Mark Teixeira, who is a great hitter and so much better defensively at first base than Jason Giambi was. And down the stretch, when the Yankees might need the help, is when he gets extremely hot.”

The Yankees’ run of 13 straight playoff appearances came to an end last year, when the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays to win the World Series. Philadelphia had 14-1 odds to win going into last season, tied for seventh among the league’s 30 teams. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=abGb3fJWvIo4&refer=home

.........

Team Odds
---------------------------------------
New York Yankees 3-1
Chicago Cubs 11-2
Boston Red Sox 7-1
Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1
Philadelphia Phillies 17-2
New York Mets 10-1
Tampa Bay Rays 11-1
Los Angeles Angels 13-1
Arizona Diamondbacks 14-1
St. Louis Cardinals 18-1
Minnesota Twins 20-1
Cleveland Indians 22-1
Chicago White Sox 25-1
Detroit Tigers 26-1
Milwaukee Brewers 30-1
Oakland Athletics 35-1
Atlanta Braves 35-1
Colorado Rockies 38-1
Florida Marlins 40-1
Houston Astros 40-1
San Francisco Giants 50-1
Toronto Blue Jays 60-1
Texas Rangers 70-1
Cincinnati Reds 80-1
Baltimore Orioles 100-1
Seattle Mariners 100-1
San Diego Padres 100-1
Washington Nationals 100-1
Kansas City Royals 100-1
Pittsburgh Pirates 150-1

[madinmaryland]

1. How about them Pirates!!

:woohoo:

[Upton]

3. Yeah..how about them?

150-1 :rofl:


Heck, by comparison the Giants look like real contenders at 50-1

[H2O Man]

2. That's good.

Life is better when when the Yankees win. It makes me happy to read this OP. Thank you.

[marmar]

4. It wasn't posted gleefully, let me assure you......

:)

Actually, I used to live in New York, but always rooted for the Mets, just because they were and always will be the stepchild.
As a Detroit native who became a baseball fan when the Yankees and Tigers were in the same division, I cannot find room in my heart for the Yankees.

[H2O Man]

5. Well, I'm not

sure if most insurance companies would pay for a heart transplant for those who do not like the Yankees? Maybe.

I understand that there are a lot of people who resent the Yankees, including some who raise good points. I kind of figured you weren't posting this because you were a fan!

Here's hoping for a competitive season, where everyone's favorite teams play their best.

[Upton]

6. I hate the Yankees

they now have the 4 largest contracts in baseball. They have destroyed baseball's salary structure and every year literally try to buy a title...with the amount of money they spend, it's actually surprising they haven't been more successful

[marmar]

7. True.....they really haven't gotten much bang for their bucks.

n/t

[Onceuponalife]

8. In all fairness

The Padres should be below the Pirates.

[bigwillq]

9. Let's Go Yankees!

:bounce:

[keroro gunsou]

10. feh!

[flvegan]

11. I'll take those Red Sox odds.

Wish they had a "in what month will the Yankees choke" pool.

And why are the Nationals not dead last? I mean like 500-1 dead last?

[TZ]

12. PFFTT

Because of the suckitude that is the Pittsburgh Pirates ......

[Ganja Ninja]

13. 3 - 1 is crappy odds.

I'd rather put my money on the Rays, Phillies or Red Sox. If you're going to bet you need to get some payout that makes it worth while to risk your money.