Tag Archives: World Series odds

Dodgers Strengthen World Series Odds By Re-Signing Rich Hill

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The Los Angeles Dodgers were favored by many to make a deep playoff run in 2016. That’s been the case for the past several seasons, too, as the Dodgers boast one of the top pitchers in the game in Clayton Kershaw.

An ongoing issue had been that Kershaw couldn’t do everything himself, however, and that once the MLB playoffs rolled around, if he couldn’t elevate the Dodgers, they wouldn’t be going very far.

That still wound up being the case ultimately in this past season’s playoff run, but along the way the Dodgers at least found a strong complementary arm to aid Kershaw. That would be none other than ageless wonder, Rich Hill.

The 36-year old Hill continued a career revitalization last season, as he went 12-5 as a starter, while notching 129 strikeouts. Despite lingering injury issues, Hill stepped his game up during the post-season, helping the team get a huge 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals, and again dealing a game in a 6-0 win over the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

Needless to say, the veteran left-hander earned his keep with the Dodgers and deserved a new contract. Per reports, the Dodgers obliged, signing Hill to a three-year, $48 million deal:

Big Deal

The deal itself isn’t over the top, even though Hill is pushing 37 and for the most part has only been a reliable pitcher over the last few seasons. Instead, it’s a huge deal from an impact perspective, as Hill more than proved his worth during the playoffs and also ended up being a solid trade acquisition, going 3-2 as a starter with the Dodgers in just six regular season appeances.

Hill’s story is an odd one, as he started his career as a solid prospect with the Chicago Cubs (where he notched a previous career high 11 wins), but tailed off and was largely a forgotten man until resurfacing as a strikeout king with the Boston Red Sox in 2015. Hill only took to the mound four times as a starter with Boston in 2015, but recorded 36 strikeouts and reminded Major League Baseball of the value he can still provide.

The wheels could always come off at anytime, as Hill is 36 and has battled injuries the past few years, but on paper this is a fantastic re-signing for a Dodgers team with serious title aspirations.

Killer Depth

When people think Dodgers baseball, the first person they think of is still Clayton Kershaw. As money as their top ace has been, however, he hasn’t been able to get the job done all on his own and Los Angeles has taken action over the last couple of seasons to get him the backup he needs. That means more lively arms that can rotate in without skipping a beat, and also nail down crucial games during the playoffs.

Hill did that twice just last season, while his regular season numbers were as good as ever.

That puts Rich Hill on paper as a terrific signing and blends him in a deep pitching rotation that already included Kenta Maeda, Scott Kazmir and the young riser, Julio Urias. The Dodgers have even more depth, but had they lost Hill, they would have been taking a big step back. Hill has his health concerns and his age could eventually be a factor in his performance, but this was a signing that had to be made. On paper, the Dodgers are better for it.

World Series Odds

It’s tough to say for sure if re-signing Rich Hill makes the Dodgers even bigger World Series threats, but it surely can’t hurt their chances. Hill was a crucial piece to the defensive puzzle last year for Los Angeles, showing he can come up big as either a starter or a member of the bullpen. That’s massive for this team, which has a deep stable of top shelf pitchers now and can add strong versatility to their strengths.

The Dodgers undoubtedly need to make a move or two to shore up an often erratic offense, but the move to keep Hill steadies the ship on the defensive side of things. On paper, that helps keep their current World Series odds intact, which per Bovada, place them third (+1000) behind only the Chicago Cubs (+350) and Boston Red Sox (+1000).

The Dodgers know they’re close to making a big move. It nearly happened this past season, as the Dodgers started their NL Champinship series sow (down 3-0), but stormed back with two straight wins to make it a series. L.A. inevitably lose that series, but inched closer to a title run. By bringing back a key piece to last year’s playoff run, they should once again be as strong as ever.

2016 World Series Odds: Cubs vs. Indians Preview and Prediction

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The 2016 World Series kicks off on Tuesday night, when the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians get things going in game one at Progressive Field.

Cubs vs. Indians

It’s an emotional title series, as the Cubs make history by returning to MLB’s biggest stage for the first time since 1945. Chicago ends a remarkably long World Series drought, while they’ll have their first chance to actually win the entire thing for the first time since 1908.

Things could be emotional for the Indians, too, as Cleveland is fresh off of seeing the Cavaliers win their first NBA Finals championship in team history and will see The Tribe back on Major League Baseball’s biggest stage for the first time since 1997.

The Indians failed to capitalize on that World Series showdown with the then Florida Marlins, as they fell in one of the tightest title series ever, 4-3. The Tribe will be gunning for a win, though, which would be their first since winning in 1948.

World Series Betting

Suffice to say, this is a pretty historical and emotional World Series we’re gearing up for. The odds have favored the Cubs all year, as betting sites like Bovada gave them the best chance to win from the very beginning. Cleveland ended up being a solid favorite to make a deep playoff run as the year went on, but had you tossed some cash on them to win it all before the season even started, you could stand to win some money.

For the entire thing, here’s how the 2016 World Series odds are looking over at Bovada:

  • Cubs to Win -190
  • Indians to Win +170

You’re not coming away a massive winner, no matter who you bet on, but if you’re looking for a bigger payday, going with the underdog Indians to stage the World Series upset is the more profitable angle.

There is a lot more to consider for this series, like how the series itself could specifically unfold. It’s a tough series to gauge, too, considering we did not see these teams face in 2016. They played each other just four times in 2015, too, with these squads splitting those meetings right down the middle, 2-2.

If you want to bet the series, here are your betting options, per Bovada:

  • Cubs win, 4-0 +650
  • Cubs, 4-1 +350
  • Cubs, 4-2 +350
  • Cubs, 4-3 +400
  • Indians win, +2500
  • Indians, 4-1 +1100
  • Indians, 4-2 +650
  • Indians, 4-3 +550

You could make an argument anywhere here, but the best bet might be shooting for an Indians sweep. That does you much better than any other bet, as a $100 bet could get you back a cool $2,500.

Another interesting 2016 World Series bet could be the World Series MVP odds. Andrew Miller just was named MVP of Cleveland’s last series, so he naturally leads the way (+900). There are a ton of star hitters and pitchers that could vie for the World Series MVP, of course, depending on how things shake out.

In terms of talent and upside, here are a few fun World Series MVP sleeper picks:

  • Jose Ramirez – Indians (+5500)
  • Jason Heyward – Cubs (+5000)
  • Tyler Naquin – Indians (+4000

If you’re looking for a more favorable World Series MVP play that also could provide fun odds, consider these guys:

  • Corey Kluber – Indians (+1500)
  • Jake Arrieta – Cubs (+1200)
  • Jason Kipnis – Indians (+2000)

Game One Breakdown

Both of these teams come in hot, as Cleveland took care of high-powered Toronto Blue Jays offense last round with a 4-1 series win and Chicago ousted the Dodgers 4-2 by taking the last three games of the series.

It figures to be a true battle of the aces to get the 2016 World Series started, with Jon Lester looking to take the mound for the Cubs, who visit Corey Kluber and the Indians. Both of these pitchers have been great in the playoffs and churned out elite numbers across stellar 2016 MLB campaigns. It’s going to be tough sledding for two very potent offenses in this first game, and quite possibly much of the series.

The pitching advantage is moot here, as it’s a total wash and the Indians may get the mildest of edges due to starting the World Series at home.

These are two of the best offenses in baseball, but power might not be on fully display in this series. If that’s the case, pitcher duels may favor the Indians, start right away at home in game one.

World Series: Game 1 Pick

While the Indians do seem to have a mild edge to get this thing started, this first game (and really the entire World Series) feels like a toss-up. If we’re leaning on that, the narrative favors the Cubs, who have waited for 70 years just to get back here, and haven’t even won a World Series in 100+.

It’s time for the Cubs to rewrite history and we’ve got a feeling they get things started off the right way in game one, setting the tone for the rest of the series.

Game One Pick: Cubs 2, Indians 1