Midsummer Classic Grade Card

It is the midsummer classic but no longer the “midseason” classic. Most teams have played 95 or more games at the break with our Red Sox already having played 97.Every year at the All Star break I grade my futures picks and analyze their prospects for success in the playoffs. Below I have listed our May plays with the odds we got them at and the current odds at www.vegasinsider.com to win their respective pennants:

Team                                        May Odds                                           Today’s Odds

• Braves                                4/1                                                             4/1
• Cardinals                           8/1                                                             3/1
• Rockies                            30/1                                                           23/1
• Rangers                              8/1                                                             7/1
• Red Sox                             17/2                                                            7/2

To win the Worlds Series:

• Red Sox                              17/1                                                            7/1

We are still very much alive on all tickets and the public has bet all our teams down except the Atlanta Braves. Surprisingly next to the Rockies they are the team I am most apprehensive about despite them owning the largest division lead of 6 games. Their road record of 23-26 is a giant red flag and their mounting injury list is another. Most pennant winners are within 5 games in the loss column at the break so all our teams are still statistically in the hunt. The dog days of summer and the trading deadline can switch the balance of power and this year we have yet another factor to consider, the expected long term suspensions for PED use. As an example what happens if our Rangers lose Victor Cruz and the A’s lose Bartolo Colon? MLB is expected to announce the suspensions right after the All Star game and I fully expect everyone to appeal and even some to file legal action which may mean no one sits down until next season.

Just like the midseason trades we have no control over we just have to hope everything goes our way. The good news is that the people in Vegas like our picks!!Now for those of you who just have to have action in Tuesday night’s game be advised that 48/83 58% games have gone under 8 ½ runs. The current total is 8 runs. Check back towards the end of next week for my college BCS Future picks.