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Sportsbook.com posts odds on MLB Awards

Offers early line on MVP and Cy Young Favorites

Wednesday 20th July 2005



Sportsbook.com has posted early lines on Major League Baseball’s year-end awards with odds available for the National and American League MVP and Cy Young Awards. Both familiar and new faces lead the list of favorites in each category.

National League - In the National League, the overwhelming favorite for the National League MVP title is the Chicago Cubs’ Derrek Lee with odds at 5-7. Lee is a legitimate threat to capture the league’s Triple Crown, a feat not accomplished since Carl Yastrzemski last did it with the Boston Red Sox in 1967. Lee currently leads the National League in home runs and batting average, and sits second in RBIs. Lee’s closest competitors are Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals and Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves with odds of 5-2 and 6-1 respectively.

“Every few years someone emerges at the mid point of the season flirting with a chance at the Triple Crown, but I don’t think anyone expected Lee to put up the numbers he has this year,” says Peter Childs, Odds Maker, Sportsbook.com.

The race for the Cy Young Award appears to be a four man race, with the Cardinals’ Chris Carpenter the mid-season favourite at 2-1. He is followed by two players who have won a combined ten Cy Young Awards. Three time winner Pedro Martinez from the New York Mets is listed at 7-2 while seven time winner, and last year’s title holder, Roger Clemens of the Houston Rockets is at 4-1. The Florida Marlin’s Dontrelle Willis follows closely at 5-1 odds.

“Carpenter and the Cardinals have been unstoppable this year, but if the Astros can stay in the race then Clemens has a great chance at picking up his eighth Cy Young,” says Childs.

American League - The race for MVP in the American League is a much tighter affair than the National League. The New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez currently tops the list at 5-2, followed closely by Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox and Miguel Tejada from the Baltimore Orioles, both at 5-1. Vladimir Guerrero of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is a 7-1 favorite along with David Ortiz of the Red Sox. Guerrero won the award last year.

“The usual suspects are leading the way in the AL, but Tejada seems to be the one player with the biggest impact on his team right now,” says Childs.

Dominating pitching has led the Chicago White Sox to the best record in baseball and their best two starters top the list of favorites for the American League Cy Young Award. Jon Garland is listed at 5-2 while Mark Buehrle is at 3-1. The Toronto Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay, the 2003 AL Cy Young winner, is at 5-1 and last year’s winner, Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins, is at 10-1.

“Halladay was probably the favorite before his injury. The door is now open for the White Sox aces to battle for the award,” says Childs.

“The race for all of the awards this year is going to come down to the wire. “With the exception of Derrek Lee, no one is pulling away in any of the categories, which will make it more interesting and attractive for bettors to follow,” added Childs.

A complete list of odds and propositions on Major League Baseball can be found at www.sportsbook.com




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