This look like a reasonable top 8 in MLB right now?

[Ra77er]

1. Kansas City Royals -Clear WS favorite imho. 9/1

2. LA Dodgers -The NL representative in the world series. Managing is the key. 7/1

3. St Louis Cardinals -Legit world series threat, lack of focus at times early in the year but always ready down the stretch. 12/1

4. Houston Astros -World Series team, built with just the right ingredients. Nolan come back. 18/1

5. New York Yankees - Defensively is the biggest glaring issue. 18/1

6. Miami Marlins -Need a pitching or hitting lift to get over the hump, one more hitting star that's fundamentally sound. 50/1

7(tie). Arizona Diamondbacks -Small leaks on offense and with the pitching staff but headed in the right direction. 350/1

7(tie). Minnesota Twins -Add some pitching pieces and this is a legit dangerous team. 120/1

8. Tampa Bay Rays -Add some hitting and this is a dangerous team. 35/1




This is just my thoughts on the current season.

[ronald]

FADE the Astros for the next few months.

Shop for best #

Make $$$$$

[Ra77er]

Ronnie I think you are underestimating the Astro's with all due respect. I know it's hard to believe though, they have been bad for so long.

[Jeffie]

Diamondbacks are a really good team, they need a consistent pitcher though.

[FilletMaster]

No Tigers or Nats? They will both prob see the postseason..

[konck]

list is so bad its not even worth commenting on Mets have the overall best pitching even with 2 starters out and half the pen.
If you look at the Yankees line up riddled with 225 hitting has beens you will understand why they finish 4th in the div
T Bay lol really?

[Ra77er]

If you could see another non biased perspective I would debate NYY over NYM with you but I can tell from your response that it probably wouldn't be productive. Yankees are in the top 10 in scoring runs, fielding, and pitching. Those are the three main components of baseball.

NYM while probably the best staff in baseball are in the bottom half of the league in scoring runs. Personally that's an easy call on the better team for me.

Nats while hot at the moment have not made a single dollar this year for backers and sport worse numbers across those 3 categories aforementioned than anyone on my list.

Tampa Bay has the 2nd best defensive numbers to go with a top 8 pitching staff. Also they actually scratch out more runs than the NYM! Undervalued for sure. Nats/Detroit/NYM/CHC just too sexy I guess to actually look at the numbers.

[daneblazer]

Are you talking best futures bets or best teams? Tampa just lost two pitchers for the year & Arizona has no idea what they're doing

[jt315]

list is so bad its not even worth commenting on Mets have the overall best pitching even with 2 starters out and half the pen.
If you look at the Yankees line up riddled with 225 hitting has beens you will understand why they finish 4th in the div
T Bay lol really?

Other than starting pitching, Mets have nothing better than the Yanks.

[Ra77er]

I should have been a little more clear Daner. The futures numbers are there to show you the perception "vegas" has on these teams thus far. I want bettors to not be afraid of teams like Tampa/Arizona/ Houston/NYY when making decisions. Don't let stupid A-rod prevent you from making money. Don't let the fact that Houston has been so bad for so long warp you of your decisions etc. Those teams can play some baseball.....remember as a kid playing little league? Don't make shit complicated.....can you score runs? can you pitch? can you play defense?

[minet123]

Your top 3 will jockey all season for 1 2 3
4-8 any one of those teams could go on a 10 game losing streak more than once before September 1st

[Big Bear]

1. Kansas City Royals -Clear WS favorite imho. 9/1

2. LA Dodgers -The NL representative in the world series. Managing is the key. 7/1

3. St Louis Cardinals -Legit world series threat, lack of focus at times early in the year but always ready down the stretch. 12/1

4. Houston Astros -World Series team, built with just the right ingredients. Nolan come back. 18/1

5. New York Yankees - Defensively is the biggest glaring issue. 18/1

6. Miami Marlins -Need a pitching or hitting lift to get over the hump, one more hitting star that's fundamentally sound. 50/1

7(tie). Arizona Diamondbacks -Small leaks on offense and with the pitching staff but headed in the right direction. 350/1

7(tie). Minnesota Twins -Add some pitching pieces and this is a legit dangerous team. 120/1

8. Tampa Bay Rays -Add some hitting and this is a dangerous team. 35/1




This is just my thoughts on the current season.

First of all I want to thank you for taking the time to make this thread. This thread unlike many others has substance and importance.

However I honestly don't get the love for the Royals... I just don't understand it. Do you honestly think their starting pitching is good enough to get them to the World Series????

Who are the top 3?

Okay Yordano is awesome i'll give ya that.

But Duffy is way too inconsistent. The other night he couldnt even make it to the 4th inning without unravelling and being pulled.

who is the number 3????

Vargas, Guthrie, Volquez, Young????

which one of those are you sold on?

good team but not great by any stretch of the imagination.


Arizona and Minnesota have no shot at a world series.

Astros would need to trade Correa for Hamels to become a legit contender.

Not enough pitching as of now.

Not going to go far with Hernandez and Feldman in the rotation.

IMHO the top contenders for the World Series are the Nationals, Mets, Dodgers, Tigers and Yankees.

maybe the Mariners. Anybody know whats the deal with Iwakuma?

Is he coming back?

[Ra77er]

Look at all the fears we put on the "shitty" teams.....Bear is the epitome of all of us. You don't need big names or gaudy numbers to simply play the game of baseball beautifully as a collective unit. That's the beauty of the Royals. Nash def gets it too I know. Look past the names on the back of the jerseys or all the statistics on baseball cards.

Enjoy the game and make wise decisions based on actual truths!!

Sometimes you need a name on the back of the jersey to really put things together or to improve a major flaw and then other times the name causes the recipe to not taste exactly the same.

You as a baseball fan must keep track of these things as the season progresses and make appropriate adjustments to who you are going to support.

Minet is mostly right, the only problem is any of those teams could go on a 10 game losing streak during such a long season. The difference is you will still "believe" in the teams that have had playoff experience, or the teams that have better names on the back of the jerseys to right the ship. Sometimes even they mess up the recipe and you don't see it!

[jt315]

Royals are legit. They are not going away any time soon. Don't forget Medlen should be back for second half. They are hitting more than last year and the bullpen, speed and defense is still superb.

Can't see how you can put Mets and Yanks ahead of the Cards even without Waino.

[Big Bear]

The Dodgers have the most depth imo in the batting order and they have the most guys that can hurt you toward the bottom of the order

lots of interchangeable parts on that team

[Ra77er]

Bear just post your top 8 in this thread. Do it just based on whatever knowledge you have thus far. No need for a writeup or anything, just put your top 8 teams in order. I am very interested to see it.

[packerd_00]

Like the Yankees this year,one of the best bullpens in Baseball.

[jjgold]

The New York Mets of the team to be… The LA Dodgers are very overrated and Kershaw is finished

[daneblazer]

1. Kansas City
2. St. Louis
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Washington
5. Detroit
6. NY Yankees
7. NY Mets
8. Houston

Haven't given up on: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, San Diego, Seattle

[Ra77er]

Thank you Dane! Good perspective to see. I can't wait to revisit this thread at the all star break and reassess our choices. Hopefully more will add their top 8.

[daneblazer]

Houston reminds me too much of the 2014 Braves, which isn't a good thing. They rely on the home run too much. When they're on, they are going to win 10 in a row...but there are going to be some ugly stretches during the season. Not sure if they hold up through June.

[Big Bear]

1.Dodgers
2. Mets
3. Yankees
4. Nationals
5. Royals
6. Astros
7. Angels
8. Cardinals

[Ra77er]

Bear that's actually an interesting list sir. I am surprised at both NY teams that high and your distaste for the Cardinals is why they have been so profitable, feels like the spurs or something to me. Either way nice list Bear!

[jjgold]

The Cardinals and San Francisco of course always contenders no matter who is on the team even if they put high school players they'll be there

[DOM_Toretto]

Twins? Are you shitttin me?

Marlins? d-backs? Eww...

Forgot about Nats, Mets, Tigers

[eidolon]

1)Los Angeles Dodgers
2)St Louis Cardinals
3)Kansas City Royals
4)New York Yankees
5)Detroit Tigers
6)Washington Nationals
7)San Francisco Giants
8)New York Mets
9)Houston Astros
10)Minnesota Twins
Tampa Bay Rays
Pittsburgh Pirates
Los Angeles Angeles
Miami Marlins
15)Cincinnati Reds
Baltimore Orioles
San Diego Padres
Toronto Blue Jays
Oakland Athletics
20)Arizona Diamondbacks
Seattle Mariners
Chicago Cubs
Atlanta Braves
Boston Red Sox
25)Colorado Rockies
Texas Rangers
Cleveland Indians
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago White Sox
30)Philadelphia Phillies

[STAX]

Nationals, Dodgers, Royals, Cardinals, Tigers the top 5 in any order... Yankees, Astros, Mets the next 3

[Ra77er]

Eidolon I can tell is not quite ready to put Houston or Minnesota in that top 10 yet you still squeezed them in. Very interesting indeed, thanks for sharing.

Stax list looks like someone that isn't really sure what is going on in baseball. I hope that isn't offensive but if it is I'll take the infraction.

[STAX]

yeah ur right the twins dbacks and rays are better than the nats

[STAX]

ill take my list , you take yours, whoever has the WS champ pays the other as many pts as you wish

[Vegas39]

ill take my list , you take yours, whoever has the WS champ pays the other as many pts as you wish

yes sure he wants 2 points a day from the broke ass who can't pony up $100 to go pro

[Ra77er]

Dont be angry Stax, we do see it differently and that's a cool thing. I'm just giving you my perspective on what your list made me feel like. You may very well be the most knowledge person on the planet about baseball, I just don't see that here.

You didn't rank the top five or even the next 3.

[STAX]

Dont be angry Stax, we do see it differently and that's a cool thing. I'm just giving you my perspective on what your list made me feel like. You may very well be the most knowledge person on the planet about baseball, I just don't see that here.

You didn't rank the top five or even the next 3.

1. Nats
2. Royals
3. Cardinals
4. Dodgers
5. Tigers

GAP

6. Astros
7. Yankees
8. Mets

[STAX]

yes sure he wants 2 points a day from the broke ass who can't pony up $100 to go pro

another high level contribution from an SBR stud

[Ra77er]

I'll see you at the All Star break and we will re rank ourselves.