By Betonline.com
Online sportsbook customers and MLB betting enthusiasts will have an exciting sports betting opportunity beginning this week as MLB playoff betting gets underway. There’s a couple new faces in the NLDS betting pool this year with the Brewers vs. Phillies matchup and the Dodgers vs. Cubs matchup as well. Without question, the backbone of all four of these squads has been their pitching, and the rotations and bullpens will be at war for the first round.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
It would appear that the Phillies have every conceivable advantage in this series (including home field!), and will thus be favorites on MLB playoff betting odds. The glaring concern for the Brew Crew is their bullpen, because unfortunately, C.C. Sabathia cannot pitch every single night. Question marks run far deeper than Eric Gagne—Solomon Torres isn’t exactly a proven post season dynamo himself. Those looking to bet on the MLB playoffs should beware of the Brewers in close games. Meanwhile, Phillies closer Brad Lidge has been lights out this season, backing up a solid pitching staff headed by Cole Hamels.
Both teams love to use the long ball, but nobody does it better than the Phillies, with MVP candidates Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and dark horses like Jason Werth and Pat Burrell. MLB postseason betting sharps are intrigued by the Phillies depth, and will be adding them to their MLB playoff picks all week despite the MLB playoff odds and NLDS odds.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs
Two coaching legends will duke it out in this series, with the NLDS betting odds in favor of the resurgent Cubs in this one. While Chicago’s pitching rotation is super-deep, with 17-game winner Ted Lilly saddled up as the fourth starter, they’re vastly unproven in terms of NLDS betting. Rich Harden and Carlos Zambrano are two power pitchers who have yet to truly taste the postseason, and can certainly be an anomaly at times. The Dodgers will counter with veterans such as Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux, who will certainly be underdogs on MLB postseason betting lines, however might be the X-factor in this series.
Experience may be the ultimate clincher in this series, and with an experienced staff and a proven winner like Joe Torre behind the bench, the Dodgers could shock the MLB betting world and prevail as NLDS betting underdogs.
