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The latest saga for the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) isn't affecting the team much at the betting window. The Yankees are still the heavy favorite to win this year's World Series at a little less than 3:1 odd at Sportsbook.com.
Rodriguez made national and world headlines with the recent Sports Illustrated story that he tested positive for steroids in 2003. The result of the test can't be completely confirmed because the results are supposed to be sealed, but ‘A-Rod' has already been found guilty in the court of public opinion.
And while the sensationalism of this story is enough to make the National Enquirer drool, the answer bettors want to know is how will it affect the Bronx Bombers this season?
A-Rod has already drawn the ire of Yankees fans for his failure to hit in the postseason and for his rocky relationship with icon Derek Jeter.
This steroid issue is also coming out right after former manager Joe Torre's ‘The Yankee Years' book that was critical of Rodriguez, letting it be known that some of his teammates referred to him as ‘A-Fraud'.
‘A-Fraud' will look like a term of endearment with chants of ‘A-Roid' sure to ring in every opposing stadium in the country. That will put more pressure on a guy who has been known to choke and it will also affect the rest of the team who will be asked questions about it all season.
This was supposed to be a great season for New York with the new stadium and the free agent acquisitions of pitchers C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, as well as first baseman Mark Teixeira. Instead, news on the field will come secondary for quite a while.
And with the Rodriguez story likely to hurt the Yankees' title chances at least some, let's look at other key World Series contenders at Sportsbook.com.
The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are both at 7:1 odds and each has some question marks. The Red Sox haven't replaced Manny Ramirez' bat in the middle of the line-up, and they badly need David Ortiz healthy all season. The Cubs latest playoff disaster was last year against the L.A. Dodgers, and they are still dealing with their 1908 curse.
The New York Mets (8:1 odds) made some great additions to their bullpen, but their failures down the stretch the last two years have been legendary in their own right.
Two teams that appear undervalued are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays, both 10:1 The Phillies are being discounted because a repeat champion hasn't happened since the Yankees in 2000.
Some bettors are scared off by the Rays because they are in the same division as the Red Sox and Yankees, but their roster may be better than either when you consider most of their guys are on the upside.
A great long shot team is the Los Angeles Dodgers at 25:1 odds. If Manny Ramirez ultimately signs with them, as most people think, then those odds are going to plummet as the Dodgers can contend for a title.
Place your bets now at Sportsbook.com
Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
