Seemingly, all it took was exorcizing the name "Devil" from their names for the Tampa Bay Rays to become not just an on-field success, but a baseball betting powerhouse in the American League East last season.
Can the Rays again turn back the Red Sox and Yankees in the American League East and, more importantly, will TampaBay again be a baseball betting refuge for gamblers?
Let's see if we can't find some clues for the upcoming season in last year's betting numbers.
AT THE WINDOWS:
TAMPABAY RAYS (2008 Finish: 105-73, Won American League pennant)
Future Book Odds for 2009:
World Series: 12/1, Pennant: 11/2, Division: 7/2
By the Numbers:
Favorite: 76-45, Underdog: 29-28
Home: 62-27, Away: 43-46
Day: 37-22, Night: 68-51
Vs. Left: 28-28, Vs. Right: 77-45
One-Run Games: 30-22
Sportsbook Buster: The Rays had an ROI (Return on Investment) of +23.2 percent at home last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Essentially, TampaBay won the division by posting an ROI of +18.6 percent against its AL East rivals last year.
BOSTON RED SOX (2008 Finish: 107-69, Wild Card)
Future Book Odds for 2009:
World Series: 15/2, Pennant: 4/1, Division: 3/2
By the Numbers:
Favorite: 80-52, Underdog: 21-20
Home: 52-28, Away: 42-43
Day: 28-22, Night: 73-50
Vs. Left: 26-15, Vs. Right: 75-57
One-Run Games: 24-25
Sportsbook Buster: The Red Sox again were outstanding at home, notching an ROI of +10.3 percent at FenwayPark last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Boston had an ROI of +12.6 percent in the role of an underdog last year.
NEW YORK YANKEES (2008 Finish: 89-73)
Future Book Odds for 2009:
World Series: 3/1, Pennant: 7/5, Division: Even
By the Numbers:
Favorite: 68-51, Underdog: 21-22
Home: 48-33, Away: 41-40
Day: 33-21, Night: 56-52
Vs. Left: 24-22, Vs. Right: 65-51
One-Run Games: 27-18
Sportsbook Buster: The Yankees were in the red in 17 of 24 betting categories but had an ROI of +6.5 percent as an underdog last season.
Sports Betting Angle: New York had an ROI of +6.2 percent under the lights last year.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (2008 Finish: 86-76)
Future Book Odds for 2009:
World Series: 60/1, Pennant: 30/1, Division: 25/1
By the Numbers:
Favorite: 52-43, Underdog: 21-22
Home: 47-34, Away: 39-42
Day: 32-21, Night: 54-55
Vs. Left: 20-23, Vs. Right: 66-53
One-Run Games: 24-32
Sportsbook Buster: The Blue Jays had an ROI of +28.6 percent against teams from the AL Central last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Toronto had an ROI of +11.7 percent as an underdog last year.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES (2008 Finish: 68-93)
Future Book Odds for 2009:
World Series: 100/1, Pennant: 50/1, Division: 45/1
By the Numbers:
Favorite: 24-16, Underdog: 43-77
Home: 37-43, Away: 30-50
Day: 13-34, Night: 54-59
Vs. Left: 16-32, Vs. Right: 51-61
One-Run Games: 20-29
Sportsbook Buster: Surprisingly, the Orioles had an ROI of +8.1 percent as a favorite last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Baltimore had a positive ROI in just four of 24 baseball betting categories but was +9.3 percent against teams from the AL Central last year.
ON THE FIELD: This is a three-team race but the addition of starting pitchers CC Sabathia and A,J. Burnett, as well as switch hitting slugger Mark Teixeira at first base, makes the Yankees the logical division favorite. The Red Sox are solid but have a gap behind home plate and will miss the power of Manny Ramirez. With solid pitching and aggression on the base paths, the Rays could be every bit as formidable as last year. The Blue Jays have an ace in Roy Halladay but little to back him up in what probably will be a fourth place finish. The Orioles dumped payroll and plan to go younger this season which is just another way of saying they won't be very good.
