Phils favored to win East
And some other odds and stuff.
Phils favored to win East
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
According to Vegas -- all-knowing, all-seeing Vegas -- the Phillies are the most likely team from the National League East to win the World Series. Their odds to repeat as champions are 17-2. That makes them the fourth choice, behind the Yankees (11-4), Cubs (11-2) and Red Sox (15-2). Directly behind the Phils are the Mets and Dodgers, both at 10-1. All of which seems reasonable enough, I guess, given how much money the Yankees just spent. But didn't anybody else see the Cubs in the playoffs last year?
Then there are the Eagles. They already have the odds up for next year's Super Bowl, and the Patriots are favored to win that one at 6-1. Behind them are the Steelers (7-1), Giants (8-1), Colts (8-1), Cowboys (9-1), Ravens (11-1) and then the Eagles, Panthers and Titans (12-1). That make the Eagles tied for seventh in the NFL. It also makes them third in the NFC East. It also raises one obvious question:
Cowboys?
In the NHL, Detroit is the favorite to win another Stanley Cup at 3-1, followed by San Jose at 7-2. The Flyers are at 15-1, tied for the eighth choice and trailing Boston, Washington and Montreal in the East.
NBA? The Lakers are the 6-5 favorites and Boston is 2-1. The Sixers are 17th at 50-1, which is worse than the start of the season when they were 40-1. Apparently they don't like Elton.
Finally, in college basketball, North Carolina is the 8-5 choice to win it all, followed by Pitt at 7-1. Your Villanova Wildcats are the 16th choice at 30-1.
The Cowboys always have good odds because Vegas knows it can steal money from all their fake fans who thing their team is good every year.— doorspj24- As much as I love the Phils, it's ashame to be talking baseball right now....the stupid Birds let us down again, again, and again...What a couple of weeks we could be having getting ready for the Super Bowl! Remember late January 2005? How great was that? Alright I'm done crying...GO FLYERS, GO PHILS...you're all we've got right now.— Will T.
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As a Phils fan, the rebuilding by the Mets is impressive. I heard a stat last year that if you counted every game by the score after 7 innings, the Mets would've been like 10 games ahead of the Phils. Now the Mets got K-Rod and Putz along with maybe Wagner later on. Most of our pitchers/relievers had career type years (just like 93). I think we still need another good arm or two to keep pace.— burholme- Rich, don't you realize Vegas sets their lines based on how much money they know they'll get on certain teams? Why do you think the Yankees, Cowboys, and Notre Dame always have lines that don't seem accurate? Because Vegas knows they are the more popular teams and will always get bet on regardless of how they're doing. Gambling 101, geez.— duffers
- Interesting...There is nobody who is MORE of Phillies Phan than I; however, we under-achieved for most of last season, then simply over-achieved down the stretch and in the playoffs. This team is lacking a strong field General as it pertains to decision-making - Don't get me wrong though. These guys LOVE playing for Manuel and the bullpen couldn't have been any better, really, but to expect to play mediocre ball for most of the season, then think the Mets, Marlins or Braves are just gonna lie down and let us have the EAST again is ludicrous. This squad should have no problem winning 100 games during the regular season - even then, that number of W's may not win the East. Hopefully, Charlie will realize the importance of playing "small ball" early in games and getting leads for our pitching staff. It's crucial to step on our competition's throats early if we are to beat out these very strong teams in '09. PK— PhillyTheKid
- To burholme: Don't you realize that Wagner went down last year and he won't be pitching at all this upcoming season. There will be no Wagner later on as I think this coming year is his last year of his contract with the Mets. That's why the Mets signed Fransico (I refuse to call him K-Rod) Rodriguez. The Phils have plenty of good arms to keep pace as you say. To Philly The Kid: So you think the Phils under achieved for most of last season and then over achieved? How can you say that?? So you think the Phils winning 92 games during the regular season was playing mediocre ball?? Geesh..I guess if the Phils had won 100 games last season, would you say the Phils played mediocre ball, too? By what you posted, I think you would.— SallyAnn
How often does the favored team win? I would rather see them stay hungry.- PhillyTheKid=MetsFanInDisguise.... come on, he posts that the other teams aren't "gonna lie down and let us have the EAST again" and wants us to believe he's the biggest Phillie "Phan"?!?!?!? That's the same whining nonsense Mets fans post all over all the other forums. Nice try though.— amg
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- Attention burholme: ALL of our pitchers have two arms.— mick314
- I agree with PhillytheKid. We won 93 games, allright. But Rollins numbers were way down from the year before. Also Utley's obviously because of injuries. Howard and Burrell had their ups and downs. Ruiz numbers also took a dive. The only player on the offensive side I can said was consistent all year was Victorino and maybe Werth to some degree. Every other player struggled at one point or another. They did not put everything together until the end. You also had the Brett Myers fiasco. It seemed to me that the players and the team as a whole split the season in two. That's what made winning the WS so amazing.— EL Zorro
- There is nothing wrong with some players picking up their game and carrying the team when others are struggling. That's what makes them champions. The Eagles could learn something from that.
- Happy about the #1 ranking.. This group CAN and WILL live up to the challenge— bobodell
- PhillytheKid-the Phillies played strong all year long except for slipping once or twice which is expected over 162 game season. You can't sleep walk to 92 wins.— PAJames
