MLB Betting: 2012 AL World Series Contenders
Wednesday September 19,2012 : MLB Betting – AL World Series Contenders
As of right now, there are still a lot of AL teams in contention for playoff spots. The AL East pennant is still up for grabs and both AL wild card spots are still yet to be decided. The experts were all ready to jump on the New York Yankees' bandwagon until the Yankees ran into some serious trouble and almost fell out of the playoff race in early September. Now that New York is back and fighting for the AL East pennant, the experts now have to include the Yankees in their list of potential AL World Series contenders.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees allowed the Baltimore Orioles to get close in the AL East pennant race, and now the Orioles will not go away. The two teams have been throwing the AL East pennant back and forth with the Yankees currently holding on to it. The Yanks had gone into a tailspin in early August and did not pull out of it until early September. The Yankees were the odds-on favorites to go all the way to the World Series this year, but now people are starting to wonder if maybe the Yanks can be had when the playoffs roll around.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are young and hungry. The betting sites have been ready to write the Orioles off all season long, but Baltimore just keeps coming back. Right now, the Orioles are matching the Yankees win for win and keeping pace in the standings. But of the Yankees fall off again, look for Baltimore to sweep in and take the AL East pennant.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox spent the early part of this week padding its lead in the AL Central over the Detroit Tigers. The experts are not confident in the White Sox' bullpen or the ability of the White Sox hitters to get clutch runs over rotations like the ones in New York or even Oakland.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers should win the AL West this year, but it will not be the runaway win that it has been the past two years. The Rangers have been up and down with its offense all season long, and that is probably why it is in a dogfight with the Oakland A's to keep the AL West pennant. Still, the Rangers do represent the team that is most likely to represent the AL in this year's World Series.
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland A's have a lot to be proud of this season. It looks like the team will be able to hold on to its AL wild card spot and make it to the playoffs. There is even a chance that the A's will cause some serious damage in the post-season. But Oakland does not have the clutch hitters or solid bullpen closer that it needs to be considered a real World Series contender.
