Kansas City Royals FMajor League Baseball is a game of few, unlike the NFL, where we see odds for tons of different teams spread across the major online betting sites.
There are a few teams that really stand out when looking at odds to win the World Series in 2016. Of course, the Chicago Cubs are a huge favorite (who would have seen that coming a few years ago?), at +400, the Red Sox chime in at +800, as do the Mets and Giants.
Looking at the Royals dominant performance against the Mets a few months ago, we’d expect their odds to repeat to at least be comparative with some of the other top teams, but we currently find them at +1500.
Why is this?
To be honest, I can’t really say – the Royals have had a spectacular offseason. Many small teams that end up winning the World Series (this doesn’t happen often), will usually end up forfeiting some of their top players to clubs like the Dodgers and Yankees. This wasn’t the case this season, as the Royals re-signed just about every player they might have lost.
The Ian Kennedy signing has many people shaking their heads (paying $70 million over five years to a mediocre pitcher), but the Royals seem to have confidence in him succeeding in the near future, like many of their other pitchers.
Greg Holland was lost, and so was Ryan Madson, but the Royals will have a key player rejoining them in Luke Hochevar. Hochevar has been recovering from Tommy John surgery, but if he can play like he did in 2013, the Royals are likely to have one of the best closers in the game back. Their pitching staff, plus the fact that they play in a huge ballpark, might allow the Royals to yet again give up one of the lowest ERAs in all of baseball.
There is one thing that I think may affect the Royals this season.
Last season they were so hungry. They were dying for attention, they were dying for that championship, and they got it. This year, things are going to be a little bit different. If they players still have the motivation, the Royals can go far, and can win the World Series, but I’m guessing this is what’s holding the oddsmakers up at the moment. Their motivation may be low after finally winning, and due to this, their performance could suffer, at least in the beginning of the season.
In the real world, and in baseball, we call this a hangover.
All in all, getting on the Royals at +1500 on betonsports.com is definitely not the worst thing you can do with your money. A 15-1 return taking the champions of last season can’t be seen as a bad move in anyone’s eyes. I’d suggest jumping on these odds before people realize the Royals squad hasn’t changed a bit.
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