Examining the early 2017 MLB Futures Odds

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The 2016 season just ended weeks ago, which might keep the high majority of people from looking at any MLB Betting odds for the time being.

However, it’s an excellent time to take a peak and get an idea of where things are heading. Also, right now you aren’t looking at razor-sharp lines. So if you have some intel that a team you were high on closing out the 2016 season may make a key free agent signing or trade, it’s a good time to check their odds and look at betting on their 2017 future odds. It’s very tough for oddsmakers to price in any moves that haven’t been made by a team yet; for instance if the Houston Astros were to go and get Yoenis Cespedes or another key bat via the trade market, it’s very tough for any oddsmakers to price in that in their 12/1 odds to win the 2017 World Series.

An early look has the Chicago Cubs as the majority favorite to repeat as World Series Champions, at three to one odds to do so. The next closest group in the field is the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals, and Boston Red Sox all at 10/1 odds to win the title.

The next teams listed in the field are obviously great values or relative long-shots with some holes in the theory of them becoming champions next year, depending upon how you look at it. The New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, and already mentioned Houston Astros are each listed at 12/1 odds. The in flux Toronto Blue Jays are listed at 14/1. The San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers are 16/1 to win the 2017 World Title. These are two excellent value plays at 16/1.

Then you get into the next tier of teams at 20/1: The St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers. You start to realize that these oddsmakers are pretty good; as those teams all have the same ‘feel’ to them right now as pretty good current rosters but their next step as franchises will depend upon what moves are made or not made as to if their odds become longer or better towards becoming serious contenders.

Teams listed as less than 20/1 odds to win the 2017 World Series Trophy are next tiered at 25/1 and even 30/1: the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. It is a pretty safe bet to say that one of these teams will not win the World Series in 2017 but may have some flashes or moments in a long season that make you realize they’re really not a bad team. At that number, you are basically lighting your number on fire and casting your bet on a team that has no legitimate shot to win the World Series at least this following year.

Those teams look to be in pretty good shape however when you take a look at the teams that oddsmakers have listed as 100/1 odds to win the title: the Cincinnati Reds, the Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres would be considered nothing short of a miracle.