Previews

Yankees leading the way

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 06/10/2009
Other sport betting

The New York Yankees are everyone's tip for the World Series this year.

The most decorated team in the history of Major League Baseball have coasted serenely into the play-offs on the back of a stunning regular season which ended with a 103-59 record.

To put that into context, Joe Giradi's star-studded line-up won eight more games than their nearest American League rivals the Boston Red Sox, who are second favourites for the World Series in the online betting markets.

No other team in the three American League divisions or three National League ones managed to break the 100-game winning mark.

Will the Yankees be crowned World Series champions? - Latest Baseball Betting

It is perhaps little surprise that the Yankees have been so dominant this season.

After missing out on post-season baseball last season, the Bronx Bombers set about recruiting some of the biggest names in the game to supplement a clubhouse already boasting some major league names.

Alex Rodriquez, Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain were joined by the likes of star pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, plus big-hitters Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira in a fearsome line-up.

The result is the best record in all of baseball and homefield advantage for the duration of the play-offs.

The only unknown for the Yankees is their first round opponents as, for the third year in a row, two teams have ended the 164-game regular season in a dead heat.

Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins must play-off to see who is crowed American League Central winners after matching each other with 86-76 records.

The winner will face the Yankees at Yankees Stadium on Thursday it what will de a daunting first-round task.

Elsewhere in the American League, Los Angeles Angels will go head-to-head with the wildcard-winning Red Sox in a series which is incredibly hard to call.

However, Boston have dumped the Angels out of the play-offs at the same stage in each of the last two seasons.

In the National League, two of the most storied franchises in baseball history will meet when the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the St Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals boast 10 World Series championships compared to the Dodgers' six in a meeting of two teams who are dripping with star names from managers Joe Torre and Tony La Russa to sluggers Manny Ramirez and Albert Pujols.

The final play-off encounter sees defending champions the Philadelphia Phillies versus the Colorado Rockies.

The Phillies are slight favourites to progress as they won the National League East title while the Rockies had to rely on a wildcard berth.

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