Features

Yankees the team to beat

Author: John Harris
Date: 22/03/2010
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Spring training is well underway which means only one thing: the new Major League Baseball season is just around the corner.

Monday April 5 is the big kick-off and there are bound to be plenty of ups and downs in the 162-game season which runs until the end of September.

The main question on everybody's lips is will be the New York Yankees been as dominant as they were in 2009?

On paper at least their billing as online betting firm favourites for a World Series repeat seems justified as the Bronx Bombers have evolved during the winter.

Can anybody stop the New York Yankees? - Latest Baseball Betting

Out have gone veterans on the wane such as Melky Cabrera, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon and in their place have come a collection of rising stars such as outfielder Curtis Granderson, designated hitter Nick Johnson and starting pitcher Javier Vazquez from the Atlanta Braves.

Perennial American League east rivals Boston Red Sox have added centre fielder Mike Cameron, third baseman Adrian Beltre and star pitcher John Lackey to their own ranks.

However, this could prove to be a transitional season with the likes of veteran performers David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell all in the last year of big-money contracts.

The Philadelphia Phillies are bidding to become the first franchise to make three consecutive trips to the World Series since the St Louis Cardinals in the 1940s.

Much of the 2008 champions and 2009 runners-up hopes rest on the shoulders of ace pitcher Cole Hamels, who fell way below expectations last season.

Much coveted right-hander Roy Halladay has been added to the mix to provide manager Charlie Manuel with a potent mix of hitting and pitching in the National League East.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets are hoping the acquisition of Jason Bay from the Boston can help them bounce back from a 2009 season to forget.

The Mets spent big and moved to a new stadium but finished the campaign with a horrible 70-92 record following a horrendous run of injuries.

Outfielder Bay will add some much needed power to the middle of the batting order but the key for the Mets is surely to keep star shortstop and team talisman Jose Reyes free from injury.

Elsewhere, the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angles are fancied to win their respective American League pennants.

Meanwhile, St Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers are tipped to win their respective National League titles in a season which promises to deliver plenty of excitement.

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