MLB Betting: NLCS and ALCS Playoffs
by Bodog Sportsbook | Oct 20 2009
The World Series is inching ever closer. We could learn the identity of one of the participants as soon as Wednesday, when the Philadelphia Phillies host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series (8:07 p.m. ET, TBS). The Phillies grabbed a 3-1 series lead in dramatic fashion Monday night, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 5-4 and cash in as -114 home faves.
The Dodgers went into the NLCS with the best bullpen in the majors. But things don't always go according to plan. Set-up man George Sherrill (1.70 ERA, 1.12 WHIP in the regular season) gave up three runs in L.A.'s Game 1 loss, and closer Jonathan Broxton (2.61 ERA, 0.96 WHIP) allowed the winning two-run double to Jimmy Rollins with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 4.
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MLB odds going into Monday's slate had the Phillies priced at -250 to win the NL pennant and 9-4 to defend their status as World Series champions. Check Bodog Sports for the latest lines, which should swing heavily in Philadelphia's favor. But it's not over yet. Cole Hamels (4.32 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) is scheduled to start Game 5 against Vicente Padilla, who had a 3.20 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in eight regular-season appearances with the Dodgers after the Texas Rangers cut him loose. Padilla got the win in Game 2 with 7.1 strong innings in a 2-1 final; Hamels has allowed four runs in each of his two postseason starts this year.
Over in the American League, the Los Angeles Angels got some more late-game heroics from back-up catcher Jeff Mathis. This time it wasn't in vain, as Mathis drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th as the Angels (-130 at home) came back to defeat the New York Yankees 5-4. Mathis, a defensive replacement for Mike Napoli with a .596 OPS during the regular season, also had a double in the top of the 12th inning of Game 2 in an eventual 4-3 loss.
The Yankees still have a 2-1 lead in the ALCS, but the series remains in Anaheim for the next two games, starting Tuesday (7:57 p.m. ET, FOX) with CC Sabathia (3.37 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) taking the mound for New York against Scott Kazmir, another late-season addition who posted a 1.73 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in six starts with the Halos. The former Tampa Bay Rays ace gave up five runs to the Boston Red Sox last week before his teammates mounted yet another late rally to win 7-6 and sweep the Red Sox from the ALDS.
New York was a -700 chalk to take the AL pennant and 4-7 to win the World Series before Mathis rudely interrupted the parade. It looks at this point like the Yankees and Phillies will meet in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1950, when Casey Stengel managed the Yanks to a sweep over the Whiz Kids. The Phillies took their interleague series 2-1 back in May by a combined score of 15-11.
Baseball season is in full swing - and the Bodog Sportsbook has all the baseball lines to keep you going!
