2011 NL East Division Betting Odds
(The Spread) – After acquiring yet another ace this offseason, it’s no surprise that oddsmakers have installed the Philadelphia Phillies as NL East Division favorites.
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Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Phillies –300 on the money line to win the NL East in 2011. The next closest odds in the division are the Atlanta Braves, who are +400 on the money line.
The Phillies traded Cliff Lee last offseason in order to acquire ace Roy Halladay, who compiled a dazzlingly 21-10 record and a 2.44 ERA on his way to winning the NL Cy Young award. Now Lee is back in Philadelphia after spurning the Rangers and Yankees to sign with a club he never wanted to leave in the first place.
The Phillies now have the most feared starting rotation in the league. To think that after Halladay and Lee a team still has to get through Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt in a four-game series is unbelievable. And this is still a club that employs slugger Ryan Howard, top-notch lefty Chase Utley and speedster Jimmy Rollins (among others).
The Braves made a big acquisition of their own this offseason, trading for second baseman Dan Uggla, previously of the Florida Marlins (+550 to win the NL East). Uggla gives the Braves another power threat to go along with outstanding second-year player Jason Heyward and steady veteran Brian McCann.
Speaking of the Marlins, they lost Uggla, Cody Ross and Jorge Cantu from their Opening Day roster last year, but they still have a ton of good young talent in Hanley Ramirez, Gabby Sanchez, Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez. They also added free agent pitcher Javier Vazquez in the offseason, so they could potentially compete with the Phillies and Braves in the East.
The rest of the division still has their issues, as the New York Mets are +2500 on the money line and the Washington Nationals are +3000 on the line. The Nationals are loaded with young talent and signed free agent Jayson Werth to a big contract last winter, but not having phenom Stephen Strasburg (Tommy John surgery) hurts. The Nats are probably still another year away from seriously competing.
2011 NL East Division Odds to Win
Atlanta Braves +400
Florida Marlins +550
New York Mets +2500
Philadelphia Phillies –300
Washington Nationals +3000
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