The MLB All Star Game odds for 2009 involve a game being played in St. Louis for the first time since 1966. Home field advantage is always important in baseball, so handicappers evaluating the baseball All Star odds should note that the Cardinals are sending three players to participate in this year’s All Star Game. Moreover, due to the positions where these three players play, they may have a particularly large impact on the baseball All Star Game odds.
The baseball All Star Game odds cannot be handicapped like the odds for normal baseball games, simply because so many unique factors can influence the MLB All Star Game odds. Some basic handicapping factors like home field advantage still are relevant when one handicaps the baseball All Star odds, but home field advantage must be viewed differently than normal.
Rather than a whole team of players enjoying home field advantage, when one handicaps the MLB All Star Game odds one must realize that only a few select players will enjoy home field advantage. Therefore, home field advantage is less important than normal when evaluating the baseball All Star Game odds, but it is still important nonetheless. For 2009, there are three players influencing the MLB All Star Game odds who are playing at home: starting first baseman Albert Pujols, starting catcher Yadier Molina, and reliever Ryan Franklin.
Even though this group only consists of three players, they will undoubtedly have an impact on the baseball All Star odds. Firstly, two of the three players are starters, meaning they should exert more influence over the baseball All Star Game odds than reserve players. Moreover, this trio includes Pujols, who many bettors analyzing the MLB All Star Game odds consider to be the best player in the game this season. Having the game’s top player playing at home is a large advantage for the NL team and it will undoubtedly convince some bettors who would otherwise wager on the AL baseball All Star Game odds to wager on the NL MLB All Star Game odds.
Finally, the pitcher, catcher, and first baseman handle the vast majority of the action when a team is on the field, so having such a trio derived from a single team will be very advantageous. In other words, the NL baseball All Star odds may present very good value, and it may be the Cardinals on the NL roster that help give the NL baseball All Star Game odds such value. Even though it will only be three players enjoying home field advantage, these three players may have a major role in determining the outcome of the game.