MLB All Star Game odds must be handicapped with the realization that the players are not playing with their normal teammates. This lack of familiarity with one’s teammates can lead to errors or other mistakes that may impact the outcome of sportsbook betting on the baseball All Star odds. However, the 2009 MLB All Star rosters include numerous groups of teammates, so these players may be especially pertinent to their squads’ abilities to cover the MLB All Star Game odds.
The baseball All Star Game odds for the American League squad may attract bettors in part because the AL team has six players from the Red Sox, which is the most All Stars from any team. This group includes two starters (second baseman Dustin Pedroia and outfielder Jason Bay) and three pitchers (Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, and Tim Wakefield). Having so many players from a single team undoubtedly will help the AL squad play with chemistry and thereby help the AL cover the baseball All Star Game odds.
In fact, having three pitchers within this group of six is particularly important to acknowledge when evaluating the baseball All Star odds because these pitchers will feel much more comfortable playing with their teammates around the field. Following the Red Sox, the Rays are sending four All Stars and the Yankees, Tigers, and Twins are each sending three. With so many players able to play with their normal teammates, the AL squad may make fewer bad plays, which is important to predict when handicapping the MLB All Star Game odds.
The National League’s baseball All Star Game odds should not be overlooked, but the NL squad does not boast nearly as many teammates, which may hurt the team’s ability to cover the baseball All Star odds. The Mets are sending four players to the NL team, which is the highest for that squad, while the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Phillies are each sending three. Nevertheless, to analyze the MLB All Star Game odds properly one must also consider where these individuals are playing on the field.
The Cardinals’ trio of starting catcher Yadier Molina, starting first baseman Albert Pujols, and pitcher Ryan Franklin is especially relevant to bettors assessing the baseball All Star odds because a pitcher, catcher, and first baseman with good chemistry can together handle much of a team’s defense. Therefore, this NL trio may compensate for the fact that the NL team as a whole has fewer players coming as teammates, thereby making the squad’s MLB All Star Game odds more appealing. However, while some handicappers analyzing the baseball All Star Game odds will see this factor as favoring the NL MLB All Star Game odds, other handicappers analyzing the baseball All Star Game odds will continue to favor the AL All Star Game odds.