World Baseball Classic Betting – Americans are the favorites, but do they care?
(Editor’s Note: As anyone who reads this site knows, I’m not a gambler in any way, shape, or form. Still, many people are and we try whenever possible to provide relevant information regarding point spreads, lines, etc. Moving forward, we’ll be able to provide even stronger analysis with the help of experts from BetOnline.com, who have agreed to contribute some content to MSF on a regular basis. This is their first contribution. Enjoy.)
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When it comes to betting, there aren’t many factors more important than motivation. If one team is playing for their playoff lives and the other team has already sealed its fate, we all know who will bring the better effort.
Those same principles are present as we examine the World Baseball Classic odds as the American team is favored, but does it really care about winning?
There is supposed to be a lot of nationalism involved with the World Baseball Classic and you would figure that impacts the WBC lines, but it hasn’t so far.
When it comes to national pride, the United States cares far more about its Olympic basketball gold and even Olympic hockey than it does about baseball.
For starters, there just isn’t that feel of national pride. Nobody really talks about it, nobody really cares about it and nobody is interested in whatever the first place prize is.
More importantly, for WBC odds purposes, out of all of the teams, Team USA has the most to lose by trying too hard. The players for Team USA are all more focused on winning a World Series ring, or performing well in the Major Leagues so they can get paid, rather than over exerting themselves in an inconsequential tournament. MLB stars know that a long season awaits them and they can’t burn themselves out in the World Baseball Classic.
The all-around effort and intensity just isn’t there from an American standpoint and it was evident in the first iteration of the World Baseball Classic as the Americans were not a factor.
But the reason why they are a favorite for World Baseball Classic betting is because they are a brand name – the biggest. Some people might have to dig to find out who plays for the Panamanian team or the Puerto Rican team but, in general, fans trust that the Americans will field an All-Star team. But that type of ignorance can get you in some trouble.
When evaluating the World Baseball Classic odds, keep in mind that just because you don’t know a player, doesn’t mean that he’s not a good player. For example, Daisuke Matsuzaka dominated the WBC last time around but he didn’t join the Majors until later on. To the casual fan, Matsuzaka was just another no-name pitcher for the Japanese team but now he’s a household name.
The U.S. team does have good players but it don’t even have the best anymore. Teams like the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico outclass them in talent, which compounds the problem.
So if you are planning on betting on Team USA, the favorite for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, just keep in mind that it might not have the best roster and they might not care so much about winning it. There’s better value with other teams.
What do you think?
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Tags: 2009 world baseball classic, MLB
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