2006 MLB Midseason Playoff Predictions


June 5, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

Now we have the 2007 MLB Playoff Predictions posted!

Now that the All-Star game is in the rearview window we put together our 2006 MLB mid-season predictions on what to expect from teams in the second half.  The playoff push has begun and there are pretenders that are going to be dropping like flies and legitimate teams that are going to come on strong and make their pushes.  We are going to analyze who the books think are going to make a playoff by looking at the latest playoff odds from Bodog.

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After opening the season as a huge favorite to make the post-season for the twelfth straight time, the Yankees are now underdogs to be playing past the regular season.  They got off to a hot start, but a lot of injuries to guys like Matsui and Sheffield, the problems with their starting pitching, and a lot more quality teams this season, we don’t see them getting it done this year.   They are currently six games behind Chicago for the wild card and three games back to Boston.

Out in the NL West the odds on favorites are the Dodgers and Padres at +155 a peice.  The Giants are a slight dog to these two front runners with +450 as the books must not think that Bonds is ever going to get it going for San Fran, and we don’t either with his injuries and legal problems mounting.  The Dodgers have NL MVP candidate Nomar Garciaparra having one of his best seasons ever, finally getting back on track.

In the NL Central the Cards are the obvious favorite at -345.  Pujols is back and looks to be at full strength as is Jim Edmunds.  The thing the Cards need is to get their pitching on track.  Carpenter isn’t putting up the monster numbers that he was last year and Mulder has been terrible by his standards.  The Astros, Brewers, and Reds are all strong teams and I think most likely you are going to see one of these teams steal the Wild Card.  Houston and Cincy are making moves in order to get an advantage, Brewers should get some pitching back from injuries, this could be an intense battle.

We agree with Pinnacle in that the A’s are going to win the AL West as they are listed at +142, with the Angels close behind at +175.  The Angels may have played as bad as they possibly could have to start the season, but the A’s have been terrible at the plate with the league’s lowest batting average.  Pitching has gotten it done for them though and Harden needs to have a good second half in order for this team to bounce back.

The White Sox are -150 to win the AL Central, which we think the best odds go to the Tigers at +131.  If they go .500 the rest of the season they are going to wind up with 96 wins, but this team is good.  It’s time everyone starts jumping on the band wagon because those young pitchers who got pounded a few years ago finally learned from taking those lumps and are ready for the big time.

We already talked about the AL East.  The Red Sox are winning this division and show good value at -152.  The Blue Jays are a long shot, but with the competition in this division that AL Wild Card is going to the 2nd place team in the Central.

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