2009 Los Angeles Dodgers Odds & Predictions

The Los Angeles Dodgers reached the 2008 National League Championship Series thanks to the big bat of Manny Ramirez. It was beginning to look like LA would have to go into the 2009 season without their slugger, but a deal was finally done to ensure that Manny would be back in the heart of the order. Does LA once again have a team capable of challenging for the National League Pennant? Jimmy Boyd explores all the facets of this question in this 2009 Los Angles Dodgers MLB betting article. The Dodgers are listed at +1600 to win the 2009 World Series.

Pitching

The Dodgers pitching staff will be without two-time All-Star Brad Penny and ground ball machine Derek Lowe at the top of their rotation and right away that has me questioning if this team can win the West. That leaves Chad Billingsley as the front runner to get the ball on Opening Day. Billingsley is coming off a 16-10 season in which he posted a 3.14 ERA, but I’m not sure if he is ready to anchor a staff. The No. 2 starter will most likely be Hiroki Kuroda, who went 9-10 in his first season in the majors. He was 6-2 at home but just 3-8 on the road. Southpaw sensation Clayton Kershaw has the look of an eventual Cy Young Award winner, but he is just 21 years old. He went 5-5 with a 4.26 ERA after getting called up from AA Jacksonville. The Dodgers are hoping that they will see the Jason Schmidt that was so dominant with the Giants this season. Expect to see rookie James McDonald getting some starts as well. He has been the Dodgers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year each of the past two seasons.

It never seems to be a good blue print for success to head into the season without a definitive closer, but that will be the case for the Dodgers. Jonathan Broxton will likely get the ball in ninth. He was a very average closer after taking over the job halfway through last season.

Lineup

It all starts with Manny Ramirez, who was such a clutch performer after coming over from the Red Sox. The Dodgers must remain competitive early on or you can’t kiss Manny’s commitment to winning good bye. This shouldn’t be a big issue with the Dodgers playing in the weak West. The health of shortstop Rafael Furcal is crucial as he is one of the best leadoff hitters in the game when he is at full strength. Outside of Manny, look for Andre Ethier to provide some pop at the plate. He hit .305 with 20 homeruns and 77 RBIs last season. You can also expect similar numbers from center fielder Matt Kemp, who slugged 18 round trippers and drove in 76 runs last season. Russell Martin is one of the best catchers in the National League and his durability is unmatched, putting on the equipment for 150-plus games in each of the last two seasons. He hit 13 homeruns, added 69 RBIs, and swiped 18 bases last season. Expect to see Juan Pierre in left, Casey Blake at third, and Blake DeWitt at second to round out the starting lineup.For more information

World Baseball Classic - Finals Day 2

Brian Roberts #6 of the United States is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo homerun in the first inning against Japan in the semifinal game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic on March 22, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Fans of Japan celebrates World Baseball Classic 2009

Fans of Japan celebrate after Japan defeated the United States in the semifinal game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic on March 22, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Japan defeated the United States 9-4.

A fan of the United States holds a poster of President Barack Obama

A fan of the United States holds a poster of President Barack Obama during the semifinal game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic against Japan on March 22, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

World Baseball Classic 2009

The 2009 World Baseball Classic is an international baseball competition.



BASEBALLS

The only baseballs that are permitted to be used in Tournament games shall be the official baseball of the Tournament, as authorized by WBCI. The baseballs shall be rubbed before a game in accordance with Major League Baseball custom, under the supervision of the umpires.


UMPIRES

WBCI shall engage a staff of umpires to officiate Tournament games. Each such Umpire shall sign and submit to WBCI an Umpire Participation Agreement. WBCI shall provide each umpire with a uniform, all parts of which the umpires shall wear while officiating as umpires. Each ballpark shall provide a separate dressing room for the umpires. No visitors except WBCI personnel or the immediate family of an umpire are permitted in the umpires' dressing room. Any immediate family not of the same sex as the umpire or umpires using the umpires' dressing room shall leave the room at the request of any umpire if any umpire is dressing or undressing. All persons except official personnel shall leave the umpires' dressing room no later than 15 minutes before the scheduled starting time of a game. At the completion of a game, the umpire crew chief may impose, in the discretion of the crew chief, a 15-minute period during which no visitors except official WBCI personnel are to be allowed in the umpires' dressing room. All umpires shall adhere to any WBCI policies in regard to security. "Immediate family" is defined as spouses, grandparents, parents, siblings and children.

No umpire may, directly or indirectly, ask any player, manager, coach, locker room attendant or other Team personnel for any autographs. Similarly, Team personnel, including any player, manager, coach or other field personnel (including locker room attendants), are prohibited from providing umpires with autographs except as may be approved by WBCI.

No umpire may ask for, take, sell or participate in or otherwise traffic in Team or WBCI property, such as baseballs, bats, uniforms, lineup cards and the like. No umpire may, directly or indirectly, validate, certify or authenticate as genuine or used in any game any baseball, bat, uniform or other object.

OFFICIAL SCORERS

WBCI shall appoint one official scorer for each Tournament game. The official scorer for each Tournament game shall observe the game from a position in the press box. Subject to the Official Baseball Rules, the official scorer shall have sole authority to make all decisions involving judgment, such as whether a batter's advance to first base is the result of a hit or an error. The official scorer shall communicate such decisions to the press box and broadcasting booths and shall advise the ballpark public address announcer of such decisions, if requested. In addition, the official scorer shall keep count of the number of pitches thrown by each pitcher in each Tournament game as a backup to the official count kept by the Game Operations Technical Committee. The official scorer, upon request at any time, shall provide such counts to the Game Operations Technical Committee.

Any Team wishing to dispute a decision by an official scorer shall so advise the Game Operations Technical Committee within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the game, identifying the particular decision it disputes. Such notice may be given by electronic mail or telephone call to a number or numbers designated by the Game Operations Technical Committee. The Game Operations Technical Committee shall then consider whatever evidence it deems appropriate and determine whether the decision of the official scorer was clearly erroneous. If the Game Operations Technical Committee so determines, it shall inform the official scorer and the managers of both Teams of its decision and, if necessary, the official scorer shall revise the official report of the game to reflect such decision.

After each Tournament game, including forfeited games, the official scorer shall prepare a report listing the date of the game, where it was played, the names of the competing Teams and the umpires, the full score of the games, and all records of individual players compiled according to the system specified in the Official Baseball Rules and, in addition, as WBCI may require. The official scorer shall forward this report to WBCI's statistician after the game ends within a time specified by WBCI's statistician. The official scorer shall deliver a report of the game status of any suspended game (including players in the game at the time of suspension, players already removed from the game and pitch counts) to the Game Operations Technical Committee before leaving the ballpark.

WBCI shall have authority to discipline or remove any official scorer.

Official scorers should be accorded courtesy and cooperation by all Team personnel. Under no circumstances should official scorers be influenced or pressured regarding their calls. No Team personnel in the press box or on the field should attempt to intimidate official scorers into changing calls. If there are questions regarding a call that arise during the game, official scorers may be asked for an explanation between innings. The official scorer should not be interrupted while play is in progress.

Jays’ Wells Hamstrung

Toronto Blue Jays CF Vernon Wells learned that he would miss two weeks after an MRI revealed that he had re-injured his left hamstring, reports the AP.

The Blue Jays are +3000 to take the AL East.

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