For much of the regular season, the Detroit Tigers were the best team in baseball. They certainly look the part so far in postseason play.
After an impressive Game 1 victory, the Tigers went into Wednesday?s Game against the Oakland Athletics trying to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their American League championship series at McAfee Coliseum.
But while Detroit is looking good, there are still three other teams in contention that may have something to say. And bettors can have their say at www.beted.com, which features lines on all the MLB playoff action, plus Futures betting on the pennant winners.
The Tigers are -230 to win the American League pennant at www.beted.com, while Oakland is +170. In the National League, the New York Mets are favored, at -180 and the St. Louis Cardinals are +130.
Detroit lost its division series opener, 8-4 to the New York Yankees on Oct. 3. The Tigers have been unstoppable since, winning four straight games by a 23-7 margin, including a 5-1 victory Tuesday over Oakland.
The New York Mets, meanwhile, sailed through the season, while the St. Louis Cardinals squeaked into the playoffs.
All that matters now, however, are the next nine days. After finishing 13 1/2 games apart this year, the Mets and Cardinals play for a pennant as the best-of-seven NL championship series began Wednesday night with Tom Glavine on the mound for New York against a rejuvenated Jeff Weaver.
"I think we can compete with anybody and we're just going to go out there and prove it," St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols said. "It doesn't matter how bad or how good you look in the paper. You need to go out there and prove it.?
Both teams are all banged up. The Mets have been missing injured pitchers Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez since the postseason began, and left fielder Cliff Floyd is hobbled by an ailing Achilles' tendon.
St. Louis was expected to have All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen back in Game 1 after he received a cortisone shot for his surgically repaired left shoulder. But center fielder Jim Edmonds has been fighting the effects of a concussion, and the pitching staff lacks injured closer Jason Isringhausen and starter Mark Mulder.
After an impressive Game 1 victory, the Tigers went into Wednesday?s Game against the Oakland Athletics trying to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their American League championship series at McAfee Coliseum.
But while Detroit is looking good, there are still three other teams in contention that may have something to say. And bettors can have their say at www.beted.com, which features lines on all the MLB playoff action, plus Futures betting on the pennant winners.
The Tigers are -230 to win the American League pennant at www.beted.com, while Oakland is +170. In the National League, the New York Mets are favored, at -180 and the St. Louis Cardinals are +130.
Detroit lost its division series opener, 8-4 to the New York Yankees on Oct. 3. The Tigers have been unstoppable since, winning four straight games by a 23-7 margin, including a 5-1 victory Tuesday over Oakland.
The New York Mets, meanwhile, sailed through the season, while the St. Louis Cardinals squeaked into the playoffs.
All that matters now, however, are the next nine days. After finishing 13 1/2 games apart this year, the Mets and Cardinals play for a pennant as the best-of-seven NL championship series began Wednesday night with Tom Glavine on the mound for New York against a rejuvenated Jeff Weaver.
"I think we can compete with anybody and we're just going to go out there and prove it," St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols said. "It doesn't matter how bad or how good you look in the paper. You need to go out there and prove it.?
Both teams are all banged up. The Mets have been missing injured pitchers Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez since the postseason began, and left fielder Cliff Floyd is hobbled by an ailing Achilles' tendon.
St. Louis was expected to have All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen back in Game 1 after he received a cortisone shot for his surgically repaired left shoulder. But center fielder Jim Edmonds has been fighting the effects of a concussion, and the pitching staff lacks injured closer Jason Isringhausen and starter Mark Mulder.
