Hot & Not - NL Edition
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com
There are pretty much two teams doing a ton of damage in the National League right now, but aside from those two, there are others that are hot and not for sure in the ever-changing playoff race. Check out how the MLB betting gods have been treating teams as we head towards the final month of the season.
Money-Makers
Los Angeles Dodgers (42-10, +$3,137 in L/52) – June 22 was the day the season changed for the Dodgers. They were 9 1/2-games back in the NL West, and they are 7 1/2-games up now after going on a wicked tear through the last two months. Yes, they have lost two in a row, but they get a pass and are still considered hot, knowing that they haven't lost two in a row in two months.
On Deck: There's really only three games of note against Boston at home between now and the series in Cincinnati on September 6-8. There's no reason not to think that the Dodgers won't still be on this hot list the next time we look at it in two weeks.
Atlanta Braves (19-3, +$1,469 in L/22) – Almost at any other point in the season, the Braves would be called the hottest team in baseball. Alas, they're only second best at 19-3 in their last 22, not that there is any shame in any of that.
On Deck: The Braves haven't played nearly as well on the road as they have at home, and they have two with the Mets and four with the Cards before coming back to Turner Field for a nine-game home stand to head into September.
Cincinnati Reds (7-2, +$412 in L/9) – It's almost not right to put the Reds in the same breath as the Dodgers and the Braves. Alas, we have to have a third hot team, and Cincinnati fits what would classify as the normally billing for a team to be called hot.
On Deck: The Reds had better win a bunch of these next six at home against the D'Backs and the Brew Crew. Ten of the 13 after that are against either the Cards or the Dodgers.
Money-Burners
Pittsburgh Pirates (3-7, -$573 in L/10) – The Bucs will at least get to .500 this year, but if they don't get out of this rut and get some more runs on the board, they're going to at least make things interesting in terms of the playoffs. Pittsburgh might be a bit complacent, knowing that this is a spot it hasn't been in for 20 years, but the opportunity can't pass without success.
On Deck: These seven games on the West Coast against the Padres and the Giants should be winners, knowing that these two teams flat out stink. However, nothing has been a given of late. Pittsburgh might be in some trouble, knowing that it is just 31-29 on the road this year.
San Diego Padres (4-8, -$480 in L/12) – The offense for the Padres has just gone numb. Over the course of the team's eight losses in question at this point, there have been either one or two runs scored in all but one of them (and that one featured just three runs). San Diego has to get more consistent offensively for sure.
On Deck: The rest of this schedule is just devastating. The Padres have the Pirates and Cubs before going on the road for six against the D'Backs and Dodgers. There's still a 10-game road trip to the East Coast waiting for September as well. It's going to get worse before it gets better.
Chicago Cubs (2-6, -$349 in L/8) – It's a shame to call the Cubs cold. Sure, they're cold. They've traded Matt Garza, Scott Feldman, Alfonso Soriano, and oodles of others, most recently David Dejesus. There's literally few left from the start of the year, especially in terms of veterans.
On Deck: After taking on the Nats for three games, the Cubs have to go to the West Coast for the last time this year. At least when that trip is done with, the team only has road series left in division play for the rest of the campaign.