Red Sox now favored to win ’15 Series
BOSTON, MA (The Spread) – Following the acquisitions of two big name free agents, the Boston Red Sox are now favored to win the 2015 World Series according to oddsmakers.
On November 25 the Red Sox made a pair of splash signings with the free agent additions of third baseman Pablo Sandoval and shortstop-turned-outfielder Hanley Ramirez. The team signed the former Giant Sandoval to a five-year, $95 million contract with a club option for 2020 and signed the former Dodger Ramirez to a four-year, $88 million contract that includes a $22 million vesting option for a fifth year.
Since those acquisitions, Boston has gone from a 22/1 long shot to an 8/1 World Series favorite according to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have gone from at 15/2 favorite down to 17/2 while the loss of Sandoval has caused the defending World Series champion Giants to drop from 12/1 to 14/1 to win next year’s Fall Classic.
Commonly known as the “Kung Fu Panda,” Sandoval hit .279 with 16 home runs and drove in 73 runs for the World Series champion Giants a season ago. But he upped his free agent value by hitting .400 during the NLCS and .467 during the Fall Classic. In his career, Sandoval has a .344 batting average with six home runs over 39 postseason games.
Ramirez signed with the Red Sox as an International Free Agent back in July of 2000 but five years later was dealt to the Florida Marlins along with Anibal Sanchez in exchange for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota. He hit .283 with 13 home runs, 14 stolen bases and 71 runs batted in last season for the Dodgers.
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