Chicago Cubs favourite for Major League Baseball World Series

THEY couldn’t quite make fiction a reality in 2015, but the Chicago Cubs are the favourite to win the World Series a year later than predicted in the classic sci fi movie Back to the Future II.

It wasn’t life imitating art, but our friends at Bovada.lv have the Cubs at +500 to win the World Series, after they made it all the way to the National League Championships last year.

The youngest side in the Major Leagues, the Cubs have added stars Ben Zobrist, John lackey and Jason Hayward to an already impressive cast, led by NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo.

Almost unbeatable at home and possessing perhaps the deepest roster in baseball, the Cubs are set to go a long way in 2016.

But it’s a long season and they haven’t got their mitts on the prize just yet.

The San Francisco Giants are always in the money and they are a +800 second favourite to win it all.

There’s a bit of mysticism to this as well.

The Giants have won every second title for the past six years and, guess what? This is the second year again.

They have spent big in the off season and any team that boasts Madison Bumgarner on the mound is always in with a chance.

The Toronto Blue Jays are next in line at +1000, with last year’s vanquished New York Mets two points back at +1200, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers. There has been no love for last season’s winner and reigning champion Kansas City, the Royals out to +1400, sharing the same line as the Boston Red Sox.

2016 MLB World Series market:

Chicago Cubs +500

San Francisco Giants +800

Toronto Blue Jays +1000

New York Mets +1200

Los Angeles Dodgers +1200

Boston Red Sox +1400

Kansas City Royals +1400

Houston Astros +1600

Washington Nationals +1800

St. Louis Cardinals +1800

Cleveland Indians +1800

Detroit Tigers +2000

Pittsburgh Pirates +2000

Texas Rangers +2500

New York Yankees +2500

Arizona Diamondbacks +2500

Chicago White Sox +3300

Seattle Mariners +4000

Los Angeles Angels +4000

Baltimore Orioles +4000

Tampa Bay Rays +4000

Minnesota Twins +5000

Miami Marlins +5000

Oakland Athletics +6600

San Diego Padres +12500

Milwaukee Brewers +12500

Cincinnati Reds +12500

Philadelphia Phillies +15000

Atlanta Braves +15000

Colorado Rockies +15000

Odds provided by bovada.lv

Nothing fishy about Trout’s 2016 American League Most Valuable Player odds

The Millville Meteor, Mike Trout is the best player in the Major League and it comes as no surprise to find him at the top of the punters pecking order when it comes to the 2016 American League Most Valuable Player odds.

Trout is a very skinny +150, but there is a very good reason for that. In his four seasons in the majors, the Los Angeles Angels superstar has never finished outside the top two in voting, winning the award once.

The guy just does it all and is a favourite of both the fans and MVP voters alike.

Pipped by the Toronto Blue Jays star slugger Josh Donaldson (the +450 second favourite to go back to back), Trout will be looking for a little revenge.

Despite the fact Miguel Cabrera went back to back in 2012-13, Donaldson has history against him, with the last back to back winner before the Detroit star all the way back in 1993-94.

Cabrera is still much loved in the MVP market, as shown by his billing on the fourth line of betting at +800, behind Baltimore gun Manny Machado (+550). Boston’s Mookie Betts is the only other player in the short money at +900.

Looking down the board for a smokey, it’s hard to go past reigning AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa. With 22 home runs in his first effort at the plate for the Houston Astros, Correa has a bright future ahead of him and should take the next step in his sophomore season. At +1400, he provides some nice bang for your buck, but perhaps not as nice as the Chicago White Sox new signing Todd Frazier at +4000.

The former Cincinnati slugger has improved his home run output in each of his five seasons, leading to a career best 35 last year and he joins a solid line up that will give him every opportunity to shine.

2016 American League Most Valuable Player market:

Mike Trout (LAA) +150

Josh Donaldson (TOR) +450

Manny Machado (BAL) +550

Miguel Cabrera (DET) +800

Mookie Betts (BOS) +900

Carlos Correa (HOU) +1400

Jose Bautista (TOR) +2500

Lorenzo Cain (KC) +2500

Jose Altuve (HOU) +2500

Jose Abreu (CWS) +2500

Justin Upton (DET) +3300

Chris Davis (BAL) +3300

Adrian Beltre (TEX) +3300

J.D. Martinez (DET) +3300

Todd Frazier (CWS) +4000

Robinson Cano (SEA) +4000

Alex Gordon (KC) +5000

Nelson Cruz (SEA) +5000

Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) +5000

The Bryce is right in the 2016 National League Most Valuable Player market

Can reigning National League Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper get any better?

At age just 22 and coming of a remarkable season where he slammed 42 home runs, whacked 99 runs, all on the princely numbers of .330/.460/.649, you would have to say the answer is yes.

Harper is the youngest player in Major League Baseball history to be selected as a unanimous winner of the MVP, securing all 30 votes, and that is the very good reason why he is the +200 favourite to go back to back. This time last year, he was +1600 to win the MVP, so the hunter has now become the hunted.

He would join some illustrious company, with former St Louis Cardinals Star Albert Pujols the last man to win consecutive awards in 2008 and 2009.

But he has some very stiff competition.

Behind him, the battle for second favourite is very tight.

Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen and Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt occupy that line of betting at +500

Paul Goldschmidt, with Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton a point and a half further back at +650. Chicago Cubs third baseman Bryant is the only other in the short money at +900.

Outside of that crew, Bryant’s gun team mate Rizzo looks real value at +1200. A key player for the World Series favourite Cubs, Rizzo whacked 31 home runs last season while logging a list of personal best statistics as long as your arm. At just 26, he is about to hit his prime and is a leader of the youthful Cubs line up.

One of those players who just gets better with age, expect him to put up some gaudy numbers in 2016 as the Cubs enter their quest for World Series glory.

While Goldschmidt is the popular pick for the revamped Diamondbacks, one guy who could benefit from the additions of Miller and Greinke is AJ Pollock.

The do it all attacker was there abouts in last year’s voting and a big year from him could see him win the NL MVP and power the Diamondbacks to something special.

2016 National League Most Valuable Player market

Bryce Harper (WSH) +200

Andrew McCutchen (PIT) +500

Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) +500

Giancarlo Stanton (MIA) +650

Kris Bryant (CHC) +900

Buster Posey (SC) +1200

Anthony Rizzo (CHC) +1200

Joey Votto (CIN) +2000

Yoenis Cespedes (NYM) +2000

Nolan Arenado (COL) +2000

Jason Heyward (CHC) +3300

Yasiel Puig (LAD) +4000

A.J. Pollock (ARI) +4000

Starling Marte (PIT) +4000

Anthony Rendon (WSH) +5000

Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) +5000