2008 National League Central Odds

While the Chicago Cubs entered the 2008 MLB regular season with hopes of reaching the first World Series in a century, the team has found out the hard way that first, they have to find a way to win the NL Central over their feisty foes who are not going to go away quietly if, at all.

With the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals both breathing down the Cubbies’ necks, the race for first place in the NL Central is far from over in the BetUS Sportsbook.

Now, members of the BetUS online sports wagering community can get the lowdown on all the latest NL Central sports wagering action along with my Free MLB Pick on which team will actually win the NL Central in 2008.

Chicago Cubs 74-47
Say what you want about the Chicago Cubs’ 100-years of futility, but I say this club is a legitimate World Series contender that boasts the fifth-best pitching staff in all of baseball this season with a phenomenal team ERA of 3.81. Led by Ryan Dempster, (13-2, 2.92 ERA), Carlos Zambrano, (12-5, 3.22 ERA) and Ted Lilly, (12-6, 4.32 ERA), the Cubbies have a whopping eight pitchers on their staff with respective ERA’s under 3.50.

Not only is Chicago the fifth-best pitching team in all of baseball, but the Cubs are also the top hitting team in either league as well, batting a collective .282. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez has 81 RBI while first baseman Derek Lee has driven an additional 71 runs.

Believe it or not BetUS MLB online bettors, this could really be the Cubs’ year. With solid pitching and an excellent lineup, the Chicago Cubs clearly don’t have many negative issues to take care of.

Milwaukee Brewers 70-52
The Brewers are generally looked at as a bunch of home run-mashing free-swingers, but the fact of the matter for BetUS MLB bettors who don’t know better is that the Brewers have the ninth-best pitching staff in the majors this season with a team ERA of 3.93.

With 2007 AL Cy Young award winner C.C. Sabathia, (7-0, 1.55 ERA) joining Ben Sheets, (11-6, 3.00 ERA) and Manny Parra, (9-5, 3.95 ERA) blossoming before our very eyes, the Brewers could very well catch – and surpass the Cubs down the stretch.

Milwaukee’s batting order which features Prince Fielder, (28HR), Ryan Braun, (30 HR, .300 BA), Corey Hart, (.287, 18 HR) and J.J. Hardy, (17 HR, .273) is scary even on its worst day.

If the Brewers can get some decent pitching beyond the aforementioned three starters, the Brewers could undeniably win the NL Central in 2008.

St. Louis Cardinals 68-56
Now, just 7 1/2 games behind the Cubs, the Cardinals have overachieved all season long just to be in this position.

Led by the best hitter in the National League, Albert Pujols, (.342, 24 HR), the Cardinals have four players on the roster that have at least 20 home runs, led by outfielder Ryan Ludwick, (30 HR, .304).

The only problem I think the Cardinals will run into is their paper-thin pitching staff, ranked 13th in team ERA, (4.18). To put it mildly, there is not one pitcher on the Cardinals’ staff that I think strikes fear into the hearts of opposing hitters. In the end, the Cardinals’ lack of pitching will come back to haunt them.