Yankees, Astros Lead as MLB Division Races Heat Up

American League East Standings It. All right Joe Ranieri, let's take a look at the, standings now in baseball, we'll start with the American League East and the Yankees lead over the Orioles. Now is two games and everybody else is toast. Right Pretty much. I mean, at this point, you can stick a fork in Boston, Tampa is no good. Toronto was, little too little too late. It is clearly a two horse race in that one there, Scotty, I can't imagine. And I don't like the Orioles. I think they're a young team, and I. I think it's only going to get worse from here for them. So now we have the odds in the East. What are the odds that the Yankees get it done? Minus two 20, it's inevitable isn't it, that they're going to get it done if this guy judge and Soto are in the lineup and healthy, and I'll even say without Stanton, Stanton's now back from his, annual two month vacation that he goes on, but he's hitting home runs, too. And if that all three of them are in the lineup, they're winning tha. They're winning that division. Without a doubt. And both guys got it ironically right. Both of them aren't just home run. It's not like the Bash Brothers. It's not like Canseco and McGuire. Right? We're talking about dudes that can hit 300, 325, give me doubles, can hit home runs, can what? I mean, you don't even know how to pitch him. It's ridiculous how good judge and Soto are and what kind of year they can have. There's no doubt about it. And now everybody else is doing stuff like, I think Labor Day has been awful this year, but he's been good lately, and jazz Chisholm has been incredible since they got him huge. So that's so that's five guys that are producing. And I could you know, they say Verdugo's got this problem, that problem. And then, you know, he turns around and hits a home run. I mean, Rizzo's in a rehab stint. If they get that bat back. I mean, that guy, you know, from the left side, I think this season for me is a wash for him. I don't know if he'll ever have his timing back where he was hitting home runs and, you know, mattering when he came to the plate five times a night. Do you think Rizzo will ever matter for them again this year? I don't think Rizzo. I don't think it was physical with Rizzo. Scotty. I think it was above the shoulders. And I think maybe the best thing to happen to him was that he got hurt and he got a little time away from the game so he could reset and recalibrate. I think he was Central Division Showdown far too much in his head. All right, let's go to the central standings and then the odds. So the standings right now Cleveland it's Niy Russell. It's down to one game on Kansas City two and a half on the twins. And then we could show the odds for the central. And the Guardians are somehow still favored. I'm pouncing on that. Kansas City 230 I don't know how you you can't, Scotty, I mean, the Guardians clearly aren't as good a hitting team as they were early on in the season, and that bullpen is getting taxed and that starting rotation doesn't scare anybody. I'm sorry, so they I think they've got AL West Race some problems there, in Cleveland for sure. All right. Let's look at the West now. The Al West, the Astros. It was four and a half. Now it's three and a half with Seattle winning lt night. And the Astros losing in Philly. So I thought they were Gucci at four and a half. They're okay. Still here aren't they. At three and a half I mean listen it's still Houston's to lose as far as I'm concerned. But the Mariners have to find firing you know Scott service there have have actually played a little bit better here. So it's not like they didn't have the talent Scotty. We thought they would compete for the division crown. Now they're three and a half games out. So anything is possible. All right. So let's look at thes for the West and look at that -650. So we see what the sports books think that it's already over I mean Scotty it's you know they're telling you right now it's you and it is it's Houston's to lose Scotty. That's exactly correct. And that's what the odds are telling you. But we've seen AL Wild Card Contenders stranger things happen the final couple of weeks of the regular season, all right. Let's look at the Al wild card standings now, the Orioles and Royals and Twins are the bearers. They got the tickets to the postseason. Boston's five o. Seattle five and a half to deep. Yeah. I mean, listen, Kansas City Minnesota and let's say the Guardians win. That's three teams from the central. That bodes very well for teams like the Yankees, who would have to play one of them. And what about these odds of these wild card teams? Yeah No, Royals to me National League East Battle It. All right Joe, let's switch over to the National League side now and start with the East standings. The Phillies lead is six over the Braves. I got a hard time believing that the Bras can make up six games in basically 30 days. I can't, Scotty, not with that pitching staff again, I think the injuries are catching up to Atlanta. I think ultimately it's going to be their undoing. I think the Mets are in a much better spot than Atlanta is at this point, so it would not shock me that this will be the first time since 2017. Scotty, if Atlanta doesn't make the postseason, this will be the first since 2017. I think that's the path we're heading, let's look at the odds now for this East, in terms of lookt the price on the Phillies, it's already over. It's done. Yeah it's done. And you can thank that first half for the Phillies, Scotty, because that's pretty much where they want it, not what they've done. After the All Star break, that's for sure. It's what they did before the All Star break. With that easy schedule, they took advantage of everything. Now, can they hold NL Central Dominance on and ride it through the postseason? Is the big question. All right, let's go to the, NL central standings. Obviously this is ten games. So there's no need to even discuss the odds the Brewers are going to win this division. And that'll be that. Yes absolutely, the Brewers are good to go. And they too Scotty I think won it in the first half. But the thing with the Brewers is the rest of that division collapsed. The Cardinals couldn't win a game the first two months of the season. The Cubs, everyone thought the Cubs were going to be the team to beat. They've been an absolute disaster and everyone expected the Pirates to be better. But they weren't going to contend for the, you know, the title of that division. It's Brewers again. They NL West Tight Race took advantage and they're playing great baseball. All right let's go to the NL West. And the Dodgers lead despite how good they are is three over the D-backs and four over their rival the Padres. And meanwhile you already know what the Diamondbacks do to them when they play them. But I think they only play them four more times. Right? I think that's, that's it. But again, it's going to be a race to the finish. This was a Dodger team, Scotty. Remember, their win total was like 104, 105, everyone thought the Dodgers were going to just run away with this. They're not running away with anything. And oh, yeah, a lot of experience on this Diamondbacks team now Scotty, having been there just a year ago, I wouldn't count him out at all. Let's see what the odds are to win the West. They have the Dods at -800. Yeah. That's, that's a little aggressive, I mean, can you see a situation in which the Diamondbacks overtake them down three and a half games? I can, might be worth a little sprinkle there, Scotty, at, what, 10 to 1? 11 to 1? No problem with that. Both of those teams, I think, are worth some shekels. Yep Absolutely. Especially the Padres too. If they can get their act together and they've got reinforcements coming. So yeah, I think -800 is a NL Wild Card Picture little bit aggressive there to think that the Dodgers are just going to run away with the West. All right. Let's look at the wild card standings. Now. It's the D-backs Padres and Braves. e Mets are not finished. Would you say the Giants and Cubs are? Yes I think the Giants and the Cubs are done. I think it's the Mets. And the Braves is going to be there for that final spot. And my money's on the Mets to get it done. Scotty, I think the Braves are just too many injuries and I don't think they're going to be able to overcome it down the stretch. So my money would be on the Mets, which is probably a halfway decent price right now to make the playoffs. Let's look at the odds to make the playoffs. These teams look at the, the Mets at plus 340. That's my that would be my bet. Scotty, I think the Mets have a I mean -580 for Atlanta. Like. Yeah No absolutely not. I think the Mets are very well worth a stab. Especially And the Mets have a great game coming up a great series happening this week. Again. They've been playing great on the road. Who's hitting better than the Mets? I got no problem taking that bet. So I want to know I want to look this up. At the very least, I see where the Mets are. I want to see their schedule. So they go, they're tonight in Arizona against the D-backs, and it's three games in the desert against the snakes, which is not going to be fun at all with the way that team is hitting and the way that Team Arizona is winnin. But then they go to the white Sox to end August. They get into September with one more with Chicago on the South side. Those games are in Chicago, but then they come home, on labor Day, they have Boston at home at Citi, and then Tuesday and Wednesday as well, and then three more with the Reds before they go to Toronto for three and then Philly for three before coming back to city. Not to go too far ahead, but it's the nationals after that and then the Phillies again and the Phillies again is at Citi Field. So they have a lot of big games coming up and a lot of big games at Citi Field in Queens. I correct and I think the second to last series, it's a four game or against Atlanta. So I you know lot to be determined here. But a lot of very winnable games, Scotty, as you pointed out, White Sox Boston Cincinnati, Toronto a lot of those games are very winnable for the Mets. Yeah, but at the end, those last six games, they're going to have to earn it. Atlanta and at Milwaukee could be the kiss of death for them. Or it could be what you know whaty win it with right there. Because I think ultimately that's what it's going to come down, barring any sort of crazy collapse by Atlanta. I think that's exactly what Major League Baseball wanted. Scotty, the final week and a half of the Best and Worst Money Line Teams season to matter. Like it's going to matter for the Mets and Braves. There's no doubt about it. So we also have the, best, baseball teams against, on the money line, best money line, teams this season and the worst, the b. You see, Brewers, D-backs, guards, Padres, Royals. And the worst Braves, Marlins, Rangers, white Sox. Imagine that the Rangers, the World Series chumps have been. Yeah. One of the worst teams on the money line. All season. I'm a little shocked. The White Sox at 31 and 100 are on that list. Scotty, I really I, you kno, I, I thought for sure they'd be a better investment there but every one of those teams on the left Brewers, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Padres, Royals, they all started bad. Had no expectations. And look at where they are all close to what, mid 70s and 80 wins on the season. That's no shock Over/Under Performers right there that they're the best money line teams in baseball. Right now. All right. Let's look at the best over Under teams. Oh the best over teams, D-back, O's, Marlins, Yanks, Red Sox, brew Crew, and the best under teams Braves, Astros, rays, A's, Cubs. And there's those Rangers again. What do you think of the teams that score the most runs? Yeah I the Diamondbacks Scotty are averaging this year close to six runs a game. And that that and the Yankees are right up there with the most run the average runs per game. All of those teams mash the ball except for the Marlins, who generally give up, a whole lot of those runs there. But otherwise, No Run First Inning Leaders any one of those teams, Scotty, is a great bet for an over on any given night. Let's look at this, no run first inning, for those bettors, the best no run, first inning teams this season. Cubs Bucks, Mets. Nats. Cards off the list. Y. That's it. Well, you have lack of hitting and