Last year, it was the San Diego Padres that suffered a major second-half collapse that left them on the outside looking in for the National League West race, as they conceded the final playoff spot to the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants on the final weekend of the regular season. Perhaps this year’s championship team will not come from the NL Central, but it is the Pittsburgh Pirates that have experienced the biggest collapse so far this MLB betting year.

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Milwaukee Brewers

Friday, 8:10 PM ET

The Pirates will throw everything that they have at the NL Central division-leading Milwaukee Brewers this weekend in hopes of climbing back into relevancy in what has become one of baseball’s toughest divisions. Paul Maholm will get the start for the Pirates on Friday night against Chris Narveson, and while neither pitcher has been outstanding it is difficult to think that the Pittsburgh offense can do enough to rattle the Brewers in front of their own home crowd. Milwaukee is as focused as ever as they look to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals and return to the postseason, and they will need to make another strong statement this weekend against a desperate Pirates’ team to move one step closer to locking up a sports betting division title.

MLB Betting Pick: Milwaukee Brewers – 120

With two months to go in the MLB betting regular season, the focus will shift on some key matchups over the next few weeks that will go a long way to determining which teams get into the playoffs and which teams are left on the outside looking in. The Chicago White Sox have struggled with consistency over the past couple of seasons, something that has plagued a roster loaded with talent but lacking the extra something to get into the postseason. The White Sox have managed to stay in contention in the American League Central, but they will face a tough task this weekend with one of those critical matchups against the AL-leading Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox have combined a lethal blend of offense and defense to take over sole possession of the top spot in the AL, and will be pushed by the presence of the New York Yankees right behind them in the AL East, and the defending AL champion Texas Rangers in the pennant race. Chicago has had a rough time playing at US Cellular Field this sports betting season, and a series win over the hate Red Sox would go a long way to proving that this team has what it takes to make a postseason push. Confidence will be a key as the White Sox chase the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians in the AL Central, and this weekend will be crucial to their outlook the remainder of the year and whether they truly believe that they can contend.

The selections for the 2011 All Star game already came with a ton of scrutiny and criticism for the fact that there may have been names that fans thought shouldn’t be there, and with the loss of several key sports betting stars due to injuries it has left the cupboard for the big game even less stocked. The league may have to deal with the growing complaints about the rosters for the annual Midsummer Classic, but for now there are at least a couple of players that have been named that simply don’t deserve it.

For the American League, the biggest criticism went to the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter, who despite reaching 3,000 hits this past week does not have the numbers to justify him as an All Star for this year. Jeter hit just .270 with three home runs and 24 RBI through the first half of the season, and although he won’t play anyway due to injury it seems as though there has been a ton of criticism levied on him as of late. While the National League side may not have a single player that stands out as much as Jeter in a negative light, they do have a questionable MLB betting starter in PlacidoPolanco of the Philadelphia Phillies. Polanco hit just .271 in the first half with only four home runs, not nearly as good as the names around him in the heart of the NL batting order for the big game.

After watching the Boston Red Sox pull their way out of the basement of the American League East to climb all the way back up into first place, the New York Yankees have responded by keeping pace. As of Tuesday morning the Yankees were back in first place in the AL East, one-half game ahead of the Red Sox for the top spot. While Boston has been the better overall team the past couple of months, New York has proven that they have the talent and MLB betting depth to make things interesting in the division race, and they won’t be forgotten about very easily.

The Yankees have won seven of their past ten games, and their plus-97 run differential mark remains the best in the AL East. New York is far ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers for the league-lead in home runs, with a surprising 21 from Curtis Granderson ranking just behind the 23 that Mark Teixeira has hit. Alex Rodriguez is batting .300 and players such as Nick Swisher have really stepped up this betting season, while the same can be said about players such as Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia on the pitching staff. CC Sabathia continues to lead the way with a 10-4 record and 3.25 ERA, but the team has gotten some quality starts from its depth so far. With so many things going the Yankees’ way, they will continue to get the job done as they keep their distance ahead of Boston in the AL East.

After a strong start to the 2011 MLB betting season, the Toronto Blue Jays have fallen back down to earth with a rough stretch from May leading into June, and it may take some time for this team to find their identity in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. There is no doubt that Toronto fans have waited patiently for a winner over the past couple of seasons while battling with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, it will take at least one more year before this team is ready to contend for a playoff spot.

The Blue Jays have a ton of talent and potential to grow with, including the best hitter in baseball over the past two online sports betting seasons in Jose Bautista. After taking the home run crown a year ago Bautista has surprised again with his incredible play to open 2011, and has hit .338 with 21 home runs and 42 RBI. Toronto locked up Bautista for the near future with a deal this past summer, and with young hitters such as Adam Lind and JP Arencibia finding their groove the team has a solid core to move forward with. There is good depth in the pitching department although young stars such as Kyle Drabek will still need some time to develop, and Toronto can still use some help in the bullpen including the acquisition of a proven close. It won’t be long before the Blue Jays compete for in the crowded AL East, but it will take at least another year as this team continues to search for an identity.

While it may seem like a solid online sports betting move to jump on the Seattle Mariners’ bandwagon during their recent hot streak, buyer beware when considering rocking with an AL West team other than the defending AL champion Texas Rangers in the next couple of weeks. The Mariners had won 10 of their past 12 games heading into Tuesday night’s matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, and while they should be able to finish off the series strong they could run into some trouble in the weeks leading into the Belmont Stakes betting race.

Seattle has climbed their way back to the .500 mark after opening the year with just four wins through their first 15 games, and while it may seem as though this team has turned the corner that is nothing more than gambling on the streak. In reality, the Mariners have clinched seven of those 10 wins against two of the worst teams in baseball in the Minnesota Twins and the San Diego Padres, and they were fortunate to earn two of three against the New York Yankees with the difference being an extra innings outing. Following their series against Baltimore the Mariners will welcome the Tampa Bay Rays for a tough four-game set before heading on the road to battle the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. With one of the worst offenses in the majors the pitching alone won’t be able to carry them, and that should have Seattle crashing back down to earth in the near future.

One of the biggest reasons why the Boston Red Sox were the consensus World Series pick heading into the 2011 online sports betting season was the addition of third basemen Adrian Gonzalez to the lineup along with several other key pieces. The Red Sox managed to stay in the playoff race in the deepest division in baseball a year ago without Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and a plethora of injured players that didn’t make it through 2011. With those key additions as well as the return of key hitters such as former MVP Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkillis Boston started slow, but after a strong start to the month of May have reached the .500 mark and appear on their way in the American League East.

One of the biggest reasons for the turnaround is the sensational play of Gonzalez over the past 10 games. With a .348 batting average, seven home runs, and 16 RBI in his last 10 games Gonzalez has largely carried the load, and the fact that those games have been against division rivals such as the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays has been an added bonus. With the 2011 Preakness Stakes betting race right around the corner there is still a ton of time for things to change in the AL East, and the Red Sox have now served noticed that they are ready to contend for one of the four playoff spots in the league.

The one factor that all championship baseball teams have in common is consistency. The MLB schedule has always been regarded as more of a marathon than a sprint, and whether it’s late April or early September the best teams in baseball always find ways to battle through adversity and get the job done. Playing out of arguably the most competitive division in baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays know that as well as any other team looking up at the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, or Boston Red Sox over the past decade. While it’s easy to plan on paper, it’s much harder to consistently perform on the field, and that is why the Blue Jays have struggled with sports betting mediocrity again in 2011.

A quick look at their schedule leading up to the Kentucky derby betting 2011 race reveals an interesting find, as the Blue Jays have won or lost more than two games only twice this season. Separate three and four game losing streaks in mid-April kept the team from crossing above the .500 mark, a trend that is likely to continue into May. To get an edge, wait for a team like Toronto to win or lose two games, and then bet against the streak to continue. The odds are in favor that they will get back in the win column, and as an underdog in most scenarios they can be a player’s dream.

It seems as though the majority of online sports betting sites tell players not to wager on favorites when it comes to baseball if they want to win. But considering that every division leader except for one has won at least two-thirds of their games, can that theory really be justified? The truth is that the best way to bet on baseball is to take the favorites, only in order to win you have to pick your spots.

Unlike in Kentucky Derby betting where there is one race and one favorite to pick in it, the baseball season is months long and the favorites are on the field almost every day. While it would be unrealistic to bet on a team such as the New York Yankees every day because of the odds that are available, there is nothing wrong with picking a spot with a team as good as the American League East leaders. The Yankees will not win every game, but they won’t lose every game either. The perfect way to guarantee making money on these games is to wait for a team as good as New York to lose two or three games in a row, and then bet on them until they get back in the win column. By starting small and covering losses from game to game, the end result will always be a win as long as the bankroll is available to go the distance until they get a victory. A team as good as the Yankees won’t lose 10 games in a row, so although it isn’t guaranteed a win is very likely.

If the 2011 MLB betting regular season was limited to just a single series, the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays would have combined for one win through 10 games, and each finish at the bottom of their division. That is clearly not the case however, as all three of these contenders have legitimate shots to get on track and compete for division titles and beyond. That is one major aspect to look at when betting on baseball this early in the year, as the favorites that are off to slow starts will turn things around soon.

The Giants won just one of four online sports betting games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but now face the San Diego Padres’ team they eliminated from playoff contention a year ago. A bit of a hangover is understandable for the reigning champions, but a bounce back against their rivals isn’t unlikely. While the Giants are looking to get back on track after three straight losses, the Red Sox and Rays will both look for their first wins of 2011 out of the ultra-competitive Al East, with Boston in Cleveland to face the Indians and Tampa Bay looking for its first home win in its fourth try when they face the Los Angeles Angels. Both teams look like locks in the series openers, but if they fall again it will be just as strong to come back and double up on them in the next game.