When the defending American League champion Texas Rangers opted not to try and negotiate with free agent pitcher CJ Wilson, instead spending hundreds of millions to bring on a relative unknown in Yu Darvish, there were a good number of per head bookies that had their doubts about the decision. With Darvish picking up his major league-leading sixth win of the season in a 4-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night, it is safe to say that nobody is doubting the first-place Rangers anymore, as they continue to inch closer to a third-straight World Series appearance.

While Darvish is only one piece in a large betting equation that has Texas out front in the AL West once again, his play early on this season has been solid enough to think that he could be one of the answers for the question marks left by consecutive World Series defeats. The 25-year old looks like an absolute stud, striking out at least seven batters in each of his last five starts, the longest streak for a Rangers’ pitcher since 1987. Over that same span, Darvish has thrown first-pitch strikes to 60-percent of the batters he has faced, factoring in a changeup to go with the curveball and fastball he opened the year with. The Texas pitching staff ranks fourth in the majors in ERA with a combined 3.24 mark, with Darvish leading the way at 2.60, and three other starters keeping their number under 4.00 including Neftali Feliz, Colby Lewis, and Derek Holland. The depth the Rangers have demonstrated in their starting rotation has allowed them to move Alexi Ogando in to a relief role, where he has combined with Mike Adams for 13 holds already. Closer Joe Nathan has already recorded eight saves, completing what could very well be the deepest pitching staff in baseball, if not the best according to the stats on the sites listed by the sportsbook reviews.

For all of the sportsbook points we have already made about the pitching staff, it is that much more incredible that Texas’ offense has been even better, leading the majors in runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, and ranked second in on-base percentage. Everybody knows just how good Josh Hamilton has been early on with 18 home runs already and a .408 average, but the Rangers also have five other regulars that are hitting over .270, with Adrian Beltre, Michael Young, and Nelson Cruz the three among them that have already hit 20 RBI in addition toHamilton’s 45.

As far as the MLB blogs evaluation is concerned, this Rangers’ team is actually better than the two that lost in the World Series in consecutive seasons, a scary thought considering how good those teams were.Texas is undoubtedly the most complete team in the majors, and as long as they can maintain their focus and consistency throughout the length of this marathon season, the Rangers will once again be right there contending for a World Series championship in what could be their best chance at finally bringing a title home.

Whenever two New York Cityteams meet in a playoff series, the press is quick to dub that series a “Subway Series.” Aside from its potential commercial implications, calling a series a “Subway Series” indicates that these are two cross-town rivals battling it out for bragging rights. The state of New Jerseyhas become such a part of the sports landscape in New York Citythat the NHLEastern Conference Finals between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers has taken on the feeling of a “Subway Series” for the teams and the fans. The online sportsbook observers could not help but notice how split the crowd seemed in game one of this series that was played inMadisonSquareGarden. The whole aura probably removes any home ice advantage that the Rangers would have, which just leaves the teams to play hockey.

The Devils had a lot of problems getting offense to the net in game one. That was a recurring theme in the regular season that New Jerseythought it had rectified when the playoffs started. The price per head bookie websites also took note on how much trouble the Devils’ defense and goaltending seemed to have containing a rather energetic set of New York forwards. These kinds of things are not exactly what the Devils wanted to see at the outset of this series.

New York Rangers

The Rangers played a very disciplined game in game one and it resulted in a New Yorkwin. But more importantly, the Rangers were able to spread the scoring around. New Yorkonly scored three goals, but three players each had at least two points in that game. A bodog review of theNew Jersey defensive approach shows that the Devils almost abandoned the trap and tried to play the Rangers one-on-one. As talented as the Devils may be, theNew Jersey defense is not able to skate with theNew York offense. The Rangers will continue to exploitNew Jersey’s problems on defense and, as long asNew York goalie Henrik Lundqvist can keep pucks out of the net, the Rangers will continue to apply pressure on Devils’ goalie Martin Brodeur.

New Jersey Devils

If the Devils want to get back into this playoff series, then it will have to start pushing back against the offensive push of the Rangers. The Devils’ forwards were not coming back on defense in game one and that was leaving theNew Jerseydefense alone with the Rangers’ offense.New Jerseyneeds to get back to its game of cycling defense down low and moving up and down the ice as a five-man unit. If the Devils continue to play this fragmented game, then it will be playing right into the hands of the Rangers.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans know that the Rangers have not shown enough consistency in these playoffs to be able to sweep a series. The Devils will win a game or two before this is over. But the Devils need to adapt immediately if it wants to change the tone of this series, and that shift needs to happen in this game two.

Pick: New Jersey Devils

The warning flags should be going up all over the Big Apple about the Rangers’ realistic chances at winning the Stanley Cup this year. The Rangers required overtime of the seventh game of the series with Ottawato final crack the shell of what had been a weak Ottawadefense. Now the Rangers need a seventh game to decide whether or not Big Blue can get past Washington’s rookie goaltender. Even the best sportsbook online is having a hard time understanding how one player could be giving the Rangers such a hard time. ButWashington rookie goaltender Braden Holtby continues his Dryden-esque performance in this series by driving the Rangers crazy.

The Capitals are suddenly finding its scoring right when it needs it. All season long, the Washington Capitals could not find its scoring touch. Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin were not the point scoring machine they normally are. The Capitals looked disorganized, disgruntled and disinterested when the playoffs started. But the persistent play of Holtby has inspired the Capitals to come together as a team and start playing to its potential. The price per head sports experts had always considered Washington a potentially dangerous team, even when the Caps were falling apart during the season. But it took a rookie goalie to bring the team together and force it to be great.

New York Rangers

The Rangers are extremely difficult to understand in these playoffs. New Yorkentered the playoffs with the best defensive team in hockey that was enhanced by a very opportunistic offense. But when the puck dropped on the playoffs, the Rangers’ offense went south and never came back. New Yorkhas been living off of the play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and has shown no indications that it can regain its scoring touch. When the Rangers lost game six by a score of 2-1, every NHL fan inNew York should have been preparing themselves for disappointment on Saturday night.

Washington Capitals

A sportsbook review of the Capitals’ play in the post-season shows that the team has been inspired and wants to win. There is talent on thisWashington roster, but it was not playing to its full potential all season long. A coaching change and several goaltending changes did not do anything to elevate the collective attitude of the Capitals. But when Braden Holtby started to look like he was batting on his own to win playoff games, the rest of the team responded. As the playoffs move forward, this Capitals team is only getting better.

The Bottom Line

The Rangers cannot pull this in every series and expect to get away with it. The Rangers cannot disappear offensively and rely on Lundqvist to win every game.New Yorkhas put itself in a position where Braden Holtby has shattered the Rangers’ offensive confidence. That means a lot and will be the main reason whyWashingtonadvances to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pick; Washington Capitals

Things were not supposed to go like this for the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers. Neither team was supposed to be tangled in a fierce battle in the second round of the playoffs, especially with each other. The Capitals slid into the playoffs and were supposed to be dispatched by the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. Even the best sportsbook online did not give the Capitals much of a chance of winning a game from the Bruins, much less the entire series. But by the time the series was over, the Bruins were sent packing and the Capitals went on to the second round.

The New York Rangers were the best team in the Eastern Conference all season long. The Rangers were supposed to slam in to the playoffs and destroy the Ottawa Senators in the first round. The price per head sportsbook experts had the Rangers as the odds-on favorite to win it all this season. But the Rangers needed overtime in the seventh game to beat the Senators and nowNew York is facing down game six with those pesky Capitals. It is funny how things can sometimes work out in a manner that no one expected but yet it still grabs everyone’s interest.

Washington Capitals

There is no doubt that a goaltending star is born in Washingtonwith rookie Braden Holtby. Unlike Semyon Varlomov before him, Holtby is a Washingtonrookie goaltender that is holding up well to the pressure of the playoffs. By the time Varlomov was knocked out of the playoffs in his rookie year, he was giving up basket loads of goals each game. Holtby is not cracking under the pressure and he seems to be getting better with each game. A 5 dimes review of the Capitals’ effort around Holtby shows a team that is playing at a level it had not achieved during the regular season. Then again, that is what the playoffs are all about.

New York Rangers

The Rangers are not making anything easy on itself in these playoffs. Overtime games have become commonplace in this series with the Capitals, and the Rangers are just barely winning these overtime games. This series had its triple-overtime epic that Alex Ovechkin could have ended for the Capitals just a few minutes into the first overtime period. Some of it is luck with the Rangers, and some of it is the spectacular play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

The Bottom Line

The NHL fans inNew York would love to know where the Rangers’ offense has gone in the playoffs, but the fans will take the wins they have seen so far. This series has become a goaltending battle, and the rookie is doing just fine at keeping pace with the veteran. This series will come down to offense and, in the end, the Washington Capitals should have a much more potent offense than the New York Rangers.

Pick: Washington Capitals

In the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays are back on top with 11 wins in 12 games at Tropicana Field, once again capitalizing on a unique blend of pitching consistency and the ability to bring in runs once they get on base. The betting sites fact that they took five of six games against the Angels and Texas Rangers is impressive, but they still have to take care of business in their own division. The top four teams in the AL East rank in the top-five in the entire league based on record, which would start with the Rays and Rangers at 17-8, and follow with the Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Yankees. Baltimore’s pitching has been much better early on but there are real Betonline question marks about how long that will last, but there is intrigue in Toronto in the fact that they are doing so well in spite of reigning two-time home run king Jose Bautista’s struggles at the dish. Bautista is batting .180 with four home runs, and if he could get going this month it could be the Blues Jays making a run at the division lead. The Yankees have dealt with pitching woes by scoring a ton of runs, but in the end they may need to acquire some help on the mound to have a pay head contending shot.

Outside of the AL East, it seems at this point like it is the Rangers and everybody else. Texas is undoubtedly the best online sportsbook favorite to advance to the World Series out of the AL once again, with the best offense in the majors complimented by a pitching staff that ranks sixth in overall ERA. The Rangers are without peer in the AL West, even though the Angels do appear to have enough talent to make a run. Los Angeles has won three-straight but still remains seven back, a gap that will be difficult to close even this early on. The Detroit Tigers are expected to close out the season on top of the AL Central, but will have some internal issues to settle along the way. The Tigers have been far too inconsistent of late, winning just three of its past 10 games and appearing disinterested at times. Right now Detroit is grouped with the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians at the top of the AL Central, but it shouldn’t be long before they find some separation.

The Washington Capitals were not supposed to beat the Boston Bruins in the first round of the NHLplayoffs. But Washingtonrookie goalie Braden Holtby got hot as Bostongoalie Tim Thomas cooled off and the Capitals sent the defending champion packing. Then the online betting sites said that the Capitals would get swept by the New York Rangers in the second round of the playoffs. In game one, it seemed like that may be the case. But then the Capitals bore down and slowed the Rangers almost to a halt in game two and came away with the win. Holtby continues to impress and the Capitals are not getting swept by the New York Rangers in the second round of theNHL playoffs.

To the price per head bookie experts, it almost looks like the New York Rangers are making things more difficult than they need to be in these playoffs. There is no way that the eighth seeded Ottawa Senators would take the first seed New York Rangers to a seventh and deciding game in theNHL playoffs. Yet, that is exactly what happened. The Rangers are still having a problem consistently scoring goals, and it could cost them dearly in this series. As the series shifts toWashington, there is a lot forNew York fans to be concerned about.

Washington Capitals

When the Rangers won game one of this series and limited the Capitals to only 18 shots, everyone started to think that the Rangers could just grind this series out and win with defense. But the Capitals had an answer in game two and Braden Holtby made 26 saves to make the win stick. Once again, the Capitals had precious few shots on net. ButWashingtonis doing its best to make every shot count. Can Braden Holtby out-duelNew Yorkgoalie Henrik Lundqvist like he didBoston’s Tim Thomas? So far, Holtby has shown that he can stay in any game and give his team a chance to win.

New York Rangers

A 5 dimes review of game two shows that the Rangers are going to have the same problem with the Capitals that the Bruins did. The Capitals have found another rookie goalie that is performing well in the playoffs.Washington wants to avoid the same mistakes it made with Semyon Varlomov as it develops Braden Holtby. The Rangers, in the meantime, are still trying to figure this Holtby kid out. This series will come down to goaltending, and the Rangers have a lot of confidence in their guy between the pipes.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans inWashington know that the Rangers are not a timid hockey team by any stretch of the imagination. The Rangers will come into game three and start pounding the Capitals like any good playoff team would do. But no matter how much the Rangers pound the Capitals,New York still has to beat Holtby. That has proven to be a very formidable challenge.

Pick: New York Rangers

Winnipeg Jets

The problem the Winnipeg Jets are having is that it is run by the same management team that could not get the Atlanta Thrashers over the playoff hump. The Jets did the same thing this year that the Thrashers had done for years prior. The team started out strong, contended for a playoff spot, and then faded down the stretch. The Jets have a great goalie in Ondrej Pavelec, but the team plays poor defense in front of him. The price per head sports experts see a lot of potential in the Winnipeg Jets, but the Jets are going to need to shore up its defense if it wants to win games.

Buffalo Sabres

The fans in Buffalodo not see a winning team being built, but a bodog review of the Sabres’ roster shows some positive changes being made. The Sabres need to get tougher and faster if it wants to compete for the Stanley Cup. Players like Marcus Foligno fit that bill. Cody Hodgson looked almost timid when he came over from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline, but he started to show potential towards the end of the season. The Sabres have promised results to its fans and now it needs to deliver. The only question is whether or not it is the right choice to keep going back to the team of general manager Darcy Regier and head coach Lindy Ruff.

Edmonton Oilers

The entire league keeps waiting for the Oilers to turn the corner, but the team continues to struggle.Edmontonis starting to see the benefits of drafting young talent like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but where the Oilers continue to fall short is in goal. Last season,Edmontonthought that veteran Nikolai Khabibulin was the answer. That turned out to be the wrong guess. The Oilers need to stop guessing in goal and find a real talent that can push the team to success. The Oilers seem to work on name recognition rather than talent. A few changes in the scouting department and a good goalie should get the Oilers on the right path.

Anaheim Ducks

NHL fans inAnaheim had a rough season. Their star goalie Jonas Hiller was out for a good part of the beginning of the season. When Hiller finally made it to the ice, he was inconsistent. The Ducks had some problems scoring goals, but it was mostly issues on defense that preventedAnaheim from making any progress this year. No team needed the season to end more thanAnaheim. New head coach Bruce Boudreau tried everything to get the team moving and nothing seemed to work. There will be player changes inAnaheim this offseason, but there is not a lot that really needs to be done. The Ducks can be a playoff team next year if the team just applies itself and utilizes the talent it has.

Offense

The St.Louis Blues have never had a problem scoring goals. As a matter of fact, the Blues have scored less goals this year than it did last year. In the 2010-2011 season, the Blues scored 240 goals. But in the 2011-2012 season, the Blues scored 210 goals. The price per head sports experts have never really considered Hitchcock a defensive-minded coach, but he has always been big on forechecking. The Blues’ offense has become obsessed with keeping the play in the opposition’s end and making sure that the puck does not cross into theSt. Louis end. The forwards play great positional hockey and are extremely aggressive. It is a complete change from last season and it has made a significant difference in the way that the Blues approach each game.

Defense

Sportsbook reviews of winning teams in the past show that it is impossible to have two starting goalies. That would be crazy, right? Last season, the Blues spent the entire year trying to figure out if Jaroslav Halak was really a starting goaltender in theNHL. In the off-season, the team brought in Brian Elliott to try and give some stability to the goaltending position. Ken Hitchcock looked at the situation and declared thatSt. Louis had two starting goaltenders, and both goalies went on to win 20 games each in the 2011-2012 season. It was a smart decision because it gave Hitchcock two starting goalies in the playoffs. When Jaroslav Halak was injured in the opening round against the Sharks, Elliott stepped in and the Blues never missed a beat.

The rest of theSt. Louisdefense has played great all season long. The team keeps the puck from getting in front of its net and offers plenty of support to both goaltenders. The Blues finished giving up only 165 goals against for the entire season, which allowed the team to finish as the top defensive team in the league. Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.

Summary

In only his first season as head coach, Ken Hitchcock has already made decisions that have put the Blues on the right path. The team is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and should strike fear into the heart of any team it plays. NHL fans inSt. Louis are trying not to get too optimistic, but thisSt. Louis team makes it difficult to not see flashes of the Stanley Cup when fans dream at night. The scary thing is that Hitchcock is only getting started.

Of course, with Marlins’ manager Ozzie Guillen stealing the spotlight with the ridiculous comments that earned him a suspension from the team, and the new stadium with its almost as ridiculous Marlins’ home run attraction in the outfield adding to the distractions from the actual product on the field, there is no doubt that this actual Miami team has been under the radar. The Marlins overall record hasn’t been very impressive either as they have hovered around the .500 mark to open the year, but if you look at the finer details, there are several reasons to believe this team could become a legitimate sports betting contender.

The Marlins rank in the top-third of the league with a combined .256 batting average, and most of the players are still getting settled in to their new digs. The combination of 2011 NL batting champion Jose Reyes at the top of the order with Hanley Ramirez batting in the three-spot has already looked like one of the best in baseball, including Ramirez hammering home runs in three straight games earlier in the week. Emilio Bonifacio and Omar Infante are both batting over .330 to open the year, and with some quality depth in Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison, the Marlins have a ton of betting options.

With the offense accounted for, the focus can change to the starting rotation, where Mark Buehrle got his first win on Wednesday throwing five strikeouts through eight-strong with just one earned run allowed. Buehrle should be fine in terms of givingMiamia shot to win every game and sometimes stealing one, but the Marlins are going to need more from both Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez. Johnson has struggled early on this season and needs to be better forMiamito have a shot, and if the team can get something from Sanchez in Carlos Zambrano, they very well could surprise.

A quick look over the Betonline preseason favorites to win the NL East shows that the Marlins weren’t considered among the top choices, and the lack of respect that they have gotten could lead to some good value out there throughout the year. Whether or not the talent in Guillen’s clubhouse has what it takes to win games is an entirely different story altogether, but don’t sleep on them as a team capable of winning some big games this season. The Nationals will be in tough to keep up their current pace, and neither the Braves or Phillies have been overwhelming early on, so while Miami may not be the flashiest choice as a betting option, they could surprise by contending for the division.

To say that the sports world is still reeling from the 3-0 series deficit that the Pittsburgh Penguins are experiencing against the Philadelphia Flyers is a massive understatement. When the NHLseason was winding down, the Penguins were fast becoming the odds-on favorites to win the Stanley Cup. The online betting sites got even more interested inPittsburgh when captain Sidney Crosby made his successful return to the ice after over a year of concussion troubles. But a familiar ghost started haunting the Penguins when the playoffs began, and it is something thatPittsburgh must look into fixing for next year. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been a playoff disappointment for yet another playoff run.

When the Flyers brought in goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov in the offseason from Phoenix, the fans in Philadelphiawere already celebrating a Stanley Cup victory. But the pay per head sportsbook experts were a little wary of Bryzgalov, and their fears were realized as the season wore on. Bryzgalov is inconsistent and eccentric. He did not play in the Winter Classic because it was too cold. Throughout the game, the television coverage would show him on the bench wrapped in a blanket with a pot of tea. Bryzgalov has been able to come through forPhiladelphia in the playoffs. But he is getting a lot of help from Fleury in all of his playoff wins.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ goaltending has given up eight goals in two of the three games in this series so far. The truly frustrating thing for Pittsburghis that the Flyers are not bombarding the net with shots. The sad truth is that Fleury is playing poorly in the playoffs again. The other negative side effect to Fleury’s play is that it is disguising the fact that Bryzgalov is playing a terrible series as well. While Fleury and backup Brent Johnson were giving up 16 goals in two games, Bryzgalov was giving up nine. A bodog review of past Stanley Cup champions shows that the Flyers cannot win with that kind of goaltending.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers managed to exploit the one area wherePittsburghis weakest – in net. When the pressure is on, Marc-Andre Fleury folds like a tent. The Flyers are actually doing a good job of shutting down Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby during this series, but it is the other Penguins that are causing problems. The Flyers are sloppy in their own zone and thePhiladelphiatransition game is disorganized. But all of that is being covered up by the play of thePittsburghgoaltender. IfPhiladelphiawants to get past the second round of the playoffs, it is going to need to come up with an all-around solid effort in game four.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans are still trying to figure out how the Penguins are in a position to get swept by the Flyers. The truth is that the Penguins put itself in this position by not playing strong defense and by getting weak playoff goaltending. The Penguins cannot ignore the playoff shortcomings of its roster any more. IfPittsburgh wants to make a serious playoff run, some changes will need to be made. But all of that will not matter in this series.

Pick: Philadelphia Flyers