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| How will Melky Cabrera's dominating absence change the NL West race? Vegas has spoken. (Getty Images) |
Needless to say, we're all wondering how the NL West will play out now that Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera is suspended for balance of the 2012 regular season because of a positive test for testosterone.
| More "Melky-Gate" |
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As I've already opined, the drop-off from Cabrera to Gregor Blanco shouldn't cost the Giants more than a game or two over the final six weeks of the regular season.
Still, given the tight race between the Giants and Dodgers, that could be enough to alter the outcome.
Vegas would seem to agree. Courtesy of Bovada.lv, here are the latest NL West odds reflecting the post-Melky landscape ...
Odds to win the 2012 NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers - 2/3
San Francisco Giants - 5/4
Arizona Diamondbacks - 15/2
Before the Cabrera suspension, both the Dodgers and Giants were 11/10 to win the division.
Bovada.lv sportsbook manager Kevin Bradley explains the thinking behind the revised odds:
"With the season that Melky has been having, him not being in the lineup definitely affects the Giants World Series chances going forward. The Dodgers will surpass the Giants going from 14-1 to 9-1 and the Giants in turn from 12-1 to 15-1. As far as yesterday’s game, once the news came out about Melky an instant move by the bettors towards the Nationals was made with constant money pouring in on the Nats but a position player can only affect the line so much and we moved about 5 cents from -120 to -125. The next few games will give us a better understanding of how much he really meant to the Giants."
Respond accordingly.
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