San Diego Padres odds – horrific offense back for more in 2009
San Diego Padres odds will be among the worst in Major League Baseball season. There are many issues with this club, chief among them the batting lineup. A lack of offense more than cancelled out some solid pitching and led to a last-place finish.
Little has been done to fix the offense. So can San Diego rebound, or will it be another long year on sports betting odds for the Padres?
San Diego Padres odds: +7600 to win the World Series
- National League’s worst offense returns intact
- Peavy and Young need more help from the lineup
- Closer Hoffman leaves town with his 554 career saves
If you bet on the Padres last year, you watched in horror as the offense struggled tremendously, finishing last in the National League in runs scored. The team finished among the bottom five teams in just about every important category, and only so much of it can be blamed on the pitchers’ paradise that is PETCO Park. Only Adrian Gonzalez (.279 average, 36 homers, 119 RBIs) and Kevin Kouzmanoff (.260, 23, 84) brought anything to the table. The rest of the lineup was an abyss of failure. Besides the two aforementioned hitters, there’s nothing for baseball betting fans to get excited about here.
What’s especially frustrating for Padres betting fans is that there’s some decent talent amongst the pitching staff. Jake Peavy and Chris Young make a formidable tandem to lead off the rotation. Their numbers were very solid last year (2.85 ERA for Peavy, 3.96 for Young) but both missed time with injuries. For this team to have a chance, they need to stay healthy. Even then, there’s only so much these guys can do by themselves on MLB odds—nine of Peavy’s 11 losses, for example, came when San Diego scored three runs or fewer.
The bullpen has a serious hole to fill after the exit of Trevor Hoffman. Hoffman is a lock for 30-40 saves, but he’ll be taking his paychecks from Milwaukee now. Heath Bell, formerly the set-up man, should have the stuff to take over for Hoffman. Unfortunately, the Padres likely won’t’ be in a position to use him often.
If you’re thinking Padres odds for the World Series or division title—forget about it. There’s no reason to believe this lineup will be any better than last year. Padres betting will be a dangerous game to play even if you chase Peavy and Young since the offense often lets them down. You’ve been warned.
Get Padres odds and other MLB lines in the sportsbook at BetOnline.com.
Before his arm flamed out, Dale “Skip” Lalonde was famous for his high-90s heat and power at the plate. He retired young but never turned his back on baseball, earning the nickname “Skip” for his high-school coaching prowess. A true student of the game, he loves crunching the numbers when he handicaps baseball. Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
