Red Sox pound Dodgers in Review-Journal World Series opinion poll
The Red Sox are minus 145 favorites over the Los Angeles Dodgers (plus 125) to win the World Series, which starts Tuesday in Boston. A survey of opinions from Review-Journal staff members, other media, oddsmakers and handicappers:
Mark Anderson, Review-Journal: Red Sox in 7
Red Sox in seven. Halloween night in Fenway Park? The Dodgers will find themselves spooked again in what is now the city of champions.
Johnny Avello, DraftKings director of sports operations: Red Sox in 6
Game 1 appears to be an all-time classic pitching matchup but after that, it’s all about the bats. With 115 wins for the season and series wins over the Yankees and Astros, arguably two of the best in the game, I see the Sox in 6.
Randy Blum, Westgate sports book manager: Red Sox in 6
The Dodgers are the deeper team. The Red Sox are the better team. The ability of the Red Sox to hit good pitching will be the difference.
Frank Carulli, Professional sports bettor: Dodgers in 6
Boston punished an Astros team I didn’t think could get beat. But don’t sell the peaking Dodgers short. Series will hinge on Game 3. Banking on Buehler power to prevail against powerhouse lineup minus the DH.
Steve Cofield, ESPN Las Vegas: Red Sox in 5
Boston has won the last few offseasons buying or trading for the top starting pitchers, closer and slugger available. It pays big dividends here as the Red Sox roll to their fourth world championship this century.
Dave Cokin, ESPN Las Vegas: Red Sox in 6
Boston has been the best team in baseball all season, including the playoffs to date. All systems go for Red Sox Nation to celebrate another championship.
Todd Dewey, Review-Journal: Red Sox in 5
The Red Sox have been locked in all season and show no signs of slowing down. As long as Sale’s belly-button ring doesn’t bother him, Boston should bring home its fourth World Series title in 15 years.
Chuck Esposito, Sunset Station sports book director: Dodgers in 7
This series is all about matchups. I give the edge to the Dodgers starting pitchers with Kershaw and Buehler and I like Jansen over Kimbrel on the back end. The Dodgers’ 30-year World Series title drought ends.
Joe D’Amico, AASIwins.com: Red Sox in 6
The Dodgers are the proverbial, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Since their 1988 World Series win, this is now their 12th postseason appearance after falling short of another crown in the previous 11 trips. Boston has been the strongest and most consistent team in baseball since Opening Day. The Red Sox have too much power.
Doug Fitz, Systemplays.com: Dodgers in 7
Both teams have solid pitching and offense but the Red Sox are vulnerable at third base, which could be a huge disadvantage. The edge is with the Dodgers because they lost the World Series last year and teams in that spot usually bounce back.
Mark Franco, FrancoSports.com: Red Sox in 6
Look for lots of offense in this series with Boston having the better overall bats over the Dodgers.
Bernie Fratto, FoxSports Radio: Red Sox in 6
The best regular season team just plowed through two 100-win teams in dominating fashion. They’re not slowing down, either. Sorry Dodgers, Kirk Gibson ain’t walking through that door.
Ed Graney, Review-Journal: Dodgers in 7
The Dodgers had me not only at Hello, but from the first time I wondered about the back story to the throat protector on Steve Yeager’s catcher’s mask. For the love of a high fly ball into right field, she is…GONE!…in a year that has been so improbable (see injuries), the impossible will again happen. Yes, I also miss Vinny a lot.
Andy Iskoe, Thelogicalapproach.com: Red Sox in 6
In defeating the Yankees and Astros, the Red Sox beat a better and more experienced pair of teams than the Dodgers did in getting past the Braves and Brewers. Boston won 16 more games than L.A. and has the more potent and consistent offense with the better closer and better defense, especially in the outfield.
Ron Kantowski, Review-Journal: Red Sox in 6
Will the action on the field surpass the drama of incessant replay reviews, 4-hour games, starting pitchers that last 1⅓ innings and teams that don’t know how to bunt and advance a runner to second base in a key situation? Probably not. But I will be sort of watching anyway. I will have one eye on the games and the other on neighborhood kids who dare tread on my lawn.
Jay Kornegay, Westgate sports book vice president: Red Sox in 5
The Red Sox have been the best team during the regular season and postseason and the AL was the overall stronger league. Pitching is very comparable, with the Dodgers having a slight advantage in the bullpen. The Dodgers also have the bench advantage but I believe Boston’s starting lineup is so good and clutch, it wins the close games and closes it out in five.
Allen Leiker, Review-Journal assistant sports editor: Red Sox in 5
Jackie Bradley Jr. was the MVP of the ALCS. He hits eighth or ninth for the Red Sox. That’s how deep their lineup is.
Vinny Magliulo, Gaughan Gaming sports book director, VSiN: Dodgers in 6
These two public teams will generate terrific betting handle. Both hit and defend, but I give the overall pitching edge to the Dodgers.
Jason McCormick, Red Rock sports book director: Red Sox in 5
J.D. Martinez has a .455 career batting average vs. Clayton Kershaw. Craig Kimbrel struggled against the Astros but Justin Turner and Manny Machado are a combined 0-13 with five strikeouts in their career vs. the Boston closer.
Jay Rood, MGM Resorts sports book director: Red Sox in 5
The Dodgers can’t overcome a slow start and Boston’s bats will be white hot.
Ed Salmons, Westgate sports book manager: Dodgers in 7
Dodgers get a second chance at the title and win in 7.
Jeff Sherman, Westgate sports book manager: Red Sox in 6
Boston has been the best team all season and are better positioned for situational hitting in this highly-anticipated series. The Dodger pitchers won’t be able to contain the bats of the Red Sox.
Alex B. Smith, AxSmithSports.com: Red Sox in 5
Both clubs have been fun to watch this postseason but I’m not sure if the Dodgers pitching, which had to work a lot in the NLCS, will be able to withstand the hot bats of Boston.
Tom Spousta, Review-Journal assistant sports editor: Dodgers in 6
Manny Machado, Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig and the rest of the Dodger bats awoke in time to dispatch the Brewers in seven games. They’ll continue their onslaught vs. the BoSox while facing a more traditional pitching rotation. Clayton Kershaw and Co. will hold up their end for L.A.’s first World Series title since 1988.
Paul Stone, @PaulStoneSports: Red Sox in 7
Boston won 108 games in the regular season (including a 57-24 record at Fenway Park) and has the home-field advantage over Los Angeles. Plus Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has been a mere mortal on the mound in the playoffs, posting a 4.09 ERA over 141 innings of postseason baseball.
Jeff Stoneback, The Mirage sports book director: Red Sox in 5
If Sale is completely healthy. They are rolling right now, winning seven of nine playoff games while averaging over six runs a game. It’s a great matchup of East Coast vs. West Coast, large market teams. But I see the Red Sox too dominating to make this a classic Series.
Ken Thomson, SportsXRadio.com: Dodgers in 6
It’s their turn and just have a feeling Buehler will not take a day off until they win it all. …….Buehler?…….Buehler?
Dave Tuley, VSiN senior reporter: Red Sox in 6
The Dodgers are certainly playing well (as any team getting to the World Series usually is), but the Red Sox have been the best team in baseball and the series price is too short for me to take on the underdog. I’ll mostly be betting the unders, as I have throughout the postseason, and might take the underdogs in spot plays during the series, but passing on Game 1.
Robert Walker, USBookmaking sports book director: Red Sox in 6
Assuming Sale is okay. Should be a very entertaining series with a huge handle on these two popular teams.
Total: Red Sox 21, Dodgers 8
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