For starters, there are several key criteria you want to look for in a great sportsbook for betting baseball.  If one of the books you are looking at doesn’t meet most or all of the following benchmarks, simply continue to looks elsewhere.  For betting the MLB, just like in any other sport, you are trying to find the biggest edge over the sportsbook.  This can be determined in many ways, and now we will help you define them.

Does the sportsbook offer dime lines for baseball? This is the paramount question any would-be baseball bettor should ask before dropping a cent into an offshore book.  Books that offer true dime lines are actually pretty few and far between, but it’s more than worth your money to make sure ten cent lines are exactly what you are getting.

Dime lines ensure that you get the best possible MLB odds on every game that you bet.  Most sportsbooks offer what are called 20 cent lines.  The difference is simple.  With a 20 cent sportsbook you are giving the “house” a ten-point edge on nearly every bet that you make.  For example, let’s say you are at book that only offers 20 cent lines on baseball.  The odds they would give you would be something like:

St. Louis Cardinals -130 vs. Chicago Cubs +110 (Note the 20 point difference.)

Compare that to what you would see at a true dime line sportsbook on the exact same game:

St. Louis Cardinals -120 vs. Chicago Cubs +110

It’s as simple as that!  It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, right?  If you like the Cardinals at -120 you probably like them at -130 as well.  That’s not the point!  The point is that you are risking less on all of your bets throughout the season.  10 points doesn’t seem like much on its own, but say you make 300 bets over the course of the season.  That’s potentially 3,000 points of juice you are saving just by choosing a dime line book over a standard 20 cent book.

Does the book offer overnight lines? The reason you want overnight lines is similar to the reason you want dime lines: to save you money!  Now, baseball lines will almost always move throughout the day, but with overnight lines you have the chance to get in early before any heavy action moves the odds out of your favor.  The risk here, of course, is that the line could actually move more in your favor throughout the day, but in general you can pinpoint those lines that you know are going to move once the action starts flowing in.

What kind of bonuses does the book offer?  This is easy enough and it is something that everyone wants.  The crucial point to remember is that you want a good bonus, but not at the sacrifice of getting better lines throughout the season.  For example, if you were to tell me you had the choice between a 50% deposit bonus and a 20% deposit bonus, but the 50% book had 20 cent baseball lines and the 20% book had dime lines, I would implore you to choose the 20% deposit bonus knowing that you are going to save money over the long haul.

Now we’ve told you the basics you need to know about choosing a great baseball betting site.  You can head out into the vast wasteland of the Internet and research every single sportsbook you come across to be sure they meet the required criteria, or you can check out our list of recommended books to bet on baseball at and save yourself some time.  Easy choice, I know!

Reviews of the Top Sportsbooks for Betting Baseball

• BetOnline Review
• Bodog Review
• BetJamaica Review
• 5Dimes Review
• JustBet Review

Up to a 50% Initial Deposit & Re-Up Bonus

This is one of the more generous bonuses you are likely to see anywhere in the industry.  The percentage bonus you receive is based on how much you make with your initial deposit, the higher the deposit, the higher the percentage, it’s that simple.  Here’s a quick breakdown of what deposits qualify for which percentages:

Deposit Range – Sportsbook Bonus %

• $100-$500 – 30%
• $501-$1500 – 40%
• $1501 and UP – 50%

As you can see, if you are planning to deposit over $1500 to bet with this baseball season JustBet is really going to hook you up with that 50% bonus.  Even their bonuses on smaller deposit amounts are as good as, if not better, than most of the other sportsbooks we’ve reviewed for the baseball season.  You’ll also enjoy these bonuses if you ever need to re-up your account, which is something too many sportsbooks are lacking these days.

JustBet – Dime Lines & Baseball Betting

JustBet does offer dime lines, which are crucial if you are going to bet on baseball.  If you aren’t familiar with dime lines they refer to the 10 point difference between the favorite and underdog in baseball odds.  For example, if you have a line that says that the Yankees are -130 and the Red Sox are +120, you have a dime line (note the 10 point difference in lines).  Most sportsbooks only offer 20 cent lines, meaning, on the same game, you might see the Yankees -130 and the Red Sox +110.  By betting with a dime line sportsbook throughout the baseball season you are simply giving yourself better odds and a better chance to make money.  Here’s a closer look at baseball betting with JustBet:

• 5-inning Lines (Money Lines & Totals)
• Team Totals
• Dime Lines up to -145
• 15 Cent Lines up to -190
• 20 Cent Lines up to -230
• 30 Cent Lines up to -250
• 40 Cent Lines up to -280
• 50 Cent Lines up to -300

The bottom line here is that JustBet doesn’t offer dime lines up to the same levels as some of the other books we’ve reviewed.  The good news is that a small percentage of your bets will end up falling outside of the dime line limits and even if they do we think that JustBet’s bonus offers are the best you are going to find.

You already know that our handicappers offer the best baseball picks in the industry.  Couple their expert advice with a great dime line baseball sportsbook like JustBet and we are confident that you are going to have a successful season betting the MLB.  There are several other options you can check out for this season with our top baseball betting sites.

Reviews of the Top Sportsbooks for Betting Baseball

• BetOnline Review
• Bodog Review
• BetJamaica Review
• 5Dimes Review

The 50% Plus New Player Reward

This bonus offer will get you 50% in free play money for deposits between $100 and $400.  So you can get up to $200 in free play money.  The Plus is that if you deposit over $400, not only do you get the 50% free play, the rest of the deposit (up to $2,000) qualifies for a 20% free play bonus as well.  That means you could potentially earn up to $520 in free play money.  Not bad at all.

Sportsbook Free-Play Reward (Reload Bonus)

If and when you need to reload your 5Dimes account, they’ll give you a free play bonus based on the amount and method of your deposit.  The base bonus is for 20% of your deposit amount between $250 and $2500.  This gives you the potential for up to a $500 free play bonus on a reload deposit.  This bonus does depend on how you fund your account, so be sure to check at 5Dimes before making your reload to make sure your preferred deposit method qualifies.

5Dimes – Dime Lines and Baseball Odds

Having an account at 5Dimes is a great way to get an edge on betting on baseball.  If you don’t already know, it is absolutely crucial that you have an account at a sportsbook that offers dime lines for baseball.  A typical book offers 20 cent lines for baseball.  20 cents refers to the difference between the favorite and underdog, e.g. in a game with St. Louis -140 vs Cincinnati +120, the difference is 20 points.  With dime lines the difference is only 10 points, e.g. St. Louis -130 vs Cincinnati +120 or St. Louis -140 vs Cincinnati +130.  It may not seem like a huge deal at first blush, but over the course of a season you are going to make and save a lot of money by using a book with a dime line versus one with the standard 20 cent line.  Here’s a more detailed look at the MLB betting offerings from 5Dimes:

• Overnight Lines (Nickel Lines*)
• Reverse Run Lines
• 5-Inning Lines (Money Lines & Totals)
• Reduced Juice on Totals
• Reduced Juice on Run Lines
• Team Totals (at 20 Cents)
• Dime Lines up to -191
• 12 Cent Lines up to -195
• 15 Cent Lines up to -201
• 17 Cent Lines up to -205
• 20 Cent Lines up to -266
• 25 Cent Lines up to -280
• 30 Cent Lines up to -346
• 35 Cent Lines up to -361
• 40 Cent Lines up to -386
• 45 Cent Lines up to -421
• 50 Cent Lines up to -461

When all is said and done you’ll get some pretty good bonuses, great lines, and top-notch customer support at 5Dimes.  With a betting account at 5Dimes, plus expert MLB picks from the best handicappers in the industry at our site, you will be on your way to making a lot of money this baseball season.  If 5Dimes doesn’t work for you, never fear!  See our list of more baseball betting sites and we’re sure you’ll find one to suit your needs.

Reviews of the Top Sportsbooks for Betting Baseball

• BetOnline Review
• Bodog Review
• BetJamaica Review
• JustBet Review

$100/$100 Special

Great offer for those who just want to see what BetJamaica is all about.  Open up a new account, deposit $100 and they will give you $100 in free play.  We are confident that if you sign up and fund a new account you will be impressed with their lines, customer service, and fast payouts.  This bonus lets you try the site out with a small deposit and a 100% bonus!

20% Cash Bonus for New Accounts

If you are already convinced that BetJamaica is the right place for you to bet on baseball this season you will enjoy a 20% cash bonus to your account up to $500.  This might not be the highest bonus you can find, but it matches or beats most online books and you have the benefit of playing with better lines, plus confidence that the money in your wagering account is secure and easy to pull out when you are ready.

BetJamaica Dime Lines

If you are not already aware that there are many sportsbooks that don’t offer dime lines for baseball, you need to educate yourself!  Dime lines make you money by giving you better odds on baseball games.  The term dime line refers to the 10 point difference between the favorite and the underdog in the game.  Most books only offer 20 cent lines, e.g. Boston +125 at New York -145.  That same game at a true dime line sportsbook would be Boston +135 at New York -145 (or Boston +125 at New York -135, but you get the picture).  Here is a look at the features you can expect from BetJamaica for betting on baseball:

• Overnight Lines
• Reverse Run Lines
• 5-inning Lines
• Dime Line up to -190
• 13 Cent Line up to -195
• 15 Cent Line up to -200
• 18 Cent Line up to -205
• 20 Cent Line up to -240
• 25 Cent Line up to -250
• 30 Cent Line up to -280
• 35 Cent Line up to -290
• 40 Cent Line up to -300
• 45 Cent Line up to -310
• 50 Cent Line up to -230

You know that our handicappers provide you with expert baseball picks throughout the MLB season.  When you sign up with a great sportsbook and one of our experts you put yourself in position to take serious advantage of the baseball odds this year!  We give BetJamaica such high praise because they are one of the most experienced online sportsbooks in the industry and we strongly believe in having accounts at multiple dime line sportsbooks for betting on baseball and they are certainly one of the best.  For more options this season see all of our baseball betting sites.

Reviews of the Top Sportsbooks for Betting Baseball

• BetOnline Review
• Bodog Review
• 5Dimes Review
• JustBet Review

Here’s a look at Bodog Sportsbook & Casino.  Bodog has one of the best betting interfaces available online, great customer support, a sterling financial reputation, and excellent lines for those shopping for better underdog lines in baseball.

Unlimited 10% Sign Up Bonus

Most online sportsbooks are going to restrict the amount they will give you for your initial deposit bonus.  Not at Bodog.  With their unlimited first deposit bonus they’ll give you a 10% cash bonus on ANY deposit you make (minimum deposit is $20).

Bodog Dime Lines

They offer a dime line up to -149 odds, but keep in mind that they have a 20 cent overnight line for baseball, so you will need to wait to take full advantage of their dime line.  This dime line doesn’t reach a high of odds as some of the other books we’ve reviewed, but there are several reasons that Bodog is still a great choice for wagering on baseball.

First of all, despite lower dime lines, we’ve found Bodog to be what we in the industry call a “square” book.  What this means is that they command a lot of action from casual bettors, those people who simply don’t pay much attention to the odds, they just want to bet and typically bet on favorites.  The great part about this for a savvy bettor like yourself is that you can get great odds on underdogs in baseball.  Where the line might show +125 elsewhere, you can many times get it at +135 or +140 at Bodog because of the square action on the other side.

You also get the advantage of one of our favorite betting interfaces.  Let’s be honest, there are a lot of choices out there when it comes to online sportsbooks, so why settle for a cumbersome, hard-to-navigate sportsbook?  No book makes it easier for you to get your wagers in and get them in quickly than Bodog.

Of course we’ve already mentioned the unlimited 10% deposit bonus, so you won’t need to worry about getting limited on how much free money you can receive when you fund your account.  There may be some bigger percentages out there, but don’t be fooled!  Most of those have a low ceiling for how much you can receive when you do make that initial deposit.  Choose Bodog if you don’t want to worry about a bonus limit.

We hope you’ll join our expert cappers this year for their winning baseball picks.  Now that you know a great place to bet and a great place to find picks to bet on we know you are on your way to a successful season of betting on Major League Baseball.  Find out where else you can wager this year with our top baseball betting sites.

Reviews of the Top Sportsbooks for Betting Baseball

• BetOnline Review
• BetJamaica Review
• 5Dimes Review
• JustBet Review

New Account Bonus

The Better Bonus Guarantee: This is something you aren’t going to find at any other sportsbook.  If you can find a better deposit bonus than they are currently offering, BetOnline will meet or beat that bonus at their site.  Now, it does need to be a reputable book, you can’t, say, open up your own fake online sportsbook and offer $1,000 free for every $10 deposited, but it’s still an excellent deal.  This way you can open an account with one of the best books in the industry AND be certain you are getting the biggest deposit bonus possible!

Reload Bonus

The Lifetime Bonus Guarantee: Here’s another type of bonus you simply don’t see other books offering.  EVERY time you deposit into the book they are going to give you a 25% free play bonus.  Most books don’t even give you that good of a percentage on your initial deposit, much less give you any kind of reload bonus.

BetOnline MLB Dime Lines

Since our primary focus around here is on baseball betting we’ll be focusing on why BetOnline should be at the top of your list for choosing a sportsbook to bet on baseball with.  Firstly, if you aren’t currently betting with a book that offers true dime lines, you are costing yourself a lot of money throughout the baseball season.  The long and short of dime lines is that you are getting better odds.  The majority of online sportsbooks have 20 cent lines on baseball.  This means the difference between the favorite and underdog is 20 points at most sportsbooks, e.g. Yankees -150/Seattle Mariners +130, where at a dime line sportsbook (like BetOnline) the line would be Yankees -150/Mariners +140.  That additional 10 points can make a huge difference over the course of a season.  Don’t give the books any more edge than they already have!  Here’s a closer look at what BetOnline offers for baseball bettors:

• Overnight Lines
• 5-Inning Lines (Money Line & Totals)
• Dime Line up to -200
• 15 Cent Line up to -239
• 20 Cent Line up to -279
• 30 Cent Line up to -319
• 40 Cent Line up to -399
• 50 Cent Line up to -499

You already know we offer the best baseball picks online from the top handicappers in the industry.  Armed with our experts’ picks and a great dime line sportsbook like BetOnline you’ll be ready to take on the daily baseball lines and put some extra coin in your pocket!  If this books simply isn’t your style, we have a great list of the best baseball betting sites.

Reviews of the Top Sportsbooks for Betting Baseball

• Bodog Review
• BetJamaica Review
• 5Dimes Review
• JustBet Review

American League

AL East – Division Winner:  Boston Red Sox

The AL East has been the best division in baseball for the last several seasons.  This could be a down year in the East with the massive turnover on the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Red Sox and Yankees will predictably be battling it out all season long.  We have Boston winning the division with New York finishing a close second, enough to earn a Wild Card spot.  Tampa Bay still has some great young pitching and the remaining talent in their lineup should be enough for a 3rd place finish.  We like the Blue Jays, with their surprisingly potent offense, to end up close behind the Rays.  We’re predicting the Baltimore Orioles to finish in the cellar, though it does look like they will improve on their win total from 2010.

AL Central – Division Winner: Detroit Tigers

The Tigers have all of the tools in place to win the division.  They have one of the top hitters in the league with Miguel Cabrera, plus one of the best starters in the American League with Justin Verlander.  Competing for the top spot should be the White Sox and Twins, who we have finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively.  The bottom of the division will be slugged out between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians.  The Royals have more hidden talent, making us believe they will finish just head of the Tribe.

AL West – Division Winner: Texas Rangers

We are not expecting much of a shake up out West this season.  The Rangers are clearly the best team out of the division and are a legitimate threat to make a run to the World Series again in 2011.  We’ve got the A’s and Angels battling it out for second place, while the Seattle Mariners will likely finish in last place again this year.

National League

NL East – Division Winner: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are everyone’s favorite to win the World Series this year.  It’s hard to argue with that prediction considering just how good this team is on paper.  They’ve got the best rotation in the Majors and one of the better lineups in the NL when they are healthy.  The team with the best chance to knock the Phillies off this year is the Atlanta Braves, who continue to churn out excellent young talent for their rotation and lineup.  The Florida Marlins are another team with some exciting young talent.  They could gel and shock pundits by competing for the Wild Card, but we think they are probably still a few years from being true contenders.  The Mets and Nationals round out the division.  Neither figures to be much of a factor come playoff time.

NL Central – Division Winner: Milwaukee Brewers

On paper the Milwaukee Brewers look like the top team in the division.  The additions of Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum may be just the boost this team needed to make a play for a pennant.  With that being said, this again looks like one of the more wide-open divisions in baseball.  The Cardinals lost ace Adam Wainwright for the season, but they still have some players to work with in the rotation and a dangerous lineup with Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Colby Rasmus, and the addition of Lance Berkman.  The Reds shocked many by winning this division last year,.  They have the NL MVP with Joey Votto, and a pretty good lineup to boot, but we would be surprised to see this pitching staff hold up over the course of the season.  The Chicago Cubs could also make some noise in the Central, however, they have some seriously overpriced players (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Pena, Kosuke Fukudome, etc.) who have yet to live up to their contracts (to be fair, it’s Pena’s first year, but he did only hit .196 last year).  The Pirates and Astros are an afterthought in the Central.  We do like Pittsburgh’s young lineup, but their pitching is behind the rest of the division.  As for the Astros, they might be the worst team in the Majors this year.

NL West – Division Winner: San Francisco Giants

The Giants are still the best team in this division.  They have a good mix of veteran players and young talent, plus they didn’t see much turnover in players from last year’s roster.  The Rockies are the team most likely to challenge the Giants for the top spot.  Colorado has a potentially tremendous lineup, but their starting pitching could be what ends up holding them back.  The Padres and Dodgers are similar in that they have impressive pitching staffs, but not much in terms of offensive production.  We see them finishing 3rd and 4th, respectively.  The Arizona Diamondbacks are a team that doesn’t have much of an identity.  They aren’t a good hitting or pitching team.  It would be surprising if they didn’t end up in the cellar in the division.

Individual MLB Team Previews:

Beating the MLB odds is much easier when you start with a 45% deposit bonus. That’s the offer to our readers who sign up for a new account at BetOnline. That 45% bonus will be good starting with your initial deposit and every time you reload throughout your lifetime. Also, they will match any offer from another online book to assure that you will always have the best bonus when you play with them.

Starting Lineup

With the addition of Wells and the return of Morales, the Angeles offense should be much better than it was a year ago. Morales had 11 home runs and 39 RBIs in just 51 games before his season was ended with a fractured ankle from celebrating a walk-off grand slam. Morales hit 34 home runs and drove in 108 runs in 2009, and we see no reason why he won’t return to those numbers this season. Wells was a great addition this offseason, especially coming off his best finish in four years. He hit .273 with 31 home runs and 88 RBIs with the Blue Jays last season, and could be the staple to why the Angels win the AL West in 2011. Right fielder Tori Hunter is no longer a young pup, but still managed to hit 23 home runs with 90 RBIs in 2010. Don’t be shocked if he falls off a little this year. Second baseman Howie Kendrick finished with a career-high in doubles (41), home runs (14), and RBIs (75), and it appears the move to become more of a power hitter is working, but he must raise his .313 OBP. Veteran DH Bobby Abreu finished with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs, but posted just a .255 average and like Hunter, he could see his numbers fall this time around.

The rest of the lineup won’t likely give the Angeles a whole lot offensively. Center fielder Peter Bourjos is great in the field, but he hit just .204 with an OBP of .237. Catcher Jeff Mathis hit just .195 with and OBP of .219 in 205 at-bats last season. Shortstop Erick Aybar isn’t expected to hit for much power, but if he is going to keep his job, he he has to improve on his .256 average. Los Angeles is hoping Maicer Izturis can take over the starting job at third, after Brandon Wood completely flopped. The possibility is there for Izturis to hit 10-15 home runs with 70-80 RBIs, but he has to find a way to avoid injuries and stay on the field.

Starting Rotation

Los Angeles figures to have one of the top starting staffs in the West with the likes of Dan Haren and Jered Weaver at the top of the mix. Weaver went just 13-12 in 2010, but his 3.01 ERA and 1.074 WHIP, show he was much better than his record indicates. He has continued to get better with each year, and if the offense improves like they expect, he could be in the running for a Cy Young. The same could be said for Dan Haren, who really turned it on after coming over from the Diamonbacks in a midseason trade. Haren went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in seven starters with Los Angeles, and should be back around the 15-18 win mark this year. Ervin Santana is coming off one of his best years in 2010. He led the team with 17 wins, and finished with a respectable 3.92 ERA. However, Santana has struggled to put together two great seasons in a row. Joel Pineiro finished last year with a record of 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA, but almost all of his success came at home. He was nearly unstoppable at home, going 7-2 with a 2.18 ERA, but was just 3-5 with a 6.31 ERA on the road. Scott Kazmir was a big disappointment in his first season with the Angels, going just 9-15 with a 5.94 ERA. He no longer seems to be able to strike out batters on a consistent basis, and its hard to see a big improvement in 2011.

2011 Projections: 3rd Place AL West

While there are still a few question marks at a couple positions, we think Los Angeles will have enough offense to go with their impressive pitching staff to make them a serious contender in the West this season. The problem is the Rangers and Athletics both look like contenders as well, and we have the Angels finishing third in a close race.

Sign up for the baseball picks provided by our experts and win more with your MLB betting in 2011!

Individual MLB Team Previews:

Beating the MLB odds is much easier when you start with a 45% deposit bonus. That’s the offer to our readers who sign up for a new account at BetOnline. That 45% bonus will be good starting with your initial deposit and every time you reload throughout your lifetime. Also, they will match any offer from another online book to assure that you will always have the best bonus when you play with them.

Starting Lineup

For the Athletics to really get take off offensively this season, they need center fielder Coco Crisp to avoid getting hurt, something he hasn’t had much success with. Crisp has played in just 124 games over the last two seasons. In only 75 games last season, Crisp hit .279 with eight home runs and 32 stolen bases. Oakland went out and added right fielder David DeJesus from the Royals, and he can really help this team if he can stay on the field. DeJuses was hitting .318 before his season was ended with a thumb injury in 2010. Left Fielder Josh Willingham comes over from the Nationals and is projected to hit in the middle of the lineup. Willingham hit just .268 last season, but his .389 OBP and .848 OPS have us thinking he could really help this team score some runs. Oakland is taking a gamble on DH Hideki Matsui, with the hopes he can provide them some much needed power. Matsui hit .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Angels. Oakland is depending on catcher Kurt Suzuki to really be a force offensively this year, after hitting just .242 with a .303 OBP in 2010. First baseman Daric Barton hit .273 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs, easily his best year in the majors, and his 110 walks has us thinking he could be in for a breakout season. Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff led Oakland with just 16 home runs last year, but hit just .247 with a .283 OBP. Don’t expect much more than an average home run total in 2011. A guy to watch out for is veteran Mark Ellis, who put together a solid 2010 season with a .291 average and .358 OBP. Don’t be surprised if he puts similar or better numbers this season. Cliff Pennington did a respectable job in his first full season as the starting shortstop, but has to improve on his .250 average.

Starting Rotation

While the Athletics appear to have improved their offense, if they are going to win the division this season, it will be because of their starting rotation. It all starts with 22-year-old Trevor Cahill, who went 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA in 2010. If the offense improves, Cahill could easily top the 20 win mark this year. Gio Gonzalez really got it going in 2010, going 15-9 with a 3.23 ERA, after posting a 6-7 record with a 5.75 ERA in 2009. Dallas Braden might be the most recognizable starter on this staff thanks to the perfect game he threw last year, but he went just 11-14 with a 3.50 ERA. A lot of that has to do with no run support, which has us thinking he should put up a much higher win total in 2011. Brett Anderson is another young pitcher the A’s are really excited about. Anderson went 7-6 with a 2.80 ERA in just 19 starts, but has to show he can stay healthy after dealing with elbow problems last season. The final spot in the starting staff will likely go to Brandon McCarthy, who went 7-4 with a 4.62 ERA in 17 starts.

2011 Projections: 3rd Place Al West

If The A’s can get a spark offensively from their new additions and a couple of breakout seasons from their young stars, the Athletics will should be able to contend in the West. They pitching staff is as solid as they come, and could even improve off their strong 2010 season. While we didn’t pick the A’s to win the West, they are a sleeper worth watching out for.

Sign up for the baseball picks provided by our experts and win more with your MLB betting in 2011!

Individual MLB Team Previews:

Beating the MLB odds is much easier when you start with a 45% deposit bonus. That’s the offer to our readers who sign up for a new account at BetOnline. That 45% bonus will be good starting with your initial deposit and every time you reload throughout your lifetime. Also, they will match any offer from another online book to assure that you will always have the best bonus when you play with them.

Starting Lineup

The one sure thing in the lineup is leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki, who hit .315 and reached the 200 hit mark for a 10th consecutive season. At 36, Suzuki still remains a threat on the bases with 42 swipes in 2010. Third baseman Chone Figgins had a huge dropoff in 2010, and is one of many who have to turn things around in 2011. Figgins hit a career-low .259 with just one home run and 35 RBIs last season. Seattle is hoping first baseman Justin Smoak is ready to break out and give this team some much needed pop in the heart of the batting order. Smoak hit just .218 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 2010, but has the potential to hit 20+ home runs and 80 RBIs. DH Jack Cust was also a disappointment in 2010, hitting just 13 home runs after hitting at least 25 in each of the last three years. There are is no doubt center fielder Franklin Gutierrez is an amazing defender, but he has to be more of a factor offensively. After hitting .283 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs in 2009, he hit just .245 with 12 home runs and 64 RBIs in 2010. The same could be said for shortstop Jack Wilson, who is great defensively, but hit just .249 last season.

The rest of the lineup doesn’t provide much to get excited about. Seattle added veteran catcher Miguel Olivio, who hit .269 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs with the Rockies last season. New second baseman Brendan Ryan hit just .223 with the Cardinals last year, and is likely only going to be around until Dustin Ackley is ready to take over. Left fielder Michael Saunders is one player who does have some promise. He hit 10 home runs in just 289 at-bats last year, and we could see those numbers take a big jump if he holds down the everyday job.

Starting Rotation

Just how bad was the Mariners offense last year? Felix Hernandez won the AL CY Young with a 13-12 record, thanks to a 2.27 ERA, 1.057 WHIP, and 8.4 SO/9. If the offense gives him anything to work with, he should win at least 15 games in 2011. Jason Vargas is another guy who was hurt by a lack of offense. He posted a 3.78 ERA and 1.241 WHIP, but went just 9-12 on the season. Doug Fisher had a respectable 4.11 ERA, but went just 6-14, and its hard to see a a big turnaround in 2011 for a guy who doesn’t strike out a lot of batters. Michael Pineda is the Mariners top pitching prospect, who went 11-4 with a 3.36 ERA between Double A and Triple A last year, but you can’t expect a great year with the offense he has behind him. Veteran Erik Bedard hasn’t made more than 15 starts in each of his first two seasons with Seattle, but when he is able to go he is one of the top pitchers on this staff. Bedard went 5-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 2010, but isn’t of much value if he can’t stay off the DL.

2011 Projections: 4th Place AL West

There just isn’t enough evidence to believe the Mariners are going to have a huge turnaround offensively. Vargas isn’t anything close to to the No. 2 starter they had last year in Cliff Lee, and we just don’t see how they make it out of last place in a pretty tough division this season.

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Individual MLB Team Previews: