MLB The Show Futures Betting Contest

Ian D'Andrea via Flickr

Looking for a little action at no cost? Check out our futures betting with MLB The Show. Compete for swag, free subscriptions and more!

Here is how the contest will work:

1. Pick your favorite MLB futures bets and follow along with us each week as we run a series of simulations. 
2. We are offering futures betting markets for:
   1. Divisional Winners
   2. AL and NL Champions
   3. World Series Champion
   4. AL and NL MVP
   5. AL and NL Cy young
   6. AL and NL Rookie of the Year
3. The picks will each be graded based on a unit size for the wager:
   1. Divisional Picks = 0.5 units
   2. League Picks = 0.25 units
   3. Player Future Picks = 0.25 units
   4. Word Series Picks = 0.10 units
4. Submit your picks via this form by Sunday, March 22nd
5. We will have Davis Mattek and Mike Leone stream on Periscope on the following days:
   1. We will announce the contest on a stream Thursday, March 19th at 2PM EST.
   2. Catch the 1st half of the season simulation on Monday, March 23rd and live leaderboard updates
   3. Catch the 2nd half of the season simulation on Wednesday, March 25th.
   4. The final simulation and playoffs will be done on Friday, March 27th.
6. Prizes will be awarded to the highest finishers based on total net units
   1. 1st Place: Free Year of ANNUAL ELITE + DailyRoto Under Armour Long Sleeve Tee Shirt
   2. 2nd – 5th Place: Free Annual Sport of your Choice
   3. 6th – 10th Place: Free Month of ELITE Promo Code

Follow us on twitter @sportsgrid and @dailyroto for live streams and updates.

Need help getting started? Ricky Sanders has broken down his favorite selections for each bet below.

AL Central

White Sox +300 – Whereas the Twins will prove to be the chalk, the White Sox pay 3:1 and should prove to be a bit of a contrarian pick. Their lineup is loaded, even more so than the Indians, and their pitching has a chance to be similarly productive, especially once Carlos Rodon returns from the disabled list. FanGraphs projects the White Sox to allow 5.0 runs per game compared to 4.83 for an Indians staff that lost Corey Kluber. The Twins will once again be a dominant offense, especially with the addition of Josh Donaldson, but C.J. Cron and Jonathan Schoop were two important pieces of the puzzle (especially against LHP) that the team will be missing this year. Jose Berrios is a solid number one pitcher but their rotation is just as iffy as the White Sox beyond their number one starter. Once Michael Kopech enters the equation, the argument could be made that the White Sox rotation is the deeper one, and their offense should be similarly potent. Instead of taking the chalk in the AL Central, the teams seem similarly-talented enough to take a shot one of the underdogs.

AL East

Yankees -335 – Early injuries and suspensions are cause for concern for a Yankees team that dealt with intense injury problems last year and still won 103 games. Luis Severino missing the entire season does not help the cause but at least Domingo German will be back from suspension after 80-games and James Paxton should only miss minimal time. Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are all dealing with injuries but the emergence of Mike Tauchman last year gives this team serious outfield depth. Clint Frazier posted a strong spring and he can be called upon if necessary to fill the outfield void(s) along with Tauchman and his .364 wOBA, 128 wRC+ at the MLB level last year. Adding Gerrit Cole, the best pitcher in baseball right now, to headline the rotation was beyond massive and he and the other starters should be able to hold down the fort until the recruits arrive later in the year. The Rays are a strong second contender but just do not possess the necessary firepower to compete in the long run.

AL West

Astros -210 – If this were not a simulation, betting against the Astros would be a more alluring proposition, as MLB The Show gives strong ratings to the remaining players. Not being able to steal signs could lead to a relatively significant downtick in production for Astros hitters at home that will not be taken into consideration in these sorts of simulations. In reality, the Angels could provide serious value at +700, as could the Athletics at +325, but there is too large of a talent disrepency between the Astros and the next team in the division to bet against them.

NL Central

Cardinals +250 – The Cubs being tied for the favorite in this division is a bit ridiculous even though FanGraphs is projecting the Cubs for more wins. In my opinion, the market is overvaluing a Cubs team that did not do much this offseason other than lose important pieces. Two of the setup men in the bullpen own a career 4.97 ERA and 1.35 WHIP respectively (Brad Weick and Kyle Ryan), Yu Darvish is the only true sure thing in the rotation and youngster Nico Hoerner is going to be relied upon at second base. The Cubs are still a decent team but there are way too many holes to crown them NL Central champs. Jack Flaherty is every bit the ace Yu Darvish is and the Cardinals bullpen is highlighted by a closer who was actually dominant last season: Giovanny Gallegos. Meanwhile, Craig Kimbrel was having more issues this Spring, and is a huge question mark. The Cardinals rotation behind Flaherty is filled with useful (but not dominant) options and the offense is strong from top-to-bottom especially after the emergence of Tommy Edman last season. The remaining three teams in the division are filled with holes so St. Louis is the choice here by default.

NL East

Braves +200 – The reigning MLB champions come from the NL East division and no they are not the Braves. However, the Nationals lost a key component to their championship run (Anthony Rendon) this offseason and his loss cannot be overstated. Ronald Acuna Jr. has a chance to emerge as the best player in baseball this year, yes even over Mike Trout, and the Braves did an adequate job replacing Josh Donaldson’s bat with Marcell Ozuna. Cole Hamels added some much-needed depth to a rotation rounded out by Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb and the end of the bullpen is solid as well (between Mark Melancon and Will Smith). While the team would use an upgrade at third base and potentially another starter, the top of the lineup is as good as anyone in the division and Fried/Foltynewicz feature significant upside. Foltynewicz’s velocity was down last year but he appeared to be rounding into form prior to Spring Training being canceled. In fact, the show has properly weighted his upside into his rating, as he rates similarly to the likes of Mike Soroka (looks a bit underrated) and Max Fried. While the Nationals should provide fierce competition, the Braves are my pick to prevail.

NL West

Dodgers -715 – There is certainly some game theory appeal to fading the massive favorite Dodgers in this division but the alternatives are a bit bleak. Not only is the rotation one of the deepest in baseball but the acquisition of Mookie Betts only makes a scary lineup even scarier. Top catching prospect Will Smith and one of the top prospects in baseball Gavin Lux will hit at the bottom of the lineup meaning pitchers cannot take any hitter off (other than maybe the nine-spot in the lineup). As part of the Betts trade, the Dodgers also acquired David Price, who will slide into the middle of a rotation that already includes Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias and Alex Wood. This team is going to be tough to beat and is not a squad that is easy to bet against.

NL Champion

Dodgers +170 – Naturally, these are not great odds by any means, especially when there are 14 other potential options to choose from, but the Dodgers are loaded at virtually every position. Once the MLB gets to the playoffs, anything can happen, but that is likelier when there is not a super-team in the league like the Dodgers. No one in the league features an offense with anywhere near the same firepower and the rotation is loaded with five potential aces. They are a giant favorite to come out of the National League and I am not betting against them…yet.

AL Champion

Yankees +200 – The addition of Gerrit Cole for a team that was already loaded on the offensive side of the ball is too much to overlook. A lack of consistent, top-end starting pitching cost this team in the end last year, so the addition a true, healthy ace is a total game-changer. Masahiro Tanaka becomes the team’s number three starter with high-upside Domingo German on the horizon and that makes for a strong postseason rotation. With a little bit of luck in the health department, the Yankees will simply be a dominant force down the stretch. They stole the Astros’ top pitcher which is the reason they are getting the edge here over the Astros.

World Series Champion

Yankees +400 – The Dodgers seemed like an all too obvious pick and over the course of a seven-game series the Yankees have the combination of pitching and hitting to match them. When healthy, these are clearly the two best teams, and my hypothesis is the cream rises to the top in the end.

AL MVP

Mike Trout +125 – The best player in the game is the play here with Aaron Judge’s status uncertain due to injury and Francisco Lindor playing on an Indians team that I believe underwhelms this season/simulation. Already a three-time AL MVP, including last season, all Trout needs to do is stay relatively healthy to put up numbers that no one in the game can touch. He launched a career-high 45 homers last year and he is expected to steal more bases this year with him likely hitting leadoff. There are certainly solid values down the list, like Alex Bregman at +1700, but Trout is simply in his own realm.

NL MVP

Ronald Acuna +1000 – Instead of rolling with the chalk Mookie Betts, the odds for Ronald Acuna seem too long, especially since I already have stakes riding in the Braves to win their division. He is every bit as talented as the players with lower odds and yet Vegas appears to simply be heavily-weighting the Dodgers as massive favorites. Just because the Dodgers win the division, and potentially the league, does not mean a MVP has to come from their team, especially considering one player will be more valuable to other, less loaded squads. Acuna hit 41 homers and stole 37 bases last season so a MVP season is by no means a stretch and he is being given 10-1 odds. Book it.

AL ROY

Luis Robert +225 – Robert is the MLB’s best and most well-rounded prospect since Ronald Acuna Jr. and the White Sox guaranteed him a spot on the big-league roster from the get-go by extending his contract this offseason. Some of the pitchers on the list behind Robert are extremely talented but Robert is an exciting piece of a White Sox offense set to explode this year. Robert should begin the year hitting eighth in the lineup but improvement should lead to him moving up the order and potentially hitting 20-plus homers and stealing 15-plus bases. He is the clear favorite here for a reason although the value of Nate Pearson at +2200 would be my second choice.

NL ROY

Carter Kieboom +500 – While other players on the Nationals can play third if need be, Anthony Rendon signing with the Angels opened up significant playing time for Carter Kieboom. In Triple-A last year, Kiemboom hit 16 HRs with 79 RBI and five steals in 109 games and slashed .303/.409/.493. In a simulation, he likely gets more playing time than FanGraphs projection systems are expecting (around 120-games), which should increase his odds to win the award here. Gavin Lux is the odds-on favorite here but Kieboom should hit higher in his respective lineup and plays in the superior hitting environment. For those reasons, he is worth a shot at +500.

AL Cy Young

Gerrit Cole +260 – What is there to say here other than he is the best pitcher in baseball pitching on a team expected to win 100-plus games this year? The Yankees are my pick for the World Series and so I will be relying on this horse anyways…might as well double down.  

NL Cy Young

Max Scherzer +375 – Jacob deGrom is the slight favorite here despite Scherzer and deGrom both being given “99” ratings by MLB The Show. With near perfect ratings, it seems obvious that one of these two would dominate a video game reality that it is hard to take an off-the-board choice. Yu Darvish would be a sneaky good pick if this were reality considering the monster second half he had last season but this is not reality. Therefore, give me the elite player with the longer odds than the favorite.