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2024 MLB American League Playoff Preview Odds and Picks

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

The Major League Baseball Playoffs are underway, and the New York Yankees are the public choice to win the American League pennant. With the best record in the American League and the highest payroll in the junior circuit, the Yankees are a compelling choice. In addition to their performance on the diamond this year, the Yankees are a megabrand. With that status, the prices for New York are often driven up beyond what they should be. Most important for gamblers to consider is the unpredictable nature of the playoffs. The additional wild card round has been a cause of more upsets and volatility for gamblers to be mindful of.

MLB Series Betting Lines

American League Playoff Preview Odds and Picks

New York Yankees +180

Cleveland Guardians +360

Houston Astros +370

Baltimore Orioles +500

Kansas City Royals +1000

Detroit Tigers +1100

New York Yankees

Despite their public brand and popularity, the Yankees were able to hold respectable value and finish in the black this season. Aaron Judge is the marquee man on the Yankees, with 58 home runs and 144 runs batted in. Juan Soto, with 41 home runs and 109 runs batted in, is also factoring in. The Yankees ranked 6th for bullpen earned run average and ranked third for run production. Clay Holmes had 30 saves this season. Carlos Rodon impressed with a record of 16-9 and a 3.96 earned run average.

Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians won the American League Central and were one of the most profitable teams on the board. On the mound, Cleveland is at the extremes, ranked 28th for starting pitching but 1st for bullpen earned run average. Jose Ramirez leads the lineup with 39 home runs and 118 runs batted in. Josh Naylor added 31 home runs and 108 runs batted in.

Houston Astros

After a terrible start that put their playoff prospects in jeopardy, the Astros finished strong to win the American League West. Houston shows solid balance, ranking 10th for run production and 7th for earned run average. Houston was led by Jose Altuve, who scored 94 runs with 31 doubles, 20 home runs, and 65 runs batted in. Yordan Alvarez added 88 runs, 35 home runs, and 86 runs batted in.

Baltimore Orioles

Although the Orioles took a step back this season, they remain one of the best teams in baseball and perhaps offer more value than megabrands such as the Yankees. Baltimore ranked 4th for run production and 2nd for home runs. The Orioles' good starting staff ranked 6th for quality starts. Of great concern is a bullpen that ranked 23rd for earned run average. Gunnar Henderson led the Orioles with 118 runs, 31 doubles, 37 home runs, and 92 runs batted in. Also, Anthony Santander added 91 runs, 25 doubles, 44 home runs, and 102 runs batted in.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals were perhaps the biggest surprise in the 2024 season. One year ago, Kansas City lost 106 games but flipped the script with more ownership investment. Kansas City's strength is its starting staff, which ranked fourth for earned run average. Bobby Witt was the most valuable player for Kansas City. Witt produced 125 runs, 45 doubles, 32 home runs, and 109 runs batted in. Also, Salvador Perez added 28 doubles, 27 home runs, and 104 runs batted in.

Detroit Tigers

Detroit came out of nowhere to earn the final American League wild card spot. The Tigers made the playoffs with a bullpen that ranked fifth for earned run average. Detroit is not a strong offensive club and had to scrap for runs this season. Tarik Skubal was outstanding on the hill, with a record of 18-4 and a 2.39 earned run average with a 0.92 WHIP.

2024 American League Pennant Pick

Although playing favorites can be dicey in the MLB postseason, the Yankees are the most complete team in the AL field and are playing with purpose this year.

2024 American League Pennant Bookmaker Best Bet: New York Yankees

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2024 MLB National League Playoff Preview Odds and Picks

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

The National League playoffs have opened with a familiar name on top of the wagering board. The Los Angeles Dodgers have opened as the favorite to win the National League pennant. And while that is standard operating procedure for MLB gambling it is also not a certain way for bettors to make a profit. With the expansion of the wild card format, the MLB Playoffs have become much more unpredictable. Since the 2013 season, the Dodgers have made the postseason every year. Yet Los Angeles has only three National League pennants in the span, with the most recent one in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. It is worth mentioning that in the past two seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks were surprise NL champions.

MLB Series Betting Lines

National League Playoff Preview Odds and Picks

Los Angeles Dodgers +175

Philadelphia Phillies +230

San Diego Padres +550

Milwaukee Brewers +800

Atlanta Braves +800

New York Mets +950

Los Angeles Dodgers

While the Dodgers won the National League West by a comfortable margin, they failed to produce a profit. Los Angeles is consistently the most expensive team on the board because of its public popularity, especially when they play at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are a strong offensive club that ranked 2nd for run production and 3rd for home runs. Los Angeles has a strong bullpen that ranked 4th for earned run average. Shohei Ohtani is the marquee man on the Dodgers with 134 runs, 38 doubles, 54 home runs, and 130 runs batted in.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have grown from an upstart team to one that is part of MLB?s power establishment. Philadelphia is one of the most complete teams in baseball. The Phillies ranked 5th for run production and 1st for earned run average. Kyle Schwarber powers the Phillies with 110 runs, 22 doubles, 38 home runs, and 104 runs batted in. Bryce Harper added 85 runs, 42 doubles, 30 home runs, and 87 runs batted in. Zack Wheeler is one of the best starters in the game with a record of 16-7 with a 2.57 earned run average.

San Diego Padres

The Padres were the second most profitable team this season, yet San Diego finished five games behind the Dodgers in the National League West. The Padres are solid but not dominant in any aspect of the game, and their comparative anonymity helps enhance their value. Robert Suarez saved 36 games with a 2.77 earned run average and a record of 9-3 in 2024. Manny Machado led the attack with 77 runs, 30 doubles, 29 home runs, and 105 runs batted in.

Milwaukee Brewers

No team wins more money with less notoriety than the Milwaukee Brewers. The Crew was the top moneymaker on the board this season and won the National League Central with ease. Of great concern for the Brewers is a starting staff that ranked 29th for quality starts. But the Milwaukee bullpen ranked 2nd in MLB for earned run average. Willy Adames led the offense with 93 runs, 33 doubles, 32 home runs, and 112 runs batted in.

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta barely made the playoffs but deserves credit for overcoming numerous key injuries. However, Atlanta gushed red ink because of its inconsistent play coupled with its enormous popularity with squares. The Braves ranked fourth for home runs and second for staff earned run average.

New York Mets

Like Atlanta, the Braves barely made the postseason. But unlike the Braves, New York was one of the most profitable teams in the league. The Mets have an erratic bullpen but are solid at run production.

2024 National League Pennant Pick

The Philadelphia Phillies have everything necessary to win the NL pennant. The Dodgers offer poor value and a history of postseason failures.

2024 National League Pennant Bookmaker Best Bet: Philadelphia Phillies

Check out the latest odds at BookMaker

2024 College World Series Odds and Picks

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

The field for the 2024 College World Series is a bit skewed with only two conferences represented among the eight teams. And there?s a good chance we have a first time baseball national champion with six programs vying for their first title. Oddsmakers have the Texas AM Aggies and Tennessee Volunteers as the favorites to win the tournament, though it?s really up for grabs. The 2024 College World Series starts on June 14 and runs through no later than June 24 with all games played at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.

Considering how good Texas AM and Tennessee are and have been throughout the season it isn?t a surprise to see them as the betting favorites. Toss in the Kentucky Wildcats, who finished with the same conference record of 22-8 as the No. 1 seed Vols and the SEC has a real good shot at winning a national championship. A feel good story out of Omaha would be to see Florida State finally win a title. The Seminoles are making their 24th appearance in the CWS and they?ve come away empty handed each time. No other school has more than 12 trips without a championship.

2024 College World Series Odds

Texas AM Aggies +225

Tennessee Volunteers +275

Kentucky Wildcats +425

North Carolina Tar Heels +600

Florida State Seminoles +900

Virginia Cavaliers +1000

Florida Gators +1300

NC State Wolfpack +1400

The Field

Like I mentioned it?s an interesting collection of teams with four from the SEC and four from the ACC. And only Florida and Virginia among the squads have won a CWS championship. Boasting the best record in college baseball, Tennessee enters as the No. 1 seed, though early futures odds had them behind Texas AM as the favorite. The Vols dominated the Knoxville Regional winning all three games by a combined score of 33-12. A loss to Evansville in Game 2 of the Super Regional may have been what they needed to keep their head straight. The Vols responded with a 12-1 trouncing to punch their ticket.

Tennessee is about as balanced a team as you?ll find in college baseball. Led by Blake Burke, who?s hitting .376, the Vols hit .310 as a team and average 9.2 runs. Three different players have hit at least 20 home runs with Christian Moore leading the way with 32 and a team high 71 RBIs. The pitching is equally strong, which is a huge factor when playing a lot of games in a short amount of time. The staff boasts a 3.85 ERA with closer Aaron Combs one of the best. He has 54 strikeouts in 37.1 innings with five saves and a 2.65 ERA.

The Aggies have a potent offense as well averaging 8.8 runs while hitting .300. In their only meeting with Tennessee the Aggies lost 7-4 in the SEC Tournament. The trio of Braden Montgomery, Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac combined for 77 home runs. The staff isn?t as deep as Tennessee?s but they have an ace in Ryan Prager, who is 8-1 with a 3.10 ERA.

Kentucky went undefeated in the regional tournaments winning five games by a combined score of 34-11. Over the last four games they allowed just three runs with two shutouts. They are making their first trip to the CWS but I doubt that gets in their way. UK matched SEC champ Tennessee?s 22-8 league record and has plenty of momentum heading into the CWS.

The biggest surprise is Florida reaching the CWS with a record of 34-28. The Gators were a .500 team in mid-May and got a regional bid with a 28-27 record. They emerged from the losers bracket to beat Oklahoma State twice in the Stillwater Regional and swept Clemson to advance to the CWS. It?s hard to see them doing any damage with a team ERA of 6.16, but they have one of the most exciting players in Jac Caglianone, who?s hitting .411 with 33 home runs and a 1.392 OPS.

With Oregon State out of the picture maybe North Carolina can get over the hump. The Heels lost to OSU in the 2006 and 2007 CWS finals and were eliminated by the Beavers in their last trip to Omaha in 2018. The ACC champs went 22-8 in ACC play behind an offense that averages 8.7 runs. They also have strong pitching which might be enough to get the job done.

Check out the latest odds at BookMaker

College World Series Odds ? Michigan Wolverines vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Final Series Preview

Moay, June 24, 2019

Neither the Michigan Wolverines nor the Vanderbilt Commodores have faced a loss yet in this College World Series, blowing through the competition, but something must give on Monday when these two teams kick off a three-game series to determine the national champions. We will see if either team can continue through this College World Series undefeated, both bringing plenty of momentum to their head-to-head battle.

First pitch for the final series between Michigan and Vanderbilt is slated to begin on Monday, June 24, 2019, at 7 p.m. ET at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha with the next two games, if necessary, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each game of this series will be shown on ESPN.

You can bet on College World Series odds at BookMaker.eu.

Odds Analysis

Vanderbilt is the favorite and was the top ranked team heading to Omaha, but the overall No.1 team in the nation, UCLA, was knocked off in the Super Regionals by Michigan. Can the Wolverines do it again?

Michigan?s been red hot. They blew through Texas Tech 15-3 to clinch a trip to the Finals and held the opposition to just six runs over three games in Omaha. Vanderbilt?s win on Friday was much closer, edging out Louisville, 3-2. They allowed six runs against the opponents in three games during the College World Series, too.

Both teams breezed through the competition, even going back to the Regionals and Super Regionals rounds.

For the Wolverines, they came out of the Regionals of reigning champions, Oregon State, and then handled their business against UCLA thanks to outstanding pitching.

The Commodores, meanwhile, did get a test against Duke in the Super Regionals, losing the opener, 5-18, but came back from the blowout in a big way.

Pitching Comparison

The Wolverines? strength is on the mound and primarily in the starting rotation. The team goes three-deep in excellent starters with Tommy Henry, Karl Kauffman, and Jeff Criswell.

Kauffman kicked off the College World Series for the Wolverines with seven innings of three-run ball against Texas Tech, recording the win while Criswell pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and holding the Red Raiders scoreless.

Tommy Henry then followed that up with a complete-game shutout over Florida State with 10 strikeouts, three hits and no walks. And, in the clincher against Texas Tech, Kauffman came back with another quality start and Criswell, notched another save.

On the season, Criswell had the best ERA of the three starters at 2.60, though he was a bit walk-prone, but ended up 7-1 with a 1.29 WHIP in 100.1 innings. Kauffman, meanwhile, was 12-6 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while Henry had a 3.27 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, both eclipsing 100 innings as well.

In the pen, Michigan does have Isaiah Paige and Willie Weiss as effective options, along with a few others, but none have gotten a chance in Omaha. Overall, this team has a 3.40 ERA and 1.24 WHIP.

Purely by the numbers, it would seem Michigan has the edge on the mound. Vanderbilt has a 3.83 ERA as a team although competition plays a factor.

Mason Hickman, Patrick Raby, Kumar Rocker, and Drake Fellows are all excellent starting options. The latter has the highest ERA at 4.15 but has 104 innings and 120 strikeouts. He has great swing-and-miss stuff if he?s able to command it.

Overall, the four-some combined to go 40-7 on the year with Hickman and Raby boasting sub-3 ERAs and Rocker, arguably, the best of the bunch. After all, he threw a no-hitter against Duke in the Super Regionals, walking just two batters and striking out 19 a day after the Blue Devils scored 18 runs.

Here in Omaha, Rocker threw six innings of one-run ball against Mississippi State, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out six.

Drake Fellows and Mason Hickman had the other two starts with Patrick Raby pitching in relief. Fellows threw seven innings of one-run ball against Louisville while Hickman held the Cardinals scoreless in a two-hit, six-inning performance prior to that.

Out of the pen, Tyler Brown has appeared in all three games in Omaha. The closer has great stuff and 58 strikeouts in 41.2 innings. He has a 2.59 ERA and 14 saves.

Offensive Breakdown

Vanderbilt has the best offense despite the 15-run onslaught by Michigan on Friday.

The Commodores have J.J. Bleday as the lynchpin in the order. The slugging outfielder was a top-5 draft pick for a reason. He?s got a .350/.464/.717 slash line with 26 homers. He?s a threat to go deep?or at least do damage?each time he steps in the box.

As good as Bleday is, the thing that makes Vanderbilt most dangerous is the depth in the lineup. Austin Martin is an on-base machine atop the order with an OBP over .500. He also offers speed to cause a distraction on the bases.

After him, there?s Bleday then a cast of .300 hitters and power options. The team has five regulars hitting over .300?including Martin?s .410 mark?and all nine starters posting an OBP of at least .244. There?s no easy out in this order. On top of that, Julian Infante, Stephen Scott, and Ethan Paul, amongst others, all offer power both in homers and doubles.

The lineup has .318 average and has hit 93 homers. By comparison, the Michigan offense has a .283 average and 72 long balls.

There is some speed and power, but the contact isn?t as good as Vanderbilt though Jordan Brewer and Jordan Nwogu are hitting .329 and .326 respectively, each with a dozen homers.

In the big win over Texas Tech on Friday, this team was clicking on all cylinders with 15 runs on 14 hits and 12 walks. The team showed an excellent batting eye and patience. Jimmy Kerr was 4-for-6 while Jesse Franklin, Blake Nelson, and Jack Blomgren all had multi-hit games as well.

MLB Pick

It?s hard to underestimate the Vanderbilt offense, but Michigan is rolling and their starters have been lights out.

The Wolverines have already proved themselves in a three-game series against UCLA, coming away with the win.

If the Commodores can get into the bullpen, they?ll have a chance as the arms there could be rusty, but the offense has been playing beyond the numbers since the start of the tournament and the Wolverines have surprised every step of the way. This is a team that has the momentum and the confidence right now to do what, just a few weeks ago, seemed impossible.

Vanderbilt may have been the favorites all along, but Michigan is showing something in this tournament and in a three-game series, it?s not always the best team on paper, but the team that?s playing the best right now. Take Michigan over Vanderbilt in this series at BookMaker.eu.

MLB Odds: Michigan in three

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2023 World Baseball Classic Preview - Bet on Baseball

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

With Team Dominican Republic, Team USA, and Team Japan pegged as the countries to beat, it's no surprise that the powerhouse trio listed as odds-on favorites emerge from their respective pools.

Even though the betting market has projected them to advance to the single-elimination bracket, we could be in store for some upsets in arguably the most talented International Baseball Tournament ever.

2023 World Baseball Classic Odds

Dominican Republic +200

USA +275, Japan +300

Venezuela +1000

Puerto Rico +1100

Korea Republic +1200

Mexico +2000

Cuba +2500

Chinese Taipei +5000

Canada +5000

Netherlands +6500

Australia +13000

Colombia +13000

Israel +15000

Italy +15000

Panama +15000

Great Britain +20000

Nicaragua +20000

China +20000

Czech Republic +50000

2023 World Baseball Classic Top Contenders

Team Cuba +2500

While Cuba hasn't had much success in the WBC, it's in a favorable part of the bracket that should reach at least the eight-team, single-elimination round.

White Sox stars Luis Robert and Yoan Moncada headline the roster, and ex-MLBer Yoenis Cespedes is also back on the big stage. A good chunk of the roster plays their professional ball in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, with three of their better pitchers, Yariel Rodriguez, Radiel Martinez, and Livan Moinelo, hailing from the NPB. It makes sense to see Cuba listed as the team to beat, but Team Netherlands could give them a run for their money.

Team Japan +300

The two-time World Champions get to play their first-round games at the Tokyo Dome, and with a roster that's got depth all over the field, it's likely Samurai Japan takes care of business on their home soil.

Manager Hideki Kuriyama's 30-man squad includes MLB stars Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish and 2022 breakouts Lars Nootbaar and Seiya Suzuki. Samurai Japan has a loaded pitching staff that consists of NPB stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.

Yamamoto's won two consecutive MVPs, his latest coming after throwing 193 innings with a 1.68 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Sasaki also threw the first perfect game in NPB in 28 years with 19 strikeouts.

Outside of the 2021 AL MVP and '22 runner-up Ohtani, newly signed Red Sox outfielder, Masataka Yoshida, provides a disciplined, top-of-the-order bat with some pop. Nootbar's making history as the first player born outside the country to play for Team Japan, but his mother hails from Japan. Between their pitching depth and well-rounded lineup, Samurai Japan has a real chance to win their third WBC title in five tries.

Team USA +275

Team USA is priced with the second-highest odds to win the WBC behind the Dominican Republic, and another deep run in the WBC is the expectation for Mark DeRosa's squad. Their pitching staff isn't as top-heavy as the Dominican Republic and Japan. Still, Lance Lynn, Miles Mikolas, Adam Wainwright, Brady Singer, and Merrill Kelly highlight a well-rounded starting rotation. The back of the bullpen should be lights out in pool play, with Daniel Bard, David Bednar, Ryan Pressly, and Devin Williams holding down late-inning leads.

The lineup is loaded 1-9 with Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Kyle Tucker roaming the outfield. While Trea Turner, Pete Alonso, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Tim Anderson, Jeff McNeil, and Bobby Witt Jr. make up arguably the most talented US infield. Catchers J.T. Realmuto and Will Smith round out the star-studded Team USA roster.

Team Dominican Republic +200

The DR has zero weaknesses, with a starting infield that will likely consist of Manny Machado, Jeremy Pena, Wander Franco, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The outfield is just as talented with Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, and Teoscar Hernandez, while their pitching staff led by 2022 NL Cy Young Sandy Alcantara, Cristian Javier, Gregory Soto, and Rafael Montero is going to lockdown offenses. Team Dominican Republic has too much talent to list all its contributors, but the betting market has correctly identified them as the team to beat.

Team Korea +1200

MLB infielders Ha-Seong Kim and Tommy Edman will provide solid defense up the middle and likely hit toward the top of the lineup. Current Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee is set to be posted after the upcoming KBO season and should stabilize the middle of the order. KBO stars Jeong Choi, Baek-Ho Kang, and Eui-ji Yang can have a productive tournament at the plate to help Team Korea push through to the second round.

Former Cardinals starter Kwang-Hyun Kim is the most notable pitcher on the staff, but lefthander Chang-Mo Koo has just as impressive of an arsenal. Team Korea has to rely on rolling lots of ground balls for their infield, and we'll see if they have enough swing-and-miss stuff to post a good enough strikeout rate to make a run.

Team Puerto Rico +1100

Puerto Rico finished as the runner-up in the past two WBCs. But this year, making it past the pool play round will be as challenging as ever. Infield duo Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez will do their best to help Puerto Rico compete with the DR and Venezuela, and while the roster is loaded with current MLB talent, it has a brutal draw that's pegged it as the third-best team in Pool D.

Team Venezuela +1000

Venezuela's infield of Jose Altuve, Luis Arraez, Miguel Cabrera, Andres Gimenez, and Eugenio Suarez has a boatload of talent. At the same time, their outfield of Ronald Acuna Jr., David Peralta, and Anthony Santander can hold their own. Venezuela also has a bevy of impressive arms consisting of Ranger Suarez, Pablo Lopez, German Marquez, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Jose Alvarado.

Check out the latest odds at BookMaker

Little League World Series Championship Games Odds and Preview

Friday, Augu 23, 2019

The final four in the 2019 Little League World Series is set and the favorite from both the International and United States bracket are on a collision course to meet in the final. There is one order of business up first, and that?s getting to the final. West Region winner Hawai?i will take on Louisiana to decide the U.S. representative.

Japan has annihilated the competition and is the odds on favorite at top online sportsbooks to bring home the title for the international side. Japan and Curacao will tangle for the international championship. Both games are scheduled to be played on Saturday, August 24, at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Penn. The international final is set for a 12:30 p.m. first pitch with the U.S. championship at 3:30 p.m. ET. Both games will be televised on ABC.

Little League World Series Odds at BookMaker.eu

International Team wins LLWS -180
U.S. Team wins LLWS +140

2019 Little League World Series Schedule ? Saturday, August 24

Curacao (Caribbean) vs. Chofu City (Japan), 12:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

It?s hard to imagine the Japanese not reaching the final the way the boys from Chofu City have played. The team cruised through the Japan Region outscoring opponents 37-1 in four victories. That dominance has continued in Williamsport with a combined score of 32-2 in three victories. What might hurt Japan is inactivity, they haven?t played since a 7-2 win over South Korea on Wednesday.

Chofu City is looking to get Japan back in the winner?s circle after the country won five titles between 2010 and 2017, but was stopped short of the championship by South Korea last year. Japan has been such a force that the country earned an automatic entry to the LLWS in 2007. Chofu is the 30th team from Japan to qualify for the tournament and looks to win the country?s 12th title. Chofu is also trying to atone for a poor showing it had in 2016 when it became just the second Japanese team to lose its first two LLWS games.

Curacao was probably the third-best team on the international side and the Pabao LL squad from Willemstad knocked off one of the teams ranked higher. Curacao bounced back from an early loss to South Korea and atoned for that defeat by winning an elimination game 5-3. Judrick Profar, brother of MLB player Jurickson Profar, struck out eight batters and had a pair of hits. Even with a loss, Curacao has outscored opponents 33-10.

Louisiana (Southwest) vs. Hawai?i (West), 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

The teams met in the first round with Hawai?i posting a 5-2 victory behind a stellar pitching performance from Jaren Pascual, who allowed only two unearned runs. Louisiana outhit Hawai?i 9-8 in the contest, but left 10 runners on base. Eastbank LL from River Ridge, La., responded by winning the next four games outscoring teams 27-3 to reach the bracket final. This team can hit and they win. In district and state tournaments, Eastbank outscored opponents 79-0. That?s right, 79-0.

The West Region has been a consistent threat in the LLWS. Honolulu won the third title for Hawai?i last year and has helped the region to 10 championships overall. Teams from California, Hawai?i and Arizona have also finished as runner-up 19 times. When Hawai?i gets to the LLWS look out. The past four Hawaiian teams at the LLWS went on to win the U.S. championship with three winning the whole enchilada. In three previous LLWS meetings between the states, Hawai?i has yet to lose, and that includes the matchup last week.

Mahalo to the kids from Central East Maui LL for going undefeated in bracket play while outscoring opponents 23-11 to get here. Hawai?i overcame a sluggish game against Virginia posting a 12-9 victory. Louisiana beat the same Virginia team 10-0 earlier in the tournament. Hawai?i might be favored to win the U.S. bracket, but they will have their hands full on Saturday against a feisty and dangerous Louisiana team.

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