Baseball Odds

When the betting sites start up the discussion of who was the best right fielder in MLB history, the discussion inevitably turns to the best hitters in the history of the game. Very few right fielders were actually known for their fielding. That is why this list of the top 5 right fielders of all time looks like a who's who of the top hitters in MLB history.

Babe Ruth

The best online sportsbook will often include Babe Ruth as one of the top baseball players of all time. In reality, Ruth was more of a natural pitcher than he was a fielder. But when he made the move from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees, the Yankees decided that they wanted Ruth off the mound so he could concentrate on hitting. As a right fielder, Ruth was average. But he makes the list because he is arguably the most famous right fielder of all time.

Hank Aaron

Once again, Hammering Hank makes the list for his hitting and not his fielding. But Aaron had range out in right field and he is known for several spectacular plays that he made while patrolling right field for the Braves and Brewers.

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson was one of the most aggressive hitters to ever play the game of baseball. He was a terror on the base paths and he also played right field aggressively as well. Robinson had a better than average arm that he would use to regularly throw players out at first or second base all the way from right field.

Roberto Clemente

Clemente was a 12-time all-star that was a power hitter his entire career. His speed allowed him to cover a lot of ground out in right field. While he became known as a reliable fielder, his fame was gained by the way in which he would punish a baseball while he was in the batter's box.

Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson built his legend with his World Series performances at the plate. But he also made some plays from right field that made highlight reels as well.

When you are placing a sports bet on your favorite MLB team, one of the first things that you look at is the injury report. Baseball players generally get very specific injuries that can become recurring problems. There are a few different kinds of injuries you should look for when placing your bets.

Rotator Cuff

This is common in pitchers but can also happen to outfielders as well. It affects a player's throwing motion and, even after surgery and recovery, a player will always carry a sore rotator cuff around with him. This is the kind of injury that shortens a player's career.

Groin Injury

Base runners with speed are the ones that usually get groin injuries. Any online sports book expert will tell you that a groin injury is something that never goes away and it is something that will take away speed from a fast base runner. A groin injury will also slow down a fielder who is known for being able to close in quickly on fly balls.

Bad Knees

Almost every catcher at the MLB develops bad knees. This comes from being in the catcher's position for hours a day starting at the little league level. Younger MLB catchers are not as affected by bad knees as the older catchers are. Bad knees is the reason why very few catchers are known as base stealers.

Tommy John Surgery

Tommy John surgery repairs ligament damage in a pitcher's arm and traditionally takes around 18 months to recover from. However, most pitchers who get the surgery tend to pitch better when they come back to their team. Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals had Tommy John surgery and is showing no signs of ill effects. You may want to consider giving a little better odds to a pitcher that has recovered from Tommy John surgery than one who has not.

The casual sport betting fans love seeing a huge dome that houses tens of thousands of fans and their favorite MLB sports team. But if you pay attention to trends around the sports world, you will notice that more and more cities are tearing down domes and replacing them with outdoor stadiums. Seattle and Minnesota are examples of two teams that had domes and replaced them with outdoor stadiums.

Domes are great for the home fans because domes protect the fans from the elements. But online sports book experts know that domes also create problems for teams trying to win championships. It is something that betting experts have known for some time, and it is now something that the MLB franchises have finally come to grips with. When your team plays in a dome, you reduce your chances of winning championships. Even Houston abandoned the world famous Astrodome in lieu of an outdoor stadium to try and give its team a chance at winning.

The problem for dome teams is that the conditions under a dome are very controlled. The temperature is consistent and there is no wind. Hitters get used to being able to control where the ball goes and pitchers do not have to deal with the added element of weather when they pitch. That all works out find until the team has to play on the road in an outdoor stadium. Any baseball blog writer will tell you that it is extremely difficult for a dome team to constantly adjust back and forth between dealing with the weather and not dealing with it. In many ways, a dome is something that prevents a team from ever winning a World Series championship.