Getting Injured Players Back Can Be as Important as a Trade

So who is ready to win the World Series? Well, relax , folks, it is only the end of June and baseball is a marathon. Patience and consistency are keys to being the best in baseball, the same two qualities that are necessary in the world of sports wagering.

After all, it is not the hot teams in May and June that win the World Series, it is the team hottest in October. The 2002 and 2003 Angels and Marlins were great examples, along with the 2004 Red Sox. All stumbled in the first half of the season before catching fire down the stretch and winning the World Series.

At the end of the first month of the 2002 season, Anaheim was 11-14 and no one was talking about them as challengers in October. A year later, on June 1, 2003, the Florida Marlins were 26-32, looking up at the Braves, Phillies and Expos in the NL East. They were just one-game out of last place in the division and 100-to-1 shots to win the World Series. In October, they did.

Many times a roster a team currently has will not be the one they will be using in October, or even July. Managers are still tinkering with lineups, or practicing patience with slumping players hoping they will bust out of it. General managers are reviewing team needs and plotting trades to upgrade positions and even minor leaguers can come up to help out.

In mid-season of 1996, a young outfielder named Andruw Jones joined the Braves up from the minors, and in October was the starting center fielder in the World Series. This season, many talented teams have been waiting for key players to return from injuries.

Boston starter John Smoltz got smacked around for 5 runs and 7 hits in just 5 innings in his season debut this week. However, a closer look finds Smoltz and the coaching staff very impressed and encouraged with the way he pitched. In 5 innings, had had 5 Ks, and Smoltz hit 94 miles per hour on the stadium radar gun, better velocity than he mustered during his rehab starts. He gave up 4 runs in the first, as the baseball was up too often, then one run over the last 4 innings. The point is, he was far better than the overall numbers would suggest.

The Cubs, too, have some encouraging news after battling injuries much of the season. Their hottest hitter, Derrek Lee, had a career-high 21-game hitting streak end in the series finale in Detroit, a streak in which which he hit .373 (31-83) with a .651 slugging percentage. Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez went through his most rigorous workout this week since dislocating his left shoulder May 8. The All-Star remains on target to begin live batting practice and might be back in two weeks. Yes, many times getting injured players back can be as important as a trade.