If you quietly listen, you can hear the faint cries of “Play Ball” as the Major League Baseball Season approaches.  For the big leaguers around the world, the only place to play is in the Major Leagues.  Until those games begin, we have been entertained by what is called the World Baseball Championship.  Countries from around the world have gathered their best players to participate in a tournament.  In actuality, while the games were of a global scope, it seems that the aim of these games was for the benefit of the Asian countries.

If you were lucky and astute enough of a follower of the game of baseball on a global spectrum, then you realized before the event even took place that the two countries that took these games most seriously were and .  There is a burgeoning market for Major League Baseball in Asia , and the Commissioner was only too pleased to interrupt Spring Training and let the participating countries yank their respective players from training and throw them into competitive games.

The result was that these Major Leaguers were not physically primed for intense competition, and they suffered numerous injuries in the World Baseball Championships.  Stars like Dustin Pedroia from the Boston Red Sox suffered injuries that put their opening day starts in jeopardy.  The Championships cooperated with Major League Baseball by putting in some rules to protect the pitchers from injuries, such as limiting their pitch counts.  However, there has been a rash of pitching-related injuries that stem from the fact that these pitchers were not physically primed to represent their countries by pitching in an international classic.

While the online gambling sportsbook action on the games has been brisk, it is bland by comparison to the wagers placed on the Major League Baseball World Champions to be crowned in October.  It appears that everyone has an opinion, and is willing to back up that opinion with money.  Bettors have found sportsbook casinos, with enticing lines ready, willing and able to accept their wagers. 

The New York Yankees are the early favourites, but injuries to Alex Rodriguez, who is expected to miss at least the first two months of the season, and other assorted distractions, have brought the expectations on the Yankees back to the pack.  Start saving your nickels and dimes because, next week, the Sportsbook Guru will be here to give you his unabashed predictions for 2009.  Don’t worry - he’ll put his money where his mouth is!