Baseball’s Final Four Set

Bookmakers’ reputations took a hit Tuesday as the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals advanced to the National League Championship Series.

With the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals progressing to the American League Championship Series over the weekend, all four underdogs heading into the Division Series have gone on to secure a berth in the next round.

Add to that the fact that the Giants and Royals also scored upset victories in the Wild Card round and you have odds makers that have gone 0-4 so far this postseason.

Could that trend be set to continue as we head to the 110th World Series?

In the wake of Tuesday’s results, Betting Sports brings you a rundown of baseball’s final four.

Nelson Cruz and the Orioles will meet Eric Hosmer and the Royals in the ALCS.

Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore returns to the ALCS for the first time since Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, Rafael Palmeiro and Harold Baines led the team there in 1997.

17 years is a long time in the baseball world (unless you’re a Cubs fan that is) and Buck Showalter’s club will be keen to do better than the 1997 Orioles faired. That means advancing to the World Series.

While American bookmakers had yet to release future odds at the time of writing, European sportsbooks had installed the Orioles as a narrow favorite in the race for the World Series. Based on how things have panned out so far, that could well be the kiss of death for the Maryland side.

Baltimore has advanced to the World Series in five of nine ALCS appearances. The Orioles’ most recent World Series appearance came in 1983.

Kansas City Royals

Bettors will have to ask themselves on simple question before laying any cash down this weekend: are the Royals this year’s ‘team of destiny’?

Kansas City has shown some magic over the last week, coming from behind twice against the Oakland Athletics to escape the Wild Card Game in extra innings and then sweeping the Los Angeles Angels, a team practically everybody favored ahead of the ALDS. Right now, the Royals are riding the same sort of wave the Giants rode two seasons ago.

Heading into its first ALCS since 1985, Kansas City will be confident they can get the better of Baltimore, a team it beat 4-3 in the regular season head-to-head.

Kansas City has advanced to the World Series in two of six ALCS appearances. The Royals’ most recent World Series appearance came in 1985.

The American League Championship Series is scheduled to start on Friday

Buster Posey and the Giants will meet Jon Jay and the Cardinals in the NLCS.

San Francisco Giants

San Francisco’s 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals in Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday assured Bruce Bochy’s club of a third NLCS appearance in five years. The Giants will be looking to repeat the success they enjoyed in both 2010 and 2012, postseasons in which the team finished with a World Series championship.

According to European bookmakers, the Giants will be a (very) narrow underdog heading into the best-of-seven series with St. Louis, a team it defeated 4-3 in the regular season head-to-head.

The Giants toppled the Cardinals en route to the 2012 World Series, winning the NLCS 4-3. Expect this to be a very close series.

San Francisco has advanced to the World Series in four of six NLCS appearances. The Giants’ most recent World Series appearance came in 2012.

St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis secured a fourth straight NLCS appearance with a come from behind 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

With more Championship Series appearances and victories than any of the other three clubs still in play, the Cardinals are a smart bet heading forward. Of course, being the smart bet hasn’t played out so far this postseason.

Having come up short in last year’s World Series, the Cardinals will be eager to go all the way this year, but the Championship Series with San Francisco is one that will be tough. Very tough.

St. Louis has advanced to the World Series in seven of 12 NLCS appearances. The Cardinals’ most recent World Series appearance came in 2013.

The National League Championship Series is scheduled to start on Saturday