Playoff Gameday Thread, #9: The Championship Series begin

5:07pm Arizona time, TBS, series level 0-0

James Shields RHP, 1-0, 4.91

Chris Tillman RHP, 1-0, 3.60

Alcides Escobar - SS	Nick Markakis - RF
Norichika Aoki - RF	Alejandro De Aza - LF
Lorenzo Cain - CF	Adam Jones - CF
Eric Hosmer - 1B	Nelson Cruz - DH
Billy Butler - DH	Steve Pearce - 1B
Alex Gordon - LF	J.J. Hardy - SS
Salvador Perez - C	Ryan Flaherty - 3B
Omar Infante - 2B	Nick Hundley - C
Mike Moustakas - 3B	Jonathan Schoop - 2B

Going back to the beginning of the season, both Kansas City and Baltimore were 16-1 to win the American League pennant, with eight teams in the AL having better odds. Not exactly long shots, but definitely far from being the favorites. Now, one of them will be going to the World Series. Will it be the Royals, last there in 1985 - the last time they made the playoffs at all? Or the Orioles, whose absence from the World Series is even longer, going all the way back to 1983. The Orioles appear to be slight favorites according to the bookmakers at bovada.lv, but it seems far from a foregone conclusion. Here are all the odds for the series.

Series Price

• Baltimore Orioles -140 (5/7)
• Kansas City Royals +120 (6/5)

Exact Series Result

• Kansas City Royals 4-0 15/1
• Kansas City Royals 4-1 6/1
• Kansas City Royals 4-2 5/1
• Kansas City Royals 4-3 5/1
• Baltimore Orioles 4-0 10/1
• Baltimore Orioles 4-1 11/2
• Baltimore Orioles 4-2 15/4
• Baltimore Orioles 4-3 15/4

Total Games in Series

• Four 6/1
• Five 12/5
• Six 7/4
• Seven 9/5

How many games will go to extra innings?

• Over ½ 2/3
• Under ½ 11/10

How many calls will get overturned after replay?

• Over 1 4/7
• Under 1 7/5

Total Home Runs - Kansas City Royals

• Over/Under 3½

Total Home Runs - Baltimore Orioles

• Over/Under 6½

Will any game end on a Walkoff hit?

• Yes 7/5
• No 4/7

How many steals will the Kansas City Royals Record?

• Over/Under 6