Cubs, White Sox Tuesday spring-training report

In our final installment of the daily spring-training report (hey, the Cubs and White Sox abandon their camps Wednesday), it’s time to study some odds. Not that anyone here is condoning betting on baseball, but these odds give us an idea of what the experts are banking on.

Our new friends at BookMaker.eu have released several baseball props less than a week before Opening Day. This is a moving target, so the most updated odds can always be found here.

Best bet to win the World Series? You guessed it, the Cubs.

The fun in checking out their latest props is looking at all the different combinations. They have odds on which manager will be the first to be fired. Hint, Bryan Price’s seat seems to be Reds hot. Joe Maddon and Rick Renteria appear safe for now.

The over/under on combined home runs for Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo? BookMaker says 67. They combined for 71 last season, so take the over. They set the over/under for Bryant’s home run total at 35.5 (he hit 39 last season). They have Rizzo at 31.5 (he hit 32 last season).

Guessing on Rizzo seems a little easier than most. He hit 32 home runs in 2014, 31 the next season and 32 last season. Pretty consistent stretch.

Setting the over/under homer total on projected leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber gets a little trickier considering his next full season in the majors will be his first. BookMaker set the over/under for Schwarber at 29. That’s more than Jose Abreu (28) and Jose Bautista (27.5).

Schwarber appeared in just two games last season. During his debut season in 2015, he hit 16 home runs in 69 games (232 at-bats).

In the pitching odds, the over/under for Cubs Opening Day starter Jon Lester is set at 15. Lester went 19-5 last season. Jake Arrieta (18-8 in 2016) is at 15.5. They have former White Sox ace Chris Sale (now with the Red Sox) at 16.

Over at SportsBettingDime.com, they have also posted a variety of baseball odds. Here’s their World Series odds for 2017. Cubs fans will be delighted and White Sox fans will be … well, none of them should be shocked.

Odds to win the 2017 World Series

• Chicago Cubs: 11/2

• Cleveland Indians: 8/1

• Boston Red Sox: 9/1

• Los Angeles Dodgers: 9/1

• Washington Nationals: 14/1

• Houston Astros: 18/1

• New York Mets: 18/1

• San Francisco Giants: 24/1

• Toronto Blue Jays: 24/1

• St. Louis Cardinals: 33/1

• Texas Rangers: 33/1

• Detroit Tigers: 33/1

• New York Yankees: 40/1

• Seattle Mariners: 40/1

• Kansas City Royals: 45/1

• Baltimore Orioles: 50/1

• Colorado Rockies: 50/1

• Los Angeles Angels: 66/1

• Pittsburgh Pirates: 75/1

• Tampa Bay Rays: 100/1

• Minnesota Twins: 115/1

• Philadelphia Phillies: 125/1

• Miami Marlins: 125/1

• Oakland Athletics: 130/1

• Atlanta Braves: 150/1

• Arizona Diamondbacks: 160/1

• Cincinnati Reds: 200/1

• Milwaukee Brewers: 200/1

• San Diego Padres: 275/1

• Chicago White Sox: 300/1

That’s not all. More from SportsBettingDime:

Odds to meet in the 2017 World Series

• Cubs-Indians: 13/1
• Cubs-Red Sox: 16/1
• Cubs-Yankees: 66/1
• Mets-Yankees: 195/1
• Dodgers-Angels: 166/1
• Orioles-Nationals: 199/1
• Cardinals-Royals: 330/1
• Cubs-White Sox: 499/1
• Reds-Indians: 499/1
• Giants-A’s: 830/1

Intra-city and intra-state rivalries make for compelling World Series. A 2016 rematch is a lot more likely.

Odds to lose 100-plus games

• Padres: 2/1
• White Sox: 2/1
• Brewers: 5/1
• Reds: 5/1
• Twins: 9/1

SPARK AND ADDISON

Shortstop Addison Russell says his sore back is at “95 percent,” but admits if the pain doesn’t vanish quickly, he is a candidate for the disabled list. Time is running short. The Cubs open against the Cardinals on Sunday night.

“We’re trying to start the season out on a good note and definitely in St. Louis,” Russell said of Sunday’s season opener. “That’s kind of the goal. But if the back doesn’t feel well till then, maybe that’s something that we have to do.

“But the way that I’m feeling I don’t think that’s necessary.”

ON THE SOUTH SIDE

The White Sox made a trade, but Jose Quintana was not involved. The Sox officially announced the Peter Bourjos deal with the Rays.

As our Daryl Van Schouwen pointed out this morning: The Bourjos deal opens the door for Jacob May in center field. May, 26, has had a good spring, hitting to a .339/.361/.525 slash line with two walks and four stolen bases in five attempts. He has also displayed good defense, most recently with a diving catch in left-center field in the Sox’ 5-2 win over the Dodgers Monday.

RISING STARS

Our pals at WhistleSports put together another outstanding video, this one saluting MLB’s rising stars. Kyle Schwarber made the director’s cut. Enjoy.

AROUND THE HORN ON TWITTER