MLB Betting: Yankees top weekend deals

Lance Berkman leaves the struggling Astros to join the NY Yankees.

The New York Yankees didn’t rest on their laurels heading into MLB’s Saturday trade deadline.

New York had a flurry of late activity and walked away with veterans Lance Berkman, Kerry Wood and Austin Kearns. The price was second-tier prospects, plus a reasonable increase in payroll that won’t make ownership blink.

The Yankees (66-37) could have been content with the best record in baseball, but GM Brian Cashman is almost always proactive in these situations. Berkman and Wood aren’t stars anymore, but all three players will contribute down the stretch.

Fellow AL East contenders, Tampa Bay and Boston, did little to nothing at the deadline and will be scrounging off the August waiver wire. Tampa Bay decided not to overpay for Washington slugger Adam Dunn, while Boston found the cost of relief help too prohibitive.

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New York is now looking stronger than ever at plus 125 MLB odds to win the American League at JustBet.com.

San Diego (60-42) was the big weekend winner in the National League. Miguel Tejada was first acquired from Baltimore to bolster infield depth. The bigger move came on Saturday when outfielder Ryan Ludwick came from St. Louis in a three-team deal.

Ludwick has better power numbers (11 homers, 43 RBIs) than any Padres’ outfielder. It was a great move by first-year GM Jed Hoyer to show management is backing the team for a pennant run.

It’s been a drastic transformation for a squad predicted to finish last in the NL West. The Padres currently lead San Francisco by 1.5 games and Colorado and the Los Angeles Dodgers by seven. L.A. picked up pitcher Ted Lilly and others pieces, but it could be too little, too late for this dysfunctional franchise.

San Diego is a value-driven plus 570 to win the National League.

The biggest move right before the weekend was Philadelphia acquiring Houston’s Roy Oswalt on Thursday. The Phils promptly started him Friday at Washington and he struggled with five runs allowed (four earned) over six innings.

The trade should eventually pay dividends as Oswalt combines with Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels for an imposing starting trio. Philly (56-48) is 3.5 games back of Atlanta in the NL East and plus 425 to win the NL pennant for the third consecutive year.

Leading off Week 18

There are a number of good series to lead off the week. The visiting Mets could be making their last-gasp attempt to catch Atlanta in the NL East. ESPN will have Johan Santana facing Tim Hudson Monday night in a terrific pitching matchup.

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The Dodgers are equally desperate as they host San Diego out West. Both teams will be showing off their shiny new acquisitions, with L.A. needing to take at least three of four in the series.

Minnesota starts a four-game set at Tampa Bay. Both teams are fighting for their respective divisions, but each is a leading wild-card candidate as well. The Twins have won a league-leading seven straight pending Sunday’s results.

Home cooking in the NL East

There’s a big home field advantage in baseball, just like all other professional sports. Home teams have won 56.5 percent of games this season, with the NL East the highest by far at 61.9 percent.

Atlanta (34-13), Philadelphia (34-18) and the New York Mets (33-18) are all excellent at home, while Washington (29-22) has also done well. Florida is the worst NL East home team (28-26), but the only one .500 on the road (25-25).

This trend has followed suit against the money line. Check out each team’s home versus away disparity (in units).