We are a long, long time away from the 2017 World Series -- almost an entire year away, in fact. A lot still needs to be sorted out before spring training even begins. Free agency really hasn't begun in earnest unless you count the Braves signing two aging pitchers to one-year deals. So a lot needs to be resolved before serious predictions about the 2017 World Series can begin.
But that doesn't stop Las Vegas bookkeepers from laying down the odds for the 2017 Fall Classic. And it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that this season's champion the Chicago Cubs are the favorites with 3/1 odds according to TheVegasParlay.com. The Dodgers, Nationals and Red Sox follow behind at 10/1 odds.
The Texas Rangers are a little further down the list, tied at ninth with the San Francisco Giants at 16/1. You can understand why the Rangers are down the list despite returning most of their core and finishing the regular season with the American League's best record. That's what happens when you get swept out of the first round of the playoffs.
But what might come as more of a surprise to Ranger fans is that above the Rangers are the in-state rivals the Houston Astros with 12/1 odds of winning the 2017 World Series. That must sting considering the Rangers finished 11 games above the Astros and Texas defeated Houston 15 times out of 19 matchups this past season.