The Major League Baseball Season has taken over the spot light in the sporting world. While many sports enthusiast are still watching the final weeks of the NBA season, for baseball enthusiast the wait is over. The 2009 MLB season has a good month under its belt as we continue to get a grasp of what to expect through out the rest of the year. One of the always interesting aspects of professional baseball is the league’s home run hitters. The guys who have been able to hit the long ball have always packed the stands and provided excitement for viewers. In today’s modern day game, nearly every player has the ability to hit a 400 plus foot home run during any game. However, there are still those who continuously find ways to knock the ball into the stands putting fear into opponents with every swing of the bat. One very interesting MLB Prop Bet for 2009 is which player will finish the season with the most home runs? We break down and rank the top power hitters in Major League Baseball while providing some insight on who may possibly end the seasons with the most home runs.

You will find odds next to each homerun hitter which are the current futures odds for that particular player to finish the season with the most home runs on the year. These are the current odds at BetUS Sportsbook as of May 3, 2009.  BetUS Sportsbook offers Bankroll Spots readers and customers a 100% signup bonus (up to $500) on all deposits by credit card when you use any BetUS link on the Bankroll Sports blog.

No. 1 – Ryan Howard +500 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Ryan Howard burst onto the Major League Baseball scene blasting 58 home runs in 2006. The Philadelphia superstar has an uncanny ability to get the most out of every swing. Howard has become the most reliable home run threat in baseball over the past few season. Howard has hit an incredible 153 home runs over the last 3 seasons which is nothing short of spectacular. Over the last 6 seasons, the Phillies first baseman has averaged a .586 career slugging percentage. The superstar also won the 2006 All-Star Home-Run Derby knocking 23 balls out of PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Howard has gotten off to a slow start in 2009 with only 4 deep balls, but considering how well he swings the bat that is most certain to change. It just a matter of time before the balls start flying out of the park once again.

No. 2 – Albert Pujols + 500 (St. Louis Cardinals)

Albert Pujols is among the new icons for sluggers in the MLB. Pujols finished with a Major League Baseball’s 4th best 37 home runs in 2008 along with 116 RBI’s. Pujols has become a popular house hold name for his ability to blast home runs. The Cardinals star first baseman is off to another quick start in 2009 tied for 1st place in the National League with 9 home runs. The Cardinals talent is also batting a stout .352 with 29 RBI’s already this year just to place an emphasis on how well he is swinging the stick. Pujols is one of the favorites to finish the year as the league’s top homerun hitter and at +500 odds it is definitely still worth the consideration.

No. 3 – Carlos Pena +400 (Tampa Bay Rays)

Carlos Pena has come out the gates hot in 2009 knocking 11 home runs in 26 games. Pena is only batting .276, but owns a solid slugging percentage of .684. The Rays first baseman is leading the MLB in home runs and is also leading favorite to win the home run race this season. The Rays star was responsible for 31 home runs in 2008 despite having a really slow start to the season. The power hitter has set a blistering pace to start the season. If Pena kept the same pace for the rest of the year, he would finish the season with 70 home runs. Pena had one of the best home-run to at-bat percentages last year outside of Carlos Quentin and could be a force to be reckoned with for the entire 2009 season.

No. 4 – Adam Dunn +2500 (Washington Nationals)

Adam Dunn is a player that is similar to Ryan Howard in a lot of ways. Dunn has steadily progressed every season since arriving to the league back in 2001. This will be the left fielders first season with the Nationals, but he has proved that he can carry a big bat for any team he plays for. Over the last 4 seasons, Dunn has finished the year with 40 home runs exactly and also contributed to 46 blasts before that stretch making it five straight years with 40 or more home runs. While the guy made not have put up huge numbers in home runs, he has been possibly the most consistent home run threat in the league over the past few seasons. Taking at gamble with some great odds, Adam Dunn could be a lottery pick for those willing to take a chance.

No. 5 – Adrian Gonzalez +1500 (San Diego Padres)

Adrian Gonzalez is a young first baseman who is on the verge into breaking out into one of the biggest hitters in the game. The Padres has averaged 30 home runs over the last 3 seasons increasing by 6 home runs on average every season. If that scenario played true, Gonzalez would finish 2009 with 42 blasts. However, this season could be even better for the San Diego power hitter. Gonzalez could very well explode in 2009 and is showing promising signs. Gonzalez has already hit 9 home runs this season along with 20 RBI’s and a slugging percentage of .647. Many experts pointed to this season to be the year Adrian Gonzalez could really become a household name and we believe the same. As long as they continue to pitch to San Diego’s biggest stick, the home runs will continue to come.

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In 2008, the American League East took a turn for a complete surprise as the upstart Tampa Bay Devil Rays took the division, and then later the American League title in October. The beasts of the East; Boston and New York finished in second and third place respectively, with Boston garnering the wildcard, and the Yankees snapping their 13 season playoff streak and finishing 16 games above .500 and 8 games back. The Toronto Blue Jays finished 86-76 and 11 games back, and the Baltimore Orioles won 68 games, finishing 28.5 games out of first place.

A year after winning the American League Championship Series, before falling to Philadelphia in the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays come into the season as the underdog in the American League East once again. Tampa Bay kept relatively quiet in the off-season, while their rivals, the Yankees and the Red Sox were active picking up additional talent.

Despite all the drama surrounding Manny Ramirez last season, Boston was still able to snag the wildcard, only to fall in the ALCS to the Rays. A full season with Jason Bay patrolling the outfield, along with the additions of Rocco Baldelli, Brad Penny, Takaski Saito and John Smoltz the Red Sox appear to be in a prime position to play October Baseball once again. Youngsters Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester and Justin Masterson will be turned heavily to with oft-injured Josh Beckett and Brad Penny in the middle of the rotation. Offensively, Boston will look to get a repeat season from AL MVP Dustin Pedroia. Pedroia hit .326 with 17 homeruns and 83 rbi’s for Boston. Jacoby Ellsbury brings lightning quick speed to the outfield, but will need to find more ways to get on base to please the Boston organization in 2009. As Boston continues to prime for the 2009 season in Key West Florida, the pundits are still debating if the decision to avoid surgery on David Ortiz’s wrist was a good decision. Ortiz had some of the lowest numbers in his career, a cause for concern for the Red Sox nation. It should be an excellent spring training battle at shortstop between Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie

The Yankees had the huge off-season, picking up free agents pitchers C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. On the offensive side, Mark Teixeria was signed to a massive contract to shore up the first base position for the Yankees. The Yankees on paper, appear to have the firepower to win this division, but with the off season issue regarding Alex Rodriguez and steroids, the team will need to find a way to rally and concentrate on baseball. Catcher Jorge Posada looks to be regaining health after missing the ladder part of the 2008 season after having right shoulder surgery. Hideki Matsui is also coming off a season ending injury after having left knee surgery at the end of the 2008 season. The question around the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa Florida is whether Joba Chamberlain is best served as a starter or an 8^th inning man? Mariano Rivera will once again take the duties as the closer for the Yankees.  Starting pitching will once again be the question mark for Joe Giradi’s squad, as Phil Hughes, Humberto Sanchez and Jason Johnson all look to be fighting for the fifth position in the rotation. 

The defending champion Tampa Bay Rays added Pat Burrell from Philadelphia to help bring some power to the lineup from the outfield position. The outfield is awfully crowded for the Rays who have B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Gabe Kapler already. Look for youngster Matt Joyce to get some at bats in the outfield for Tampa Bay as well. Evan Longoria will look to repeat his .272, 27, 85 2008 season as his stock in major league baseball continues to grow. Carl Crawford appears to be as close to 100% as he can be, after playing just over 100 games last season. The pitching staff last season turned into one of the more dynamic staffs in all of baseball, and will now add youngster David Price, the 6′6 lefthander out of Vanderbilt University. Most recently, Tampa Bay added reliever Jason Isringhausen to a minor league contract. Isringhausen may be a big help later in the season if he can regain his old pitching ways. 

The Baltimore Orioles come into Fort Lauderdale Florida with a few new faces. Baltimore picked up Ryan Freel, Ty Wiggington, Cesar Izturis and Gregg Zaun, all veterans, along with youngsters such as Rich Hill and Felix Pie. They also resigned All-Star second basemen, Brian Roberts. Baltimore had the American League’s worst ERA last year with a 5.51 era. This season Mark Hendrickson will be turned to, to eat up innings after finishing with a 5.45 era last season in Florida. Koji Uehara, a two time All Star in Japan will slide into the rotation along with Jeremy Guthrie. Youngsters Matt Wieters, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones will seemingly get plenty of at bats for a team that is expected to finish at the bottom of the division again in 2009. Felix Pie amd Ryan Freel will have a spring training battle to see who can fill the other outfield position for Baltimore, while Luke Scott appears to be the team’s designated hitter.

The Toronto Blue Jays did not put forth much of an effort in the off season to show the fans they are going to attempt to compete at the top of the American League East. Additions of Michael Barrett, Kevin Millar, Mike Maroth and Matt Clement are hardly a sign of dominance. The Blue Jays do not appear to have a great deal of starting pitching depth beyond Roy Halladay and Jesse Litsch, so guys like Scott Richmond, David Purcey and Brian Burress will be forced to step right into the show. Vernon Wells and Alex Rios are nice plays and with Halladay, the Jays will have a staff ace.  However, this team has a lot of question marks and seems to be relying on too many young bats.

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