SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal

In an effort to end their losing ways, the Chicago Cubs made two major offseason moves by hiring manager Lou Piniella and signing left fielder Alfonso Soriano. The result is a rare postseason appearance.

Another oddity is seeing the Cubs favored to win in October.

Of the eight teams in the baseball playoffs, which begin today, Chicago had the worst regular-season record at 85-77. Yet the Cubs are minus-125 favorites to win their National League division series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, owners of the NL's best record at 90-72.

So are the Cubs deserving of the favorite's role or merely false favorites because of their obvious sentimental support?

"It seems weird that you have the Diamondbacks as a 'dog in the series, but they're the favorite in the first game and they have home-field advantage," MGM Mirage sports book director Robert Walker said.

"The reality is the Cubs are a public team and the Diamondbacks are not. The public loves the Cubs."

If the Cubs have one advantage, it's experience. Piniella has been to the playoffs six times as a manager and won one World Series. He also has established stars and big hitters in Soriano, first baseman Derrek Lee and third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

The Diamondbacks are a young and mostly unknown team. Their one star is right-hander Brandon Webb, the 2006 Cy Young Award winner.

Webb, an 18-game winner, opposes Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano today at Chase Field in Phoenix. Arizona, which won four of six games against Chicago this season, is a minus-130 favorite in Game 1 of the best-of-5 series.

Webb, 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA in seven career starts against the Cubs, is making his postseason debut. Zambrano is 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA in four career starts at Chase Field.

"The Cubs could get it done, but this is a tough series for them," Walker said.

There might be line value in both NL underdogs. The Philadelphia Phillies are minus-140 favorites to eliminate the Colorado Rockies, who won the wild card by going 14-1 to close the season.

Page 1, 2