Reporter's notebook: Never too early

The first Major League Baseball spring training games of 2018 are set to get under way this weekend, which means it’s not too early to look ahead to this year’s World Series.

Last year’s World Series participants, the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with the New York Yankees, are the current favorites in Las Vegas to win the title this year.

The last time the same teams faced off in back-to-back championships the Yankees defeated the Dodgers in 1977 and 1978.

The Dodgers are looking to end a 20-year championship drought with their seventh title. The Yankees have a MLB-record 27 World Series championships but haven’t won the big one since 2009. And the Astros, after winning the franchise’s first Fall Classic last year, will try to become the first team since the Derek Jeter-led Yankees in 1998 and 1999 to win back-to-back titles.

Right now a winning $100 bet on one of those three teams would be worth around $500 or $550.

Meanwhile, the Miami Marlins, now partly owned by Jeter, offer the longest odds to win the 2018 World Series — a $100 bet would be worth $50,000 if they pull off the upset win.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Jamie Cushman