Braves streak into home series with Phillies
After sweeping both the Cardinals and Mets in the last week, the Braves host the Phillies in a must-win series this weekend at Turner Field. Atlanta will likely be without star 3B Chipper Jones for the set.
Chipper Jones is questionable for the Braves’ three-game series with the Phillies this weekend, but the only thing truly questionable is the veteran’s performance this season.
The 37-year-old Jones is likely to sit out on the weekend because of a strained oblique and some lower back pain, not that it’ll really hurt Atlanta backers. After batting a Ty Cobb-like .364 last season, Chipper is hitting only .269 – .229 since June 9 – with 16 homers and 64 runs batted in 2009, by far the worst numbers of his career. Reports out of Turner Field on Thursday say Jones is seriously considering retirement if he can’t turn it around next season.
If Chipper had put up a typical season by his standards, you could make a strong argument the Braves would be in playoff position. Rolling into Friday night’s opener with Philadelphia at 78-68 (-2.05 units), Atlanta is 4.5 games behind Colorado in the National League Wild Card race.
Phillies (+110) at Braves (-130)
Betting wise, expect runs to be at a premium when the Phillies (85-60, +9.06 units) take on the Braves at Turner Field this weekend. That’s an advantage for Atlanta, which simply doesn’t have the offense to match up with what Philly brings to the batter’s box.
The Braves have been red-hot for bettors lately, with moneyline victories in seven straight and eight of their last nine games. Atlanta went into St. Louis and swept the Cardinals to start the week, and then followed it up by taking all three from the Mets at Turner Field.
Bobby Cox hands the ball to Tim Hudson (1-0, 3.38 ERA) for his fourth start of the season in Friday night’s opener (7:30 PM ET), while Charlie Manuel is expected to send J.A. Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA) to the hill. Don’t etch Happ’s name in stone just yet, because there’s a chance he could miss his third consecutive start because of a strain to the intercostal muscle of his right oblique. If Happ can’t go, Jamie Moyer (12-9, 5.05 ERA) would take the mound in his place.
Oddsmakers opened both teams as a -110 pick ‘em for Friday’s contest, but that was with Happ as the scheduled starter. If Moyer slides into the youngster’s place, the Braves would no doubt see some chalk given the disparity (not just in age) between these two Phillies southpaws.
The total for the opener was released at 8.5, and the under is the sharp play, as it is for the rest of the series. Philadelphia has played under the number in six of its last seven ballgames (6-1 ML), and is 9-24 O/U in its last 33 games overall on the betting odds board. The clubs are also 4-10-1 O/U through 15 meetings this season, during which Atlanta is 9-6 against the moneyline, including 4-2 at Turner Field.
The Phillies hadn’t officially announced their starters for the remainder of the series as of press time. If the rotation holds form, the resurgent Pedro Martinez (5-0, 2.87 ERA) would look to continue pitching like it’s 1999 in Saturday’s Game 2 (7 PM ET), while Cliff Lee (7-2, 2.67 ERA with Philly, 14-11, 3.00 ERA overall) would toe the rubber in Sunday’s finale (1:30 PM ET).
Javier Vazquez (13-9, 3.01 ERA) goes on Saturday for the Braves, who are 3-8 O/U in his 11 home outings this season. The righthander has made four starts against the Phils in ’09, during which Atlanta is 2-2 against the moneyline. Vazquez allowed four runs over seven innings to take the loss in the Braves’ 4-1 defeat to the Phillies on August 16, as Philadelphia cashed as +121 underdogs.
If Lee ends up throwing on Sunday, he’ll battle with Tommy Hanson (10-3, 2.65 ERA), who has solidified himself as one of the top righties in the NL in 18 starts since being called up from the minors. Hanson comes into his start having tossed 18 scoreless innings, and is 1-0 with an 0.45 ERA in his last three outings. Atlanta has been extremely successful when Hanson takes the ball at Turner Field, going 8-1 in his nine home starts this season.
After sweeping both the Cardinals and Mets in the last week, the Braves host the Phillies in a must-win series this weekend at Turner Field. Atlanta will likely be without star 3B Chipper Jones for the set.
Chipper Jones is questionable for the Braves’ three-game series with the Phillies this weekend, but the only thing truly questionable is the veteran’s performance this season.
The 37-year-old Jones is likely to sit out on the weekend because of a strained oblique and some lower back pain, not that it’ll really hurt Atlanta backers. After batting a Ty Cobb-like .364 last season, Chipper is hitting only .269 – .229 since June 9 – with 16 homers and 64 runs batted in 2009, by far the worst numbers of his career. Reports out of Turner Field on Thursday say Jones is seriously considering retirement if he can’t turn it around next season.
If Chipper had put up a typical season by his standards, you could make a strong argument the Braves would be in playoff position. Rolling into Friday night’s opener with Philadelphia at 78-68 (-2.05 units), Atlanta is 4.5 games behind Colorado in the National League Wild Card race.
Phillies (+110) at Braves (-130)
Betting wise, expect runs to be at a premium when the Phillies (85-60, +9.06 units) take on the Braves at Turner Field this weekend. That’s an advantage for Atlanta, which simply doesn’t have the offense to match up with what Philly brings to the batter’s box.
The Braves have been red-hot for bettors lately, with moneyline victories in seven straight and eight of their last nine games. Atlanta went into St. Louis and swept the Cardinals to start the week, and then followed it up by taking all three from the Mets at Turner Field.
Bobby Cox hands the ball to Tim Hudson (1-0, 3.38 ERA) for his fourth start of the season in Friday night’s opener (7:30 PM ET), while Charlie Manuel is expected to send J.A. Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA) to the hill. Don’t etch Happ’s name in stone just yet, because there’s a chance he could miss his third consecutive start because of a strain to the intercostal muscle of his right oblique. If Happ can’t go, Jamie Moyer (12-9, 5.05 ERA) would take the mound in his place.
Oddsmakers opened both teams as a -110 pick ‘em for Friday’s contest, but that was with Happ as the scheduled starter. If Moyer slides into the youngster’s place, the Braves would no doubt see some chalk given the disparity (not just in age) between these two Phillies southpaws.
The total for the opener was released at 8.5, and the under is the sharp play, as it is for the rest of the series. Philadelphia has played under the number in six of its last seven ballgames (6-1 ML), and is 9-24 O/U in its last 33 games overall on the betting odds board. The clubs are also 4-10-1 O/U through 15 meetings this season, during which Atlanta is 9-6 against the moneyline, including 4-2 at Turner Field.
The Phillies hadn’t officially announced their starters for the remainder of the series as of press time. If the rotation holds form, the resurgent Pedro Martinez (5-0, 2.87 ERA) would look to continue pitching like it’s 1999 in Saturday’s Game 2 (7 PM ET), while Cliff Lee (7-2, 2.67 ERA with Philly, 14-11, 3.00 ERA overall) would toe the rubber in Sunday’s finale (1:30 PM ET).
Javier Vazquez (13-9, 3.01 ERA) goes on Saturday for the Braves, who are 3-8 O/U in his 11 home outings this season. The righthander has made four starts against the Phils in ’09, during which Atlanta is 2-2 against the moneyline. Vazquez allowed four runs over seven innings to take the loss in the Braves’ 4-1 defeat to the Phillies on August 16, as Philadelphia cashed as +121 underdogs.
If Lee ends up throwing on Sunday, he’ll battle with Tommy Hanson (10-3, 2.65 ERA), who has solidified himself as one of the top righties in the NL in 18 starts since being called up from the minors. Hanson comes into his start having tossed 18 scoreless innings, and is 1-0 with an 0.45 ERA in his last three outings. Atlanta has been extremely successful when Hanson takes the ball at Turner Field, going 8-1 in his nine home starts this season.