MLB Betting Preview: Atlanta Braves Host Struggling New York Mets
When we last saw the Braves and Mets on the same field, Atlanta was struggling and New York was surging. Now the two NL East rivals meet going in opposite directions.
The Braves are looking for a little payback Monday when they begin a short, two-game series against the visiting New York Mets. Oddsmakers seem to like their chances in the opener with the Braves carrying 130-135 chalk into the matchup.
New York swept Atlanta when the Mets hosted the Braves a little more than three weeks ago. The Mets were small home dogs in all three games at Citi Field, and the wins stopped an eight-game losing skid against the Braves from the end of the '09 season.
Atlanta dominated the Mets in last year's meetings, winning 13 of the 18 head-to-head meetings. The Braves were 6-3 at Turner Field against the New Yorkers.
The series in April came when the Mets and Braves were each headed in opposite directions. Atlanta's three losses were part of a nine-game losing skid while New York's three wins were in the middle of the Mets' eight-game winning streak that ultimately saw them take the temporary lead in the NL East.
The teams are once again heading in different directions, only now the Braves are winning and the Mets are losing. New York hits Atlanta in the throes of a five-game skid after the Marlins took all four in Florida. The Mets are 18-20 (minus 3.6 units) and now in last of the NL East after Sunday's 10-8 setback.
Atlanta has won six of its last eight, including taking two of three from Arizona over the weekend. Sunday's 13-1 rout pushed the Braves a half-game ahead of New York in the NLE with an 18-19 record (minus 3.8 units).
The Mets will have their two top starters for this quickie series, beginning with Mike Pelfrey (5-2, 3.14). Atlanta counters with Derek Lowe (5-3, 5.73).
Pelfrey earned one of the wins over the Braves in the previous meeting, tossing five scoreless in the rain-shortened series ender. But his fast start to the 2010 campaign has slowed in recent trips to the hill. New York has dropped two of his most recent trio of starts, with Pelfrey posting a 6.88 ERA in 17 innings.
Lowe has been in a good start, bad start rut for most of this season. If his offense was tearing it up in his assignments, he could easily be 2-6 on the season. Atlanta is averaging almost seven runs in his eight starts.
The right-hander missed facing the Mets in April. The Braves won three of his four matchups against the Mets in 2009, though Lowe did not pitch all that well. He got in just 16 2/3 innings versus New York a season ago and allowed 16 earned runs.
Scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast for Atlanta on Monday. There's a 40 percent chance during the day, lessening to 30 percent in the evening. The thermometer should be in the low-to-mid 70s for the first pitch.
Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.35) will start for the Braves in Tuesday's series finale. It will be his second start of the season to go with 13 calls from the pen. Medlen is starting in place of Jair Jurrjens who will miss at least the rest of May with a bad hamstring.
Mets lefty Johan Santana (5-3, 3.88) will face Medlen on Tuesday.
New York will head from Atlanta to Washington on Wednesday to complete its eight-game road trip with two against the Nats. Atlanta will welcome the Reds to town on Wednesday and Thursday to end its seven-game homestand.
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2010 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
When we last saw the Braves and Mets on the same field, Atlanta was struggling and New York was surging. Now the two NL East rivals meet going in opposite directions.
The Braves are looking for a little payback Monday when they begin a short, two-game series against the visiting New York Mets. Oddsmakers seem to like their chances in the opener with the Braves carrying 130-135 chalk into the matchup.
New York swept Atlanta when the Mets hosted the Braves a little more than three weeks ago. The Mets were small home dogs in all three games at Citi Field, and the wins stopped an eight-game losing skid against the Braves from the end of the '09 season.
Atlanta dominated the Mets in last year's meetings, winning 13 of the 18 head-to-head meetings. The Braves were 6-3 at Turner Field against the New Yorkers.
The series in April came when the Mets and Braves were each headed in opposite directions. Atlanta's three losses were part of a nine-game losing skid while New York's three wins were in the middle of the Mets' eight-game winning streak that ultimately saw them take the temporary lead in the NL East.
The teams are once again heading in different directions, only now the Braves are winning and the Mets are losing. New York hits Atlanta in the throes of a five-game skid after the Marlins took all four in Florida. The Mets are 18-20 (minus 3.6 units) and now in last of the NL East after Sunday's 10-8 setback.
Atlanta has won six of its last eight, including taking two of three from Arizona over the weekend. Sunday's 13-1 rout pushed the Braves a half-game ahead of New York in the NLE with an 18-19 record (minus 3.8 units).
The Mets will have their two top starters for this quickie series, beginning with Mike Pelfrey (5-2, 3.14). Atlanta counters with Derek Lowe (5-3, 5.73).
Pelfrey earned one of the wins over the Braves in the previous meeting, tossing five scoreless in the rain-shortened series ender. But his fast start to the 2010 campaign has slowed in recent trips to the hill. New York has dropped two of his most recent trio of starts, with Pelfrey posting a 6.88 ERA in 17 innings.
Lowe has been in a good start, bad start rut for most of this season. If his offense was tearing it up in his assignments, he could easily be 2-6 on the season. Atlanta is averaging almost seven runs in his eight starts.
The right-hander missed facing the Mets in April. The Braves won three of his four matchups against the Mets in 2009, though Lowe did not pitch all that well. He got in just 16 2/3 innings versus New York a season ago and allowed 16 earned runs.
Scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast for Atlanta on Monday. There's a 40 percent chance during the day, lessening to 30 percent in the evening. The thermometer should be in the low-to-mid 70s for the first pitch.
Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.35) will start for the Braves in Tuesday's series finale. It will be his second start of the season to go with 13 calls from the pen. Medlen is starting in place of Jair Jurrjens who will miss at least the rest of May with a bad hamstring.
Mets lefty Johan Santana (5-3, 3.88) will face Medlen on Tuesday.
New York will head from Atlanta to Washington on Wednesday to complete its eight-game road trip with two against the Nats. Atlanta will welcome the Reds to town on Wednesday and Thursday to end its seven-game homestand.
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2010 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!