Shields or Hudson Tonight?

[Doc JS]

Rays and Braves play the rubber game of their three game set tonight in Atlanta. Looks like a good pitchers match-up - Shields vs Hudson.

Shields has pitched better than his numbers and Hudson has been very good especially at home, even though he was a hard-luck loser his last outing in Minnesota.

Shields is a strikeout pitcher. Braves struggle against strikeout pitchers. Braves draw a lot of walks. If Shields punches out double digits, will be a long night for the Bravos. If Shields struggles with his control and walks a bunch, the Braves usually make you pay.

Braves have won 38 in a row when they score 5+ runs a game. Butb those runs may be hard to come by against Shields and the Rays tonight.

A shaky nod to the Braves tonight...

Doc

[awholelottalumps]

I like Atlanta as I don't see how Shields just all of a sudden starts pitching like a GOD as he's been terrible lately and Hudson has been anything but.

[HoulihansTX]

Shields is much like Verlander, in that you know what is coming. The trick is if you can turn on the ball you are gold.

People are turning on the ball, hell the Marlins hit him for 5 straight innings.

[wolverines]

atl braves is the better choice here

[luclongley]

uh shields is nothing like verlander. he throws in the 92 range, while verlander throw 97, thats a huge difference.
i think the impatience of some of the rays hitters (pena, upton mostly) is what hudson will rely on. keeping crawford off the bases is key, because when the rays manufacture runs instead of trying to hit the long ball, theyre the most dangerous.
braves -126

[siabdo23]

i like the under since both pitchers are great

[rustyscrub]

Verlander is ten times the pitcher Shields is.

Not a good comparison.

[HoulihansTX]

I said that you know what is coming, not that I would trade Verlander, for Shields straight up.\

Even though one pitcher may be better than the other, it does not mean they dont share similar characteristics as pitchers.

[FeelinJuiced]

Two good pitchers... Gotta go with the home team in this one.

[apwmel]

I like Shields. TB is much better on the road.

[bigsmitty]

Pretty close call in my books but I feel Hudson has the edge and give the Braves at home some props. Cheers

[Glitch]

plenty of other games. big bats and very good pitchers. if you bet on one, youre betting against the other. what is the point....unless youre planning on watching the game and you wanna make it interesting- you should just skip this game as it can very easily go either way.

[Wreckloose]

Taking the Braves RL.

[Doc JS]

Taking the Braves RL.

Nice call !

Doc

[thebestthereis]

nobody mentioned hudson, not a losing season in 12 with career era under 3.5 and a win % of 66%. hudson is better than both of those guys in my opinion when he is healthy. as consistent as they come.

[Dukebluejms]

Hudson is very underrated and a forgotten about pitcher. He is not flashy and doesn't rack up the K's, but he gets the job done. Great pitcher and he should make the All Star team.

[patswin]

great game atlanta has a good team this year,I think they win the NL East

[Doc JS]

Hudson is very underrated and a forgotten about pitcher. He is not flashy and doesn't rack up the K's, but he gets the job done. Great pitcher and he should make the All Star team.

Lots of good pitchers in the NL this year...but I agree that Tim deserves strong consideration got the AS team...

Doc

[korbal29]

hudson gonna be one of top pitchers this year if he gets enough run support

[Doc JS]

great game atlanta has a good team this year,I think they win the NL East

I think it will be a dog fight all year. The phillies will get better once Rollins comes back. The mets will get better once Beltran comes back. And I think the Braves will be better once JJ gets back in the rotation (and KK goes to the pen). Should be a helluva race!

Doc