Braves Shoot for Sweep of NY Mets
Atlanta has taken the first three games as big MLB betting chalk with the Braves outscoring the Mets by a 22-6 count. Bobby Cox' group breaks out the brooms tonight.
It's a duel of Aces Thursday night at Turner Field when the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets close out their four-game set. New York will send left-hander Johan Santana to the mound while the Braves counter with Tim Hudson. Atlanta will be looking to complete the series sweep and win its sixth straight.
The battle is a rematch of an Aug. 2 game in Atlanta when Hudson and the Braves posted a 4-1 win over Santana and the Mets. Atlanta was a 135 money line favorite in that one, with the 6½-run closing total going to the 'under' bettors.
Sports books are going with that same 6½-run total and once again favoring the 'under.' But they've upped the chalk on the Braves with BetJamaica
opening the Braves at minus 155.
Atlanta walloped the Mets in the first two games, winning 9-3 and 9-2 as 200 and 150 chalk respectively. Game 3 wasn't so one-sided, but the result was the same with the Braves coming out on top by a 4-1 count carrying a minus 170 betting line. Jason Heyward continued to beat up New York pitching with his second 4-hit game of the series that now finds him 9-for-14 with a homer and seven runs batted in.
Santana (13-15, 3.02) has deserved better this season, but the Mets' offense has failed to support him and other New York pitchers with the third-worst scoring offense in the National League. The southpaw posted a 2.72 ERA in August but dropped four of the six starts he made. He allowed four runs in three of the starts, including the Aug. 2 outing at Turner Field against Hudson. The only two games he won were back-to-back starts against the Phils and Rockies in which he gave up no runs in either contest.
This will be Santana's fourth appearance against the Braves in 2010 with New York 1-2 in the previous three. Again, it's been a lack of offense in those three games with Santana posting a 2.57 ERA over 21 frames, a number that should have resulted in at least two New York wins. Both losses came in Atlanta where he's worked 14 innings and allowed six earned runs this campaign.
Then again, beating the Braves on their home diamond has been a difficult task for all pitchers in 2010. Atlanta is 49-18 at Turner Field, by far the best home record in baseball. Hudson (17-10, 2.24) has been a big part of that home mark with the Braves 11-3 in his 14 Turner Field outings where his ERA is a sparkling 1.83.
While Santana was struggling in August, Hudson was enjoying a superb month with the Braves 5-1 in his six starts and the right-hander sporting a 1.71 ERA in 42 frames. All five Braves victories with Hudson on the mound in August came at home.
One of my least favorite field arbiters is in line to call this one as Dan Iassogna completes the umpire circuit in this four-game set. The Bridgeport, CT, native has always been a bit trigger-happy and confrontational since becoming a full-time ump in 2000. Braves fans will be pleased to hear that home teams have cashed 18 of his previous 28 home plate appearances this season, (5-5 up to -140, 6-1 145-185). MLB odds totals set at eight or less are an even-steven 5-5.
The Atlanta forecast calls for a near-perfect evening for baseball. Game time should find it still a bit warm, in the mid-80s or so, before dropping to the upper-60s overnight. Skies should be clear with little to no wind to speak of.
New York continues its 10-game road trip following Thursday's contest, heading to Chicago to face the Cubs for three this weekend before three in DC versus the Nats next week. Atlanta also hits the road after this game with three in Florida followed by three next week in Pittsburgh.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
Atlanta has taken the first three games as big MLB betting chalk with the Braves outscoring the Mets by a 22-6 count. Bobby Cox' group breaks out the brooms tonight.
It's a duel of Aces Thursday night at Turner Field when the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets close out their four-game set. New York will send left-hander Johan Santana to the mound while the Braves counter with Tim Hudson. Atlanta will be looking to complete the series sweep and win its sixth straight.
The battle is a rematch of an Aug. 2 game in Atlanta when Hudson and the Braves posted a 4-1 win over Santana and the Mets. Atlanta was a 135 money line favorite in that one, with the 6½-run closing total going to the 'under' bettors.
Sports books are going with that same 6½-run total and once again favoring the 'under.' But they've upped the chalk on the Braves with BetJamaica
opening the Braves at minus 155.
Atlanta walloped the Mets in the first two games, winning 9-3 and 9-2 as 200 and 150 chalk respectively. Game 3 wasn't so one-sided, but the result was the same with the Braves coming out on top by a 4-1 count carrying a minus 170 betting line. Jason Heyward continued to beat up New York pitching with his second 4-hit game of the series that now finds him 9-for-14 with a homer and seven runs batted in.
Santana (13-15, 3.02) has deserved better this season, but the Mets' offense has failed to support him and other New York pitchers with the third-worst scoring offense in the National League. The southpaw posted a 2.72 ERA in August but dropped four of the six starts he made. He allowed four runs in three of the starts, including the Aug. 2 outing at Turner Field against Hudson. The only two games he won were back-to-back starts against the Phils and Rockies in which he gave up no runs in either contest.
This will be Santana's fourth appearance against the Braves in 2010 with New York 1-2 in the previous three. Again, it's been a lack of offense in those three games with Santana posting a 2.57 ERA over 21 frames, a number that should have resulted in at least two New York wins. Both losses came in Atlanta where he's worked 14 innings and allowed six earned runs this campaign.
Then again, beating the Braves on their home diamond has been a difficult task for all pitchers in 2010. Atlanta is 49-18 at Turner Field, by far the best home record in baseball. Hudson (17-10, 2.24) has been a big part of that home mark with the Braves 11-3 in his 14 Turner Field outings where his ERA is a sparkling 1.83.
While Santana was struggling in August, Hudson was enjoying a superb month with the Braves 5-1 in his six starts and the right-hander sporting a 1.71 ERA in 42 frames. All five Braves victories with Hudson on the mound in August came at home.
One of my least favorite field arbiters is in line to call this one as Dan Iassogna completes the umpire circuit in this four-game set. The Bridgeport, CT, native has always been a bit trigger-happy and confrontational since becoming a full-time ump in 2000. Braves fans will be pleased to hear that home teams have cashed 18 of his previous 28 home plate appearances this season, (5-5 up to -140, 6-1 145-185). MLB odds totals set at eight or less are an even-steven 5-5.
The Atlanta forecast calls for a near-perfect evening for baseball. Game time should find it still a bit warm, in the mid-80s or so, before dropping to the upper-60s overnight. Skies should be clear with little to no wind to speak of.
New York continues its 10-game road trip following Thursday's contest, heading to Chicago to face the Cubs for three this weekend before three in DC versus the Nats next week. Atlanta also hits the road after this game with three in Florida followed by three next week in Pittsburgh.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
