MLB Betting: Braves Meet Mets in New York
The Braves had a comfortable lead in the NL East not that long ago. Now Atlanta finds itself in a fight just to make the playoffs. Bobby Cox & Company head to Queens this weekend for a crucial series with the Mets. Atlanta will need to take at least two of three from New York to get in position to possibly overtake the Philadelphia Phillies with two regular season series remaining between the teams.
The best home wager in baseball, the Atlanta Braves, embark on a nine-game National League East road trip with their season on the line when they kick off a three-game series at Citi Field against the New York Mets on Friday night.
The trip will surely decide if the Braves (83-64 SU, +2.04 units) make it to the playoffs – either as NL East champions or as the Wild Card. Atlanta was three games behind division-leading Philadelphia heading into the weekend, while it led San Diego by a half-game in the Wild Card.
Bobby Cox’s team has two remaining three-gamers with the Phillies. One is at Citizens Bank Park when the Braves are finished with the Mets, while the other comes at Turner Field to end the regular season.
Atlanta needed a buffer before taking on New York, because it’s struggled for backers away from home this season. The Braves are 24th on the MLB betting odds moneylist at 31-41 SU (-13.61 units) on the road this season, and run into a Mets team that’s the fifth-best home bet at 44-27 SU (+12.44 units).
Philadelphia has taken control of the NL East over the last two weeks, while in the Wild Card chase, Atlanta is also in deep with San Diego kicking around and San Francisco and Colorado playing their best baseball of the season.
The Braves stumble into their series with the Mets (74-73 SU, -0.72 units) after dropping two of three at home to the Nationals. Atlanta got the day off on Thursday after falling 4-2 to Washington on Wednesday afternoon, while New York is 8-3 in its last 11 games after sweeping Pittsburgh in a four-game set.
Looking at the numbers, the pitching matchups, and the way the teams are trending, the Braves will be fortunate to take two of three from the Mets this weekend. I’d bank on Atlanta winning only one game and to be on the outside looking in at the postseason before its series in Philly.
Tommy Hanson (9-11, 3.54 ERA) takes the ball for the Braves in Friday night’s series opener (7:10 PM ET), and while he has a 1.02 ERA in three starts against the Mets this season, he’s simply a hard-luck starter.
Hanson has allowed two runs or less in eight of his last 10 outings, but Atlanta is only 4-6 against the moneyline in those games.
New York is sending lefthander Jonathon Niese (9-8, 3.85 ERA) to the hill on Friday night, and that doesn’t bode well for the visitors. The Braves are hitting only .227 against lefties on the road this season.
The value is with the Mets as +135 underdogs in the opener, while the Braves are -155 favorites. Expect an even better return on the Mets with Tim Hudson (15-8, 2.62 ERA) throwing for Atlanta on Saturday afternoon (4:10 p.m. ET, FOX).
Like Hanson, Hudson has pitched well against New York this season, but the Braves have failed to cash for him lately. Hudson has a 6.38 ERA in his last three starts, all Atlanta losses. Overall, the Braves are a pedestrian 17-13 in Hudson’s 30 outings this season.
Rookie Dillon Gee (1-0, 0.69 ERA) takes his turn in the rotation for the Mets opposite Hudson on Saturday. Gee has surrendered only one run in 13 big league innings in two starts since getting called up at the beginning of September.
Atlanta is also in tough with R.A. Dickey (11-6, 2.80 ERA) toeing the rubber in Sunday’s series finale (1:10 p.m. ET). Dickey has a 1.74 ERA in nine starts at Citi Field this season, during which New York is 8-1.
Derek Lowe (13-12, 4.22 ERA) goes for the Braves on Sunday after blanking the Nationals over eight innings to get the win in Atlanta’s 4-0 victory on Monday night.
The total for Friday’s opener is set at 7, and expect low numbers in all three games this weekend. The teams have cashed the ‘under’ in the last eight meetings in New York dating back to last season, and are 3-12 O/U in 15 meetings this season.
The Braves are 8-7 against the money line versus the Mets this season, although New York is 4-2 at Citi Field.
The Braves had a comfortable lead in the NL East not that long ago. Now Atlanta finds itself in a fight just to make the playoffs. Bobby Cox & Company head to Queens this weekend for a crucial series with the Mets. Atlanta will need to take at least two of three from New York to get in position to possibly overtake the Philadelphia Phillies with two regular season series remaining between the teams.
The best home wager in baseball, the Atlanta Braves, embark on a nine-game National League East road trip with their season on the line when they kick off a three-game series at Citi Field against the New York Mets on Friday night.
The trip will surely decide if the Braves (83-64 SU, +2.04 units) make it to the playoffs – either as NL East champions or as the Wild Card. Atlanta was three games behind division-leading Philadelphia heading into the weekend, while it led San Diego by a half-game in the Wild Card.
Bobby Cox’s team has two remaining three-gamers with the Phillies. One is at Citizens Bank Park when the Braves are finished with the Mets, while the other comes at Turner Field to end the regular season.
Atlanta needed a buffer before taking on New York, because it’s struggled for backers away from home this season. The Braves are 24th on the MLB betting odds moneylist at 31-41 SU (-13.61 units) on the road this season, and run into a Mets team that’s the fifth-best home bet at 44-27 SU (+12.44 units).
Philadelphia has taken control of the NL East over the last two weeks, while in the Wild Card chase, Atlanta is also in deep with San Diego kicking around and San Francisco and Colorado playing their best baseball of the season.
The Braves stumble into their series with the Mets (74-73 SU, -0.72 units) after dropping two of three at home to the Nationals. Atlanta got the day off on Thursday after falling 4-2 to Washington on Wednesday afternoon, while New York is 8-3 in its last 11 games after sweeping Pittsburgh in a four-game set.
Looking at the numbers, the pitching matchups, and the way the teams are trending, the Braves will be fortunate to take two of three from the Mets this weekend. I’d bank on Atlanta winning only one game and to be on the outside looking in at the postseason before its series in Philly.
Tommy Hanson (9-11, 3.54 ERA) takes the ball for the Braves in Friday night’s series opener (7:10 PM ET), and while he has a 1.02 ERA in three starts against the Mets this season, he’s simply a hard-luck starter.
Hanson has allowed two runs or less in eight of his last 10 outings, but Atlanta is only 4-6 against the moneyline in those games.
New York is sending lefthander Jonathon Niese (9-8, 3.85 ERA) to the hill on Friday night, and that doesn’t bode well for the visitors. The Braves are hitting only .227 against lefties on the road this season.
The value is with the Mets as +135 underdogs in the opener, while the Braves are -155 favorites. Expect an even better return on the Mets with Tim Hudson (15-8, 2.62 ERA) throwing for Atlanta on Saturday afternoon (4:10 p.m. ET, FOX).
Like Hanson, Hudson has pitched well against New York this season, but the Braves have failed to cash for him lately. Hudson has a 6.38 ERA in his last three starts, all Atlanta losses. Overall, the Braves are a pedestrian 17-13 in Hudson’s 30 outings this season.
Rookie Dillon Gee (1-0, 0.69 ERA) takes his turn in the rotation for the Mets opposite Hudson on Saturday. Gee has surrendered only one run in 13 big league innings in two starts since getting called up at the beginning of September.
Atlanta is also in tough with R.A. Dickey (11-6, 2.80 ERA) toeing the rubber in Sunday’s series finale (1:10 p.m. ET). Dickey has a 1.74 ERA in nine starts at Citi Field this season, during which New York is 8-1.
Derek Lowe (13-12, 4.22 ERA) goes for the Braves on Sunday after blanking the Nationals over eight innings to get the win in Atlanta’s 4-0 victory on Monday night.
The total for Friday’s opener is set at 7, and expect low numbers in all three games this weekend. The teams have cashed the ‘under’ in the last eight meetings in New York dating back to last season, and are 3-12 O/U in 15 meetings this season.
The Braves are 8-7 against the money line versus the Mets this season, although New York is 4-2 at Citi Field.
