New York Mets hope to start second half turnaround at Braves
New York hopes to reverse the slow start as well as recent downturns in the second half of seasons when they visit the Braves in Atlanta starting Thursday.
Patience is wearing pretty thin for New York Mets backers. After two seasons in which the club folded down the stretch faster than you can say choke, the Mets find themselves behind the eight ball once again. New York has had a bunch of injuries to key players, but that’s little solace to bettors who’ve watched the Mets sink to 19th on the MLB moneylist.
New York (42-45, -4.85 units) can start to turn their fortunes around when it takes on the Atlanta Braves (43-45, -8.42 units) in a four-game set at Turner Field beginning on Thursday night. The Mets come into the second half in fourth place in the National League East, a half game behind the Braves and 6.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. Futures bettors thinking New York might be able to slip into Wild Card position might want to take a look at the standings: The Mets trail the San Francisco Giants by 6.5 games on that front as well.
New York hands the ball to Oliver Perez (2-2, 8.78 ERA) for the opener (7 PM ET), with the lefthander looking to get on track away from Citi Field. Perez is 0-1 with a demotion-level 12.71 ERA on the road this season, with the Mets 0-3 against the moneyline and the under in those starts. Sinkerballer Derek Lowe (8-7, 4.39 ERA) takes the bump for the Braves, who have played under in seven of their last nine games heading into the series.
The Mets have cashed three of the five meetings between the teams this season, including two of three in Atlanta back in early May. The clubs split a two-game set in the Big Apple later in the month, with both contests going to extra innings. Overall, the under is 13-5 in the last 18 games at Turner Field, where the Braves haven’t played since July 2 following a 10-game road swing.
Atlanta went 5-5 against the moneyline during the trip, with the Braves cashing four of their last six games before the All-Star break. After Lowe’s start on Thursday night, Bobby Cox turns the ball over to Jair Jurrjens (7-7, 2.91 ERA) for Friday’s Game 2 (7:35 PM ET). Atlanta has played under the total in 12 of his 18 outings this season, including 10 of 13 night games, during which Jurrjens has posted a 2.77 ERA.
Mike Pelfrey (7-4, 4.47 ERA) toes the rubber in the second game of the series for New York, which continues to take the field without a huge chunk of its lineup. Jose Reyes (hamstring), Carlos Beltran (bruised right knee), and Carlos Delgado (hip) are all the 15-day disabled list, as is starting pitcher John Maine (shoulder) and setup man J.J. Putz (elbow).
Yunel Escobar (lower back strain) entered the All-Star break day-to-day, and the Braves could sure use him with Kelly Johnson (right wrist) still on the 15-day DL. Escobar is hitting .500 (10-for-20) this season against the Mets, who send ace Johan Santana (10-7, 3.09 ERA) to the mound on Saturday afternoon (4 PM ET) to face the Braves’ Kenshin Kawakami (5-6, 4.26 ERA). Santana has struggled away from home this season, with a 3-5 record and 4.81 ERA on the road.
The series finale (6 PM ET) is live on ESPN for an early edition of Sunday Night Baseball, as Atlanta hopes ailing righthander Javier Vazquez (6-7, 2.95 ERA) is able to make his start. Vazquez is dealing with a lower abdominal strain, but was penciled in to take the mound on Sunday as of press time. New York counters with former reliever Fernando Nieve (3-3, 3.03 ERA), who might have worn out his welcome as a makeshift starter with Mets bettors. New York is 0-3 at the window in Nieve’s last three outings, during which the righthander has put up a 5.40 ERA.
New York hopes to reverse the slow start as well as recent downturns in the second half of seasons when they visit the Braves in Atlanta starting Thursday.
Patience is wearing pretty thin for New York Mets backers. After two seasons in which the club folded down the stretch faster than you can say choke, the Mets find themselves behind the eight ball once again. New York has had a bunch of injuries to key players, but that’s little solace to bettors who’ve watched the Mets sink to 19th on the MLB moneylist.
New York (42-45, -4.85 units) can start to turn their fortunes around when it takes on the Atlanta Braves (43-45, -8.42 units) in a four-game set at Turner Field beginning on Thursday night. The Mets come into the second half in fourth place in the National League East, a half game behind the Braves and 6.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. Futures bettors thinking New York might be able to slip into Wild Card position might want to take a look at the standings: The Mets trail the San Francisco Giants by 6.5 games on that front as well.
New York hands the ball to Oliver Perez (2-2, 8.78 ERA) for the opener (7 PM ET), with the lefthander looking to get on track away from Citi Field. Perez is 0-1 with a demotion-level 12.71 ERA on the road this season, with the Mets 0-3 against the moneyline and the under in those starts. Sinkerballer Derek Lowe (8-7, 4.39 ERA) takes the bump for the Braves, who have played under in seven of their last nine games heading into the series.
The Mets have cashed three of the five meetings between the teams this season, including two of three in Atlanta back in early May. The clubs split a two-game set in the Big Apple later in the month, with both contests going to extra innings. Overall, the under is 13-5 in the last 18 games at Turner Field, where the Braves haven’t played since July 2 following a 10-game road swing.
Atlanta went 5-5 against the moneyline during the trip, with the Braves cashing four of their last six games before the All-Star break. After Lowe’s start on Thursday night, Bobby Cox turns the ball over to Jair Jurrjens (7-7, 2.91 ERA) for Friday’s Game 2 (7:35 PM ET). Atlanta has played under the total in 12 of his 18 outings this season, including 10 of 13 night games, during which Jurrjens has posted a 2.77 ERA.
Mike Pelfrey (7-4, 4.47 ERA) toes the rubber in the second game of the series for New York, which continues to take the field without a huge chunk of its lineup. Jose Reyes (hamstring), Carlos Beltran (bruised right knee), and Carlos Delgado (hip) are all the 15-day disabled list, as is starting pitcher John Maine (shoulder) and setup man J.J. Putz (elbow).
Yunel Escobar (lower back strain) entered the All-Star break day-to-day, and the Braves could sure use him with Kelly Johnson (right wrist) still on the 15-day DL. Escobar is hitting .500 (10-for-20) this season against the Mets, who send ace Johan Santana (10-7, 3.09 ERA) to the mound on Saturday afternoon (4 PM ET) to face the Braves’ Kenshin Kawakami (5-6, 4.26 ERA). Santana has struggled away from home this season, with a 3-5 record and 4.81 ERA on the road.
The series finale (6 PM ET) is live on ESPN for an early edition of Sunday Night Baseball, as Atlanta hopes ailing righthander Javier Vazquez (6-7, 2.95 ERA) is able to make his start. Vazquez is dealing with a lower abdominal strain, but was penciled in to take the mound on Sunday as of press time. New York counters with former reliever Fernando Nieve (3-3, 3.03 ERA), who might have worn out his welcome as a makeshift starter with Mets bettors. New York is 0-3 at the window in Nieve’s last three outings, during which the righthander has put up a 5.40 ERA.