JEFF BENTON
On paper ? on paper ? the Mets are a no-brainer in this game. They?re much more talented, they?re playing much better baseball and they have the better starting pitcher going. Hence the huge odds here. However, unless you can guarantee me that Oliver Perez is going to pitch a complete game, then I?m taking a shot with a massive underdog. That?s because the Mets bullpen, as it showed yesterday in Pittsburgh when it turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 defeat, is in complete shambles and cannot be trusted to protect any lead.
Well, if recent history is any indication, we?re going to get about six or seven innings out of Perez, leaving two or three innings for the New York bully (6.11 ERA last 10 games) to come in and pour gasoline over any lead that Perez might hand them.
As for the Braves, they?ve had a very disappointing season, to be sure. However, they certainly haven?t had much trouble with the Mets, winning seven of the nine meetings this year. Also, they come into this game batting .300 against left-handed starters over the past 10 games (Perez is a southpaw).
Again, we probably have no business winning this selection. But as dysfunctional as the Mets? bullpen is right now, I wouldn?t be at all surprised to see a late-inning rally by Atlanta.
(Based on a 1♦ to 10♦ rating system)
3♦ ATLANTA BRAVES
On paper ? on paper ? the Mets are a no-brainer in this game. They?re much more talented, they?re playing much better baseball and they have the better starting pitcher going. Hence the huge odds here. However, unless you can guarantee me that Oliver Perez is going to pitch a complete game, then I?m taking a shot with a massive underdog. That?s because the Mets bullpen, as it showed yesterday in Pittsburgh when it turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 defeat, is in complete shambles and cannot be trusted to protect any lead.
Well, if recent history is any indication, we?re going to get about six or seven innings out of Perez, leaving two or three innings for the New York bully (6.11 ERA last 10 games) to come in and pour gasoline over any lead that Perez might hand them.
As for the Braves, they?ve had a very disappointing season, to be sure. However, they certainly haven?t had much trouble with the Mets, winning seven of the nine meetings this year. Also, they come into this game batting .300 against left-handed starters over the past 10 games (Perez is a southpaw).
Again, we probably have no business winning this selection. But as dysfunctional as the Mets? bullpen is right now, I wouldn?t be at all surprised to see a late-inning rally by Atlanta.
(Based on a 1♦ to 10♦ rating system)
3♦ ATLANTA BRAVES