MLB Betting Picks: San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves
Added on Aug 14, 2012 by Jack Thurman in
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Like a terrified victim freezing in the face of an unrelenting horde of zombies, the Atlanta Braves can’t seem to make up any ground in the NL East despite their overall good play of late. They’ve had enough trouble given the excellent form of the division leading Washington Nationals. That problem was compounded on Monday night as the Braves slipped up and lost to the San Diego Padres–a team that is playing well down the stretch having spent most of the summer stewing and plotting in the subterranean lair of the NL West basement. While the Braves were losing to the Padres the Nationals were out West putting a hurt on the Arizona Diamondbacks. As the sun rises over the carnage strewn battlefield that is Major League Baseball we can see that the Nationals have picked up another game on the Braves and now lead the NL East by 5.5 games.
San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves
August 14, 2012 4:10 PM Pacific
No matter how formidable a foe–be it a mythical hero like Achilles or a murder crazed monster like Jason Voorhees–they all have a weakness that can be exploited. It is hard to determine whether the Atlanta Braves are the hunter or the hunted in this series but they definitely have a weakness–they’ve been ineffective against left handed pitching all season long. It’s been the metaphorical stake driven in the vampire’s cold, dead heart for the Braves–Atlanta is +11 units overall but 19-25 -9.4 units against left handers.
That fact should create a sense of foreboding in the hometown Braves–Clayton Richard has struggled for much of the season but the San Diego southpaw has been waiting for just this moment to strike down the powerful Braves with unholy vengeance and furious anger. Richard has risen from the ashes of the Padres season and has been pitching, well, like a man possessed in his recent starts. In his last three assignments he’s got an ERA of 1.27 allowing only 3 earned runs in 21 1/3 innings of work. The Braves will counter with veteran Tim Hudson–Atlanta has won 8 of his 11 home starts but his ERA has not been impressive there. Despite that stellar won/loss record Hudson’s ERA at Turner Field is a bloated 4.33.
Atlanta typically gives Hudson solid run support but it’s hard to see them doing that today. Instead they are likely to struggle against the suddenly inhuman form of lefthander Clayton Richards and his wicked band of invaders from the West. We’ll take a shot on the Padres as sizable underdogs.
Bet San Diego Padres (Richard) +165 over Atlanta Braves (Hudson)
