Expected high scoring baseball betting NL East affair with Robertson and Niese on the bump

After splitting the first two games of their season-opening baseball betting series, the Florida Marlins and New York Mets are back at it on Thursday night for the rubber match.

The Fish had some major issues in their bullpen yesterday, as their four relievers combined to allow three inherited runners to score, conceded three earned runs, and walked a whopping six batters in 3.1 innings of work.

However, it was PH Ronny Paulino that came up with the bloop single that won it for Florida in the tenth inning.

The Marlins outhit the Mets 17-6 in the game.

Florida Marlins (1-1, -$7) vs. New York Mets (1-1, +$1)

Game Date/Time: Thursday, April 7th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Citi Field, New York, NY
TV/Radio Broadcast: Sunshine Network, SNY, XM Radio

MLB Baseball Odds:

Florida Marlins +1.5 -200 -100
(Nate Robertson – L)

New York Mets -1.5 +170 -120
(Jonathon Niese – L)

Total: 9 O -115 9 U -105

Get in on the action now bet on baseball > >  SIGN UP HERE

After an injury-riddled 2009 campaign that only saw him throw 49.2 innings, LHP Nate Robertson was traded away from the Tigers to the Marlins just before the start of this season. The move marks a return for Robertson, who was drafted by Florida and made his debut in the majors with the team before moving on to Detroit in 2003.

The timing of the move was perfect for the Fish, who don’t have a very deep starting staff and badly needed a left-handed arm to compliment right-handers Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco.

Since really bursting onto the scene in 2004 with a 12-10 season, things haven’t gone so well for the left-hander, who has posted records of 7-16, 13-13, 9-13, 7-11, and 2-3 since that point. His ERA over the L/3 seasons is well above 5.00, and unless he can really start to get his act together, he’ll probably find himself back in the minors.

At the outset of the 2010 baseball betting season, the Mets probably didn’t think that they were going to need to use LHP Jonathon Niese as their third starter.

Over the L/2 seasons, the lefty has only started eight games, going 2-2 in those eight, and his ERA is a lofty 5.22. Opposing batters are hitting .297 against him for his career, and he has only pitched deeper than the seventh inning once in his career (September 13th, 2008 vs. Atlanta).

MLB Baseball Insider Tip: Tonight’s umpire, Jeff Nelson, went 21-11 for ‘over’ bettors last season.

When you put together two pitchers that probably belong in the minor leagues, two bullpens that threw a ton of guys the previous day, and an umpire that is notorious for ‘overs’, the recipe is ripe for a high scoring game.

Expect the Marlins to use the momentum from that 17-hit outburst against New York yesterday to plate some more runs off of Niese, but we have a hard time believing that Robertson is going to be good enough to nail down the Mets either. With that being said, the six walks issued by the Florida bullpen yesterday also scares us.

Look for a high scoring baseball betting affair when Robertson and the Marlins take on Niese and the Mets on Thursday night.

My MLB Prediction: FLA/NYM Over 9 -115 (Robertson/Niese)