Mets vs Nats for Baseball Betting

It was just about 10 days ago that the New York Mets were riding high, and just a few games out of first place in the NL East.

But after losing two out of three to Washington, and four of five since then, their season is spinning violently out of control.

Can they recover in time to make you a winner in your baseball money line bet?

New York Mets (19-21 SU, 25-15 R/L, 19-18-3 O/U) at

Washington Nationals (20-20 SU, 26-14 R/L, 16-23-1 O/U)

Wednesday, May 19: 7:05 p.m.

Betting Odds:

New York: +1 ½, -170, +115 (R.A. Dickey-R)

Washington: -1 ½, +150, -135 (Livan Hernandez-R)

Total Runs:

Over 9: -105

Under 9: -115   

It certainly won’t be easy, as the Mets enter this game against one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, Livan Hernandez.

It seems like old Livan does this every season, getting out to a super hot start. 2010 is no different. On the season Hernandez is 4-2 with a 1.46 ERA, ranking him third in the National League in that category. In seven starts, the 35-year-old has allowed more than two earned runs only twice, including his last start in Colorado.

For those interested in betting the over/under run total, six of those starts have played UNDER.

Opposing Hernandez on the mound will be knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. Dickey is making this start straight off a plane from Triple A, where he began the year in the Mets organization. There really isn’t much more to say on Dickey, other than that in seven other Major League seasons he’s yet to win more than nine games. That occurred way back in 2003.

Offensively, the Mets have struggled of late, the biggest reason they are underdogs in the betting odds. They are coming off a two game series in Atlanta, where they scored just five runs total on 10 hits. New York doesn’t have a single starter batting over .276 in their lineup, and catcher Rod Barajas leads this team with nine home runs.

With offense like that, it’s no wonder victories have been so hard to come by.

The same can said for the Nationals, who find themselves looking to snap a five game losing streak, a streak in which they haven’t scored more than five runs in any of those games. Unlike New York, there are a few bright spots however, as shortstop Cristian Guzman and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman each is hitting over .300.

In the middle of the order, Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn have combined for 15 home runs.

With the better pitcher on the mound, and the better offensive lineup, there is absolutely no reason why the Nationals shouldn’t be your money line play in Wednesday night’s baseball betting odds.
Hernandez has been phenomenal and will look to continue that streak, against one of the worst lineups in baseball.

And with power and skill up and down their lineup, there’s no reason to think the Nationals can’t send Dickey to an early shower.

Make Washington your Wednesday night baseball bet.

Aaron’s Pick: Washington Money Line (-135)