MLB playoff odds are stacked against Atlanta

The MLB playoffs odds are here, as the postseason gets started for the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night. This marks the last series in the divisional round of the playoffs to get underway.

The NL Wild Card winner and the NL West winner both finished within a game of each other in the regular season, and both will be jockeying for the key 1-0 series lead in this best of seven series.

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Atlanta Braves @ San Francisco Giants

Game Date/Time: Thursday, October 7th, 9:37 ET
Game Location: AT&T Field, San Francisco, CA
TV/Radio Broadcast: TBS, XM

MLB Odds

Atlanta Braves (Derek Lowe – R) +140 +1.5 -170
San Francisco Giants (Tim Lincecum – R) -150 -1.5 +150
Over/Under 6.5 o-120 6.5 u+100

If the Braves are beating the MLB playoff odds on Thursday night, it is going to be up to Derek Lowe to have a phenomenal game. Postseason experience isn’t a question for Lowe, as he has been on a number of different teams.

However, this season wasn’t the greatest in Lowe’s career in spite of the fact that he went 16-12 on the year. Opposing batters hit .273 against the righty, which could make for a short day when up against the MLB playoff odds.

The good news for Lowe is that he won his final five starts of the regular season, and he only allowed four earned runs in those five outings. The issue with that? None of those games were against teams that were anywhere near the quality that he will face against the MLB playoff odds.

Against the Giants in his career, Lowe might only be 7-5, but he has a stellar 3.02 ERA.

Tim Lincecum hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a game since the month of August, and he has gone 5-1 in those six starts. Needless to say, there’s a reason that this righty is going to be a favorite against the MLB playoff odds almost every time he takes the hill.

Lincecum won 16 games this year, marking the third straight season in which he won at least 15 games. Over these three years, he has accounted for 757 strikeouts, making him one of the most feared hurlers in the game.

The 26 year old is 6-2 with a 2.89 ERA in his career against Atlanta.

MLB Insider Tip: The Giants are 6-2 in Lincecum’s L/8 starts against the Braves.

The choice in this game is easy. The Braves were limping towards the postseason as it was, and they just barely hung to their must win game on Sunday to get to this point. Though San Francisco hasn’t exactly been on fire, Lincecum and the starting rotation has been.

How on earth is Atlanta producing enough runs to win this game?

The MLB playoff odds are stacked against Atlanta on Thursday.

My MLB Predictions: San Francisco Giants (Lincecum)

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