Will the rubber game today in Miami between the Marlins and Atlanta Braves live up to the hype of an expected pitchers duel?
All signs certainly point to the Hump Day affair at Marlins Park
The visiting Braves are once again favored in the contest in the -135 to -140 range, right where they were priced for the first two games that the clubs split. Kris Medlen gets the call for Fredi Gonzalez's group while Josh Johnson is up for Ozzie Guillen and the Fish.
It's tough to argue with the total that is being offered given how the two pitchers have been performing, and equally tough to question Medlen being favored on the MLB odds board. Atlanta has won each of his nine starts since Medlen joined the rotation at the end of July, and he has yet to allow more than two runs in any of the outings with a 0.86 ERA in that span. That's not a misprint, 0.86 ERA.
Perhaps even more impressive than the ERA is the 66:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio the unassuming righthander has in those nine assignments. And to think it all began with a winning performance against these Marlins on July 31 which was preceded by Medlen working three shutout innings in relief against them six days earlier.
Johnson's recent numbers aren't near as impressive as Medlen's, but then, whose are? Still, with the exception of one rough-up in LA against the Dodgers, the big righty has been pitching pretty well. It's just that Johnson has not been getting the help from his bullpen and lineup to turn his efforts into wins as Miami is 1-6 his last seven starts despite his 3.71 ERA.
All signs point to a 2-1, 3-2 game tonight in Miami , but count me among the stubborn old fools who will play the total the other way.
My pick: Over 6.5 (-105) ---
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