Due to the fact that the top of the NL East has been light the Mets are not totally out of it yet. <\/p>\n
New York Mets (36-42) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (39-39)<\/strong>
\n Thursday June 26<\/strong>
\n PNC Park – Pittsburgh, PA<\/strong>
\n 7:05PM<\/strong>
\n Probable Pitchers<\/strong>
\n NYM: \u00a0Daisuke Matsuzaka (R)<\/strong>
\n PIT: \u00a0Vance Worley (R)<\/strong>
\n Moneyline: \u00a0Pittsburgh -150, New York +140<\/strong>
\n Total: \u00a08<\/strong>
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New York<\/h3>\n
There is not exactly great reason to hope they are going to get themselves in the race but they are only 5.5 games out at the moment. The pitching has been good but this team is averaging under 4 runs per game.<\/p>\n
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They are not a group of great hitters and since they have trouble jacking the ball out of the yard they struggle to put up crooked numbers.<\/p>\n
I thought we has already seen the last of Daisuke Matsuzaka but he has emerged yet again, first as a closer for New York and now back in the rotation. The amazing thing is that he is actually being effective. \u00a0It goes back to 2013 but in his last 9 starts he has and ERA of just 2.20.
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\nOn a team like the Mets that doesn’t make him automatically backable but in the right situation he is playable.<\/p>\nPittsburgh<\/h3>\n
The Pirates saw their 4 game winning streak come to a close as they couldn\u2019t quite sweep away the Rays.<\/p>\n
They are at .500 which is an improvement but that puts them at only 4th place in the very competitive NL Central.This year the magic is definitely not what it was a year ago.<\/p>\n
Andrew McCutcheon is having another solid year but they need some others to pick it up at the plate as well. It is every encouraging to see that prospect Gregory Blanco is adjusting quickly.<\/p>\n
Another name I didn’t think I would be hearing this season was Vance Worley.<\/p>\n
Though not in the Pirates plans to start the season he has been effective in two starts since being put in the rotation. He has been fortunate to face light hitting Miami and Chicago and gets another soft spot against the Mets.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh is hoping his strong performance can continue.<\/p>\n
This is a pitching matchup that is tough to read.<\/p>\n
Realistically either of these pitchers could implode and be out of the Majors in a month. \u00a0It is not the strongest of opinions but I am inclined to lean with the home team for this one. Not that Pittsburgh is playing all that great.<\/p>\n
The over has good value too.<\/p>\n