Nick Parsons Available Picks

May, 16 2008 7:35pm EST
MONEYLINE: Atlanta Braves -145
WIN for +1.38 unit(s)

Oakland Athletics at Atlanta Braves

Play on Atlanta Braves $ line (-) vs Oakland @ 7:35 PM ET After a loss in Philadelphia last night, the Braves are now 6-16 on the road this season. However, theyre now back home where theyre a rock solid 14-4 this season! In fact, Atlanta has been particularly hot at Turner Field since late April as theyve won seven straight home games! The Braves struggled in interleague action last season but they do have an overall winning record in all-time interleague games. Also, the key in interleague action is the match-ups and we like the way this pitching match-up works out in terms of favoring Atlanta. Jair Jurrjens has simply been nearly unhittable in many of his recent outings. He allowed just three hits in five innings in his most recent start. Prior to that outing, he had last at least six innings in five straight starts and yet he allowed four hits or less in four of those five starts! Jurrjens career started in the American League (with the Tigers) last season. However, the Athletics never saw him and they will have trouble hitting him as hes been hit at just a .211 clip in his 15 career MLB starts. The only regular in the As lineup who is a lefthanded stick and hitting over .245 this season is Ryan Sweeney. Whats the significance of this? Note that Jurrjens, a righthander, has held righthanded batters to just a .179 batting average in his career. In other words, with a lack of dangerous lefthanded lumber, the As are in trouble here. Oakland sends Dana Eveland to the mound tonight and hes not as good as his 3.23 ERA might indicate at first glance! The southpaw has only produced one quality start in his last six outings! His overall numbers also benefit from pitching his home games in pitcher-friendly Oakland. On the road, Eveland is 1-3 this season with 4.88 ERA. The As southpaw is simply overrated so far this season because he had two solid outings to start the season. Its been all downhill since then and this is still the same pitcher who has a career 5.72 ERA and has spent most of his MLB career pitching out of the bullpen! Speaking of bullpens, the As do have a good one, but the Braves bullpen is not too shabby either and Atlanta simply has too many edges in terms of the stronger lineup and a big starting pitching edge in this one!