Colorado Rockies vs. New York Mets
Free Prediction: New York Mets (-137)
Thu July 30th 2009 12:10p
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The Mets despite all the injuries and front office buffoonery are winning. They’ve won four straight heading into today’s double-header. A sweep would also give the Mets a new record for most consecutive victories at Citi Field. The Rockies would appear to be ripe for the taking considering they’ve lost 20 of their 22 road games in the series.

Johan Santana will face Jason Hammel in the opener at 9:10 Pacific and New York backers can get Santana at a discount price of -137. Granted he’s not having a Cy Young type season but when he’s on, he’s still one of the most intimidating pitchers in the league.

Santana, who has never faced Colorado, is 7-2 with a 1.86 ERA in 10 starts at home. For our purposes today we’ll forget his road struggles. At home he’s been dominant. The Rockies who are facing their first three-game losing streak in nearly two months will send Hammel to the hill. The former Devil Ray prospect is 5-5 with a 4.28 ERA. Where Santana has struggled on the road, Hammel has prospered going 4-2 with a 1.93 ERA in ten games outside the Mile High city.

Over his last three starts Santana is 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA. In their last 10 games the Rockies are hitting just .232 against lefthanders.

Hamel is 0-1 in his last three outings with a rocky mountain high ERA of 5.52. The Mets are hitting .259 against righties over their last ten games but certainly not a huge advantage.

If this game becomes a battle of the bullpens, the Mets will have the advantage. The NY pen is ranked 6th in the majors with a combined 3.61 ERA and a save-to-blown save ratio of 26-12. The Colorado bullpen is ranked 26th in baseball with a whopping 4.86 ERA.

The numbers certainly don’t favor the Rockies in the opener of this twin bill and most of the time, the numbers don’t lie.

Take Santana and the Mets in the opener with a slight lean to the UNDER.