Monday, August 18, 2014

Citi Field in Queens

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

Monday afternoon, the Chicago Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks (4 – 1, 1.73 ERA) as they take on the New York Mets and Bartolo Colon (11 - 10, 3.85 ERA).  Hendricks makes his 7th start as Colon makes his 25th start.

Kyle Hendricks earned his 3rd victory in a row in his last outing.  In the win, Hendricks hurled 7.1 innings of scoreless ball and allowed just 6 hits and a walk while striking out 5.  Hendricks has only had one bad start and that was his Major League debut where he didn’t get the decision.  His one loss was a hard luck loss. The rookie right-hander has given the Mets some solid outings since he came up from Triple-A Iowa, where he went 10 – 5 with a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts.

This will be the first time that Hendricks will take a turn against the Mets but he is pitching well enough that with some help from the scouting report, he could get another victory.

Bartolo Colon took the loss in his last start despite a decent effort from the veteran righty.  In 7 innings of work, Colon surrendered just 2 runs on 6 hits while walking a batter and striking out 8.  But his offense let him down and he took the loss. But it was one of the few times where the loss wasn’t Colon’s fault.  He is just 4 – 5 in his last 10 starts.  Last season with the Oakland A’s, Colon posted a record of 18 – 6 with a 2.65 ERA in 30 starts. 

In 2013, Colon lost his only start against the Cubs.  Only 4 of the current Cubs have ever faced Colon.  Luis Valbuena is 2 for 5 against Colon with 2 homers and 3 RBIs.           

Chicago Cubs Betting Trends

Chicago Cubs are 60-53-7 against the Over/Under

Run Differential for Chicago Cubs is -0.4

New York Mets Betting Trends

New York Mets are 53-55-14 against the Over/Under

Run differential for New York Mets is -0.1

Injuries to Watch

Chicago Cubs

08/10/14 P Brian Schlitter Shoulder 15-day DL (8/9)
07/31/14 P Felix Doubront Calf 15-day DL (7/31)
03/31/14 P James McDonald Shoulder 60-day DL (2/23)

New York Mets

08/14/14 P Jacob deGrom Shoulder 15-day DL (8/8)
07/26/14 P Daisuke Matsuzaka Elbow 15-day DL (7/24)
04/01/14 P Bobby Parnell Elbow 15-day DL (4/1), out for season
03/28/14 P Matt Harvey Elbow 60-day DL (3/30), out for season

Tony's Pick: Take New York

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