One great thing about opening day in Major League Baseball is everybody's in first place. Of course how long they stay there is what really matters. The ceremonial first pitch signaling the start the 2011 season will be thrown and the Washington Nationals will take the field to play the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park today at 1:05 pm ET. Nats manager Jim Riggelman has selected veteran Livan Hernandez as his starting pitcher while the Braves counter with right-hander Derek Lowe.
Oddsmakers at most offshore MLB Odds sportsbooks list the Braves as -190 odds favorites to win this three-game series while Nats backers are getting +150 series odds as a home underdog. For today's series opener, oddsmakers have Atlanta listed as a -145 favorite with a combined run total of 8 1/2. Nats backers are getting +125 for a SU win. For action to count, Hernandez and Lowe must start the game.
MLB Betting Fact: At +2000 odds, the Atlanta Braves are considered an excellant World Series Picks value while the Nationals at +10K are not.
It seems like only yesterday when Hernandez was the young phenom pitching the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Championship. Now 36, Hernandez is still effective, posting a 3.66 ERA in 33 starts last year. The Nationals starter has been especially tough on the Braves too. In five 2010 starts versus Atlanta he kept the runs down posting a 2.35 ERA.
Lowe will be making his third opening day start for the Braves since inking a $60 deal with the club in 2009. Lowe went 11-12 with a 4.53 ERA in 28 starts for the Braves last year. While his numbers looked pedestrian, he finished strong going 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in September.
Looking to start the 2011 off right with value MLB Predictions , I'm going with the Nats for this game. Lowe has struggled verses the Nats in previous years and Hernandez seems to have a little extra zip when playing Atlanta. MLB BEST BET – Nationals +150.
