Check out MLB Betting for this matchup closer to the opener Friday.

The Yankees will be the favorites in this game, as they have the better record and they are the home team, but you certainly can’t count out the Mets in this one. The Mets are 7-3 in their last 10 games and they look like they are on their way up, getting fuel from their rejuvenated lineup.

The Yankees seem to be on the way down, losing their last 5 games and winning just 3 of their last 10 games. They were passed by the Tampa Bay Rays this past week in the American League East Standings.

The Mets have seen more production from Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran recently. Big seasons from both of those players could help them find their way back to the playoffs, despite suffering from a poor start to the season.

The Yankees have recently been troubled with drama from longtime players. Jorge Posada has struggled all season and was moved to the 9th spot in the order. He recently made some complaints and refused to play in a game because he did not want to bat 9th in the lineup. This has caused a stir in the organization and it could be a distraction for the Yankees until they take care of the problem.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

MLB Odds have both the Dodgers and Mets as longshots to win the World Series, LA at 35-1 and New York at 50-1.

Both of these teams have talented squads, but they’ve been unable to get things going this season. The Dodgers are known for having a great pitching staff each year, but they have actually had one of the worst pitching staffs in the National League to this point. Only 2 teams in the National League have allowed more runs than the Dodgers.

The Mets are now healthy and seem poised to make a run up the standings. They have won 7 of their last 10 games and they look like a real contender with their lineup finally complete. They should be able to feast off of the Dodgers pitching for much of the series if the Dodgers are unable to pick things up.

The Dodgers will send Clayton Kershaw to the mound on Sunday. Kershaw is without doubt one of the best young pitchers in baseball. He has been fairly inconsistent this season though and the Dodgers are still waiting for him to step up and be a true ace for their pitching staff

This series will be a big one for both teams, as they both need to string some wins together if they hope to get on track. The Rockies have not been playing terribly well as of late and the Dodgers may be able to play catch up if they can string together some wins.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Beltran reportedly approached Mets’ manager Terry Collins on Monday and told him he wanted to talk, and then said he wanted to jumpstart the long-debated move from center field to right field.

“I came today thinking in my heart, ‘I still think I can play center field,’” Beltran said. “But, at the same time, this is not about Carlos. This is about team.”

Angel Pagan, who did a decent job filling in for Beltran when he Beltran missed the first half of last season after arthroscopic knee surgery, was then told he would be starting the season in center field, and that Beltran would be playing right field.

Beltran said that he initiated the moved in order to avoid a last-minute move just as the season begins, and to cut off the possibility of weeks of media speculation about a potential move.

“In order for me to play center field, I need more time,” Beltran said.

“I want to be on the same page with everyone here. I want Terry to have his time and to come to the ballpark ready to play the lineup without thinking where he is going to play Pagan, where he’s going to play me. At the same time I’m thinking about Pagan coming to the ballpark and preparing himself and focused to play baseball. I don’t want to create any distractions here.”

Beltran, 33, is in the final season of a seven-year, $119 million contract. He has started three games in right field in his career, all in 2000 for the Kansas City Royals.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Carlos Beltran is back and the New York Mets are excited about it. The Mets begin a four-game road series against Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants, Beltran will make his season debut Thursday night. Against the Giants (47-41) after being out following right knee surgery, Manager Jerry Manuel said the five-time All-Star would play center field and bat cleanup Thursday.

On a rehab assignment with Class-A St. Lucie, Beltran played 14 games reuniting with his teammates Sunday. He said he is not sure how rusty he will be at the plate, although he is pain-free and ready to go. For New York (48-40) last year, Beltran was limited to 81 games due to a bone bruise. With 10 homers and 48 RBIs, he batted .325 for the Mets.

Against Lincecum (9-4, 3.16 ERA), the slugger is 4 for 7 and he has avoided losing a career-worst third straight start last Wednesday in a 15-2 win at Milwaukee. Over seven innings, he allowed one run and struck out 10.

With David Wright going 2 for 11 with eight strikeouts and Jeff Francouer 3 for 16, other key New York hitters have not fared as well as Beltran against Lincecum. With Beltran back on Thursday, Francouer’s playing time will diminish. Angel Pagan will start Thursday in right field. Four games behind Atlanta are the second-place Mets.

Buster Posey, who was 15 for 27 with five homers and 14 RBIs in that stretch and the NL player of the week, the Giants won six of seven matches behind Posey.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Against AL opponents, The Mets look to match a club record for victories in a season. They will try to complete a sweep of the Tigers. With three home games against AL Central-leading Minnesota, The Mets conclude interleague play this weekend.

The big reason for the Mets are 21-7 since a May 21 is the success against the AL. as R.A. Dickey and Francisco Rodriguez combined for a five-hitter, New York showed little signs of slowing Wednesday, beating Detroit 5-0. In New York’s rotation, Hisanori Takahashi (6-2, 3.13 ERA) gets another turn as John Maine struggles with a sore right shoulder. With a 3.15 ERA in six starts, the 35-year-old rookie left-hander is 3-.

Four hits in six innings of a 4-0 road victory against the New York Yankees, Takahashi turned in perhaps his best performance. He has yielded one run over 13 innings while winning his last two and he has improved to 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in three interleague starts.

The Tigers (38-32) will turn to Armando Galarraga (2-1, 3.32), after losing four straight on the road by a 37-9 margin. Posting a 4.24 ERA while each game has resulted in a win for Detroit, The right-hander has not received a decision in three starts. Surrendering four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings against Arizona, he did not fare well Friday, though Detroit eventually won 7-5. Galarraga is 0-2 with a 12.15 ERA in two road interleague starts and he will face the Mets for the first time making for a very interesting baseball betting opportunity.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

When the New York Yankees and New York Mets faced each other for the first time in franchise history in 1997, the modern Subway Series began. The teams began playing a best-of-3 series in 1999. Taking into consideration all games since 1997, the New York Yankees lead the series 42 games to 30.

As per the MLB news, the New York Yankees are scheduled to send Phil Hughes, Javier Vazquez, and CC Sabathia to the pitcher’s mound for the first series of 2010. Phil Hughes and CC Sabathia have both been very good while Vazquez has struggled so far this season. The New York Mets will counter with Jonathan Niese, Mike Pelfrey, and Johan Santana. Once again, both Pelfrey and Santana have been very solid, but Niese has struggled in the early part of the season.

It is getting embarrassed is one thing that a professional baseball team dislikes. However, when the New York Mets lost 5 of 6 games to the Yankees, that is exactly what happened to them last year in this series. This weekend, the New York Mets will be looking for revenge in what should be a great series.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Florida Marlins hope to build on a much-needed offensive outburst in this game and with Jorge Cantu back in the lineup; their hopes would be on a high. They will definitely try to choke the opponents to a three game defeat in a row for the first time in this season. Since May 2, Marlins scored more than four runs for the first time; they beat Washington by a convincing score of 9-3. Cantu has 29 RBIs, which is the highest in the team, and seven home runs. He was rested and was replaced by Dan Uggla. Uggla drove in four and had hit two home runs. In his last 11 games, the third baseman has four RBIs and is five for 41. Nate Robertson (3-3, 4.54 ERA) has had a very impressive season so far. In losing his previous three outings, he has posted 8.10 ERA.

New York’s manager Jerry Manuel may make changes in the lineup. for the second straight contest, NY Mets was limited to four hits. Jose Reyes dropped his average to .215 and went hitless in four at-bats. in his last 41 at-bats, David Wright struck out 20 times and over his last 7 games he is 5 for 24. over past 26 contests, Jeff Francoeur is batting .132. Reyes will be back in the leadoff spot and Mets have to win this match. John Maine (1-2, 5.45) with a 2.50 ERA in his last three outings has come out good after a poor start and much will be expected from him even though, on Monday, he gave up two runs in six innings of a 3-2 loss to Washington. Against the Marlins, Maine is 5-2 with a 3.45 ERA in 11 starts and has struck out 67 in 62 2/3 innings.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The Mets are recently finding encouragement in a pitching staff that was questioned right from the start. A re-shuffled lineup has also added spark to their game, and the addition of Ike Davis has been a spark. The Mets will be sending their best pitchers to the mound as Jon Neise, Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana will be taking the rubber in Citizens Bank Park. The biggest concern for the Mets will be containing the Phillies line-up, which currently stands 4th in the National League in batting average, slugging, on-base percentage and enjoys a slight edge in all different baseball lines over the Phillies. Pitching is the key for the Mets in this series.

The Phillies will be coming into this series off a disappointing road trip. They are still a formidable line-up and will be counting on the Philly faithful to provide an extra spark. The pitching order for Philadelphia in this series has not been solidified, but the Mets will be getting their first taste of Roy Halladay. The pitching staff, with the exception of Halladay, has been shaky, but that will be of little concern if their bats are awake and producing. Look for Utley, Howard and the rest of the sluggers to be getting their share of round-trippers throughout the weekend.

This series is shaping up to be a great early season matchup and could set the table for a season long battle of Eastern Division contenders.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

New York recently got All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes back from injury, but after missing over 120 games last year, Reyes has yet to return to the player he used to be. Just give him time though. Reyes also missed all of Spring Training and his slow start is to be expected.

After a slow start, the Braves have won four out of their last five games and have one of the best young hitters (Jason Heyward) and best young pitcher (Tommy Hanson) in baseball.

The Braves are expected to throw Kenshin Kawakami in Game 1, Jarr Jurrjens in Game 2 (both pitchers have been struggling this year and each looking for their first win), and the aforementioned Tommy Hanson (who is only 1-1, but has a noteworthy 2.38 ERA) in Game 3. While the Mets counter with John Maine (who has an ERA over 10.00 and is fighting to stay in the rotation), Jonathon Niese (with a 4.32 ERA) and Mike Pelfrey (2-0 with a 1.29 ERA). The pitching matchups are subject to change.

Except plenty of offense the first two games since both teams are starting pitchers who have struggled, while Sunday’s game should be a low scoring pitching duel.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

New York recently got All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes back from injury. Reyes missed over 120 games last year in addition to the first four this year, and the quick-footed leadoff man could be the spark that gets the Mets back on track.

Chicago has been without Ted Lilly – who was the Cubs only All-Star last year – since the beginning of the season due to a shoulder injury. He was scheduled to make his 2010 debut during the series against the Mets, but that was pushed back as he recently had a stiff back that he suffered while making a rehab assignment in Iowa. Lilly will return soon, but it’ll be after the Cubs play the Mets.

The Cubs starting pitchers are expected to be: Randy Wells in Game 1, Carlos Zambrano in Game 2, and Carlos Silva in Game 3. While the Mets counter with Jonathan Niese, Mike Pelfrey, and Oliver Perez. The pitching match-ups are subject to change with an injury.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.