MLB NLCS Game 1: Mets host Cardinals
The Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of the National League Championship Series, and they go in as heavy favorites. They’ve been the best team in the NL all year, and that hasn’t changed now. Their lineup is stronger from top to bottom, their starting pitching is better and their bullpen is far superior.
But the Cardinals have Albert Pujols, and that may be their only chance of winning. If the Mets get stupid and pitch to him, he might be able to keep them in games.
Pujols, who won last year’s NL MVP award and could win this year’s, hit .331 with 49 homers and 137 RBIs this season. It doesn’t seem impossible that the 26-year-old first baseman could single-handedly prevent the Mets from going to the World Series.
The Mets are -$175 favorites in Game 1, but you won’t find us worried about the Mets winning any game in this series that Chris Carpenter doesn’t start for the Cardinals. We said going in that the Cardinals had no business being in the playoffs, but Carpenter got them through the best-of-five first round with two wins. That can’t happen here.
The Mets are - $180 for the series, and that number is way too low. Take it and run. Sure the Mets have lost a lot of pitching with Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez out, but they are still the best team in the NL by far. Run with it.
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Mets-Cardinals Prediction: BET on the Mets to win this series.
