NEW YORK METS +140 ? Although Tom Glavine is a leading Cy Young candidate this year, I see some good value on a desperate Mets team as a home underdog. The Mets currently trail the Braves by 7.5 games in the NL East, and could ill afford to fall further behind, even at this stage of the season. Estes appears to have turned the corner for the Mets, as he has allowed just 3 runs and 12 hits with 14 strikeouts in 13.1 innings over his last 2 starts. The Mets as a team have won 5 of Estes? last 6 starts. I really can?t knock Glavine too much, considering that he leads the NL in ERA at 1.68. However, he has lost 2 of his last 3 starts against the Mets, primarily because Mike Piazza hits him so well. As an aside, Mark Hirschbeck is scheduled to be tonight?s home plate umpire, and the home team is 11-5 this season in games that Hirschbeck has worked the plate.
