Milwaukee +125:
A battle of 2 southpaws in this game. Gotta give the advantage to the Brewers
"Shawn Estes Progression from Bad to Worse"
Estes struggled the 2nd half of the season last year, going just 2-5 in 11 starts after the all-star break. In those starts, he had horrible control problems. He walked 35 batters in just 59 innings and had a high ERA of 4.88
Estes continued to go down hill in spring training this year. He was just 1-4 with an 6.07 ERA. In these spring games, he gave up a whopping 32 hits and walked 10 in just 26.2 innings.
Estes has continued this horrible trend going this year. In the 4 games started this season, he has given up 15 runs(13 earned) on 26 hits and 11 walks in just 23 innings. Plus throw out the one good game he pitched this year, where he only gave up one hit to the weak hitting Cubs, Estes in the other 3 games has given up 13 Runs, 25 Hits, and 9 Walks in just 17 innings.
Although the Brewers are not hitting lefties very well this year, they are a decent hitting club vs left handed pitching as their past career numbers would indicate.
Estes has never faired well against the Brewers in his career. He is a career 1-2 in 5 starts with an ERA of 7.36
Last season Estes faced the Brewers twice and got shelled for 7 runs in just 8.2 innings giving up 12 hits and walking 8.
The Mets are pretty horrible themselves vs Lefties. They are only battting .231 as a team this year vs southpaws.
Glendon Rusch should have an easy time with this Mets line up. Rusch is a work horse this year. He's thrown over 100 pitches in all 4 starts this year and seems to be in the best shape of his career.
Rusch, who's always given up a lot of hits in the past, has NOT this year. He's only given up 22 hits in 28.2 innings. His control has always been great and that has been superb this year as well. He's got great late movement on his fastball so far this year and his change up has really gotten hitters off balance.
Rusch will be highly motivated in this game. He would like nothing more than to get a win vs this Mets team. When Rusch pitched for the Mets last season, he was ranked dead last in run support in the National League. The Mets only averaged 3.7 runs per nine innings when he started. It's payback time.
Good Luck.
