MLB Picks and Predictions for Monday
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their MLB picks and predictions for Monday, May 11.
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Atlanta Braves at New York Mets, 7:10PM ET
The New York Mets have baseball's second-highest payroll at nearly $136 million, and after a mediocre start, they're starting to live up to some of those expensive contracts.
Johan Santana's value, meanwhile, has never been in doubt.
The Mets' $137 million ace has the NL's best ERA but he's never beaten the Atlanta Braves, a drought he'll hope to end Monday night when New York looks for its eighth straight victory in the opener of a three-game series at Citi Field.
Santana (4-1, 0.91 ERA) signed a six-year, $137.5 million contract extension on Feb. 2, 2008, the final step toward a blockbuster deal that sent him from Minnesota to New York armed with, at the time, the richest deal ever for a pitcher.
Santana has looked to be worth the investment so far for the Mets (17-13). He went 16-7 with a major league-best 2.53 ERA in his first season in New York and has looked even more dominant in 2009, allowing just four earned runs in 39 2-3 innings.
MLB Free Pick: NY Mets | Best Line: -195 SPORTSBETTING
Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants, 10:15PM ET
The San Francisco Giants finished 18 games below .500 last year but didn't have any problems dispatching the Washington Nationals.
Currently on pace for their first winning record in five years, the Giants have to like their chances of continuing their dominance in the series.
The Giants go for their 14th win in 20 games - and their eighth straight against the Nationals - as the clubs open a three-game set Monday night in San Francisco.
Though San Francisco finished fourth in the NL West at 72-90 in 2008, it won all seven meetings with Washington. The Giants outscored the Nationals 38-13 in those games, batting .288 and posting a 1.71 ERA - their lowest against any team last season.
San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy has to feel good about his club's ability to extend its winning streak against Washington based on the way the Giants (16-14) have been playing lately. After stumbling to a 3-8 start, they've won 13 of 19, including two of three in a weekend series against the NL-best Los Angeles Dodgers.
MLB Free Pick: San Francisco | Best Line: -140 SPORTSBETTING
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians, 7:05PM ET
The last time Carl Pavano faced the Chicago White Sox, he was enjoying the best season of his career.
The Cleveland Indians right-hander has shown a return to that previous form this month after four trying years with the New York Yankees and will look to get a three-game series against the visiting White Sox off to a strong start Monday night.
Pavano's three-hit shutout against Chicago on June 16, 2004, was part of an 18-8 campaign with the Florida Marlins, and the right-hander parlayed that season into a four-year contract from the Yankees worth nearly $40 million.
Pavano (2-3, 6.61 ERA) finished with nine wins in his injury-plagued seasons in New York before agreeing to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with Cleveland in January.
MLB Free Pick: Chicago | Best Line: +115 SPORTSBETTING
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