Posted on 4/16/2008 4:28:37 PM

MLB Baseball Betting - Atlanta at Florida

By Charles Jay

BetUS MLB betting odds: Atlanta -155, Florida +135, Total 9 (-110 each way)

The Atlanta Braves (5-8) will try to create some better luck for themselves on Wednesday night when they oppose the Florida Marlins (8-5) in the second of a three-game set at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Game time is 7:10 PM ET.

Right-hander Tim Hudson (2-0, 2.14 ERA) goes for the Braves, while lefty Mark Hendrickson (2-1, 4.16 ERA) takes the hill for the Marlins.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Atlanta is listed as a -155 favorite (Florida is +135), with a total of nine runs (you will lay -110 each way).

Here are some of the MLB betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

(NOTE: These trends may also revert back to the 2007 season)

* ATL has lost five of its last seven games

* ATL has played six of its last eight games UNDER the total

* ATL has lost eight of its last ten road games

* FLA has won five of its last seven games

* FLA has won seven of its last ten home games

* FLA has played four of its last five games UNDER the total

* FLA has played three of its last five home games OVER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* ATL has won four of the last five meetings

* The last three meetings have gone UNDER the total

* FLA has won three of the last five meetings as the home team

The Florida Marlins are leading the pack in the National League East. How about that? Last night it was starter Scott Olson and two others combining on a shutout as the Marlins blanked Atlanta by a 4-0 count. The Braves go with their best pitcher to date on Wednesday in an attempt to climb back toward the .500-mark.

Tim Hudson's stats are a lot like Brandon Webb's thus far. Like Webb, he has a 2.14 ERA going into Wednesday's games, and he has allowed 12 hits in 21 innings, the same as the Arizona ace. But Hudson has exhibited even better control, walking just two hitters, and his 0.67 WHIP ratio is simply off the charts. Hudson has been in the top five for the Cy Young voting a couple of times, but has never won the award. However, one thing you can count on from him is that he is going to win a high percentage of his games - he has a 137-70 career record, and that winning percentage (.662) ranks him 19th all-time.

Mark Hendrickson, the former basketball player, was counted on by Marlins' management as a potential ace of the rotation. His career output didn't really merit it - only a 43-55 record in six previous major league seasons - but he's actually done a very credible job for Florida, putting forth a 1.21 WHIP ratio. And in his last two outings, he's actually been brilliant, yielding only eight hits and two runs in 12-1/3 innings.

It's tough for us to trust the Braves the way they are going at the moment, but at the same time we have to respect Hudson. Since Hendrickson's guard has been tough to penetrate lately, we'll expect a "pitchers night" at Dolphin Stadium. Look for the Braves and Marlins to play their fourth straight meeting under the total, in this case nine runs in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: UNDER 9 (-110)

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)