Will keep the rest of my playoff plays in one thread so any potential series positions (and their buybacks) can be tracked easier. Went 0-2 on the first day.
Upper Medium
Braves @ Giants Game 2
Braves +136
Largest play of the playoffs thus far. Even up 1-0, this is going to be a tough series for the Giants. The Giants are built to beat the opposition with dominant starting pitching and bullpen work, but the Braves are one of the few teams in the league that can counter this 1-2 punch with equal talent in both facets. Hanson is a dangerous underdog. Not only is he one of the best pitchers in the league, he is a high variance pitcher which is good when getting plus money. Hanson has actually pitched more games where he allowed five or more runs than 3 or 4 runs, so the odds of a dominant performance (2 or less runs) is very high for such a payout. He closed out the season sharp with 3 straight Cy Young months, and finished the second half of the season with a WHIP under 1. This does not bode well for a Giants team that plays in a hitters park, as they lack power to overcome a lack of base runners to be expected. Hanson has never had problems pitching on the road or against LHH, which also bodes well for tonight’s matchup. Things won’t get any easier for the Giants once he exits, as the Braves are one of the few teams with a more talented bullpen than the Giants. In past seasons, Cain was a secularl undervalued pitcher. This year, he has been fairly priced, so you are now paying for a top tier pitcher. One thing concerning about Cain is his mediocre home run rate that increased as the season progressed. In a game where 1 or 2 runs may get you the win and where hits will come at a premium, one mistake may be the difference. Cain is more likely to make that mistake than his counterpart.
Upper Medium
Braves @ Giants Game 2
Braves +136
Largest play of the playoffs thus far. Even up 1-0, this is going to be a tough series for the Giants. The Giants are built to beat the opposition with dominant starting pitching and bullpen work, but the Braves are one of the few teams in the league that can counter this 1-2 punch with equal talent in both facets. Hanson is a dangerous underdog. Not only is he one of the best pitchers in the league, he is a high variance pitcher which is good when getting plus money. Hanson has actually pitched more games where he allowed five or more runs than 3 or 4 runs, so the odds of a dominant performance (2 or less runs) is very high for such a payout. He closed out the season sharp with 3 straight Cy Young months, and finished the second half of the season with a WHIP under 1. This does not bode well for a Giants team that plays in a hitters park, as they lack power to overcome a lack of base runners to be expected. Hanson has never had problems pitching on the road or against LHH, which also bodes well for tonight’s matchup. Things won’t get any easier for the Giants once he exits, as the Braves are one of the few teams with a more talented bullpen than the Giants. In past seasons, Cain was a secularl undervalued pitcher. This year, he has been fairly priced, so you are now paying for a top tier pitcher. One thing concerning about Cain is his mediocre home run rate that increased as the season progressed. In a game where 1 or 2 runs may get you the win and where hits will come at a premium, one mistake may be the difference. Cain is more likely to make that mistake than his counterpart.
