I used to have an old friend,WiretoWire was his name, and we would discuss and cuss baseball at length. I would say look at the value in the dog....and he would say, ''blood, there is no such a thing as value. If the team doesnt win, then where the hell is the value??'' Well, I always think of those old conversations when I make plays like this. I have been doing this stuff for a long long time and I still cant let one of the 'perceived' value plays go without trying to win it.
If the season were to end today, the Nationals and Pirates would face each other in the wild-card round of the NL playoffs. The upcoming series between Washington and Pittsburgh may be an indication of what to expect from such a series as the Nats travel to PNC Park for a contest of two top contenders.
I can certainly make a better case for the Pirates because they are just a different team at home and having their veteran ace on the mound may be just be too much for Nationals. Washington may very easily have trouble hitting the Pirates Lirano as he is having a strong year but possessing just a 5-6 record. Liriano's 2.98 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 125 strikeouts have been squandered by poor offensive contributions, making it a career year in which he may have a particularly unpleasant win-loss record.Liriano is 1-0, 2.05 in his last four starts.... he missed his last start (neck).
Now I will admit that Fister is good fade material @ (3-5, 4.30) is 1-3 with an ERA that mirrors his season mark in five outings since returning from a forearm injury. He gave up four runs and nine hits over five innings of a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.This is the first time he's been two games under .500 since August 2012, when he was 5-7 for Detroit, though he finished 10-10.Fister's had a particularly tough time on the road, compiling a 1-3 record and 5.13 ERA in five games, only winning in a 6 1-3 shutout inning effort against the Mets on May 3.He boasts a strong track record against the Pirates, though, going 1-1 with a 1.07 ERA in four starts. He's thrown seven innings without allowing an earned run in two of the last three.
And now for some reason unknown to me they stick a huge dog # on the Nats?? Yes, the Nats already have four regulars on the disabled list: left fielder Jayson Werth, center fielder Denard Span, infielder Anthony Rendon and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman... and now maybe Escobar. Pittsburgh has been limited to one run four times during the last six, including back-to-back losses at Kansas City on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Nationals won the last seven meetings between the clubs, including a three-game sweep at home last month in which they outscored the Pirates 19-3.
Pirates lost five of last six games and their bats are cold. three of those four stayed under the total.
I may lose this game but there is no way in hell imo the Pirates should be this kind of fav...and I am a Pirates fan
901 Washington Nationals* +168 vs Pittsburgh Pirates x1
901 Washington Nationals/Pittsburgh Pirates* Under 7½ -150 x1
be patient with the ole hound 
