MIDWEEK MAJORS

This will be my last midweek regular season article on Priceform of the 2008 season and I'd hoped for a bit of a bumper preview, but unfortunately as it bound to be the case, there is not much to punt on. There is just one match that interests me, it is Chicago Cubs @ New Mets.

CHICAGO CUBS (Zambrano 14-6, 3.77) @ NEW YORK METS (Perez 10-7, 4.10)
24th September - 00:00 BST

Now that post-season baseball is confirmed for the Cubs, they are now down to playing for pride. For the brilliant Angels, this has proved a difficulty because it is somewhat difficult to maintain your standards when you have your eyes on a bigger prize, it is simply human nature.
The Mets by contrast have absolutely everything to play for with being one and a half games back in the NL East race and one game ahead in the Wildcard race.
Oliver Perez has picked up his level of performance this season for sure and on occasion he can light up Shea. An earned run average around the four mak is a decent enough return but he will need to drop down to the three and a half mark before he can be considered a top class pitcher.
Carlos Zambrano is a genuine out and out ace, but his last outing may have done a little damage to his ego as he was pounded for eight runs in just an innings and two thirds. It was quite brutal to be frank.
Both sides have good offensive line ups that are very comparable and perhaps ordinarily the Cubs would be just shading it if they had anything to play for right now.
The Mets have been very good at home in the main this season and I expect them to keep in touch the Phillies by gaining a much needed win tonight. Last nights 6-2 win over the Cubs was a key one, it showed that they are able to fight it out when they need to - this was badly lacking from them at the back end of last season during their unbelievable collapse.

STATS

MEN TO WATCH
Derrek Lee (.292, 20 HR, 89 RBI, 8 SB) Chicago Cubs
David Wright (.300, 33 HR, 122 RBI, 15 SB) NY Mets

RECOMMENDATION - 3 Points on New York Mets @ 1.79 (Bet365)