Braves vs. Phillies Doubleheader: Strategy & Predictions

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Transcript

00:00We hope to play two today in the city of brotherly love between the Phils and the Braves.

00:05Game number one, a slight change in starting pitcher for what was the presumed matchup yesterday

00:11with A.J. Smith-Shawber on the bump for the Atlanta Braves.

00:14But instead of matching up against Zach Wheeler, who will go in game number two against Chris Sale,

00:20it's Christopher Sanchez getting the start today for Philadelphia.

00:22Usually you would say to yourself, like, well, why would you even move out?

00:25Why wouldn't you just have that first game here and throw Zach Wheeler and go up 2-0 in the series,

00:30and it doesn't matter if you lose the final game, you still picked up a game in the series.

00:33Well, here's the great problem about the Philadelphia Phillies.

00:36Everybody they throw is a great pitcher this season for them, and every single option you have is a great option.

00:41So if you can win with Christopher Sanchez, and mind you, they're close to a minus 150 favorite in game number one,

00:47then the slight favorite in game number two.

00:49Why? Because then you have Chris Sale versus Zach Wheeler, and they're still a favorite in that game.

00:53So theoretically, if you're just playing the odds, the Phillies should sweep the entire series,

00:58but we know how doubleheaders work.

00:59One team is going to win, secondhand team that loses game number one, throws all in for game number two.

01:04So I like the way the Phillies are playing and going, okay, we're going to win game number one with Sanchez on the mound

01:09because he's better than Smith-Schauvin, we're a better baseball team.

01:11They go, must win in game number three.

01:13We're going to throw our best pitcher out here to absolutely demoralize you for the rest of the season.

01:18This could play out perfectly for the Philadelphia Phillies, but if you would have told me, Ben,

01:21coming into this series, the Phillies would take two out of three games from the Atlanta Braves

01:25and extend it to what, nine and a half games back?

01:28That's exactly what the Phillies wanted.

01:29An absolute meltdown for the Braves if they come into the series and get swept,

01:34which they're staring at right now because they're not favored in either one of these games.