MLB Weekly Preview - Win and Your In

It's hard to believe MLB betting is in the final week of the regular season, but after six months of baseball there are still many uncertainties heading into the postseason. Six teams fighting for different reasons are in action on Tuesday.

Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers

The biggest series of the week takes place in the American League Central. The Detroit Tigers cling desperately to a lead in the division over the Minnesota Twins, who come into Motown on fire. The Twins’ offense is sparking this charge, hitting .295 and scoring 7.5 runs per game in the past week.

The Detroit Tigers dropped two of three games against the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, losing six of their last 10 contests. Now, back home after a nine-game road swing, Detroit is leaning on their success at Comerica Park. Heading into Tuesday’s doubleheader the Tigers owned a 48-26 record at home. They’ll send ace Justin Verlander to the bump in Tuesday’s late game; Verlander  is 8-2 with a 2.62 ERA in Detroit.

Florida Marlins at Atlanta Braves

Some of the best baseball is being played in the National League East. On top of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Braves and Marlins have put together runs in the final month of the season. Atlanta is the hottest team in the NL, winning six in a row heading into this week and pulling to within shouting distance of the NL Wild Card spot. The Atlanta Braves’ pitching has been solid, posting a 2.67 ERA over the past week. Righthander Tim Hudson gets the start on Tuesday; he's 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his last three appearances.

The Florida Marlins have cooled off, losing two of three games to the Mets over the weekend. The Fish have been giving up too many runs in the past week. Their staff is boasting a 5.43 ERA in that span, leaving the offense to battle back. Florida's bats have been inconsistent this month, getting shut out Sunday after scoring nine runs against the Mets on Saturday.

St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds

The St. Louis Cardinals finally clinched a spot in the postseason after a few days of pressing. Now that St. Louis has punched its dance ticket, expect the team to grip the bats a little looser against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. The Cardinals’ offense stumbled against the Rockies, averaging just over three runs during that three-game series. This year St. Louis is 7-6 versus the Reds but has hit .279 and scored just over four runs per game in their 15 meetings.

Despite being in the basement of the NL Central for most of the season, Cincinnati is aiming to finish 2009 in style. The Cincinnati Reds have won seven of their last 10 outings and have a 16-8 record in September. Great pitching and power hitting is pushing Cincy to the finish line. The Reds are batting .344 and posting a 2.67 ERA over the last week.