This season, it's really rare to find a spot where R.A. Dickey isn't a heavy favorite. There's one thing that can turn a pretty hot offense into a mess and that's a knuckleballer. The Padres competed well in Cincinnati, despite being losing three of four. They scored 25 runs in four games in a good hitter's park. Now they return home to Petco where nothing carries and it's very hard to center on a knuckleball. Fading a team in their first game back after a long road trip is usually a pretty good idea, as they come home to family issues, dealing with girlfriends and wives, and now getting the kids ready to go back to school. There are a lot more distractions at home than on the road.

But, from a purely baseball standpoint, the Mets enter the final series of their lengthy west coast trip feeling pretty good about themselves, having won five of the first eight games. They send Dickey to the mound with a chance to guarantee an above .500 road trip. This looks like a good spot to play the Mets and a good value to get Dickey at against a subpar SD lineup. 

PLAY: NY METS

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