Ray Monohan
Boston vs. Detroit
Play: Under 7.5
Chris Sale and Justin Verlander match up Monday afternoon in one of the best pitching match ups so far this season. With the over/under being at 7.5 there is a lot of value here. These are two of the best pitchers in baseball right now and runs are going to be at a premium. In his first start Verlander gave up only two runs, and Sale didn't give up any. This game might come down to the first team to put a run on the board, and that run might even come against one of the bullpens. Some trends to note. Under is 6-1 in Red Sox last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Under is 15-3-3 in Tigers last 21 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Under is 10-4-2 in Verlanders last 16 starts vs. Red Sox. There just isn't going to be that many runs scored.
Brandon Lee
Oakland at Kansas City
Play: Kansas City -107
Kansas City is worth a look here at basically a pick'em at home against the A's. The Royals have gotten off to a slow start, going just 2-4 in their first 6 games, but all 6 of those came on the road. This will be the Royals home opener and it's going to be electric at Kauffman Stadium today. KC is going to send out Ian Kennedy, who I think is one of the more underrated starters. He didn't have a great first start, but did a nice job limiting the Twins to just 3 runs with 5 walks. The control should be much better at home, where Kennedy had a 3.41 ERA in 14 starts last year. A's counter with Jharel Cotton, who has promising stuff but has yet to put it all together. Cotton allowed 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks in just 4 1/3 innings in his first start. I look for the struggles to continue on the road.
Alex Smart
Charlotte at Milwaukee
Play: Charlotte +6½
The Milwaukee Bucks clinched a play off spot over the weekend, and now will be more interested in staying healthy entering the play offs, and in a natural letdown spot after achieving their quest for a post season appearance. With that said, Im betting the Bucks will not be totally focused on this game despite the pundits telling us of their need for higher seed. Meanwhile, the visiting Charlotte Hornets a team that officially was eliminated from the post season after a 121-114 home loss to Boston on Saturday, but will be out to prove they can take out play off teams, as they play with a chip on their shoulders.
Bucks are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Bucks are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home gdmes.bucks are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 vs. NBA Southeast.Hornets are 6-0 /SUATS in the last 6 meetings in Milwaukee. The road team is 11-0 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
Info Plays
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Play: Pittsburgh -142
Here are some systems backing our pick. Pittsburgh is 608-534 (+73.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. Pittsburgh is 20-10 (+13.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
Teddy Davis
Cardinals vs. Nationals
Play: Cardinals +112
This is an extreme discount here on the Cardinals Wainwright here. Sure the Cardinals looked bad against the Reds but so did the Nationals against the Phillies. Its always hard to pass up on the better pitcher as an underdog
Jack Brayman
Another free winner, as I delivered the Arizona Diamondbacks again. The Snakes hit the road for 10 games, so will stay out of their way for now. Instead, my free play is on the New York Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays. And in this one I want you listing both scheduled starting pitchers: Michael Pineda and Alex Cobb.
These two hurlers met last week, with the Rays and Cobb getting the win. Pineda will be out for revenge, especially at Yankee Stadium.
New York's fiery right-hander gets the call for the home opener after allowing four runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings to the Rays last week. And there is even more motivation here, as Pineda is hoping to snap a career-long 11-start win drought, as his last win came back on Aug. 5, 2016.
The Yankees dropped two of three last week in Tampa Bay and then blew a pair of games in Baltimore. They desperately need this win today, to get things rolling in a positive direction for this homestand.
Take the home team here, and list both starters.
4* YANKEES
Buster Sports
Oakland at Kansas City
Play: Kansas City -111
It is going to be a hard day for everyone today in Kansas City as the Royals will honor their late pitcher Yordano Ventura. The starting pitchers for today's game are for the Athletics RH Jharel Cotton (2016: 2-0, 2.15 ERA) and he will face the Royals veteran pitcher RH Ian Kennedy (2016: 11-11, 3.68 ERA). Both of today's starters had rough outings and took the loss in their opening games. Cotton gave up 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings to the Angels and Kennedy who only gave up 3 hits but allowed 5 walks and 3 runs took the loss against the Twins. We believe that Kennedy who had a stellar spring with a 1.40 ERA in 19 1/3 innings pitched will handle his control problems at home. He had only given up 5 walks all spring going into opening day. When you have heavy hearts,these games can go either way. We believe the veteran presence of the Royals will win out today. We will lay the small price with the home club.
Dave Cokin
Arizona +130
What a difference a year, and some housecleaning makes. This Arizona team has new life and I make them a go with team right now. Taijuan Walker had some early problems in his first start but settled in reasonably well. He's also vulnerable to the long ball, that's just a give. Matt Moore looked great early, but ran into problems after an error by Brandon Belt and pretty much lost it. Those of you who've followed my plays over the years know I tend to go against poor control pitchers, and Moore fits that bill. The main deal here is a willingness to jump on a hot team, and it's not like the Giants have been especially good thus far. I'll aside with the Snakes as dogs here.
Chris Jordan
Early season rematches are always fun to keep an eye one, and that's what we have in San Francisco, where the Giants are looking to exact a little revenge on the surprising Diamondbacks.
The Snakes opened the season 6-1 with their first seven games played in Phoenix, but now they slither on the road to play their next 10 on the road - all against NL West competition. And this is where the test begins.
Tonight it's a pitching rematch from last week, so I want you listing the scheduled starters: Matt Moore and Taijuan Walker.
Walker earned the win last week, as Moore was roughed up by the D-backs, who tagged him for eight hits and six runs. Only three were earned in his 5 1/3 innings of work, but he still took the loss.
I like the Giants to nail this win, and want you listing both pitchers.
4* GIANTS
Chip Chirimbes
Wizards vs. Pistons
Play: Pistons -1
Washington has had a long tough winning run recovering from injuries and are set in the No. 4 seed entering the playoffs. But, first they must complete the regular season schedule as they come limping to the final days losing four of their last six. The Wizards are looking ahead and get caught here in this meaningless game.
Jack Jones
Indiana at Philadelphia
Play: Indiana -9
The Indiana Pacers are hitting their stride at just the right time. They sit at 40-40 and currently the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. But one loss and they could be on the outside looking in as both the Bulls (39-41) and Heat (39-41) hold the tiebreaker against them.
That's why the Pacers will be focused tonight in Philadelphia. They are coming off four straight impressive performances. They lost to the Cavs in double-OT but covered as 8.5-point dogs, and they are 4-0 ATS in their last four games by beating the Raptors by 18, the Bucks by 15 and the Magic by 15.
The 76ers are clearly in tank mode to close out the season. They are dealing with a ton of injuries, which has something to do with it. They are 0-6 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall, losing all six games by 7 points or more.
Philadelphia is 20-40 ATS in its last 60 home games following six or more consecutive losses. The Pacers are 7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the 76ers, winning six times by double-digits in the process.
Jim Feist
Padres at Rockies
Pick: Under
A cold one in Coors Field tonight, which won't help the bats. San Diego is in town with a dreadful offense, hitting .209 as a team with a .286 OBP. San Diego is 9-3 under the total on the road vs. a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Before encountering some trouble in Sunday's 10-6 loss to the Dodgers, the Rockies bullpen had posted a 1.71 ERA with 30 strikeouts in its first six games, covering 21 innings. New addition Greg Holland has taken over closer duties while Adam Ottavino, Mike Dunn and Jake McGee give manager Bud Black plenty of quality options in the seventh and eighth innings. Colorado is 6-1 under the total at home, 7-3-1 under when Chatwood starts at Coors Field. And the Under is 9-4-1 in the last 14 meetings between these teams.
Oskeim Sports
Charlotte at Milwaukee
Play: Milwaukee -6.5
Charlotte was officially eliminated from NBA playoff contention on Saturday following its 121-114 loss to the Celtics. The Hornets blew a double-digit lead in that game, and also failed to protect a 104-97 lead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
“We’re disappointed for sure,” Charlotte’s Nicolas Batum said. “We wanted to be in a playoff spot like we did last year, but we weren’t that far away.” That disappointment will likely be on full display tonight against the Bucks, who are still playing for playoff seeding.
Milwaukee trails the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks by one game and only leads the seventh-place Indiana Pacers by one game. The expected return of point guard Malcolm Brogdon, who has missed the past four games with a back injury, should provide an immediate impact to the Bucks’ offense.
The talented NBA rookie has averaged 10.3 points on 45.7% shooting this season, and the Bucks lost three of their last four games in his absence. “I’ll be glad to see Malcolm return,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “It just makes the game a lot easier for us. We definitely need him. He’s been great all season.”
Charlotte’s lack of defense has been a significant issue this season. The Hornets are allowing 106.5 points per game on the road this season and have yielded 113.2 points in their last five games. Opponents have shot 49.4% from the field and 46.9% from beyond the arc over that span.
“Really, the story of our season has been we haven’t been able to defend in the fourth quarter,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “They (Boston) had 29 points in the fourth, so that part of it has some symbolism.”
One of the reasons for passing on this NBA game is the fact that the road team is a perfect 11-0 ATS in the last eleven meetings in this series. The Bucks have also failed to cover the spread in each of their last four home games and are a woeful 6-14 ATS in their last 20 home games against teams with a road win percentage of less than .400.
Bob Balfe
Mets -145
The Phillies have looked good so far this year, but if you take away that big first inning of 12 runs the other day their scoring average for the season is not what it appears. The Mets are just a better team and Degrom a much better pitcher. This is about as high as I will go with the money line because if you bet this way all season you without a doubt will great crushed by juice.
Eric Schroeder
After losing with the San Diego Padres as my comp play yesterday, my free play for tonight is the Boston Celtics over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Celtics still have first place in the Eastern Conference on the brain, as they're tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 1 spot.
As the Cavaliers were blowing a 26-point, fourth-quarter lead and losing to the Hawks in overtime at Atlanta yesterday, new life was breathed into the Celtics, who appeared out of the race for the top spot.
But with two games to play, the Celtics are tied for first in the conference. However, the Cavs hold the tiebreaker, having won three of the four meetings. But Cleveland has a tough chore tonight, playing the back end of its back-to-back in Miami tonight.
The Cavaliers finish at home against Toronto, while the Celtics finish at home against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The key thing is, Miami has dominated Cleveland in South Beach of late. So there is a possibility the Celtics could secure the East with a win tonight. They would stil need to win out, but tonight is crucial.
And that means pedal to the metal and no looking back.
Take Boston here.
3* CELTICS