Joey Juice
Two National League central teams will start a weekend series live From the City of Steel. The last time these two teams played it was the Cardinals sweeping the series at home, September 8th through the 10th, but this game will be different.
Pitching could be a problem for the Cardinals in this game as Wacha struggled in his last outing against the Cubs and doesn't seem to be able to pitch well at PNC Park.
Pirates steal this one at home.
1* PITTSBURGH
Eric Schroeder
I know the St. Louis Cardinals are grinding to get into the playoffs, and arrive at PNC Park after capping a series sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with an 8-5 victory last night. The Redbirds hit the 80-win plateau and are five games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.
More importantly, St. Louis sits 1 1/2 games back of the Colorado Rockies for the final wild-card spot with the Milwaukee Brewers one back of the Rockies. It's getting tight.
That all being said, my free pick is on the Pittsburgh Pirates, and I want you listing the scheduled starting pitchers: Ivan Nova and Michael Wacha.
These two met recently, and something tells me Nova will be looking for revenge against the Cardinals and Wacha.
Pittsburgh will be revved up to hit the field, after having Thursday off, after breaking a seven-game losing streak Wednesday with a walk-off 6-4 victory over the Brewers. So I like the Bucs here, hoping to spoil the Cardinals' postseason race, and with Nova getting revenge.
5* PIRATES
Jack Brayman
I don't know what it is about San Diego, and Petco Park, but good teams go there to lose.
May 29-31, the Cubs got swept.
Sept. 1-3, the Dodgers won the lid-lifter and lost the last three.
To start the week, the Diamondbacks almost got swept, losing two of three.
There are other series I could mention, with teams that were good at the moment, or contending at that time, but are only in the wild card race now.
But San Diego has found a knack for beating playoff-contending teams. Period.
I'm sticking with the Friars again, who have won four of five, catching money from a Rockies team that has lost four straight.
1* PADRES
Tommy Brunson
Friday's comp play release will be the Kansas City Royals over the Chicago White Sox.
KC did win at Toronto 1-0 yesterday as they look to stay relevant in the A.L. Wild Card race. Problem is, the Royals are still 3 1/2 games behind Minnesota, and there are only 10 games left in which to track down the Twins.
The Royals have gone 29-14 their last 43 games played on the White Sox diamond, and they catch Chicago on a 2-4 slide their last 6 games played.
Jason Hammel and Reynaldo Lopez will be your Friday night starters, and Hammel has not been on top of his game of late, dropping his last pair of starts in ugly fashion.
Lopez makes his 7th start this season, and his third against Kansas City. Reynaldo has had KC's number, and has won his last pair of starts heading into this weekend set.
Still, I look for the Royals to make one last push at catching Minnesota for the last Wild Card spot, and I will back them tonight.
1* KANSAS CITY
Chris Jordan
My free play for Friday night is on the Kansas City Royals laying a cheap price on the road against the Chicago White Sox. And in this game I want you listing both scheduled starting pitchers: Jason Hammel and Reynaldo Lopez.
I know Lopez is looking to make it three straight starts with a victory, when he makes his seventh start of the year, but I think he gets hit hard tonight. The 23-year-old right-hander earned a win against these same Royals on Sept. 11, when he allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings in Kansas City.
This is a revenge game, as Hammel is looking to bounce back from a pair of tough outings against these White Sox and the Cleveland Indians. Spanning a combined 9.1 innings, Hammel was tagged for 12 runs - 11 of them earned - on 21 hits. With the Royals' playoff hopes dwindling, and wins a necessity more than ever, I think the right-hander is going to get his revenge.
4* ROYALS
BRANDON LEE
Cubs vs. Brewers
Play: Cubs -109
You won't find a more demoralizing loss than what the Brewers suffered in yesterday's 3-5 loss in extra innings to the Cubs. Milwaukee rallied late from a 0-2 deficit to take a 3-2 lead going into the 9th and were 1 out away from a huge win, before Chicago tied it up and won it in the 10th. That's a huge momentum builder for the Cubs, who now smell blood with a 4.5-game lead in the NL Central and a chance to get that magic number down to 4 with a win tonight. I believe they do just that behind one of the hottest starters in the majors in John Lackey, who owns a 1.93 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Milwaukee sends out Brandon Woodruff and they have lost all 3 of his home starts this season. It's also worth noting that the Cubs are 7-1 in Lackey's last 8 division starts, 5-1 in his last 6 against a team with a winning record and 4-1 in his last 5 on the road.
JOHN MARTIN
Rays vs. Orioles
Play: Rays -108
The Tampa Bay Rays have the edge on the mound over the Baltimore Orioles today and should be bigger favorites because of it. Alex Cobb is 11-10 with a 3.63 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 28 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in his last three. Ubaldo Jimenez is 6-10 with a 6.93 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 24 starts, including 2-3 with a 7.28 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in 11 home starts. Cobb is 5-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 11 previous starts against the Orioles. Jimenez is 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in his last three starts against Tampa Bay, yielding 14 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings.
MMA Profitcy
T Gomi vs D H Kim
Pick: D H Kim
Gomi is a legend of this sport, but is absolutely shot. I feel the line on this should be much worse. Kim has lost to only top competitors in the division, Gomi is no longer that. Play Kim confidently.
Harry Bondi
BOISE STATE (-12.5) over Virginia
After being sidelined for last week’s game with a head injury, Boise State QB Brett Rypien has been cleared to play tonight and that’s good news for the Broncos offense that struggled without him during a lackluster 28-14 win over New Mexico last week. With Rypien back under center, the Boise State offense will be too much for a Virginia defense that was lit up for 56 points and 447 yards of total offense the last time these two teams met back in 2015. On the other side of the ball, the Boise State defense is playing remarkably well and has been outshining the offense after holding Troy and New Mexico to a combined 27 points while also keeping the powerful Washington State offense in check, allowing just 10 points through three quarters before losing a heart-breaker in triple OT. The Cavs are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against WAC foes and that trend continues tonight.
Tony Finn
Utah vs. Arizona
Play: Utah -3
This late kick west coast contest between the Utes and the Wildcats is scheduled for a 10:30 p.m. ET primetime start on Arizona Stadium field in Tucson and will be broadcast by Fox Sport 1.
This Pacific Coast Conference event won't represent most P-12 contests with pocket passers that occupy the current league but rather will feature two signal-callers that can run and pass.
Utah sophomore Tyler Huntley is responsible for 360 yards per game for his team and has run for nearly as many touchdowns as he has thrown, registering three by land and five by air in 2017.
Arizona junior Brandon Dawkins is averaging over 80 yards per game on the ground with five rushing touchdowns and four through the air.
Both head coaches will be using their football pieces to play a chess game on Friday night and played correctly the Utes have the advantage as the visitor tonight in southern Arizona.
Can the U of A Wildcats continue to be successful with their 325 rushing yards per contest against a Utes defensive front that has allowed less than 50 yards per game rushing?
Did Arizona's head coach Rich Rodriguez pour it on late in last Saturday's 63-16 rout of UTEP in El Paso get his players and field leaders past their porous performance and loss to the Houston Cougars in Week #2.
Can Utah bench boss Kyle Whitingham continue to coach-up his players on the road with the same success he has had in the past?
Rich Rod and his offense scored a mere 16 points in their home loss this season to a pedestrian Houston Cougars defense while Whitingham has already manufactured a quality road win at BYU.
The Utes strayed somewhat from their typical soft non-conference schedule this season with an affair at Brigham Young but with that win have now executed a clean sweep of their non-con foes for the fifth straight year. The Utes have also won their last two conference openers and look to make it three straight tonight in Tucson.
The Utes have plenty of talented skill players around Huntley including Oregon transfer Darren Carrington II who has 26 catches for 409 yards and four scores this season.
Defensively Utah front seven have been as good as any group in the FBS behind linebacker Sunia Tauteoli. The Utes stop-unit have taken the ball away nine times this season and that number includes six interceptions.
Dawkins and his teammates put the home loss against Houston behind them last Saturday by running up the score on an undermanned UTEP Miners squad. Dawkins and tailbacks Nick Wilson and J.J. Taylor have to find a route through the Utah front seven tonight if they want to prevent a second straight loss on their home turf.
Defensively the Wildcats have been nothing short of ordinary in 2017. The group hasn't been effective despite forcing seven turnovers and are allowing nearly 400 yards per game across their first three September events.
The special teams edge tonight goes to Utah. Place kicker Matt Gay has yet to miss a field goal attempt (11-for-11) and the Utes roster the 2016 Ray Guy Award winner Mitch Wishnowsky who has a 45-plus yard net average in 2017.
It is difficult to trust Arizona coach Rich Rod. The public supported him and his kids a week ago steaming the market spread as much as six points in their road event against the Minors. The Wildcats defense has allowed only three touchdowns over the last two games but this is essentially the same unit that has allowed nearly 40 points per affair over their last 10 contests.
It is noteworthy to mention for those that are not Pac-12 faithful that coach Rodriguez didn't record a conference win last year and his team was a miserable 2-7 ATS.
While Arizona has been as inconsistent this season as they were last the same can't be said about Whittingham’s team. Utah has outgaining all three of their opponents this September by 200-plus yards.
Bob Balfe
Rays -115
The Orioles have been silent with the bats the last week in addition to the Rays having the more consistent starting pitcher on the mound. Ubaldo Jimenez shows flashes of greatness at time, but his numbers have been declining so I expect the Rays to get to him early and often.
Mark Franco
Utah at Arizona
Play: Utah -3
The Pac-12 Conference’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks will duel in the desert on Friday, when No. 21 Utah visits Arizona. The game also will serve as the Pac-12 opener for both teams, who just completed winning non-conference seasons. The Utes are coming off their fifth straight undefeated non-conference season and are now looking to win their Pac-12 opener for the third straight campaign. Wide receiver Darren Carrington II, a transfer from Oregon, has struck up an immediate bond with Huntley as they’ve hooked up 26 times for 409 yards and four TDs so far. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Sunia Tauteoli (team-high 18 tackles) and safety Chase Hansen (14) lead a unit which is tops in the conference in total defense (246 yards) and turnovers forced (nine), including six interceptions. The Wildcats bounced back from a 19-16 loss to Houston with a 63-16 rout of host UTEP last week as Dawkins threw for three touchdowns and added three more on the ground while rolling up 288 yards of total offense. Utah has a decided edge in the kicking game, with Matt Gay a perfect 11-for-11 on both field-goal and extra-point attempts so far, while 2016 Ray Guy Award winner Mitch Wishnowsky ranks fifth nationally in net yardage (45.4). Utes are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Wildcats are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 conference games.