Tony George
Chargers/ Raiders Over 46.5
I like the Over here. Always a spirited battle between AFC WEST rivals, all the star power lines up on offense for both teams. Look for both teams to get it going on offense and take some big chances downfield, especially the Chargers whose running game will be an after thought here tonight. Oakland will find success running it and QB Palmer could also have a big night setting up play action passes and stretch the field if RB McFadden gets it going which he very well might. I smell a shootout. Oakland 4-0 ATS their 4 regular season games at home, and in week 1 of the regular season the past 5 years, Oakland 5-0 ATS on the OVER.
Jeff Scott Sports
3 UNIT PLAY
San Diego/ Oakland Under 47: Ive looked at the game real hard and feel the Under is the way to go. The Chargers offense wasn't that great in the preseason and they have problems along their OL and most likely won't have Ryan Mathews as well, which should make it tough for them to put a ton of points on the board. Putting pressure on the QB is a strength of the Raiders and that should create allot of 2nd or 3rd and longs for the Chargers or it could lead to mistakes by Rivers will will stall drives. For Oakland they are changing schemes to the West Coast offense, and that type offense is not ideally suited for Carson Palmer's drop back style of play. In the preseason he had just 1 TD drive in 17 possessions and Should struggle in game 1 vs a San Diego team that also knows how to get after the QB. A strength of the Raiders offense is their run game with McFadden, but San Diego has greatly upgraded their run defense after signing LB Jarret Johnson (56 tackles, 2.5 sacks), one of the integral parts of a Baltimore defense that annually ranks among the league's best against the run and then further bolstering the position by using the Chargers' first-round draft selection on South Carolina's Melvin Ingram. That should put the Raiders in long down situations as well. Neither defense is great, but bot are strong up front and that should keep these QB's from just sitting back their and picking apart these secondaries. Look d=for both offenses to struggle as this one fails to hit 42 points.
Frank Jordan
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds
Play: Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh has lost three in a row and seven of 10 as they head to division leading Cincinnati who has been average of late going 5-5 in their last 10. Wandy Rodriguez in 10-13 on the year, but most of that was with Houston now on Pittsburgh he is pitching better and made his second start with the Pirates went seven strong innings against Cincinnati allowing just three runs. Look for more of that quality pitching and a few runs of support from the Pirates offense to lead the road team to victory. Play Pittsburgh
Chuck O'Brien
My free pick tonight is out of the National League Central, as I side with the Cincinnati Reds over the Pittsburgh Pirates. I'm taking the Reds on the Run Line, looking to improve my comp pick record, which is now at 106-99-3.
The line is on the higher side, which is why we're taking the run line. And with that decision we end up with Mat Latos listed, against Wandy Rodriguez. And that's not a bad thing, as the Cincinnati right-hander is a perfect 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA lifetime against the Bucs. Two of those wins have been during a stellar 2012 campaign, as he struck out 16 over 13-1/3 scoreless innings while stifling opponens to a .136 batting average.
Latos, who is 12-4 on the year with a 3.69 ERA this season, has been rock solid off late, allowing two earned runs or fewer in all but two of his last 14 starts.
His opponent, Wandy Rodriguez, hasn't been as skillful against the Reds, with an 8-11 and 4.39 ERA lifetime. Now he has to deal with a Reds team looking to continue their pursuit of MLB's No. 1 record. It's currently 2-1/2 games back of the Washington Nationals for the No. 1 mark in baseball.
The Reds get a big effort from Latos and roll.
3♦ CINCINNATI -1.5
Matt Rivers
12-8 my last 20 free plays.
Tonight's comp winner will be the A's-Angels to combine to go Over this low total of 7 1/2 runs.
These teams just played last week in a three game series - 1-1-1 Over the total in those three - but the overall Over run this season when the clubs have met is 3-1-1 Over the past five showdowns, and I feel we have another Over in store tonight with Parker and Haren listed.
Jarrod Parker has an ERA of 5 for his last three starts, and his road ERA this year is at 5.37. Yes, he did hold the Angels to just 2 runs over 7 innings the last time he started, but I don't think he will be as fortunate tonight against the Halos bats in such a short turnaround.
As for Dan Haren, he has been stellar his last three starts - but they have all come on the road. At home Haren is only 4-7 for the year, and sports a 4.94 season ERA in Anaheim.
Haren just held the A's to one run in 6 innings the last time he started, and the same holds true for Haren as it does for Parker...the quick turnaround favors the batters tonight.
Take the Over in the Athletics-Angels game tonight.
1♦ OAKLAND-L.A. ANGELS OVER
Jeff Benton
Your Monday freebie is the Cardinals to come through with the win at Petco Park against the Padres.
St. Louis is clinging to the second wild card spot as they embark on a seven-game west coast swing, and they had better get their road woes (lost 5 of last 6 on road) and the woes of pitcher Jaime Garcia (1-4 with an over 7 ERA his last 5 road starts) straightened out in a hurry tonight.
San Diego has been playing well of late, and pitcher Eric Stults does enter tonight's assignment with a 4-0 record and a 1.66 ERA since rejoining the starting rotation in early August.
Based on those stats, it is easy to see why the price on this game is close to a pick, but I believe the defending World Series champs will get their act together tonight against a San Diego they have owned of late. The Redbirds are 3-0 this year versus the Good Fathers, and 6-1 since last season the past seven series meetings.
Go with St. Louis tonight.
3♦ ST. LOUIS
Craig Davis
Tonight's free play is on the Cincinnati Bengals plus the number at Baltimore.
Honestly, I don't believe Baltimore's defense is as good as it's been in the past and I'm thinking the Bengals might be primed for a major upset to start the season. Remember this date... September 10, 2007???
It was this very date five years ago when Cincy beat Baltimore 27-20 in the season opener that year. This will be the third time since 2007 these two teams have hooked up on opening week and each game promises to deliver a thriller. I guess I'm just a little baffled as to why Baltimore is giving a TD or more tonight?
In the Marvin Lewis era, the Bengals are 3-3 on opening week when they play on the road and in their only other Monday Night Football encounter vs. the Ravens... they won.
Every meeting between these two since 2007 has been decided by just one score... and the largest win for either side in that span is eight points (a Ravens’ 24-16 victory over the Bengals last season).
The key for the Bengals is pretty simple tonight... stop Ray Rice, or at least slow him down. Baltimore is winless vs. Cincinnati when Rice doesn't get to the century mark.
Another key for the Bengals is in their offensive running game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis mostly rode the bench during the preseason... but he's still expected to be the starter tonight, and considering his banging running style, it should fit perfectly with what the Bengals want to do.
Baltimore is expecting Andy Dalton and the Bengals passing game to try and exploit their young secondary... but I believe they'll try to establish the run with Green-Ellis first, which should open things up in the passing game.
Too many points for me... I'm taking the Bengals PLUS in Baltimore as your free play of the day.
2♦ CINCINNATI
Chris Jordan
My complimentary winner is on the Chicago White Sox over the Detroit Tigers in an American League Central clash in Chi-town, at U.S. Cellular Field. With so much on the line right now, and the Sox holding a slim two-game lead in the division, I think we're going to see the frontrunners in must-win mode.
I know Jose Quintana hasn't been pitching all that well of late, and he comes in after a second-straight rough start, allowing seven runs over over 1-1/3 innings against the Twins, but if he's going to last in this rotation into the postseason, he's going to need to be much better.
It begins with this game tonight against the Tigers.
Look for the offense to get to Rick Porcello, who I know historically has been good at U.S. Cellular, but has struggled for the most part this season. He's 9-11 with a 4.58 ERA in 2012, and will fall apart early tonight.
2♦ CHICAGO WHITE SOX