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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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09-18-22 | Colts v. Jaguars +3 | Top | 0-24 | Win | 100 | 22 h 4 m | Show |
My selection is on Jacksonville plus the points over Indianapolis at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Colts are in tough due to injuries on Sunday afternoon as they'll be without Shaquille Leonard and Michael Pittman Jr., among others. This was already going to be a tough spot for Indianapolis as it comes off a highly-disappointing tie on the road against Houston last Sunday. The Jags didn't look great in a season-opening loss in Washington but I do think we'll see gradual improvement from them on both sides of the football under new head coach Doug Pederson. Here, in their home opener there's reason for optimism as they face a depleted Colts squad that is ripe for the picking in Week 2. Already severely limited with his supporting cast, the absence of Pittman looms large over the Colts offense led by Matt Ryan. Yes, Jonathan Taylor is capable of shouldering even more of the load but you can be sure the Jags will be stacking the box to bottle him up. Taylor is a much better running back playing from ahead than behind (as are most backs) and I expect that to be evident on Sunday afternoon. Take Jacksonville (8*). |
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09-18-22 | Patriots -2.5 v. Steelers | Top | 17-14 | Win | 100 | 22 h 32 m | Show |
AFC Non-Division Game of the Month. My selection is on New England minus the points over Pittsburgh at 1 pm et on Sunday. With T.J. Watt sidelined and Najee Harris severely banged-up the Steelers just don't have a lot of redeeming qualities as they return home off last Sunday's stunning upset win over the defending AFC champion Bengals in Cincinnati. Credit the Steelers for gutting out a win in that overtime game but let's face it, the result was gift-wrapped by the Bengals, who looked completely out of sorts on both sides of the football. Here, the Steelers have the benefit of returning home but do so against a Patriots squad that has a foul taste in its mouth off last Sunday's divisional road loss in Miami. Whiel the Pats offense certainly has plenty of warts, I don't think it is as bad as it is being made out to be. Xavien Howard blanketed Devante Parker in last Sunday's game and Mac Jones struggled to find consistent options to pass to and the ground game wasn't able to thrive trailing for much of the contest. I expect a different story to unfold here as the Patriots defense and ground attack comes up big against a Steelers squad that quite simply doesn't match up well on either side of the football. Pittsburgh's offensive line is still a mess and I have little faith in QB Mitchell Trubisky holding down the starting job for more than the first few games this season. Defensively, T.J. Watt is the Steelers engine and his absence can't be understated. The Pittsburgh secondary came up big last Sunday but that had a lot to do with Watt pressuring Joe Burrow into ill-advised throws. Both of these teams probably deserve to be 1-1 through two weeks and I'm confident that's how it will play out. Take New England (10*). |
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09-17-22 | San Diego State v. Utah -20 | Top | 7-35 | Win | 100 | 130 h 25 m | Show |
Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Utah minus the points over San Diego State at 10 pm et on Saturday. After dropping a tough 29-26 decision against Florida at The Swamp back in Week 1, Utah needed a big victory to feel good about itself again last Saturday and it delivered just that to the tune of a 73-7 rout of FCS squad Southern Utah. Now comes a tougher matchup against San Diego State but I’m confident the Utes will be up to the challenge. Utah left no doubt in last week’s contest, scoring five offensive touchdowns (and adding a field goal) in a 14-minute span in the second quarter. I liked the way the Utes continued to pour it on late in that game, adding three more touchdowns in the final 23 minutes, even with the outcome having long been decided. There were certainly some signs of rust offensively, particularly early on against Florida but that has clearly been taken care of. San Diego State opened with a 38-20 drubbing at the hands of Arizona before rebounding with a 38-7 win over Idaho State last week. Note that it took the Aztecs nearly 10 minutes before they scored their first offensive touchdown in that win over Idaho State and that came on the sort of defensive breakdown you just won’t see from Utah. There was also a stretch where the Aztecs were held out of the end zone for 35 minutes in that contest - not encouraging considering that was against the likes of FCS squad Idaho State. The jury is still out as to whether former Virginia Tech standout QB Braxton Burmeister is the right fit in this offense. San Diego State always brings a solid defense to the table but here it will be dealing with its toughest offensive opponent to date, and we’ll note that it yielded an offensive touchdown in all four quarters in its season-opener against Arizona prior to last week’s victory. Take Utah (10*). |
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09-17-22 | Mississippi State v. LSU OVER 53 | Top | 16-31 | Loss | -108 | 31 h 23 m | Show |
Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Mississippi State and LSU at 6 pm et on Saturday. We missed with the 'over' in Mississippi State's rout of Arizona last Saturday. We probably deserved a better fate but the scoring fizzled after a 22-point first quarter and the game ultimately finished just a shade 'under' the total. I expect a different story to unfold here. The Bulldogs are off to a roaring start offensively and that's to be expected as they have all of the pieces in place and a head coach that knows how to get the most out of those pieces in Mike Leach. I like the way Mississippi State has continued to pour it on late in its first two games, even with the outcome already all but decided. The Bulldogs have scored four fourth quarter touchdowns. All most can think about when it comes to LSU is that disappointing season-opening 24-23 loss to Florida State. Few were paying atttention but the Tigers absolutely exploded offensively last week against FCS squad Southern, putting up 37 points before the game was even a quarter old. Incredibly, LSU has now scored a whopping 11 offensive touchdowns over essentially the last five quarters of football (the Tigers scored with eight seconds remaining in the third quarter of their season-opener against Florida State). Last week's matchup between these two teams totalled 53 points and that's where this total sits at the time of writing. I believe it will prove too low. Take the over (10*). |
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09-16-22 | Air Force v. Wyoming +16 | Top | 14-17 | Win | 100 | 32 h 24 m | Show |
Mountain West Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Wyoming plus the points over Air Force at 8 pm et on Friday. We won with Air Force in its rout of Colorado last week but I won't hesitate to go the other way and fade the Falcons as they head to Laramie to take on Wyoming on Friday. This projects are a relatively low-scoring game with a total in the mid-to-high 40's, which obviously favors the Cowboys catching north of two touchdowns. Air Force has averaged 27.8 points the last 67 times it has played with the total set between 42.5 and 49 points. Note that these teams match up every year in the Mountain West Conference. Air Force has scored more than 28 points just once in the last 14 meetings. The only time it did so it still scored 'only' 31 points. That might not be enough to cover the number here. Wyoming already has three games under its belt and seems to have found its identity, pounding the football with a terrific ground game led by RB Titus Swen. You can run on this Air Force defense noting that it has allowed FCS squad Northern Iowa and Colorado to each gain exactly 119 rushing yards, despite negative game script for both of those teams in lopsided contests in favor of the Falcons. Run the football, move the chains and effectively shorten the game. That has to be the gameplan for the Cowboys here and I believe it's one they can execute. When playing on the road off an ATS win, Air Force has outscored opponents by an average margin of only 3.2 points (67-game sample size). Take Wyoming (10*). |
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09-16-22 | Phillies v. Braves -1.5 | Top | 2-7 | Win | 115 | 12 h 20 m | Show |
N.L. East Game of the Month. My selection is on Atlanta -1.5 runs over Philadelphia at 7:20 pm et on Friday. The Braves have lost four of their last five games but they had the benefit of an off-day following a long road trip yesterday and I expect them to right the ship on Friday against division-rival Philadelphia. N.L. Cy Young candidate Max Fried would seem to be the right guy to have on the mound to start the turn-around. Fried checks in with a 2.42 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with the Braves winning 11 of his 16 home starts this season. The last time he pitched against Philadelphia, the Braves fell by a 6-4 score on the road. It was still a fine outing for Fried as he allowed just three earned runs while striking out eight and not walking a single batter over six innings. His counterpart on Friday will be fellow left-hander Ranger Suarez of the Phillies. He's had an up-and-down season and should be in tough here as the Braves get their fourth look at him, having already plated 12 runs in 16 innings against him this season. Note that of Suarez's nine team losses this season, eight of them have come by multiple runs. The only one that didn't was a game where Philadelphia didn't score a run in a 1-0 defeat against Cincinnati. The Braves two previous victories against Suarez this season came by scores of 8-4 and 4-1. Take Atlanta -1.5 runs (10*). |
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09-16-22 | Royals v. Red Sox OVER 9.5 | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 50 m | Show |
A.L. Non-Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Kansas City and Boston at 7:10 pm et on Friday. We missed with the 'over' in the Royals 3-2 loss in Minnesota last night. The Kansas City bats were quiet once again but I think a change of scenery will serve them well as they head to Fenway Park on Friday. Jon Heasley will take the ball for the visiting Royals. He's had a miserable rookie campaign and things certainly haven't gotten any better down the stretch as he's been tagged for 12 earned runs in 16 innings over his last three outings, yielding four home runs along the way. His last four road starts have resulted in games totalling 23, 13, 10 and 14 runs. Michael Wacha has actually been terrific for the Red Sox this season but I can't help but after stringing together three consecutive quality starts on the road, I think he gets a dose of reality back at home. The 'under' cashed in each of Wacha's first five starts this season but high-scoring games have been the norm since then as the 'over' has gone 8-5-1 over his last 14 starts. The last time he pitched here at Fenway Park back on August 26th we saw 17 total runs in a game against the Rays. The Royals bats have been quiet but they still average 3.8 runs per game away from home this season and I think that will be enough to help this one 'over' the total on Friday. Take the over (10*). |
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09-15-22 | Chargers v. Chiefs UNDER 54.5 | Top | 24-27 | Win | 100 | 11 h 3 m | Show |
AFC West total of the Month. My selection is on the first half 'under' between Los Angeles and Kansas City at 8:15 pm et on Thursday. In a division game on a short week at this early stage of the season, I'm not anticipating a lot of first half offensive fireworks between the Chargers and Chiefs on Thursday night. Note that this same matchup produced just 17 and 24 points in the first half in two meetings last year. The Chargers have seen six of their last seven September games stay 'under' the total in the first half and the 'under' is 9-4 in the first half in all Chargers games where the first half total has been set at 25 points or more going back to 2020. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have appeared in two Thursday night games over the last two seasons and both got off to low-scoring starts with the 'under' cashing in the first half. In the long-term picture, the 'under' is 35-19 in the first half in the Chiefs last 54 games played in the first month of the season. I'm not convinced the Kansas City offense is going to be quite as explosive as we saw in last week's rout of the Cardinals, noting that Arizona's blitz-happy nature on defense really opened things up for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. The Chargers can stay home a little more and still generate pressure with the likes of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack on the outside. On the flip side, the Chargers always seem to generate a ton of early season hype before fizzling late. I don't expect them to roll into Arrowhead and lay waste to a good Chiefs defense - at least not early in Thursday's contest. Take the first half under (10*). |
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09-15-22 | Royals v. Twins OVER 8.5 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -115 | 13 h 33 m | Show |
Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Kansas City and Minnesota at 7:40 pm et on Thursday. We saw a low-scoring affair between these two teams last night as the Royals bats stayed quiet for a second consecutive night. Interestingly, Kansas City has now gone eight games without scoring at least six runs - its second-longest such streak of the season. I feel the Royals are well-positioned to bust out at the plate against Twins starter Dylan Bundy on Thursday. Bundy got rocked for seven earned runs on 12 hits including three home runs against the Guardians last time out. You would have to go all the way back to June 24th to find the last time he lasted at least six innings in a start, illustrating his lack of effectiveness. He checks in allowing a lofty 9.6 hits and 4.83 runs per nine innings this season. Daniel Lynch hasn't been much better for the Royals - in fact, he's been worse. Lynch gives up a whopping 10.5 hits and 5.38 runs per nine innings this season. He's clearly wearing down as we hit the stretch run, having allowed 17 earned runs in just 18 1/3 innings over his last four outings. Neither bullpen instills much confidence as the two relief corps have combined for 39 blown saves this season. Take the over (10*). |
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09-15-22 | Manchester United v. Sheriff +2 | Top | 2-0 | Push | 0 | 15 h 8 m | Show |
Europa League Game of the Month. My selection is on Sheriff Tiraspol +2 goals over Manchester United at 12:45 pm et on Thursday. We won with Sheriff Tiraspol plus a half-goal in an away match against Omonia in Europa League action last week. Here, we get Tiraspol playing on its home soil in Moldova, knowing it has a monumental opportunity to stage an upset against mighty Manchester United. Sheriff checks in having reeled off three consecutive shutout victories, undefeated across its last eight matches. Manchester United dropped a 1-0 decision against Real Sociedad last week and now faces an uphill battle to climb the Group E standings. While the Red Devils are being priced as a massive favorite here, I believe Tiraspol is well-positioned due to its stingy nature. Note that Sheriff has seen four of its last five matches total less than 2.5 goals. Here, we're being given a massive head start with a two-goal cushion with the home side. Take Sheriff Tiraspol +2 goals (10*). |
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09-14-22 | Brewers v. Cardinals +112 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 112 | 13 h 38 m | Show |
MLB Division Game of the Week. My selection is on St. Louis over Milwaukee at 7:45 pm et on Wednesday. The Brewers took the opener of this two-game set by an 8-4 score last night. I look for the Cardinals to bounce back on Wednesday. Corbin Burnes will take the ball for the Brewers. After topping out at six strikeouts in his previous five starts, he K'd 14 batters against the Giants last time out. You would have to go back six starts against the Cardinals to find the last time St. Louis picked up a win against Burnes. With that being said, I believe there's reason for optimism on Wednesday. Cards starter Adam Wainwright is one of the fiercest competitors in baseball so you can be sure his last two rocky outings haven't sat well with him. On a positive note, he's given up just one home run in his last nine starts and hasn't issued a walk in three of his last five outings. He checks in sporting a 2.65 ERA and 1.14 WHIP at home this season. With a comfortable cushion atop the N.L. Central Division, the Cards may not have a lot to motivate them at the moment but I believe avoiding a sweep at the hands of the division-rival Brewers should do the trick on Wednesday. Take St. Louis (10*). |
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09-14-22 | Sevilla v. FC Copenhagen OVER 2.5 | Top | 0-0 | Loss | -101 | 19 h 23 m | Show |
Champions League Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between FC Kobenhavn and Sevilla at 3 pm et on Wednesday. Both of these teams enter Wednesday's Champions League clash with deficiencies at the back end and I'm confident we'll see plenty of offensive fireworks in Copenhagen. Sevilla, despite playing in often goal-starved La Liga, has gone its last six matches without recording a single clean sheet. Of those six contests, five found their way 'over' 2.5 total goals. It's a similar story for Kobenhavn as it has seen eight of its last 10 contests sail 'over' 2.5 total goals. With that being said, both sides were actually shut out in their most recent Champions League matches. Sitting pointless at the bottom of the Group G standings, looking up at the likes of Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund (who also square off on Wednesday) you can understand why both sides would 'go for it' in this contest. A 2-1 result is the most likely outcome in my opinion and that's enough to push this one 'over' the total. Take the over (10*). |
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09-13-22 | Braves -1.5 v. Giants | Top | 5-1 | Win | 102 | 14 h 18 m | Show |
N.L. Game of the Month. My selection is on Atlanta -1.5 runs over San Francisco at 9:45 pm et on Tuesday. The Giants got past the Braves by a 3-2 score last night, taking advantage of an off night from the Atlanta offense. Here, I look for the visiting Braves to answer back and bring an end to their three-game slide. As I've talked about all season long, Braves starter Kyle Wright is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. With that being said, he's coming off his worst outing of the season last week against the A's. He also struggled in his lone previous start against the Giants this season. Noting that he has posted a 3.69 FIP and 1.15 WHIP while allowing only 3.4 runs per nine innings this season, I'm confident he'll make the necessary adjustments and bounce back here. Jakob Junis will counter for the Giants. He's labored through his last two starts, lasting just 4 1/3 innings in each outing. He checks in with a 3.82 FIP and 1.18 WHIP while allowing just shy of 4.1 runs per nine innings this season. The Giants bullpen held up well last night but still owns a less than impressive 4.12 ERA and 1.36 WHIP at home this season. The Braves 'pen on the other hand has posted a 3.27 ERA and 1.18 WHIP while converting 26 saves and blowing only nine on the road. Take Atlanta -1.5 runs (10*). |
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09-13-22 | Rockies v. White Sox -1.5 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 110 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
Interleague Game of the Week. My selection is on Chicago -1.5 runs over Colorado at 8:10 pm et on Tuesday. The hard-charging White Sox still believe they have a shot at the postseason but this is precisely the type of matchup they'll need to take advantage of if they're to play their way into October. The Rockies are coming off a 4-2 homestand but the road hasn't been kind to them this season (that's nothing new). Colorado checks in a woeful 21-46 away from home this season where it has been outscored by 2.1 runs per game. Chad Kuhl will get the start for the visiting Rockies. He had a solid start to his Rockies tenure earlier this season but the wheels have since fallen off. Kuhl owns an ugly 6.29 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 13 road starts, averaging fewer than five innings per outing. That spells trouble when you consider Colorado's bullpen has posted a collective 5.27 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over the last seven games. Michael Kopech hasn't been much better for Chicago but at least he's pitched well here at home where he owns a 2.97 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 12 starts. Behind him is a White Sox bullpen that has posted a collective 1.20 WHIP over the last seven contests. Take Chicago -1.5 runs (10*). |
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09-11-22 | Tigers v. Royals -145 | Top | 0-4 | Win | 100 | 6 h 29 m | Show |
A.L. Central Game of the Month. My selection is on Kansas City over Detroit at 2:10 pm et on Sunday. The Tigers have taken the first two games of this series but I look for the Royals to answer back on Sunday. Tyler Alexander takes the ball for Detroit. He checks in sporting a 5.03 FIP and 1.38 WHIP while allowing north of 5.7 runs per nine innings this season. The Royals have never faced him but going up against an opponent for the first time hasn't necessarily led to success for Alexander in the past and I don't believe it will here either. Kansas City will counter with Brady Singer. He hasn't had his best stuff over his last two outings but I look for him to bounce back here, noting that he owns a career 2.72 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in nine previous starts against Detroit. Singer owns a 3.70 FIP and 1.17 WHIP while holding opponents to just 3.6 runs per nine innings this season. The Royals should own an advantage in the later innings as well as their bullpen has posted a collective 2.13 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over the last seven games while Detroit's relief corps checks in with a 5.62 ERA and 1.88 WHIP over the same stretch. Take Kansas City (10*). |
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09-11-22 | Eagles v. Lions OVER 48.5 | Top | 38-35 | Win | 100 | 74 h 55 m | Show |
NFC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Philadelphia and Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday. This has the potential to be one of the most entertaining games on the Week 1 board. While we're dealing with a reasonably high posted total, I believe it could be even higher. Philadelphia is well-positioned to smash in this spot offensively. The Lions are an intriguing sleeper pick in the NFC North this season but that optimism has a lot more to do with their offense than their defense. That defense might just be awful and certainly doesn't get better after losing pass rusher Romeo Okwara to the PUP list. Philadelphia's offense should take flight in Jalen Hurts' second year as the starting QB. He'll be given plenty of help with an improved cast of receivers led by one of the best in the game in A.J. Brown. Perhaps what isn't getting enough attention is the strength of the Eagles offensive line, which should help give Hurts the opportunity to put up monster numbers this season. RB Miles Sanders and WR Devonta Smith are two keys at the skill positions that aren't being talked about enough in this offense either and set up well to go off in this particular matchup. Defensively, the Eagles are stout at the back-end but appear average at best up front and in the middle of the field. That plays right into the hands of a Lions offense that has two gamebreakers in RB De'Andre Swift and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown that are adept at attacking the middle of the football field. With Swift back healthy he's in for a monster season, operating behind an underrated Lions offensive line. I'm higher on QB Jared Goff than some, feeling that he's an excellent fit in this offense. We certainly saw him build terrific chemistry with St. Brown down the stretch last year (he had few other options to throw to at the time) and I'm confident that duo will pick up right where they left off here. While I like the Eagles to win this game, the Lions will undoubtedly be a 'tough out' playing in front of a rare packed house at Ford Field. Expect plenty of offensive fireworks. Take the over (10*). |
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09-11-22 | Colts -7 v. Texans | Top | 20-20 | Loss | -110 | 74 h 34 m | Show |
AFC Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Indianapolis minus the points over Houston at 1 pm et on Sunday. We've actually seen this line float down to the key number of -7 since opening. Last year, the Texans were a popular fade in Week 1 as they hosted the Jaguars. What did Houston do? It blew the doors off of its hapless opponent, crushing Jacksonville bettors in the process (myself included). It's a much different story this year. The general consensus is that the arrow is pointing up in Houston with seemingly only positive news coming out of camp and the preseason. I see this as a tough opening week matchup for the Texans, however, as they host the Colts and their new-look offense run by veteran QB Matt Ryan. I say new-look but it should be more of the same for Indianapolis with RB Jonathan Taylor once again the focal point. He absolutely ripped through the Texans in two meetings last season, gaining over 300 yards on 47 carries while also finding the end zone four times. That's not to say the Colts can't beat the Texans through the air as well. Houston's weakness on defense should lie in the secondary, where it used an early draft pick on CB Derek Stingley. While the Colts passing game doesn't look all that imposing at first glance, guys like WR Michael Pittman Jr. and TE Mo Alie-Cox have splash potential here. Houston's offense is going to be better this year, I'm confident of that as QB Davis Mills settles into his first full season as starter. This isn't the game where we see it though, at least not in my opinion, as the Colts defense put the clamps on Mills last year and should have little trouble doing so again here. Note that key run-stopper Shaquille Leonard was a full participant in Colts practice on Wednesday. While the Indianapolis defense does leave a lot to be desired at the back-end, its zone scheme works in its favor against a limited Texans receiving corps headlined by Brandin Cooks. There will be spots where we can successfully back Houston in an underdog role, likely sooner rather than later, but not this week. Take Indianapolis (10*). |
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09-10-22 | Mississippi State v. Arizona OVER 58.5 | Top | 39-17 | Loss | -110 | 85 h 24 m | Show |
Non-Conference Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Mississippi State and Arizona at 11 pm et on Saturday. We won with Mississippi State in its rout of Memphis last Saturday but I'll shift gears this week and back the 'over' as the Bulldogs take their show on the road to face upstart Arizona in Tucson. There was a lot to like about the Bulldogs offense last week as it scored four touchdowns in the game's first 28 minutes before adding three more in the second half. I liked the way they kept their foot on the gas for four quarters (what else would you expect from a Mike Leach offense?), tacking on a touchdown in the game's closing minutes after Memphis had narrowed the gap to 42-23 less than a minute earlier. The Mississippi State defense was able to pin its ears back and attack the Memphis offense after jumping ahead earlier. I expect a different game script to unfold this time around, however. That's because Arizona actually has a legitimate football team this year, as evidenced by last week's stunning 38-20 rout of San Diego State (the Aztecs were opening their brand new home stadium making the victory that much more impressive). The Wildcats offense looked much different with QB Jayden De Laura under center and UTEP transfer WR Jacob Cowing blowing the top off the Aztecs defense. De Laura threw for just shy of 300 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. San Diego State wasn't able to mount any sort of offensive attack but I think that had more to do with transfer QB Braxton Burmeister looking lost in his first game running a new offense (trailing by two touchdowns early in the second quarter didn't help the Aztecs as they're generally a front-running team that likes to pound the football and control the clock). Different story here as this matchup has true shootout potential. Take the over (10*). |
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09-10-22 | Calgary v. Edmonton Elks +10 | Top | 56-28 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
CFL Game of the Week. My selection is on Edmonton plus the points over Calgary at 8 pm et on Saturday. The Elks have very little left to play for as they sit in last place in the West Division. A home game against the rival Stampeders, playing with triple in-season revenge, should get their juices flowing, however. Edmonton kept things close in Monday's matchup between these two teams in Calgary, ultimately losing by just eight points. Note that the Stampeders defense has sagged as the season has gone on. They've now allowed 20+ pass completions in 10 consecutive games. On the flip side, the Stamps have scored 20+ points in four straight contests. They accomplished that feat only once previously this season and went on to score just 19 points in their next game. I saw some positives from the Elks offense on Monday as they gained 74 yards on 18 rush attempts and QB Taylor Cornelius completed 22-of-33 passes for 257 yards - the second straight games in which the Elks threw for 250+ yards. Take Edmonton (10*). |
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09-10-22 | Kentucky v. Florida UNDER 53 | Top | 26-16 | Win | 100 | 103 h 31 m | Show |
SEC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Kentucky and Florida at 7 pm et on Saturday. Both of these teams enter Saturday's showdown in the Swamp off to 1-0 records. This rivalry has produced plenty of relatively low-scoring contests over the years. You would have to go back to 2017 to find the last time the two teams totalled more than 50 points. While Florida certainly impressed offensively behind a tremendous performance from QB Anthony Richardson in last week's upset win over Utah, it won't benefit from the same element of surprise against the Wildcats. It's not as if Florida tore through the Utes defense last Saturday. In fact, it only managed to score 14 points through the game's first three quarters. I came away impressed by the Gators defense as they allowed an early touchdown in the first four minutes but then held the Utes out of the end zone until the closing seconds of the third quarter. They also came up with a game-clinching interception in the end zone as the clock ticked down in the fourth quarter. Here, the Gators will benefit from facing a Kentucky offense that is reworking its offensive line after a host of departures (it yielded four sacks to QB Will Levis in the opener) and also dealing with the absence of standout RB Chris Rodriguez. Kentucky did score 37 points in last week's victory but that came against a middling MAC squad in Miami-Ohio. The Wildcats scored a touchdown midway through the first quarter but then didn't reach the end zone on offense again until being gifted terrific field position thanks to a Redhawks turnover early in the third quarter (they did return the second half kickoff for a touchdown as well). On the flip side, Kentucky gave up a touchdown in the first six minutes of that game but then held Miami-Ohio out of the end zone for the game's final 54 minutes. I can't help but feel the Wildcats defense is well ahead of the offense at this early stage of the season. Take the under (10*). |
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09-10-22 | Houston v. Texas Tech -3 | Top | 30-33 | Push | 0 | 101 h 27 m | Show |
Non-Conference Game of the Week. My selection is on Texas Tech minus the points over Houston at 4 pm et on Saturday. While Houston enters this game nationally-ranked I believe Texas Tech being installed as the favorite is warranted. The Cougars barely pulled out a 37-35 win over Texas-San Antonio last Saturday. While the Roadrunners were going to be a formidable opponent regardless, there was reason for concern around Houston coming out of that contest. The Cougars didn't reach the end zone until the second quarter and then proceeded to allow three consecutive UTSA touchdowns to fall behind 21-7 entering the fourth quarter. While they did ultimately wake up and rally, they also allowed UTSA to march down the field in just 20 seconds and kick a game-tying field goal in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter. It was a shaky performance all around from Houston. Texas Tech on the other hand looked like a well-oiled machine in a 63-10 rout of FCS squad Murray State. The Red Raiders did lose QB Tyler Shough to a shoulder injury in the victory but backup Donovan Smith stepped in and completed 14-of-17 passes for 221 yards and four touchdowns in relief. He saw plenty of playing time during his freshman season last year and I'm confident the offense will keep rolling along with Shough sidelined. Even with third-string QB Behren Morton in the game in the fourth quarter last Saturday, the Red Raiders were still able to tack on another touchdown. Texas Tech defeated Houston 38-21 in last year's meeting at AT&T Stadium. As much as Houston would like to exact its revenge here, I believe it will be hard-pressed to do so. Take Texas Tech (10*). |
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09-10-22 | Memphis v. Navy OVER 51 | Top | 37-13 | Loss | -110 | 103 h 1 m | Show |
AAC Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between Memphis and Navy at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. This total has dropped since opening, an overreaction to Navy's ugly 14-7 loss to FCS squad Delaware in its season-opener last week. Here, I'm anticipating a much higher-scoring affair as the Midshipmen look to avenge last year's 35-17 rout at the hands of Memphis. The Tigers dropped a 49-23 decision at Mississippi State last Saturday (we won with the Bulldogs in that game). Their defense, which struggled last year, has lost a number of key parts and it certainly showed against Mississippi State as they gave up five touchdowns in the first 35 minutes. Even when the game had long been decided, the Bulldogs were able to tack on two touchdowns in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. The good news is, Memphis did manage to score 20+ points despite going entirely one-dimensional early on. RB Jeyvon Ducker - a transfer from Northern Illinois - was a bright spot, running for 63 yards and a score on just five carries. I do think the potential is there for the Tigers offense to go off against an average Navy defense that certainly doesn't get better by losing a talent like Diego Fagot to the NFL. Fagot isn't the only departure from a Navy defense that wasn't all that great to begin with last year (as I mentioned earlier, the Midshipmen gave up 35 points in last year's matchup against Memphis). Navy's offense was putrid against Delaware last week. There's no reason to expect the Midshipmen to be that bad offensively here in 2022. They did gain 319 total yards in that setback and had 17 first downs compared to Delaware's 13. Three failed fourth down conversions contributed to Navy's downfall in that contest. I believe the potential is there for this one to go back-and-forth all afternoon long and we're being offered a favorable total to work with when you consider last year's meeting saw a closing number of 56. Take the over (10*). |
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09-09-22 | Boise State v. New Mexico UNDER 45.5 | Top | 31-14 | Win | 100 | 86 h 10 m | Show |
Mountain West Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Boise State and New Mexico at 9 pm et on Friday. This total has already dropped from the opener and I believe the move is warranted. Boise State was stunned 34-17 on the road against Oregon State in its season-opener last Saturday. While most are expecting the Broncos to take out their frustrations on a hapless New Mexico squad on Friday (and that very well could happen), I'm not anticipating a shootout. The Broncos actually benched QB Hank Bachmeier after a shaky start against the Beavers last week. While this might look like an ideal bounce-back spot at first glance, Boise State can ill afford to overlook the Lobos, who are coming off a 41-0 rout of FCS squad Maine last week. While it's highly unlikely we see New Mexico hang another crooked number on the scoreboard, I'm confident its defense can hang. This is an experienced and talented group that got off to about as good of a start as you could hope for, holding Maine to just 118 total yards in the shutout victory. Boise State didn't even manage to score a point until a field goal nearly three minutes into the third quarter against Oregon State. It didn't find the end zone until the final three minutes of that third quarter, when the game was already all but out of reach. This isn't the same Boise State offensive juggernaut that we've seen in years' past. While their offense remains a question mark, I certainly expect a better performance from the Broncos defense this week. New Mexico did put up 41 points in its season-opening win but it was actually held scoreless through the first quarter and there weren't a whole lot of explosive plays. Kansas transfer QB Miles Kendrick threw for only 170 yards, the Lobos leading rusher tallied just 58 yards and their top receiver racked up only 54 yards. Maine simply couldn't get off the field defensively but we can anticipate a much different story playing out here, noting that Boise State shut out New Mexico in last year's meeting. Take the under (10*). |
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09-09-22 | Louisville v. Central Florida -6 | Top | 20-14 | Loss | -110 | 85 h 52 m | Show |
My selection is on Central Florida minus the points over Louisville at 7:30 pm et on Friday. While it garnered little attention leading up to last week's season-opener, UCF looks like the real deal here in 2022. The Knights kicked off their campaign with a resounding 56-10 win over FCS squad South Carolina State. While the opposition in that game left a lot to be desired there was still a lot to like about the Knights performance. It took them less than a quarter to jump ahead by three touchdowns and while the offense was humming, I was equally impressed by the defense. UCF held South Carolina State out of the end zone until nearly midway through the third quarter and didn't yield another score after that. Now comes an admittedly tougher matchup against Louisville on Friday night at the Bounce House. The Cardinals are coming off a demoralizing season-opening loss at Syracuse and while it's extremely early you can't help but feel head coach Scott Satterfield's days as sideline chief could be numbered. Louisville couldn't muster any sort of offensive attack in that loss, scoring a touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter but then not coming up with a single score the rest of the way. I also didn't like the way the defense folded in the fourth quarter, allowing a pair of touchdowns when the game was still in reach. Noting that Louisville took last year's meeting between these two teams in Kentucky, I look for the revenge-minded Knights to get some payback here. Take Central Florida (10*). |
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09-09-22 | Red Sox v. Orioles -126 | Top | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
MLB Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Baltimore over Boston at 7:05 pm et on Friday. The Orioles just dropped three of four games against the Blue Jays to fall 4.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. Needless to say, they can ill afford another slip-up this weekend against the Red Sox. Fortunately for Baltimore, Boston is reeling as well, fresh off a three-game sweep at the hands of the Rays. The Red Sox will hand the ball to rookie Brayan Bello on Friday. He's coming off the best start of his young career, tossing six shutout innings against the Rangers. That start came at home. In two road outings, Bello has been tagged for eight earned runs on 12 hits in just eight innings. Austin Voth will counter for Baltimore. He's quietly enjoying a terrific season - the best of his young career - but he didn't have his best stuff last time out, yielding six hits and one earned run while lasting only 3 1/3 innings. While the two bullpens enter in similar recent form, the O's have without question had more success in that department this season, posting a collective 2.80 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while converting 18 saves and blowing only six here at home. Take Baltimore (10*). |
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09-08-22 | Arsenal v. Zurich OVER 3 | Top | 2-1 | Push | 0 | 15 h 57 m | Show |
Europa League Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between FC Zurich and Arsenal at 12:45 pm et on Thursday. This has the potential to be one of the highest-scoring matches on Thursday's Europa League board. Zurich brings a streak of seven consecutive matches finding the back of the net and I'm confident that run will remain intact here. Note that Arsenal has conceded in three consecutive matches. The Gunners have also seen each of their last five matches total 3+ goals. The same goes for Zurich in four of its last five contests. The Swiss side will obviously have its hands full here as Arsenal has shown that quick-strike ability, scoring first in eight of its last 10 matches. I feel that Zurich will be able to answer on its home soil, helping send this one 'over' the total. Take the over (10*). |
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09-07-22 | Liverpool v. Napoli +0.5 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 18 h 36 m | Show |
Champions League Game of the Month. My selection is on Napoli +0.5 goals over Liverpool at 3 pm et on Wednesday. We're being offered excellent value with Napoli catching half a goal in the first leg of this Champions League matchup on Wednesday. Keep in mind, this match will take place in Naples, where Napoli took down Liverpool on two previous occasions in Champions League action in 2018 and 2019. Napoli enters Wednesday's match riding an incredible 16-match undefeated streak. Also note that Liverpool has conceded first in five of its last seven matches overall. Give me the younger Italian side with a chip on its shoulder as an underdog on its home pitch on Wednesday. Take Napoli +0.5 goals (10*). |
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09-05-22 | Diamondbacks v. Padres OVER 8 | Top | 5-0 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
N.L. Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Arizona and San Diego at 6:40 pm et on Monday. The Padres just had their lunch handed to them by the Dodgers over the weekend and limp home for a favorable matchup against rookie Ryne Nelson, making his first big league start, and the D'Backs. Nelson hasn't fared well at the AAA level this season, posting a 5.43 ERA and 1.39 WHIP while allowing 1.7 home runs per nine innings. Behind him is an unreliable D'Backs bullpen that entered yesterday's action sporting a collective 6.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over the last seven games. Speaking of bullpens, the Padres relief corps recorded a 7.29 ERA and 2.00 WHIP over the same stretch. That unit will be working behind starter Blake Snell on Monday. Snell has turned his season around but still owns a less than impressive 1.32 WHIP and allows north of 4.0 runs per nine innings. The Snakes haven't fared well against Snell in his five career starts against them but they've yet to face him this season. Note that Arizona checks in averaging 4.8 runs per game against left-handed starting pitching this season, compared to its 4.4 rpg season scoring average (entering yesterday's action). Take the over (10*). |
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09-04-22 | Winnipeg v. Saskatchewan UNDER 44.5 | Top | 20-18 | Win | 100 | 100 h 16 m | Show |
CFL Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Winnipeg and Saskatchewan at 6 pm et on Sunday. I really like the way this total sets up on Sunday as the Blue Bombers and Roughriders meet for the first time in the 2022 season. Last year's three matchups between these two teams totalled 31, 42 and 38 points, with the latter result coming in the West Division Final. The Blue Bombers enter this game off one of their worst defensive efforts of the season, yet they still won that game by a 31-29 score over Calgary. In that contest, the Stampeders turned in a near perfect offensive performance, running for 115 yards on 18 attempts while completing 23-of-28 passes for 294 yards. They still 'only' scored 29 points. I don't envision the Riders improving or even coming close to reaching those numbers here. Saskatchewan performed about as well as anyone could have expected as it staged a 23-16 upset at B.C. last week. The Riders ran for 164 yards on 23 rush attempts and completed 19-of-24 passes for 321 yards in that victory. Again, Saskatchewan was that efficient offensively but still scored 'only' 23 points. Winnipeg has leaned heavily on its ground attack this season as its passing game hasn't been quite as effective or explosive as we've seen in years' past. The Bombers have ripped off 118+ rushing yards in four straight games entering this contest. The Riders present a difficult challenge in that regard, however, as they've given up 100+ rushing yards only twice in seven games this season - that's despite the fact that they've lost four of seven contests. This is actually a more critical matchup in the West Division than it might appear at first glance. While the Blue bombers sit atop the West Division at 6-1, with a loss here, the Riders would pull within two games of them noting that these two teams will meet two more times in September. With that in mind, I'm anticipating a tightly-contested affair, which lends itself to a relatively low-scoring game on Sunday afternoon in Regina. Take the under (10*). |
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09-04-22 | A's v. Orioles OVER 8.5 | Top | 5-0 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 34 m | Show |
My selection is on the first five innings ‘over’ between Oakland and Baltimore at 1:35 pm et on Sunday. |
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09-03-22 | Army +2 v. Coastal Carolina | Top | 28-38 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 28 m | Show |
CFB Game of the Week. My selection is on Army plus the points over Coastal Carolina at 7 pm et on Saturday. It was a tremendous run for Coastal Carolina, going an incredible 14-2 over the last two seasons. Prior to that we saw three consecutive 2-6 campaigns from the Chanticleers as they made the adjustment to life in FBS. While they're unlikely to return to those depths again, there's simply too much turnover to instill much confidence entering the 2022 campaign. I see this as a tough opening week matchup against an experienced Army squad that will continue its ascension this year. The Black Knights are no doubt still stinging from last December's loss to Navy but they responded with a huge Bowl victory over Missouri and now draw an opponent that will certainly have their full attention to start this season. Army returns the majority of the offense that rolled through the opposition last year but I believe the defense could be the key. The Black Knights got torched through the air in 2021 but now the seondary returns a ton of experience and the performance of that unit could be the difference-maker between a good and a great 2022 season. The good news here is that Coastal Carolina is working in some new pieces at wide receiver after losing a ton of talent from last year's offense. While the experience at quarterback helps the Chanticleers cause with Grayson McCall back in the fold, his supporting cast might take some time to come around. Coastal Carolina is forced to make wholesales changes to its linebacking corps this season and that hurts in a matchup like this. Look for Army's triple-option to get rolling and ultimately help the Black Knights pull away for a key road victory to open the season. Take Army (10*). |
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09-02-22 | Rockies v. Reds OVER 9 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -115 | 21 h 52 m | Show |
N.L. Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Colorado and Cincinnati at 6:40 pm et on Friday. I like the way this one sets up as a high-scoring affair on Friday night in Cincinnati. Kyle Freeland will take the ball for Colorado. He checks in with a 4.50 FIP and 1.40 WHIP this season, allowing 5.26 runs per nine innings. Note that the Reds will be out for revenge against the left-hander after being held to just one earned run over seven innings against him back in May. Despite the Reds poor showing at the plate in that game, we still saw 11 total runs. Luis Cessa gets the start for Cincinnati. This will be his first home start of the season. I don't expect it to go well, noting that he's been tagged for 1.9 home runs per nine innings and now has to pitch at a hitter-friendly park. Note that Cessa sports a 5.50 FIP and 1.44 WHIP while yielding 5.77 runs per nine innings this season. Neither bullpen has been reliable this season. The Rockies relief corps entered last night's action sporting a collective 5.24 ERA and 1.56 WHIP on the road this season. Meanwhile, the Reds 'pen owns a 4.89 ERA and 1.40 WHIP at home. Take the over (10*). |
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09-01-22 | Central Michigan v. Oklahoma State UNDER 60.5 | Top | 44-58 | Loss | -110 | 81 h 24 m | Show |
My selection is on the 'under' between Central Michigan and Oklahoma State at 7 pm et on Thursday. It may surprise you to find out that Central Michigan finished 24th in the entire country in total offense last season. So perhaps it's understandable that we're dealing with a total just shy of 60 in this season-opener against Oklahoma State. The issue for the Chips this year, as if often the case with these smaller schools, is roster turnover. Last year's standout WR Kalil Pimpleton is trying out for the Detroit Lions. The offensive line lost a pair of tackles to the NFL. There are going to be some growing pains early on but I do think the Chips can at the very least move the football consistently enough to keep the offense on the field for extended stretches, even in the face of a fierce defensive opponent in Oklahoma State. One thing is for sure, Central Michigan will have little interest in getting involved in a high-scoring shootout here in Week 1. The uglier the game, the better the chances of the Chips staging a massive upset. Not unlike the offense, the CMU defense will be missing a number of key pieces from last year's group. It's not a surprising that a number of the Chips top defenders from a year ago were hot commodities in the transfer portal (and the NFL Draft) as this is a unit that ranked tops in the entire country in tackles for loss. Interestingly, the secondary was the weakness last year but could turn out to be a strength here in 2022. I don't anticipate the Chips defense trying to be too cute in this difficult matchup, instead look for a gameplan that will involve keeping everything in front of them in an effort to keep the Cowboys explosive offense in check. Oklahoma State has had a tendency to get off to slow starts offensively in recent years, putting up 16 points in a win over Tulsa two years ago and 23 points in a victory over FCS squad Missouri State in last season's opener. The return of QB Spencer Sanders will have most expecting the Cowboys offense to come storming out of the gate. I do think there were enough offseason losses to warrant some pause as far as expectations go, at least in Week 1. The Cowboys lose two starters on the offensive line including current Philadelphia Eagle Josh Sills. Top wide receiver Tay Martin is off to the NFL as well. That's not to mention the absence of standout RB duo Jaylen Warren and Dezmon Jackson. No team registered more sacks last season than Oklahoma State and while there are a number of notable departures on defense, those returning and those shuffling in are exceptional. The return of Trace Ford from injury only adds to an already dominant pass rush. Let's keep it brief by saying there are just enough key pieces moving on to allow the Chips to at least have a hope of moving the chains and ultimately keeping the Oklahoma State offense off the field long enough to help keep this one 'under' the generous total, but don't expect any miracles from the CMU offense. Take the under (10*). |
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08-30-22 | Royals +1.5 v. White Sox | Top | 9-7 | Win | 100 | 12 h 21 m | Show |
A.L. Central Game of the Month. My selection is on Kansas City +0.5 runs first five innings over Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Tuesday. You could certainly make the argument that the Royals are the superior team in this matchup based on recent form. It's not an argument at all as to who the better starting pitcher is in this matchup, at least this season, as Brady Singer has been a pleasant surprise for Kansas City while Lucas Giolito has fallen flat on his face for the White Sox. Singer enters this start sporting a 3.55 FIP and 1.11 WHIP while allowing just north of 3.3 runs per nine innings this season. He just faced the White Sox on August 9th, giving up only one earned run over 7 1/3 innings of work. For his career, he has posted a 3.05 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in seven outings against Chicago. We'll back the Royals in the first five innings only here as their bullpen continues to struggle and is quite simply among the worst in the league in most categories. Lucas Giolito owns a 4.09 FIP and 1.50 WHIP while yielding north of 5.4 runs per nine innings for the White Sox this season. While he is coming off one of his best outings of the season, that's not saying much as he gave up one earned run on four hits while striking out only three and walking two in 6 1/3 innings against the Orioles last time out. In two previous starts against Kansas City this season, Giolito has allowed four earned runs in 10 innings. Take Kansas City +0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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08-30-22 | Mariners v. Tigers UNDER 7.5 | Top | 9-3 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 44 m | Show |
A.L. Non-Division Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Seattle and Detroit at 7:10 pm et on Tuesday. I like the way this non-division matchup sets up as a low-scoring affair on Tuesday as the Mariners hand the ball to impressive rookie George Kirby against Matt Manning of the Tigers. Kirby checks in sporting a 3.19 FIP and 1.20 WHIP while allowing just shy of 3.7 runs per nine innings this season. He deserved a better fate in his most recent outing as he allowed just one earned run while striking out nine over seven innings in an eventual 3-1 loss to the Nationals. Note that Kirby owns a 3.19 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in eight previous road outings this season. Detroit will give Matt Manning another turn in the starting rotation. He's certainly deserving of the spot as he owns a 3.23 FIP and 1.11 WHIP in 38 innings of work this season. Manning has allowed only 2.37 runs per nine innings. Both bullpens have been reasonably effective lately with the Mariners relief corps sporting a collective 3.15 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over the last seven games and the Tigers 'pen posting a 3.51 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over the same stretch. Take the under (10*). |
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08-29-22 | Phillies -174 v. Diamondbacks | Top | 7-13 | Loss | -174 | 15 h 13 m | Show |
National League Game of the Week. My selection is on Philadelphia over Arizona at 9:40 pm et on Monday. The Phillies had their six-game winning streak snapped in a 5-0 loss to the Pirates yesterday. Meanwhile, the D'Backs wrapped up a three-game sweep of the White Sox in Chicago. Here, I look for both teams fortunes to turn once again. Philadelphia will hand the ball to left-hander Ranger Suarez. He's actually pitched better on the road than at home this season, posting a 2.41 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 11 starts. He'll be out for revenge here after giving up two earned runs over 4 1/3 innings in a 13-1 rout at the hands of the D'Backs back in June. Note that Suarez owns a 3.68 FIP and 1.31 WHIP while allowing 3.9 runs per nine innings on the campaign. Fellow left-hander Madison Bumgarner will get the start for the D'Backs. He checks in with a 4.65 FIP and 1.43 WHIP while yielding just north of 5.2 runs per nine innings this season. Bumgarner has been one of the worst starters in baseball over the last month, allowing a whopping 24 earned runs across his last five starts, spanning just 28 2/3 innings. While the Phillies bullpen hasn't been lights out lately, it has been far better than that of the D'Backs. Arizona's relief corps entered yesterday's action sporting a collective 10.54 ERA and 1.92 WHIP over the last seven games. The D'Backs 'pen has converted just 12 saves while blowing nine at home this season. Meanwhile, the Phillies bullpen has made good on 19 saves while blowing only eight away from home. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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08-28-22 | Angels v. Blue Jays -1.5 | Top | 8-3 | Loss | -114 | 7 h 50 m | Show |
A.L. Game of the Week. My selection is on Toronto -1.5 runs over Los Angeles at 1:35 pm et on Sunday. The Blue Jays have been blanked in the first two games of this series bringing an end to what was a terrific run over the previous week. Here, I do look for Toronto to salvage the series-finale, and do so in convincing fashion. Tucker Davidson will get another turn in the rotation for the Angels. Things haven't gone particularly well for him this season as he sports a 5.63 FIP and 1.75 WHIP while allowing 6.23 runs per nine innings. He's not really fooling any opposing hitters, having topped out at three strikeouts in his six previous starts this season. Ross Stripling will counter for Toronto. He's been their most reliable starter this season, entering Sunday's start with a 2.80 FIP and 1.04 WHIP while allowing only 3.22 runs per nine innings. The Jays have been bitten by the long ball in this series but Stripling has done an excellent job of keeping the ball in the park, yielding just 0.6 home runs per nine innings. The bullpens are virtually a wash based on recent form. I feel Toronto has enough of a starting pitching edge to warrant backing them on the run-line here. Take Toronto -1.5 runs (10*). |
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08-27-22 | Nevada v. New Mexico State UNDER 53.5 | Top | 23-12 | Win | 100 | 272 h 52 m | Show |
CFB Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Nevada and New Mexico State at 2 pm et on Saturday August 27th. This total has been dropping since opening in the mid-to-high 50's but I believe we still have plenty of wiggle room at the current number. We actually cashed with the 'under' in New Mexico's season-opener last year and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. Nevada isn't the same team that lit it up under the leadership of dynamic duo QB Carson Strong and WR Romeo Doubs in recent years. Both have moved on with Doubs currently turning heads at Green Bay Packers training camp. Projected starting QB this year, Nate Cox was charged with a DUI earlier this summer, leaving his availability in question leading up to the season-opener. It's no sure thing that he'll even lock up the starting QB job, regardless of his legal trouble, even after he received some playing time during the regular season and started the Wolf Pack's Bowl game last year. I would anticipate the Wolf Pack leaning heavily on their experienced 1-2 punch at running back, at least early in the campaign. Their defense should also be ahead of the offense in the early stages of the campaign, even though that unit loses plenty of talent from last year's team. It was a deep defense a year ago with plenty of experienced players ready to step in and take on bigger roles this year. DT Dom Peterson is an anchor up front while Michigan transfer at CB, Darion Warren-Green should lead the back-end. New Mexico State is coming off another lost season in 2021 and the potential is there for this to be a down year as well, before the Aggies finally find a home in Conference-USA next season. New Mexico State has another QB battle brewing in August but that's not necessarily a good thing as that only means that no one seems capable or ready to step up and take the reins. Expect NMSU to once again rely on pounding the football behind an offensive line that returns three starters from a year ago. New head coach Jerry Kill has a run-first mentality and with a questionable-at-best aerial attack, there's even more reason to keep the ball on the ground early this season. The Aggies return eight starters from last year's defense. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up for debate considering just how bad that unit was in 2021. I'm willing to be a little more optimistic than most as I like the pieces the Aggies have in place on the line and in the linebacking corps. The question is whether the secondary can hold up, but this is a favorable matchup against a rebuilding Nevada passing game that still isn't set on a starting QB, and whose best talent might be Arizona transfer WR B.J. Casteel who is learning a new offense and will have had precious few reps with whoever ends up the starter at QB. Take the under (10*). |
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08-26-22 | Guardians -110 v. Mariners | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 16 m | Show |
MLB Non-Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Cleveland over Seattle at 10:10 pm et on Friday. I wanted a piece of the Guardians yesterday in the opener of this series but that was before they opened as a favorite. I ultimately decided to lay off (thankfully) but won't do the same on Friday as they send their ace to the hill in Shane Bieber against Logan Gilbert of the Mariners. Bieber has quietly posted a 2.83 FIP and 1.10 WHIP while giving up 3.35 runs per nine innings this season. He didn’t fare particularly well in a pair of starts against the Mariners last year but has yet to face them here in 2022. Note that he has recorded a sparkling 1.33 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over his last three outings. Logan Gilbert checks in with a 7.20 ERA and 1.73 WHIP over his last three starts. He's now logged a career-high 143 1/3 innings this season which is more than he pitched in AAA and the majors combined during his rookie campaign last year. On the season, Gilbert has posted a 3.78 FIP and 1.24 WHIP, allowing 0.7 more hits, 0.4 more home runs and 0.6 more walks per nine innings compared to Bieber. While both bullpens have been terrific lately, the Guardians relief corps has been a little better. In fact, Cleveland's 'pen hasn't allowed a single earned run while recording a collective 0.76 WHIP over the last seven games. It has converted 21 saves whlie blowing only 10 on the road this season. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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08-26-22 | Hamilton +2.5 v. Toronto | Top | 20-37 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 42 m | Show |
East Division Game of the Year. My selection is on Hamilton plus the points over Toronto at 7:30 pm et on Friday. These two teams have split a pair of meetings this season with both successfully defending their home field. Here, I look for a reversal of sorts as the Ti-Cats look to take a step toward taking control of the lowly East Division with a key road victory. Hamilton's offense has shown flashes of brilliance to be sure. The Tiger-Cats ground attack has led the way at times but last week they threw for over 300 yards for the second time in three games. All indications are that QB Dane Evans will be good to go for this one and I expect him to step in and perform well against an Argos defense that has been inconsistent at best. Note that teams that have chosen to run on the Argos have been successful, including the Ti-Cats, who gained 149 yards on just 21 attempts against them just two games back. Offensively, it seems as if Toronto has gone off a cliff. Yes, the Argos scored 34 points in a win over these same Ti-Cats earlier this month but that had more to do with Hamilton's inability to keep its offense on the field than anything else. Note that the Argos have gained fewer than 70 yards rushing in four straight games and now face a Ti-Cats squad that hasn't yielded more than 90 yards rushing since way back in Week 1. I get the feeling that Hamilton's defense will make life miserable on Argos QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson after getting torched for 382 yards through the air against Montreal last week. Hamilton has still held all seven opponents to 25 or fewer pass completions this season. Toronto needed a whopping 43 pass attempts to get to just 276 passing yards against Calgary last week. Here, we'll note that the Ti-Cats are a perfect 6-0 ATS when coming off two losses in their last three games over the last two seasons, as is the case here, outscoring opponents by 11.1 points on average in that situation. Take Hamilton (10*). |
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08-26-22 | Pirates v. Phillies OVER 8.5 | Top | 4-7 | Win | 100 | 13 h 48 m | Show |
N.L. Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia at 7:05 pm et on Friday. I expect plenty of offense in this Pennsylvania showdown on Friday as the Pirates send Bryse Wilson to the mound against Bailey Falter of the Phillies. Wilson hasn’t been good this season. That may be oversimplifying things but facts are facts. Wilson checks in with a 5.24 FIP And 1.44 WHIP while allowing a whopping 6.55 runs per nine innings. He’s actually coming off one of his best starts of the season, allowing three earned runs over seven innings against the Reds. I’m not counting on a repeat performance against a tougher opponent here. Falter has endured a rough rookie campaign, posting a 5.50 FIP and 1.29 WHIP, yielding 5.0 runs per nine innings. Like Wilson, Falter is also coming off one of his best outings of the season, holding the Mets to one earned run over six innings. He still owns a 4.74 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in four home starts. The bullpens might be an even bigger issue in this matchup. Pittsburgh’s relief corps has recorded a collective 7.94 ERA and 1.68 WHIP over the last seven games. The Phillies ‘pen entered last night’s action sporting a collective 5.70 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over the same stretch. Take the over (10*). |
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08-24-22 | White Sox v. Orioles OVER 8 | Top | 5-3 | Push | 0 | 12 h 46 m | Show |
A.L. Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Chicago and Baltimore at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. I’m expecting a relatively high-scoring affair as the White Sox send Lucas Giolito to the hill against Spenser Watkins of the Orioles on Wednesday. Giolito is having a tough campaign all around, posting a 4.13 FIP and 1.53 WHIP while allowing 5.65 runs per nine innings. Save for his strikeout average of 10.2 per nine innings, Giolito has been awful across the board, allowing 10.4 hits, 1.5 home runs and 3.4 walks per nine innings. I expect the O’s to take advantage on Wednesday. Watkins has only been marginally better than Giolito this season, recording a 4.34 FIP and 1.33 WHIP while giving up 4.5 runs per nine frames. The White Sox couldn’t muster an earned run against him over five innings in their lone previous look at him this season back on June 25th but I’m confident they can get to him here. Entering last night’s action, the White Sox bullpen had posted a collective 7.30 ERA and 1.74 WHIP over the last seven games while the O’s relief corps checked in with a 4.56 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Take the over (10*). |
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08-23-22 | Blue Jays -135 v. Red Sox | Top | 9-3 | Win | 100 | 14 h 48 m | Show |
MLB Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Toronto over Boston at 7:10 pm et on Tuesday. The Blue Jays have certainly had the Red Sox number this season, taking five of six previous meetings. I look for their series dominance to continue on Tuesday. Ross Stripling has been the unsung hero of the Blue Jays starting rotation this season, posting a 2.87 FIP and 1.03 WHIP while holding the opposition to just 3.34 runs per nine innings. He hasn't necessarily had his best stuff in three previous outings against Boston this season, allowing five earned runs in 14 innings of work, but the Jays still won two of those three games including an 8-4 victory here at Fenway Park. Rookie Josh Winckowski will counter for Boston. He remains with the big club out of necessity only as he continues to struggle. Winckowski has recorded a 5.21 FIP and 1.50 WHIP while giving up 5.34 runs per nine innings. The bullpen matchup favors the Blue Jays here as well as their relief corps checks in sporting a collective 1.96 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over the last seven games. Meanwhile, the Red Sox 'pen owns a 7.29 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over the same stretch. Take Toronto (10*). |
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08-23-22 | Reds v. Phillies -1.5 | Top | 6-7 | Loss | -100 | 13 h 21 m | Show |
N.L. Non-Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Philadelphia -0.5 runs first five innings over Cincinnati at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. We actually missed with the Phillies in this same starting pitching matchup last week in Cincinnati but I won't hesitate to go back to the well again here, albeit backing Philadelphia laying a half-run in the first five innings only this time around. Nick Lodolo will look to build off of his seven shutout innings he tossed against the Phillies last time out. That start came at home. The road hasn't been so kind to the rookie left-hander as he checks in with an 8.48 ERA and 2.06 WHIP in three outings away from home this season. On the campaign, Lodolo owns a pedestrian 4.12 FIP and 1.57 WHIP while giving up 4.45 runs per nine innings. Ranger Suarez is having another fine season for the Phillies. He sports a 3.68 FIP and 1.29 WHIP while allowing 3.86 runs per nine innings. Note that the Reds average 4.1 runs per game against left-handed starting pitching this season (compared to their season scoring average of 4.3 rpg) and just 3.6 runs per game on the road, entering last night's action. We'll play the first five innings only as the Phillies bullpen has admittedly struggled lately, entering this series with a 5.72 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over the last seven games. Contrast that with the Reds 'pen which posted a collective 2.49 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over the same stretch. Take Philadelphia -0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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08-22-22 | Mets -156 v. Yankees | Top | 2-4 | Loss | -156 | 21 h 15 m | Show |
Interleague Game of the Week. My selection is on the Mets first five innings over the Yankees at 7:05 pm et on Monday. We'll back the Mets in the first five innings only on Monday as while they hold a significant starting pitching advantage, I'm not interested in involving their struggling bullpen, which entered yesterday's action sporting a collective 6.26 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over the last seven games. Max Scherzer will get the start for the visiting Mets on Monday. He's having another terrific campaign, posting a 2.42 FIP and 0.93 WHIP while yielding just 2.31 runs per nine innings. Note that he has allowed 3.1 fewer hits, 0.6 fewer home runs and 1.2 fewer home runs per nine innings in comparison with his counterpart in this one, Domingo German of the Yankees. German owns a 4.50 FIP and 1.41 WHIP this season, giving up an average of 4.45 runs per nine innings. Note that the Mets have already seen him once, scoring two earned runs on five hits including one home run over 4 2/3 innings back on July 27th. Note that the Mets entered yesterday's action having posted a 54-26 record while averaging 5.0 runs per game (compared to their 4.8 rpg season scoring average) against right-handed starting pitching this season. Take the Mets first five innings (10*). |
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08-20-22 | Royals v. Rays -1.5 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 115 | 7 h 28 m | Show |
A.L. Non-Division Game of the Year. My selection is on Tampa Bay -1.5 runs over Kansas City at 4:10 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this one sets up for the Rays off last night's tough extra innings loss. Kris Bubic will take the ball for Kansas City. He checks in sporting a 4.62 FIP and 1.60 WHIP while allowing just shy of 5.8 runs per nine innings. The Rays will be seeing the left-hander for the second time this season and I expect them to improve on the numbers they posted back in late July (two earned runs in seven innings). The Kansas City bullpen has posted a 5.64 ERA and 1.70 WHIP over the last seven contests. Drew Rasmussen will counter for Tampa Bay. We won with the Rays in his most recent start and I won't hesitate to go back to the well here. Rasmussen owns a 3.36 FIP and 1.08 WHIP this season, yielding just 3.25 runs per nine innings. The Rays bullpen, despite coughing up last night's game in extras, has posted a solid 2.25 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over the last seven games. Take Tampa Bay -1.5 runs (10*). |
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08-20-22 | Hamilton v. Montreal OVER 48.5 | Top | 28-29 | Win | 100 | 7 h 0 m | Show |
East Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Hamilton and Montreal at 4 pm et on Saturday. I see this as another breakout spot for the Ti-Cats offense after scoring 34 points in a win over Toronto last week. The Alouettes are getting absolutely shredded by opposing ground attacks, allowing 138, 102, 152 and 118 rushing yards over their last four games. The Ti-Cats are more than capable of taking advantage as they've gained 100+ yards on the ground in three of their last four contests. While the Als are coming off a low-scoring overtime victory in Winnipeg last week, they generally don't shy away from high-scoring shootouts. Note that they've aired it out 31 or more times in three of their last four games while the Ti-Cats have yielded opponents' 37+ pass attempts in two of their last three games. Despite the low-scoring result last week, Montreal has seen four of its last six games total 55+ points. Take the over (10*). |
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08-19-22 | Reds -114 v. Pirates | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -114 | 21 h 29 m | Show |
N.L. Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Cincinnati first five innings over Pittsburgh at 7:05 pm et on Friday. I like the way this one sets up for the Reds, early on at least, as they send Graham Ashcraft to the hill against Bryse Wilson of the Pirates. Ashcraft hasn’t been dominant by any stretch but he does boast a solid 4.15 FIP and 1.32 WHIP while allowing just under 4.3 runs per nine innings. That’s considerably better than his opponent on Friday, Wilson, who has posted a 5.19 FIP and 1.51 WHIP while yielding north of 6.8 runs per nine innings this season. Also note that the Reds have already seen Bryse Wilson once this season and twice since the start of last year while Ashcraft will have the advantage of facing the Buccos for the first time. We’ll play the first five innings only as the Reds bullpen continues to struggle, particularly on the road where it owns a 5.07 ERA and 1.44 WHIP this season. Take Cincinnati first five innings (10*). |
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08-18-22 | Dodgers v. Brewers UNDER 7.5 | Top | 3-5 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 14 m | Show |
N.L. Non-Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Los Angeles and Milwaukee at 2:10 pm et on Thursday. Save for Tuesday's extra innings affair (even that game totalled only nine runs), this has been a low-scoring series. I anticipate more of the same in Thursday's series-finale. Andrew Heaney will get the start for the Dodgers, apparently no worse for wear after taking a line drive off his pitching arm in an outing that was cut short against the Royals last weekend. The left-hander has been terrific for the Dodgers this season, posting a 2.18 FIP and 1.00 WHIP while allowing only 2.61 runs per nine innings. Not a lot has been asked of Heaney as he generally works only 4-5 innings per start but that's fine for our purposes as the Dodgers bullpen behind him is terrific, having logged a 2.70 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over the last seven games, entering last night's action. Also keep in mind, the Brewers have struggled against left-handed starting pitching this season, averaging only 3.6 runs per game (compared to their season scoring average of 4.5 rpg). Corbin Burnes will counter for Milwaukee. He's having another fine campagn, recording a 3.05 FIP and 0.92 WHIP while yielding just 2.64 runs per nine innings. While Corbin has struggled in two previous outings against the Dodgers over the course of his career, both of those came in Los Angeles (with one of them coming all the way back in 2019) and he's yet to face them this season. Note that Burnes owns a 2.82 ERA and 0.94 WHIP at home this season and a 2.73 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in daytime starts. The Brewers bullpen has actually been virtually on par with that of the Dodgers lately, sporting a collective 2.88 ERA and 0.92 WHIP over the last seven contests, also entering last night's action. Take the under (10*). |
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08-17-22 | Red Sox v. Pirates OVER 8.5 | Top | 8-3 | Win | 100 | 12 h 29 m | Show |
Interleague Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Boston and Pittsburgh at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. This game sets up nicely as a high-scoring affair between the Red Sox and Pirates at PNC Park. Veteran left-hander Rich Hill will take the ball for the Red Sox. He continues to labor through the 2022 campaign, sporting a 4.31 FIP and 1.35 WHIP while allowing north of 5.2 runs per nine innings. Behind Hill is a disappointing Red Sox bullpen that entered last night’s series-opener having posted a collective 6.04 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over the last seven games. On the road it has converted only 13 saves while blowing 12, again prior to last night’s action. The Pirates will turn to Roansy Contreras on Wednesday. He’s had an up-and-down season, with more downs than ups. Contreras has posted a 4.89 FIP and a 1.38 WHIP, yielding 4.32 runs per nine innings. He’ll be making his first big league start since July 7th and hasn’t necessarily dominated at the minor league level, recording a 3.15 ERA and 1.22 WHIP at AAA and still struggling with his command, allowing 1.0 home runs and 3.4 walks per nine innings (he’s given up 1.6 home runs and 4.0 walks per nine innings in 12 MLB appearances this season). Like the Red Sox ‘pen, the Pirates relief corps has struggled, particularly of late as it has recorded a collective 6.15 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over the last seven contests, entering last night’s action. For the season, the Buccos ‘pen owns a 4.41 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with only 11 saves converted compared to nine blown at home. Take the over (10*). |
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08-17-22 | Orioles v. Blue Jays -160 | Top | 1-6 | Win | 100 | 9 h 49 m | Show |
A.L. Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Toronto first five innings over Baltimore at 3:05 pm et on Wednesday. |
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08-16-22 | Mets +1.5 v. Braves | Top | 0-5 | Loss | -154 | 13 h 12 m | Show |
N.L. East Game of the Year. My selection is on New York +1.5 runs over Atlanta at 7:20 pm et on Tuesday. We won with the Braves in the first five innings in the opener of this series last night but I won't hesitate to go the other way and back the Mets on the run-line on Tuesday. New York will hand the ball to Taijuan Walker, who will be out for revenge after giving up a whopping eight earned runs over just one inning against these same Braves two starts back. He bounced back nicely with a quality outing against the Reds last time out and I'm confident he can do a much better job against Atlanta this time around. Note that the last time he pitched here at Truist Park, he guided New York to a 3-1 victory last season. Walker enters this outing sporting a 3.61 FIP and 1.20 WHIP this season, yielding only 3.51 runs per nine innings. Entering last night's contest, the Mets bullpen hadn't allowed a single earned run over its last seven games, posting a 0.92 WHIP over that stretch. New York's relief corps owns a collective 3.72 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while converting 16 saves and blowing only six on the road this season (also entering last night's action). Charlie Morton will counter for Atlanta. He checks in with a 4.14 FIP and 1.21 WHIP, allowing 4.4 runs per nine innings this season. The Mets will be getting their third look at Morton this season having already plated nine earned runs in 10 2/3 innings in their previous two games against him. Atlanta's bullpen has been terrific lately but has blown 11 saves (while converting 18) at home this season. Also note that the Braves relief corps has been a little more overworked than the Mets' lately, logging 27 1/3 innings over the last seven games, while New York's 'pen has been pressed into duty for less than 20 innings over the same stretch (entering this series). Take New York +1.5 runs (10*). |
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08-15-22 | Orioles v. Blue Jays OVER 9 | Top | 7-3 | Win | 100 | 13 h 36 m | Show |
A.L. East Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between Baltimore and Toronto at 7:05 pm et on Monday. Both of these teams are coming off a lopsided defeats on Sunday. I look for both offenses to respond with favorable results on Monday, leading to a high-scoring affair in Toronto. While the Orioles stable of young arms has performed well this season, tonight's starter, Kyle Bradish, has struggled. He checks in sporting a 5.16 FIP and 1.62 WHIP while allowing just shy of 6.6 runs per nine innings. We're not talking about a small sample size either as he has logged more than 60 big league innings this season. To make matters worse, the Blue Jays will be seeing him for the third time this season and the second time in less than a week. They've fared well against him, scoring eight earned runs on 14 hits over 10 1/3 innings previously. While the O's bullpen has been solid for much of the season, it took a hit due to pre-trade deadline dealing and entered yesterday's action with a 4.32 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over the last seven games. The Yusei Kikuchi experiment hasn't worked out in Toronto this season. He's struggled since joining the club from Seattle, recording a 5.87 FIP and 1.49 WHIP here in 2022. Opponents have reached the left-hander for north of 5.8 runs per nine innings. Note that the O's have been slightly better offensively against left-handed starters this season, averaging 4.4 runs per game compared to their season scoring average of 4.3 rpg. They've tagged Kikuchi for nine earned runs in nine innings in two previous looks at him this season. Meanwhile, the Jays 'pen has been overworked, entering yesterday's contest having logged 28 innings over the last seven games, sporting a collective 3.54 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over that stretch. Take the over (10*). |
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08-14-22 | Dodgers v. Royals UNDER 9 | Top | 0-4 | Win | 100 | 16 h 38 m | Show |
Interleague Total of the Month. My selection is on the first five innings 'under' between Los Angeles and Kansas City at 2:10 pm et on Sunday. We've won with the Dodgers on the run-line in each of the last two nights but I won't hesitate to go a different direction and back the first five innings 'under' as this interleague series wraps up on Sunday. Tyler Anderson will take the ball for the visiting Dodgers. He probably doesn't get the attention he deserves in a loaded Dodgers starting rotation. Anderson checks in with a 3.33 FIP and 1.00 WHIP while allowing only 2.87 runs per nine innings this season. His counterpart on Sunday will be Brady Singer. While he pitches for a bad team, he's held up well, recording a 3.66 FIP and 1.15 WHIP this season. Singer is giving up just shy of 3.7 runs per nine innings. We'll play the first five innings only in this one as we want no part of a Royals bullpen that entered last night's contest sporting a 7.17 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over the last seven games and a 4.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP at home this season. Take the first five innings under (10*). |
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08-13-22 | Saskatchewan v. Edmonton Elks +5.5 | Top | 34-23 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 42 m | Show |
CFL West Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Edmonton plus the points over Saskatchewan at 10 pm et on Saturday. This will be a rematch of a Week 1 clash between these two teams that saw Saskatchewan prevail by a 26-16 score. The Elks certainly weren't without their opportunities in that game as they were afforded 36 pass attempts in the loss. That's been a common theme for the Riders as they've struggled mightily to contain opposing passing games, yielding 33, 37, 38 and 33 pass attempts over their last four games with those four opponents completing 21, 26, 30 and 20 passes. Meanwhile, the Riders offense has seemingly gotten worse with each passing week, going from 24 to 21 to 17 points over their last three games. While on paper, the Elks defense should offer a reprieve, I'm not convinced it will play out that way on the field. It's worth noting that Edmonton is as healthy as any team in the league right now. The Elks are just one game removed from holding Winnipeg to just 274 total yards (including 7-of-16 passing). They'll be out for revenge here and it's worth noting that prior to that first meeting between the teams this season, last year's two matchups were settled by just two and five points. Take Edmonton (10*). |
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08-13-22 | Rams v. Chargers UNDER 32 | Top | 29-22 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 55 m | Show |
NFLX Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between the Rams and Chargers at 10 pm et on Saturday. Neither of these teams are expected to play their starters in this game - no real surprise after both head coaches elected to aim for a very 'uneventful' preseason slate a year ago. The Rams saw their three preseason games in 2021 total just 29, 33 and 19 points. As for the Chargers, their three preseason tilts last year reached only 27, 25 and 19 total points. The latter game for each team came against one another as the Chargers prevailed by a 13-6 score. While both teams are obviously set at the quarterback position once the games count for real with Matt Stafford and Justin Herbert, it gets a little uglier down the depth chart. The Rams boast the likes of John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Devlin 'Duck' Hodges while the Chargers have Chase Daniel (admittedly a preseason household name but not likely to see a lot of action here), Easton Stick and Brandon Peters. There's not a ton of wiggle room in either team's wide receiver depth charts so no real need to put on an air show to evaluate talent at that position. It was a similar story for both squads during last year's preseason schedule. The Chargers in particular will be looking to evaluate their talent at running back in this one with Isaiah Spiller entrenched in a depth chart battle with Josh Kelley and Larry Rountree. I'm anticipating both teams focusing on effectively 'shortening' this game with a heavy dose of their respective ground attacks here. We're dealing with a relatively low total, especially when you considering the high-scoring start the preseason has gotten off to across the board, but I believe the number is warranted. Take the under (10*). |
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08-13-22 | Mariners v. Rangers OVER 8.5 | Top | 4-7 | Win | 100 | 21 h 16 m | Show |
A.L. West Total of the Year. My selection is on the first five innings 'over' between Seattle and Texas at 7:15 pm et on Saturday. With both bullpens entering this series in solid current form, we'll look to play 'over' the first five innings only in this one as the starting pitching matchup should favor the hitters. Marco Gonzales will get the start for the visiting Mariners. He checks in with a 5.12 FIP and 1.39 WHIP this season, allowing just north of 4.7 runs per nine innings. The division-rival Rangers have already seen him four times this season and have had considerable success at the dish against him, plating 12 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings. Dane Dunning will counter for Texas. He owns a 4.15 FIP and 1.36 WHIP this season, yielding just shy of 4.3 runs per nine innings. Like the Rangers against Gonzales, the Mariners have seen plenty of Dunning this season. This will be their fourth game against the right-hander, having previously scored seven earned runs off of him in 16 innings. As I mentioned, both bullpens entering this series pitching well (SEA - 2.19 ERA/0.61 WHIP L7 games, TEX - 1.71 ERA/0.95 WHIP L7 games) so we'll only call for a high-scoring start to Saturday's contest. Take the first five innings over (10*). |
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08-13-22 | Dodgers -1.5 v. Royals | Top | 13-3 | Win | 100 | 21 h 18 m | Show |
My selection is on Los Angeles -1.5 runs over Kansas City at 7:10 pm et on Saturday. I'm anticipating a lopsided result in favor of the Dodgers on Saturday in Kansas City as they send Andrew Heaney to the hill against Brad Keller of the Royals. Heaney has been solid since returning from injury, posting a 2.34 FIP and 1.00 WHIP while holding the opposition to just 2.25 runs per nine innings this season. Behind Heaney is an elite Dodgers bullpen that brought terrific form into this series having recorded a collective 1.80 ERA and 0.72 WHIP over the last seven games. Brad Keller has endured another trying season for the Royals, recording a 4.35 FIP and 1.37 WHIP while giving up 4.9 runs per nine innings. Note that the Dodgers are 53-21 and average 5.4 runs per game against right-handed starting pitching this season. The Kansas City bullpen has struggled for much of the season and entered last night's action sporting a collective 4.57 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over the last seven contests. Take Los Angeles -1.5 runs (10*). |
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08-12-22 | Pirates v. Giants -1.5 | Top | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 24 h 55 m | Show |
N.L. Non-Division Game of the Week. My selection is on San Francisco -0.5 runs first five innings over Pittsburgh at 10:15 pm et on Friday. As we still don’t trust the Giants bullpen, we’ll back them in the first five innings only on Friday as they have a considerable starting pitching edge with All-Star Carlos Rodon taking the hill against Bryse Wilson of the Pirates. Rodon enters Friday’s start sporting a terrific 2.28 FIP and 1.07 WHIP while allowing only 3.02 runs per nine innings this season. He absolutely baffled the Pirates in a start against them earlier this season, tossing eight shutout innings of two-hit ball. Bryse Wilson is one of the weakest links in the Pirates rotation and that’s saying something. He has recorded a 5.06 FIP and 1.52 WHIP this season, yielding a whopping 6.82 runs per nine innings. There’s no real advantage for the Giants in the later innings of this one as their bullpen continues to under-achieve, having posted a collective 4.62 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over the last seven games, not to mention converting only 10 saves at home this season (four blown). Take San Francisco -0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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08-11-22 | Montreal v. Winnipeg UNDER 48.5 | Top | 20-17 | Win | 100 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
CFL Non-Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Montreal and Winnipeg at 8:30 pm et on Thursday. When these two teams met last week in Montreal, they combined to score 55 points in a 15-point Blue Bombers victory. Winnipeg has now scored 35 points in consecutive games but doesn't necessarily have the look of such an explosive offensive squad under the guidance of QB Zach Collaros. It has been the Bombers ground game that has exploded over the last two weeks but after running for their two highest yardage totals of the season, I look for a step back in that department here. We can't continue to project 150+ rushing yards when the Bombers are actually only running the ball around 20 times per game. Meanwhile, Winnipeg completed just 15-of-26 passes against the Alouettes last week and turned the football over four times. They'll be looking to clean things up here and I see this as more of a 'win and move on' type of contest for the Bombers. Montreal has tried to sling it all over the field over the last two games but it hasn't worked as it completed just 45-of-74 passes for 491 yards in those two contests, scoring a grand total of 37 points. Things obviously won't get any easier as the scene shifts to Winnipeg against the Bombers elite defense. Note that the 'under' is 19-4 with the Bombers playing at home off three consecutive ATS victories, as is the case here, with that situation producing an average total of just 44.3 points. Take the under (10*). |
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08-11-22 | Guardians v. Tigers OVER 8.5 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -105 | 5 h 29 m | Show |
A.L. Central Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Cleveland and Detroit at 1:10 pm et on Thursday. Both of these teams have been trending to the 'under' lately but I look for a different story to unfold in Thursday afternoon's series finale in Detroit. Zach Plesac will take the ball for the Guardians. He owns a 4.31 FIP and 1.35 WHIP while allowing 5.15 runs per nine innings. The Tigers will be seeing Plesac for the third time this season after knocking him around for four earned runs on 12 hits over just 9 2/3 innings in their first two looks. Rookie Garrett Hill will counter for Detroit. He checks in with a 5.51 FIP and 1.39 WHIP while giving up 5.12 runs per nine frames. The Guardians have already seen Hill once and while they didn't fare all that well in that contest (just one earned run on two hits over six innings), I look for improvement here. The Guardians bullpen has been fine lately but the Tigers relief corps has been awful, posting a collective 7.66 ERA and 1.88 WHIP over the last seven games. It's not as if Cleveland's 'pen has been untouchable on the road as it has recorded a 3.50 ERA and 1.18 WHIP on the season. Take the over (10*). |
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08-10-22 | Rangers v. Astros -1.5 | Top | 8-4 | Loss | -135 | 11 h 12 m | Show |
A.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on Houston -1.5 runs over Texas at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday. The Astros added to the Rangers misery with a 7-5 victory last night and I anticipate more of the same on Wednesday. Texas will hand the ball to Glenn Otto. To say he's struggled this season would be an understatement. Otto checks in with a 5.19 FIP and 1.41 WHIP while allowing north of 5.5 runs per nine innings. He's given up 2.1 more hits, 0.5 more home runs and 2.9 more walks per nine innings compared to his counterpart on this night, Astros ace Justin Verlander. Verlander is having another terrific campaign, having posted a 2.98 FIP and 0.85 WHIP while holding the opposition to just shy of 2.3 runs per nine innings. He's an A.L. Cy Young Award candidate once again to be sure. Behind Verlander is an Astros bullpen that has been lights out lately and for much of the season, particularly at home. Over the last seven games, the Astros 'pen has recorded a collective 0.48 ERA and 0.75 WHIP. Take Houston -1.5 runs (10*). |
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08-10-22 | Braves -138 v. Red Sox | Top | 8-4 | Win | 100 | 10 h 22 m | Show |
Interleague Game of the Year. My selection is on Atlanta first five innings over Boston at 7:10 pm et on Wednesday. The Braves got past the fading Red Sox last night and while I anticipate a similar result on Wednesday, rather than back them in the full game, we'll support them in the first five innings only here. Kyle Wright will take the ball for Atlanta. He's quietly having a terrific season, perhaps overshadowed by the exploits of Max Fried and standout rookie Spencer Strider. Wright checks in with a 3.75 FIP and 1.17 WHIP while allowing just north of 3.4 runs per nine innings. He'll be looking for revenge here after giving up six earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings in a start against Boston back in May. I'm willing to give him a mulligan for that poor outing based on his impressive performance overall this season. My concern with the Braves is their bullpen but we'll look to avoid that relief corps by playing the first five innings only. The Atlanta 'pen has posted a collective 5.18 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over the last seven games. Boston will give Nick Pivetta the start in this one. He owns a 4.16 FIP and 1.33 WHIP this season, yielding just over 4.5 runs per nine innings. Thanks to his previous days pitching for the Phillies in the N.L. East, the Braves will be seeing Pivetta for the sixth time since the start of 2019. He's given up at least four earned runs in four of his previous five starts against them. Take Atlanta first five innings (10*). |
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08-09-22 | Blue Jays -150 v. Orioles | Top | 5-6 | Loss | -150 | 11 h 44 m | Show |
MLB A.L. Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Toronto over Baltimore at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. This one sets up exceptionally well as a bounce-back spot for the Blue Jays after last night's 7-4 loss here at Camden Yards. Alek Manoah will take the ball for Toronto. He's having a fine sophomore campaign having posted a 3.42 FIP and 0.99 WHIP while yielding just 2.8 runs per nine innings. He hasn't had his best stuff over his last couple of outings, but last time out that was still enough to guide the Jays to a 9-3 victory in Minnesota. The last time Manoah faced the Orioles he tossed six shutout innings back on June 13th. Prior to that he gave up just one earned run over seven frames against them last October. Kyle Bradish will counter for Baltimore. While the O's have had many young arms rise to the occasion this season, Bradish hasn't been one of them. He owns an ugly 5.15 FIP and 1.65 WHIP while giving up a whopping 6.71 runs per nine innings. The Jays saw him in June and tagged him for five earned runs on nine hits over just 4 1/3 innings. The bullpens are virtually a wash in this game so we'll confidently back the Jays based on their considerable starting pitching advantage. Take Toronto (10*). |
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08-07-22 | Padres v. Dodgers UNDER 8.5 | Top | 0-4 | Win | 100 | 28 h 51 m | Show |
N.L. West Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between San Diego and Los Angeles at 7:05 pm et on Sunday. While these two teams are obviously loaded with offensive talent, I’m anticipating a relatively low-scoring affair in Sunday night’s series-finale in Los Angeles. Yu Darvish will take the ball for the Padres. He’s looking to bounce back from a shaky outing against a Rockies team that has seemingly had his number in recent years. Note that Darvish still owns a terrific 3.27 FIP and 0.99 WHIP this season, allowing just 3.3 runs per nine innings. His counterpart on Sunday will be left-hander Tyler Anderson of the Dodgers. Anderson should be pleased to be facing a Padres club that has had a tougher time producing runs against southpaw starters this season, averaging just 4.2 runs per game compared to their season scoring average of 4.4 rpg (entering last night’s action). Anderson checks in sporting a 3.36 FIP and 1.03 WHIP while limiting opponents to just 3.04 runs per nine innings. Both bullpens have been outstanding lately with the Padres relief corps entering last night’s action with a 1.09 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over its last seven games and the Dodgers logging an even better 0.98 ERA and 0.54 WHIP over that same stretch. Take the under (10*). |
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08-06-22 | Rockies v. Diamondbacks -165 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -165 | 10 h 52 m | Show |
My selection is on Arizona over Colorado at 8:10 pm et on Saturday. We’ll confidently get behind the D’Backs on Saturday as they have a considerable edge in terms of both the starting pitching and bullpen matchup against the Rockies. Antonio Senzatela gets the start for the visiting Rockies. He’s labored through the 2022 season, recording a 4.11 FIP and 1.71 WHIP while giving up north of 5.3 runs per nine innings. The D’Backs will be seeing the right-hander for the second time this season after chasing him following just two innings in an eventual 9-3 victory back on July 1st. Merrill Kelly will counter for Arizona. He has really come into his own lately, lowering his FIP to 3.11 and his WHIP to 1.13. Kelly has allowed just 3.02 runs per nine innings this season. While he’s not likely to win the award, he has at least put himself into the N.L. Cy Young conversation thanks to a terrific run of pitching. The D’Backs bullpen entered last night’s action sporting a collective 2.39 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over the last seven games, not to mention a 3.53 ERA and 1.27 WHIP at home this season. In stark contrast, the Rockies ‘pen owns a 5.87 ERA and 1.65 WHIP over the last seven contests (entering last night’s action). Take Arizona (10*). |
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08-06-22 | Reds v. Brewers OVER 8 | Top | 7-5 | Win | 100 | 18 h 46 m | Show |
N.L. Central Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Cincinnati and Milwaukee at 7:15 pm et on Saturday. We’ll take advantage of a subpar starting pitching matchup not to mention two fading bullpens as we back the ‘over’ in Saturday’s showdown between the Reds and Brewers in Milwaukee. Nick Lodolo will take the ball for Cincinnati. He owns a respectable 3.79 FIP but a disappointing 1.57 WHIP in 38 1/3 innings of work in his rookie season. Opponents have reached the left-hander for 4.7 runs per nine innings. Meanwhile, Brewers starter Aaron Ashby has posted a 3.75 FIP and 1.45 WHIP while giving up north of 5.1 runs per nine innings. As I mentioned, both bullpens have been anything but airtight lately with the Reds relief corps entering last night’s action sporting a collective 4.42 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over the last seven games and a 5.22 ERA and 1.45 WHIP on the road this season. Milwaukee’s ‘pen entered the series with a 5.09 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over its last seven contests. Take the over (10*). |
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08-05-22 | Nationals v. Phillies OVER 8.5 | Top | 2-7 | Win | 100 | 9 h 60 m | Show |
N.L. East Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Washington and Philadelphia at 7:05 pm et on Friday. I’m expecting plenty of offense in this game on Friday as the Nationals send Josiah Gray to the mound against Kyle Gibson of the Phillies. Gray enters with an ugly 5.30 FIP and 1.28 WHIP while allowing 4.68 runs per nine innings. As he doesn’t have a tendency to last deep into ball games, we should see plenty of the Nationals bullpen, which checks in with a 5.46 ERA and 1.47 WHIP on the road this season (entering last night’s action). Interestingly, Gibson allows an identical 4.68 runs per nine innings to that of Gray. He has posted a 4.43 FIP and 1.23 WHIP on the campaign. Behind Gibson is fading Phillies bullpen that entered last night’s action having recorded a collective 6.75 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over the last seven contests. Take the over (10*). |
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08-04-22 | Red Sox v. Royals OVER 9 | Top | 3-7 | Win | 102 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
A.L. Non-Division Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Boston and Kansas City at 8:10 pm et on Thursday. The Red Sox are coming off a low-scoring series against the Astros and have now seen each of their last four games stay 'under' the total. I expect a different story to unfold on Thursday, however. Nick Pivetta will get the start for the visiting Red Sox. After a strong stretch earlier this season, the wheels came off and he's never really been able to regain his footing. Pivetta has seen his FIP rise to 4.16 and his WHIP to 1.32 while allowing just under 4.5 runs per nine innings on the campaign. While the Red Sox bullpen has been serviceable, it has by no means been 'lights out', posting a collective 4.05 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over the last seven games (entering last night's action). Kris Bubic has seen his season unfold differently than Pivetta's as he got off to a difficult start but has settled down somewhat since. With that being said, his overall numbers are not good as he owns a 5.19 FIP and 1.60 WHIP while yielding north of 6.0 runs per nine frames. The Royals bullpen didn't give up a run yesterday in Chicago but prior to that had recorded a collective 5.14 ERA and 1.67 WHIP over the last seven contests. It has posted a 4.59 ERA and 1.53 WHIP at home this season. Take the over (10*). |
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08-04-22 | Rockies v. Padres -1.5 | Top | 7-3 | Loss | -125 | 16 h 26 m | Show |
N.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on San Diego -1.5 runs over Colorado at 4:10 pm et on Thursday. I'm comfortable laying the extra run with the Padres as they host the Rockies on Thursday afternoon in San Diego. Kyle Freeland will get the start for the Rockies. Interestingly, this will be his fourth start against the Padres this season and the Rockies have won each of the first three. I look for that streak to end here. Note that Freeland has posted a less than impressive 4.28 FIP and 1.34 WHIP this season while allowing north of 5.0 runs per nine innings. Behind Freeland is a Rockies bullpen that has hit the skids again, recording a collective 5.47 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over the last seven games, entering yesterday's action. Newly-signed Joe Musgrove will be looking to prove he's worth the monster contract the Padres just gave him. He's well-positioned to do just that having posted a 3.26 FIP and 0.99 WHIP while holding opponents to only 2.97 runs per nine innings this season. The Padres bullpen went through a recent rough stretch but has since turned it around again, recording a collective 3.86 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over the last seven games. Here at home this season, the Padres have converted 14 saves while blowing only five (entering yesterday's action). Take San Diego -1.5 runs (10*). |
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08-03-22 | Reds v. Marlins -1.5 | Top | 0-3 | Win | 117 | 15 h 48 m | Show |
MLB Revenge Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami -0.5 runs first five innings over Cincinnati at 6:40 pm et on Wednesday. The Reds have taken the first two games of this series but I look for the Marlins to bounce back with their ace on the hill on Wednesday. Veteran left-hander Mike Minor gets another turn in the Reds rotation out of necessity only. He owns a 6.74 FIP and 1.58 WHIP while giving up north of 7.0 runs per nine innings this season. While the Marlins have struggled to put runs on the board against left-handed starting pitching, I'm confident they can get to Minor in this one. Sandy Alcantara hasn't necessarily had his best stuff in his last couple of outings but his overall numbers tell the story as he has recorded a 2.87 FIP and 0.94 WHIP while holding opponents to just 2.41 runs per nine innings. After dealing a pair of key bullpen arms to Toronto, I'm only interested in backing the Marlins in the first five innings in this one. We have a decisive enough edge in terms of the starting pitching matchup to lay the half-run with Miami in the first half here. Take Miami -0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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08-02-22 | Brewers -1.5 v. Pirates | Top | 3-5 | Loss | -140 | 12 h 8 m | Show |
N.L. Central Game of the Year. My selection is on Milwaukee -0.5 runs first five innings over Pittsburgh at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. We’ll back the Brewers in this one, but rather than support them over the full nine innings we’ll lay the half-run with them in the first five frames only as I like the starting pitching edge but there’s little advantage in terms of the two bullpens. Burnes owns a 2.93 ERA and 0.92 WHIP while giving up only 2.6 runs per nine innings this season. He’s faced the Pirates six times over the course of his career, recording a 2.27 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with the Brewers winning five of those games. The concern is, the Brewers bullpen has posted a 5.04 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over the last seven games. The Pirates ‘pen on the other hand has quietly turned it around after a rough stretch, recording a 2.96 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over its last seven contests. Bryse Wilson gets the start for Pittsburgh. He has endured a tough big league season having posted a 4.68 FIP and 1.60 WHIP while giving up a whopping 7.44 runs per nine innings. The Brewers will be seeing him for the second time and I expect them to have greater success after reaching him for just two earned runs over six innings in a 7-4 loss back on July 2nd. Note that despite that recent solid outing, in four career starts against Milwaukee, Wilson owns a 5.21 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Take Milwaukee -0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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08-01-22 | Mets -1.5 v. Nationals | Top | 7-3 | Win | 100 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
N.L. Non-Division Game of the Month. My selection is on New York -0.5 runs first five innings over Washington at 7:05 pm et on Monday. I like the way this one sets up for the Mets, at least early on, as they head to Washington to open a series against the Nationals on Monday. Max Scherzer will take the ball for New York. He's been terrific since returning from injury, lowering his FIP to 2.50 and WHIP to 0.90 on the season. The Mets ace has allowed just 2.2 runs per nine innings this season. With that being said, there's no real advantage for the Mets in the later innings of this one as their bullpen has been good, but not on the same level as the Nats' relief corps lately. Washington's 'pen has posted a sparkling 1.11 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over the last seven games. At home this season, it has recorded a 3.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Patrick Corbin gets the start for Washington on Monday. To say his season has been a disaster might be an understatement. The left-hander owns a 4.62 FIP and 1.77 WHIP while yielding a whopping 7.43 runs per nine innings. The Mets last saw him back on May 31st and tagged him for seven earned runs on 12 hits over just 4 1/3 innings in a 10-0 rout. Take New York -0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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07-31-22 | Diamondbacks v. Braves UNDER 8 | Top | 0-1 | Win | 100 | 6 h 7 m | Show |
MLB Non-Division Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Arizona and Atlanta at 1:35 pm et on Sunday. This has been a relatively low-scoring series to this point and I expect more of the same on Sunday. Merrill Kelly gets the start for the D'Backs. He has quietly put together a solid 2022 campaign, recording a 3.21 FIP and 1.15 WHIP while allowing only 3.19 runs per nine innings. Behind Kelly is a suddenly hot D'Backs bullpen that owns a 2.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over the last seven games. Braves ace Max Fried has put up Cy Young Award-caliber numbers this season, posting a 2.48 FIP and 1.09 WHIP while yielding only 2.8 runs per nine frames. The Braves bullpen has recorded a 1.12 WHIP over the last seven games and a 3.40 ERA and 1.18 WHIP at home this season. Take the under (10*). |
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07-30-22 | Rangers v. Angels OVER 8 | Top | 7-9 | Win | 100 | 10 h 27 m | Show |
MLB Division Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Texas and Los Angeles at 9:05 pm et on Saturday. I'm anticipating plenty of offense as the Rangers and Angels continue their series in Anaheim on Saturday. Glenn Otto gets the start for the visiting Rangers. He owns a 5.19 FIP and 1.46 WHIP this season, yielding 5.64 runs per nine innings. Command has been a major issue has he has handed out 4.7 walks per nine innings. Chase Silseth hasn't been much better for the Angels. He has recorded a 5.84 FIP and 1.46 WHIP, knocked around for a whopping 10.2 hits per nine innings. Opponents have reached Silseth for 5.84 runs per nine frames. Both bullpens are hittable. The Rangers relief corps has posted a colelctive 4.69 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over the last seven games while the Halos 'pen owns a 4.27 ERA and 1.30 WHIP at home. The two teams have combined to blow 15 saves away and home, respectively. Take the over (10*). |
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07-30-22 | Royals v. Yankees -1.5 | Top | 2-8 | Win | 100 | 6 h 23 m | Show |
A.L. Game of the Month. My selection is on New York -1.5 runs over Kansas City at 2:05 pm et on Saturday. We won with the Yankees on the run-line last night as they exploded in the eighth inning in an eventual lopsided victory, and I won’t hesitate to come right back with the same play on Saturday afternoon. Jon Heasley will take the ball for the Royals. His rookie campaign has been a disaster in many regards. He has posted a 5.49 FIP and 1.51 WHIP while giving up a whopping 5.85 runs per nine innings. Heasley isn’t likely to get much help from a Royals bullpen that owns a 4.84 ERA and 1.48 WHIP on the road this season (entering last night’s action). Nestor Cortes Jr. will counter for New York. The All-Star has recorded a 3.41 FIP and 1.00 WHIP while yielding only 2.57 runs per nine innings this season. Unlike the Royals, the Yankees have a tremendous bullpen that owns a 2.78 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 17 saves converted and only five blown at home this season. Take New York -1.5 runs (10*). |
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07-29-22 | A's v. White Sox OVER 8.5 | Top | 7-3 | Win | 105 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
A.L. Non-Division Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between Oakland and Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Friday. I’m expecting plenty of offense between the A’s and White Sox on Friday as they open a three-game series in Chicago. James Kaprielian has been the weak link in the A’s rotation this season, posting a 5.62 FIP and 1.32 WHIP while giving up just shy of 4.9 runs per nine innings. Behind Kaprielian is an A’s bullpen that I expect to suffer some regression on this road trip following an extended stretch at home. The A’s ‘pen has just 14 saves converted compared to nine blown on the road this season. Veteran Lance Lynn has had an up-and-down return from injury to the White Sox starting rotation. He did pitch well over six innings against the Guardians last time out but I question whether he can follow it up with another quality outing here. Note that Lynn has posted a 4.34 FIP and 1.41 WHIP this season, allowing an ugly average of 7.07 runs per nine innings. The White Sox bullpen has been a mess lately, most recently coughing up Wednesday’s game in the ninth inning in Colorado. The Sox relief corps has posted a collective 6.35 ERA and 1.76 WHIP over the last seven games and hasn’t been much better as a whole at home this season, logging a 5.23 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. Take the over (10*). |
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07-29-22 | Phillies v. Pirates +110 | Top | 4-2 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 51 m | Show |
N.L. Game of the Week. My selection is on Pittsburgh over Philadelphia at 7:05 pm et on Friday. While we gave the Phillies the edge in terms of starting pitchers in the opener of this series last night, it’s a different story on Friday as Philadelphia sends Bailey Falter to the hill against Jose Quintana of the Pirates. Falter continues to struggle having posted an ugly 6.18 FIP and 1.46 WHIP this season, allowing 6.0 runs per nine innings. We’ve yet to see Falter work beyond the fifth inning in any of his seven career big league starts, which opens the door for a Phillies bullpen that has posted a collective 5.64 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over the last seven games. Jose Quintana has ‘turned back the clock’ for the Pirates this season, putting himself into the conversation as a potential trade option for a contending team. He enters this start sporting a 3.27 FIP and 1.28 WHIP while giving up just shy of 4.0 runs per nine innings. The Pirates bullpen has been solid lately, recording a collective 2.53 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over the last seven games (entering last night’s action). Take Pittsburgh (10*). |
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07-27-22 | Rangers -115 v. Mariners | Top | 2-4 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 16 m | Show |
A.L. West Game of the Week. My selection is on Texas first five innings over Seattle at 3:40 pm et on Wednesday. I’m not interested in the bullpen battle in this game as I give the Mariners a considerable edge in that department based on recent form. With that being said, I will back the Rangers in the first five innings as starter Jon Gray has been quietly effective lately and by all accounts catches the Mariners bats at the right time. Gray has lowered his FIP to 3.29 and his WHIP to 1.12 and gives up just under 3.8 runs per nine innings this season. He hasn't allowed an earned run over his last two outings, covering a span of 13 innings. It’s a much different story for Marco Gonzales of the Mariners. He has recorded a 5.28 FIP and 1.39 WHIP while allowing 4.58 runs per nine innings. Note that the Rangers have scored considerably more against left-handed starting pitching compared to righties over the course of the season. Look for Texas to control proceedings through five innings at the very least. Take Texas first five innings (10*). |
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07-26-22 | Braves v. Phillies UNDER 8 | Top | 6-3 | Loss | -115 | 13 h 58 m | Show |
My selection is on the first five innings 'under' between Atlanta and Philadelphia at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. This is one of the best starting pitching matchups on Tuesday’s board as the Braves hand the ball to standout rookie Spencer Strider against Aaron Nola of the Phillies. We’ll use the ‘first five innings’ to play the ‘under’ in this one. Strider has burst onto the scene with a Cy Young Award-caliber 2.05 FIP and 1.05 WHIP, holding opponents to just under 3.3 runs per nine innings. Here, he’ll have the advantage of facing the Phillies for the first time in his career. Nola is often found in Zack Wheeler’s shadow in the Phillies rotation but he’s been every bit as good as the Philadelphia ace this season. Nola owns a 2.82 FIP and 0.91 WHIP while yielding just 3.2 runs per nine innings. By playing the first five innings only we’ll look to avoid a struggling Phillies bullpen that has recorded a collective 5.56 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over the last seven games (entering last night’s action). Take the first five innings under (10*). |
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07-26-22 | Rays -1.5 v. Orioles | Top | 3-5 | Loss | -115 | 13 h 38 m | Show |
A.L. East Game of the Year. My selection is on Tampa Bay -0.5 runs first five innings over Baltimore at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. I’ll back the Rays in the first five innings in Baltimore on Tuesday as they hand the ball to their ace and American League All-Star Game starter Shane McClanahan. The left-hander didn’t exactly have a banner performance in his lone inning of work in the All-Star Game but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s having a fantastic season, having posted a 2.42 FIP and 0.80 WHIP while giving up only 2.11 runs per nine innings. He should be happy to be facing the Orioles here, noting that he owns a 2.31 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in five career outings against them. Orioles starter Spenser Watkins hasn’t been nearly as successful against the Rays. In five career starts against them he owns an ugly 7.71 ERA and 1.67 WHIP. Watkins has struggled as a whole this season, posting a 4.50 FIP and 1.37 WHIP, yielding just north of 4.6 runs per nine innings. This will be Tampa Bay’s sixth time seeing the right-hander since the start of last season and it’s worth noting that the Rays have been better against righties than lefties this season, averaging 4.5 runs per game against RH starting pitching compared to their 4.2 rpg overall. By playing the first five innings only we’ll look to avoid the bullpen matchup as the O’s have one of the best relief corps’ in baseball and bring terrific form into this series having recorded a 2.08 ERA and 1.12 WHIP over the last seven games (entering last night’s contest). The Rays on the other hand have blown exactly as many saves as they’ve converted on the road this season (nine). Take Tampa Bay -0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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07-25-22 | Giants v. Diamondbacks OVER 9 | Top | 0-7 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 47 m | Show |
N.L. Division Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between San Francisco and Arizona at 9:40 pm et on Monday. |
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07-24-22 | Nationals v. Diamondbacks OVER 9.5 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 9 m | Show |
MLB Non-Division Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between Washington and Arizona at 4:10 pm et on Sunday. Our play on the first five innings 'over' in this matchup last night didn't go our way but I won't hesitate to come back with a similar play on Sunday - this time backing the 'over' for the full game as Washington sends Erick Fedde to the hill against Corbin Martin of the D'Backs. Fedde is in the midst of another trying campaign having posted a 4.98 FIP and 1.50 WHIP while allowing north of 5.0 runs per nine innings. Perhaps Nationals starters are trying to be a little too perfect on the road, noting that their bullpen entered last night's action sporting an ugly 6.00 ERA and 1.52 WHIP away from home this season. The D'Backs have certainly feasted in Washington pitching in this series, plating 17 runs in two games. Corbin Martin will get another spot start for Arizona. In 14 1/3 innings of work this season, Martin has recorded a 2.42 FIP and 1.47 WHIP but has yielded a whopping 5.65 runs per nine innings. That low FIP has everything to do with the fact that he hasn't allowed a home run at the big league level this season. However, a quick look at his minor league stats shows he posted an ERA north of 5.00 and a 1.33 WHIP while allowing 1.4 home runs per nine innings at the AAA level this season. I'm confident the Nats' slumbering bats will wake up against Martin on Sunday. The D'Backs bullpen has managed to convert only seven saves while blowing six at home this season where it has recorded a pedestrian 3.65 ERA and 1.29 WHIP (entering last night's action). Take the over (10*). |
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07-24-22 | Angels v. Braves OVER 9 | Top | 9-1 | Win | 100 | 7 h 23 m | Show |
MLB Interleague Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Los Angeles and Atlanta at 1:35 pm et on Sunday. The Angels offense has been lifeless lately with last night's loss extending its streak of scoring two runs or less to five games. They will face arguably the weakest link in the Braves starting rotation on Sunday though and I believe they can do their part to help this one 'over' the total. The Braves will get the opportunity to tee off on another left-hander, noting that they entered last night's action having gone 23-9 while averaging 5.7 runs per game against southpaw starters this season. Reid Detmers will take the ball for the Angels on Saturday. He hasn't come close to regaining the form that saw him post a no-hitter earlier in the season. Overall, he owns a 4.82 FIP and 1.07 WHIP while yielding 4.11 runs per nine innings. Atlanta will start Ian Anderson. He's labored through the campaign, recording a 4.31 FIP and 1.51 WHIP while giving up a disappointing 4.89 runs per nine innings. After getting handcuffed by Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright over the last two nights, I think the Angels will be happy to see Anderson on the mound on Sunday. He owns a 5.31 ERA and 1.67 WHIP at home this season. Neither bullpen brings overwhelming form to the table on Sunday. The Angels have just eight converted saves while blowing six on the road this season while it may surprise you to find out that Atlanta has blown 10 saves (while converting 17) at home. Take the over (10*). |
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07-23-22 | Padres v. Mets -143 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -143 | 9 h 41 m | Show |
MLB Game of the Week. My selection is on New York over San Diego at 7:10 pm et on Saturday. The Mets have proven to be a resilient team all season and I look for them to bounce back off consecutive losses, including a 4-1 setback against the Padres last night, on Saturday night in Queens. Blake Snell will get the nod for the visiting Padres. He's struggled with command issues once again this season, checking in with a respectable 3.70 FIP but a disappointing 1.48 WHIP, allowing jsut shy of 5.6 runs per nine innings along the way. Behind Snell is a Padres bullpen that held up alright last night but has still posted awful numbers over the last seven games - a 4.50 ERA and 5.50 WHIP. San Diego's relief corps has been vulnerable on the road this season, recording a 4.37 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Chris Bassitt will counter for New York. He owns a 3.83 FIP and 1.14 WHIP this season, yielding just shy of 3.9 runs per nine innings. One of his worst outings of the season came against these same Padres, but that was on the road. Here at home, he's posted a 3.12 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. The Mets bullpen has been terrific lately, recording a collective 2.70 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over the last seven contests. Here at home this season, Mets relievers have combined to post a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Take New York (10*). |
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07-22-22 | Angels +1.5 v. Braves | Top | 1-8 | Loss | -165 | 22 h 12 m | Show |
Interleague first five innings Game of the Year. My selection is on Los Angeles +0.5 runs first five innings over Atlanta at 7:20 pm et on Friday. The Angels own a considerable starting pitching advantage in the opener of this interleague series in Atlanta on Friday. I don’t believe it’s being properly reflected in the ‘first five innings’ line and will take advantage by grabbing the insurance half-run with the visiting Halos. Shohei Ohtani appeared in the All-Star Game as a batter only, allowing him to start this series-opener on Friday. He’s done nothing but impress on the mound again this season, recording a Cy Young Award-caliber 2.27 FIP and 0.99 WHIP while allowing just under 2.5 runs per nine innings. By playing the first five innings only we’ll look to avoid an Angels bullpen that has posted a 3.90 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over the last seven games and has converted just eight saves while blowing six on the road this season. The Braves are in slightly better current form in that department with their relief corps having recorded a 0.88 WHIP over the last seven contests. Charlie Morton will get the start for Atlanta on Friday. He’s logged a pedestrian 4.20 FIP and 1.25 WHIP this season, yielding 4.55 runs per nine innings along the way. Take Los Angeles +0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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07-21-22 | Giants +1.5 v. Dodgers | Top | 6-9 | Loss | -155 | 11 h 58 m | Show |
N.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on San Francisco +0.5 runs first five innings over Los Angeles at 10:05 pm et on Thursday. I certainly won't make a habit of fading the Dodgers but in this case I'm making an exception as I like the way this one sets up for the streaking Giants - at least early on. San Francisco will have a considerable edge in terms of the starting pitching matchup as it sends left-hander Carlos Rodon to the hill against Mitch White of the Dodgers. Rodon was named to the N.L. All-Star team but didn't pitch after taking the mound last weekend against the Brewers. He took a hard-luck no decision in that contest, allowing only one earned run over five innings in an eventual 3-2 loss. Rodon checks in sporting a Cy Young Award-caliber 2.14 FIP and 1.11 WHIP this season, yielding just 2.74 runs per nine innings. The reason I'm playing the first five innings only here is that the Giants bullpen has struggled, posting a collective 1.50 WHIP over the last seven games and a 4.04 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with just 11 saves converted and seven blown on the road this season. Mitch White has posted a 4.25 FIP and 1.29 WHIP this season, giving up 4.6 runs per nine innings. We have seen White stretched out a little more in terms of pitch count in recent starts and that actually works in our favor here as it likely keeps the terrific Dodgers bullpen out of the picture until after the fifth inning. Note that Los Angeles' relief corps owns a 2.95 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with three saves converted and none blown over the last seven games. I'll grab the half-run as insurance at a reasonable price with the Giants, taking advantage of the fact that line is being offered given I can make a strong case for the Giants being favored in this spot. Take San Francisco +0.5 runs first five innings (10*). |
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07-21-22 | Montreal v. Ottawa UNDER 48 | Top | 40-33 | Loss | -110 | 57 h 54 m | Show |
East Division Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Montreal and Ottawa at 7 pm et on Thursday. We missed with the 'under' in the Alouettes stunning loss to the Elks last week but won with the 'over' in the RedBlacks narrow defeat at the hands of the Tiger-Cats. Here, I won't hesitate to back the 'under' as these two struggling East Division squads do battle in Ottawa on Thursday. Montreal allowed an early touchdown five minutes into the game against Edmonton last week but didn't give up another until the final four minutes of the second quarter. From there, the Als built a 31-12 lead before letting their guard down and allowing three unanswered touchdowns from the final four minutes of the third quarter on. Needless to say, Montreal's focus this week will be on turning in a complete 60 minute effort on the defensive side of the football. Note that the Als have actually held their last two opponents to a combined 37-of-61 passing and only gave up 82 rush yards on 23 attempts against Edmonton last week. They've been fortunate to score as many points as they have this season, noting they've gone four games without rushing for more than 87 yards while completing 19 or less passes in four of five contests. Ottawa has scored 17 points or less in three of its first five games this season. Since throwing for 380 and 331 yards in their first two games, the RedBlacks have been held to 162, 268 and 203 passing yards over their last three contests. They've yet to rush for more than 94 yards in a game this season. With the 'over' cashing in each of the Als last three games and Ottawa coming off an 'over' result against Hamilton, we're being offered a generous total here, especially considering you would have to go back four meetings in this series to find the last time a game totalled more than 43 points. Take the under (10*). |
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07-16-22 | Diamondbacks v. Padres OVER 7.5 | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -113 | 10 h 27 m | Show |
N.L. Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Arizona and San Diego at 8:40 pm et on Saturday. I like the way this one sets up as a relatively high-scoring affair on Saturday night in San Diego. The D'Backs will hand the ball to Tyler Gilbert. While he's pitched well in his last couple of outings, his overall numbers this season still aren't good as he's recorded a 6.43 FIP and 1.26 WHIP while yielding just shy of 5.7 runs per nine innings. His counterpart on Saturday will be Sean Manaea. Oddly enough, the D'Backs will be seeing him for the fourth time already this season. Manaea checks in sporting a 3.99 FIP and 1.22 WHIP while giving up 4.28 runs per nine innings. A bigger concern than Manaea is the Padres bullpen, which entered last night's game with a 7.33 ERA and 1.91 WHIP over its last seven contests. For its part, the D'Backs 'pen has posted a 4.97 ERA and 1.60 WHIP over the same stretch. Take the over (10*). |
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07-14-22 | Mariners v. Rangers -111 | Top | 6-5 | Loss | -111 | 12 h 8 m | Show |
A.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on Texas first five innings over Seattle at 8:05 pm et on Thursday. The Mariners are red hot right now, winners of 10 games in a row. While I'm not interested in fading them for the full game on Thursday due to their bullpen advantage, I will go against them in the first five innings. Marco Gonzales will get the nod for the visiting Mariners. It's worth noting that the Rangers have feasted on left-handed starting pitching this season, averaging 5.4 runs per game while posting a 17-11 record. Gonzales owns an ugly 5.15 FIP and 1.31 WHIP while yielding 4.2 runs per nine innings. His counterpart on Thursday, Rangers lefty Martin Perez, is headed for the All-Star Game as he's having a career year. He checks in with a 3.07 FIP and 1.18 WHIP, allowing only 3.14 runs per nine innings. As I mentioned, the Mariners do have an edge in the later innings as their bullpen has been lights out, posting a collective 1.57 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over the last seven games, not to mention the fact that they enjoyed a couple of days off earlier this week due to rain in Washington. The Rangers 'pen owns a 5.40 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over its last seven contests. Take Texas first five innings (10*). |
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07-14-22 | Dodgers -148 v. Cardinals | Top | 4-0 | Win | 100 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
My selection is on Los Angeles over St. Louis at 7:15 pm et on Thursday. The Cardinals blew a prime opportunity to clinch a series win over the Dodgers last night, blowing a 6-0 lead in an eventual 7-6 loss. Now they face a tough pitching matchup on Thursday as Los Angeles sends Tyler Anderson to the hill against Dakota Hudson. Anderson checks in sporting a 3.36 FIP and 1.03 WHIP this season, allowing 3.25 runs per nine innings. Note that the Cards are just 9-8 against left-handed starting pitchers, averaging 4.5 runs per game. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are 40-19 against righties, averaging an impressive 5.3 runs per contest. They'll face Dakota Hudson on Thursday. He has recorded a 4.37 FIP and 1.38 WHIP while yielding 4.1 runs per nine frames. While the Cards 'pen has struggled lately to the tune of a 4.85 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over the last seven games, the Dodgers relief corps has posted a 2.66 ERA and 0.80 WHIP over the same stretch. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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07-13-22 | White Sox v. Guardians OVER 8.5 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -120 | 12 h 28 m | Show |
MLB Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Chicago and Cleveland at 7:10 pm et on Wednesday. We saw a couple of relatively low-scoring games between these two division rivals in yesterday's day-night double-header. I expect a different story to unfold on Wednesday. Lucas Giolito will take the ball for Chicago. He's had a tough season so far, posting a 4.45 FIP and 1.44 WHIP while allowing just shy of 5.4 runs per nine innings. Last time out he yielded five earned runs over 6 2/3 innings against the light-hitting Tigers. Note that he'll be making his second consecutive start on short (four days) rest on Wednesday. It's a similar story for Guardians starter Aaron Civale. He actually pitched well against the lowly Royals in his most recent outing but his overall numbers remain poor this season. Civale checks in sporting a 4.28 FIP and 1.44 WHIP while giving up almost 7.0 runs per nine innings. The White Sox bullpen has held up well lately but is getting into 'overworked' territory, noting that Chicago hasn't had a day off since June 30th and comes off the double-header yesterday. The Guardians 'pen coughed up three runs in last night's game and entered yesterday's action sporting a collective 6.35 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over its last seven contests. Take the over (10*). |
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07-13-22 | Pirates v. Marlins -165 | Top | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 13 h 38 m | Show |
N.L. Non-Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami over Pittsburgh at 6:40 pm et on Wednesday. This will be a popular play on Wednesday but that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one. The Pirates are suddenly hot, winners of four games in a row. They’ll be in tough on Wednesday though as they send JT Brubaker to the mound against Pablo Lopez of the Marlins. Brubaker’s 3.91 FIP isn’t awful but his 1.47 WHIP does leave a lot to be desired. Opponents have lit up the right-hander for 5.28 runs per nine innings this season. Lopez is having a fine campaign, having recorded a 3.60 FIP and 1.07 WHIP. He allows 2.2 fewer hits and 1.4 fewer walks per nine innings compared to Brubaker. Lopez has limited opponents to just shy of 3.2 runs per nine innings. Note also that the Marlins should have the edge in the later innings, with their bullpen having posted a 3.57 ERA and 1.35 WHIP at home this season (entering last night’s action). The Pirates ‘pen has held up alright in this series, it did enter last night’s contest having posted a 7.17 ERA and 1.83 WHIP over the last seven games. Take Miami (10*). |
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07-12-22 | Dodgers -135 v. Cardinals | Top | 6-7 | Loss | -135 | 22 h 7 m | Show |
MLB Non-Division Game of the Week. My selection is on Los Angeles over St. Louis at 7:45 pm et on Tuesday. While both of Tuesday’s starting pitchers are unproven and neither boasts all that large of a body of work this season, I’ll give the considerable edge to Mitch White of the Dodgers. White doesn’t generally work deep into ball games but he has been effective when he’s been on the hill, recording a 3.73 FIP and 1.15 WHIP while allowing 3.83 runs per nine innings. His counterpart, rookie Matthew Liberatore, has struggled for the most part, logging a 5.13 FIP and 1.74 WHIP while giving up 4.74 runs per nine innings. Liberatore checks in allowing 3.6 more hits, 1.7 more walks and 0.7 more home runs per nine innings compared to White. While the Cardinals bullpen has been lights out lately, the Dodgers have been more consistent in that department this season and for their part, have posted a collective 3.04 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over the last seven contests. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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07-12-22 | Mets v. Braves -148 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 22 h 51 m | Show |
N.L. Division Game of the Year. My selection is on Atlanta over New York at 7:20 pm et on Tuesday. While last night’s series opener between these two teams featured a matchup of two aces, Tuesday’s starting pitching matchup is more of a mismatch as the Mets send David Peterson to the hill against Spencer Strider of the Braves. Peterson has had an up-and-down campaign to be sure. He checks in sporting a 4.01 FIP and 1.27 WHIP while allowing north of 4.0 runs per nine innings. Braves rookie Strider has been a breakout star, recording a ridiculous 1.82 FIP and 0.98 WHIP while yielding just shy of 2.9 runs per nine frames. With the two bullpens a virtual wash, I’ll give the edge to Strider, not to mention the Braves bats in this one. Note that Atlanta has gone 21-9 against left-handed starting pitchers this season, averaging 5.7 runs per game while outscoring opponents by 1.9 runs on average in those contests. Take Atlanta (10*). |
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07-11-22 | A's v. Rangers OVER 9 | Top | 8-10 | Win | 100 | 14 h 36 m | Show |
A.L. F5 Innings Division Total of the Year. My selection is on the first five innings 'over' between Oakland and Texas at 8:05 pm et on Monday. This game has all the makings of a high-scoring affair as two back-of-the-rotation starters take the ball in rookie Adrian Martinez of the A's and Spencer Howard of the Rangers. With that being said, we'll play the 'first five innings' only in this one as I do respect both bullpens, especially given their current form (A's 2.10 ERA and 1.01 WHIP L7 games and Rangers 2.66 ERA and 1.23 WHIP L7 games - both entering yesterday's action). Adrian Martinez has made three starts for the A's this season. He's been getting progressively worse it seems as his FIP has risen to 5.90 and his WHIP to 1.40. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that he's been tagged for 2.4 home runs per nine innings, despite not allowing a single long ball in his first big league start. The Mariners and Blue Jays have knocked him around for four home runs over his last two outings and I look for the Rangers to add to that total here. All told, Martinez checks in yielding 6.0 runs per nine innings. Although I do realize we're dealing with a small sample size of just 15 innings, Martinez previously recorded a 5.63 ERA and 1.41 WHIP at AAA Las Vegas this season, logging 64 innings. Spencer Howard has worked only 10 2/3 innings for the Rangers this year. With that being said, the numbers aren't good. He checks in with an 8.92 FIP and 1.88 WHIP. While we are likely to see some positive regression to the mean, keep in mind he logged a 4.72 FIP and 1.61 WHIP in 49 2/3 innings split between Philadelphia and Texas last season. For his career he's allowed just shy of 8.0 runs per nine innings in 101 innings of work. While the A's certainly aren't tearing the cover off the ball, they have proven to be a better offensive team on the road than at home this season, averaging 3.8 runs per game (compared to their season scoring average of 3.2 runs per contest). Take the first five innings over (10*). |
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07-10-22 | Yankees v. Red Sox UNDER 9 | Top | 6-11 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 59 m | Show |
A.L. East Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between New York and Boston at 7:05 pm et on Sunday. We've seen a trio of high-scoring games to open this series but I look for a different story to unfold in Sunday night's series finale. Jameson Taillon will take the ball for the Yankees. He checks in sporting a 3.40 FIP and 1.15 WHIP this season, allowing only 3.63 runs per nine innings. His counterpart on Sunday night, Nick Pivetta, is coming off a rocky outing last time out but still sports a 3.64 FIP and 1.16 WHIP this season while yielding less than 3.7 runs per nine innings. Both bullpens have performed well lately with the Yankees relief corps having posted a collective 2.33 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over the last seven games and the Red Sox 'pen checking in with a 2.87 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over the same stretch. Take the under (10*). |
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07-10-22 | Rays -140 v. Reds | Top | 5-10 | Loss | -140 | 6 h 56 m | Show |
Interleague Game of the Week. My selection is on Tampa Bay over Cincinnati at 1:40 pm et on Sunday. After blowing a 3-0 eighth inning lead in an eventual 5-4 extra innings loss yesterday - their second straight defeat in this series - I look for the Rays to salvage Sunday's series finale before heading back home. Shane Baz will take the ball for Tampa Bay. He's now pitched 38 innings in his big league career, recording a 3.44 FIP and 0.98 WHIP while allowing just 2.61 runs per nine innings. It's been a bit more of a struggle for Reds rookie Nick Lodolo. He's worked 19 1/3 innings this season, recording a 4.03 FIP and 1.50 WHIP while giving up just shy of 4.2 runs per nine frames. While the Rays don't hold a massive edge in the later innings with their bullpen struggling a bit lately, I do think they have enough of an advantage early to pay off for us on Sunday afternoon. Take Tampa Bay (10*). |
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07-09-22 | Winnipeg +3.5 v. BC | Top | 43-22 | Win | 100 | 9 h 59 m | Show |
CFL West Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Winnipeg plus the points over B.C. at 7 pm et on Saturday. The Lions have arguably been the most impressive team in the CFL through the first month of the season, reeling off three straight wins while scoring a whopping 137 points. It's worth noting, however, that they've yet to play a team outside the East Division. There's no question, the West is best when it comes to the CFL - at least so far this season. The Lions should find that out on Saturday as they host 4-0 Winnipeg. The Blue Bombers are the two-time defending Grey Cup champions and look every bit the part of a championship contender again this year. Winnipeg is playing on a very short week here after dispatching the Argos by a score of 23-22 on Monday. I don't mind that though as I think it helps the Bombers stay focused on this business-like two-game road trip. The Lions were barely able to escape with a 34-31 win over the still-winless RedBlacks in Ottawa last week. We saw some regression from the B.C. defense in that game and now I think we see it from its offense as it takes on arguably the best defense in the CFL. This matchup was no contest last season as the Bombers swept the two-game series, including a 30-9 victory here in B.C. While the Lions are certainly a better team in 2022 I'm not convinced they've completely closed the gap. Take Winnipeg (10*). |
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07-09-22 | Guardians -124 v. Royals | Top | 13-1 | Win | 100 | 8 h 16 m | Show |
A.L. Central Game of the Year. My selection is on Cleveland over Kansas City at 4:10 pm et on Saturday. While Cleveland has been struggling lately I do expect it to find its way into the win column on Saturday as it sends Triston McKenzie to the hill against rookie Jon Heasley of the Royals. McKenzie is a bit of an enigma as he’s posted an inflated 4.58 FIP but an impressive 0.99 WHIP. I do like the fact that he allows more than a run less per nine innings compared to Heasley, not to mention 1.7 fewer hits and 2.3 fewer walks. Heasley has recorded a 5.30 FIP and 1.43 WHIP and has yielded just shy of 5.0 runs per nine innings. The Guardians will be getting their second look at him this season after delivering a 7-3 win back on May 30th. McKenzie has faced the Royals six times over the course of his career, posting a terrific 2.97 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with the Guardians winning four of those games. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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