Wednesday 5/23/18 thread for free handicapping service plays and expert predictions for Wednesday’s NBA, MLB and NHL games.
Jim Feist
MLB (967) LOS ANGELES ANGELS VS (968) TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Take: (967) LOS ANGELES ANGELS
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Mike Wynn
Free Play: Free Baltimore w/Cobb -125 Over Chicago Wsox
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Razor Sharp
YOUR RAZOR SHARP FREE PICK FOR WEDNESDAY: Take ARIZONA (Godley) +105 over Milwaukee
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Totals4U
Wednesday's Free Selection: Baltimore Orioles/Chicago White Sox over 9 1/2
Atlantic Sports
Wednesday's Free Selection from Atlantic Sports: Tampa Bay Lightning - 140
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#1 Sports
Wednesday's Free Selection: St Louis Cardinals - 165
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Platinum Plays
Free Pick the Chicago Cubs w/Lester -165 over Cleveland
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Easy Money Sports
Lee's Free Wednesday Selection Is
Pittsburgh w/Kuhl -115
Golden Dragon Sports
Free Pick LA Angels Skaggs -128
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Huddle Up Sports
Free Play: Arizona Godley +104
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Hawkeye Sports
Wednesday's Free Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning - 145
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Arthur Ralph Sports
FREE play: WED Dodgers w/ Maeda-165
The Vegas Steam Line
Your free winner for Wednesday: Take SAN FRANCISCO/HOUSTON OVER the total of 7½ runs
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High Stakes Syndicate
Free Selection for Wednesday: Colorado Rockies + 155
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Jimmy Boyd
May 23 '18, 8:10 PM
MLB | Orioles vs White Sox
Play on: White Sox +127
Free pick on White Sox +127
I'm recommending a play on the White Sox as a decently priced home dog here against the Orioles. Baltimore simply isn't that much better than Chicago. The Orioles have a mere 1 more win than the White Sox after Chicago's 3-2 win on Tuesday. Baltimore is now a mere 5-20 on the road this season. I think the value here is clearly with Chicago, as there's just not enough to support Baltimore being this big of a road favorite.
The Orioles will send out Alex Cobb for the start and while Cobb is a well-known name, he's just 1-5 with a 6.56 ERA and 1.850 WHIP in 7 starts this season. The White Sox will counter with Dylan Covey, who was effective in his only start of 2018 back on April 28th at KC, allowing just 1 earned run over 6 innings.
Orioles are just 5-20 in their last 25 road games in the month of May and a mere 1-9 as a road favorite of -125 or more over the last 2 seasons. Baltimore is also just 15-36 in their last 51 off a loss and 17-40 in their last 57 after scoring 2 runs or less. Take Chicago!
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Totals Guru
May 23 '18, 7:05 PM
MLB | NYY vs TEX
Play on: UNDER 10 -105
Mark Wilson
May 23 '18, 10:10 PM
MLB | COL vs LAD
Play on: OVER 7 -115
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Info Plays
May 23 '18, 2:10 PM
MLB | Giants vs Astros
Play on: Giants +245
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Kenny Walker
May 23 '18, 10:10 PM
MLB | Rockies vs Dodgers
Play on: Dodgers -160
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Marc Lawrence
May 23 '18, 7:10 PM
MLB | Pirates vs Reds
Play on: Pirates -111
Play - Pittsburgh Pirates vs Bailey (Game 957).
Edges - Pirates: Kuhl 5-1 last six overall team starts… Reds: Bailey 0-6 with 7.10 ERA and 1.61 WHIP at home this season; and 2-8 last 10 team starts in this series… With that we recommend a 1* play on Pittsburgh. Thank you and good luck as always.
Sal Michaels
May 23 '18, 7:10 PM
MLB | Red Sox vs Rays
Play on: Red Sox -120
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Dustin Hawkins
May 23 '18, 7:10 PM
MLB | Red Sox vs Rays
Play on: Red Sox -122
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Doug Upstone
May 23 '18, 7:10 PM
MLB | Marlins vs Mets
Play on: Mets -191
On Wednesday night in baseball action, Play On NL favorites with a money line of -150 or more like the N.Y. METS, scoring 4.0 to 4.5 runs/game, against a good starter whose ERA is 3.70 or lower, with a starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.00 or better on the season. In the past five years, this spot is 66-14, 82.5 percent.
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Frank Sawyer
May 23 '18, 1:15 PM
MLB | Royals vs Cardinals
Play on: Cardinals -177
Take the St. Louis Cardinals with the money-line versus the Kansas City Royals listing both starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Jakob Junis. Kansas City (15-33) won the second game of this series by a 5-1 score — but they have then lost 23 of their last 31 games after a victory. The Royals have also lost 20 of their last 27 road games against teams with a winning record. St. Louis (26-20) still won 13 of their last 19 games at home. The Cardinals have also won 39 of their last 54 games against teams with a winning percentage below 40%. Take St. Louis with the money-line listing both starting pitchers. Best of luck — Frank.
Ross Benjamin
May 23 '18, 8:05 PM
MLB | Indians vs Cubs
Play on: Cubs -1½ +135
Indians (Plutko) @ Cubs (Lester) 8:05 PM ET
Game# 979-980
Play On: Cubs -1.5 (+135)
The Indians are coming off last night’s 10-1 blowout win at Wrigley Field. However, Cleveland has gone 1-10 during their last 11 following a win in their previous game. Conversely, the Cubs are 3-0 in its previous 3 following a loss.
Adam Plutko will be making just his 2nd career MLB start on Wednesday and his 1st on the road. There’s a high probability Putko will need to rely on his bullpen tonight for help and good luck to him with that. Cleveland’s relievers have a combined 9.00 ERA throughout their last 7 games.
The Cubs will turn to veteran left-hander Jon Lester for tonight’s game. Lester is a perfect 4-0 in his home team starts this season while posting a brilliant 2.01 ERA. Lester has also shown very good form during his previous 4 starts overall by compiling an excellent 1.59 ERA in those outings. Bet the Cubs as a run line favorite for my free pick on Wednesday 5/23.
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Sean Murphy
May 23 '18, 8:10 PM
NHL | Capitals vs Lightning
Play on: UNDER 5½ -125
Wednesday NHL Free play. My selection is on the 'under' between Washington and Tampa Bay at 8:10 pm et on Wednesday.
We won with the 'under' in Game 6 of this series and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play in Game 7 on Wednesday night.
It was Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy that was in a serious groove leading up to Game 6 on Monday and truth be told, he played well again in that contest. However, Braden Holtby came up with arguably his best and certainly biggest performance of the season to keep the Capitals season alive, posting a shutout. I expect both goaltenders to play well with everything on the line on Wednesday night.
This has been an interesting series, with the road team winning the first four games but the home team coming up big in Games 5 and 6. One thing we know is that goals have been getting harder and harder to come by as the series has gone on. We were seeing 6's earlier in the series but now I feel a '5' wouldn't be unreasonable in Game 7.
I don't mind laying some juice to back the 'under' at 5.5 on Wednesday night as the winning team will be hard pressed to get north of three goals. Take the under (8*).
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Brandon Lee
May 23 '18, 1:10 PM
MLB | Tigers vs Twins
Play on: Tigers +157
10* FREE MLB PICK (Tigers +157)
I'll take my chances here on the Tigers as a big road underdog against the Twins. While Detroit has lost 5 straight, I just think there's too much value here to pass up with today's starting pitching matchup. The Tigers will send out Michael Fulmer, who has a disappointing start to the 2018 season. However, Fulmer is coming off a strong outing at Seattle last time out, allowing just 3 runs on 3 hits in 6 1/3 innings. Fulmer is also 3-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 3 career starts against the Twins and owns a sensational 1.39 ERA in 5 day starts this season. Minnesota will send out Kyle Gibson, who has not enjoyed taking the mound at Target Field. Gibson owns a 6.16 ERA and 2.001 WHIP in 4 home starts. Last time out Gibson allowed 5 runs on 8 hits (2 HRs) and 4 walks in just 5 1/3 innings at home against the Brewers. Give me the Tigers +157!
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Jesse Schule
May 23 '18, 10:10 PM
MLB | Rockies vs Dodgers
Play on: Rockies +1½ -145
Rockies vs Dodgers Free Pick May 23, 2018. The Dodgers have split the first two games of this home series versus Colorado, and they are a huge favorite in the rubber match. It seems pretty odd to see LA as such a heavy favorite when they have less than half as many home wins as the Rockies have on the road. Colorado is in first place in the NL West, 4.5 games up on LA. Kyle Freeland will toe the rubber for the Rockies tonight, and he's having himself a fine season. Freeland (4-4, 3.17 ERA) allowed one run on five hits, striking out five in 6 2/3 innings in a win at San Francisco his last time out. He's won his last three starts, and two of those wins came on the road. The Dodgers hand the ball to Kenta Maeda, who was brilliant in his last start. He tossed eight scoreless innings, striking out eight in a shutout win over Miami. Prior to that he had lost four straight starts. The Rockies have won five of their last six at Dodgers Stadium, and the Dodgers have lost five of their last six at home. Take COL +1.5. GL,
Jesse Schule
Art Aronson
May 23 '18, 7:10 PM
MLB | Red Sox vs Rays
Play on: Red Sox -127
This is a 1* Free Play on the Boston Red Sox.
While David Price has been far from perfect this year, we still feel he’ll do more than enough to get the better of his erratic counterpart tonight. Price (4-4, 4.38 ERA) comes in off a complete game effort against the Orioles on Thursday, giving up two runs off five hits and striking out eight without a single walk in the victory. Price would appear to be back on track after a shaky couple of outings, note that he’s already a respectable 3-2 with a 3.90 ERA in all “night” games this season. Archer (3-3, 5.01) also comes in off a decent outing, going 6.2 scoreless against the Angels on Thursday. In his previous start he’d been shelled for six earned runs though and we think he’s going to struggle again here against Boston’s power line-up (note as well that Archer is already a poor 0-1 with a 5.32 ERA at home this year.) We had a play on the Red Sox yesterday and they’d go on to win 4-2. All signs point to another victory here as well. Consider the BOSTON on Wednesday night.
AAA Sports
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Brad Wilton
We had our first Over in the series on Monday night when both teams were able to crack the century mark, and we hit a combined 213 total points.
I have a feeling that with Boston being able to hold Cleveland to just 94 and 83 points in the pair of games played thus far in Boston, we are going to revert back to an Under here in Game Five.
The Under has gone 6-3 the last 9 series meetings between the teams, and the Under is also on a money-making 10-3 run the last 13 games played at TD Garden between the teams.
Overall, the Cavaliers have played 4 of their last 6 this postseason Under the total, while the Celtics are on a 5-2 Under run their last 7. Boston knows that is they are to keep their perfect 9-0 playoff mark in tact tonight, then they had better tighten things up on defense. The chances that happens at home are far greater than if this game were being played on the road.
Game Five to land just Under the total in this Cavs-C's series on Wednesday.
4* CLEVELAND-BOSTON UNDER
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Jack Brayman
My free play is on the Cincinnati Reds in National League Central action, over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The bottom feeders in the National League Central continue their series at Great American, and I'll ride the Reds tonight, as Pittsburgh is having trouble right now.
The Pirates, who have lost four in a row, are 11-12 on the road after last night's 7-2 loss on the road, as they continue to struggle with their ERA this month.
Pittsburgh, which has a 4.14 ERA this season, has seen that number escalate to 4.41 in the month of May alone. From 15th overall in the league, to 24th, the Pirates can't get their staff to produce this month.
That helps a team like the Reds, who are hitting a mere .239 this season, but hit .281 yesterday against the troubled Pirates pitchers. Tonight they'll get the job done once again, chasing whoever is on the mound and roaring to another win.
1* REDS
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Eric Schroeder
My free play is the Minnesota Twins over the Detroit Tigers.
One final time with these two, as the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers wrap up their series with a matinee at Target Field, and once again I think the Twinkies tame the Jungle Stripes... by a a lot. This is going to be a rout, as the Tigers are struggling badly and Minnesota is streaking.
IMPORTANT: As you know every single Run Line play and Total wager will automatically list the scheduled starting pitchers at the time of the wager. But with this game I am not concerned with who is pitching for either team tonight and want you playing this game on the Run Line regardless. That said, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to be sure you have action even if one of the pitchers scheduled to start is scratched, by betting the game over again in the event that takes place.
Despite a three-game win streak, Minnesota is still sitting in second place in the American League Central, while the Tigers are fading fast in third place. Detroit is mired in a five-game slide and brings an 8-18 road record into this series. The Tigers also have a 4.66 road ERA, which could be trouble against a Twins team that has now won three straight and is looking to overtake Cleveland in the division this week.
Again, if the Twins are sitting just one game back of the Indians, it's conceivable the Twins could pull ahead with a sweep of Detroit while Cleveland is visiting the powerful Chicago Cubs for a couple of games. The Tribe lit things up yesterday, 10-1, so a Cubbies revenge-win and a Twins victory would knot things atop the Central.
Take Minnesota in this one, as it will feed off of this win streak, not to mention the division rivalry, and open things up against a vulnerable pitching staff and take this one by a few.
5* TWINS RUN LINE
Jeff Benton
Your Wednesday freebie is the Under in the Capitals-Lightning game.
After a rash of early series games goals, the scoring has started to dry up just a little as we conclude this Eastern Conference Finals between the Capitals and the Lightning.
Both Game 5 and Game 6 landed Under the total, with Caps goalie Braden Holtby recording the shutout on Monday in D.C.
Look for the scoring to once again be at a premium when the puck drops at the Amalie Arena with the winner moving on to face Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final next Monday. The Capitals are on a 3-1-1 Under run their last 5 away from home, and overall this postseason the Under stands at 5-3-1 this postseason for Washington. As for Tampa Bay, they are 4-2-3 Under their last 9 games played this postseason.
This one has 2-1, or 3-2 final written all over it.
Play the Capitals-Lightning Under for Wednesday in Game 7.
3* WASHINGTON-TAMPA BAY UNDER
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Best Sports Capper
MLB
NEW YORK YANKEES ‑175
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Pure Lock
MLB
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
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Monster Sports Picks
MLB
DETROIT TIGERS/MINNESOTA TWINS o8.5
First Half Sports
MLB
PITTSBURGH PIRATES ‑115
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Bobby Conn
May 23 '18, 10:00 PM
WNBA | Storm vs Mercury
Play on: OVER 159 -105
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Dave Price
May 23 '18, 10:10 PM
MLB | Rockies vs Dodgers
Play on: Rockies +163 at betonline
Dave’s Wednesday Free Play:
1* on Colorado Rockies +163
The Key: I like the price we are getting with the Colorado Rockies tonight as huge road underdogs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. You could certainly argue that the Rockies will have the edge on the mound in this game. Kyle Freeland is 4-4 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 9 starts this year, including 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in his last 3 outings. He has held his own against the Dodgers with a 4.26 ERA in 4 lifetime starts against them. He’ll be opposed by Kenta Maeda, who is 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 8 starts this year, and 1-2 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in 4 home starts. Maeda has yielded 6 earned runs in 10 innings in his last 2 starts against the Rockies. Colorado is a very profitable 7-2 as an underdog of +150 or more this season, yielding backers +10.3 units of profit. Freeland is 14-6 as an underdog of +100 or higher over the last 2 seasons, yielding backers +12.3 units. The Dodgers are 1-10 as a home favorite of -125 to -175 this season, losing backers 14.9 units. Take Colorado.
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John Martin
May 23 '18, 7:05 PM
MLB | Angels vs Blue Jays
Play on: Angels -115 at pinnacle
1 Unit FREE PLAY on Los Angeles Angels -115
Tyler Skaggs is the better starter in this showdown with Aaron Sanchez and the Toronto Blue Jays. Skaggs is 3-3 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in nine starts this season. He has done his best work on the highway, going 3-0 with a 1.14 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in four road starts. Skaggs is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in four previous starts against the Blue Jays. Sanchez is 2-4 with a 4.47 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in nine starts for Toronto, including 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in five home starts. The Angels are 14-4 in their last 18 road games. Los Angels is 4-1 in Skaggs’ last five road starts. The Blue Jays are 1-6 in their last seven home games. Toronto is 1-5 in Sanchez’s last six home starts. Give me the Angels.
Tommy King Wins
MLB
PITTSBURGH PIRATES ‑115