Monday 6/18/18 thread for free handicapping service plays and expert predictions for MLB, WNBA and CFL games.
Mike Wynn
Free Play: Free LA Angels w/Barria +100 Over Arizona
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Razor Sharp
YOUR RAZOR SHARP FREE PICK FOR MONDAY: Take TEXAS/KANSAS CITY UNDER the total of 9½ runs
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Totals4U
Monday's Free Selection: Arizona Diamondbacks/Los Angeles Dodgers under 8
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Jim Feist
6/18 05:15 PM PT / 8:15 PM ET
MLB (965) TEXAS RANGERS VS (966) KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Take: OVER
Jeff Allen Sports
Monday's Free Selection is on the Milwaukee Brewers
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Atlantic Sports
Monday's Free Selection from Atlantic Sports: Miami + 155
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#1 Sports
Monday's Free Selection: Chicago White Sox + 215
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Platinum Plays
Free Pick the NY Mets/Colorado Game UNDER 9½ Runs
Chris Jordan
My free play is on a pricey run line, as I like the Cleveland Indians to rout the Chicago White Sox. I know, we're having to lay the -140, but with a short card, I am limited to the games I see as winners. So we're playing the Tribe on the Run Line.
MAKE NOTE: All Run Line/Total plays automatically list pitchers with the starters who are scheduled to go at the time of the wager, and I want you to be sure the following pitchers are the starters of record on your ticket when making your play: Trevor Bauer and Dylan Covey. If one or both of these pitchers is not going, this is a no-play.
Bauer comes into this one after being handed his fifth loss of the season last Wednesday after allowing three runs on four hits through 7 2/3 innings against these same White Sox. And guess what, Covey was the opposing pitcher. So add revenge to the mix of Bauer facing a White Sox team that has lost four straight. The right-hander still struck out 12, and has now registered double-digit strikeout totals in four consecutive outings.
The Indians will get to Covey, who I know has been the White Sox's most consistent starter this month, not to mention one of the most consistent in baseball. The right-hander has allowed just two earned runs in 18 innings, and striking out 19, and yes he has won his last two starts. But the Indians are going to attack at home, and chase him early with a lineup that ranks ninth in the league with a .252 batting average.
At home, that number improves to .278, which is the second-best home batting average in baseball.
Take the Indians on the Run line.
2* INDIANS RUN LINE (Bauer over Covey)
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Eric Schroeder
My complimentary winner is on the Houston Astros on the Run Line, as they're going to blast the Tampa Bay Rays.
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.
The Astros look to make it 12 in a row, as they're playing the best baseball right now, and it's due to a lineup that ranks No. 1 in the league with a .267 batting average. And this month alone, the defending World Series champs are the only team in the league with a .306 batting average - 30 points better than the second-best hitting team this month, Colorado at .276.
Now, though I don't care about the pitchers, I would be remiss if I didn't mention starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, who leads the American League in strikeouts per nine innings (12.49), ranks third in WHIP (0.88), fourth in ERA, second in opponents' batting average (.175) and third in opponents' OPS (.558).
He's been quite an addition to this rotation, as 12 of his 14 starts have been quality.
Take the hard-hitting Astros as they win their 12th in a row with ease.
2* ASTROS RUN LINE
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Brad Wilton
Monday night's comp play is the Diamondbacks over the Angels.
Looking for a bounce-back effort tonight from Arizona, as the Snakes got bitten both on Saturday and Sunday at home against the lowly New York Mets, as 'Zona heads to Anaheim off back-to-back losses.
The Angels have also lost their last pair and 5 of 6 overall, as the Houston Astros hot streak has put Los Angeles in the rear-view mirror in the A.L. West for the time being.
It will be Zack Greinke for Arizona and Jaime Barria for L.A., both pitchers have won 2 of their last 3 starts, and both pitchers own 5 wins on the season. Their ERA's are also pretty similar, so the real question remains which is the better team, as the pitching matchup looks to be a wash.
My belief is that Arizona is the better ball club, and they will go out their tonight and be the team to stop their skid.
In a near pick, side with the first-place Diamondbacks to get back on track this Monday night in Orange County.
1* ARIZONA
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Jimmy Boyd
Jun 18 '18, 7:10 PM in 6h
MLB | White Sox vs Indians
Play on: Indians -250 at betonline
Free Pick on Cleveland Indians -
I got no problem playing Cleveland as a a massive home favorite against the White Sox. The Indians are going to be extremely motivated in the series opener against Chicago after losing 2 of 3 to the Twins at home over the weekend. Cleveland did manage to win the finale over Minnesota on Sunday, so they got some momentum and will be facing a White Sox team that has lost 4 straight.
Even after losing 2 of 3 to the Twins, the Indians are still 21-13 at home, where they are averaging 5.6 runs/game. With Trevor Bauer on the mound, I'm confident Cleveland can outscore Chicago. Bauer has a 2.69 ERA and 1.121 WHIP in 14 starts. He comes in having struck out 10+ batters in each of his last 4 starts. In his last 3 starts against the White Sox, he's struck out 28 hitters in 20 innings of work. He also gave up 4 or fewer hits in each start. Take Cleveland!
Jack Jones
Jun 18 '18, 8:15 PM in 7h
MLB | Rangers vs Royals
Play on: Royals +105 at MyBookie
Jack’s Free Pick Monday: Kansas City Royals +105
It’s not often I’m looking to back the Kansas City Royals. But they’re up against another last-place team in the Texas Rangers tonight and I like the value we are getting with them as home underdogs in Game 1 of this series.
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Info Plays
Jun 18 '18, 8:40 PM in 7h
MLB | Mets vs Rockies
Play on: Rockies +121 at 5dimes
1* Free Play on Rockies +121
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Cole Faxon
Jun 18 '18, 10:05 PM in 8h
MLB | Diamondbacks vs Angels
Play on: Diamondbacks +111 at YouWager
FREE PLAY on Diamondbacks +111
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Bobby Conn
Jun 18 '18, 10:05 PM in 8h
MLB | Diamondbacks vs Angels
Play on: Diamondbacks +111 at YouWager
1* Free Play on Diamondbacks +111
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Ian Kennedy has posted a respectable 4.40 ERA in eight home starts this season. Kennedy has posted a 3.59 ERA and 1.219 WHIP in seven career starts against the Rangers as well.
Bartolo Colon has come back down to reality of late. He is 1-3 with a 9.51 ERA in his last five starts, giving up 25 earned runs in 23 2/3 innings. Colon is also 0-1 with a 9.34 ERA in his last two starts against the Royals, allowing 9 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings.
Texas is 8-25 in road games vs. AL teams who score 3.9 or fewer runs per game over the last three seasons. The Rangers are 5-21 in their last 26 during Game 1 of a series. Texas is 10-25 in its last 35 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400. Bet the Royals Monday.
Totals Guru
Jun 18 '18, 10:15 PM in 9h
MLB | MIA vs SFO
Play on: UNDER 7½ -118
Free Total Annihilator On Marlins vs Giants under 7½ -118
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Sal Michaels
Jun 18 '18, 10:05 PM in 8h
MLB | ARI vs LAA
Play on: UNDER 7½ -114
Free Play on Diamondbacks vs Angels under 7½ -114
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Kenny Walker
Jun 18 '18, 10:15 PM in 9h
MLB | Marlins vs Giants
Play on: Giants -146 at BMaker
Free Pick on Giants
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Dustin Hawkins
Jun 18 '18, 7:05 PM in 5h
MLB | Yankees vs Nationals
Play on: Nationals +121 at BMaker
Free Play on Nationals +121
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Mark Wilson
Jun 18 '18, 8:40 PM in 7h
MLB | NYM vs COL
Play on: OVER 9½ +100
Free Play on Mets vs Rockies over 9½ +100
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Marc Lawrence
Jun 18 '18, 8:15 PM in 7h
MLB | Rangers vs Royals
Play on: Rangers -100 at Pinnacle
Play - Texas Rangers vs Kennedy (Game 965).
Edges - Rangers: 14-3 L17 games in this series … Royals: 1-7 Mondays this season; and Kennedy 1-6 career team starts versus Rangers. With that we recommend a 1* play on Texas. Thank you and good luck as always.
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Larry Ness
Jun 18 '18, 8:15 PM in 7h
MLB | Rangers vs Royals
Play on: Royals -108 at 5dimes
My free play is on the KC Royals at 8:15 ET. The Kansas City Royals had the bad luck to run into the defending champion Houston Astros over the weekend and were outscored 24-9 in getting swept in a three-game series. The 22-49 Royals sit in last place in the AL Central, as they get set to host the Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a three-game series. KC will be looking to snap a six-game slide and enter this contest a woeful 2-13 in June. The Royals' pitching staff has given up at least seven runs in each of the last four games and leads the majors in runs allowed (398) while owning the worst team ERA (5.37). The 29-44 Rangers are only slightly better than the Royals (Texas is also a last place team in the AL West) and enter with losses in seven of their last nine games (did win Sat & Sun against Colorado, ending a seven-game slide!). The Texas pitching staff owns a 4.92 ERA, which ranks 28th of 30 teams.
Bartolo Colon (3-4, 4.94 ERA) will take the mound for Texas and Ian Kennedy (1-6, 5.13 ERA) will get the nod for Kansas City. The ageless veteran Colon was hammered last time out in LA by the Dodgers, allowing eight runs on nine hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings to suffer a 12-5 loss. The 45-year-old has been reached for at least six ERs in three of his last five outings and has served up 19 HRs in 74 2/3 innings in 2018. Colon posted a quality start against the Royals on May 26, yielding three runs on five hits and a pair of walks across seven innings without factoring in the decision (Texas won 4-3). He is 15-11 with a 5.00 ERA in 32 career games (31 starts) against the Royals.
Ian Kennedy is off his best start of the season this past Tuesday against Cincinnati, pitching eight scoreless innings. However, he could not get enough run support to earn the win, as KC lost 5-1 in 10 innings. Kennedy comes into this contest winless over his last 12 starts (KC is 2-10). Kennedy went up against Colon on May 26 and was also left out of the decision while allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over five innings in that 4-3 loss. Kennedy is 0-3 with a 4.40 ERA in seven career starts against Texas.
Pick your poison in this one. Colon owns a 9.51 ERA in his past five starts with opponents hitting .336 against him with a .710 slugging percentage. His season ERA has ballooned from 2.82 to 4.94 during that span while the season opponent's batting average climbed from .212 to .258 in that stretch. Then there is Kennedy, who is winless in his last 12 starts, going 0-6 with a 5.98 ERA since his last win on April 7 (Royals are 2-10). Yes, the Royals are are 10-26 at Kauffman Stadium, the worst home record in the majors. However, Texas is no better than a struggling last-place team (already 19 games out in the AL West), which over-performed yesterday in a 13-12 win over Colorado (the Rangers scored four runs in the ninth to steal the win!). Back to reality here and note that Kennedy comes in having allowed just one run over his last two starts (13 innings / 0.69 ERA). Take KC.
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Brandon Lee
Jun 18 '18, 8:40 PM in 7h
MLB | Mets vs Rockies
Play on: Mets -117 at 5dimes
10* FREE MLB PICK (Mets -117)
I'll take my chances here with the Mets going into Colorado and taking the series opener behind ace Jacob deGrom. New York finally has some positive vibes after taking the final two games at Arizona, including a 4-run rally in the 9th to take the finale 5-3. The Mets have scored as many runs in their last 2 games as they had in their previous 5 games. I think there's a good chance the offense carries over that momentum to hitter-friendly Coors Field. Colorado will send out Tyler Anderson, who has a 5.14 ERA and 1.536 WHIP over 5 home starts. As for deGrom, the guys been one of the best pitchers in the game to start 2018. He's got a 1.55 ERA and 1.008 WHIP in 14 starts. He's allowed a whopping 15 earned runs in 87 1/3 innings of work. It's also worth noting that while New York is riding a high after their comeback win, Colorado is riding a low after they gave up 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th to lose 13-12 at Texas on Sunday. Give me the Mets -117!
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Steve Janus
Jun 18 '18, 7:05 PM in 5h
MLB | Yankees vs Nationals
Play on: Nationals +114 at BMaker
1* Free Sharp Play on Nationals +114
My money is on Washington to defeat the Yankees Monday night regardless of what happens in the conclusion of the suspended game that will be played before this one. This is simply too good a price to pass up on Washington at home. Yankees are sending out Sonny Gray for the start in this one and while's been better of late, he's still got a 4.98 ERA and 1.485 WHIP in 13 starts. His most recent start came at home against these Nationals on 6/13 and he lasted just 5 innings after allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks. Washington has scored 5+ runs in 3 of their last 4 and it's only a matter of time before Harper goes off. Bet the Nationals +114!
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Dennis Macklin
Jun 18 '18, 10:05 PM in 8h
MLB | Diamondbacks vs Angels
Play on: Angels -102 at 5dimes
DMack's Free Play for Monday, June 18, 2018 in on the Angels (Barria Listed)
The Halos have lost 5 o 6 but are in a good spot to get back on track here behind James Barria is 3-1 with 2.74 ERA over his L5 starts. The Snakes counter with Zach Greinke who does his best work at home and is currently in poor form to the tune of 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA over his L5 and the DBacks are 8-16 this year facing opponents with winning records. Tale the Angels.
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Mike Lundin
Jun 18 '18, 7:10 PM in 6h
MLB | White Sox vs Indians
Play on: Indians -1½ -140 at Pinnacle
#MLB FREE PICK FROM MIKE LUNDIN
The Cleveland Indians host the Chicago White Sox for the opener of a three-game series Monday night, and I would be shocked if we'll see anything but a two-run+ win for the home team here.
Dylan Covey (3-1, 2.29 ERA) will take the ball for the visitors. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA through three starts on the month and gave up just two runs through seven innings of a 3-2 win over Cleveland his last time out. It could however been way worse as he gave up 10 hits, and I expect the Tribe to more effective this time around.
Cleveland righty Trevor Bauer (5-5, 2.69 ERA) pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts when pitching opposite Covey last week. He has struck out 10 or more batters in four consecutive starts.
The Indians will welcome first baseman Yonder Alonso back into the lineup as he will be activated off the family medical emergency list. In seven games against the White Sox this year, Alonso is hitting .400 (10-for-25) and he is 2-for-4 with a double and a walk off Covey.
Free pick on Cleveland Indians -1.5.
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