DENNIS MACKLIN
Mariners vs. Yankees
Play: Under 9½
Just a good spot for this game to go under this ultra-generous 9.5 runs. Ariel Miranda's numbers aren't great but he faced the Bombers on 7/22 and got the win going 5 2/3 allowing two earned on five hits. Sabathia has been good all year, his L3 starts have gone Under and the Under is 14-6 in his starts this year. The big man has always owned the M's and is 15-6 with a 2.63 ERA in 28 LT starts against the Safecos. Add to the mix that Seattle is 16-5 to the low ball as a road dog of this price and we have a reasonably strong case.
VIC DUKE
Royals vs. Indians
Play: Indians -118
KC has not played well in this ballpark losing 9 of their last 11 at Progressive Field. Jason Vargas gets the nod for KC and not keen on him in the second half of the season. The All-Star sports a lofty 7.15 ERA over his last 8 outings. And despite the Indians' bats without some key starters, the Tribe lit up another All-Star lefty yesterday in Chris Sale. We'll look for Cleveland to give their lefty starter - Ryan Merritt - the needed run support. Merritt, who threw a respectable 3 2/3 innings on August 17th after spending time in the minors, will have another go at KC tonight. Merritt pitched his first MLB game against KC last September - allowing just 1 run over 5 innings. And the Indians' bullpen, which has an full earned run less than KC's bullpen, should close it out. Cleveland 41-14 on Fridays should deliver.
3G-SPORTS
Kansas City vs. Seattle
Play: Kansas City +3
The Kansas City offense has been running their offense smooth , behind steady Alex Smith who did what he does, again, last game - becoming the leader of the team - and his passing game has been stronger going downfield lately. The Chiefs oftentimes find ways to lose games to other top notch teams. Kansas City will not let that happen here - Smith and Andy Reid will have them prepared. This will not be one of those times, they have expectations this season. This Seattle team has come up on the small side, too many times - a team that has such talent with Russell Wilson and company - but is not currently playing as good as KC in the rushing category. If Seattle's defensive front can just turn it up another notch, this team could get even more dangerous than they already are. Kansas City and their DBs will make sure the Hawks WRs don't go off here. Chiefs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games.
SPORTS WAGERS
EDMONTON -5½ over Sask
The Roughriders have traded wins and losses the last six weeks but if there's been one measure of consistency it's been their poor play outside the friendly confines of new Mosiac Stadium. In three road contests this season, Saskatchewan is 0-3. In their past two road games, the Riders have been outscored 57-25 and the final scores in both B.C. and Calgary certainly flattered the guests. In Vancouver three weeks ago the Riders were out-gained by over 200 yards. Sure, the Roughies rebounded two weeks ago with a resounding 41-8 drubbing of the Leo's, but were not going to put too much stock into just one game. It's hard to beat a team in back to back weeks and the Roughriders benefited greatly from a huge four interception night from Ed Gainey. When you win the turnover battle 6-1, you better win by double digits. Any momentum the Roughriders may have gained from that home win over B.C. may be lost, as they sat out last week with a bye. Western opponents have not been kind to the Roughriders when they come to town, as Saskatchewan has lost their last 15 road games against West Division rivals including their last five trips to Commonwealth Stadium.
The Eskimos have battled injury trouble all season but made a big splash with the addition of defensive lineman John Chick in a trade with the Tiger-Cats. Desperate for a playmaker on the defensive end, the Eskies could have done worse than the three-time all-star and 8-year CFL vet. Chick was a Roughriders mainstay until he was cut for financial reasons in 2016. Because of his release, Chick missed playing with the Mayor of Swaggerville, Odel Willis who is now also in Edmonton. Willis is second in the league with six sacks while adding 18 pressures. He's been all over opposing quarterbacks this season. With the pressure of being the CFL's only undefeated team now gone, the Eskimos can focus on the big prize. Despite a rocky couple of weeks on the stat sheet, quarterback Mike Reilly is still one of the leagues' best. He's completing 71.3 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Reilly has been as consistent as any QB in the league and that's with his main man Adarius Bowman on the sidelines while playing behind a patchwork offensive line for most of the season.
The province of Alberta is loaded with Saskatchewan exiles and the capital is no different. Roughrider games in Calgary and Edmonton tend to draw bigger than usual crowds and tonight will be no different. There are already 40,000 tickets sold for this game which is the most so far in the CFL this season. There was a feature story in the Edmonton Journal where Mike Reilly wanted to make sure everyone knew that Commonwealth was “their” house. As far as regular season games in Edmonton goes, a visit from the Roughriders is bigger than any game other on the schedule, including the Labour Day rematch with the Stampeders. The Eskimos will not take this game lightly. For the Roughriders, this looks to be a letdown spot with next week's huge Labour Day game against the Blue Bombers in their sights. After a week off, the Roughies could also be flat footed to start this game and if that happens, the Eskies will go gate to wire with an easy win. If it doesn’t happen, Edmonton should still win and cover.
The Prez
Mets at Nationals
Play: Under 8
New York and Washington take Nationals Park field tonight with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET with the Mets sending hard throwing Jacob deGrom (13-7, 3.49 ERA) to the mound to oppose the Nationals A.J. Cole (1-3, 5.32).
The Nationals have won 10 of 14 games without their big bat in the middle of the lineup, Bryce Harper (knee), who has missed double-digit events over the last week-plus. The Nationals have been successful without Harper and their handful of injured while third baseman Ryan Zimmerman scuffles through a 1-for-20 slump.
The Mets were sellers at the non-waiver trade deadline and continue to push prospects to the field on a nightly basis. Additionally they lost All Star and the 27-home run production of Michael Conforto yesterday when he dislocated a shoulder on a swing and miss.
With the injuries, the trades while playing backups and prospects this event will turn into a pitchers dual. There is no doubting the Mets starter, deGrom, and his ability to shut down offenses. Despite suffering losses in four of his last five outings the Mets right-hander is 4-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 10 career starts against Washington, including a 2-1 mark and 2.61 ERA in three starting appearances against the Nats this season.
Cole makes his fourth start of the month for the Nationals and does so after losing his first three. Don't spend a large amount of time staring at the right-handers 6.75 ERA in August that includes 16 innings of work that has seen eight walks and four home runs. Cole is starting in place of the ailing Max Scherzer and while his traditional numbers are not impressive this year the young prospect has a long history of recording a 25 percent strikeout rate while inducing soft contact (25 % Hard Contact). Tonight's matchup against a prospect filled lineup without Conforto is a must play to the circumstances.
Cole is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against the Mets with 11 strikeouts in 11 innings of work.
Buster Sports
Milwaukee at Los Angeles
Play: Milwaukee +170
We believe we have a nice situational spot with Milwaukee tonight and we are also getting HUGE plus money with the Brewers. Milwaukee had yesterday off as they waited in Los Angeles for the Dodgers to complete their 7 game road trip in Pittsburgh. The starting pitchers for tonight’s game are for the Brewers RH Chase Anderson (7-2, 2.83 ERA) and he will face the Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (11-5, 3.88 ERA). Anderson has pitched well all year for the Brewers, as his 2.83 ERA would suggest. He made his first start last Sunday after being on the DL for almost a month and a half with a left oblique strain. In that start, he allowed only 1 run in 5 innings. This will be the first time he has faced the Dodgers this year. As for Maeda, he like most of the Dodgers pitchers is having a solid year. The last time he faced the Brewers he allowed 2 runs in 4 innings. We realize going against the Dodger machine is tough to do but we believe we have a great spot to do so here, especially when we are getting +170 in a game that we see should be closer than most expect.
Bob Balfe
Royals +105
I will go with Justin Vargas every single time at this price against a young pitcher in Ryan Merritt who in his work this year does not have strike out power and has given up a lot of hits. If you look at his numbers he is lucky to have an ERA under 4.00. Vargas is a much better pitcher and should win this duel.
OC Dooley
White Sox +160
Struggling Chicago veteran pitcher Derek Holland is actually battling to retain his rotation spot as his manager has threatened a bullpen demotion. Major LINEUP news as road favorite Minnesota will be without lead catcher Jason Castro who has been placed on concussion protocal after getting hit in the mask last night. That means already very young Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios will have to work with a catcher Rene Rivera for which is NOT familiar with. The key to this move in my mind surrounds White Sox starter Derek Holland whose ERA after the initial 2 months of the season (2.37) was actually spectacular, but the veteran has struggled since. Holland's most recent start was on the road at Texas against a Rangers organization where he spent EIGHT YEARS in their uniform. Holland who actually scraped the words "thank you" on the back of the mound surprisingly struggled on Saturday evening which makes him in my mind tonight undervalued. Ever since Paul Molitor has been manager when cast as a prohibitive favorite (150-or-more) Minnesota actually has a "losing" record of 4-9
Harry Bondi
DETROIT (+3.5) over New England
One of the biggest myth’s of the preseason is that all coaches game for and try to win game 3 of the preseason. One who does not is Bill Belichick. He has done virtually no game planning for either of the first two preseason games and he won’t do much for tonight’s game at Detroit. The numbers back this up. Belichick is 2-7 ATS the last 9 years in week 3 of the preseason! The Lions are a team that cares about winning in the preseason and have gone 17-7 ATS in their last 24 preseason encounters. Detroit has looked very good in beating the Colts and Jets and beat the champs tonight.