Matt Fargo Sports Handicapper Review & Free Picks

This is a play on the ATLANTA BRAVES for our MLB Wednesday Sweet Spot. The Braves nearly pulled off the great comeback last night as they scored four runs in the ninth inning to tie the game only to eventually lose in overtime. Atlanta has lost the first two games of this series as the pitching has uncharacteristically struggled by allowing 19 runs, but we expect a better effort tonight. The Reds have now won consecutive games for the first time this season, but they are at a huge disadvantage tonight. Matt Wisler will be making his second start on the season after a great opener. He allowed one run on two hits, no walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings against the Mets and he became the first and still only Braves starter to hit the seven-inning mark this season. He made two starts at Gwinnett, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his second outing and observers said it was the best he had looked in a long time. He pitched in 20 games last season, making one start, and posting an 8.35 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 14 walks. He allowed 30 earned runs in 32.1 innings but has a new attitude this season and has become more aggressive on the mound. The Reds counter with Brandon Finnegan who is making his third start as injuries have derailed him the last tow years. He sustained a strained left trapezius last April after three starts. Upon his return in June, he strained the teres major muscle near his left shoulder in the fourth inning of his comeback outing. He opened this year on the DL and his first two starts have been awful as he has allowed nine runs in 7.1 innings. 10* (955) Atlanta Braves

This is a play on the WASHINGTON NATIONALS for our MLB Afternoon Dominator. We lost a tough one with the Nationals last night as they lost their fourth straight game to fall to 10-14 overall and 7-7 on the road. The pitching has been solid along the way as Washington has allowed exactly four runs in each of those games, but the offense has been the letdown as mentioned yesterday. The Nationals have plated only eight runs in these four games as the bats continue to struggle but they are one big inning away from breaking out which can propel them going forward. Going back, Washington is 19-4 in its last games revenging a one-run loss. The Giants have won three straight games and like the Washington defense, the San Francisco offense has scored exactly four runs during the streak. The pitching has led the way, but we do not expect that to continue today as Jeff Samardzija takes the hill for just his second start on the season. He was good in his first game, as he tossed five scoreless innings, but he did walk four and now he faces a nemesis as since coming here, the Giants are 0-4 in four starts against Washington where he has a 5.87 ERA. Max Scherzer is dominating once again as he has not allowed more than two runs in any start and his 47:7 K:BB ratio is just as impressive 1.36 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. Here, we play on National League favorites with a money line of -150 or more with a team batting average of .255 or worse on the season, after scoring and allowing five runs or less the last four games. This situation is 67-14 (82.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (953) Washington Nationals

This is a play on the OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER for our NBA Wednesday Supreme Annihilator. Oklahoma City closed the regular season strong by going 11-5 over their final 16 games with all five losses all coming by four points or less and it then took Game One of this series against Utah. It has been all downhill since then as the Thunder have dropped the last three games to fall behind 3-1 and now must reel off their own three-game winning streak to win this series and they are more than capable of doing that. Russell Westbrook is unfairly taking the blame for this meltdown and while his shots have not been falling, he is doing the other things which he has done all season. Carmelo Anthony is doing nothing for Oklahoma City yet is not taking nearly as much flack despite going 17-46 (37 percent) from the floor including 4-19 (21 percent) from long range and grabbing a total of just 19 rebounds and handing out zero assists during this three-game slide. The due factor is never part of backing a team since there is no substance behind it but Anthony is due more than anybody which would be an added bonus. Westbrook and Paul George can take over a game and we expect that here as the Thunder are not prepared to go home yet. We are seeing a reverse line move in this one as this game opened at -3 and has gone to -3.5 despite a huge percentage of the money coming in on the Jazz. 10* (716) Oklahoma City Thunder

This is a play on the INDIANA PACERS for our NBA Wednesday Star Attraction. The Pacers let one get away on Sunday and according to some of the media gasbags, they lost their chance to win this series which is the furthest from the truth. Cleveland and Indiana have played eight times this season with five of those games resulting in wins by the Pacers, two of those games resulting in wins by the Cavaliers by three and four points and the final game resulting in a Cleveland win by seven points. Clearly, the Cavaliers are again overpriced as Indiana has shown all season that it can play with and beat Cleveland, but this number is priced on home team public action. This is a situation where most of the betting tickets are on the Pacers by a 2-1 margin but the money on the Indiana side is 90 percent, indicating the smart money is on the Pacers side. While Cleveland has struggled with Indiana this season except for one win by seven points, it has struggled in this situation all season against most teams. The Cavaliers are 11-21 ATS this season against teams shooting 46 percent or better from the floor while going 3-16 ATS as home favorites between 6.5 and 12 points. Indiana meanwhile is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games against winning teams and it has covered six straight games following a loss. Additionally, we play on road teams allowing 103 or more ppg, after trailing their last two games by double-digits at halftime. This situation is 150-89 ATS (62.8 percent) since 1996. 10* (711) Indiana Pacers

This is a play on the TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS for our NHL Wednesday Breakaway. The only series to go the distance concludes tonight in Boston with the Bruins and Maple Leafs tied at three games each. Toronto has a 6-4 lead in the season series after taking three of four regular season games as well as the final two games to tie the series after falling behind 3-1. The Bruins are going to be a very public play tonight as 58 percent of bets and 62 percent of money placed are on them as of Wednesday morning. Boston has just nine regulation losses at home this season and Toronto is responsible for two of those including one in Game Five so the confidence is there to win on the road in an elimination game. After scoring 12 goals in the first two games, the Bruins looked as if they would dominate the series, but they have managed only nine goals over the last four games. In the three Toronto wins, Frederik Andersen made 116 saves while giving up six goals and he has been the best player for Toronto which is a perfect situation for a team going into a Game Seven. He looks quick, poised and locked into an understanding of how to prepare for Boston's offensive attack. The Bruins have dominated shots on goal overall, but it has meant little as the team with the fewer shots has won the last five games. Toronto falls into a great underdog situation as we play against home favorites with a winning percentage between .600 and .700 revenging a road loss by two goals or more, playing a team with a winning record in the 2nd half of the season. This situation is 34-23 (598.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (25) Toronto Maple Leafs