Scott Rickenbach Free Sports Picks & Handicapper Review

Contrarian Crusher - MLB Rotation #954 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Phillies Money Line (+101) vs San Francisco Giants @ 7:05 ET - I understand the line here but I still think it is too much value to pass up on. Yes, Kevin Gausman certainly has a better track record than Chase Anderson long-term. Yes I know Bryce Harper had back tightness and sat for a game recently but he game back and went 3 for 3 with a homer yesterday! That was an early day game Sunday and now this is an evening game Monday so he should be good to go. He is one of a number of Phillies who have had good success against Gausman. The Giants right-hander has not enjoyed pitching in Philly. In his career he is 0-3 in his 4 starts against Philadelphia and has compiled a 6.45 ERA plus has been particularly roughed up at Citizens Bank Park. As for Anderson, he is unlikely to pitch deep into this game and has command issues at times but two keys about this. One is that Anderson was very tough to hit in spring training and that has continued into the regular season as well. The second key is that Nola pitched a complete game for the Phillies yesterday so the best arms in the bullpen are rested and ready to go here! The Giants won yesterday but scored just 1 run and their .205 batting average ranks them 29th out of the 30 MLB teams! San Francisco, not including extra inning runs, has averaged just 1.9 runs per game its last 7 road games. Also, the Giants got 5 runs in the top of the 7th of a recent extra inning loss. If you remove that outlier from the equation, San Francisco would be averaging just 1.1 runs per game last 7 road games. This team struggles to hit and the Phillies are a much more confident team and better hitting lineup when at home. The Giants were 3-5 in road games this season before yesterday's win. The Phillies are now 7-2 at home this season. In fact if you had simply played the home team in all of Philadelphia's games this season you would be 12-3. They have struggled on the road but been great as a host. Look for that home team dominance to continue here. 10* PHILADELPHIA Money Line +101

Situational Slaughter - NHL Rotation #36 Monday 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-115) vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - My honest opinion right now is that if these teams met in a 7-game series the Hurricanes would ultimately prevail. Carolina is a very hungry team and, of course, the Lightning just won the Stanley Cup and it is so difficult to repeat. However, for this regular season game, there are huge edges for the Bolts in my opinion. Tampa Bay sees Carolina ahead of them at the top of the standings but only by 2 points. The Lightning are on home ice where Andrei Vasilevskiy just suffered his first home loss of the season. That's right, the TB netminder is a superb 14-1 with a 1.67 GAA and .941 save percentage on home ice this season. So Vasilevskiy wants a bounce back and he and his Bolts teammates also looking for some revenge after a 4-3 loss 3 weeks ago in which the Lightning were outplayed. That game was the 5th time in the last 6 meetings that the home team has prevailed and I look for that trend to continue. I realize Carolina is a very good team. Like I said, at the present time I would take them in a series over Tampa. However, for this particular game, the situational value is off the charts with the Lightning and we get a very low price because, yes, the Canes are a very good team. But tonight it is the Bolts and Vasilevskiy getting some payback. 10* TAMPA BAY -115

Central Div Total of the Year - NBA Rotation #501 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:10 ET - When it gets late in the season I like to look at match-ups like this one for overs. These two teams are at the bottom of the central division. They are going nowhere this season and they know it. Where is the motivation to play defense? Exactly! Not only that, these teams have a history of high-scoring games when they match-up. Each of the last NINE meetings have gone over. That's right, a 9-0 / 100% PERFECT over run! Each team is allowing 111 points per game this season and about 48% from the field and 37%/38% from three point land. In other words, neither of these teams have been strong on the defensive end this season. I realize that this match-up does not feature the most skilled offensive players in the NBA to say the least but that is factored into this low posted total too which I feel strongly will prove to be far too low. 10* OVER the total in Detroit

Daytime Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Monday 10* Top Play OVER 3 goals in Leeds United vs Liverpool @ 3 PM ET - No team in the Premier League has fewer draws this season than does Leeds. The only club in the table with less than 5 draws is Leeds with 3 and they have played 31 matches so that means, odds prevailing, there is only 10 percent chance of a draw here. That said, I certainly do not foresee Leeds not scoring here. They have won 3 straight matches and scored at least 2 goals in all 3 matches. These teams last met in September and that was a wild 4-3 final! Liverpool has scored 5 goals in its last 2 premier league matches entering into this one. The point is that getting each team to at least a goal is likely and the likelihood of a draw is slim. With that factored in we should see at least 3 goals here. That is the posted total on this game and certainly offers some security as I see this game getting to at least 3 goals but, more likely, 4 or 5. Remember the last meeting tallied 7 goals. Another high-scoring match here. 10* OVER 3 goals in Leeds United

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Monday Free Pick Leeds United Money Line (+361) vs Liverpool @ 3 ET - Leeds has 14 wins this season and Liverpool has 15. That said, I know Liverpool has been a better away team this season and Leeds has also been a better road team. But still, Leeds on their home pitch getting this kind of price and with the ability to spring upsets and coming into this game having won 3 straight matches. I am aware of the Raphinha injury. However, I truly would be surprised if he does not play here. Either way, this is an attacking Leeds team that can give Liverpool some trouble. Leeds has scored multiple goals in each of its last 3 wins. Liverpool has only 1 win in its last 3 games across all competitions and the home dog could challenge them here. Leeds lost the first match-up this season by a 4-3 final. Another tight game here that has upset potential written all over it given Liverpool's recent injuries. Free Pick LEEDS +361