Last tips

Tip Preview:
Redbirds (4-1) will play at home for the first time in 2018. Memphis will start former Mets' farm hand John Gant who spent September of last year in the majors. Omaha (1-3) will send to the mound Heath Fillmayer who spent the last year in Double-A Midland posting a 11-5 record with a 3.49 ERA but nearly career high BAA (.272) and 1.40 WHIP. It's easy to spot the difference, right?

Tip Preview:
51s are Mets' Triple-A affiliate and while the parent club is the class of the NL at moment their farm system is thin. And it shows on 51s roster. Las Vegas lost 4 out of 5 in their season opening series at home to El Paso, were drubbed 14-0 last night and their penciled starter for today Corey Oswalt is not with the team after being promoted to the majors.

Tip Preview:
Bets are coming on 3-6 Marlins against the team with the best record in NL!?! Sure, Mets landed in Miami at 5:00 AM on the heels of a three-games sweep of Nationals but hasn't anybody noticed they have second-best ERA (2.40) in the majors while the Marlins (5.48) are ranked 28th? In fact on Saturday only Miami gave up 20 runs and Mets needed 67 innings since the start of the season to reach number! Plus unlike his previous two outings when he had troubles gripping the ball properly in cold conditions NY starter Noah Syndergaard will take the mound in a 26 degrees weather.

Tip Preview:
I was thinking about backing the Phillies straight up but decided to get greedy. SP Ben Lively pitched excellent against the Mets last Tuesday and gave up the two runs only because of the stupid shift put on by his rookie manager. Facing a Reds team that is third to last in scoring in the majors and coming off a one-hit game against the Pirates his electric fastball may well be the dominant factor tonight.

Tip Preview:
I usually avoid betting on a -1.5 line but...
Houston laid an absolute egg last night scoring a mere run and just 4 hits in a 4-1 loss. Today the champions face Bryan Mitchell who is a converted reliever with just a handful of starts in his career. But the main reason for this tip is Gerrit Cole. The entire Padres' roster is 12-for-59 against Astros' starter with 15 strikeouts and just four runs combined.

Tip Preview:
Royals are terrible in all phases of the game. They can't hit (.197 BAA, .261 OBP), can't pitch (6.17 ERA, 4.50 ERA for starters, 9.00 for the relievers) and their best player (C Salvador Perez) is on the DL with a torn MCL. And they are yet to find the rhythm as both their series were cut short due to rain.
This is the home opener for the Indians in 2018. They lost a series against the Mariners and the Twins but with a 102-60 record at home in the last two seasons Royals look like a perfect remedy for the struggles.

Tip Preview:
Atlanta's starter Mike Foltynewicz has very respectable numbers against Nationals' top of the order: 1. Adam Eaton is 1-for-7, 2. Anthony Rendon is 2-10, 3. Bryce Harper is 3-for-9, 4. Matt Adams is 0-for-2. Only the fifth player in the batting order (SS Trea Turner) has found some success against the hard throwing righty.
Nationals will start Max Scherzer who is yet to give a a first inning run in this stadium. Braves' top of the order haven't mastered the two-time NL Cy Young winner and the stats are as follows: 1. Ender Inciarte is 7-for 30, 2. Ozzie Albies is 1-for-5, 3. Freddie Freeman is 5-for-21 and only 4. Nick Markakis has some kind of success (14-for-49 with five runs.).
Braves and Nationals mashed the ball for 19 runs and 24 hits last night. In a game that starts at 12:10 I bet the won't be that productive.

Tip Preview:
Mets have big plans for 2018 and fulfilling them means running to the ground teams like the Phillies. After two disastrous seasons Amazins' starter Matt Harvey is finally healthy in his contract year. Phillies will start Ben Lively who had success against Mets in 2017 but mainly against backups of the backups who played because of the rash of the injuries last season. Erratic and inconsistent in his brief major league career Lively will be forced to go deep tonight as rookie manager Gabe Kapler burned his bullpen in the series in Atlanta using 21 relievers in just two games.

Tip Preview:
In 2017 Nats' starter Tanner Roark allowed 15 runs in 23 innings against the Braves. Who scored 27 runs in three days against the hapless Phillies. Braves are rested having the Sunday off while Nats had a very nervous Easter against lowly Reds. The new stadium in Atlanta has a tendency towards longball and with a 25 degrees with almost 50% humidity conditions look more than OK.

Tip Preview:
When healthy as they are at the moment Mets have one of the longest and most potent lune-ups in NL. While Opening Day did little to erase the suspicions that Cardinals' bullpen is in bad shape. STL starter Michael Wacha threw a complete game shutout at Citi Field last July but only three of that game starters for the Mets are projected to play today. BTW, since that day he has a 4.85 ERA away from home.

Tip Preview:
On Opening Day Mets are practically unbeatable. Since losing in the first eight years of franchise history the Amazins are 36-12 and their overall record in Day 1 (.643) is way ahead of every other team that ever played in MLB (neither has a success rate above .600). Mets are 4-1 on Opening Day at Citi Field with the only loss coming to Nationals in 2014 in extra innings.
After missing most of 2017 with a torn lat Noah Syndergaard takes the mound for the home team in Mickey Callaway's managerial debut. It's been a long time since Mets were that healthy starting the season and the only regular missing is Michael Conforto who will join the team in a couple of weeks.
Cardinals had a rash of injuries in the last couple of days and closer Luke Gregerson is out with a hamstring strain. That leaves St. Louis bullpen in a disarray. Cardinals will start Carlos Martinez who is 1-1, 3.78 ERA at Citi Field. However he was tagged for five runs in just five innings the last time in Big Apple.

Tip Preview:
Mets will field a team dominated by Triple-A and Double-A players. Only three of their pitchers have played above Double-A level and none of the regular field players will make the 80 km road trip to Palm Beach. Mets lost yesterday 1-5 at home to the Cardinals who are tied for forth in Grapefruit League while Mets are practically last.

Tip Preview:
In Spring Training visiting teams travel with mostly back-ups and Triple-A players. Marlins are no exception. J.B. Shuck is probably the only player in today's lineup who is projected to be on the Opening Day roster. While Mets will have three definite starters, four platoon players and Juan Lagares who is being showcased for a potential trade. Matt Harvey will start in a stretch game which means four innings plus followed by the closers Jerry Blevins, AJ Ramos and Jeurys Familia plus ST pleasant surprise Matt Purke who is still battling for a spot in the bullpen.

Tip Preview:
A pure gambling tip because of the odds. Steelers should've had home-field advantage in AFC if not for a very complicated and strangely fabricated no catch ruling in the final minute against Patriots. Regarding Vikings - home team has never played in a Super Bowl. America loves such stories. Plus NFC is so wide open that either Minnesota (7-1 at home) will not play an away playoff game at all or will travel to the sputtering Eagles.

Tip Preview:
Ingram has 8 TDs at home to just 4 on the road. He scored in six of eight (four straight) home games this season and clearly loves the NO turf. And he's the vulture that always get the ball in short yard goal line situations (eight of his TDs in 2017 are shorter than four yards). Most bookies has the odds from 1.57 to 1.67. This one is way over the top.

Tip Preview:
Newton's running has become a focal point of Panthers' offense. He has 50 or more yards on the ground in five straight and seven of last eight games. His passing is way off so Panthers' chances of generating any offense rest on his legs. Newton ran for 51 yards in New Orleans on December 3rd and BTW, most bookies has set the O/U line from 55.5 to 60.5. IMO this one is a gift.

Tip Preview:
Butker has been instrumental in Chiefs turnaround. In December he kicked 15 of 17 FG attempts and all 14 extra points. Georgia Tech rookie had 7, 14, 12, 17 and 9 points in hi last five games. Chiefs are undisputed kings of FGs kicking one in every .238 drives.While Titans are the team that allows the most FGs in NFL in 2017 - one in every .207 drives.

Tip Preview:
Chiefs have an excellent defense but their man-to-man scheme is vulnerable to QB scrambles. KC are 12th in QB rush yards allowed in 2017 and while Marcus Mariota was held in check for most of the second half of the season he's always a threat.

Tip Preview:
Big Ten is 5-0 in the bowl season and that led to heavy investment on Penn St. The odds dropped by almost 10% today so be quick and grab 'em. Penn St. finished 10-2 and the combined difference in losses is four. Washington finished 10-2 but in a very weak Pac-12 theu coudn't even manage to go to the final. Huskies were in the playoffs last year but their defense lost a lot of players to NFL earlier than expected and it showed. Penn St. is ranked 12th in DVOA both on offense and defense while Washington is 4th on defense but just 23rd offensively. This is last college game for Saquon Barkley and (probably) Trace McSorley. Penn St. would do anything to send them with a bang.

Tip Preview:
I am greedy, I will admit it. Most bookies offer these odds on O/U line at least three points higher. Two offenses in the Top 40 in DVOA, NC State has a suspicious secondary while for Arizona St. is sitting at #100 defensively. A good weather in El Paso (25 degrees, almost no wind) and the first game of the bowl season on CBS. I'll go with the over.