The Cleveland Indians will go for a 2-game sweep over the Chicago White Sox when they play an early one today at Progressive Field. The Indians’ bats finally came alive late in Monday’s contest and hitting is contagious. The Tribe are expected to send the two time American League Cy Young winner to the hill, Corey Kluber. Kluber has dominated the White Sox in his career, going 13-4 with an ERA of 2.80, and last year he was 4-0 against Chicago with a nasty ERA of only 0.96. The White Sox are expected to give the nod to Carlos Rodón. Rodón was 0-2 last year against Cleveland and the White Sox are 1-4 in his last 5 starts at Progressive Field. The Indians have won 38 of the last 55 meetings and will notch another one today.
TODAY’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS
Tuesday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
The Kress Events Center will be electric tonight when the Green Bay Phoenix host the Texas Southern Tigers in the CIT Tournament semi-final match-up. Green Bay is riding high after throttling the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, 80-65, in their last outing. The Phoenix have been a force to deal with on their home turf, with a record of 14-3, where they are averaging 83.9 points per game and allowing an average of 77.3. The Tigers had to go to overtime to take care of the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks in their last outing and their road record has not been stellar. They are 13-10 on the road, where they have averaged 78.1 points per game and allowed an average of 80.8. The crowd will give the Phoenix extra motivation and they will get it done tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: GREEN BAY PHOENIX M/L
Monday MLB Pick
It was evident the Houston Astros had some early season rust when they went 1-3 against the Tampa Bay Rays to start the season. That rust should be shed tonight and they will be in top form when they travel to Globe Life Park to face the Texas Rangers. The Astros are expected to give the nod to Brad Peacock and when he takes the rubber, good things happen. Houston is 4-1 in Peacock’s last 5 starts and 13-5 in his last 18 starts on the road. To say Houston has dominated Texas would be an understatement. The Astros are 8-3 in the last 11 meetings overall and 17-4 in their last 21 trips to Arlington. The Rangers are expected to send the lefty, Drew Smyly, to the rubber and that could mean an early exit for the southpaw because the Astros crush lefties, going 13-5 in their last 18 against them.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS
Sunday MLB Pick
The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will play the rubber game of a 3-game set in a matinée today in the Bronx. The Bombers are expected to give the nod to southpaw J.A. Happ. Since being acquired from the Blue Jays last year, he has been lights out. Happ has yet to lose since dawning pinstripes, with a record of 7-0 along with a 2.69 ERA, and he has owned the Orioles. In his last 10 starts against Baltimore, he has allowed 3 runs or fewer, and last year they batted just .196 against the left hander. The Orioles are expected to send Dylan Bundy to the rubber. Bundy had a disastrous 2018 where he led the American league in losses with 16 and had an ERA of 5.45. It looks as if things haven’t changed for Bundy. This spring he had a bloated ERA of 7.89 and has not fared well over his career against New York, going 2-5 with a 6.18 ERA. Take the Bombers.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES
Saturday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
Two teams that have not made it to the Final Four since the 1980’s, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Purdue Boilermakers, will square off tonight in Louisville, Kentucky. Purdue, 26-9, can light up the scoreboard, averaging 76.7 points per game overall and on a neutral court they have been even better, averaging 81.8 points per game. The Cavaliers, 32-3, will counter Purdue’s explosive offense with the best defense in the nation. The Cavaliers have allowed an average of just 54.8 points per game and have held 11 opponents under 50 points. That’s impressive. Virginia has the edge in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, defense and turnovers. Cavaliers advance.
TONIGHT’S PICK: VIRGINIA CAVALIERS M/L
Friday MLB Pick
The World Champion Boston Red Sox were embarrassed last night by the Seattle Mariners, 12-4, at the newly named T-Mobile Park. Don’t expect a repeat of that tonight when the two clubs play the second game of a 4-game set. Seattle is expected to give the nod to the lefty Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi made his Major League debut last week in Japan and he pitched well, surrendering 2 runs on 4 hits in 4-2/3 innings of work but that was against the Athletics, not the Red Sox. The Mariners will keep him on a short leash and that might be a good thing because Boston crushes southpaws, going 20-8 in their last 28 against them. The Champs will send Nathan Eovaldi to the hill. Eovaldi can deliver, and that was evident in last year’s post-season play. In 3 career starts against Seattle, he has an ERA of only 2.12.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX
Thursday MLB Pick
The Philadelphia Phillies will kick off the 2019 campaign today when they open a 3-game set against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Philly made a statement in the off-season that they want to win the division when they signed super star Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura and J.T. Realmuto. Atlanta was quiet over the Winter, with the only notable acquisition being third baseman Josh Donaldson. The Braves will turn to Julio Teherán today to throw strikes and he was 9-9 a season ago with a 3.94 ERA. The Phillies will counter with their ace, Aaron Nola. Nola was lights out in 2018 with a record of 17-6, a 2.37 ERA, and Philadelphia is 5-1 in his last 6 home starts against Atlanta. Consider the home team here.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES