ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach Saturday CFL 8* OVER the total in BC Lions vs Edmonton Eskimos @ 10 ET - The O/U posted on this one is certainly a big one. But don't be fooled, it is absolutely justified. The Eskimos have some impacting injuries on the defensive side of the ball and the Lions had some significant off-season changes that have impacted their defense. Keep in mind, Calgary was on the only team in the CFL last season that scored more points on the season than Edmonton and BC. Both the Eskimos and Lions like to "air it out" early and often. BC will be even more dynamic once Chris Williams is healthy. But even without one of their newest additions, Williams, for this one the Lions still have a ton of weaponry in the passing game. Additionally BC has arguably the most dangerous ground game in the league. This will keep the Eskimos guessing as to what is coming next on each play and, again, Edmonton is without some key cogs on that side of the ball. The other key factor is the dangerous Eskimos offense throwing all over a BC defense that has some new faces in new places and will be a susceptible D - particularly early in the season. This one simply has shootout written all over it. I respect the high total and that is why this one did not get my top play rating but it is still a solid situation that demands being played. As a road dog of 3.5 to 7 points, Edmonton is on a long-term run of 37-26 to the over. Also, the over is a long-term 60-45 in Eskimos Saturday games. BC has gone 10-5 to the over in Saturday games the past 2 seasons. Also, the Lions are 4-1 to the over as a home fave of 3.5 to 7 points and 6-2 to the over in home games with a posted total of 52 points or more. As noted above, the big total should prove to be absolutely justified here and this one soars past the number. 8* OVER the total in BC late Saturday night.

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach Free Pick Saturday MLB Seattle Mariners Money Line (+) vs Houston Astros @ 10:10 ET - The Astros are over-priced here. Lance McCullers has great numbers on the season but he has been on the disabled list with back problems. That could flare up again here and he is facing a Seattle team that has won 6 straight games and averaged 8 runs per game! As for the Astros, they will be facing Sam Gaviglio and the Mariners are a solid 6-1 in his starts this season. The right-hander has a 1.71 ERA and minuscule 1.14 WHIP in his home outings and the M's are a perfect 4-0 in those starts! The Astros lineup has never faced Gaviglio while the Seattle lineup will be facing McCullers for the 4th time in the past 12 months! While it is true that McCullers has had success in those 3 prior outings versus the Mariners, it is also true that Seattle's lineup is on fire right now and that McCuller's back is a concern here! The Mariners are 25-13 at home this season. The Astros are only 10-10 the past 3 seasons combined when they are off of a game where they allowed 10 runs or more. The Mariners also are a fantastic 12-3 the past 3 seasons combined in home games with a posted total of 9 or 9.5 runs. Free Pick on SEATTLE MARINERS on the money line late Saturday night. Best of luck, Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach

Total of the Month - Rickenbach Saturday MLB 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Angels @ 7:15 ET - With yesterday's 9-4 Red Sox win cruising over the total, Boston has now recorded 3 straight overs and the Angels have recorded 5 straight overs. On a mild evening at Fenway Park and with two struggling pitchers on the mound, I don't expect these trends to come to an end. JC Ramirez gets the start for the Angels and the right-hander has given up 18 earned runs on 28 hits in his last 18 innings of work. That equates to a 9.00 ERA in the last 4 starts Ramirez has made and he now faces a Boston team that is averaging 6.6 runs per game in its last 5 home games. The Red Sox will be starting David Price. The Boston southpaw got a late start to this season and he really has not been as impressive as we're use to seeing from Price. The bad news for the left-hander is that things appear to be getting worse, not better, as he has a 6.75 ERA and 1.94 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Price allowed 5 homers in the 16 innings spanning those 3 starts. He now faces an Angels team that has averaged 6.3 runs and 11 hits per game in it's last 6 games. In road games with a posted total of 10 or 10.5 runs, the over is 3-1 in Angels games this season. The Red Sox have gone 4-1 to the over in their last 5 games overall and they've had just 1 under in their last 5 home games. Look for another wild one at Fenway Park tonight. 10* OVER the total in Boston early Saturday evening.

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach Saturday MLB 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Marlins vs Chicago Cubs @ 4:10 ET - After yesterday's pitchers duel, today's afternoon match-up has all the right ingredients to play out in completely opposite fashion. Look for a slugfest here! The Marlins Justin Nicolino returned from the disabled list and promptly got rocked at home versus Washington. The Miami southpaw gave up 6 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits (including 2 homers) in just 3 innings of work! Niccolino is facing a Cubs lineup that will be fired up after getting shutout yesterday and the Cubs have a .457 slugging percentage against southpaws this season. That ranks them 4th out of all 30 teams in the majors. As for the Marlins, they have an on base percentage of .342 against left-handed pitching this season and that ranks them 4th out of all 30 teams. Miami will be facing southpaw Jon Lester whom has not fared nearly as well on the road as he has at home. Away from home this season, Lester is 1-3 with a 5.84 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. The over is 17-9 this season in Miami's games against teams with a winning record and the over is also a solid 9-4 this year in Marlins games against left-handed starters. The Cubs, as a road favorite of -175 or more, are 4-2 to the over this season and 22-11 to the over the past 3 seasons combined. Also, Chicago is 10-6 to the over this year in games against left-handed starters. 10* OVER the total in Miami Saturday afternoon 

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach Saturday MLB 8* Texas Rangers Money Line (+) @ New York Yankees @ 1:05 ET - The Yankees got the 2-1 win in extra innings last night but New York previously had lost 8 of their last 9 games. That said, they truly are over-priced here against a Rangers team that had won 9 of their last 13 games prior to yesterday's tight loss in a pitchers duel. Not only has Texas been the hotter team, they have the pitching edge in this match-up too. Luis Cessa gets the start for the Yankees and he gave up 4 earned runs in 4 innings in his first start of this season which was on Sunday at Oakland. Cessa took the loss in that game and is now 2-5 as a starter at the MLB level. He'll be opposed by Austin Bibens-Dirkx who threw a beauty in his lone day game start this season. He's also been solid on the road with a 2.60 ERA and holding hitters to a .167 batting when he is away from home. The Rangers are 12-7 and +$7,000 in day games this season and they're offering great line value here against a Yankees team that has been in quite a slump. Grab the big dog value in this one. 8* TEXAS RANGERS money line early Saturday