Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach MLB Rotation #953 Monday 10* Top Play New York Mets Money Line (+140) @ Atlanta Braves @ 7:10 ET - The first line to come out on this game was in the -125 range and now the money line has quickly shot up to the -150 range. Free money on the Braves, right? In typical contrarian fashion I am fading the line move here and grabbing the line value on the other side. I fully understand the line as the Braves Max Fried has looked solid since returning from injury. However, Taijuan Walker has been fantastic this season with a 2.20 ERA and holding opponents to a paltry .170 batting average! I am not saying the Mets are better than the Braves overall but I like to take dogs when there is reason to fade a favorite. That is the case here as Walker has been better overall this season in comparison with Fried. Also, the Braves have a losing record at home this season plus are an ugly 7-13 this season when facing a team with a winning record! I am aware that the Mets have some injury issues but Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr is dealing with an ankle injury and he is arguably the most important hitter in the Braves lineup. Atlanta has not seen Walker start against them since the 2017 season while the Mets saw Friend not just once but twice last season. In my mind there is simply no justification for Atlanta to have been adjusted up into the -150 range here as the bookmakers do not give away "free money" but that is the way the bettors have acted in the way they jumped all over Atlanta here after the odds makers said the right price was closer to -120 than -150. As usual, I am siding with the odds makers on this money line! Give me the dog! 10* NEW YORK METS +140

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach MLB Rotation #951 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cincinnati Reds vs San Francisco Giants @ 6:40 ET - The Giants Logan Webb is 0-3 with a 7.58 ERA in his 4 road starts this season. The San Francisco bullpen has a 5.02 ERA in road games this season. The Reds are averaging 7 runs per game at home this season so this will be a major challenge for Giants pitchers. However, Cincinnati has some pitching concerns of their own here. Reds starter Sonny Gray was "off" and "wild" in his most recent start. Lacking command could hurt Gray here and he got rocked for 5 earned runs in less than 4 innings of work in his only evening start this season. The Reds bullpen has a 6.21 ERA in home games this season. San Francisco has averaged 5.4 runs per game last 7 road games. We get a low total in this game to work with and I like the value because Gray was not sharp in most recent outing and you can see the pens and the Giants starter all fall into the "likely to get hit" category in this one as well. 10* OVER the total in Cincinnati

NBCSN Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #1 Monday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Washington Capitals vs Boston Bruins @ 7:35 ET - My initial thought here was to play on Boston as the Bruins look to bounce back from the Game 1 loss and because Washington has goalie issues. Vanecek exited Saturday's game early with a lower-body injury and Samsonov has been out for a couple weeks and would be rusty and Anderson has hardly played this season and it was a surprise the 39-year old netminder fared as well as he did in Saturday's win. With all that said, I do expect the Bruins to enjoy success in the offensive zone in this one. However, how do I play against a team that found a way to win Saturday's game on home ice despite the goalie issues and despite giving up a power play goal and having only 1 power play chance while giving Boston 4 and despite losing the faceoff battle by a 3 to 2 ratio? Exactly! I just can not play against the Capitals here but I do expect them to struggle to stop the Bruins. The fact we have the over 5.5 available as high as a +125 makes this a valuable plus money bet! Remember that Game One was 2-2 going to the 3rd and only a scoreless 3rd prevented an over. Look for this one to get to at least 6 goals as Boston scores well but the Caps, so tough on their home ice in particular, answer them goal for goal! 10* OVER the total in Washington