Ben Burns Sports Picks & Handicapper Review

As you saw, these teams both had to leave everything on the field to get here. Both were taken to the brink, each having to play a Game 7. While its hard to go against Kershaw, I like the fact that the Rays have had one extra day of rest. Their bullpen has been outstanding and will now be fresh and ready to go. Also, Kershaw carries such a "big name," as do the Dodgers in general, that LA is a fairly heavy favorite on the money-line. In turn, that means we can get an extra +1.5 runs with the Rays for a very reasonable price. The Dodgers are indeed an excellent team. However, the Rays are here for a reason. I feel that tonight's opener may well be of the "very close" variety. Consider grabbing the extra +1.5 runs with Tampa on the run-line. 

Ben Burns enters the World Series with a PERFECT 4-0 RECORD with his last four MLB plays. On the season, he's an INCREDIBLE 117-60. Truly impressive numbers but Ben isn't finished yet! He's OWNED the Fall Classic over the years and he says THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GO with the "total" in Game 1. Make sure you join him for his #1 TOTAL OF THE WEEK!

I'm playing on Tampa/LA UNDER the total. We saw a little bit of everything in the previous games here at Globe Life Field. Still, the park played "big" and favors the pitchers more than saw of the other ballparks where these playoff games have been played. With a Game 1 showdown expected to feature Kershaw and Glasnow, I expect runs to be at a premium in Tuesday's opener. While both teams can obviously hit, they're also both here due to playing great defense, something which often goes unmentioned. With 25 K's in 19 1/3 playoff innings, Glasnow is absolutely capable of dominating. Kershaw is going to be absolutely determined for a huge game. He was bothered by the wind last time and ultimately charged with four runs. However, he was still pitching well (allowed 1 run through first five innings) before being hurt by a throwing error and an infield hit, which led to him being charged with four runs. The future Hall-Of-Famer is coming in here with a chip on his shoulder; the bullpen finally got a much needed day off on Monday. Speaking of bullpens, the Rays are here in large part due to theirs. They're refreshed and ready to go if/when needed. It all adds up to a low-scoring affair.