TTL Edition: #69: Unders, Underdogs & Ohtani
NHL & MLB Winning Action, Twofer Tuesday Parlay, MJ Scores 63 OTD, & “Consistent & Persistent”
Monday Recap:
TTL Pod Picks (1-7):
NBA: CLE/DET u212.5 L
NHL: Hurricanes ML L, CHI/NASH u5.5 L
MLB: White Sox F5 L, Phillies ML L, STL/WASH u8.5 L, MIL/SD u7 W
Monday Madness Parlay: L
Welcome into Edition #69 of the TTL Newsletter! For today’s edition, the TTL Crew gives you their favorite NHL and MLB plays of the day. Colt and RMags have also cooked up the usual Twofer Tuesday Parlay and are taking 1 puck-line & 1 run-line for the two legs today. Stop by RMag’s Sidebar to revisit Michael Jordan’s 63-point playoff performance against the Celtics on this day in 1986, and scroll through Colt’s Inspiration Corner for a fresh perspective on being consistent & persistent. Thanks for stopping by for Tuesday’s battle with the books! Be a friend, and tell a friend about the TTL Crew! It’s a beautiful day to place a few bets! Let’s cash some tickets!
TTL Picks
New York Rangers vs New York Islanders Under 5.5 (6:00pm CST)
The Rangers are 28-15 to the under this year, and are 6-4 to the under in their last 10 matchups. The Rangers are 15-7 to the under on the road this season, and are 20-10 to the under on 1 day’s rest. The Isles are 27-16 to the under on the season, and are 1-8-1 to the under in their last 10 overall. The Isle are 18-9 to the under on 1 day’s rest, and the under is 7-0-1 in the Isles last 8 overall. The under is 4-0-1 in the Isles last 5 games following a win, and 6-0 in the Isles last 6 games as a favorite. These two teams have met five times already this season, and the under is 5-0 in those matchups with no total going over 5. The Islanders offense has grown cold, and despite the Rangers coming off 4 straight drubbings of the Devils this past weekend the Isles will give them all they can handle tonight. Both the Rangers and Isles rank top 10 in the league in Goals Allowed per Game, Shots Allowed per Game, and Penalty Kill Percent and it will show in this matchup tonight. Take the under for the most value in this heated East Division matchup. TTL Pick: New York Rangers vs New York Islanders Under 5.5
Arizona Diamondbacks ML (+130) vs Cincinnati Reds (5:40pm CST)
The D-Backs roll into this game as underdogs versus a team that they already have a 2-1 edge over during the 2021 season. There are a few factors that we like in this game, but let’s start with the pitching matchup. Arizona will roll out their young emerging ace, Zac Gallen, looking to build off a great deal of early success in his career. Gallen has kept his ERA under three in each of the first three seasons of his career and has started off this year in similar fashion. On the flip side, you have Luis Castillo taking the ball for the Reds, and Castillo has been inconsistent to say the least. He has allowed at least four runs in two of his first three starts, with a solid performance against the Pirates sandwiched between those two rough starts. Despite the Reds prolific offense, we like Gallen to hold them in check, and although their record does not show it, the Diamondbacks have a sneaky good offense that is currently sixth in the MLB in runs scored. Give us the D-Backs on the road. TTL Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks ML (+130)
Atlanta Braves ML (-104) vs New York Yankees (5:35pm CST)
This matchup features two teams that might be the most disappointing teams in terms of preseason expectations through the early portion of the season. The Yankees fit that bill even more than the Braves, as the Yanks hold a 5-10 record, including five straight losses. Their offense has been unimpressive, and their pitching, aside from Gerrit Cole has been brutal. Today’s starter Jameson Taillon falls within that umbrella. Taillon has allowed 7 earned runs over 8.1 innings this season, and the Braves offense has been respectable, sitting within the top five teams in the MLB in runs scored. Atlanta will start Charlie Morton today looking to bounce back from a loss to Miami. We’re backing the Braves offense to keep it rolling against an ice cold Bronx squad. TTL Pick: Atlanta Braves ML (-104)
St. Louis Cardinals ML (+114) vs Washington Nationals (6:05pm CST)
We’re rolling with another MLB underdog, this time we’re taking the Cards to take a second consecutive game over the Nationals. Washington will start left-hander Patrick Corbin tonight, and things have been as rough as can be for him thus far in 2021. Over 6.1 innings Corbin has allowed a whopping 15 earned runs over two starts. Even if the Nats can cross the plate themselves, you have to feel good going up against arguably the coldest hand in the majors this season. The Cardinals have pounded lefty pitching this year, and we like them to jump all over Corbin for another blood bath. TTL Pick: St. Louis Cardinals ML (+114)
Special Play Of The Day: Twofer Tuesday Parlay
New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins -1.5 (6:00pm CST)
We’ve got a couple of major keys in this matchup. First things first, the Penguins are a wagon at home with a record of 16-3-2. In the two most recent matchups between these teams, Pittsburgh won by at least two goals, scoring at least 5 in each matchup. The Devils are as ice cold as any team in the NHL right now. They are 1-10 SU over their last 11 and six straight, and each of those six consecutive losses are by at least two goals. The Devils have taken the mantle as the league’s punching bag this month, and that continues in Pittsburgh tonight.
Texas Rangers vs LA Angels -1.5 (8:38pm CST)
We have two words for you, Shohei Ohtani. You can’t bet against a man who can pitch a 100mph fastball, and hit the ball over 150mph out of the ballpark. In all seriousness, the Angels are playing decent baseball and it appears that their energy is lifted times a million when Ohtani is on the field. The Rangers are sending out Jordan Lyles against a high-powered LA offense that ranks 8th in the league in HRs per game. In 3 starts, over 15 innings, Lyles has 16 H, 4 HRs, 8 ERs, 13 Ks, and 3 BBs. Needless to say, the Angels should have no problem winning by at least 2 runs this evening, with Ohtani’s dominance on the mound and Lyles early season struggles.
Twofer Tuesday Parlay: Penguins -1.5, Angels -1.5 (Overall Odds: +308)
RMag’s Sidebar
On this day in NBA history the GOAT, Michael Jordan, scored an NBA playoff record 63 points, a record that still stands today. Jordan did this against Larry Bird and the ‘86 Boston Celtics, a team among consideration for the greatest team of all-time. “I think he’s God disguised as Michael Jordan,” Larry Bird said at the time. The remarkable aspect of this feat to reflect on was that Jordan was able to do this without attempting a single three-point shot. There will be no GOAT debates from this crew, His Airness still stands atop the NBA’s royalty.
Colt’s Inspiration Corner
“Consistent & Persistent”
If you look-up the definition of the word consistent you will find a few different meanings depending on the situation, but today I wanted to focus on one in particular. Consistent: “Unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time.” Wherever you find yourself, be consistent. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Find your true beliefs, values, & morals, and stick to them in every situation that you find yourself in. Be someone that others know they can depend on, and be the person who is “the first one in, and the last one to leave” no matter what you find yourself doing.
You can also find multiple definitions for the word persistent,but once again I wanted to focus on one in particular. Persistent: “To go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning.” No matter the challenge; no matter the obstacle, make the choice to persist. Continue walking down your path to success, even if you hit a roadblock or two along the way. Even if others try to tell you that your path isn’t the right one, continue to persist anyway. Pursue your goals and passions even when you don’t have all the answers on how to attain them right away. If you persist, you will find that the answers will always be revealed to you and it will always be when you least expect it.
To bring it all full circle, I will leave you with this perspective for today’s Corner. Varying definitions and tenses of the words consistent & persistent can be found, and with so many different meanings comes the opportunity to apply them in so many different ways in your life. You can choose to be more consistent & persistent in any area of your life that you choose, and the most beautiful part is that you can start right now. You don’t need coaching, training, or any sort of formal instruction to start being more consistent & persistent in your life. It all comes down to the individual moments of your day and the opportunities that are presented to you throughout them. How you choose to handle those opportunities is entirely up to you.
Daily Challenge: Today’s phrase of the day is: “Consistent & Persistent Over Complacent & Idle”. The only way to achieve your goals and objectives is to consistently and persistently pursue them. You will never reach them if you stay in the same place, and both are required for you to see results. I’m leaving you with a few quotes to help you start being more consistent & persistent today. “Persistence guarantees that the results are inevitable.” -Paramahansah Yogananda ; “Consistent action creates consistent results.” -Christine Kane ; “If you are persistent you will get it. If you are consistent you will keep it.” -Unknown. Have a spectacular Tuesday my friend.