Today's picks: Why the Phillies will beat the Mets, plus more MLB and NBA for Monday, April 11

Jonathan Coachman is joined by expert sports bettors John Bollman and Larry Hartstein on The Early Edge podcast. They give you their best bets for Major League Baseball and the NBA for Monday, April 11.

Coach starts things off with the SportsLine Play of the Day, which is in MLB: The Pirates (+175) to beat the Cardinals in the finale of their four-game series (2:15 p.m. ET). "(The Pirates) won 9-4 on Sunday and this is the end of a series," he says. "(Pittsburgh's) Zach Thompson had a very good rookie season. And we've got a struggling pitcher from spring training (in St. Louis' Dakota Hudson)."

Bollman is up next with a pair of MLB plays. The first is the Braves (-165) to beat the Nationals in the opener of their three-game set (7:20 p.m. ET). "(Washington's) Josh Rogers made six starts last season and he did have trouble with walks," he says. "Five of the last six teams he faced last season were also bottom 10 in weighted on-base average against lefties, so I think his stats were a little propped up."

John's second play is the Phillies (-155) to beat the Mets in their three-game series opener (6:45 p.m. ET). "Both these teams lost yesterday, so both should have just about every bullpen arm available," he says. "But I think that benefits the Phillies because they don't have as much bullpen depth, so they need their top three guys available. … (Philadelphia's) Ranger Suarez was low-key one of the best pitchers in the league last season."

Coach jumps back in with an MLB play of his own. He likes Over 9 runs (+100) in the opener of the Blue Jays-Yankees four-game set (7:05 p.m. ET). "In the series for the Blue Jays (against Texas) opening the year - 43 combined runs," he says. "The Yankees, they just like hitting in this park (Yankee Stadium)."

Next, Coach passes along an NBA Playoffs play from Zack Cimini, who likes the Celtics to win the Eastern Conference (+430). "We know the Nets are good, the Bucks are good, the Miami Heat are the No. 1 seed," he says. "But with the value here, the Celtics are playing great basketball, Zack feels like they are the play."

Hartstein wraps things up with an MLB play. He likes the Brewers (-145) to beat the Orioles in the opener of their three-game series (3:05 p.m. ET). "(Milwaukee's Adrian) Houser, he's not one of the aces, but he's very, very good. (He had a) 3.22 ERA last season, was unbelievable in the spring," Larry says. "The Orioles scored four runs in three games and lost three. They're supposed to be the worst team in the AL, I think they definitely are trending that way."

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