The commenters can already get going with the harassment. It’s 4 days until Summer ends, but as a sports fan, we all know that once the NFL season begins the Summer is over. Pshh! Details… We’ve already obsessed over wOBA and splits all year so we may as well just admit our Moneyballin ways ya’ll. What we haven’t fully admitted is our addiction to the aces. Well, Beanetown went all in with pitchers and traded away the big bat. I’m following suit today and spending about half my salary cap on the mound. The key is that Billy assesses the landscape and takes the best value available. Today, the values aren’t standing on the hump. I’m spending on the mound and putting together a strong lineup without paying. I’m confident that my late season discount hitters will have a much better value than the A’s of late. That’s right, I make big time predictions! I got the O’s in the East. They haven’t won the division since Cal Ripken was playing… I wonder what his latest streak is by the way. Post your guesses in the comment section? Yes, do that.
If you like winning, other things you should do include checking in with the Stream-O-Nator, HitterTron and the DFSBot. If you like winning and your favorite prize is money you should head over to DraftKings for some late season cleanup on the guys who are trying to fix their big losses from the last 5+ months. Those guys don’t read Razzball or have problems that should be addressed by a non-profit whose last name is Anonymous. That’s not your problem. Don’t feel bad. Money ain’t got no face! Am I heartless? The doctors say I have one AND it works…
New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well try out this 10 teamer of Razzball writers and friends to wet your DK whistle. Just remember to sign up through us before you do. It’s how we know you care! If you still feel helpless and lonely, be sure to check theDFSBot for your daily baseball plays.
I honestly can’t recommend a pitcher below $8,000 today… Ok, that’s where I’ll start:
Brandon McCarthy, P: $8,000 – McCarthy thinks he’s a fugitive on the run since he’s left ARZ. He trimmed his beard and his hair… wait no he’s the one Yankee newbie who hasn’t had to do that. Shit, killed my reference. Well his performance has no bearing to his former likeness. He’s cut his ERA in half (5 to 2.5), dropped his WHIP by .25 and improved his K/BB ratio from 4.5 to 6. Against the current Rays he’s faced, he owns a .512 OPS against. That’s $8k well spent.
Above that salary range, the next guy I could recommend is Carlos Carrasco but I’m not committed to doing that. I do think he’ll rack up some K/IP but I’m not feeling good that his IP will be good. If it is, and this continues ROS, I like him as a cheap late round buy next year. He’s a nice post-hype sleeper. Actually, I have no idea if he’s nice, but I’d buy him late next year. Only the NFL cares about how nice you are.
So many aces on the mound today: Chris Sale $13,000, David Price $12,800, Madison Bumgarner $12,500, Cole Hamels $11,000, Alex Cobb $10,800, Jeff Samardzija $10,400, Adam Wainwright $10,000, Francisco Liriano $9,900. They’re even listing Mike Fiers as a big boy at $10,500. I like them all at those prices. Here’s my ranking according to their price: Cobb, Price, Hamels, Sale, Liriano, Bumgarner, Fiers, Wainwright, Samardzija. McCarthy follows immediately at only $8k.
If you’re gonna stack, I’d go Dodgers or Braves. My approach doesn’t leave money for that today. Here are my value hitters to afford these professional bulimics… or hurlers… ah shit! The best pitchers of the day… Let me avoid the verbose to offer my ballsmackers of the day:
Carlos Ruiz, C: $3,300 – Hoisting a .389 wOBA vs. LHP and his home/away splits as well as his opposing pitcher’s splits support .350 wOBA. That’s a nice equation for a cheaper catcher today.
Jordan Pacheco, 1B: $2,100 – He’s 9-26 with a HR against Bumgarner hitting in his new home park of Chase Field. If he starts he’s the best value of the day.
Justin Turner, 2B/3B: $3,700 – Hanley is hurting somehow. At this point we can assume it’s probably his feminine nether regions. It doesn’t matter. The firecrotch has a .382 wOBA on the road and he’s in Coors. He should start. Party on rojo.
Andrelton Simmons, SS: $2,900 – I like the Braves stack today because they all have good numbers against Gio Gonzalez and I feel like both teams will have an emotional reaction to the division clinch yesterday. Andrelton, who has one of the most painstakingly long and useless first names in baseball, is 6-18 2 HRs with a 4/1 BB/K ratio against Gio. He’s also cheap, which I kind of associate with his first name.
Billy Butler, 1B: $3,200 – 3 facts: (1) Moobs are not as good as boobs (2) I don’t like Moobs (3) I do like 1B who cost $3,200 who have a line of 14-39 with 3 HRs vs Sale.
Eduardo Nunez, 3B/SS: $3,900 – Perhaps my most overpriced hitter of the day. But, he’s 9-31 with a HR and 5 SBs vs. Price. Yeah 5 SBs. That means he’s more likely to score you 5 points on a non-hitting play today than anyone in baseball. SAGNOF DraftKings style!
Steve Pearce, 1B/OF: $4,400 – Boasting a .450 wOBA against LHP, 10% K rate and a cattle-brand-hot lineup. Don’t tell me you fear J.A. Happ!
Ryan Flaherty, 2B/3B: $3,100 – He’s on a mini heater and Happ has been vulnerable to LHB with.368 wOBA against.
Scott Van Slyke, OF: $3,200 – I’m aware there’s some carryover stats from March/April for a non-regular player here, but a .432 wOBA and .337 ISO against LHP and he’s in Coors. Price tag!
Colin Cowgill, OF: $3,000 – Hamilton has just returned, but they’re facing a lefty so it’s almost assured he or Calhoun will sit today. Cowgill has been very consistent production, especially against LHP. For $3k he’s a really nice play today.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
CHW @ KC looks like the only game that could be affected. I’d say punt Chris Sale for his price tag because of it.
Doing Lines in Vegas
Stackables – Dodgers @ Rockies at 10.5 and TOR @ BAL at 9
Pitchers of Sharps – WAS @ ATL at 6.5, MIL @ STL at 7, CHW @ KC at 7, TEX @ OAK at 7, BOS @ PIT at 6.5