People of Planet Earth, please, pay for your aces. On a slate that features quite a few, there is no need to tempt fate by not building around at least one solid top tier arm and a mid-tier to make it happen. Oh sure, there will that voice inside your head that says, “Hey, Kyle Kendrick fooled everyone Opening Day and was a huge bargain!”. That’s the voice that needs to be driven out into the middle of the DFS cornfields and left without cab fare back to where you are rostering players.
Clayton Kershaw, Johnny Cueto, Madison Bumgarner and David Price are all on the docket, much like the aforementioned Opening Day (don’t get excited, Kendrick). Kershaw at over 12K may be too pricey to engage, but Bumgarner (9.8K) and Cueto (9.5K) might be excellent targets for your ace itch. Ace itch may not sound good, but to get a good core for your evening roster, especially with so many teams going, you may just need to stop thinking and scratch.
One more thing going into the list below: Whenever teams are in Toronto and Denver, I love the stars where you can fit them in. You’ll be harder pressed to do so if you’ve rostered aces at SP like tonight, but I didn’t want the list to go by and have you wonder, “Gee, doesn’t he like Adam Jones, Troy Tulowitzki, Jose Bautista, Chris Davis, et al.?” The answer is, yes, yes I do. Now onto the other guys.
New to DraftKings? Scared of feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well try out this 25 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 subscribe to the DFSBot for your daily baseball plays.
Johnny Cueto, SP: $9,500 – The Brewers have hitting talent. However, prior to Tuesday night’s pitching-optional evening, the Brewers have been rocking a near .250 wOBA. The Brewers may have finally broken the hitting seal on 2015 but Cueto has picked up where he left of in 2014 and is just the guy to put the lid back on the Brew crew.
J.A. Happ, SP: $6,500 – Happ had a solid outing the last time in Safeco and the Astros are striking out 30% of the time against LHP. With Safeco still a stingy run ballpark, Happ is a nice compliment to the $$ ace you’ll pick to anchor the staff.
Derek Norris, C: $4,100 – It’s hard not to like Norris if he plays again against a RHP like Kendrick in a place like Coors. Cash game for sure, and some tourneys wouldn’t be a terrible play, even though everyone loves them some Coors Field action.
Miguel Montero, C: $3,400 – Montero is hitting the ball awfully hard and it looks like there will be some prevailing winds for him in Pittsburgh. Montero has hit 46% fly balls this season and has registered excellent power.
Logan Morrison, 1B: $3,400 – LoMo has also been hitting the ball with authority, but hasn’t had a lot of results to show for it. Against Roberto Hernandez, LoMo can have his day against a RHP that struggles against lefties.
Stephen Vogt, 1B: $3,600 – Hitting a power lefty bat who crushes RHP against a .330+ wOBA vs. lefties SP in Jared Weaver is something I enjoy doing. Toss in some winds blowing out to RF and I like it a lot.
Yangervis Solarte, 2B: $3,700 – If he plays, and that’s been a big if lately, he’s been hammering the ball and can take advantage if Coors and Kyle Kendrick.
Robinson Cano, 2B: $4,400 – Jose Altuve absolutely owns lefties like J.A. Happ….But, since we’re slotting him above, we’ll go across the diamond and go Cano, who is also in a favorable split against RHP.
Danny Santana, SS/OF: $3,800 – Santana is a good matchup against RHP and Jeremy Guthrie doesn’t like to see lefties so Santana, who sits atop the Twins lineup, is also sitting in the fabled catbird seat tonight.
Tim Beckham, SS: $3,200 – Beckham has been making it hard for the Rays to keep him out of the lineup and he was batting sixth Tuesday night, filling in for Asdrubal Cabrera. Beckham has the draft pedigree and is making the most of his chances.
Rafael Ynoa, 3b: $2,500 – I am really not hip on putting Padres/Rockies in this list just because I think everyone knows about the whole Coors thing. However, this is the third entry so far so the lesson is, I really don’t like myself and love contradiction. Beside Norris, though, I wanted to highlight the players who may be below the radar and Ynoa qualifies. Going against James Shields, it may not look good, but at his price and some folks looking to go Double Aces Wednesday, he’s worth a look if he’s in the lineup.
Kyle Seager, 3b: $3,900 – Put a RHP in front of Seager in Safeco and the numbers go up. It’s written in his ridiculous offseason contract.
Michael Cuddyer, OF: $4,200 – A better tourney play at the price, Cuddyer will mangle LHP and Eric Stults is a magic fog of a pitcher that makes all the best slumps disappear.
Scott Van Slyke, OF: $3,600 – Everybody knows SVS is a known LHP masher, but how many will go the distance and roster him against Bumgarner? He’s enough of a crusher that he merits tourney play, especially considering his likely low own.
David Peralta, OF: $4,000 – Peralta slays RHP, Yovani Gallardo meatballs lefties. The result should be a nice hitting night for the above average hard hit metrics of Peralta.
Dustin Ackley, OF: $3,300 – I have to say I like too many Mariners tonight but don’t let my overzealousness paint the picture that these guys aren’t actually good plays on their own. Ackley is trouble against RHP, has above average power and hard hit metrics and is lifting 46% of his hits as fly balls. Oh sure, Nelson Cruz is at 63% fly balls, but you can get Ackley over 2K less expensive.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
There appear to be a lot of early evening showers across the East, so check your forecasts going into the 7pm-ish starts. The West, as always, looks tremendous, so focus and fire away on your targets out there with no fear of umbrellas.
Doing Lines In Vegas
Coors, Coors, Coors. It owns all the over/under and team totals, coming in early at 9.5. Texas @ Arizona and Baltimore @ Toronto both carry 8.5 numbers and the Dodgers/Giants have started at 6 total runs, so better keep that Van Slyke play strictly tourney. David Price is the early favorite to win at -200 to lead all starters.
