Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings, DraftDay and Draftster 8/23/14 - Early Games

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Pitchers

Jordan Zimmermann - FD 8500 DK 9600 DD 17350 DFSTR 6900
The pitching in the early slate is rough to say the least. I'm going to go safe as possible in cash games with Zimmermann. His peripherals this season have been outstanding with around a 5.5:1 K:BB ratio that keeps him around in games late. He's gone into the seventh in his last five starts and today faces a Giants squad coming in the bottom half of the league in team wOBA against righties. I wouldn't consider Zimmermann a sure thing, but his control has him in ballgames and the Nats are favorite today for the win (though not huge ones).

Hiroki Kuroda - FD 6900 DK 7400 DD 12850 DFSTR 5200
It feels real gross, but he's the favorite to get the win with Scott Carroll on the bump for the White Sox. He's not going to light the world on fire, but at his prices it doesn't seem like he'd completely sink the ship either. The White Sox are a decent hitting team, but they're prone to K as they go down on strikes 22% of the time against righties. There's risk here for sure, but on a slate of garbage arms I'll take the guy with the control and hope for the best.

Consider Tim Lincecum if you want to shoot K's, though he could get bombed.

Catchers

Brian McCann - FD 2900 DK 3800 DD 7950 DFSTR 7500
Going to be picking on Scott Carroll a lot in this early slate. Why? Because he's garbage, that's why. He strikes out less than five batters per nine and walks close to four. McCann's season's been pretty forgettable, but a .216 Babip will do that to most anyone. Luck hasn't been on his side this season, but it's hard to avoid him in this early slate of games considering the prices, park and matchup.

Consider going even cheaper with Alex Avila

First Basemen

Mark Teixeira - FD 2800 DK 3900 DD 8850 DFSTR 3900
Like I said, let's get all over Scott Carroll. I'm not saying the guy's the only pitcher headed for the showers early, but some of the Yankee prices are just too good to pass up considering how much Carroll struggles to get outs. I prefer Teixeira against lefties, but Carroll is the kind of guy to make exceptions for and it isn't like Tex is a monster platoon splits guy. The ballpark helps boost power all around and Yankees stacks will be a popular play today for sure.

Consider Chris Davis as an upside play.

Second Basemen

Javier Baez - FD 3100 DK 4200 DD 8700 DFSTR 3000
This dude just absolutely crushes the ball. See what he did yesterday? The streets surrounding Wrigley cold be getting gifts from this guy for a lot of years. He doesn't seem to have any issues hitting righty pitching though the strikeout rate continues to be a little high. I'm buying him at a weak position against a diminished Bud Norris.

Ian Kinsler - FD 3100 DK 4100 DD 8900 DFSTR 4400
He and Baez are the same prices today and our system has them at dead even in terms of points-per-dollar value. Kinsler is slightly worse against righties and Yohan Pino has shown nice control this season. But Pino isn't elite by any means and Kinsler's spot in the order and relative success in that split have me considering him as safe today.

Shortstops

Jose Reyes - FD 4000 DK 5000 DD 10100 DFSTR 9300
This is place I'd consider paying outside of a value zone mostly because the slate is short and Reyes is markedly better (in terms of raw points) than anyone else on the slate. If you are able to play some lower cost options at solid points-per-dollar value then squeezing in Reyes doesn't seem all that big of a stretch. Hellickson's been better of late, but he isn't an elite K guy and Reyes is by far the best player at the position today.

Consider just punting this position if you don't play Reyes. Go minimum salary with someone starting. Derek Jeter maybe.

Third Basemen

Evan Longoria - FD 3200 DK 4300 DD 9350 DFSTR 6000
Hasn't been all rainbows for Longoria this season, but he's still had success against lefties, a split that's been a strength for him throughout his career. His .858 OPS and 139 wRC+ fit the bill today against Buehrle in a great hitter's park in the Rogers Centre. Longoria's price across the industry remains on the low side and even with a rough season his upside against lefties has him in play everywhere.

Consider Juan Francisco on the better side of his split against Jeremy Hellickson in a hitter's park. Makes a solid punt play.

Outfielders

Desmond Jennings - FD 2900 DK 4000 DD 7350 DFSTR 3000
Jennings has always hit lefty pitching really well and this season continues that trend. He's coming at superior prices considering the splits and matchup against Mark Buehrle. Jennings has an .870 OPS and .379 wOBA against lefties this season, numbers in line with his career averages. Hitting at the top of the lineup has him as a great cash and GPP play today and someone I'll have in lineups everywhere.

Jacoby Ellsbury - FD 3800 DK 4500 DD 9400 DFSTR 3300
Brett Gardner - FD 3300 DK 4200 DD 7700 DFSTR 3000
These two are pretty easy as well. Both are lefties facing the worst pitching going on the slate in a great hitter's park that boosts power big time to right field. I have a feeling with such a short slate and the matchup both will be high percentage starts. Gardner's been a better raw hitter than Ellsbury this season though Jacoby makes up for some of that by stealing a ton more bases. I'm on both in cash games as their floor against Carroll should be pretty high.

Consider Bryce Harper

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