Daily Fantasy MLB Baseball Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings - 7/19/16

 

Welcome to Tuesday baseball! We have a 15 game slate on our hands with a ton of pitching options and a few offenses in consideration, as well as a game in Coors Field. Make sure to check out our other articles as they will touch on some more pitching options, tournament stacks and any weather concerns that may arise. Let's get into the top options at each position!

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PITCHER

Carlos Martinez FD 9400 DK 10200
Opponent - SD (Rea) Park - @STL
FD - 37.24 DK - 24.44

Starting us off at pitcher, we have Carlos Martinez. Martinez and the Cardinals will be taking on the San Diego Padres, who are the worst team in the league against right handers. Dating back to the beginning of the season, the Padres have sported a .290 wOBA that is backed up by an 87 wRC+ and a 20.8% line drive rate. While Busch Stadium isn't as pitcher friendly as Petco, it is definitely a pitcher park. Carlos Martinez on the other hand, has been great this season with a .252 combined Woba that is supported by a 26.4% hard contact rate and a crazy 15% hard contact rate. While there are definitely some other pitchers to consider, Martinez is my favorite in cash games and deserves a ton of consideration in tournaments.

Jose Quintana FD 8600 DK 10900
Opponent - SEA (Miley) Park - @SEA
FD - 32.07 DK - 21.18

The Mariners will be facing off with another southpaw tonight in Jose Quintana after facing off with Chris Sale last night. The Mariners are a far inferior team against lefties than they are against righties as most of their best hitters are on the left side of the plate. Quintana has bee spectacular against left handers this season with a .244 wOBA and 3.32 xFIP. While he hasn't been quite as good against righties, he has been above league average with a .300 wOBA and a 32% hard contact rate. I do prefer Quintana in tournaments however, as Carlos Martinez is right in the same price range. If you are looking for some more guys to target at pitcher, make sure to check out the pitcher specific article that we release every day.

CATCHER

Victor Martinez FD 3100 DK 3400
Opponent - MIN (Milone) Park - @DET
FD - 12.52 DK - 9.58

We are going to be looking at 3 teams today for the most part; the Tigers, Red Sox and Rockies. They are all in spectacular spots and while the Rockies are in Coors Field, the Tigers and Red Sox are pretty close when it comes to run expectation. At the catcher position, we are going to take a look at Victor Martinez, though he is a first baseman on DraftKings. On FanDuel however, he is close to a must play at only $3100. V-Mart has destroyed lefties over the past 3 seasons with a .369 wOBA that is supported by very strong batted ball peripherals. We will touch on Tommy Milone soon enough, but just know that he is not someone to be scared of.

Brian McCann FD 3300 DK 4300
Opponent - BAL (Worley) Park - @NYY
FD - 10.82 DK - 8.11

When the Yankees are at home against a bad righty, you have to consider Brian McCann. Over the past 2 seasons, McCann has hit 70% of his home runs at home and that is no fluke with the short porch in right field. The Yankees are taking on Vance Worley tonight, a right handed gas can of a pitcher that has given up a .362 wOBA to right handers over the past 4 seasons. I expect Worley to struggle with the Yankees lefties and McCann is certainly one of those. While I prefer him in tournaments, I think he is a viable cash game play on DraftKings.

 

FIRST BASE

Miguel Cabrera FD 3600 DK 4300
Opponent - MIN (Milone) Park - @DET
FD - 14.81 DK - 11.27

Here is another Detroit Tigers bat and this one is the heart of them all. Miguel Cabrera is still arguably the best pure hitter in baseball and will look to have a huge 2nd half of the season after coasting through most of the early months. While coasting, he still put up some gaudy numbers. Against righties, he sported a .397 wOBA that was held up by a nice BABIP and a huge hard contact rate. While I wish this game was being played in a better hitters park, Miggy is far from dependent on the home run ball. With the Tigers disappointing yesterday, I am hoping their ownership will be lower than what it should be. Cabrera is a terrific option in all formats across the board.

David Ortiz FD 4000 DK 5600
Opponent - SF (Peavy) Park - @BOS
FD - 15.54 DK - 11.69

David Ortiz against Jake Peavy, what could go wrong? Well, everything for Jake Peavy. While Peavy is only 35, he is pitching like he is 40 and has dropped off more than most pitchers ever will or have. However, that is good for us as the common fan is not going to go out of his way to target the once-elite Jake Peavy. Ortiz on the other hand, has demolished righties through the first half of the season with a rediculous .477 wOBA that is somehow backed up by a 46% hard contact rate and an incredible 20.4% HR/FB rate. Ortiz makes for a tremendous play in all formats, and I think he will be a bit lower owned than he should be.

 

SECOND BASE

Ian Kinsler FD 4200 DK 5000
Opponent - MIN (Milone) Park - @DET
FD - 12.33 DK - 9.95

I know, another Tiger. How do you not play Ian Kinsler today, he smashes lefties and second base is extremely ugly. Thus far into 2016, Kinsler has hit lefties to the tune of a .415 wOBA that is securely backed up by a 35.4% hard contact rate and a 24.1% line drive rate. The Tigers will be facing of with Tommy Milone, a left handed gas can that has been abysmal against righties for the better part of 5 years. Since his debut in 2011, he has given up a 4.27 xFIP, 23.3% line drive rate and a BABIP that calls for some serious negative regression. Kinsler and the rest of these Tigers bats are obviously in a spectacular spot.

Dustin Pedroia FD 3100 DK 4600
Opponent - SF (Peavy) Park - @BOS
FD - 11.37 DK - 8.97

While I am not necessarily in love with this match up, second base is just horrible. Therefore, I am going to go with a guy that is right in the middle of an offense that I expect to put up a bunch of runs. If you are looking to differentiate a bit and pay down at second, I would wait until the lineups come out and look for a guy that finds himself in the top half of the lineup. However, Pedroia is definitely in a positive spot as Peavy is only going to last a few innings here and the Pedroia should be able to get 5 at bats against the weak half of the Giants bullpen.

 

SHORTSTOP

Trevor Story FD 3800 DK 5100
Opponent - TB (Snell) Park - @COL
FD - 12.84 DK - 10.35

Man, what a story this kid is. Trevor Story is going to be right up there tonight with the highest owned player on the slate, rightfully so. Not only are the Rockies in Coors Field, but they are facing a rookie that has never experienced the pitcher hell that is Colorado. Story has destroyed southpaws this year at home with a .375 wOBA that is certainly backed up by an insane 64% hard contact rate. While that is obviously not sustainable, it's evident that he is very elite in Coors Field. I am going to have Story in my cash games across the board and he will be my highest owned shortstop in tournaments.

Xander Bogaerts FD 3400 DK 4500
Opponent - SF (Peavy) Park - @BOS
FD - 11.72 DK - 9.41

While I don't think I will be coming off of Trevor Story in cash games, I am definitely going to spread my exposure around a bit in tournaments. As you can tell, we love the Red Sox. Jake Peavy is atrocious at this point and the Red Sox absolutely mash in Fenway Park. While Bogaerts does have a high BABIP, the rest of his numbers seem to support this breakout season he is having. Against righties, X-man has sported a .362 wOBA with a 10.7% HR/FB rate backing it up. Bogaerts is someone I will definitely get some exposure to in tournaments, as well as cash games on sites where Story is insanely priced.

 

THIRD BASE

Nolan Arenado FD 4400 DK 5500
Opponent - TB (Snell) Park - @COL
FD - 15.61 DK - 11.99

The Rockies are in Coors Field and they are facing a lefty. What does that mean? It means you play Nolan Arenado. Thus far in 2016, Arenado has destroyed lefties at home in Coors with a .477 wOBA and his batted ball peripherals definitely support it. Blake Snell on the other hand, has had his fair share of troubles with right handers this season as evidenced by his 4.74 wOBA and 30.7% hard contact rate. This is an offense you will want exposure to and Nolan Arenado is obviously a great way to do just that.

Nick Castellanos FD 3300 DK 4300
Opponent - MIN (Milone) Park - @DET
FD - 11.95 DK - 9.24

It is going to take me all the way up to lock time before I decide if I am going to go with Arenado or Castellanos. While enough has been said about this offense, Castellanos is obviously one of the guys we have to consider. Not only has he solidified himself against righties this year, but he has hit lefties as well. Since opening day, he has hit southpaws to a .316 wOBA and a very high 37.3% hard contact rate. With a .258 BABIP against lefties, you can expect some big numbers out of Castellanos in the 2nd half of the season.

 

OUTFIELD

Carlos Gonzalez FD 4000 DK 4800
Opponent - TB (Snell) Park - @COL
FD - 13.96 DK - 10.73
Ryan Raburn FD 3400 DK 3600
Opponent - TB (Snell) Park - @COL
FD - 13.21 DK - 10.15

What more is there to say about this match up? The Rockies are facing an average rookie in the Hitter haven that is Coors Field. While I mentioned Snell and his troubles with righties, he has been worse against left handers. Against lefties, Snell has exhibited a .345 wOBA and a 4.74 xFIP. Cargo and Raburn have hit lefties very well over the past 5 seasons with +.250 wOBA's and peripherals to back it up. While it does worry me that Raburn may be pinch hit for, I think he will be able to do his damage beforehand. Get some Rockies, Sox and Tigers into some lineups.

Justin Upton FD 2800 DK 3600
Opponent - MIN (Milone) Park - @DET
FD - 12.18 DK - 9.55

While FanDuel upped his price 500 dollars, he is still too cheap, especially for this match up. Upton has historically been a lefty masher and this year he has struggled, sure. However, his peripherals are still extremely solid and he will look to turn around his struggles into a big 2nd half. As I mentioned, Tommy Milone is going to have a ton of trouble in this match up and I can't see a scenario where Upton doesn't get involved in one way or another.

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