Baseball Picks Daily Fantasy Expert Advice
Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings, DraftDay and Draftster 9/10/14
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Pitchers
Hisashi Iwakuma - FD 9200 DK 10800 DD 20100 DFSTR 9100
You are going to need to pay pretty steep prices for him, but I think it's worth it on a day full of pitching question marks. Outside of a horrendous start against Boston a few weeks ago, Iwakuma's been steady Eddie. One reason is his crazy low 0.78 BB/9 walk rate which is about as low as you'll ever see. He's also striking out more than seven batters per nine, a number that could tick up against the Astros who K more than 23% of the time against righties. He's a healthy favorite on the day and for cash games this is the way to go.
Matt Shoemaker - FD 8100 DK 8800 DD 15350 DFSTR 9900
He's been something of a hidden gem this season. The peripherals are excellent with a K rate close to a batter an inning and he walks less than two per nine. The Rangers rank in the bottom third of the league against righty pitching and they are a team definitely headed in the wrong direction. Shoemaker's 3.26 xFIP shows it's not all smoke and mirrors with him and only the ballpark has me worried here.
Drew Hutchison - FD 6600 DK 7100 DD 12600 DFSTR 6600
After Iwakuma and Shoemaker the waters definitely get a bit murkier. Hutchison, while anything but safe, makes for a great upside play. The Cubs K more than 23% of the time against righties and rank near the bottom of the league in team wOBA on that side of the split. Hutchison's turned in a *meh kind of season from an xFIP standpoint, but the K numbers are there. He strikes out close to a batter an inning and his last three starts has seen him average 8 K's. He's coming so cheap that I think you need to consider him with all the relevant factors (except ballpark) in his favor.
Ryan Vogelsong - FD 6600 DK 6900 DD 12750 DFSTR 6700
Doesn't make me feel great, but the Diamondbacks continue their slide down the team wOBA standings. They basically stink and the lineup on some nights is borderline embarrassing. It's unlikely Vogelsong has enough to win you tournament, though it seems unlikely he'll get shelled by this squad. His peripherals are fair enough and the xFIP is under four. On a weak pitching day it's fine to spend little and load up the bats.
Catchers
Jonathan Lucroy - FD 3000 DK 4300 DD 9150 DFSTR 6400
Catcher is kind of a problem today, but on FanDuel your life is made easy. Lucroy is coming at just $3000 which is a crazy low price considering he's a catcher hitting in the 2-3 spot in the lineup, sporting a .371 wOBA against righties on the season and facing a below average Jarre Cosart who strikes out less than six batters per nine and walks more than three. Set it and forget it.
Kurt Suzuki - FD 2200 DK 3100 DD 6150 DFSTR 4500
Make sure he's playing tonight, and if he's in the lineup he makes for a solid min-priced catcher on most sites. He's been effective against lefty pitching this season with an OPS over .800 and a 128 wRC+. That's good enough against T.J. House, who I'll get into later.
Consider Mike Zunino
First Basemen
Adam Lind - FD 2600 DK 3500 DD 8050 DFSTR 5800
I'm all over Adam Lind against Kyle Hendricks today. Let others be foold by Hendricks' low ERA. In reality he's been very lucky against lefties this season, with a mid 4's xFIP in that split. He's been aided by a low Babip which have driven his numbers down. He isn't a big K guy and Lind is coming very cheap in a hitter's park. He makes a solid play in every format and I'll be using his salary to load up in other places.
Brandon Moss - FD 2400 DK 4000 DD 8800 DFSTR 3000
Adam Dunn - FD 2700 DK 4100 DD 8550 DFSTR 5300
I've said it before, but you'll see these guys on the same lists a lot from now on. They are practically identical in terms of price and splits. And since they always have the same matchup, it's tough to separate them. Chris Bassitt's had seven innings of uninspiring major league work so far. He does have some put away stuff, but he walks a ton of guys. Moss and Dunn are three true outcome guys and can do damage against a pitcher with this kind of profile.
Consider Ike Davis
Second Basemen
Robinson Cano - FD 3200 DK 4600 DD 10150 DFSTR 6600
Some really nice options today, that resemble the picks from yesterday. First you have Cano against rookie Nick Tropeano making his first start in the majors. It should be said that Tropeano is somewhat of a prospect, but Cano outweighs that by being one of the best hitters in the league against righty pitching. I'll take track record here all day long. And Cano is still coming way too cheap on FanDuel.
Brian Dozier - FD 3400 DK 4500 DD 9550 DFSTR 4300
There's also Dozier getting to face T.J. House. House has been slaughtered by righties this season as he's allowed a .373 wOBA and has just generally been blitzed. I'm on a bunch of Twins today, as you can see. And Dozier works perfectly as he's much better against lefties for his career.
Chase Utley - FD 3000 DK 4000 DD 8700 DFSTR 3400
Vance Worley pitches to contact and is below league average against lefty hitters. I like Utley hitting at home as the ballpark helps in the power department and his 115 wRC+ is acceptable considering his prices.
Jason Kipnis - FD 2900 DK 3900 DD 8450 DFSTR 4800
Was on him yesterday agains Trevor May and I'm fine buying him against today against Kyle Gibson. Gibson is an extreme groundball pitcher which probably limits Kipnis' ultimate upside. But there should be plenty of contact on the day.
Shortstops
Jose Reyes - FD 3300 DK 4800 DD 9150 DFSTR 8100
Like I said in regards to Lind, Hendricks has been extremely lucky against left-handed bats this season, and though I'm hesitant to say "he's due" to allow some hits, there is something to the idea that he isn't particularly good against them. Reyes is moderately priced in some spots, especially FanDuel where he should be a big cash game play. There's so little to love about the shortstop position tonight that even paying up a bit on DraftKings isn't out of the question.
Jed Lowrie - FD 2600 DK 3700 DD 7600 DFSTR 5900
In a small sample size, Chris Bassitt's been pretty terrible. Not like I'm totally writing the dude off, but until there's an inkling of major league success I think we can target hitters against him no problem. Lowrie makes for a cheaper play at shortstop in an advantageous situation. Though he no longer hits near the top of the order, he still sits around the middle of the lineup and has just enough pop to eke out a smidge of upside.
Erick Aybar - FD 2800 DK 4100 DD 7700 DFSTR 5800
It doesn't get much worse than Nick Tepesch. His K rate is an abysmal 4.15 K/9 and the xFIP sits in the upper 4's. A guy like Aybar is a near lock to put the ball in play at least four times today. What happens with those balls is anyone's guess, but the opportunity should be there. His contact rate is as good as it gets in this split and though he won't put any balls over the fence, I see him as extremely safe today.
Third Basemen
Evan Longoria - FD 3400 DK 4700 DD 9650 DFSTR 8800
His overall splits are down from his career averages against lefties, but Longoria is still getting the job done relative to his price. Though Capuano has had reverse splits this season, such has not been the case for his career. Over the long term he's allowed an .800 OPS to righty bats. Yankee Stadium is known for boosting lefty power, but it has a similar effect on righties. Great spot to play Longo today.
Trevor Plouffe - FD 3200 DK 4400 DD 8700 DFSTR 8900
He's been good, not great, against lefties this year. But for his career, Plouffe is much better on this side of the platoon. This season he's merely above average with a 116 wRC+ in that platoon. Like I said for Dozier, T.J. House gets obliterated by righty bats. And though I don't love the park in this situation, I'm more than happy playing the right side of the platoon against T.J.
Aramis Ramirez - FD 2400 DK 3600 DD 7600 DFSTR 3000
Just coming too cheap at this point. Is essentially a punt play on FanDuel meaning you are getting a middle of the order bat, in a decent lineup, for the bare minimum. Even though he's worse against righties, I think the price is simply too low to ignore.
Outfielders
Mike Trout - FD 5100 DK 5700 DD 13500 DFSTR 7700
Kole Calhoun - FD 3700 DK 4700 DD 9550 DFSTR 10400
You are going to need to overpay just a little here, but I think it's worth it. These two guys are in such a good spot against Nick Tepesch that I would consider going the extra buck especially in cash games. There's so much safety with both hitting at the top of the lineup against a guy who can't generate strikeouts. They have .392 and .354 wOBA's against righty pitching and I think they play nearly perfectly in lineups today. Again, the price is steeper but worth it.
Michael Brantley - FD 3500 DK 5100 DD 9600 DFSTR 8800
Michael Bourn - FD 2600 DK 3900 DD 8100 DFSTR 3700
Man, these picks are really resembling yesterday. But I still am buying on the Tribe in some spots. Especially these two guys who really hit righty pitching well, Brantley to an extreme degree. His contact rate against righties is excellent and should be a favorite to have the ball in play against Gibson. Bourn strikes out a little too much, but that's diminished against a pitcher who isn't a big swing and miss guy.
Coco Crisp - FD 3200 DK 4800 DD 9000 DFSTR 7700
Another guy I'm happy to pick against Chris Bassitt. I'm a fan of Crisp for cash games because he takes so many walks (14% BB rate against righties) and hitting leadoff give that expectation for extra at bats. His skill set keeps the floor higher and he's a guy I'm fine playing it safe with.
Consider Andrew McCutchen and Angel Pagan
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