Here we go again. Another night in the rat race. Last night wasn't too bad. The A's stack was pure money, however pairing them with the Dodgers, kept things from going sky high. And then there is Dice-K. Dude couldn't find the plate and it was painful/ugly to watch. Rays still can't buy a win, but Price was electric. Figured Joe Madden would leave him out there until his arm fell off. Let's have a look at the games tonight. Remember, I just play night games only.
Pitchers:
- Gold: Michael Wacha STL - Wacha is lone shining star in an otherwise dismal night for pitching. Faces the Royals in that cavern in Kansas City. The Royals have been playing teams tough lately, but I feel pretty confident in Wacha, as that's as confident as I can get with the pitching options tonight.
- Silver: Travis Wood CHI - Wood got shelled by the Brewers in his last start. But thing about Wood is he's resilient and has a short memory. Besides the Brewers mash left handed pitching. Tonight, he's faces the Mets who loathe left handed pitching. Outside of David Wright, no one over there touches the stuff. Wood is definitely a cheap, upside play.
- Bronze: Juan Nicasio COL - Nicasio is much in the same boat as Travis Wood is. Got abused by the Indians in his last start, but Indians love right handed pitchers. Tonight Nicasio faces Arizona, who loathe right handed pitching. Needless to say, the Coors Field effect makes the downside to this play a bottomless pit, but the upside is there as well, as Nicasio does have strikeout stuff.
- Economy: Kevin Correia MIN - The theme for today is, outside of Wacha, I'd go cheap on pitching tonight. Correia faces the Brewers who seem to have cooled off after a red hot scorching weekend. Brewers dislike right handed pitching because their lineup is predominantly right handed. Correia makes for a sneaky play as the Twins have taken the first two games of the series.
Catchers:
- Gold: Willin Rosario COL - The catching options are a vast wasteland tonight. Rosario represents the best option tonight. Largely because of the Coors Field effect, the other part being Bronson Arroyo loves giving up the long ball. Needless to say, a Rockies stack might be in the cards tonight.
- Silver: Hank Conger ANA - See what I mean? Catching not so good tonight. Conger has actually been pretty stone cold with the bat lately, but his matchup Brad Peacock is better than many of the other options out there. Check with lineups to see if Conger is in the lineup. The Angels may turn to Chris Iannetta.
- Bronze: Yadier Molina STL - Love Molina as hitter, but I am very lukewarm on his matchup vs. Ventura. Molina has been a swinging a cold bat himself lately. Did I mention catching is a vast wasteland tonight?
- Economy: Carlos Corporan HOU - The Astros may be looking to give Jason Castro a night off vs. lefty Tyler Skaggs. If they do Corporan will draw the start. Corporan can mash a bit, but also hits for a low average. Corporan is dirt cheap if you are looking to punt the catcher spot.
1st Base:
- Gold: Chris Davis BAL - Back on the Crush bandwagon tonight. Rewarded me with a home run yesterday. Davis Colby Lewis in a ripe matchup. But Davis could as easily homer as he could be wearing the golden sombrero, so proceed with a bit of caution.
- Silver: Anthony Rizzo CHC- May as well call Rizzo, Joey Votto Jr. Rizzo is very patient and can mash when he makes contact. Faces Jacob deGrom who has burst onto the scene. Rookies don't usually burst onto the scene, so I figure is deGrom's night to turn into a pumpkin.
- Bronze: Justin Morneau COL - I guess Morneau has enjoyed his new digs in Coors Field. Faces long ball specialist Bronson Arroyo. On paper, this is a ripe matchup, but I can't help think of Morneau of the past couple of seasons where he had the long, holy, swing, and looked like he was about done. His price point is a bit high for my liking, but what can ya do? He's been mashing this season.
- Economy: Mitch Moreland TEX - I just feel obliged to keep putting Moreland here, even though he isn't hitting a lick lately. If Ron Washington keeps batting him third in the vaunted Rangers lineup, I have to keep putting him here. The opportunity is there, the price is right, now all he needs to do is hit. Now the question is can he?
2nd Base:
- Gold: Jose Altuve HOU - Altuve should likely be on this list more than he has been. Guy is hitting for power and swiping bags. What more can you ask for? Price point is high, but the Astros lineup, in general, has been very good. Faces lefty Tyler Skaggs tonight.
- Silver: Emilio Bonifacio CHC - Mr. NoPowerRunFast makes the lineup today. If Bonifacio can make it on base tonight, seems like a very good candidate to swipe a bag. I'm kinda ganging up on Jacob deGrom tonight. We'll see if he makes a liar out of me.
- Bronze: Kolten Wong STL - Dealing with an injury and was out of the lineup yesteday, but the Cards were facing a lefty, so he could have been out for that as well. so check with lineup on Wong. Faces Ventura, who has electric stuff but has been no great shakes lately, if he gets the opportunity.
- Economy: Charlie Culberson COL - Has been the beneficiary of Nolan Arenado being put on the shelf due to injury. On a night that Branson Arroyo is pitching, its not a bad tactic to losd up on Rockies. You never know who's going to go deep.
3rd Base:
- Gold: Matt Carpenter STL - Not thrilled with Carpenter's matchup with Ventura but 3rd base is a bit of a wasteland in its own right tonight. Carpenter's bat has been slowly coming around. The average is respectable now, but the power numbers are still way down.
- Silver: Manny Machado BAL - If you are looking at an Orioles stack, Machado is a good play to have in the middle of that. His price point is still decent as his bat is starting to heat up. Faces Colby Lewis tonight.
- Bronze: Trevor Plouffe MIN - If you believe the Twins are going to rough up Wily Peralta like I do, then Plouffe would be a good guy to have in the middle of that. Decent price point for a guy who hits in the middle of the order.
- Economy: Luis Valbuena CHC - Valbuena got the day off yesterday with Mike Olt manning 3B. Valbuena is getting some loks at 2B as well. I would say he's 50/50 to start tonight, so check with lineups. Valbuena is a left handed bat facing righty Jacob deGrom.
Shortstop:
- Gold: Troy Tulowitzki COL - Likely the gold play of the day anywhere. Masher vs. long ball pitcher? Seems like a match made in heaven, well for Tulo anyway. Tulowitzki got banged up late in last night's game, so check on availability. It would be a shame if he couldn't go because the matchup is so ripe. Faces Bronson Arroyo.
- Silver: Starlin Castro CHC - A quiet guy who is on many radars. But you have to respect a shortstop that hits cleanup on his team. That's where Castro sits now. I continue to gang up on Jacob deGrom.
- Bronze: Elvis Andrus TEX - Many dfs'ers love Andrus. I'm pretty meh towards him because his price and production never seem to fit. You pay a lot for his SBs. He has next to no pop in his bat. But yet he reamins high on the SS list. Go figure. At any rate , he makes the list on a light night as he faces Chris Tillman.
- Economy: J.J. Hardy BAL - I go with Hardy on consecutive nights at the economy spot. It's difficult not to with the way the Orioles are mashing as of late. You just hope he can pick up some tag along points, or do a little mashing himself. Faces Colby Lewis tonight.
Outfield:
- Gold: Nelson Cruz BAL - Cruz has been a fixture here the last few days. When you get a guy that is mashing, its difficult to get away from him. At any rate, one just has to ride out the hot streak on Cruz, because right now he is running the hottest of hot. I expect the Orioles to mash vs. Colby Lewis.
- Gold: Adam Jones BAL - I have the Orioles manning both gold spots in the outfield. That's how much I trust the Orioles bats, and how much I trust Colby Lewis. The top of the Orioles lineup has been a murderer's row lately. Tough to get outs up there.
- Silver: Charlie Blackmon COL - Speaking of ganging up on pitchers. One pitcher surely to gang up on is Bronson Arroyo. Lead off man Charlie Blackmon loves hitting at Coors Field. Seems like a mismatch to me.
- Silver: George Springer HOU - Springer faces Tyler Skaggs. Springer still kinda scares me at this early stage in his career. No question he can mash, no question he can K too. His price point now is at the point where he's priced like a bonafide masher. But he still young and with youth comes inconsistency. So its difficult to project whats coming in the short term future with Springer.
- Bronze: Shin Soo Choo TEX - Choo is like a veteranized version of Springer. Sometimes he'll reward your loyalty and other times, he'll leave you holding the bag. Choo faces Chris Tillman in a matchup Choo should benefit in.
- Bronze: Oswaldo Arcia MIN - On a light night I have resorted to relying on the Twins and Cubs. With the way things have been so upside down lately, its likely not a bad tactic. Since being called up, Arcia has been hitting in the middle of the Twins order. Arcia faces Wily Peralta.
- Economy: Nate Schierholtz CHI - To continue the theme of ganging up on Jacob deGrom, I give you Nate Schierholtz. Schierholtz had a putrid start to the season, but now has righted himself to respectability. Cubs and Twins stack for the ballsy.
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