We keep moving along and have an unusual slate tonight with games not locking until 8 PM EST. This is mostly due to the MLB schedule just not having games at 7PM as many of those games are starting at 6PM where teams had locked into local TV deals with earlier games for the benefit of fans. Quite honestly, it’s stupid IMO because on a Friday night why do you need the 6PM game? But anyways, that’s what the trend is now and I wish we had a HUGE 15 game slate but we only have 9 games.
We also do not have the Yankee-Oriole game tonight because it’s part of a DH and even though you’ll see those players listed on DraftKings they are not going to accrue points. FanDuel has excluded this game already so no issues there. It’s the same nine game slate.
And oh my god.
It’s happening!
Francisco Lindor is finally back in the lead off spot tonight
Now, lets check in on the Minnesota weather for tonight
Well that’s just grand now isn’t it…
WEATHER
Colder (September Baseball!) conditions than we have seen as expected….
- Indians at Twins – Cold and Rainy, could PPD. Minnesota has a bad history of not knowing if they want to play or not. Do a check around 7:30 PM but I would be open to fading this spot tonight if there’s still risk that close. I don’t think you’ll need players from it if it plays even though there’s some good spots.
- Weather is good enough to have both roofs open in Texas and Arizona
I said it earlier this week and I want to highlight this again. Teams who are likely going to the playoffs are not going to take any risks with pitchers. Buehler and Paddack both this week have been pulled early at the slightest sign of injury and we saw Buehler go back on the IL and might see that with Paddack now too.
Shane Bieber
If the rain stays away Bieber is the play tonight over Giolito. Kepler is still out and wind blowing in + ugly hitting conditions makes this a spot we can trust paying up for Bieber tonight. His FD price of $11.6 with a fairly moderate Coors game is not the right play but when locking in two pitchers tonight, we’ll need a stud and it’s him. Giolito is #2 and a pivot if this game is PPD.
Casey Mize
Mize made his debut against these same White Sox and has continued to have almost the same game out every time except not as dominant as his first one where he struck out 7 White Sox over 4 1/3 IP. The Tigers defense is atrocious and it has not helped Mize much but I saw what Brady Singer did last night to Cleveland and it immediately made me think of Mize. These young future #1 pitchers are adjusting to the big leagues where they pitch every 5th day roughly and have to re-assure their confidence after a few starts. Mize and Singer are not like guys like Spencer Howard or even Dane Dunning, these are guys who will no doubt be #1 SP on their teams in future years and their talent demand we consider them at low prices this early in their career. Mize has that today and gets another chance to earn his first win as a major league starter — which I am predicting he does tonight against Lucas Giolito and the White Sox.
Mike Fiers
Can’t ever be in love with Mike Fiers. He wont go past 6 innings and he should give up some HR at times. But it’s still a bad power park even with the roof open possibly and if we can get close to a repeat of what he did vs Texas just a couple weeks ago then we’ll be happy with that.
Outside the Box
I want to say that Jon Lester pitches better than expectations today, however the way Milwaukee is hitting LHP at times it’s hard to fully endorse him today. Mize is a fantastic SP2 on DraftKings and would be the outside the box play on FanDuel tonight which gets you Trout-Rendon-Ohtani stack from the Angels. So…. Casey Mize. Don’t suck today pal. You sir, are the outside the box play.
So we have an inter-league Coors game. That should go well. Oh, it also features Griffin Cant-pitch-ing and oh yeah, Mike Trout on a Friday night? Hell, Mike Trout any time of the year. As crazy as 2020 is, seeing Mike Trout actually play baseball in September is always a weird sight too.
LA Angels vs Rockies
Trout, Ohtani, Rendon, Blackmon
This game should be in the 9-8 neighborhood once the bullpens get done with everything and we’ll want both sides, both 3B and you can easily talk me into doing a full stack here with Casey Mize on FanDuel tonight. I know that it’s not 90 degrees as its low 70’s upper 60’s tonight but wind isn’t an issue, pitching is mediocre at best and you’ll want 2-5 hitters from this game tonight.
Chicago Cubs
Rizzo, Schwarber, Baez
There’s a lot about Woodruff which looks like Sonny Gray. Well, aside from the whole fact that Woodruff is like 6 inches taller. Neither gives up a ton of HR but they try to get LH bats out with sinker ball type action and the Cubs getting to see that two days in a row and going into a ballpark they usually dominate in has me loving them to have a big night tonight.
Mariners vs Diamondbacks
Kyle Lewis, DYlan Moore, David Peralta, Christian Walker, Nick Ahmed.
Roof open, interleague game, two lefties in Chase Field. Yes, there will be home runs here tonight.
Other games to like
- Royals vs Pirates … Mondesi/Whit have a HUUUGE weekend ahead.
- Reds vs Cardinals … We don’t play Castillo on Friday’s anymore (remember? SEE GIF BELOW) and Waino sucks vs the Reds. Bet the over for sure, just good luck picking the right stack here outside of Brad Miller and Jesse Winker.
CATCHER
- Max Stassi – What a disaster having a catcher at just 2600 on DK, it’s like they don’t even try sometimes.
- Wilson Contreras
- Jacob Stallings
FIRST BASE
- Anthony Rizzo
- Christian Walker
- Ty France
SECOND BASE
- Mike Moustakas – Birthday!
- Whit Merrifield … Nice, back at 2B on DK … considering OF is stacked there today this is where you would use him.
- Keston Hiura
THIRD BASE
- Anthony Rendon
- Nolan Arenado
- You are on your own if you don’t have one of them.
- ok, maybe … Evan Longoria
SHORTSTOP
- Batting first, for the Cleveland Indians, Shortstop… #12, Francisco Lindooooooooooooooooooor ………… Unfortunately the game is likely getting PPD due to rain…
- Nick Ahmed
- Javy Baez
- Adalberto Raul Mondesi Jr
OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore
Outfield from top to bottom is the deepest spot tonight, Angles, Cubs, Rockies, Giants, Mariners… All these teams have lots of choices here. How does that help you? I have no clue, but I just figured I would pass it along because I am a nice person on this fine Friday evening. Ok? Great. Now play Ohtani.
- Shohei Ohtani
- Mike Trout
- Kyle Lewis
- Bryan Reynolds
OUTFIELD – Tier 2
- Ian Happ
- Christian Yelich
- Jesse Winker
- Dylan Moore
OUTFIELD – Value
- Jo Adell
- Edward the Garden of Olivares
- Alex Dickerson
- Francisco Lindor – SS – Indians … President, CEO and Chairman of the Dongers Club
- Anthony Rizzo – 1B – Cubs
- Shohei Ohtani – OF – Angels
- Kyle Lewis – OF – Mariners
- Alex Dickerson – OF – Giants
- Pirates Catcher … whichever one starts
- Mike Moustakas – 2B – Reds
- Anthony Rendon and Nolan Arenado – 3B – Coors
- BONUS ……………………………Nick Ahmed – SS – Diamondbacks