Six games early on both FanDuel and DraftKings locking at 2:10 PM EST and then the last game starts at 4:05 PM EST. It’s a Christmas or June Miracle as both sites have the same slate of early games today and with it being six games we have a really good buffet on our hands.
WEATHER
Very warm and all games play. Near 100 degrees out in Colorado, but it’s a “comfortable” 100 degrees, right?
The six game slate has three guys who I think garner the most ownership in Giolito, Mahle and Peralta. All three concern me slightly but you cannot deny their upside compared to the rest of the field today, that said, with the hitting conditions being so solid I would much rather spend on hitting than pitching and would favor the idea of a cheap SP game stack — unfortunately there is only one game which proposes such scenario … Tigers vs Royals baby.
Lucas Giolito
Of the top 3 priced guys Giolito is the one I trust the most. He pitches better at home and has gone 6 innings or more in six straight games. The obvious concern bats on the Tampa side against a RHP are Meadows and Lowe but Giolito should handle them much better than Lynn did on Monday, so we’re looking at 6-7 innings, 6-7 strikeouts and less than 2 ER allowed.
Brady Singer
Singer against the Tigers with the exception of his May 11th start when his velocity just wasn’t there has always produced. There’s a slight narrative here in that he has a beef with Detroit taking Casey Mize as former SEC rivals, but more so it has to do with his pitch arsenal really matching up well against Detroit’s lineup. Explain to me why the hell the Royals are a -150 favorite today? He’s gonna win.
Tarik Skubal
No teams averages fewer pitchers per plate appearance than the Kansas City Royals. Skubal is pitching much better in his second MLB season and makes for a nice SP game stack play with Singer.
ATHLETICS
I can sit here and write about how the Padres in Coors in a 100 degree game vs Kyle Freeland are the top play, especially Will Myers….
I can justify the Reds lefties against Freddy Peralta, seeing him twice in one week and in the park that gets Joey Votto closer to Canada….
I can wax poetic about how Tyler Mahle continues to regress back to what he is and how Christian Yelich and Omar Narvaez are licking their chops today….
I can point out that Blake Snell no doubt has 0% attention span on facing the Rockies and wont last 3 innings today…
I can even sit here and explain that the Pirates (KeBryan Hayes) and Nationals (Kyle Schwarber) are going to score enough to push the game over.
None of that gives a shit.
Give me all the Oakland Athletics against Griffin Canning in an Oakland Coliseum 80 degree day game.
RH batters MURDER Canning and the top 6 of this order should murder him as well.
Almost every game has favorable hitting conditions, here they are ranked
- Oakland – I am going all in on Oakland, minimum 4 batters here.
- San Diego
- Colorado
- Washington
CATCHER
Let’s pause for a moment and give a tip of the cap to … me … and also to the DK algo. Yes, I randomly tweeted out yesterday that the random Yan Gomes grand slam was coming soon. Well shit, that was fast. But how about the DK algo having Yan Gomes at $5,000 last night given that he hadn’t scored double digit points in more than 1 game for the past 3 weeks? So what naturally is his price today after a grand slam and facing Chase De Jong? It’s back down $500 to $4,500…. Tip of the cap to the DK algo. Well done.
- Salvador Perez
- Elias Diaz – If starts, $2500 catcher in Coors
- Sean Murphy – 25 and 18 DK fpts in his last two.
FIRST BASE
Appologies for being a fraud and listing so many first basemen on a short 6 game slate, but this is a deep position today… And if you dont like any of these options then just play Eric Hosmer.
- Matt Olson
- Mitch Moreland
- Mark McGuire
- Jason Giambi
- Scott Hatteberg
- Nick Swishalicious
SECOND BASE
- Whit Merrifield
- Jed Lowrie
- Jonathan Schoop – Either play Singer or play Schoop, it’s that simple. Or have balls and play both….
THIRD BASE
- Manny Machado
- Matt Chapman
- KeBryan Hayes
SHORTSTOP
Tatis who?
- Elvis Andrus
- Adalberto Raul Mondesi
- Trevor Story
OUTFIELD – Mt Rushmore
- Mark Canha
- Wil Myers
- Kyle Schwarber
- Christian Yelich
OUTFIELD – Tier 2
- Garett Hampson
- Jesse Winker
- Justin Upton
OUTFIELD – Value
- Bryan Reynolds
- Tyler Naquin
- Michael A. Taylor
The Dongers Club
- Mark Canha – OF – Athletics – Chairman of the Dongers Club
- Elvis Andrus – SS – Athletics
- Matt Olson – 1B – Athletics
- Michael A. Taylor – OF – Royals
- Kyle Schwarber – OF – Nationals
- Jonathan Schoop – 2B – Tigers
- Matt Chapman – 3B – Athletics
- Elias Diaz – C – Rockies
- BONUS …………….. Eric Hosmer – 1B – Padres
BETS
- Oakland Athletics / Anaheim Angels OVER 9
- Oakland runs in first inning – Yes
LINEUP CONSTRUCTION THOUGHTS
THE HIGHEST CHALK STACK(S)
Padres
Nationals
LOW(er) OWNED GOOD TEAMS
Athletics
White Sox
LEVERAGE STACKS/PLAYS
Reds/Brewers game stack
BEST VALUE STACK
Pirates
DK PITCHERS
Singer / Skubal
FD PITCHERS
Giolito
CORE HITTERS
Elvis Andrus, Matt Chapman, Kyle Schwarber, Wil Myers