Welcome to the Tuesday, September 15th edition of The Dongers Club and that sweet, sweet smell in the air is the smell of site synchronicity as we have a nice 12 game slate on DK and a nice 12 game slate on FD tonight. The weekend of NFL and College Football action was nice and all, but having the final two weeks of the MLB regular season without a ton of noise tonight is very refreshing.
And then we notice that this slate features a visiting AL team who hits lots of home runs going into Coors, two mediocre offenses going into a divisional opponents ballpark against a pitcher they should beat up and the EPIC battle of who gives up more home runs in the first inning tonight, Madison Bumgarner or Juliooooo Teheran. If you aren’t excited for tonight’s slate then I am greatly disappointed in you my friends.
WEATHER
Even the Baseball God’s are enjoying tonight’s slate as we have cool autumn temperatures with zero precipitation challenges in any of the games. It’s quite a comfortable evening to prepare a nice balanced meal and open a fantastic Oktoberfest beer of your choice and settle in to watch the Royals and the Tigers!!
- Mariners and Giants PPD due to air quality.
Not the deepest of top level options today & considering some good hitting spots, lets not spend up for both pitchers on DK today
Jack Flaherty
If the Cardinals are going to hold on and secure a playoff spot they are going to need Flaherty to step up and pitch like the ace he was down the stretch last season. He was roughed up two starts ago where he had a horrendous first inning against the Cubs but bounced back with a solid 5 inning, 6 strikeout, 2 ER start against the Tigers last outing. He gets one of the worst teams against RHP this season in the Milwaukee Brewers and this looks like the time to stretch him out to 6 or 7 innings tonight and secure us a top level score.
Jose Urquidy
Urquidy checks into the conversation tonight against a lefty heavy Texas lineup who projects to have a 25% strikeout rate tonight a pretty low .325 wOBA and a sub .200 ISO against LHP on the season. His price is diminished because he’s only pitched twice this season and has just 3 K over 9.2 innings in his first two games but that is mostly based upon the opponents he faced and not his capabilities going forward. He should be your cheaper/value SP2 on DK and would be a consideration to look at on FanDuel tonight with lots of good hitting options available to us — including Rougned Odor who is no doubt going to homer once again off Urquidy tonight. But that aside, he’s a viable SP2.
Jakub Junis
Well… Guess who’s not wearing pants anymore. Actually, by all the rumors today it appears Danny Duffy might be the one without pants as he was found with a crashed vehicle last night waiting for a ride which caused him to miss the flight and thus get scratched today. Rumors swirling about Duffy and some DUI issues given his past, but no truth to that so let’s just hope Duffman is doing okay. Meanwhile, insert Jake Junis who has not had the best of 2020’s given COVID and nagging injuries, but he gets a chance to amend that today against the team he has feasted on in the past — Detroit. If Matheny can trust Junis to let him stay in long enough tonight he’ll surely give you a good ROI on his price tag on both sites today.
Outside the Box
Julio Teheran
There’s a reason I have a drinking GIF posted next to Julio on the DFS Dashboard, and it’s because that’s how you feel every time you roster him. He’s been nothing short of blah since coming over to the American League and yeah Kole Calhoun will hit a 5th inning HR off him if he is still in the game at that point. However, if we’re gonna get crazy and go outside the box then lets do it in a nice leverage spot as well tonight. The Diamondbacks as a team have just not hit on the road this season unless they’re in Coors Field.
Mets
Michael Conforto, Dominic Smith, Wilson Ramos
They dominiate the Phils in Philly and Conforto/Smith should give Arrieta enough problems to warrant using them today.
Rockies vs Athletics in Coors
Trevor Story, Matt Olson
I don’t care where this game is actually played tonight because Story against Sean Manaea and Olson against Senzatella are premium match-ups to target. Manaea is the easy one for me to pick on as his 43% hard contact against RH bats should not bode well against Trevor Story at all. Arenado is banged up a little bit, however he should be in the lineup and no doubt is someone you can trust but you should spend up for Story first. Matt Olson and the Athletics prove to be the more popular side in this game against Senzatella and a mediocre Rockies bullpen. With tons of HR pop already on Oakland, this is a spot to expect > 3 home runs tonight from this lineup.
Royals
Whit Merrifield, Salvador Perez, Maikel Franco
Certain teams just have certain guys numbers. Such is the case with the Royals who come in having been hitting really well of late and certainly having had tons of success historically in Detroit and against Matt Boyd. I wouldn’t expect an 8 run outburst from them today, but Salvador Perez is healthy, happy and trotting around the bases tonight. Just note that unlike last time Royals went to Tigerland and raked this season, it’s not as warm and the wind is NOT blowing out and the bottom of the Royals lineup to me lacks enough juice to really keep this going and turn it into a huge night. Top of order is fantastic, bottom? Not so much…
Braves
Ronald Acuna, Dansby Swanson
Right back to the well after a disappointing game on Monday from this crew. Last night it was only Freeman, and tonight it’s Acuna and I’m telling you, Swanson isn’t staying cold so look at 2 SS on FD tonight.
SLEEPER TEAMS
Blue Jays … I believe Deivi Garcia is someone these young kids will have success against tonight. Biggio, Gurriel & Bichette
Indians … Lindor, Santana and Franmil
CATCHER
- Salvy
- Wilson Ramos
FIRST BASE
- Matt Olson, next question…
- Pete Alonso
- Hunter Dozier
SECOND BASE
There aren’t many 2B who stand out today, so if you have a value guy that is on a team you’re on then lock him in but depending on the site configuration make sure you don’t completely punt it unless you’re stuck because La Stella and Whit are very good plays
- Tommy La Stella – FD play at $3.6k
- Whit Merrifield – DK only
- Rougned Odor – Find me someone who is hotter at 2B right now? You can’t. Futhermore, Odor has destroyed Houston’s stadium with 10 homers in roughly 40 games played there. He comes in hot, in a spot he does well in and is very affordable tonight.
THIRD BASE
Not a position to spend up tonight.
- Alec Bohm
- Maikel Franco
- Yoan Moncada … HR streak is coming.
SHORTSTOP
- Trevor Story
- Paul DeJong … Cards bats let me down yesterday but I still believe in them @ Milwaukee.
- Marcus Semien
- Beaux Bichette
OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore
- Franmil Reyes … I know I am a known Yu Darvish hater but it’s Franmil going into an NL park and Wrigley with a slight breeze out. He’s homering today.
- Whit Merrifield – Can be slid to 2B on DK so you can lock in some value guys here on DK, not as many solid value at 2B there.
- Ronald Acuna Jr.
- Michael Conforto
OUTFIELD – Tier 2
- Dominic Smith
- Nick Markakis
- Ramon Laureano
- Khris Davis
OUTFIELD – Value
This is where the value on DK is today….
- DJ Stewart
- Kole Calhoun
- Ryan Mountcastle
- Hunter Dozier
- Salvador Perez – C – Royals – Chairman of the Dongers Club
- Franmil Reyes – OF – Indians
- Michael Conforto – OF – Mets
- Kole Calhoun – OF – Diamondbacks
- Rougned Odor – 2B – Rangers
- Matt Olson – 1B – Athletics
- Trevor Story – SS – Rockies
- Alec Bohm – 3B – Phillies
- BONUS …………………………….. Ryan Mountcastle – Orioles