Monday Baseball is a fantastic thing. It’s calm, it’s quiet and we really have had plenty of time since our last battle to either let the excitement come back to reality or the disappointment be removed with optimism for whatever new series we have in front of us today.
One tradition over the years has been giving a lean to those teams who are Home on a Monday after being Home over the weekend. One exception tonight is that the Mariners and Twins does not apply here since they faced each other over the weekend, but the teams who do fall into this category tonight includes …
Everyone!
Yes, how about them apples? Every team who is home tonight was also home over the Opening Day weekend and thus every team on the road tonight had travel involved yesterday. We also have the Yankees playing after a Boston series, which more times than not ends up in the Yankees/Red Sox both losing the next day.
WEATHER
There are no PPD risk games tonight and no Roofs to worry about either while nothing is extremely warm. It’s an April Monday night if I ever saw one.
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The options are REALLY limited today and some risk even among the top guys.
ALEK MANOAH
I bought heavy into this kid a year ago and despite the allure of a Yankee Lineup at home and the highest price on both sites, he is among the best options on this slate. His spring workload is promising as well as he logged 14 innings over 4 appearances this Spring, which is good for the big young kid from West Virginia as his confidence should be high in the park where he made his debut last year.
HAUSCAR YNOA
A couple offenses have been bad as advertised and one of them is the Nationals offense. Sub 70 degrees and a slight breeze in Atlanta will play that park more to normal. A bottom of the order featuring Keibert Ruiz, Maikel Franco, Lane Thomas, Alcides Escobar and Gary from DuPont. And Ynoa, yeah I think that’ll play just fine tonight. His slider was among the best in the league at times before a stupid self-inflicted injury last season, so load up on him on both sites.
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LONGSHOT ARMS
DYLAN BUNDY
Bundy’s career has been a disappointment from where he was once projected to be. His major issue outside of the pandemic season is just keeping the ball in the park and now a change of scenery to Minnesota offers another chance for someone I probably should just let fade into the sunset. But not yet. A huge advantage for Bundy is going to a cold Target Field in a night game and an offense in Seattle which is more of a put the ball in play team right now than hammering tons of long balls. If he can control the walks, Bundy will perform well for his cheap DK price.
ALEX WOOD
For the price on DK I would much rather take the risk with Manoah or Ynoa, but the Padres offense hasn’t exactly been lighting the world on fire thus far and go into a tough place to hit.
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No desire to use …
- Luis Patino – Oakland is bad, but no way he gives you more than 3-4 IP
- Ranger Suarez
- Michael Lorenzen
ANGELS
Shohei Ohtani, Jared Walsh, Brandon Marsh
Heavy lefties will do damage vs Elieser Hernandez and also in this ballpark. It’s not typical 80+ degrees in LA but the wind is blowing out and the Marlins should do just fine vs Michael Lorenzen no matter how long/short his outing is. If Avisail Garcia can see him with men on base he should do damage. Angels side is the preferred play but dont mind Marlins (Avisail/Jazz) as well.
BRAVES
Ozzie Albies, Marcell Ozuna, Austin Riley
The Nationals pitching staff is going to be historically bad for at least the first 2 months of the season. Anytime they get a good offense like Atlanta which they need to contend with you should have that team on your radar for the whole series.
PHILLIES / METS
Pete Alonso, Starling Marte, James McCann … Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Didi Gregorious
Love the Mets when they got to Philly but our hitting exposure should come from both teams.
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CATCHERS
- James McCann
- Travis d’Arnaud
FIRST BASE
- Pete Alonso
- Jared Walsh
- Kyle Schwarber
SECOND BASE
- Ozzie Albies
- Chad Pinder
- Jazz Chisholm Jr
THIRD BASE
- Austin Riley
- Anthony Rendon
SHORTSTOP
- Bo Bichette
- Francisco Lindor
- Didi Gregorious
OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore
- Marcell Ozuna
- Kyle Schwarber … So expect him to be chalky today. He is 5 for 10 vs Walker with … 5! home runs. And if the Mets decide hey lets go bring in Trevor Williams, Schwarber is only 10-29 against him with … 4 home runs. Good luck Mets.
- Shohei Ohtani
- Avisail Garcia
OUTFIELD – Tier 2
- Adam Duvall
- Nick Castellanos
- Joc Pederson … Welcome back to America Nick Martinez! Strong winds out to right but cold in San Francisco. LHB are good for one offs.
- Starling Marte
OUTFIELD – Value
- Mike Yasztremski
- Jarred Kelenic
- Brandon Marsh
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- Marcell Ozuna – OF – Atlanta Braves – Chairman of the Dongers Club
- Kyle Schwarber – OF – Phillies
- Bo Bichette – SS – Jays
- Pete Alonso – 1B – Mets
- James McCann – C – Mets
- Brandon Marsh – OF – Angels
- Ozzie Albies – 2B – Braves
- Josh Donaldson – 3B – Yankees
- BONUS …………………………………. Jared Walsh – 1B – Angels
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Three Entry Max Starting Points …
- Manoah and Ynoah together on main lineup, but not 100% exposure to either
- Mix them with Bundy, Wood
- Lineup #3: Angels/Marlins/Padres/Giants bats only
Expected Chalk Offense(s)
- Braves, Phillies, Rays
Best Leverage / Pivots
- Mets – Pivot
Favorite Bets
- Marlins/Angels OVER 9.5
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