Welcome to another edition of the Sunday Dongers Club. Don’t blink, but we’re running out of Sundays for MLB Dongers Club enjoyment and I smell a big 5 figure win coming for the Daily Ambush family one of these fine Sunday’s.
Ya’ll gotta like my encouragement sometimes right? Always optimistic unless I have money on the home team in an extra inning game, or I bet the White Sox, or what the hell was Kevin Cash doing putting so many lefties in that lineup last night.
Yes, I had my article done before the Rays lineup came out and scrambled to make edits removing Arozarena and Paredes from it and thus didn’t force in Singer who is one of my favorite pitchers. Oh well, we still did good and the Chairman is 2 for 2 on full slates post ASB. Time for a hat trick today.
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WEATHER
All games will play and it’s most definitely hotter than tits on a monkey and we have lots of Thunderstorm chances today as well.
Games with wind over 10MPH out include:
- Toronto at Boston (to center field)
- Miami at Pittsburgh (to left)
- St. Louis at Cincinnati (to left)
- Minnesota at Detroit (cross wind to left)
- Cleveland at Chicago (to the left)
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There is a ton to digest today on the pitching front, so a good number of options but a clear Cy Young at the top.
SANDY ALCANTARA
No south beach theory here because the game is in Pittsburgh. All I can think about when it comes to Pittsburgh nightlife is Sidney Crosby doing stand-up at some club which is probably infested with MonkeyPox or something gross, so yeah, there’s none of that. Nor is there any Jack Suwinski or Daniel Vogelbach on the Pirates anymore, which is just a damn tragedy my friends.
Load up on Sandy, who should be 13k today.
IAN ANDERSON
DraftKings algo thinks that Mike Trout is in the lineup today because he would obviously go 4-4 against Ian Anderson, but they must not realize it’s late July and Trout is too busy doing fantasy football research and implementing a scoring system which includes Offensive Line scoring and points for sitting on the bench in a 40 point blowout so that he can draft Cam Jurgens and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside in the 4th and 5th rounds.
Instead the Angels will have Michael Stefanic, Jo Adell, Luis Rengifo and Jonathan Vil…. shit, Jonathan Villar probably homers, alright but the rest of these jack offs won’t hit Ian Anderson who had his massive blow-up game already recently and should get another 16-18 DK points today.
SONNY GRAY
I normally do not love going with Sonny Gray because he offers limited upside and to often leaves after 75 pitches or so. But he did have 10 strikeouts against the Tigers back in late May and with their high whiff rates he could offer a good mid range option today.
MITCH KELLER
I would expect to see a good % of lineups on DraftKings with the Marlins-Pirates SP game stack today and it’s hard to argue with it. The Marlins are very much a depleted lineup who isn’t hitting and Keller is the same guy he always is. If he can avoid a ton of walks he will do fine and he walked 0 Marlins in their last meeting which is normal given the Marlins lack of being a patient lineup.
With Brian Anderson possibly out here too that makes it even more likely he can pitch very well. I do like Avisail Garcia and Jesus Aguilar a little bit but the park doesn’t help either, although Jacob Stallings does fit the C vs P narrative.
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SUNDAY SLEEPER
CHAD KUHL
A pivot off Anderson/Keller in the cheaper range on DraftKings as I look at the game in Milwaukee I am tempted to consider both of these mediocre arms, however as I look at their possible match-ups there’s 2 or 3 Rockies I like and absolutely no Brewers I am tempted with today. Kuhl’s been very reliable against righties and Yelich/Wong have both been really bad vs sliders on the season. Look for Tellez to possibly be a rough spot and like Keller he’s gotta avoid walking the lead off hitter each inning and he will be fine.
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Other Quick Hits …
Miles Mikolas – I think he pitches very well vs the Reds but his price on both sites is hard to justify compared to other options and he isn’t likely to strike out 8-10 hitters either.
Shane Beiber – Maybe it’s the coffee this morning but I’m just not seeing it.
Dylan Cease – Seeing Cleveland too many times now to use.
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This is a great one off slate mostly because I see a few pitchers who could navigate lineups okay outside of a no doubt about it problem batter they gotta face, so we’ll cover those in the individual plays below but here are the teams to consider going heavy on.
JAYS
Bichette, Springer, Gurriel
Like Auston Matthews at home on a Saturday night the Jays are going to get production from Springer/Bichette vs Bello but I wouldn’t think this is a spot where I want to use 4-5 Blue Jays.
Lourdes Gurriel is a good value, who has been jacked up to third in this lineup, but Bello is someone who everyone else over-valued early and will under-appreciate today, he won’t get full blown up but he will serve up a couple solo bombs.
CARDINALS
O’Neill, Arenado, Carlson, Gorman
In my second half preview I believe I mentioned Tyler O’Neill having a big second half and he has started that already this weekend. Along with the Nolan’s you can build out a good HR stack in a small park vs Tyler Mahle who hasn’t pitched in a few weeks.
ROCKIES
Grichuk, Cron, Bryant
I like the Rockies to avoid a sweep today and doing it off the fact that Lauer just gives up a ton of HR to RHB. This is a good doubles park and a good doubles team, so a few doubles and a HR & you’ll look up to see Colorado with 6 spot very quickly.
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Why I don’t write up the Yankees
They’re expensive as hell to stack and you don’t need any advice on Aaron Judge but if you wanted to stack them then yes, Rizzo-Gleyber-Donaldson. Plus I think the Orioles win again behind Mancini-Hays/Adley, that’s your better value stack here.
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Top Boost+ Players:
Brandon Lowe, Lourdes Gurriel Jr, Randy Arozarena, Whit Merrifield, Michael Steanic, Francisco Mejia
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CATCHER
Wow, catcher is not bad for once today.
- Yasmani Grandal
- Adley Rutschman – Adley has shown more power so far from the right side but overall has great plate discipline. He impresses me more and more every game.
- Eric Haase
- Jacob Stallings
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FIRST BASE
This is a horrible position today and since it’s first base we basically want to go power hunting but I just don’t see it outside of CJ Cron.
- Luis Arraez
- CJ Cron
- Trey Mancini
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SECOND BASE
- Sunday Whit
- Brandon Lowe … I can’t wait for Kevin Cash to be an idiot and think Lowe vs a lefty is a bad play. Bubic has one pitch and his change-up gets murdered by lefties which Lowe and Choi will both hammer if given the chance.
- Nolan Gorman
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THIRD BASE
It’s all Nolan for me today, if you hate me and hate the Chairman then fine, be that way. Your other options are a 2% Jose Ramirez or the Orioles six hole in Romon Urias, but no, I don’t trust either so it’s all Nolan today.
- Nolan Arenado
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SHORTSTOP
- Bo Bichette
- Carlos Correa
- Dansby Swanson – if Acuna misses he wont.
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OUTFIELD – Mt. Rushmore
- Ronnie Acuna Jr – He won’t miss.
- Randy Arozarena
- George Springer
- Randal Grichuk
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OUTFIELD – Aaron Judge Category
- Aaron Judge
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OUTFIELD – Tier 2
- Tyler O’Neill … Second half MVP has started strong but OF is deep today, I would use him in Cardinals stack mostly.
- Kris Bryant
- Tyler Naquin
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OUTFIELD – Value
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr
- Avisail Garcia
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There were many choices for the Chairman today, so we are going with the one who has literally no competition at his position
- Nolan Arenado – 3B – Cardinals – Chairman of The Dongers Club
- Randal Grichuk – OF – Rockies
- Whit Merrifield – 2B – Royals
- Bo Bichette – SS – Blue Jays
- Ronald Acuna Jr – OF – Braves
- Yasmani Grandal – C – White Sox
- George Springer – OF – Blue Jays
- Trey Mancini – 1B – Orioles
- BONUS ………………….. Tyler O’Neill – OF – Cardinals
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CORE PLAYS
Sandy Alcantara
Whit Merrifield
Nolan Arenado
Bo Bichette
Randal Grichuk (FD)
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RANDOM THOUGHTS
That Boston lineup is dog shit, but no I am not using the Stripper.
The Twins could find a way to put up 7 runs today and not win a GPP, that lineup is just too random without Buxton.
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BETTING PLAYS
Rockies ML
Orioles ML
Rays + Jays ML Parlay
Texas Rangers ML (Afternoon)
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