Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings, DraftDay and Draftster 9/09/14

Could you be luckier? We're prepared to send you a free eBook on how the pros set both daily fantasy baseball AND football lineups, free of charge! Check out the details, and get your copies now! Don't make another lineup before reading this book! Each contains crucial mistakes your competitors, and maybe you!, are making.

 

We have partnered with Draftster, a new and user-friendly DFS site with some interesting pricing models. Use the promo code: HIGHHEAT for a 100% deposit bonus up to $200.

Ready to make the leap and get access to the exclusive projection system that produces these picks? Sign up now and get a free 3 day trial to our lineup construction tool for FanDuel, Draftster, and DraftKings. And now - for the next month - you can get access to our Football projection tools AND our baseball projection tools for the same price! Sick deal.

And try out our partner exclusive ScoreStreak picks.

 

Pitchers

Jon Lester - FD 9700 DK 12000 DD 19850 DFSTR 9400
Lester is just one of a few pitchers in the running for the Cy Young Award (not like I care, just nice to say) and has pitched phenomenally this season, with great peripherals leading the way. Lester's strike out rate is close to a K an inning, but the big story is his control. He's walking less than two batters per nine, allowing him often times to go later into games. He's the favorite today against Danks and still coming moderately priced all things considered. The White Sox strike out 22% of the time against lefties and rate in the bottom half of the league in that platoon split.

Wade Miley - FD 7500 DK 8200 DD 13750 DFSTR 5800
On such a tough pitching day, we need to find a little values in the margins. Miley doesn't have a great, great matchup today but the Giants are only slightly above league average against lefties. They strike out plenty and though guys like Pence and Posey do their fair share of damage, the rest of the lineup is bad on this side of the split. Miley has decent K upside, needs to limit the walks to be truly effective and the park helps him. It won't make me feel awesome, but this is a tough day.

Consider Mark Buehrle and Roenis Elias as high risk/ K upside guys at lower prices.

 

Catchers

Jonathan Lucroy - FD 3000 DK 4300 DD 9100 DFSTR 5300
His price on FanDuel remain ridiculous and I'm buying on that $3000 salary almost all day long. There are a couple of other decent options today, but overall Lucroy is about as good an offensive catcher as you can have. And he face a weak righty Tom Koehler in a hitter's park. Koehler has a low 4's xFIP and is a flyball pitcher throwing in Miller Park, where power is a bit inflated. As long as Lucroy is in the mid-tier price range I think you should be buying heavily, especially with pitching coming on the cheaper end today.

Derek Norris - FD 2200 DK 3500 DD 6850 DFSTR 3000
He's had a major power outage over the last month or so, and that has his prices heading south. On FD he's a min-priced guy and he's cheap pretty much everywhere. That's what happens when you stop hitting. That being said, at these prices I'm tempted to play him against the lefty considering on the season he has an OPS over .900 in that platoon. Granted, it's coming down, but with these prices there is very little downside to rolling him out there in a GPP.

Miguel Montero - FD 2300 DK 3300 DD 7550 DFSTR 3200
Hits righties well enough for a catcher and has a decent matchup against Petit today. Petit is best served in the bullpen and the Diamondbacks could get to him early. They will undoubtedly be facing the SF bullpen anyway because Petit doesn't go late into games.

 

First Basemen

Chris Davis - FD 3400 DK 4800 DD 9900 DFSTR 6700
First base is the one position I had a little trouble finding obvious value on the day. Many players were on the wrong side of their splits or just had less-than-favorable matchups. This is a little bit of an overpay for Davis, especially on DraftKings, but he gives some power upside against Anthony Ranuado who probably wouldn't mind just giving back his first month or so of major league service. Dude has been terrible, about as bad as it gets, striking out less than four batters per nine, walking the same amount and just generally sucking. Orioles could add to the misery tonight.

Matt Adams - FD 2500 DK 3500 DD 7250 DFSTR 3000
You pretty much need him to hit a home run to hit value because he does so little else on the offensive side of things. That being said, if you are looking to target home runs for cheap, this could be the spot. Great American Ballpark is a band box and boosts power all around. So does Mike Leake, a flyball pitcher through and through. (FWIW, I wrote this before Adams homered last night.)

Joe Mauer - FD 3000 DK 4200 DD 9200 DFSTR 7500
What I like about this matchup for Mauer is he shows extreme patience and that can really pay off against a guy like Trevor Bauer. Bauer has some K stuff, but he also walks close to four batters per nine. Mauer has a 12% walk rate and a 121 wRC+ against righties on the season. He's more of a cash game play here as he doesn't have any big power upside. But his ability to get on base really raises his floor.

 

Second Basemen

Some really nice options here tonight. Honestly, I have these guys pretty tightly bunched.
Jason Kipnis - FD 2800 DK 4000 DD 8300 DFSTR 3100
Trevor May can strike people out. And that's about where I stop with the positives about May. He's been atrocious at times this season, getting yanked early in games and just kind of getting rocked. His xFIP is in the 5's and he walks a millions guys. The Indians in general are in a good spot tonight and Kipnis makes a great value at second. He hasn't had a great season, seeing a marked dropoff in power. But I like where his price is today and think he can meet value against a pitcher who's struggled so much.

Chase Utley - FD 2900 DK 4000 DD 8650 DFSTR 3000
Another second baseman in a solid spot tomorrow is Utley against Volquez. Utley has a 115 wRC+ against righties this season and is a tough out from that side of the plate. The ballpark for sure helps him here and Volquez is a league average starter. I'm really liking the prices here for Utley as he makes a solid cash game play.

Ian Kinsler - FD 3400 DK 4700 DD 9500 DFSTR 5800
Kinsler has run a little bad against lefties this season, especially in his Hr/FB% which has driven down some of his power numbers in that split. I still like buying him when he faces lefties and he's reasonably priced in some spots considering he's facing Vargas, a below-average lefty who isn't as good as his low three's ERA would suggest.

Robinson Cano - FD 3200 DK 4600 DD 9850 DFSTR 5500
Still low enough on FanDuel that you should consider him even with a tougher matchup against McHugh.

 

Shortstops

Elvis Andrus - FD 2200 DK 3600 DD 7400 DFSTR 3000
I'm usually buying him against lefties because he's so much better on that side of the split and his troubles against righties keep his price way down across the board. But Andrus has been pretty awesome (for a shortstop) against lefties this season with a .795 OPS and 120 wRC+ on that side of the split. Hector Santiago isn't a great pitcher and and is worse against righties. I like Andrus hitting near the top of the order and coming at rock bottom prices.

Erick Aybar - FD 2800 DK 3900 DD 7800 DFSTR 5600
First guy I am targeting against Colby Lewis. But won't be the last. Aybar isn't exciting, but he gets the job done, is real tough to strike out and always seems to have the ball in play. I'm liking him agaisnt Colby Lewis who continues to be a below average pitcher and is going in a hitter's park.

Consider Eugenio Suarez

 

Third Basemen

Josh Donaldson - FD 3100 DK 4600 DD 9150 DFSTR 3000
His problems against righties this season has kept his price down overall. Because against lefties he remains one of the best hitters in the league. Donaldson's 1.088 OPS against lefties sits in the top five of the league for qualified dudes. And his .459 wOBA in that platoon is just gross. As long as the price isn't out of the box, I want to have him against lefties whenever possible. Tonight is one of those nights against Danks.

Adrian Beltre - FD 3100 DK 4300 DD 9250 DFSTR 4300
Another guys who's tagged lefty pitching this season and for his career. Beltre has a .971 OPS and 165 wRC+ against lefties this season, which is somewhat in line with his career numbers. Facing Hector Santiago in the Ballpark in Arlington has me considering him even with Donaldson's great matchup.

Lonnie Chisenhall - FD 2300 DK 3600 DD 6750 DFSTR 3000
If you want to go a little cheaper you can consider Chisenhall in an Indian's stack against Trevor May. Chisenhall is really only in play against righties. Thankfully May is the kind of righty we want to target.

Consider Nick Castellanos

 

Outfielders

Mike Trout - FD 5100 DK 5600 DD 13300 DFSTR 9400
Kole Calhoun - FD 3300 DK 4500 DD 8750 DFSTR 6900
Josh Hamilton - FD 2900 DK 3700 DD 8250 DFSTR 3000
Going to for sure have shares of these guys in some stacks against Colby Lewis. The ballpark is choice for hitters and Lewis has had some major home run problems over his career. Each of these guys comes at slightly different price points making them easier to fit into lineups. I'd consider Calhoun and Trout in all formats while I'd reserve Hamilton only for GPPs on the chance he gets a hold of one. Could be some runs put up in this one and if the Angels are getting on the board it stands to reason at the least, Calhoun and Trout are part of the action.

Michael Brantley - FD 3600 DK 5100 DD 9950 DFSTR 9500
Michael Bourn - FD 2700 DK 3900 DD 8150 DFSTR 4700
Both of these guys are in good spots against Trevor May. Brantley's price has come down recently but it doesn't take away from his success against righties this season. He's been one of the best hitters in the league on that side of the split with a 161 wRC+ and .399 wOBA. Bourn has had his successes too and with the speed as an upside. Like I've said before, Trevor May is ripe for the picking and these two guys work well in a Tribe stack with Brantley as a solid cash game play.

Ryan Braun - FD 3200 DK 4800 DD 10350 DFSTR 3000
Carlos Gomez - FD 3800 DK 4300 DD 9550 DFSTR 3000
Khris Davis - FD 2900 DK 3800 DD 8050 DFSTR 6600
Another trio in a nice matchup against Tom Koehler. Koehler's actually been worse against righties this season and his career. Each of these guys has been effective enough against righty pitching this season and don't have extreme platoon splits. This is a situation where circumstance and matchup meet value. The ballpark helps and Koehler is a pitcher to target today.

Consider Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte
Give a follow on Twitter @dailyfantasysr and @dougnorrie.

Ready to make the leap and get access to the exclusive projection system that produces these picks? Try a free 3-day trial to our Lineup Construction Tools for FanDuel, DraftKings, and Drafster - AND you'll get 'em for Football as well, all for the same price!

Did you know that our new Football eBook is live just in time for football season? You can get a free copy in your inbox by filling out the form below.

A quick note - if you're only interested in Football related content getting emailed to you, be sure to check the "DFSR Football Newsletter" box on the signup form below.

Thanks, and good luck!