DFS MLB Hitting Coach July 9

Tough split slate today, and looks like the Tigers/Jays game isn’t even listed on the DK slate, and is all day only on FD. The highest run total games as well as the top pitchers are in the small 5 game bight slate.  The early and afternoon only games feature multiple teams that have been on fire lately.  I’m thinking we can see some high scoring gpp lineups today that feature a wide variety of players.  Good luck!

Catcher

Cash Play:  Early:  Buster Posey gets to face a lefty today which makes him a top cash game play.  He has hit safely in 8 of his last 9 games, going deep in 3 of them.  On DK, Salvador Perez’s price is hard to pass up at 2700.  He is also 5-9 with a HR off of Miley.   Late:  Willson Contreras will be catching Lester for the first time today with Ross out.  Even though he is hitless in his last two games, the power is there, and price is still cheap on FD.  For DK and Aces, Cameron Rupp at Coor’s vs a lefty is a better option at the slightly cheaper price.

GPP plays:  Early:  J.T. Realmuto and Welington Castillo both make for nice gpp plays.  Huge price difference on DK though, where Realmuto is priced much higher.  I like him a lot if he is leading off for the Marlins.  Castillo has been struggling, but is 3-6 with a HR vs Peavy.  Late:  With the short slate, there really isn’t a huge need to take chances outside of the two listed above, but I do like Kurt Suzuki who is 6-17 lifetime off of Lohse as well as had hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games.

Value Plays: Suzuki fits the value play role for the late slate, and I like Stephen Vogt for the early value play.  He is 3-4 off of McCullers, and 5-13 over his last 4 games. 

First Base

Cash Plays:  Early:  The big bats are the target at first for the early slate.  Carlos Santana is almost a steal on FD, but would rather pay 100 less for David Ortiz on DK.  Ortiz has taken Moore deep 3 times in the past, and has only struck out once vs him in 27 AB’s.  Ortiz has homered in two straight games, and looking to do it again today.  Late:  Best move is to focus on the two at Coors in Tommy Joseph and Mark Reynolds.  I think Reynolds is actually the safer choice, but feel Joseph will be the higher owned.

GPP Plays:  Early:  Albert Pujols is 13-30 with 4 HR’s vs Gallardo.  He has only gone deep once in his last 12 games, but has hit safely in 11 of them.   Late:    Anthony Rizzo is also in play if you are looking to fade the higher projected games, but I will also be looking to target Adrian Gonzalez.  Perdomo got rocked by them already, and he has recorded two or more hits in 3 of his last 4 games.

Value Play:  On Thursday I recommended Kennys Vargas.  Of course he didn’t get the start, but got the pinch hit HR. He has been hot so far, and worth the gamble again on FD and Aces. 

Second Base  

Cash plays:  Early:  I’m thinking second base may be a value play for me with Greg Garcia leading off for the Cards.  He opens up salary to fit the bigger bats in, and has recorded a run in three straight games.  If you have the salary, feel free to go slightly safer with Jose Altuve who has taken Graveman dep in the past, and Houston is a great position to put up runs.  Late:  Brian Dozier is 4-9 with 2 HR’s vs Lohse, but does come with some risk.  DJ LaMehieu will more than likely be the popular late night play though.

 GPP plays:  Early:  While I like the two listed above as solid gpp plays, Whit Merrifield has that mid-tier price tag to go along with a matchup against a pitcher I like to target in Miley.  Late:  Daniel Murphy was my narrative play on Thursday and he came through.  If you are in to weird stats, since June 25^th, in every other game he played, Murphy has recorded 2 or more hits.  He stuck with it by recording one hit last night so that should mean a 2 plus hit game. 

Value Plays:  Garcia is the best value at 2B today as a near minimum price leadoff hitter.  For a slightly higher price, Chase Utley works very well in a late night Dodgers stack.

Third Base

Cash Plays:  Early:  I really don’t like the options at third for the early slate.  The safest way to go I feel is just to roster Manny Machado.  He has at least one hit, a run, and a walk in his last three games, and while Luis Valbuena has a nice matchup, I’ll take the player batting towards the top of their lineup.  Late:  Maikel Franco is priced higher than both Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado on DK, and believe that is the right call tonight.  He has 2 or more hits in 5 of 8 games (hit safely in all 8).  He had hit a HR in four straight games before heading to Coors, but think he gets back on track with a hmer tonight.

GPP plays:   Early: For gpp’s at third, I suggest going with a player as part of a stack play.   I like Travis Shaw who is 5-10 off of Moore with a HR as part of a Boston stack if in the lineup, but Valbuena is the safer play I feel of the two.  Late:  Arenado may be the lowest owned of the top 3 bats at third in the late contests.  He price is extremely high, and hasn’t been paying off that great lately. 

Value Play:  Ryan Schimpf is a great value and gpp play for the night slate.  He cooled off finally after 2 hits in three straight games, but his price is hard to pass up, and really like him paired up with Alexi for a gpp lineup.

Shortstop

Cash Plays:  Early:  I’m going to roster Xander Bogaerts over Carlos Correa in the early slate. Correa has the tougher matchup, and would rather use him in gpps with a Houston stack.  Xander is 5-10 off of Moore, and Boston has the highest run total of the early slate.  Late:  Even though his price finally rose, on a short slate, I feel you need to target Trevor Story.  He is 4-8 with 2 HR’s, and 7 RBI’s so far in this series, and worth paying up for.

GPP Plays:  Early:  If you aren’t going with Xander or Carlos, I suggest punting SS, and hoping the top two put up duds.  Andrelton Simmons is my favorite of the bunch, but does scare me when he bats ninth. He is 4-4with a HR off of Gallardo.   Late:  If fading Story, Freddy Galvis would be the popular play.  I like the Dodgers for late slate gpp’s, which puts Corey Seager.  He has the most risk of all the Dodgers I listed, and has been striking out much more than hitting lately.

Value Play:   Besides Simmons, Grant Green checks in as an early slate value play if starting. He is minimum price across the board, and expecting him to have some rbi opportunities.   Alexi Rameriz won’t be the popular punt play.  That belongs to Marcus Semien, but I like Alexi more.  He is 4-9 in this series, and has taken McCarthy deep twice in nice AB’s.

.

Outfield

Cash Plays:  Early:  Feel free to pay up for both Mookie Betts and Giancarlo Stanton this afternoon.  Both have prime matchups with Betts going 5-9 with a HR off of Moore, and Stanton gets a lefty in Lamb who likes to give up the long ball.  The third OF spot can be a toss up between the cheaper priced Adam Jones or Colby Rasmus.  Jones is the safer of the two I feel. Late:  I’m sticking with Coors, as the top targets with the Rockies Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez.  Obudel Herrera would be my top play from the other side.  It’s also tough to pass up on a very cheap Matt Kemp.  If paying up for pitching, he is almost a must to help save some salary.

GPP Plays:  Early:  Multiple ways to go for OF in gpps for the afternoon.  I really like pairing the Marlin’s up, but looking to go mid-tier priced, low owned players in Steven Souza Jr, Michael Bourn, and Adam Eaton.  All three are able to get the single, SB, and run in every AB.  Eaton comes with the most risk due to not really having anyone I like to pair him up with.  Late:   Sticking with my late night Dodger’s theme, I like Yasiel Puig.  He is 4-5 vs Perdomo, and recorded 2 hits last game after an 0-10 funk.  Bryce Harper also makes for a great gpp play paired with Murphy. 

Value Plays:  Kemp and Puig are definitely the best value plays I like, with both being in the late slate.  Better off looking at some mid-tier priced players in the early slate.