DFS MLB Hitting Coach: July 19

Very large slate tonight, with a bunch of pitchers who may not be big league ready yet.  This is evident by Vegas having 8 of 15 games having a 9 or more run total, with only one game sitting at 7.  Ownership levels at some positions may be very spread out today, so let’s hope we don’t get disappointed again in some prime matchups like last night.  Good luck!

Catcher

Cash Play:  Although he disappointed many last night, I feel comfortable going back to Victor Martinez as my FD catcher tonight.  He is 5-10 lifetime off of Milone, and Tigers expected to score some runs today.  Catcher is a toss-up elsewhere for me, but I really like the price tag on Evan Gattis against a weaker lefty.  He had the night off yesterday, and doubled in his previous three games. 

GPP plays:  I think both the players listed above are great gpp plays, but going to recommend a bunch of players who disappointed last night, and that includes Matt Wieters.   He should have blasted off last night, but in a similar situation tonight.  Wilson Ramos’s price is low on FD tonight.  He has hit safely in his last 7 games, but unfortunately none of them included an XBH.

Value Plays: Tucker Barnhart may be a very popular punt play tonight.  The Reds have another great matchup tonight, and Barnhart should have plenty of RBI opportunities.  Anthony Recker is more of the high risk play tonight, and will only use him in a Braves stack.  He should receive the start tonight vs the lefty.

First Base

Cash Plays:  This is going to be a tough call tonight.  I feel like I can make the case for just about every player I listed.  Due to this, consider using this spot based on how much salary you have left.  The two that stand out to me the most are Joey Votto and Miguel Cabrera.  Votto has been hot lately, and finally hit his first HR of July last night.  Hard to believe that Tyrell Jenkins is going to slow him down.  On the flipside, we are still waiting for Miggy to blast off vs a weak pitcher.  He is 0-6 over his last two games, but has an .444 avg lifetime vs Milone. 

GPP Plays: If you can afford it, Vegas seems to believe David Ortiz is in a prime spot tonight.   He hasn’t homered in 10 AB’s vs Peavy, but that could change tonight.  The Coors tandem of Logan Morrison and Mark Reynolds have great price points on Aces, but feel there are still better options on the other sites.  Using them in stacks will be my only route with them, if any.  Jose Abreu and Mike Napoli also have great matchups, and may being lower owned than their peers. Abreu has a great price on FD as well.

Value Play:  Tommy Joseph and Matt Adams are my value plays at first.  Joseph has homered in four of his last seven games, while Adams has at least one RBI in his last three games.  Jospeh is definitely the safer of the two, and would only use Adams in Cards stack.

Second Base  

Cash plays:  On FD and DK, I’m strongly considering using second as my value position, and going with Brandon Phillips.  The calf seems to be ok, and has hit safely in 7 straight.  Price is very hard to pass up. If paying up, I don’t think you can go wrong with either Ian Kinsler or Jose Altuve.  Kinsler is 6-19 with a HR off of Milone, while Altuve is 6 for his last 9, and gets a lefty tonight.    

GPP plays:  For middle IF gpp’s tonight, the best play is to pair them up with other bats from the same team.  This is ideal for the players listed above, as well as our Coors options in Logan Forsythe and DJ LeMahieu. 

Value Plays:  Phillips is by far the best value play at second tonight. 

Third Base

Cash Plays:  Nolan Arenado is always a top play at home vs a lefty.  It will be hard to fit his high salary in, especially on Aces, but he is in a great position tonight.  It’s hard to believe that he hasn’t homered at Coors since June 15^th, but that trend should end tonight.  On DK, I can see Adrian Beltre be on more than a few lineups tonight.  His price is very cheap, and went deep last night.

GPP plays:   Continuing to pick on Milone, Nick Castelllanos is a nice mid-priced option.  He disappointed last night, but should be able to produce tonight in a Tigers stack.  Josh Donaldson is the highest priced 3B, and will go overlooked.  I think the risk is too high considered you’re fading both Coors bats for the similar price, but the ball flies in Arizona as well.  If you roster Todd Frazier, it’s because you think it’s a day where he homers.  He went deep last night vs a weak lefty, and hard to say Miley is any better.   

Value Play:  There are two evenly valued plays in Adonis Garcia andDanny Valencia, tonight.  Reed has been prone to the long ball, and Garcia went deep last night. Valbuena disappointed last night, but has the BvP again tonight going 7-13 with 2 HR’s off of Keuchel.

Shortstop

Cash Plays:  Trevor Story, Brad Miller, and Tim Anderson make up my three cash SS plays, each on a different site.  Story is my FD play who went deep last night, and gets a weaker lefty tonight.  While you may not want to pay the higher price on DK for a SS, Anderson checks in as a much cheaper option there.  He also went deep last night against a lefty, and in the same spot again tonight.  Finally, the third ss who went deep last night, Miller, has a great Aces price. 

GPP Plays:  I could easily switch Anderson’s spot with Carlos Correa and feel just as confident.  Didn’t homer last night, but recorded two doubles instead, and gets a weak lefty tonight.  Perfect to pair with Gattis and Altuve.  At the same price as many listed above on FD, Francisco Lindor may be your best sneaky gpp play.  Here’s another ss who went deep last night, and in just as good a spot again tonight.

Value Play:   Marcus Semien, JJ Hardy, and Trea Turner are my favorite value plays.  Semien is more of a FD only, and is 6-15 off of Keuchel.  Hardy was part of the disappointment train last night, and should be lowest owned of the three listed.  Turner is in play if leading off only, but comes with the highest risk I feel.  Will only use him in Nat’s stack.

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Outfield

Cash Plays:  It is tough to not focus on the Ranger’s BvP vs Lincecum.  Ian Desmond and Shin-Soo Choo are a combined 13-19 vs him.  Desmond is the preferred play with his 10-15 with 2 HR’s BvP, but both are priced very differently on FD and DK.  Although there are plenty of routes to go tonight with OF, I do like the combo above most.  I’m curious to see how much both Justin Upton and Billy Hamilton will be owned tonight.  Their prices have increased slightly, both both are in practically the same spot as last night, in which they both exceeded value, and were highly owned.  Hard to pass on Mike Trout if paying above 4K for any OF on FD.  Went deep last night and 3-3 vs Loshe lifetime.

GPP Plays:  The above players are all in play, but if looking for some lower owned options, two potential leadoff hitters have great matchups in Odubel Herrera and Rajai Davis.  I prefer Davis more, but pairing Herrera with Jospeh is a nice gpp pairing.

Value Plays:  It’s probably best to wait until lineups posted to see what value may be out there in spot starts, but if choosing early, I like Jeff Francoeur.  As mentioned earlier, Reed is prone to the long ball, and that is what Francoeur is good for.