Happy Saturday! I hope everyone is having a good week, though between Star Wars Day, Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s day, I don’t know how you could help but have a good week. Hopefully, we can keep a good week of DFS going with this Saturday edition of the Hitting Coach.

There are a couple of positions that just had a ton of players I wanted to use, most notably second base in the early slate and outfield in the late slate. If there is someone you like at those positions who isn’t on my list, go ahead and use him; he likely just missed the cut. I nearly listed the entire White Sox, Marlins and Athletics outfields, so if you are looking for a stack, those are good places to start.

CATCHER

     Prob Pit   2015      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsHRRBISBAVGOBPSLGFDDKAces
Buster PoseySFRCCOLJon GrayR199520.320.380.47390038005150
Wilson RamosWSHRCCHIJason HammelR156800.230.260.36290030004650
J.T. RealmutoMIARCPHIJeremy HellicksonR104780.260.290.41290032004550
Josh PhegleyOAKRCBALUbaldo JimenezR93400.250.30.45200036003700
Jason CastroHOULCSEANate KarnsR113100.210.280.37260030003900

EARLY

Buster Posey is 10-for-21 over the last week, and he is by far the best catcher available in the early slate.

Wilson Ramos has been on fire since coming back from the bereavement list, going 8-for-17 with a home run. If Ramos does not play, Jose Lobaton would be a nice, cheap alternative.

LATE

Josh Phegley is 3-for-4 against Ubaldo Jimenez, and he is batting .310 on the season. Phegley is a very nice value on FanDuel and FantasyAces.

I actually thought J.T. Realmuto would cost more considering he is 10-for-26 over the last week, and he is batting leadoff.

Jason Castro is 8-for-20 with two home runs over the last week.

 

FIRST BASE

     Prob Pit   2015      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsHRRBISBAVGOBPSLGFDDKAces
Hanley RamirezBOSRLFNYYNathan EovaldiR195360.250.290.43360040004850
David OrtizBOSLDHNYYNathan EovaldiR3710800.270.360.55400050005350
Prince FielderTEXL1BDETMike PelfreyR239800.310.380.46290039004600
Freddie FreemanATLL1BARIShelby MillerR186630.280.370.47310039004750
Chris CarterMILR1BCINBrandon FinneganL246410.20.310.43340043004450
Jose AbreuCWSR1BMINErvin SantanaR3010100.290.350.5360042004900

EARLY

David Ortiz is 4-for-8 against Nate Eovaldi, and Ortiz is 10-for-28 with four home runs over his last seven games.

Hanley Ramirez is 6-for-16 with a home run against Nate Eovaldi, and Hanley is 14-for-32 over his current 10-game hitting streak.

Prince Fielder is 11-for-31 against Mike Pelfrey, and he costs less than Hanley.

LATE

Jose Abreu is 8-for-24 with two home runs and nine RBI over the last week.

Freddie Freeman is 4-for-10 against Shelby Miller, and 6-for-15 over his last four games.

Chris Carter has a home run in his only at-bat against Brandon Finnegan, and Carter is 9-for-28 with five home runs over his last six games.

 

SECOND BASE

     Prob Pit   2015      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsHRRBISBAVGOBPSLGFDDKAces
Ben ZobristCHIBLFWSHGio GonzalezL63310.270.350.45370040004850
Daniel MurphyWSHL2BCHIJason HammelR147320.280.320.45380042005200
Dustin PedroiaBOSR2BNYYNathan EovaldiR124220.290.360.44350041004850
Chase UtleyLAL2BTORR.A. DickeyR53030.220.280.33300037004700
Rougned OdorTEXL2BDETMike PelfreyR166160.260.320.47370039004400
Brett LawrieCWSR3BMINErvin SantanaR166050.260.30.41320035004500
Kelly JohnsonATLLLFARIShelby MillerR93410.280.320.45220027003800
Brandon PhillipsCINR2BMILJimmy NelsonR1270230.290.330.4260035004500

EARLY

Ben Zobrist is 7-for-18 with four home runs, seven runs and 12 RBI over his current five-game hitting streak. He has a .360 career wOBA against lefties.

Daniel Murphy is 6-for-11 against Jason Hammel, and he is 15-for-29 with two home runs over the last seven days.

Dustin Pedroia is 5-for-9 with a home run against Nate Eovaldi, and 8-for-23 over his last five games.

Chase Utley is 5-for-16 against R.A. Dickey, and most of those at-bats came back when Dickey was good.

Rougned Odor is batting .333/.357/.611 out of the leadoff spot this season, and if he gets the base the Rangers should be able to drive him in against Mike Pelfrey.

LATE

Brett Lawire is 7-for-17 with two home runs and a stolen base over the last week.

Kelly Johnson is 4-for-9 against Shelby Miller, and it doesn’t hurt he has been batting fourth against righties.

Brandon Phillips has hit safely in five consecutive games, and he has a home run in three straight games. He is 4-for-12 with a home run against Jimmy Nelson.

 

THIRD BASE

     Prob Pit   2015      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsHRRBISBAVGOBPSLGFDDKAces
Chase HeadleyNYYB3BBOSDavid PriceL116200.260.320.37200027003500
Nick CastellanosDETR3BTEXA.J. GriffinR157300.260.30.42350033004800
Evan LongoriaTBR3BLAAJered WeaverR217330.270.330.44330035005000
Kyle SeagerSEAL3BHOUDallas KeuchelL267460.270.330.45370042004850

EARLY

Chase Headley is 9-for-22 against David Price, and he is worth a shot considering he costs so little.

Nick Castellanos’s eight-game hitting streak came to an end Friday, but he is still 9-for-21 with two home runs over the last week.

LATE

Evan Longoria is 6-for-20 with a home run and a stolen base against Jered Weaver.

Kyle Seager is 12-for-29 with two home runs, six runs and eight RBI over his current seven-game hitting streak.

 

SHORTSTOP

     Prob Pit   2015      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsHRRBISBAVGOBPSLGFDDKAces
Alcides EscobarKCRSSCLECody AndersonR347170.260.290.32270040003800
Aledmys DiazSTLRSSPITJeff LockeL      300036004500
Francisco LindorCLEBSSKCIan KennedyR1251120.310.350.48370031004950
Jonathan VillarMILBSSCINBrandon FinneganL21170.280.340.41340035004100
Carlos CorreaHOURSSSEANate KarnsR2268140.280.350.51400044005200

EARLY

Alcides Escobar is 10-for-21 over his current five-game hitting streak, and he has three stolen bases in his last seven games, though he seems a bit overpriced on DraftKings.

On DraftKings I am likely using Francisco Lindor. Lindor is 10-for-23 with a home run and a stolen base over the last week.

Aledmys Diaz is 6-for-19 with a home run in the last week, and he has a .476 wOBA against lefties this season.

LATE

Carlos Correa is 6-for-11 with two home runs, four runs and five RBI over the last three games, and he has one home run in six at-bats against Nate Karns.

Jonathan Villar has a .403 wOBA against lefties this season, and the switch-hitter has an excellent chance to take advantage of Cincinnati’s weak bullpen as well.

 

OUTFIELD

     Prob Pit   2015      
PlayerTmBatPOppPitcherThrowsHRRBISBAVGOBPSLGFDDKAces
Dexter FowlerCHIBCFWSHGio GonzalezL1746200.250.350.41400046005100
Matt HollidaySTLRLFPITJeff LockeL43520.280.390.41280036004500
Stephen PiscottySTLRLFPITJeff LockeL73920.310.360.49320041004850
Gerardo ParraCOLLLFSFJohnny CuetoR93190.330.370.52340031005000
Adam EatonCWSLCFMINErvin SantanaR1456180.290.360.43340041004750
Avisail GarciaCWSRRFMINErvin SantanaR135970.260.310.37300033004400
Josh ReddickOAKLRFBALUbaldo JimenezR2077100.270.330.45290043004350
Ryan BraunMILRLFCINBrandon FinneganL2584240.290.360.5420051005500
Marcell OzunaMIARCFPHIJeremy HellicksonR104420.260.310.38340037004150
Giancarlo StantonMIARRFPHIJeremy HellicksonR276740.270.350.61490052005700
Nelson CruzSEARRFHOUDallas KeuchelL449330.30.370.57360045005200

EARLY

Dexter Fowler is 6-for-14 with a home run against Gio Gonzalez. Fowler is 7-for-23 with three stolen bases over the last week.

Stephen Piscotty is 2-for-3 against Jeff Locke, while Matt Holliday is 5-for-14 with a home run. Piscotty has a .418 career wOBA against left-handed pitchers.

Gerardo Parra is 9-for-29 with two home runs in his career against Johnny Cueto.

Marlon Byrd is 10-for-25 with two home runs and 11 RBI against Ian Kennedy.

 

LATE

Adam Eaton is 3-for-8 with a home run against Ervin Santana. Eaton has recorded two hits in three of his last four games.

Avisail Garcia is 4-for-8 with a home run against Ervin Santana, and he is 3-for-6 with a homer since returning from a hamstring injury.

Josh Reddick is 4-for-13 with a home run against Ubaldo Jimenez.

Ryan Braun is 10-for-22 over his last five games, and he has a .378 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season.

Giancarlo Stanton has a home run in seven of his last 11 games, and Jeremy Hellickson has allowed 2.01 HR/9 this season.

Nelson Cruz is 8-for-17 with two home runs against Dallas Keuchel.

Marcell Ozuna is 10-for-26 with three home runs over the last week.