MLB Daily Fantasy Helper: Wednesday 7/3/13
We know that people play all sorts of fantasy platforms, not just from from our friends at StarStreet but on other platforms such as FanDuel, Draft Kings, and Fantasy Feud as well. So once again, we have four optimized rosters, all for you, the numberFire reader. One is for free here; the others can be found in our Premium section.
As always, the full tables for today's action are available at our Daily Fantasy Projections page. Make sure to check it out to see where the best values are for your team.
Our baseball projections are updated throughout the day, so make sure to come back to double-check your optimized rosters for any last-minute lineup changes. Since most action happens later in the day, we will be ignoring the early games (if there are any) and focusing solely on the late contests. That way, you can use and tinker with our optimized rosters throughout the day.
StarStreet Optimized Roster
| Player | Position | Projected FP | Cost | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Cingrani | RP | 27.67 | $23,600 | 1.17 |
| P.J. Walters | SP | 6.65 | $18,700 | 0.36 |
| Carlos Gonzalez | LF | 15.1 | $7,800 | 1.94 |
| Hanley Ramirez | SS | 14.15 | $7,400 | 1.91 |
| Robinson Cano | 2B | 14.94 | $7,300 | 2.05 |
| David Ortiz | DH | 14.63 | $7,100 | 2.06 |
| David Wright | 3B | 13.12 | $6,300 | 2.08 |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 1B | 13.65 | $6,200 | 2.20 |
| Desmond Jennings | CF | 13.63 | $5,500 | 2.48 |
| Alex Rios | RF | 13.19 | $5,200 | 2.54 |
| Yadier Molina | C | 11.5 | $4,800 | 2.40 |
Fan Duel, Draft Kings, and Fantasy Feud Optimized Rosters
For the optimal rosters for the other main players, be sure to check out our brand new Daily Fantasy Optimized Rosters for our Premium members. We know that you're killing it with our picks; maybe now you'll help us continue to help you win each night, every night.
Access to the optimal rosters is immediate, and you'll have it constantly updated for the latest injury news and updates from around the league. The best news of all? For new subscribers, you can use the promo code WELCOME and get it 50% off what was already the reduced price. Think of the savings!
The Three Top Pitchers
Tony Cingrani - Three cheers for our savior's return! We love Tony Cingrani with the bottom of our hearts, but it has been a while since he has taken the mound in a start. Now, the wait is over. And that's good, because I didn't want to wait any longer for my surprisingly mid-priced pitcher who holds a 29.7 percent strikeout rate, .267 batting average on balls in play (BABIP), and 1.120 WHIP. Cingrani's one weakness is his 4.2 percent homerun rate allowed, but thankfully for him (and you), the Giants have the third-worst homeruns hit rate in the majors.
Randall Delgado - Past Cingrani, today's starters get a bit dicey. Delgado is a mid-range guy that I'm somewhat excited for, but I'm not jumping out of my chair screaming for joy. Having to face Matt Harvey might have something to do with that. Delgado's still worth a look because of the matchup alone though, as the Mets hold the fourth-lowest OBP, third-lowest slugging, and fourth-highest strikeout rate in the majors. Delgado's main weakness of allowing a 4.6 percent homerun rate is mitigated against that low slugging, and his slightly below average 18.6 percent strikeout rate should see a boost tonight.
Matt Harvey - Yeah yeah, you want a high cost guy. If the decision for you is between Harvey, Scherzer, and Hernandez, then Harvey is our pick. Yes, that's even though I suggested his opposing pitcher with the previous selection. Harvey's 0.39 projected wins are nothing next to Scherzer's 0.46, but his 6.81 projected strikeouts are the most I've seen in a long time thanks to his 29.8 percent strikeout rate. Arizona's fifth-worst 2.2 percent homerun rate means they won't surprise him with the longball either, making this a potentially very easy start for the Mets ace.
Top High-Priced Hitters
Robinson Cano - At one point this season, P.J. Walters was considered the Ace of the Twins staff by our Minnesota columnist Jim Sannes. I'm not going to link to the article though, because it's now sad to think about when Walters is sitting with a 1.806 WHIP after two straight starts giving up six runs in less than three innings. While we don't believe Walters will be that bad tonight because of regression to the mean and all that, we do like his 5.6 percent homerun rate and 0.31 projected round-trippers (tied for most among all batters) to set up a big night.
Hanley Ramirez - I can't exactly say I'd mind having Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez hitting in front of me while Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp hit behind me. If there's one player in the entire majors with optimal lineup placement, it's this guy. I wouldn't harp too long on opposing starter Tyler Chatwood's 4-1 record, either; Chatwood's 1.303 WHIP, 17.9 percent strikeout rate, and high .320 BABIP reveal an average pitcher. He simply hasn't allowed any homeruns, but that's likely to change over time given his 2.0 career homerun rate.
Mid-Range Cost-Effective Hitters
Alex Rios - It's time to see what Scott Feldman is made of. My guess? Some combination of goo and vampiric life essence he took from Alfonso Soriano's blood before heading to Baltimore. Unfortunately, though, I doubt either of those things will help his below-average 17.8 percent walk rate or keep his BABIP at an unsustainably low .260. Feldman allowed a 25 percent line drive rate last season and a 17 percent rate this season; Rios' own .296 BABIP (.308 career average) hopes he pitches more like the former.
Desmond Jennings - I do wonder if Bud Norris will ever be traded down the stretch, but for now, he's stuck on the Astros. And for now, he's an excellent pitcher to go against with his 16.5 percent strikeout rate, 24 percent line drive rate, and .319 BABIP. Enter Desmond Jennings. After moving back to the top of the lineup (first the past two games, second before that), he's receiving an extra at-bat per game once again. That just means more chances to take advantage of a .298 BABIP, and 41 percent of his hits this season have been for extra bases.
