First off, a quick introduction, though if you don’t know what FanDuel is, well, you’re missing out. FanDuel is a site that offers daily fantasy sports games. Participants are given a chance every day to select new players, fill out a lineup and, most importantly, win some cash. If you choose poorly Monday you can come back Tuesday and try again. Easy as that. Click here to enter a $5 FanDuel contest that offers a $10,000 prize today!
As for what we’re going to be doing in this space: The goal here will be to direct your attention toward some players who you might not otherwise consider. If you’re here and reading this, then you already know that Mike Trout is really good. But when filling out a roster you can’t just pick out stars. You’ll blow your cap that way and get stuck praying to the baseball gods that a guy like Ruben Tejada actually gets a few hits. No, if you want to win, you have to take advantage of certain matchups — and in order to do that you have to know where to look. That’s what we’re here for. Below is the lineup I’ll be using for Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Pitcher
Stephen Strasburg, Nationals ($10,000): Strasburg has looked great since coming off the disabled list. He’s thrown 20 innings over three starts and has struck out 25 batters while walking just two. Tuesday he’ll face a Padres team with a .300 wOBA against right-handers, the sixth-lowest mark in MLB, and whiffing in 21.5 percent of those at-bats, the sixth-highest mark. This is the night’s best bet at pitcher.
Catcher
Curt Casali, Rays ($2,400): One of tonight’s bargain plays. The Rays get to face the struggling Ervin Santana and his 5.53 ERA Tuesday. Santanta, like Casali, is right-handed, but Casli is actually hitting .243/.308/.629 off right-handers. That booming slugging percentage is the result of seven home runs in 70 at-bats.
First Base
Anthony Rizzo, Cubs ($4,500): Anthony Rizzo against a right-hander is always a good thing; he’s hitting .328/.444/.516 off them with 20 home runs. That the right-hander he’s facing tonight is Matt Cain just makes this matchup even juicier. Not only does Cain have an ERA of 5.66, but he’s also surrendered nine home runs in nine starts this season.
Second Base
Kelly Johnson, Mets ($2,400): The first of tonight’s many Mets, which is a sentence never written in this column before. The Mets as a team have been on fire of late. In fact, “on fire” doesn’t even do their hitting justice. Here are their run totals from their past four games: 14, 14, 5, 16. Tuesday they get to face one of baseball’s worst starters in Jerome Williams (6.10 ERA, 1.67 WHIP), making this the perfect stacking opportunity. As for Johnson, he’s hitting .251/.299/.433 off right-handers this season, to go along with 10 home runs.
Third Base
Kyle Seager, Mariners ($3,300): Always a good play against right-handers. This season Seager’s splits have dropped a bit (.248/.318/.417), but last year he crushed righties, to the tune of a 283/.358/.504 batting line. Tuesday he faces right-hander Jesse Chavez.
Shortstop
Wilmer Flores, Mets ($2,700): Dude is hitting .338/.372/.595 over his last 30 days and is coming off a two-home run night. Have we mentioned yet that Jerome Williams is not very good?
Outfield
Adam Jones, Orioles ($3,600): He’s hitting .330/.369/.596 off lefties this season and gets to face one Tuesday in Royals starter Danny Duffy.
Curtis Granderson, Mets ($3,300): The last of the Mets. Grandy is hitting .284/.364/.598 over the last 30 days, and .286/.388/.524 with 21 home runs against righties this season.
Grady Sizemore, Rays ($2,500): He’s struggled since joining the Rays, but Sizemore is worth taking a flyer on for a couple of reasons. For one, his career numbers against Twins starter Ervin Santana are terrific (.321/.424/.643 in 28 at-bats). That the right-handed Santana has struggled all season against lefties is another.
