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 Wilmer Flores 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, June 16.
Pitcher
Michael Wacha, Cardinals ($8,700): Matt Harvey will be the most popular option for Tuesday, but Wacha is a great hurler to go with if you want to save some cash for other positions. Wacha will pitch against a Minnesota Twins team on Tuesday that, when facing right-handers, strikes out 21 percent of the time (the seventh-worst number in baseball) and has a .291 WOBA, the second-worst number in the majors. The righty also has a 22-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last 19⅓ innings.
Catcher
Evan Gattis, Astros ($3,600): The Astros will face 28-year-old journeyman Chris Rusin on Tuesday, which bodes well for many players in their lineup. Rusin, a southpaw with a career 4.68 ERA, has surrendered 15 home runs in his career, all against right-handed batters. Gattis is a right-handed batter who hits lots of home runs. You get the idea.
First Base
Chris Davis, Orioles ($3,300): Another power hitter facing a punchless pitcher. Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams has a 5.71 ERA this season and has surrendered 13 home runs in 69⅓ innings. He’s whiffed just 41 batters. A soft-tossing, home run-yielding right-hander seems like the perfect matchup for the power-hitting, strikeout-happy Chris Davis. Ten of Davis’s 13 home runs this season have come against righties, while 12 of the 13 that Williams has surrendered have been to righties. You ever hear of that Pythagorean theorem (A^2 + B^2 = C^2) thing?
Second Base
Rougned Odor, Rangers ($2,200): The power-hitting second baseman was recalled to replace the injured Delino DeShields Jr. and proceeded to go 3-for-3 and knock in two runs in his first game back on Monday. Odor hit .352/.426/.639 in 30 games in AAA. He seems primed to put up some good numbers over the next few weeks, which is not something you can say about many players going for his price.
Third Base
Manny Machado, Orioles ($3,500): Remember all those notes above about Phillies pitcher Jerome Williams? Well they apply here as well. Machado has 44 career home runs, with 34 coming against right-handed pitchers. He’s also got a 1.151 OPS over his last seven days.
Shortstop
Carlos Correa, Astros ($3,200): Correa, previously considered one of the top three prospects in all of baseball before recently being called up, has yet to have his price catch up to him. He’s hitting .310/.333/.552 in seven games with two home runs. Correa is hitting .353/.389/.765 in 17 at-bats against left-handers and he’ll be facing one Tuesday (Chris Rusin, for more see above). For this price, you can’t ask for more.
Outfield
Starling Marte, Pirates ($3,800): Marte can fly (11 stolen bases on the year) and on Tuesday he will be going up against a White Sox pitcher-catcher combination that’s had trouble holding runners all season. Chicago pitcher Jose Quintana has allowed seven stolen bases this season (19th-worst in baseball) and catcher Tyler Flowers has allowed 30, the third-worst number in baseball. That Marte is hitting 359/.390/.795 this season against left-handers makes this matchup even more appealing.
Nelson Cruz, Marines ($3,400): We have enough cash left, so why not take a shot on one of baseball’s mashers? Cruz, who has 12 home runs and 32 RBI this season against right-handers, will be facing righty Tim Lincecum on Tuesday.
Billy Burns, Athletics ($3,300): Another speedster with a great matchup on Tuesday. Padres catcher Derek Norris has allowed a league-high 43 stolen bases this season. Burns has swiped 12 bags this season in 40 games.
