Small five game slate tonight where there a two key games to target.  The first game of course being the Arizona/Colorado game at Coors.  The D-Backs have an implied run total of 6.10 which is more than 1 run higher than other team tonight.  Zach Greinke takes the mound for Arizona, and as well as he pitched lately, the Rockies still check in as having the second has team run total tonight.  The other game to target is the Padres/Reds game.  There is some early weather concerns, but the pitchers aren’t the targets in the game so I’m not too worried.  While the Cubs offense is in play vs Chen, Anthony Rizzo is dealing with an injury, and may be out of the lineup tonight.  Good luck!

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowsABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces
                        
Derek NorrisSDRACINJohn LambL210.214.266.390.656.284.1765.70%24.50%41.30%34.80%23.90%16.70%0.243$3,200$3,900$4,300
Welington CastilloARIRACOLEddie ButlerR201.264.309.438.747.328.1746.00%27.20%47.10%30.00%22.90%19.00%0.331$3,800$4,400$4,700
A.J. PierzynskiATLLHNYMMatt HarveyR144.194.224.229.453.195.0352.60%13.20%52.10%26.90%21.00%0.00%0.222$2,100$2,400$4,050
David RossCHIRAMIAWei-Yin ChenL94.245.357.447.804.340.20215.10%21.90%38.00%39.40%22.50%17.90%0.273$2,200$2,700$4,250
Tucker BarnhartCINBHSDChristian FriedrichL168.238.301.333.634.279.0957.60%22.30%54.30%21.30%24.40%7.40%0.304$2,100$2,600$4,100

Catcher

Cash Play:  For cash games, I feel that catcher is between Welington Castillo and Derek Norris.  Castillo costs more, but bats in the middle of the lineup, and should have plenty of opportunities to produce.  I’ll more than likely be paying up for Castillo, but Norris does provide similar upside for a cheaper price.  John Lamb is not a good pitcher, and 2 of Norris’s last 3 hits have left the ballpark. 

GPP plays:  Either of the two catchers listed above would work fine, and will be popular options.  Matt Harvey could face his 10th loss of the season tonight, and if he does, it may be due to A.J. Pierzynski who is 6-9 lifetime vs Harvey.  I would only use him if pairing with other Braves though. 

Value Plays:  Besides A.J., both David Ross and Tucker Barnhart make for value plays on FD and DK.  Aces does not have any value plays currently so best to stick with one of the top 2 guys.  Both of these guys have a chance to start tonight, and Ross would be my preferred pick.  Both are higher risk plays that bat towards the bottom of the lineup, and can be pinch hit for.

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowsABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces
Paul GoldschmidtARIRACOLEddie ButlerR255.290.427.514.941.398.22418.40%22.70%45.30%30.40%24.30%25.50%0.351$4,900$5,500$5,400
Joey VottoCINLHSDChristian FriedrichL243.247.373.432.805.349.18515.30%25.10%46.10%27.50%26.30%23.90%0.306$3,500$4,500$5,000
Freddie FreemanATLLHNYMMatt HarveyR265.275.362.483.845.360.20810.20%25.30%31.50%37.50%31.00%17.40%0.343$3,300$4,800$4,750
Wil MyersSDRACINJohn LambL280.286.331.521.852.368.2356.90%20.30%44.90%29.90%25.20%25.00%0.311$4,000$5,400$5,000

First Base

 

Cash Plays:  Paul Goldschmidt at Coors field is all you need to know for your cash games tonight.  He went 5-12 with 3 doubles and a homer in his first 3 game trip to Coors this season, and think he is worth the price tonight.  The only other route I can see people going is Joey Votto.  Even though it’s a lefty, he is 4-5 vs Christian Friedrich.  Votto is still more of a GPP pick with Goldschmidt as the top cash game play by a wide margin.

GPP Plays:  Will Myers is my favorite GPP play.  He has been crushing left handed pitching this season, and makes for a great pairing with Kemp and Norris.  If taking more of a risk going with the Braves, then you need to look at Freddie Freeman.  While he doesn’t have the greatest numbers vs Matt Harvey, the reigning player of the week has 3 or more hits in four of his last 7 games.

Value Play:  Not a fan of any value players at first tonight.  If Albert Pujols sits, the you can look at C.J. Cron or Jeff Marte, but I’m sticking with targeting the four listed above.

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowsABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces
Brandon PhillipsCINRHSDChristian FriedrichL256.258.296.391.687.297.1334.40%13.50%48.60%29.60%21.80%9.40%0.278$3,000$3,500$4,700
Jean SeguraARIRACOLEddie ButlerR289.304.346.433.779.341.1294.50%14.20%57.10%24.80%18.10%8.50%0.344$3,800$5,200$4,950
Ben ZobristCHIBAMIAWei-Yin ChenL238.307.413.475.888.390.16815.30%13.20%47.70%26.10%26.10%17.30%0.33$3,200$4,700$5,050
Jace PetersonATLLHNYMMatt HarveyR82.256.344.329.673.308.07311.50%18.80%49.20%23.00%27.90%7.10%0.308$2,900$2,600$3,800
Jed LowrieOAKBALAATim LincecumR208.288.336.346.682.309.0586.60%16.80%41.20%31.50%27.30%1.90%0.345$2,600$2,600$4,350

Second Base  

Cash plays:  Second base is sort of a wild card spot for me.  Looking at the slate, I feel the move is Brandon Phillips at the discounted price over the two players I list in the GPP spot.  Yes, he hasn’t gone deep in the month of June, and only 1 XBH in his last 12 games, but the opportunity has been there for him, and if ever a time to break out, why not tonight.  If not sold on Phillips, the two below work nicely as well with Zobrist as the top alternative to Phillips.

GPP plays:  Both Ben Zobrist and Jean Segura are in play for cash games, but both make for GPP targets as well.  Zobrist is 15-40 with a HR vs Chen, and Segura has scored a run in three straight games, and has more SB potential. 

Value Plays:  If punting second, both Jed Lowrie and Jace Peterson make the cut.  Neither really have much power, and both come with risks, but Peterson has reached base in all 10 games he started since being recalled.    

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowsABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces
Jake LambARILACOLEddie ButlerR235.277.360.553.913.390.27610.50%24.00%47.40%28.70%24.00%28.60%0.323$4,600$5,300$4,850
Nolan ArenadoCOLRHARIZack GreinkeR271.295.369.587.956.404.29210.10%11.10%38.20%42.10%19.70%21.40%0.271$4,500$4,800$5,700
Martin PradoMIARHCHIJon LesterL266.320.367.410.777.339.0906.90%11.10%55.20%22.20%22.60%3.90%0.355$3,000$3,300$4,350
Kris BryantCHIRAMIAWei-Yin ChenL266.267.359.519.878.380.25210.20%22.00%36.00%41.30%22.80%21.80%0.297$4,100$4,800$5,200
Eugenio SuarezCINRHSDChristian FriedrichL253.229.290.431.721.307.2026.50%28.60%40.10%37.70%22.20%22.20%0.273$2,800$3,900$4,750

Third Base

 

Cash Plays:  Jake Lamb’s price is up there tonight on FD and DK, but close to a must on Aces.  While I very much like him tonight, and in a great spot at Coors, I’ll take the discount and roll with Kris Bryant.  He is $500 cheaper on both FD and DK.  I think both will go deep tonight, but Lamb’s salary on June 17th was 3200 on FD, and the just not sure he is worth the new price tag.

 

GPP plays:   I think both the two listed above should be targets for your GPP’s tonight.  On shorter slates, it sometimes isn’t worth taking too many chances.  Depending on which team you are targeting should help direct you with which 3B to target.  I do like the Reds tonight, and Eugenio Suarez.  Three of his last five hits went for extra bases, and price is solid for a Reds stack.    

Value Play:  I like Suarez more as a value play on FD, but Martin Prado has a nice price on DK.  It is more of a higher risk play, but Prado is 6-10 lifetime vs Lester.

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowsABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces
Trevor StoryCOLRHARIZack GreinkeR276.264.327.551.878.371.2877.90%33.60%32.60%41.10%26.30%25.00%0.35$3,100$4,300$5,300
Zack CozartCINRHSDChristian FriedrichL237.283.323.506.829.354.2235.40%13.20%40.40%34.80%24.70%15.90%0.286$3,800$5,000$4,800
Addison RussellCHIRAMIAWei-Yin ChenL226.239.332.381.713.309.14211.60%27.40%49.70%28.10%22.20%14.00%0.32$2,800$3,600$4,600
Javier BaezCHIRAMIAWei-Yin ChenL152.263.309.434.743.328.1714.30%21.60%50.40%34.50%15.00%15.40%0.306$3,000$3,800$4,050

Shortstop

Cash Plays:  SS is very thin tonight which makes me think as of now Trevor Story will be the popular play.  His price is very reasonable on FD and DK for someone who has an XBH in three straight games.  He has also taken Greinke deep twice already.  On Aces, I like Zack Cozart.  He has hit safely in his last six games while going deep in two of them. 

GPP Plays:  I’m going to try to stick with the top two short stops tonight, but if looking for a lower owned target, Addison Russell fits the bill.  The leader in the NL SS all-star vote has gone 4-6 over his last 2 games.

Value Play:   Sticking with the Cubs, Javier Baez comes with slightly more risk than Russell.  Yes, he’s not really a value play with his price similar to Story’s, but on some of the non-big 3 sites, his price is way cheap.

 

PlayerTmBatsH/AOppOpp PitcherThrowsABAVGOBPSLGOPSwOBAISOBB%K%GB%FB%LD%HR/FBBABIP$FD$DK$Aces
Carlos GonzalezCOLLHARIZack GreinkeR2720.3130.3570.5480.9050.3840.2356.50%23.40%50.30%24.60%25.10%30.60%0.37$4,100$5,000$5,400
Adam DuvallCINRHSDChristian FriedrichL236.258.294.589.883.367.3314.40%27.00%34.90%42.20%22.90%28.60%0.272$3,500$4,900$5,100
Matt KempSDRACINJohn LambL291.268.284.481.765.319.2133.00%22.60%42.00%36.10%21.90%19.00%0.296$3,700$4,900$4,750
Charlie BlackmonCOLLHARIZack GreinkeR229.297.358.498.856.370.2018.20%14.10%38.20%37.10%24.70%14.50%0.314$4,200$4,500$5,150
Mike TroutLAARHOAKKendall GravemanR263.297.401.529.930.399.23214.70%18.60%43.00%31.50%25.50%22.20%0.332$4,200$4,800$5,450
Kole CalhounLAALHOAKKendall GravemanR267.292.368.457.825.356.1659.90%18.80%37.60%38.50%23.90%11.40%0.338$3,500$4,000$4,550
Khris DavisOAKRALAATim LincecumR239.238.276.481.757.328.2433.10%26.90%40.70%39.50%19.80%23.50%0.259$3,700$3,900$5,150
Marcell OzunaMIARHCHIJon LesterL266.323.375.571.946.399.2487.60%20.30%44.60%35.60%19.80%20.80%0.366$3,400$4,100$4,500
Socrates BritoARILACOLEddie ButlerR34.206.206.353.559.238.1470.00%29.40%43.50%17.40%39.10%25.00%0.261$2,600$3,400$3,650
Matt SzczurCHIRAMIAWei-Yin ChenL64.313.353.500.853.380.1875.80%18.80%40.80%44.90%14.30%13.60%0.354$2,300$3,300$3,700

Outfield

Cash Plays:  I’m not a huge fan of picking on a top tier pitcher like Zack Greinke, but I do like Carlos Gonzalez tonight.  He is 12-31 lifetime with 4 HRs’ vs him, and the Coors effect puts him in play.  Matt Kemp and Adam Duvall are my other top cash plays tonight.  Kemp has 6 hits over his last two games and checks in as my top cash game play for the price.  I’ll probably go cheap with my third OF spot, but I think Duvall goes deep tonight.

GPP Plays:  The GPP ownership levels for OF tonight may be pretty low across the board for players outside of Arizona and Colorado.  My favorite route for GPP OF is to target the late game.  Kris Davis is 3-6 with 2 HR’s off of Tim Lincecum, and I really like a mini-stack of Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun.  Graveman pitched well last outing vs LAA giving up only 3 hits, but one of them was a HR to Calhoun.  I wouldn’t suggest taking one and not the other though. In his last three starts, Marcell Ozuna has 7 hits including a triple and 3 HR’s.  Would suggest to pair him up with Prado for a riskier mini-stack.

Value Plays:  While not all listed in the table, I would look at the lineups of both the D’Backs and the Cubs. Depending on who gets the nod, as well as their position in their lineup, I like Matt Szcur, Albert Almora, Socrates Brito, and Michael Bourn.  All four are cheap options on teams where plenty of runs should be scored tonight.