Daily Dime: Exes (Bogaerts) and Ohs (Odor) on a Monday
Run the lineups, check the weather, nod to Elle King, assemble your dream team. Let's get to it...
Rougned Odor, 2B, at BAL (Norris), $2600: There have been three distinct portions of Odor’s season: the awful five weeks that forced a demotion (.486 OPS), the ballistic month at Triple-A where he restored his confidence (1.065 OPS), and the snappy 12 games since he returned (.395/.442/.632, two homers, four steals). The Rangers are using Odor at the top of the lineup more often than not these days, and I have to assume he sticks there Monday, off a three-hit game and facing the ordinary Bud Norris. The backdrop of Camden Yards is also a plus. Even if Odor were into the 3K range, I’d strongly consider him. At this bargain cost, it’s an easy punch.
I’d like to see more of the seasonal players jumping in, too. Odor is the No. 6 second baseman in Yahoo over the last two weeks, but he’s still free to add in 71 percent of leagues. Get to work.
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Xander Bogaerts, SS, at TOR (Dickey), $2600: The power hasn’t arrived yet, but the X-man is hitting .327 this month and has settled in as Boston’s No. 3 hitter. Rogers Centre is a fun place to take some hacks, and you never know if the R.A. Dickey knuckler is going to be working.
Kendall Graveman, SP, vs. COL (Hale), $5400: It took him a while to get his sea legs, but check the last seven starts: 2.31 ERA, 1.20 WHIP. He’s also the biggest favorite on this watered-down card, at minus-160, and we know the Colorado offense doesn’t always travel well.
Mike Trout, OF, vs. NYY (Sabathia), $5000: There are some cards where a Trout play doesn’t come easy - there are big-name pitchers you want to grab, and it makes the offensive assembly more difficult. But on an ace-free Monday slate, you’re going to have more fun money for your hitters. And what’s more fun than a premier right-handed bat going up against the declining skills of lefty meatballer C.C. Sabathia?
Albert Pujols, 1B, vs. NYY (Sabathia), $4600: Again, we’re not splitting the atom here. But consider the *average* right-handed bat has a .339/.374/.580 slash against Sabathia this year, then consider how silly Pujols has been in June (12 homers, 1.142 OPS). With cheap pitchers, and some cheap middles and outfielders too, you should have no problem paying up at The Big A if you feel like it.
Kevin Kiermaier, OF, vs. CLE (Anderson), $2700: Come for the good price and the leadoff slot, stay for the sneaky offense. Special K is hitting .346 this month with six steals.
Nolan Reimold, OF, vs. TEX (Rodriguez), $2300: At this point, I’m ready to follow Buck Showalter into a burning building. He's a magic man with that lineup card. Reimold is off to a snappy start against lefties this year, and I think most of us expect a Wandy Rodriguez Regression Tour to start shortly. Reimold slots second in the Monday lineup and the price is just about the minimum on Fan Duel.
Jason Kipnis, 2B, at TB (Karns), $4500: Leadoff on the road and in the platoon advantage, that’s a nice place to start. And let’s also consider that Nate Karns can’t stop the running game, as 9-of-10 base stealers have been successful against him. If Kipnis doesn’t hit into a big number Monday, perhaps he’ll run into it.
Jimmy Nelson, SP, at PHI (O’Sullivan), $7200: It’s a boom-or-bust play, albeit you could say that about most of the pitchers on the Monday slate. But when Nelson has it, he has it - he’s posted Fan Duel scores of 14, 16, 16 and 17 this year. At least he’s facing the worst offense in the majors, and he’s up against a mediocre starter on the other side.
Adam Lind, 1B, at PHI (O’Sullivan), $3700: I don’t understand how Sean O’Sullivan gets anyone out, especially lefties (1.127 OPS). Watch him pitch, look how straight his fastball is. Lind is the first Milwaukee lefty we think of, but Scooter Gennett and Gerardo Parra also have a case. Grab a bat.
Justin Turner, 3B, at ARI (Webster), $3700: He’s no longer at the cute giveaway price, but look at how he’s owned right-handed pitching: .369/.426/.702. Keep rolling with what’s working. Turner has also claimed the No. 3 spot in the LA lineup on most nights.
Luis Valbuena, 3B, vs. KC (Blanton), $3600: It's getting pricy, but he also has two-homer potential (the matrix says to use him at home, against RHPs). Joe Blanton does not scare anyone, and Valbuena is slotted cleanup for Monday.
