Daily Dime: Happy Michael Pineda Day
Yes, it's an abbreviated card, but there's lots of fun on the docket. Run some lineups, track some weather, build your perfect beast.
Players to Buy
Michael Pineda, SP, vs. PHI (Correia), $10100: As great as Clayton Kershaw and Felix Hernandez are, I’m a big fan of going with a modified ace if the matchup and savings line up. They seem to in this case - if you opt for Pineda over Kershaw, you gain $2000 in extra fun money on Fan Duel.
You always want to see the Phillies on the schedule - they’re dead last in runs, and dead last in road scoring. Pineda’s best foot has come at home, with a 2.36 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 45.2 innings.
Brian McCann, C, vs. PHI (Correia), $3500: It’s obvious when you use McCann this year - at home (1.089 OPS) and against right-handed pitching (.890 OPS). And this isn’t just any righty he’s up against, it’s 34-year-old journeyman Kevin Correia. You’re also approved for an Alex Rodriguez play; he’s slashing .330/.435/.575 at home, and has a 1.369 OPS on the current homestand. Clear off the mantle, Comeback Player of the Year. Chase Headley at $2500 also makes sense (.375, six runs over last four games), and I'm always in favor of a Brett Gardner play.
Yan Gomes, C, vs. DET (Ryan), $2300: He hasn’t been doing much lately, which is why the price has collapsed to this point. But now Gomes is in the platoon edge against an ordinary lefty, and keep in mind Gomes’s career slash line against southpaws is a robust .300/.335/.497. And yes, I’d buy low in seasonal, if it’s available to you. Gomes still looks like a very sound C1 to me, someone you set and forget in standard formats.
Albert Pujols, 1B, vs. HOU (Oberholtzer), $4300: It’s not a giveaway price but it’s not through the roof either, and Phat Albert is on a ballistic tear over the past 23 games (.341/.417/.835, 13 homers). It’s telling that the Angels are just 12-11 over this run; other than Pujols and Trout, the offense isn’t particularly scary (Kole Calhoun remains notably overrated). But we don’t need the Angels to win, necessarily, we just want to see Pujols take some at-bats against a league-average southpaw.
Brian Dozier, 2B, vs. CHW (Danks), $3900: He didn’t click as a weekend recco against Jon Lester, but the draw is significantly stronger now. Dozier’s career splits are slightly better at home, and he gets a 174-point OPS boost against left-handers. He also has good career numbers against John Danks, if 17 plate appearances matter to you.
Tom Milone, SP, vs. CHW (Danks), $6700: He’s a solid -137 favorite but you get in at a discount ticket, that sounds nice. The White Sox are a team for lefties to attack - they have the league’s worst weighted on-base average against southpaws. Perhaps that matters less against Milone, who’s been platoon-neutral for his career, but you also get snappy current form from Minnesota’s new rotation man (19 IP, 5 ER, 2 BB, 13 K over last three). Let's hear it for Mayday.
Seth Smith, OF, vs. KC (Blanton), $2300: He was swinging a sweet bat at the end of the Houston series, and now he takes dead aim at a journeyman opponent, at home, in the platoon edge. Smith has never proven he can play everyday - the lefties hold him back - but he holds a career .275/.356/.479 line against the northpaws. Double-check the lineup situation, of course, but if it’s a go, Smith is a nice bargain punch.
Kevin Pillar, OF, at TB (Andriese), $3000: Something has clicked for this guy - he’s slashing .403/.423/.612 in June, with four homers and three steals. Crunch the 5x5 numbers and Pillar is the No. 6 bat for the month. And obviously it’s fun to ride shotgun with the loaded Toronto offense. Pillar is still unowned in 59 percent of Yahoo seasonal leagues.
Nelson Cruz, OF, vs. KC (Blanton), $3300: The price has come down significantly, and while Cruz has a modest one homer this month, at least it came in the completed weekend series with Houston. He’s also seeing the ball well at the moment, drawing five unintentional walks over the last five games. Take your rips against Joe Blanton, we’ll all be watching.
One Reluctant Fade
Justin Turner, 3B, art CHC (Wada), $3200: He’s on a tear and the platoon advantage sounds nice, but be aware that Turner has a reverse split for his career (the OPS drops 127 points against lefties, and it’s been even more exaggerated this year). There’s also rain in forecast, albeit this blog is going to post about 10 hours before first pitch. Turner looks like a delightful play Wednesday against Kyle Hendricks.
