DFS MLB Hitting Coach: August 22

Monday’s slate may be a frustrating one, but also a great opportunity.  I feel that the Nationals are overpriced, which makes tonight’s best games the late night hammer ones.  Hopefully, all the lineups come out before the earlier games begin, but if not, picking on those games can still be the right call.  My favorite stack of the night are the Indians with the Pirates and Seattle being sneaky stack options.  Good luck!

Catcher

Cash Play:  First, to get it out of the way, Gary Sanchez is a plug and play at his price on Aces.  He is still batting .361 after his six game hit streak ended last night.  He is definitely in play on FD, but o DK, I’ll take the discount with Welington Castillo.  He’ll be coming off a 6-13 series against the Padres, and on a nice seven game hit streak.

GPP plays: While Sanchez is very much in play, the Nationals are overpriced in my opinion, which makes Wilson Ramos in play for gpps tonight.  He only has 5 XBH in August with most of them coming early in the month.  Works best in a Nat’s stack.  Sandy Leon has been playing well lately with two or more hits in six of his last nine games, and price is probably best at DK. 

Value Plays: While I don’t suggest fully punting catcher tonight, if you’re going to do it, Bobby Wilson would be your best high risk option.  He’s 2-2 off Price, and looking for his 2^nd XBH since late July.    

First Base

Cash Plays:  Anthony Rizzo is always a top play at first, and has a matchup where he returns to where he started tonight.  His price has went back down after a series at Coors, and has 2 hits in four straight games.  Rizzo is also 2-2 of Jackson.  I see him as a player people will be paying up for tonight.  While neither is as good as a consistent hitter like Rizzo, both John Jaso andAdam Lind have nice BvP numbers tonight.  Lind is 5-14 with 2 Hr’s off Pineda, with Jaso being 4-14 with a HR off Fister. I’m sticking with Rizzo across the board and using the others in gpp’s tonight.  

GPP Plays: A nice pivot off Rizzo is Paul Goldschmidt.  Arizona is a nice team stack option with the highest run total of the night, and best suited for gpps with his 5 SB to go along with only 1 HR during August.  Chris Davis and Carlos Santana make the list for gpp plays, and best used as part of team stacks. 

Value Play:  Jaso and Lind are the top value plays at first tonight, but keep an eye out for Yulieski Gurriel.  He DH’d last night so may not play in Pitt, but if in the lineup, makes for a sneaky option.  Have a feeling his price jumps big time by next week.

Second Base  

Cash plays: Robinson Cano is a player that I have been riding for a little while now, and may roll with him again tonight.  He’s 3-9 with 2 HR’s vs Pineda.  The player standing in the way is Jean Segura.  Before yesterday’s 0-4 night, Segura had 12 hits over his last four games.  His price I feel will make him a popular play at second tonight. 

GPP plays: Cano may be best suited for gpp’s tonight, but at the same price I also like Jason Kipnis.  The Indians have a nice matchup tonight, and feel that they may also go under owned.  Kipnis should have plenty of opportunities to be the highest scoring second baseman.  Josh Harrison has a great price on DK if leading off, and has taken Fister deep in the past. 

Value Plays:  Starlin Castro makes for a nice value play option as he has 2 hits in three of his last four games.  Aaron Hill is 2B eligible on DK, but really hasn’t shown anything lately, and best used in Sox stack only, if at all.

Third Base

Cash Plays:  Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado have been battling it out for the HR lead with Nolan taking the lead with a 2 HR game yesterday.  With the pricing tonight, Bryant is best used on FD, with Arenado on DK.  Both are in nice spots to go deep tonight with Noaln having a slightly greater chance.  On FD and Aces, I think you can save some salary off of the two above with Jose Ramirez.  Ramirez has reached base in 27 straight games, and batting .377 during that span. 

GPP plays:  Kyle Seager and Jake Lamb also check in with nice matchups as both solo and stack options.  Seager is 3-6 vs Pineda and has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games.  Lamb is always a deep threat vs a soft righty at home.  He’s struggled lately, but is a much better hitter at home. 

Value Play:  Listed at 3B on DK, OF on FD, and still missing on Aces I believe, Patrick Kivlehan is the ultimate punt play for tonight’s slate across the board.  He has to face Lester if in the lineup, but has started his career going 4-6 with a HR and 4 runs.  He two outs were both via K’s so perfect BABIP so far.    

Shortstop

Cash Plays:  The pricing at SS is very interesting tonight.  Trea Turner’s salary is a combined $1900 more between FD and DK than Xander Bogaerts.  Turner may have the better matchup on paper, but I’ll take the better player at the discount.  His six game hit streak ended yesterday, but with his price, Xander is my top SS tonight.      

GPP Plays: Turner may actually be the most popular gpp play tonight, but I’ll stick with my Indians theme and Francisco Lindor.  He has at least 2 hits in six of his last ten games, and makes for great pivot off Xander on FD.  Another more expensive SS on DK is Didi Gregorius.  He has hit safely in nine of last eleven games with 4 HR’s during that span.  Hopefully will be batting in the middle of the lineup. 

Value Play:   Not a huge fan of picking on Lester, but for gpp’s, Alexi Ramirez has a nice price tag to him, especially if in the leadoff spot tonight.  He does have 10 hits off Lester but needed 39 Ab’s to get there.  More of a salary relief play then plus matchup play if going with Alexi.

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Outfield

Cash Plays:  OF leaves you with the options of targeting former MVP’s with under a .250 average this year in Bryce Harper and Andrew McCutchen, or the Rockies tandem of David Dahl and Carlos Gonzalez.  Harper is on a nice 5 game hit streak with 2 HR’s, 2 SB’s, and 8 RBI’s.  His priced is best for use on FD.  McCutchen is 5-11 off Fister, and has 2 hits in four of his last six games.  His price is solid across the board.  The Rockies duo have a great matchup vs the righty Nelson, and their prices are never as high when on the road.  Dahl may bat leadoff, and even though cooled off a bit vs the Cubs, still records points in every game he plays.  Cargo has only gone deep in three games since the all-star break, but think tonight it becomes four.  Out of the four listed above, he would be the one I would suggest moving to gpp lineups. 

GPP Plays:  All of the above are gpp plays as well, but need to add my Cleveland and Arizona stack play as well with Tyler Naquin and Yasmany Tomas.  Both have cooled off recently, but are great plays as part of their team stacks tonight as OF options.  While I’m not a fan of his price at all, Aaron Judge is worth a look as a pivot play.  Unlike Sanchez, Judge has cooled off since his first series, but at the same price as the Yankees lefty hitter at the top of the lineup, Judge should go unnoticed.   

Value Plays: Jason Heyward has been a disappointment for the Cubs, but is someone to keep an eye on if in the lineup tonight vs a righty after being benched over the weekend.  His price should be much lower, but can be that third to fourth player you use in a late night hammer Cub’s stack.