MLB Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 8/8/13
We know that people play all sorts of fantasy platforms, not just from from our friends at StarStreet but on other platforms such as FanDuel, Draft Kings, and Fantasy Feud as well. So once again, we have four optimized rosters, all for you, the numberFire reader. One is for free here; the others can be found in our Premium section.
As always, the full tables for today's action are available at our Daily Fantasy Projections page. Make sure to check it out to see where the best values are for your team.
Our baseball projections are updated throughout the day, so make sure to come back to double-check your optimized rosters for any last-minute lineup changes. Since most action happens later in the day, we will be ignoring the early games (if there are any) and focusing solely on the late contests. That way, you can use and tinker with our optimized rosters throughout the day.
Fantasy Feud Optimized Roster
| Player | Position | Projected FP | Cost | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer | SP | 5.95 | $148,960 | 0.04 |
| Miguel Cabrera | 3B | 2.74 | $103,792 | 0.03 |
| David Ortiz | DH | 3.84 | $92,976 | 0.04 |
| Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 2.27 | $89,440 | 0.03 |
| Shane Victorino | RF | 2.38 | $85,488 | 0.03 |
| Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 1.78 | $82,992 | 0.02 |
| Carlos Beltran | RF | 2.28 | $74,880 | 0.03 |
| Prince Fielder | 1B | 1.79 | 65312 | 0.03 |
| Bruce Chen | SP | 4.39 | $61,920 | 0.07 |
| Zach McAllister | SP | 4.22 | $59,840 | 0.07 |
| Mike Aviles | SS | 1.44 | $46,592 | 0.03 |
| George Kottaras | C | 2.62 | $44,512 | 0.06 |
| Jarrod Dyson | CF | 1.79 | $42,224 | 0.04 |
Star Street, Draft Kings, and FanThrowdown Optimized Rosters
For the optimal rosters for the other main players, be sure to check out our brand new Daily Fantasy Optimized Rosters for our Premium members. We know that you're killing it with our picks; maybe now you'll help us continue to help you win each night, every night.
Access to the optimal rosters is immediate, and you'll have it constantly updated for the latest injury news and updates from around the league. The best news of all? For new subscribers, you can use the promo code WELCOME and get it 50% off what was already the reduced price. Think of the savings!
The Top Three Pitchers
Max Scherzer – There’s not a whole lot to choose from for optimized lineups today, with only three late games, but Scherzer’s a solid pick any day. He’s got a 2.85 ERA and a 10.11 K/9. Look for him to rack up strikeouts against the Indians, who strike out fourth-most in the AL at 21.4 percent of the time.
Bruce Chen – Chen will face Jon Lester and the Red Sox in a battle of left-handers. Going nearly as unnoticed as the Royals’ recent scorching-hot stretch is Chen’s performance this season. In 57 innings, he’s posted an outstanding 2.03 ERA and his highest K rate since 2003. He’s allowed two or fewer earned runs in his last eight starts, and he hasn’t allowed more than three in a start all season.
Zach McAllister – Now we’re getting to the slimmer pickings. McAllister’s got just a 6.40 K/9, but he also sports a solid 3.47 ERA. Plus, he racked up a season-high seven strikeouts in just 5.1 innings in his last start.
Top High-Priced Hitters
Miguel Cabrera – Cabrera has been even better this year than in his Triple Corwn-winning campaign last season, but he still might have more competition for the MVP trophy. Basically every statistic ever invented makes this dude look good, but he’s back to mashing (.385 average, .692 slugging) in August after a down, by his standards, July (.288, .606).
Dustin Pedroia – Pedroia hasn’t hit for a whole lot of power this year – only eight home runs – but his .295/.375/.412 line is still respectable. He does still crush lefties though, hitting 44 points higher against them than righties, which could bode poorly for Chen.
Cost-Effective, Mid-Range Hitters
George Kottaras – Don’t be fooled by his dreadful .167 batting average – his .368 OBP and .431 slugging indicate a solid approach at the plate. Plus, his BABIP is an absurdly low .212, which suggests he’s had some bad luck and should be due for some regression. He has five home runs in just 95 plate appearances, so he can be a really cheap source of power.
Mike Carp – Carp has been quite the find for the Red Sox, posting a .302/.361/.562 line with 8 homers in just 180 plate appearances this season. He’s struggled a bit in August, but that small sample size shouldn’t be too worrisome; he hit .333 in July.
