So I know there are 6 games in the early slate, but after looking things over, I am just not going to touch that one.
But the evening slate is certainly playable and we will get to that shortly.
Doing my research prior to writing today’s article, I noticed that DraftKings has a new way to play DFS – Pick ‘Em. I had heard this was coming, but though it would be a football rollout.
Instead we get to try it out for baseball, so I will share my pick’ em lineup before we get to the picks.
To make things short, Pick ‘Em involves no salary cap and you choose one player from a tier of players. Using classic baseball scoring, you accrue points based on the players drafted.
For example, Tier 1 tonight comprises pitchers Faria, Carrasco, Stroman, Hamels and Morton. There are 8 total tiers of players to choose from. Here is my lineup for tonight (barring anyone warming the bench).
Good luck in whatever format you play tonight, here are today’s classic format picks for tonight’s games:
Yu Darvish – SP – Los Angeles Dodgers – $13,700
Analysis: It appears my thoughts, and many others were true, Yu Darvish on an NL team is dangerous. Getting to face a pitcher, pitching in a pitcher’s park, and now on one of the best team’s in baseball, Darvish has been so good. He has 10 Ks in both starts for the Dodgers and he gets a great matchup tonight against the watered down White Sox. Chicago is 29th in team wOBA against RH bats and strikes out at a 23% clip.
Adrian Beltre – 3B – Texas Rangers – $5,000
Analysis: There’s not much for Mr. 3000 to play for, but I guess the Rangers are still in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. I don’t see it happening, but the Rangers don’t ever, ever quit. The Rangers got to Verlander last night and now face Gas Can Sanchez. Beltre has been dominant against Sanchez in his career – 9-for-13 with 2 doubles and 5 RBIs. We will see if Beltre can get that home run against him. Adrian has been very hot lately, recording multiple hit games in 4 of his last 6. Sanchez is a reverse-splits pitcher in his career and it’s hot in Texas. Lots of arrows pointing to this selection tonight.
Wilmer Flores – 1B/3B – New York Mets – $4,200
Analysis: Wilmer Flores is priced up tonight and you have to use him at loaded positions. He’s likely going to be low owned against lefty Jaime Garcia, but Flores is a guy we can trust against lefties most days. It doesn’t hurt that he has had some success against Garcia in his career, recording 4 hits in 12 ABs, three of which are extra bases (1 2B, 2 HRs). The Mets aren’t really playing for much these days having traded away Neil Walker and Jay Bruce, but that doesn’t always mean teams will phone it in. Flores always has playing time to play for and he gets to do that against lefties for sure.
