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MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 21, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, August 21, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Alex Wood - Los Angeles Dodgers - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks

Alex Wood @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Park – PNC Park
Opp implied total – 3.72

The truth of the matter is that we don’t have a lot of pitching on this slate. With just 8 games on the books, it’s somewhat expected. We do at least have a guy in Alex Wood that should have a solid game. The Pirates are projected for under 3 runs and can strikeout a good amount. We know how good Wood is, or how good he can be I should say. So far on the season, he’s posted an elite .249 combined wOBA and has struck out over 9 batters per 9 innings. He has controlled both sides of the plate quite nicely and has also dropped his HR issue from past years. As for the Pirates, they are as average as you can get. Against lefties, they’ve ranked 17th in baseball with a .316 wOBA. They K 20% of the time and are nothing to be afraid of in pitcher-friendly PNC Park. Alex Wood is the top play by a mile and the ownership will reflect that. Don’t get cute in cash games.

Zach Davies @ San Francisco Giants
Park – AT&T Park
Vegas O/U – 3.91

Like I said, pitching is ugly. Whenever Zach Davies is the 2nd best option on a slate, my previous comment goes unsaid. He is at least facing off with the worst team in baseball against righties. The Giants have been dead last against righties with a .291 wOBA and have been only worse at home in the best pitchers park in the league. They do have some big-name bats, but they kind of stink. Buster Posey isn’t very good against righties and neither is Hunter Pence. the rest of the order is full of weak bats. While they don’t strike out much, they also don’t have the power to hit one out. Davies isn’t a great pitcher by any means, but he’s decent. He’s sported a .326 wOBA and has backed it up with a 6.5 K/9 and 27% hard contact rate. The park is optimal and I think Davies is safer than any other SP2 you will find.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Manny Machado - Baltimore Orioles - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Lineuplab
Baltimore Orioles Vs Chris Smith (Athletics)
Park – Camden Yards
Implied Total – 5.83

While we don’t have a bunch of big pitchers on the slate, we also don’t have any gas cans that you can target with no caution. Chris Smith is the worst pitcher on the slate and he’ll be pitching in Camden Yards. He first pitched in 2006, which should actually tell you a lot. He’s 36 years old and is not going to find his way now. Through his 5 random years between 2006 and now, he’s allowed a .340 wOBA to both lefties and righties. He’s used to pitching in the Oakland Coliseum (top 5 pitcher park) and will have a ton of trouble moving to a top 5 hitting ballpark. Manny Machado is the top option and I wouldn’t consider making a stack without him. Schoop and Adam Jones are next as supreme cash game options. The rest of the order is filled with power and you can really go anywhere you want. Mancini and Trumbo are my favorites and should only be about 10-15% owned.

Main Stack – Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, Adam Jones, Trey Mancini
Sneaky Stack – Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop, Tim Beckham, Chris Davis

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Robert Gsellman (Mets)
Park – Citi Field
Implied Total – 4.75

Honestly, I don’t love any offense after the Orioles. Gsellman is a talented pitcher that hasn’t found his footing in quite some time. Ths Diamondbacks team is good against righties and they hold a 4.75 implied total. On the season, Gsellman has been absolutely atrocious. He’s posted a .365 combined wOBA and has given up 14 homers in just 70 innings. He’s walking nearly 4 batters per 9 innings and is striking out just 6. All in all, Gsellman is nowhere near where he needs to be. We know how lethal this offense can be and with the addition of J.D. Martinez, they have an insane 4-man cash game stack. Lamb, Goldy, Peralta, and Pollock are elite and they are the easy cash game stack. If you want to go crazy, I would look for a power bat towards the bottom of the lineup that will come in under 10%. Chris Herrmann will be that guy for me.

Main Stack – Jake Lamb, David Peralta, A.J. Pollock, Paul Goldschmidt
Sneaky Stack – Jake Lamb, David Peralta, J.D. Martinez, Chris Herrmann

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 16, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Wednesday, August 16, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Lineuplab - Yu Darvish - Los Angeles Dodgers

Yu Darvish Vs Chicago White Sox
Park – Dodger Stadium
Opp implied total – 2.70

When first glancing at this slate, it became clear how much of a premium a good starter will hold. Out of the 18 teams on this slate, 15 are projected for over 4 runs and 8 teams with run totals over 5. Fortunately, we do have a couple very solid options to look at. I do think the first one is pretty clear with Yu Darvish. Darvish and the Dodgers will welcome the lowly White Sox into Dodger Stadium tonight with full anticipation of destroying them. With an 8 over/under, the Sox are expected to put up 2.70 to the Dodgers’ 5.30. Darvish is the biggest favorite on the board and has a price across the industry that provides a ton of safety. He’s been excellent all season and his numbers figure to only go up with the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium his new home. He’s posted a .296 wOBA on the year and has backed it up with a 10.15 K/9. This is as safe as it gets for Darvish and he will be plugged into 100% of my lineups. I’m not sure you can afford fading him on a slate with so many explosive offenses in the minefield.

Marcus Stroman Vs Toronto Blue Jays
Park – Tropicana Field
Vegas O/U – 3.94

If you’re unwilling to pay the hefty price for Darvish or need a high-end SP2, Stroman is your guy. While some may go after Carrasco, who is perfectly fine, I slightly prefer Stroman. He will be lower owned and has a similar floor and ceiling. The Rays are projected to put up 3.94 runs and the Jays come in at -148 favorites. We know how bad the Rays are against righties and we should always be looking to take advantage. While the Rays hold up their wOBA against righties with guys like Corey Dickerson and Logan Morrison, but the rest of the order surely weighs it down. What those 2 guys don’t do is bolster the K rate. Against right-handers, the Rays have struck out the 2nd most at 25.2%. The upside is undeniable here for Stroman and with him pitching so much better at home, I’m fine with him in all formats.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Texas Rangers - Joey Gallo - Lineup Lab

Texas Rangers Vs Anibal Sanchez (Tigers)
Park – Globe Life Park
Implied Total – 6.03

There are definitely a lot of offenses to choose from here, which is a ton of fun. When you can go in knowing that your stack is going to be less than 20% owned, you don’t have to worry about going contrarian at all. You can grab whoever you want from these teams tonight and you won’t see any ridiculous ownership. My favorite of the bunch is the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are hosting the Detroit Tigers, who bolster an atrocious rotation and bullpen. Anibal Sanchez will take the mound as one of the absolute worst pitchers in the entire league, undoubtedly. Against righties, he’s posted a .409 wOBA and 12 homers in less than 40 innings. Yes, you read that correctly. He now moves into one of the best hitting parks in the league and figures to get knocked around. I don’t mind any of these Rangers bats, but definitely prefer a few. Rougned Odor and Joey Gallo are 2 of my favorite HR candidates on the slate and I’ll have a ton of both all over my teams. Beltre, Mazara, and Choo are all very similar and I can understand going either way. Furthermore, the bottom of the order is full of guys with upside. You can pick 1 if you want, but will have to sacrifice a bigger bat.

Main Stack – Rougned Odor, Joey Gallo, Adrian Beltre, Shin-Soo Choo
Sneaky Stack – Rougned Odor, Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Delino DeShields

Chicago Cubs Vs Homer Bailey (Reds)
Park – Wrigley Field
Implied Total – N/A

The Cubs are always a team you can target in Wrigley Field, but especially tonight. They face off with Homer Bailey, who like Anibal Sanchez, has been absolutely atrocious against both lefties and righties. With a combined wOBA of .417, it’s quite clear where Bailey does or doesn’t belong. He won’t be in the majors for too much longer and we should be targeting him as much as possible. He has a huge HR and when you combine that with Wrigley Field and this lineup, good things (for us) happen. Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are obviously amazing and always the top 2 hitters in this order. After that, you can really go anywhere. Avila/Contreras and Schwarber are my next 2 favorite and I think they have a ton of HR potential. The Cubs do have a somewhat-concentrated offense, but production can still come from guys like Javier Baez and Jason Heyward. The Cubs are expected to have a huge night and you have to love where they come in pricewise.

Main Stack – Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Alex Avila/Willson Contreras
Sneaky Stack – Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Alex Avila/Willson Contreras, Ben Zobrist

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 15, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 15, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Madison Bumgarner - San Francisco Giants - Lineup Lab

Madison Bumgarner @ Miami Marlins
Park – Marlins Park
Opp implied total – 3.70

After all the good pitchers decided to take yesterday off, we’re back on the grind with some aces. We’ve got about 3-4 to choose from and they all have some appeal. Madison Bumgarner is my favorite, facing the Miami Marlins on the road in spacious Marlins Park. Marlins Park and AT&T both rank inside the bottom 5 for hitting, so it doesn’t really matter where this one is played. Bumgarner has pitched well since coming off the DL and has certainly turned up the gas over the last few starts. Facing the Cubs, D-Backs, and Dodgers, 3 of the 10 best teams against lefties, he’s went out and pitched a combined 21 innings with 21 K’s. We’re seeing the Bumgarner of old and as we know, he can throw a CGSO with ease when rolling. This Marlins match-up is pretty good (14th wOBA vs L), but they still have Giancarlo Stanton in the order. He’s deadly against lefties but can also strikeout rather easily. Bumgarner is the top option on this slate and while it is close, he stands as my favorite cash game play.

Alex Wood Vs Chicago White Sox
Park – Dodger Stadium
Vegas O/U – 2.55(!!!)

I was tempted to throw Alex Wood in there as my top arm, but felt the need to highlight Bumgarner and how he has been pitching recently. With Alex Wood, I’ll be interested to see how things fold out. He’s struggled recently, which I couldn’t care less about. He’s a streaky arm and going a few games without the high K’s is nothing to worry about. He will get back around the 10 mark on average and is still striking out nearly 12 batters per 9. The Dodgers will host the White Sox, who already can’t hit in hitter-friendly Guaranteed Rate Field. Moving to Dodger Stadium, I expect some serious trouble with run production. The Sox have ranked 24th against lefties in baseball and when you consider the park change, they truly are in a horrible spot against Wood. He may not be as safe as Bumgarner, but the upside is just as high and the ownership will be substantially lower. Make sure you get exposure to 1 of these 2 arms, who should both have solid outings.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Cleveland Indians - Lineuplab

Cleveland Indians @ Bartolo Colon (Twins)
Park – Target Field
Implied Total – 5.10

With Bartolo Colon being decent over the last couple starts, it makes me want to stack against him even more. I the Indians aren’t extremely highly owned, they should be. Colon is absolutely atrocious against both sides of the plate and matches up horribly with an Indians offense that murders the fastball. Target Field is a very average hitting park and it is an upgrade from Progressive. Looking at the numbers from Colon, you can target anyone. He’s allowed a .367 wOBA ago righties and a .390 to lefties, which is purely pitiful. Edwin Encarnacion is my favorite of the bunch, but not far ahead any of these other top bats. Lindor, Kipnis, and Ramirez are next to and will round out the cash game stack. In tourneys, don’t be afraid to get weird. This lineup is rather concentrated, but it has some RBI promise towards the bottom.

Main Stack – Edwin Encarnacion, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Jason Kipnis
Sneaky Stack – Carlos Santana, Jose Ramirez, Jason Kipnis, Jay Bruce

Colorado Rockies Vs Sean Newcomb (Braves)
Park – Coors Field
Implied Total – 6.22

I know, a Coors Field stack is never the sneakiness thing. On today’s slate, it might be, however, while I think the likes of Arenado and LeMahieu will be rather highly owned, I don’t see anyone else getting attention. Sean Newcomb, a young lefty, is simply going to struggle in a Coors Field. He hasn’t been good yet and while he might get there down the road, it won’t be in this match-up. Nolan Arenado is the top option on the board and a .411 ISO tells you all you really need to know. LeMahieu and Story are my next 2 favorites and I love Story for an HR tonight. After those 3, take a pick. This lineup is spread out in Coors and the production can come from anywhere.

Main Stack – Nolan Arenado, D.J. LeMahieu, Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story
Sneaky Stack – Nolan Arenado, Mark Reynolds, Trevor Story, Jonathan Lucroy

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 14, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, August 14, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Jose Quintana - Chicago Cubs - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Lineuplab

Jose Quintana Vs. Cincinatti Reds
Park – Wrigley Field
Vegas O/U – N/A

Yesterday, we were blessed with an amazing core of pitchers. They pitched very well and the chalk guys didn’t hurt too much. Today is a whole different story. Pitching is extremely limited and the only ace we do have in Greinke is facing the Diamondbacks in Chase Field. Instead, we’all move a few spots down and take a look at Jose Quintana against the Reds. While Quintana isn’t a high upside, strikeout pitcher, he’s very consistent and can nearly be locked in for 6 innings. Quintana has been good against both sidedness of the plate with a .293 wOBA and 9.58 K/9. He’s as safe as you’ll find on the slate and his price is very fair. He will be popular, but that’s fine in cash games where the alternatives aren’t great.

Jerad Eickhoff @ San Diego Padres
Park – Petco Park
Vegas O/U – 8.5

Listen, pitcher is bad. We can’t be picky tonight and after Quintana, I’m not willing to trust anyone. Jerad Eickhoff is a very talented young arm with a ton of potential and upside. He’s sported a .293 wOBA and strikes out nearly a full batter per inning. The K’s haven’t been huge for Eickhoff his entire career, but they’ll likely come with age and experience. The Padres, as we know, stink against righties. They have held just a .308 wOBA and have struck out nearly 26% of the time, which leads the league. Eickhoff may not be “safe”, but he’s definitely “safer” than a lot of these arms on the slate. He should get you at least 5 or 6 innings and come through with the win when it matters.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Ian Kinsler - Detroit Tigers - LineupLab

Detroit Tigers @ Martin Perez (Rangers)
Park – Globe Life Park
Implied Total – 5.19

While the Rockies are the obvious stack here, you didn’t need me to tell you that. If you are interested in a Rockies stack, they’ll be popular and have as much upside as anyone. We’re going to take a look in Arlington and peer down at this often troubled Tigers lineup. They face off with Martin Perez, who is a southpaw (lefty) with some major issues. In 97 innings of work, Perez has posted a .373 wOBA and 16 homers. Wow. He now faces a team with as many righties as you could hope for. Ian Kinsler and James McCann are my 2 favorites, with Castellanos and Miggy a close 3/4. This lineup isn’t too concentrated and you can definitely get exposure to some of them for cheap.

Main Stack – Ian Kinsler, James McCann, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton
Sneaky Stack – Justin Upton, James McCann, Victor Martinez, Nick Castellanos

Chicago Cubs Vs Asher Wojciechowski (Reds)
Park – Wrigley Field
Implied Total – N/A

Main Stack – Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist, Alex Avila
Sneaky Stack – Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 9, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Wednesday, August 9, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Alex Wood @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Park – Chase Field
Vegas O/U – 8.5

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy to roster a pitcher in Chase Field. Come on, it’s the 2nd best hitting park in baseball! But hey, you have to look at the slate as a whole. We do have a few talented pitchers, but they are in tough spots. Alex Wood may actually be the safest, simply due to his strikeout floor. He also has the upside to deliver in a tournament. The Diamondbacks are a pretty good matchup as well, even in Chase Field. They have ranked 20th in baseball against lefties with a .317 wOBA and a crazy 25.6% strikeout rate. While Wood may give up a homer or two in Chase Field, I think it will be far outweighed by 8+ strikeouts. You’ll have to go somewhere tonight and it’s not like any of these guys are safe, so why not take the guy with a high K floor?

Justin Verlander Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Park – Comerica Park
Vegas O/U – 9

Justin Verlander is always pretty tough to roster. He goes through rough patches and looks like a simply bad pitcher. He’ll then go out and throw a few complete games like other ever happened. Tonight, I think he’s safe enough. The Pirates are a decent hitting team, but also much, much better against lefties. Verlander has posted a .313 combined wOBA and looks to be the same guy he has been for a few years. His price is down a bit and he won’t need to have an amazing game to come through. All in all, Verlander is a very good pitcher and he has a decent match-up.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Milwaukee Brewers Vs. Bartolo Colon (Twins)
Park – Miller Park
Implied Total – 5.51

When Bartolo Colon takes the mound, you should be looking to grab some hitters. I understand he got lucky and threw a crazy game last time out, but he’s bad. Very bad. He’s posted a .377 wOBA against lefties since last year and. .369 against righties. He struggles getting anyone out and will be out of the league after this season. The Brewers are a pretty good offense and they have 2 lefties you have to absolutely love. Eric Thames and Travis Shaw are my favorite bats on the team, with Braun and Santana a close 3rd and 4th. The Brewers offense isn’t very concentrated, so don’t be afraid to target a Keon Broxton or Manuel Pino.

Main Stack – Eric Thames, Travis Shaw, Ryan Braun, Domingo Santana.
Sneaky Stack – Eric Thames, Travis Shaw, Keon Broxton, Manuel Pino.

Cincinatti Reds Vs. San Diego Padres (Padres)
Park – Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 5.34

The Reds are a team you have to love tonight. Hosting the Padres, the Reds face off with Travis Wood in The Great American Ballpark. They are projected to score over 5 runs and should get Wood out of there pretty quickly. Wood has been absolutely atrocious against righties over the last 2 years, sporting a .372 wOBA. He also has a big home run issue, which isn’t good news in this ballpark. Zack Cozart is my favorite hitter on the team and he’s posted a .490 wOBA. Wow. Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall are also great against lefties and have a ridiculous amount of upside here. You can go anywhere after that and be in a similar spot.

Main Stack – Zack Cozart, Eugenio Suarez, Adam Duvall, Joey Votto
Sneaky Stack – Zack Cozart, Eugenio Suarez, Patrick Kivlehan, Billy Hamilton

 

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 8, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 8, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Chris Sale - Boston Redsox - Lineuplab - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks

Chris Sale @ Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Tropicana Field
Vegas O/U – 7.5

We have a plethora of expensive pitchers on this slate, with no 1 arm standing out. Our favorite of the bunch is Chris Sale, who faces off with the Tampa Bay Rays in pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field. Sale is having arguably his best season ever, sporting a combined .245 wOBA and striking out over 12 batters per 9 innings. This is also a prime match-up for Sale. Against righties, they hold the 20th ranked wOBA at just .309. They also strikeout 25.5% of the time, which leads the league. Tropicana Field is a huge bump from Fenway Park and Vegas expect the Rays to be shut down. They hold an implied run total under 3 and should be in trouble from the get go. I think Sale and Kluber are pretty close and I don’t know which one ends up more popular, but Sale is my guy.

Dallas Keuchel @ Chicago White Sox
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Vegas O/U – 10

If you want to get a little bit cheaper, but remain in the upper-tier for upside, Dallas Keuchel is your guy. Keuchel has struggled in each of his last 2 starts and it’s resulted in him seeing a price decrease. He’s still the same pitchers he’s been all year and we should be looking at him no differently. This White Sox team is horrible and we’ve been streaming pitchers against them all year long. Keuchel has been utterly dominant against lefties with an. .129 wOBA and 12 K/9. You can wish those guys good luck. As for the righties, a .268 isn’t much better. Jose Abreu is really the only bat I’m scared of in this lineup and he’s far better against southpaws. Keuchel is a bit cheaper than he should be and makes for an excellent play in all formats.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Jose Altuve - Houston Astros - lineup lab

Houston Astros @ Derek Holland (White Sox)
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Implied Total – 6.34

When first glancing at this slate, there was 1 team who stood out as my favorite and it wasn’t too close. That hasn’t changed and I don’t think it will. The Houston Astros are facing off with Derek Holland in what is the top stack of the night. Depending on what bats make it into the Astros order, you can play them all. Holland has been absolutely pitiful against righties with a .397 wOBA over 97 innings. He’s given up an astronomical 23 home runs and now faces the most powerful team in the game. Good luck. Altuve and Correa are the cream of the crop and so won’t make a stack without them. After that, it depends on where everyone ends up in the order. Gonzalez and Guriel are both good hitters, but hold a lot more appeal if they see a 1-5 spot. All in all, this is easily my favorite offense of the night and I’ll be all over them in stacks.

Main Stack – Jose Altuve, Carlos Beltran, Yuli Gurriel, Alex Bregman
Sneaky Stack – Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Tyler White, Jake Marisnick

San Diego Padres @ Sal Romano (Reds)
Park – The Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 4.08

If you want to go contrarian with a team that may be a bit sneaky, don’t be afraid to pick on Sal Romano. While the Padres are definitely one of the more underwhelming teams in the league, they surely have the upside in Great American Ballpark. We saw Jose Pirela hit 2 out last night and the Reds hit about 10. Sal Romano, a young righty, has struggled against both sides of the plate. He doesn’t profile to be good yet and I can’t see why the Reds have forced him into a starting role. While the small sample size is definitely something to consider, a .367 wOBA and 6 BB/9 are numbers you don’t like to see. Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte are my 2 favorite options and they should both be well under 10% owned. You then get into a lot of weird Padres who are under consideration. Pirela, Margot, Renfroe, and Hedges are all worthy of a shot. It just depends on where you have an opening or weakness in your lineup.

Main Stack – Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Jose Pirela, Manuel Margot
Sneaky Stack – Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Hunter Renfroe, Austin Hedges

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 7, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, August 7, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Max Scherzer - Washington Nationals - Lineuplab

Max Scherzer Vs. Miami Marlins
Park – Nationals Park
Vegas O/U – 8

Who else? If you’ve taken a look at this slate, you’re probably aware of what’s going on at pitcher. We have 2 solid options at the top and not much after. While there are arguments to be made, I don’t think anyone compared to the elite 2 in Scherzer and Arrieta. Starting with Scherzer, you have to love him in this match-up. The Marlins have been average against righties with a .323 wOBA and strikeout 21% of the time. Guys like Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton are locks for 2-3 K’s here. Scherzer has been one of the3 best pitchers in the entire league this season and I’m not sure it’s debatable. Through nearly 150 innings, Scherzer has posted a .231 combined wOBA, while striking out over 12 batters per 9 innings and walking just 2. He’s a lock to go 7 innings and has the upside for a CGSO every start. In Nationals Park, he’s been even better. There is no reason to shy away from Scherzer in this spot and it just comes down to price. Without any expensive offense being a must, you can certainly fit Scherzer. Let’s take a look at Arrieta, who’s a bit cheaper and in a better match-up.

Jake Arrieta @ San Francisco Giants
Park – AT&T Park
Vegas O/U – 8

We have been targeting righties against the Giants all season long and rightfully so. They stink. At home, they are by far the worst team in the league against righties with a .290 wOBA. While they do have some talented bats, they are unable to string anything together and in AT&T Park, it takes a monster to hit it out. The Cubs will move into San Fran and bring Jake Arrieta to the table in the first game. Arrieta hasn’t been his best this year, but he has been very good. Against lefties, he’s posted a .323 wOBA, compared to the dominant .244 on the right side. As long as he can keep the Giants from singling him to death, you can lock Arrieta in for 7 innings and 7 K’s. The Cubs offense is one we’ll touch on in a second, so the win shouldn’t be too tough to come by. At pitcher, I suggest going with one of these top 2 guys. In cash games, I don’t think paying down is something you can afford. There are no bats that can assure you get those points back.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs - Lineup Lab

Chicago Cubs @ Matt Moore (Giants)
Park – AT&T Park
Implied Total – 4.65

We don’t have a ton of games on this slate and we really don’t have any horrible pitchers either. We definitely have some guys we can pick on, but we won’t be seeing any 6 run implied totals. Starting off, let’s take a look at the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are facing off with the San Fran Giants at AT&T Park. Matt Moore will take the hill and do his best to limit this lethal offense. Matt Moore is not a very good pitcher. In fact, he hits more barrels than any other starter at 11.2%. He’s posted a .331 wOBA against righties and .454 against lefties. He’s given up 19 homers and hasn’t shown any signs of improving. Kris Bryant is definitely the top option and he is my favorite bat on the entire slate. After him, you can really go anywhere. Willson Contreras and Javier Baez hit lefties well from the right side and may not be too highly owned. Anthony Rizzo can also hit lefties very well, so don’t be afraid to plug him in there.

Main Stack – Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Willson Contreras, Ben Zobrist
Sneaky Stack – Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Javier Baez, Addison Russell

Cincinatti Reds Vs. Jhoulys Chacin (Padres)
Park – The Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 5.00

I think the Reds are going to come in as the most popular stack of the night. They hold the highest implied run total on the board at 5.00 and are facing the worst pitcher. Jhoulys Chacin is pretty good in Petco Park, but he is atrocious anywhere else he goes. He will move into Great American Ballpark and I don’t think he’ll have much fun. On the road, Chacin has posted a .381 wOBA. Against lefties, it’s sitting at .442. Wow. Joey Votto is one of the best plays of the night and I’ll have a hard time getting off of him in cash games. Adam Duvall and Scooter Gennett are my next 2 favorites and both have a ton of upside against righties. The rest of the order is up in the air and you can really go anywhere. Billy Hamilton and Jesse Winker have a ton of safety in the top of the order, with Mesoraco being a great GPP play towards the bottom.

Main Stack – Joey Votto, Adam Duvall, Jesse Winker, Scooter Gennett
Sneaky Stack – Joey Votto, Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton, Devin Mesoraco

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 2, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, August 2, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Dallas Keuchel Vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Minute Maid Park
Vegas O/U – 9

An elite lefty against the Tampa Bay Rays is never too tough to decipher. When looking at what the Rays do against lefties, it’s quite clear why. They’ve ranked 23rd in the league with a. .307 wOBA against righties, while coming in 2nd in K% at 25. The team is good against lefties. Outside of Evan Longoria, everyone on the team either K’s a ton or is ineffective against righties. Keuchel has dominated both lefties as righties this year though his numbers against righties should actually keep going down. He’s striking out batters at an 8 per 9 clip and walking just 2. He does K nearly 13 lefties per 9, so those guys can basically just stay in the dugout. All in all, this is a slate you want to pay up for pitcher on and Keuchel looks to be the somewhat clear option. At least for me.

Jake Arrieta Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Park – Wrigley Field
Vegas O/U – N/A

If you want to pivot off of Keuchel or simply want a lower owned option, Jake Arrieta is a phenomenal way to go. He’ll welcome the Diamondbacks to Wrigley Field and hopefully shut them down with the same ease. We all know where the Diamondbacks are dangerous. Against righties, they especially rely on David Peralta and Jake Lamb. While those 2 guys are absolute animals, I expect Arrieta to pitch around them. The rest of the order is pretty weak against righties and strikeout nearly 23% of the time. Arrieta has definitely been worse against lefties this year and it’ll be interesting to see how he approaches the game this late into the season. Arrieta has also seen his K/9 dip to around 8, though it’s allowed his BB/9 and LOB% to drop. The Diamondbacks are nowhere near the offense outside of Chase Field and should have some trouble with Arrieta in Wrigley. Let’s hope.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Robert Stephenson (Reds)
Park – PNC Park
Implied Total – 5.25

It doesn’t take too long to figure out why Vegas has the Pirates projected for over 6 runs. Good ol’ Robert Stephenson. I have no idea why this guy isn’t pitching in A working on his game, but he’s not. He’s in the majors and simply shouldn’t be. He’s posted a .400 wOBA against both sides of the plate in consecutive years. Come on. Even if he improves greatly, he will be considered bad. As for the Pirates and who I like most, Marte and Frazier hit that spot. McCutchen and Bell would be the next 2 with Cervelli following closely behind. He hits righties better and will go ignored at a very weak position. This is a team who is going to put up runs and I don’t think the general public will be all too interested.

Main Stack – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Adam Frazier
Sneaky Stack – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Josh Bell, Francisco Cervelli

Park – Marlins Park
Implied Total – 4.83

Ah, Vance Worley. I’m not exactly sure what the Marlins were looking for, but unless that’s an atrocity of a pitcher, they didn’t get it. He’s posted a .375+ wOBA against both lefties and righties and has had serious issues with the HR ball. There is no team to better capitalize than the Nationals. The Nats are obviously one of the 3 best orders in the league and can be targeted many different ways. Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper are the only 2 musts. After that, you can go anywhere from Wilmer Difo in the leadoff spot to Anthony Rendon in the 6 hole. All in all, this slate is pretty big and I don’t think the Nats come in over 20% owned outside of Harper.

Main Stack – Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Wilmer Difo, Ryan Zimmerman
Sneaky Stack – Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Adam Lind

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for August 1, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, July 1, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Max Scherzer - Lineup Lab

Max Scherzer @ Miami Marlins
Park – Marlins Park
Vegas O/U – 8

If you’re making me choose between Chris Sale and Max Scherzer on this slate, I have to lean Scherzer. Chris Sale, who can easily still dominate, faces off with the lethal Indians offense inside Fenway Park. Scherzer on the other hand, is facing the Miami Marlins in pitcher-friendly Marlins Park. Statistically, the Marlins are league average against righties with a team .323 wOBA. They strike out 21% of the time and struggle to put together big innings. Max Scherzer has dominated these bats in the past and I expect it once again. Scherzer is once again having an amazing year, sporting a 12.45 K/9 and 2.35 BB/9. The guys is a top 3 pitcher in baseball and see a matchup he dominates. Scherzer has also held a .combined .236 wOBA this season, so you have nothing to worry about. WHile I wouldn’t be surprised if the Marlins scored 1 or 2, I do think they strikeout over 10 times and give Scherzer a very nice outing.

Jose Berrios @ San Diego Padres
Park – PetCo Park
Vegas O/U – 8

Sure, Chris Sale and the other uber-elite arms make more sense in cash games. I don’t need to tell you that. Instead, let’s take a look at Jose Berrios, who could fly way under the radar tonight. He faces off with the San Diego Padres in PetCo Park, which as we know, is a dream match-up. The Padres are one of the leagues absolute worst offenses and it’s backed up by each and every number. Against righties, the Padres have ranked 27th in the MLB with a .307 wOBA and astronomical 25.5% K rate. When you combined that with a huge ballpark, these guys struggle to put up runs. Berrios on the other hand, has looked phenomenal. He’s sported a .291 combined wOBA and is striking out about 8.5 batters per 9. He should see a few extra in this match-up and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Berrios have a huge game. We do have a lot of arms on the slate and I could see Berrios ending at just 1% or so owned. In tournaments, I can’t think of anything better.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Gary Sanchez - Lineup Lab

New York Yankees @ Anibal Sanchez (Tigers)
Park – Yankee Stadium
Implied Total – 5.46

Anytime Anibal Sanchez takes the mound, we will be targeting opposing hitters. He’s a horrible pitcher and he struggles against hitters from both sides of the plate. The Yankees lineup is full of righties, for the most part, so let’s look there. In just 30 innings against righties, Sanchez has allowed a .384 wOBA and 8 home runs. He now moves into hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium to face off with one of the best offenses in baseball. Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge are both elite plays and when facing a reverse-splits righty, they become very difficult to fade. After those 2, you can go anywhere. Matt Holliday and Clint Frazier will be towards the top of the order and are my 2 favorites for cash. Todd Frazier and Didi Gregorious are another 2 options who have plenty of upside and could go low-owned. The Yankees are projected to put up nearly 5.5 runs, so Vegas is certainly expecting some fireworks. Get some exposure in both cash games and tournaments.

Main Stack – Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Clint Frazier, Matt Holliday
Sneaky Stack – Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Brett Gardner, Todd Frazier

Toronto Blue Jays @ Mike Pelfrey (White Sox)
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Implied Total – 5.82

The Blue Jays were right here yesterday and they won’t be going anywhere. Moving from James Shields to Mike Pelfrey, I’m not sure what can be better. While Pelfrey may actually be slightly better than Shields, that’s not saying much at all. He has also been better against righties, which does make some things interesting. Against left-handers, Pelfrey has posted a .376 wOBA and has allowed 10 homers. I’m going to shift my attention towards some of the lefties and hope the general public just hops on the popular bats. I’m not saying I’ll fade the righties. In most cases, I’ll go Bautista, Donaldson, and then find 2 lefties. Smoak and Morales are the top 2 with Carrera and Goins following behind. They will both be very low-owned and do have some power upside in Guaranteed Rate Field. Vegas has the Jays putting up nearly 6 runs, so you can’t ignore them by any means. They are more of a touramnt stack for me, but I love Smoak and Morales in cash games.

Main Stack – Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Justin Smoak, Russell Martin
Sneaky Stack – Jose Bautista, Kendrys Morales, Steve Pearce, Josh Donaldson

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks for July 31, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, July 31, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

Luis Severino Vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Yankee Stadium
Vegas O/U – 8.5

We don’t have much pitching at all on this slate and Severino is the one guy who’s basically a lock. He’s easily the top option in both formats and will end up being very popular. I’m fine with it and in tournaments, this is a slate where you can get contrarian with your bats. Severino and the Yankees host the Rays, who are not very good. While they can hit homers against righties, the strikeout the 2nd most in the league at 25%. Severino has proven himself as a dominant and close to elite starter this season. He’s held both lefties and righties to a sub .281 wOBA, while striking out 10+ and walking 2 per 9 innings. He’s been better at home and all in all, doesn’t have much working against him tonight. He still has risk because of his age and these Rays can get streaky. However, nobody is at all safer. In any way.

Sonny Gray Vs. San Francisco Giants
Park – Oakland Coliseum
Vegas O/U – 9.5

It looks like Sonny Gray is going to get traded. Definitely watch out for news, but I expect his to be his last showcase game. They will let him wear his arm out of pitching well and they will tank him quickly if he’s not. Against the Giants, there’s a good shot of Gray dominating. The Giants have ranked dead last in baseball against righties with a .280 wOBA, showing no hope or signs for the future. Gray has been phenomenal against both sides of the plate (.271 wOBA) and is striking out 8.5 per 9 innings. The Oakland Coliseum is huge and I expect the Giants to have similar issues as they do at home. Gray is always going to be a bit risky and this 9.5 over/under is slightly worrisome. We don’t have much to choose from on the slate and Gray is a quality arm in a quality match-up. Once again, make sure he doesn’t get traded before the start.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Cleveland Indians @ Doug Fister (Red Sox)
Park – Fenway Park
Implied Total – 5.56

I tried to go a little bit under the radar here. We do have some super popular offenses on the slate and you don’t need me to tell you to play those guys. However, we’ll look at a team who should be popular, but I’m not expecting it. The Indians will head to Boston and face off with the Red Sox in Fenway Park. The Sox will be tossing Doug Foster, who is AWFUL. In over 80 innings last season, he gave up a .400 wOBA. This year? It’s up to .470. I don’t know what in the world happened to this guy, but he can’t get his sinker to work against lefties. They’re implied to score over 5.5 runs and I think they should end up over 6. Jose Ramirez and Michael Brantley are my 2 favorites, but you can really go anywhere. This team is full of hitters and not at all a concentrated offense. Choosing between the 2 1B, I’ll go Santana due to the splits.

Main Stack – Jose Ramirez, Michael Brantley, Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana
Sneaky Stack – Jose Ramirez, Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, Bradley Zimmer

Toronto Blue Jays @ James Shields (White Sox)
Park – Guaranteed Rate Field
Implied Total – 5.89

Now here’s one of the far more obvious stacks. When James Shields is on the mound, look to stack the other team. He’s one of the absolute worst pitchers in baseball and I will target hitters against him every single time. The Blue Jays have an implied team total of 5.69 and it’s only gone up from opening. Shields has been better against righties this year, but looks to just be getting lucky. He allowed a .385 wOBA against righties in 2016 and all of the peripherals still match. Against lefties, he’s held a .370+ wOBA for multiple seasons. Guaranteed Rate Field a great park for hitting and I fully expect the Jays to give off some fireworks. Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson are my 2 favorites, with the 2 1B following. This is a concentrated offense and I would keep your exposure towards the top of the order. If you want to get cute, find a guy with substantial power and hope for a low-owned dinger.

Main Stack – Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Justin Smoak, Russell Martin
Sneaky Stack – Jose Bautista, Kendrys Morales, Steve Pearce, Josh Donaldson