MLB Friday 7/31/15

Running two lineups tonight, one for cash and one in the $50k Hot Corner tournament on DraftKings.  Here's a quick breakdown on who I like tonight.

Clayton Kershaw was originally scheduled to pitch tonight but he was scratched late so we don't have to try and fit his salary into the lineup.  Rolling with Madison Bumgarner at $10,300 in both my cash and GPP lineups.  I like his price and he gets a Rangers team who is markedly worse against southpaws, with a K% of 23.1%.  He has double-digit strikeout potential in this one I believe.  For my 2nd starter, I'm going with Gio Gonzalez at $8,700 in my cash lineup, and Michael Wacha at $9,000 for the GPP.  Gonzalez has been on a bit of a run of late, allowing two earned runs or fewer in eight of his last ten starts.  He faces a Mets team who he limited to two runs on six hits 10 days ago.  Wacha is pitching against a Tulo-less Rockies at home where he usually pitches well.  After a slow start, Wacha has has averaged a K an inning over his last 80 frames.

I'm going with AJ Pierzynski at $3,000 in both lineups.  I like his price and he's hitting cleanup against the Phillies.  David Buchanan is a reverse-splits pitcher, but that doesn't mean he's good against lefties.  I like AJs chances.

As far as the rest of the lineup is concerned, I'm running some stacks out there, both in the cash lineup and the GPP.  In cash, I'm targeting the IF of the Cardinals, rostering Kolten Wong ($4,100), Matt Carpenter ($4,100) and Jhonny Peralta ($3,700).  I like Wong and Carpenter as left-handed bats against Kyle Kendrick, who has been destroyed by lefties to the tune of a .382 wOBA and .886 OPS.  He's not much better against right-handed batters, so going with Peralta too even though he's been scuffling lately.

Filling out my cash lineup with a mini-stack of Adam Eaton ($4,00) and Melky Cabrera ($3,900) from the White Sox.  Been using them lately and they've been killing it.  Eaton has a .490 wOBA over the past two weeks.  Cabrera is at .465 wOBA over the same span.  They are going up against Nathan Eovaldi and the Yankees.  Eovaldi has given up a .363 wOBA to right-handed batters this season.

The final two guys in the cash lineup are also in the GPP lineup.  I've targeted Todd Frazier at $5,000 against lefty Jeff Locke, and Chris Young, who is batting 2nd in the lineup, against lefty Carlos Rodon.  Both of these two crush LHP.  Frazier has a .371 wOBA and .267 ISO agains southpaws, Young a .353 wOBA, including a .530 mark over the past two weeks.

I'm running a couple of three player stacks in the GPP lineup.  Targeting the game at Great America Ballpark in Cincinnati.  For the home team, I'm rolling out Frazier, Joey Votto ($5,000) and Marlon Byrd ($3,400).  I really like Bryd at his price.  For the Pirates, I'm going with Gregory Polanco ($3,500), Neil Walker ($3,700) and Jung Ho Kang ($3,900).  Wind is blowing out at 15mph, and Reds starter Michael Lorenzen has given up over two dongs per nine innings over the past month.

Both of these lineups performed quite well.  The cash game lineup obviously cashed in all contests.  The GPP lineup barely hang on to get in the money despite scoring 138.10 points (I spoke too soon.  Mike Trout hit a 9th inning homer and dropped this lineup out of the money  Argh!!!).  Madison Bumgarner nearly sunk both lineups by giving up six runs in his first couple innings of work.  He eventually settled down and struck out eight in seven innings of work to post a respectable yet disappointing 14.35 points.  All of my stacks performed pretty well.  Todd Frazier was a general disappointment with only two singles and six points.  Hard to complain too much with a pair of lineups topping 135 points.  On a bit of a roll with successful lineups.  Hope to keep it going tomorrow.