Five Guys Top MLB Fantasy Picks 5-12-14
Tonight’s top MLB fantasy picks are underpriced and in ideal situations.
Trusting the long-term numbers is what it’s all about. Often times we find a player underpriced due to his short-term daily fantasy production. In these instances it’s important to remember that daily fantasy baseball, more than any other daily fantasy sport, is a game where massive sample sizes are required to glean relevant information. Hot and cold streaks do exist, but targeting struggling players and those who are just heating up is a great way to squeeze every last ounce of value out of your daily fantasy baseball rosters.
My favorite hitter of the night has precisely this going for him, as his torrid production from the start of the year has curbed itself towards normalcy. The situation is ripe though, and the long-term statistics tell a story of a top-5 hitter this evening. Let’s dive into tonight’s top MLB fantasy picks and find out exactly who I’m talking about.
Five Guys Top MLB Fantasy Picks
Josh Donaldson $9,700 - Donaldson is the player I was speaking about above, and his skills against left-handed pitching place him among the league’s elite over the last three seasons. He carries with him a .302 average and .400 wOBA over that span, indicating great potential for reaching the bases when a southpaw is on the mound. Add to that a whooping .263 ISO (which measures power potential) and you’ve got the makings of not only the top third basemen, but possibly the top overall slugger of the evening.
Dan Haren $15,150 - Starting pitcher is barren tonight, with very few aces on the mound. Adding to the misery is the dominant “King” Felix Hernandez’s recent struggles. It’s tough to pay top dollar for a hurler who has struggled mightily in his last four outings, and that leads me to a significantly cheaper Haren as my top option on the bump. The Marlins have struck out an incredible 29.9% of the time on the road this season, and their batting average is a paltry .215 away from Miami. This plays into Dan’s strikeout per nine inning upside, as his three-year average of 7.47 is in line with his 2014 total of 7.42.
Derek Norris $6,350 - When you’re hot, you’re hot. Norris has elite skills against left-handed pitching, and hitting near the aforementioned Josh Donaldson certainly boosts his potential. Norris totes a .280 average, .372 wOBA, and .216 ISO against lefties the last three seasons, and stands as a steal at this price.
Cesar Ramos $8,600 - When you don’t love the evening’s pitchers, sometimes it’s best to simply pay down and attempt to cash in on the top sluggers. Such is the case with Ramos, a converted reliever who has held his own thus far. He won’t go deep into games, but the Mariners .230 average against southpaws should help ensure his innings count.
Shin-Soo Choo $11,400 - For a leadoff man, Choo has shown elite power against right-handed pitching the last three seasons sporting an impressive .204 ISO. His batting average against them, .308, and wOBA, .402, all point towards an option worth paying up for this evening. Brad Peacock just isn’t very good, and that could make for a long night if you’re an Astros fan.
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