It is the first Saturday of baseball in 2014, with a nice slate of games this afternoon, while we look forward to several more tonight. So, while you enjoy the weekend matinees, take the time to put together a daily fantasy baseball lineup for tonight. And here are a few low cost pitchers who could help win you some Draftstreet leagues today
Best Best
Joe Kelly – $11,440
One of the pleasant surprises last season, Kelly was a huge part of the Cardinals team that reached the World Series. After spending the first half of the year in the bullpen, he transitioned to the rotation where he blossomed. In 15 starts, he was 9-3 with a 2.28 ERA. Then, in the postseason, he made four starts, and allowed more than two earned runs just once. This is the first time the 25-year-old enters a season with a starting job. His spring wasn’t great, giving up 10 runs in 14.1 innings. But he has proven himself as a Major League starter, so that track record speaks more loudly. Tonight, he gets to face a team he enjoyed a good amount of success against last season: the Pittsburgh Pirates. He made six appearances against the division rivals, three of them starts, and was 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA. All three of those starts were quality starts, going six innings each time. He shut them out once, and gave up one run the other two times.
Double Down
Tyler Skaggs – $10,531
Skaggs didn’t have the type of spring training he had hoped for, posting a 4.94 ERA over 23.2 innings. Batters hit .323 against him over the course of his six starts, and his 1.82 WHIP was higher than any pitcher who threw more than 19 innings in March. Still, the top prospect brings a lot to the table. Though he may not have a dominant fastball, he does have a killer curveball that helps him pick up strikeouts. His potential is what made him a key piece for the Angels in their three-team offseason trade with the Diamondbacks and White Sox. So, while his spring left a bit to be desired, he has a nice matchup tonight against the Astros. They put together a decent first series against the Yankees, but it’s still a very similar team to the one that won just 51 games and set a Major League record by striking out 1,535 times during the season.
Roll the Dice
Wily Peralta – $11,668
The Brewers flamethrower is coming off the best spring of his career. It wasn’t necessarily great, with a 4.26 ERA, but he finished strong. In his final preseason start, he limited the Giants to six hits and one run in 6.1 innings. He also put together a pretty good second half of the season last year, too. He gave up more than three runs in a start just twice in his last 15 starts of the season. And his fastball also creates strikeout potential. He had 10 games with six or more strikeouts last year. He will face a tough test today, though, pitching against the defending world champion Red Sox in Boston. It is a team he has never faced before. But yesterday, his Brewers were able to hold them to just five hits and two runs in their 6-2 win.
