When determining which way to go with my daily lineups, there are a couple of things that I look at before even both deciding which players to roll with in my lineups.
First things first, I always check the Vegas odds, specifically the over/under. One thing to keep in mind is that Vegas line are made with the intention of getting the public to bet both sides. An over/under of 8.5 is meant to entice as many people who think there will be 7 or 8 total runs as opposed to 9 or 10. With that said, the higher the over/under, the better the chances of a successful DFS lineup selection. It’s a fairly basic concept, but failing to employ it is a quick way to deplete bankrolls.
Secondly, the probable pitchers and the ballparks are factors in every decision that is made. It’s obvious that playing Troy Tulowitzki in AT&T Park against Madison Bumgarner isn’t an ideal situation. It’s not a linear process though. It’s not a mindset of “never start players facing Pitcher A, B or C.” Clayton Kershaw’s career ERA at Coors Field is over 5.00; same goes for Justin Verlander’s ERA at Yankee Stadium over the last four years. This provides a value opportunity because some DFS players might shy away from big name pitchers.
With all this said, here my value plays for Draftstreet as well as which pitchers are favourable for today. There will be a lineup at the end of the article. As is always the case, be sure to check BaseballPress.com for up-to-the-minute lineup information and always double-check the weather.
*** First time DFS player? Click here for our free first-time $500 Freeroll!***
These lineups are made with 50/50 and heads-up games in mind.
Baltimore Orioles (Jimenez) at New York Yankees (Kuroda)
Ubaldo is throwing for the Orioles today and he’s been absolutely shelled by the Yankees over the last couple of years with an ERA approaching 9.00 in his last three starts against them. Sometimes there are times to try and sneak a starter at Yankee Stadium. This is not one of those times. It might be a good day to start Chris Davis today, as well.
Chris Davis (1B) – $6635
Nick Markakis (OF) – $5024
Matt Wieters (C) – $5484
Hiroki Kuroda didn’t do too poorly against the Baltimore Orioles last year – a 3.38 ERA over four starts and 24 innings – but he did give up five home runs. That concerns me about his ability to keep his ERA down consistently. The Yankees’ hitters are pretty cheap nowadays and might not be a bad target for a stack in a GPP. Other than that, there are still good values here.
Brian McCann (C) – $5366
Brian Roberts (2B) – $4912
