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.
First thing’s first, I always check the Vegas odds, specifically the over/under. One thing to keep in mind is that Vegas lines 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 favorable 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.
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These lineups are made with double-ups in mind.
Detroit Tigers (Porcello) at Cleveland Indians (Kluber)
I’d rather avoid both pitchers in this game today. Detroit has been one of the better hitting teams this month and Cleveland ranks among the top teams on the season against righty pitching.
With the rate that Kluber can strike out opponents, I’d rather stay away from their expensive hitter tonight. Martinez is on a heater and still has a pretty cheap price so he’s not a bad option. For Cleveland, there aren’t a lot of guys whose prices I’m a big fan of today. Kipnis is still low enough that he’s enticing. Other than Santana, though, I’m not enthused about their options today.
J.D Martinez (DET-OF) – $4697
Carlos Santana (CLE-3B) – $5646
