Being Wednesday, it is a getaway day for many MLB teams, with five games getting the afternoon treatment. That means there are fewer games tonight and fewer players to fill our Star Fantasy Leagues daily roster. But, I’m up to the challenge, and I feel like I still found good value in the crop of tonight’s active players. If you’d like to join me over at SFL, use the promo code “SJN” for a 40% deposit bonus.
(C) Jonathan Lucroy $8,782 – Lucroy is hitting .279 on the season with 8 home runs, and he’s also hit in eight of his last nine games with two homers. He went 1-for-2 in his only appearance against tonight’s opposing starter, Scott Feldman.
(1B) Allen Craig $7,882 – Craig is enjoying a very nice June, hitting .341 with four homers and 24 RBI. He’s coming off a four-hit performance yesterday and faces Eric Bedard tonight, against whom he is 4-for-9 with a home run.
(2B) Rickie Weeks $4,889 – Weeks is hitting only .230 this season, but not in June. He has a .429 average and five home runs this month. He has failed to get a hit in just three games during that stretch.
(3B) David Wright $7,921 – Wright currently has a seven-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .419 with seven extra base hits and seven runs. When a proven all-star is going good, you should feel safe starting him.
(SS) Hanley Ramirez $7,320 – Ramirez has bounced back from injury and two disappointing seasons and is stringing together a great 2013. In his 21 games, he is hitting .361/.394/.689 with five home runs. He also has an eight-game hitting streak.
(OF) Yasiel Puig $9,344 – Puig is coming off just his fourth hitless game of his career. In each of his previous three, he followed it up with at least one hit. He’s Puig. He’ll do something exciting.
(OF) Nate Schierholtz $9,221 – In his last three games, Schierholtz is 6-for-12 with two home runs, six RBI, and four runs. For the season, he is hitting .300 with 11 homers, so this is not a fluke.
(OF) Leonys Martin $5,449 – Martin is working on a 10-game hitting streak and had two homers in Yankee Stadium last night, which is where he’ll be again tonight. He also has four stolen bases during his hitting streak.
(U) Chris Davis $9,328 – With the way I’ve constructed the rest of my team, I have the luxury of adding Davis in my utility spot. The Majors’ far and away home run leader has four in the last week and only one hitless performance.
(SP) Lance Lynn $13,449 – Lynn is the only starting pitcher I’m spending a big chunk of money on tonight. He is 10-1 on the season and has won his last two starts, even while giving up seven runs in one of them. His most recent performance came against the Cubs and he gave up just three hits and one run in six innings. I also like his matchup tonight against the Astros.
(SP) Jose Alvarez $7,445 – Alvarez has made two starts since being promoted from AAA to fill in for Anibal Sanchez. He’s been pretty good, going 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA and striking out 10. Tonight he’ll get the Angels and he is a good bet at this price.
(RP) Jonathan Papelbon $2,198 – Sure, he’s blown three save opportunities in a row and four of five, but do you really think he won’t be back out on the mound if the Phillies own a close lead in the ninth? Of course he will. And he’s still one of the best closers in baseball, so let’s go with him here.
(P) Jason Hammel $6,772 – It’s been nearly a month since Hammel last won a game, so this is a bit of a gamble. But he is capable of pitching well, and he fits into my remaining budget perfectly, so I’m going to roll with it and see what happens.
