Daily Fantasy Baseball: Early FanDuel Picks For July 25

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Sep 24, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs mascot Clark hands out baseballs before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

There are five afternoon games that start shortly after 4pm eastern time today. Who are the best statistical options in these games? There are some that the stats say are worth taking, but is that really true? We will pick it apart!

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NOTE: these picks are based solely on statistics. Some players have never faced their opponents, or have very little experience against them. I am not saying that none of those are good picks. This is based on statistical analysis only. If you have a gut feeling, then by all means, follow that. This is not an exact science.

Here are my early FanDuel picks for July 25:

Next: Let's Start With The Battery?

Jul 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Catcher:

Best Bet:

Mike Zunino, Mariners ($2,300): Zunino is 2 for 3 with a two run triple off of Drew Hutchison. There is a small sample size this afternoon for all catchers, so he is at the top of the heap!

Honorable Mention:

John Jaso, Rays ($2,700): Jaso is 1 for 3 with a single off of Miguel Gonzalez. Of course, you could also put Matt Wieters here. He is only 1 for 5 off of Erasmo Ramirez, but that one hit was a solo home run.

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  • Pitcher:

    Best Bet:

    Jake Arrieta, Cubs ($10,600): Not only is he facing the offensively challenged Phillies, but Arrieta has the stats to back it up. The Phillies are only hitting .147 off of him in 34 at bats with two homers and three RBI, but they have struck out ten times. Arrieta is a strong option today, but he does have to face Cole Hamels.

    Honorable Mention:

    Erasmo Ramirez, Rays ($6,800) and J.A. Happ, Mariners ($6,500): Both of them are facing opponents that will immediately make us stay away. Ramirez gets the Orioles, but he has held them to a .125 average in 56 at bats with a whopping 15 strikeouts and only two solo home runs allowed. Those were allowed to Matt Wieters and Manny Machado. Those were each of their only hits off of Ramirez in 13 total at bats. Can he keep up his dominance of the Orioles?

    Happ has only allowed the high octane Blue Jays to hit .140 off of him in 43 at bats, but his carries more of a caveat. Jose Reyes is just 2 for 16 off of Happ. If you take out Reyes, The Jays are marginally better (.148). Still, no one on the Jays roster has hit a home run off of Happ, and they only have three total RBI. Happ is not a strikeout pitcher, so that tempers his upside some, but it’s hard to argue with that history.

    Next: Next Up: Corner Infielders

    Jul 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) high five teammates after being batted in on a two run home run by designated hitter Billy Butler (not pictured) against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

    First Base:

    Best Bet:

    Billy Butler, Athletics ($2,900): It’s hard for me to recommend anyone against Madison Bumgarner, let alone someone who is struggling like Butler is, but the stats support it here. Butler is 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBI off of Bumgarner in his career. Can he keep up that success today?

    Honorable Mention:

    Darin Ruf, Phillies ($2,300): Ruf seems to be trapped in a strict platoon with Ryan Howard right now, but his ability to play the corner outfield slots might afford him an opportunity today. Ruf is 1 for 2 with a walk and a two run home run in his career off of Jake Arrieta. Howard is 0 for 3 with a strikeout. If Ruf is in the lineup, he could be a cheap source of points.

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  • Third Base:

    Best Bet:

    Evan Longoria, Rays ($2,500): How weak is the third baseman pool this afternoon? It’s so weak that I am recommending Longoria, who is 7 for 30 (.233) off of Miguel Gonzalez. He has walked four times, but he only has one extra base hit, a solo home run.

    Honorable Mention:

    Brock Holt, Red Sox ($2,600): Holt doubled in his only career at bat off of Alfredo Simon. Yes, that is the best that I can offer up for this afternoon.

    Next: Next: The Middle Infield

    Jun 24, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

    Second Base:

    Best Bet:

    Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox ($3,100): Pedroia is 2 for 6 with two walks and a two run home run off of Alfredo Simon. He is a strong bet to get some points this afternoon.

    Honorable Mention:

    Ben Zobrist, Athletics ($2,800): Surprisingly enough, most of the A’s team has hit Bumgarner pretty well. Zobrist is 2 for 3 with a walk and a RBI off of the Giants ace. It may be foolish to stack your lineup with Oakland hitters, but some of these guys make a pretty good case to be in there.

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  • Shortstop:

    Best Bet:

    Starlin Castro, Cubs ($2,200): Castro has only faced Cole Hamels six times, but he has been successful against him half of the time, even coming up with a double off of him. However, he doesn’t have any counting stats off of him.

    Honorable Mention:

    Asdrubal Cabrera, Rays ($2,200): Cabrera is only 3 for 13 (.231) off of Miguel Gonzalez, but two of those hits are for extra bases, including a solo home run. If he is going to get you a hit, it is likely to be more than a single.

    Next: Last But Not Least: The Outfield

    Jul 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics right fielder Josh Reddick (22) celebrates after hitting a grand slam home run against the Minnesota Twins during the fifth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

    Outfield:

    Best Bets:

    Josh Reddick, Athletics ($2,800): Yes, I can hear you already. Taking a lefty against Bumgarner is nuts! I would usually agree, but Reddick is 2 for 3 with a walk, a home run, and three RBI off of MadBum. That is about as good as you are going to find in prior performances for the afternoon.

    Chris Coghlan, Cubs ($2,700): Coghlan is one of the guys that kind of flies under the radar in Chicago, yet if you read these with regularity, he is on these lists a lot. Coghlan is 9 for 26 (.346) with four walks, two doubles, a triple, two homers, and four RBI off of Cole Hamels. Talk about stuffing a stat sheet!

    Steven Souza, Rays ($2,500): Souza is 2 for 8 off of Gonzalez with a walk and a solo home run. He will have to do since teammate Desmond Jennings in on the DL. Jennings has four home runs off of Gonzalez in his career. Look for Souza to try and pick up some of that slack.

    Honorable Mention:

    Nori Aoki, Giants ($2,800): You will have to keep an eye on the injury report here. Aoki was supposed to be ready this weekend, but now the Giants seem non-committal about that. If Aoki plays, he is worth a slot in your FanDuel lineup. He is 4 for 6 – all singles – in his career off of Chris Bassitt. In fact, he is the only current Giant that has ever faced Bassitt.

    Mark Trumbo, Mariners ($2,200): Trumbo is 2 for 3 with a RBI off of Drew Hutchison, Yes, we ran out of past stats here too!

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