Jul 26, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; A general view during the fifth inning between the Colorado Rockies and the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field. The Rockies won 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
All 30 starting pitchers are in the big FanDuel tournaments today. Who is worth paying for? Are there any low priced options that could net you as many points as one of the high priced guys? Let’s take a look at the stats!
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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. The highest scorer of the day could be someone with no experience against his opponent. 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 FanDuel pitcher picks for August 4:
Next: Who Is The Best High Priced Option?
Aug 3, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) in the dugout against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
High Priced ($9,000 and up):
Best Bet:
Jake Arrieta, Cubs ($10,200): Arrieta has been dominant against the Pirates in his career. Pittsburgh is hitting just .198 off of him in 106 at bats with only one home run and five RBI. Arrieta has also racked up 26 strikeouts against them, or about one every four batters. He is a strong bet for a win and good strikeout numbers.
Honorable Mention:
Max Scherzer, Nationals ($12,500): Scherzer’s price will be a turn-off for a lot of people today. That said, he is playing a Diamondbacks team that doesn’t strike fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers. The Diamondbacks are hitting only .231 off of Scherzer in 52 at bats with two homers and three RBI. What makes Scherzer intriguing is his 16 strikeouts in 52 at bats. Scherzer is a better bet in DraftKings because of the immense strikeout potential.
Stay Away:
Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees ($9,600): Tanaka has struggled against Boston in his career so far. The Red Sox are hitting .286 with four homers and nine RBI off of him in only 63 at bats. He has a good chance for a win taking on Henry Owens in his major league debut, but he could lose a lot of points from giving up hits and runs.
Next: Is There A Great Mid Range Option?
Jul 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Shelby Miller (17) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Mid Range ($7,500-$8,900):
Best Bet:
Shelby Miller, Braves ($8,400): Miller has fared well against the Giants so far in his career. They are hitting only .229 off of Miller with three solo home runs. Miller’s strikeout totals (only 11 in 70 at bats) keep him a notch below the elite, but he could end up having nearly 20 points tonight.
Honorable Mention:
Matt Shoemaker, Angels ($7,600): Shoemaker has only faced Cleveland once in his career, but he dominated them in that start. In seven innings, he gave up only a solo home run to Lonnie Chisenhall and struck out nine. If he duplicates that feat, 20 points in a strong possibility.
Stay Away:
Alex Wood, Dodgers ($8,200): Wood has actually struggled against the Phillies in his career. The current Phillies roster is hitting .357 with a homer and 12 RBI in 98 at bats against Wood with as many walks as strikeouts. Wood could have a chance at the win, but there is a lot of risk involved with that many people getting on base.
Next: Is There A Good Low Priced Option?
Jul 22, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Vidal Nuno (38) pitches in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Low Priced ($7,400 and under):
Best Bet:
Vidal Nuno, Mariners ($5,400): Nuno will make his first start as a Mariner tonight against the Rockies at Coors Field. On the surface, this looks like a bad idea, but Nuno has held the current Rockies roster to a .189 average and just one RBI to 12 strikeouts in 37 at bats. Oh, and he is taking on Jon Gray in his major league debut, who is on a strict innings count. Nuno could be a nice sneaky source of points tonight.
Honorable Mention:
Brad Hand, Marlins ($5,000): Hand has fared well against the Mets so far in his career. The current Mets roster is hitting just .234 off of him in 77 at bats with a home run and seven RBI. If you are going to take a risk on a cheap pitcher, you can likely do worse than Hand. His low strikeout potential will temper his score no matter how well he pitches though.
Stay Away:
Phil Hughes, Twins ($7,400): Hughes has been rocked by the Blue Jays in his career. They are hitting .287 with three homers and 17 RBI off of him in 157 at bats. Troy Tulowitzki has only faced him three times. There is no telling what he will add!
Stay tuned for the hitter picks!
Next: Does Mike Leake's Value Increase With The Giants?
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