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FanDuel daily picks: Fantasy baseball lineup-July 18

By Zachary Thompson

Jul 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (3) after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Marlins won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 17, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (3) after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Marlins won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 17, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Kenny Vargas (19) fields and forces out the batter during the third inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 17, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Kenny Vargas (19) fields and forces out the batter during the third inning against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /

First Baseman

High-Salary Option: Miguel Cabrera-Detroit Tigers (3,600): There are reasons for hesitation on all the more expensive plays on the board today, so I’m dropping down to Cabrera for my first high-salary play of the day.  Cabrera is just 9-42 (.214) this month, so it isn’t exactly like he’s tearing things up, but he is in a good matchup against Ricky Nolasco tonight.  In his career, Cabrera has gone 5-16 (.313) against Nolasco with a double and a pair of homers. The Tigers put together a nice series to start the second half taking two of three from the Royals, and they’ll look to keep it going tonight against the Twins. ∗∗

High-Salary Option: Joey Votto-Cincinnati Reds (3,600): Votto is another option I like tonight at 3,600 after he started the second half with a 6-12 series against the Brewers.  Votto and the Reds now welcome in the Braves to Great American Ballpark for a series to start the week.  Votto went 7-14 against Atlanta in their earlier series this season, and he is 63-219 (.288) with a .917 OPS against right-handed pitchers like tonight’s starter Matt Wisler. Votto is 3-3 in his career against Wisler and is a solid option tonight even though his power potential isn’t quite as high as some of the other 1B options. ∗∗∗

Mid-Range  Option: Marwin Gonzalez-Houston Astros (3,200): Gonzalez plays a ton of positions for the Astros and has started the second half 5-13 with three doubles and a homer after a good series in Seattle. He’ll look to keep that momentum going as he and the Astros head to Oakland tonight and face Kendall Graveman. Gonzalez is 3-7 with a double against Graveman in his career, and he’s started the second half swinging a hot stick. I liked Gonzalez as a cheap play throughout the weekend, and he paid off which caused his price to rise to this point where he isn’t quite as much of a value as he has been recently.∗∗

Mid-range Option: Kennys Vargas-Minnesota Twins (3,000): Vargas has played well since rejoining the MLB club earlier this month and has gone 11-29 (.379) with three homers and four RBI.  He will look to keep pouring it on tonight as he and the Twins take on the Tigers at Comerica Park.

Vargas will face lefty Matt Boyd tonight, and he is 4-6 since being called up against southpaws with all four hits going for extra bases including one of his three homers.  He is hitting at an unsustainable rate right now, but ride the hot hand while he continues to produce good numbers from the middle of Minnesota’s lineup.∗∗∗∗

High-Value Option: Rob Refsnyder-New York Yankees (2,500): Refsnyder got the start last nigh for an ailing Mark Teixeira but went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout against the Red Sox.  Refsnyder could be in the lineup again tonight against Kevin Gausman and the O’s in a game where runs should be plentiful.  He’s a long shot, but at this price he could be one of the few sub-3K plays getting the start tonight.∗

Bonus Bargain Basement Option: Chris Johnson-Miami Marlins (2,100): If you have to go cheap at 1B, Johnson has been getting plenty of playing time with Justin Bour is sidelined and is 8-33 (.242) with a double so far this month.  He’s in a good matchup against Andrew Nola and the Phillies tonight, and if he starts he’ll be one of the better cheap 1B fliers on the board tonight.∗

Next: Second Baseman

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