Fansided

FanDuel MLB lineup and picks for Thursday, April 12

By Adam Strangis

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 7: Jose Berrios
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 7: Jose Berrios /
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – APRIL 5: Howie Kendrick #12 of the Washington Nationals bats during the game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on Thursday, April 5, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – APRIL 5: Howie Kendrick #12 of the Washington Nationals bats during the game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on Thursday, April 5, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Second Base, High End Spend

Brian Dozier, $4,100

.000/.333/.000 with 0 HR in 2 at-bats

The clear-cut top-end option as far as salary tonight is Dozier as he faces off against Lucas Giolito. The youngster for the White Sox really leans on his for seam fast ball, which Dozier has smashed throughout his career. He’s a little below average against the slider but Giolito only throws that about 18 percent of the time. Dozier is far superior against lefty pitchers but when he gets a matchup with a righty that has a very low strikeout rate and has a high HR/FB ratio while giving up hard contact through his career, Dozier can absolutely hit one out tonight.

Also Consider – Zack Cozart, $3,900

Mid-Range

DJ LeMahieu, $3,400

.500/.600/1.250 with 1 HR in 4 at-bats

The Colorado second baseman draws a lefty(albeit a potentially tough one) and his price has come down after the Coors Field bump. His career numbers include a .310 average, .799 OPS, and a .347 wOBA. LeMahieu is an interesting player to me. He doesn’t carry the power potential you would like to see in this range. Still, he’s such a good hitter that he can make hay at a reasonable price tag. We’ll need to keep an eye on Rockies lineup tonight. Nolan Arenado is surely getting suspended for charging the mound yesterday. Charlie Blackmon has been missing games with multiple injuries. If both of the players are out, LeMahieu’s appeal drops considerably.

Also Consider – Howie Kendrick, $2,800

Value

Second base is pretty slim on this five-game slate. As always, somebody might pop up at a low price batting high in the lineup. For now, I’m likely to spend a fair amount of money on second base this evening.