First off, a quick introduction, though if you don’t know what FanDuel is, well, you’re missing out. FanDuel is a site that offers daily fantasy sports games. Participants are given a chance every day to select new players, fill out a lineup and, most importantly, win some cash. If you choose poorly Monday you can come back Tuesday and try again. Easy as that. Click here to enter a $5 FanDuel contest that offers a $10,000 prize today!
Fantasy baseball advice: MLB FanDuel lineup advice for Tuesday, August 18
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As for what we're going to be doing in this space: The goal here will be to direct your attention toward some players who you might not otherwise consider. If you're here and reading this, then you already know that Mike Trout is really good. But when filling out a roster you can't just pick out stars. You'll blow your cap that way and get stuck praying to the baseball gods that a guy like Wilmer Flores actually gets a few hits. No, if you want to win, you have to take advantage of certain matchups -- and in order to do that you have to know where to look. That's what we're here for. Below is the lineup I'll be using for Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Pitcher
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers ($13,400): His price is going to make it tough to fill out the rest of the lineup, but it will be worth it. The Dodgers travel to Oakland Tuesday to take on the Athletics, the team with the second-worst wOBA in baseball over the past 30 days. Oakland has also struggled against left-handers, like Kershaw, all season; their .299 wOBA is 22nd in MLB. That Kershaw is red-hot since the All-Star Game (five starts, 39 innings, 45 strikeouts, three walks, just four earned runs) only makes this matchup even more enticing.
Catcher
Brian McCann, Yankees ($3,300): McCann has faced Minnesota starter Mike Pelfrey 45 times in his career. In those at-bats he's hitting a ridiculous .475/.543/.825.
First Base
Mark Reynolds, Cardinals ($2,200): He's all or nothing, but when you go with Kershaw at $1,340 you need to take some gambles. This is a worthwhile one because of Reynold's career numbers against Giants pitcher Mike Leake (five hits, three for extra-bases, in 14 at-bats), who he'll face tonight in St. Louis.
Second Base
Chase Utley, Phillies ($2,500): Utley has eights hits in his last three games. He also has the type of swing, and mind, that should be able to do some damage against the knuckleball of Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey, who Philadelphia faces Tuesday.
Third Base
Derek Dietrich, Marlins ($2,500): Dude has driven in six runs in his last two games and gets to face right-handed Tyler Cravy and his 5.92 ERA on Tuesday. Also, Dietrich is a lefty and left-handers are hitting .400/.571/.971 off of Cravy this season.
Shortstop
Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox ($3,500): The Red Sox get to take on Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer, a man who seemingly hasn't recorded an out since before the All-Star Game. He's made three starts in August and in them has gone 16 innings and surrendered 11 earned runs. Bogaerts has also hit safely in six of his last seven games.
Outfield
Michael Taylor, Nationals ($2,700): He's been struggling a bit with the bat of late, but Taylor is seeing lots of time at the top of the Nationals' lineup. With Washington headed to Colorado and taking on beach ball tosser David Hale (5.69 ERA), Taylor should be able to get on base and score multiple runs.
Scott Van Slyke, Athletics ($2,600): Don't expect the Athletics to do much against Kershaw as a team. But Slyke does have a .420 on base percentage against southpaws this season, and he is slugging .506 at home.
Daniel Nava, Rays ($2,200): Nava has a .412 on-base percentage in the seven games he's played since being traded to the Rays a couple weeks ago. He also has five hits in 10 career at-bats off of Astros hurler Scott Feldman, who Tampa faces Tuesday night.
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