Daily Fantasy Strategy – 9/21 – For Draftstreet

I’ve got nothing for preamble again. Dog days, and all. But I’m at your mercy – give me a topic to research and it’ll be in here tomorrow!

The Daily Five
Tyler Cloyd – $6,503
A case of ‘too cheap to pass up if remotely serviceable,’ Cloyd is actually just the fifth cheapest starter on the day but the only cheap arm with a good match up. Cloyd draws the Mets, owners of a .298 wOBA against right-handers and a 21.8% strikeout rate. For Cloyd’s part, his peripheral stats (3.97 ERA) are a bit more supportive than his 5.06 ERA, but you’re playing him for the match-up here.

Burch Smith – $10,425
This one is a bit riskier if the Dodgers don’t give days off across the board like they did Friday. That seems unlikely, but it seems equally unlikely that they’ll trot out a lineup with all of their starters. Consider that Smith has major strikeout potential and that the game is in Petco, and you can make a case for a six-inning, seven-strikeout start that provides points even if it isn’t pretty.

Scott Kazmir – $11,897
I get the feeling that pitching recommendations are more valued in these parts than hitter ones, so I’m throwing out a third recommendation – this will give you three starters at a total cost of under $30k, leaving nearly $8k per hitter. Anyway, Kazmir racks up a strikeout an inning and has solid ratios (4.34 ERA, 3.78 FIP). And while the Astros have an average .314 wOBA against southpaws, they also strikeout 25.5% of the time.

Carlos Santana – $6,835
Santana is starting to become a lower-risk catcher play since he rarely plays behind the plate. With catchers receiving plenty of of days, he’s a name you can usually pencil in, which has value in and of itself. Santana will take his 126 wRC+ against righties to the dish against Paul Clemens, who hasn’t been good since his 2011 Double-A stint.

Adam Eaton– $6,728
It’s unfair to call Collin McHugh a bad pitcher until there’s a larger sample, I suppose, but I don’t hesitate for a second to jump on him at Coors Field. The D-Backs have been giving Eaton steady run and he’s been responding pretty well, plus he comes cheap.

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