Daily Fantasy Strategy – 9/4/13 – For Draftstreet

We’re headed to crunch time here in the baseball season. That means crunch time in your roto leagues, but not necessarily crunch time on DraftStreet. Stream those pitchers, fill those categories, watch those September callups and whether you can squeak some extra juice out of them (or make sure they aren’t taking playing time away from your starter).

A beautiful day seems on tap for baseball — the only game forecasted to have more than a 20% chance of rain in the Twins in Houston. Thankfully (for Houston fans) they have the magic of a retractable roof (well, that and air conditioning), so we should be good to go on the rain front today. Dry baseball!

Scanning the high temperature forecasts, I always get excited seeing triple digits in Arizona. Then I get unexcited when I realize they play at the field formerly known as Bank One Ballpark. No other saunas out there today — temperatures will be warm (mid 80’s) in Chicago (for the afternoon Cubs/Marlins tilt), Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Of note, it’ll be in the low 80’s at first pitch at Coors Field, so might be worth getting a few Dodgers in your lineup (their value should be more suppressed relative to the field than the Colorado players).

Wind is forecast to be blowing out in Oakland this afternoon. The O.co Coliseum is usually a bad place to hit (96 for general run-scoring, 94 for home runs) but the wind should help even that out a bit today (even if game time temperatures are projected to be in the low 70’s). Wind blowing in in Milwaukee tonight. They have a retractable roof, but with clear skies and temperatures in the high 60’s, I doubt closing it is high on the priority list.

The Daily Five

Taijuan Walker – $8,446

Seattle’s prized right-handed prospect dazzled in his big league debut last week, tossing five scoreless innings in his big league debut. Kansas City is below-average in the American League in runs scored, and, as Mike Podhorzer pointed out, they are one of the more impatient groups in baseball. That should help Walker, a guy whose main knock in the minor leagues was control.

Roy Hallada– just kidding. Stay away.

Jordan Zimmermann – $13,980

I won’t touch Halladay, but I would run out his opposition. Zimmermann (that’s with TWO n’s) has had a couple rough starts over the last few weeks, but peripherally, he’s been the same guy when he was blowing away (well, not really blowing away, I guess) hitters earlier this year. As for the team he is facing? Let’s just say the only reason the Phillies are the worst offensive team (by wOBA) in the National League is that pesky Quad-A Marlins franchise.

Donnie Murphy – $5,465

It’s not going to be hot, hot, hot anywhere, but it’ll be warm with a gentle breeze blowing out at Wrigley. Miami has called up southpaw Brian Flynn to make his big league debut. While the “lefty” part of his player card keeps me from recommending guys like Nate Schierholtz and Anthony Rizzo, I’m OK running out a cheap option with pop out there. Sounds like Murphy might fit the bill.

Bryce Harper – $8,808

A guy you’ll have to make sure gets in the lineup given his nagging injuries, but has immense reward potential facing the husk of Roy Halladay today. Not sure what other analysis you need here. Harper good, Halladay bad.

Travis Snider – $3,875

My patented “super value of the day” (maybe not so patented), Snider send Pittsburgh fans happy by breaking a tie game with a solo shot off Jim Henderson last night. Facing the righty Wily Peralta, you have to think there’s a good shot he’s rewarded with another start. The prospect shine is well worn by now, but Snider has shown he has the pop to run into one now and against righties. At three thousand and change, you can stash some of that money and use it elsewhere.

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