It's the stretch run Wednesday night of theRotoWire/Fanduel Baseball Championship.
The contest includes six qualifying rounds, and only you're best three scores count for the final leaderboard. There are still two rounds remaining, so even if you're just finding out about the contest today, you're still very much in the running. The top 25 scores on the overall leaderboard will compete for $2,000 and RotoWire subscriptions in the Championship Round on June 27.
Meanwhile, the experts here at RotoWire are competing in our own parallel contest. Jake Letarski (rotojakeski) won the contest two weeks ago with a score of 135.70, led by a pair of Red Sox in Chris Sale (42 points and Xander Bogaerts (25.7). He received consistent scoring through most of the lineup with Marlins' Martin Prado (12.4) and Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (12.2), but he received great value in the utility spot with Dodgers' Max Muncy with 16 points.
In the overall standings Letarski sits at sixth place while Adam Wolf (rotosomething) holds the top spot (1053), but by only a little more than 27 points ahead of James Anderson (realjranderson) and a little more than 37 points ahead of Erik Halterman (ehalt). In terms of my placement this season, don't ask. In relative parlance, I have basically hit into the shift almost every week.
The full leader board for the experts' contest can be found here, but here is the top 10 so far:
1. AdamWolf (rotosomething) 1053.00
2. James Anderson (realjranderson) 1025.30
3. Erik Halterman (ehalt) 1015.30
4. Clay Link (linkdaddydollaz) 1001.60
5. Joel Bartilotta (joelbartilotta) 994.00
6. Jake Letarski (rotojakeski) 981.60
7. Andrew Parr (aparr013) 981.60
8. Kevin Payne (kevinccp) 974.00
9. Brian Pelowski (brianp) 967.60
10. DJ Trainor (dj_trainor) 954.60
When it comes to DFS strategy, why not take advantage of some of RotoWire's gifts this season? Use tools like the lineup optimizer in conjunction with our daily lineups and weather reports in order to take home the gold.
Could it be a Rockies night on Wednesday night?
While there has been a taste of some Coors effect, it has definitely been down.
Heading into Tuesday night's game at home against San Francisco, Colorado has averaged about 4.6 runs per game, a sizeable decrease from last season's slightly more than six runs a game in 2017.
But that might be changing after the Rockies put 11 runs across the board on Tuesday night.
For those who have a stake in season-long leagues with the likes of Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado, it's hoped that the warming in the Mile High City has just begun as the calendar is about to turn the page to June.
If the Rockies batters can't hit Wednesday's pitcher, Giants' Derek Holland then you know there is something up. Holland does not have much of a history against the Rockies or Coors with only two games, but Colorado batters are hitting .311 with OPS of .910 against Holland.
For this Wednesday night offense might be at a premium. Not only are there the Astros-Yankees matchup between Luis Severino and forgotten premium pitcher Dallas Keuchel, there are the likes of James Paxton, Max Scherzer, Sean Manaea as well a rookie phenoms Shohei Ohtani and Fernando Romero toeing the rubber. In addition, there is a low scoring game awaiting at Petco Park in San Diego with the Marlins.
Value Plays
P Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves versus New York Mets
FanDuel Price: $6,500
This might definitely be a contrarian play with all the big pitchers out there, but Teheran has a history of stymieing the New York Mets. Mets batters only have hit .200 against Teheran with an OBP of .277 and OPS of .619. In 21 games started against the Metropolitans, Teheran is 9-5 with a 2.32 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.
P Ross Stripling, Los Angeles Dodgers versus Philadelphia Phillies
FanDuel Price: $7,500
This is a combination of a hot pitcher as well as a Dodgers team that might be awakening as well as a Phillies team that has started to turn back to a pumpkin. Stripling has only given up three earned runs in his last 22 innings and his innings have increased in each appearance from four to 6.2 innings in last appearance (May 25 versus San Diego). The Phillies also have the second highest strikeout percentage against righty pitchers.
OF Gregory Polanco, Pittsburgh Pirates versus Chicago Cubs
FanDuel Price: $3,000
Polanco has been very disappointing this season, but one of the players he hits is Cubs' hurler Kyle Hendrick. He has a pair of home runs in 25 at bats, a .400 batting average and an OPS of 1.143.
OF Ian Desmond, Colorado Rockies versus San Francisco Giants
FanDuel Price: $3,700
This is to jump on the Rockies stack and crossing the fingers that Desmond is finally starting to break out. In brief in the first two months, Desmond has truly been a disaster, but he finally might be waking up. The Rockies OF/1B has been 5-for-11 in the last three games, but is still hitting .184. San Francisco starting pitcher Derek Holland gave up the second most home runs to right handed hitters last season so this should be right down Desmond's alley.
3B Ryon Healy, Seattle Mariners versus Texas Rangers
FanDuel Price: $2,800
A Seattle stack against Rangers' pitcher Matt Moore might be on deck with Healy as one of the leading hitters on the top of your list. Healy has a .588 slugging percentage against southpaws and one of the pitchers that hitters lick their chops to face is Moore.
OF Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies versus San Francisco Giants
FanDuel Price: $3,600
This is for true CarGo fans. His return back to the Mile High City has not gone as smoothly as Gonzalez has wanted. He has mainly been in a platoon with the likes of Gerardo Parra and David Dahl, but CarGo has played three straight games including Tuesday night while going 8-for-13. He is probably not the CarGo of the past, but maybe ride the wave until it stops.
C/1B Chris Iannetta, Colorado Rockies versus San Francisco Giants
FanDuel Price: $3,200
With his years with the Angels, Iannetta has a history with Giants pitcher Derek Holland, who spent most of his time with Rangers, and has been a pleasant one for him. Iannetta has 10 hits in 31 at bats including a home run and three extra-base hits. If you are looking for the Rockies to continue to hit well, Iannetta is in your lineups. Like mentioned in the note for Desmond, Holland gave up the second most home runs to right-handed hitters last season.
OF Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles versus Washington Nationals
FanDuel Price: $3,100
Yes, it is Max Scherzer that the Orioles are facing, but one of the few O's that hits well against the Nats' ace is Jones. While the Orioles as a team have been a huge disappointment, Jones has been consistent and has an OPS o 1.414 against Scherzer to go with a .448 batting average and four home runs.
Worth the Price
P Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals at Baltimore Orioles
FanDuel Price: $11,800
If you want to go Stars and scrubs, Scherzer is the man. The Orioles have only hit .224 in the history and it's enough of a history to rely on him. At Camden Yards, he has given up more runs than you would think with a 3.68 ERA, but Baltimore has only hit .200 at home against Scherzer.
P James Paxton, Seattle Mariners vs. Texas Rangers
FanDuel Price: $9,800
Paxton might be a nice compromise instead of going for Max Scherzer. Paxton is $2K less so you will be able to spend some more money on bats. While Paxton grabbed his no-hitter on the road in Toronto, he's been better at home, 3-1, 2.67, 0.86 WHIP with batters hitting only .168 against the M's ace. In addition, Texas batters have the most strikeouts so far this season.
Player to Avoid
3B Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles versus Washington Nationals
FanDuel Price: $4,200
There is no doubt that Machado is making the most of his final year of his contract with free agency awaiting him with 15 home runs, 44 RBI and a .322 batting average. But the combination of a little lull lately and facing Nats fireball pitcher Max Scherzer, Machado should not be on DFS roster tonight. Machado only has one hit in 22 at-bats against Scherzer, pretty much enough said. In addition, Machado is only hitting .235 in the last week.