This article is part of our The Daily Duel series.
Values
Here are some guys that are good additions to your FanDuel team who are currently out-producing their value. Keep in mind that these prices can change daily, so take advantage of them while you can.
Newbies
Carlos Quentin, OF, SD, $2800 – It's hard to call Quentin a "newbie" considering he's a veteran in the league but he finally saw game action for the first time Monday. He's hit the ground running, racking up three home runs and fell short of the cycle by a triple on Tuesday. He's reached base safely at least twice in each of his first three games and should find himself hitting cleanup most games for the Padres. Petco Park is no picnic for hitters but Quentin will play half of his games on the road.
Quintin Berry, OF, DET, $2600 – There are few better places to hit in the lineup than in front of Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera and Andy Dirks has a .323 batting average this season. Berry has found himself in the leadoff spot for the Tigers with Austin Jackson on the DL. Jackson is expected back soon but until then Berry makes for a sneaky play in the potent Tigers lineup.
Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, CLE, $2700 – With Jack Hanrahan on the DL, the Tribe called up Chisenhall to take his spot on the roster. He hit a home run in his first start and it appears he had little left to prove at Triple-A Columbus after posting an .894 OPS this year. His low walk rate is something of a concern (four in 111 at-bats at Triple-A) and he didn't impress enough during the spring to stick with the club. However, he now has the chance to make an impression, if he wants to stay in Cleveland.
Todd Frazier, 3B, CIN, $3000 – Frazier isn't so much a recent call-up given that he's been with the team since the middle of April. However, his playing time had been minimal until his bat heated up recently. He's hit .258 over 66 May at-bats but his four home runs, five doubles and a triple have led to a .591 slugging percentage. Given that teammate Miguel Cairo has a .432 OPS in 32 at-bats, it's pretty clear who should get the lion's share of playing time going forward.
David Cooper, 1B, TOR, $2500 – I wouldn't count on Cooper as the cornerstone of your daily lineup but there is some upside here on the days he starts. He has three two-hit games in four of his starts and his .875 OPS at Triple-A is nothing to be ashamed of. Since the start of the 2011 season he also has had more walks than strikeouts at Triple-A, indicating a strong batting eye. He's probably not going to set the world on fire but keep him in mind if you spend a lot on your starting pitcher.
Players Looking To Rebound
Here are some players who have seen their value drop significantly due to poor production on the season this far. You might be surprised at some of the names and how much their stock has fallen. That being said, for most of these players there is either a track record of success or enough pedigree that they should be able to turn their season around sooner rather than later and have good value in the near future as a result.
Logan Morrison, OF, MIA, $2700 – Quietly, Morrison has started to get things going at the plate over the last week, reaching base safely is each of his last six games. He has a 3:3 K:BB ratio over that span and has three extra base hits with four RBI. Hitting behind one of the hottest hitters in the league right now, Mike Stanton, won't hurt unless Stanton is clearing the bases. In theory, pitchers should start to pitch around Stanton more, giving Morrison a better chance to see pitches he can hit. The home park has already played towards hitters after much preseason speculation that it would be a pitcher's park.
Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL, $3100 – Freeman has seen his price reduced after missing five of his last six games heading into Wednesday night while he was dealing with blurred vision. His vision must be improving as he homered in his first at-bat Wednesday off Kyle Lohse. Watch his matchups, as not surprisingly, he's had significantly more success with the Braves against right-handed pitching.
Alex Gordon, OF, $3000 – Gordon has hit safely in four straight games (6-for-17, .353) since returning to the leadoff spot. Royals manager Ned Yost has stated that Gordon looks more comfortable at the plate, so hopefully this will be the turning point of this season for him. Keep an eye on his production over the next week and see if he turns back into his 2011 form before using him in your lineup.
Tip Of The Week
The return and instant success of Carlos Quentin should be a reminder that many of the players coming off the DL have seen their prices reduced. When Quentin first came off the DL his price was even cheaper at $2700. Looking at some players on the DL now, some players show a ton of value at their current prices. Those players include:
Brian Roberts, 2B, BAL, $2500
Jayson Werth, OF, WAS, $2600
Desmond Jennings, OF, TB, $3000
Brett Gardner, OF, NYY, $2600
Stephen Drew, SS, ARI, $2500
Evan Longoria, 3B, TB, $3200
Keep in mind some of those players won't be back within the next week, which means it's possible that the prices continue to fall. While some players take a little while to get their timing back, what they do on their rehab assignment could be a telling factor. However, many of your opponents will likely ignore these players upon their return to the lineup.
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