This article is part of our The Daily Duel series.
Values
Here are some guys who are good additions to your 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
Domonic Brown, OF, PHI, $3300 – The time appears to be now for Brown who should see regular playing after the firesale held Tuesday in Philadelphia. After trading away both Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence, Brown will get the chance to prove his pedigree is no fluke. He got off to a slow start to begin the season but after missing time due to a knee injury, he was coming around at the plate at Triple-A. As a result his price isn't exactly cheap, making him a gamble for your lineup. If he struggles initially, he could eventually be listed at a bargain price.
Brett Wallace, 1B, HOU, $3000 – Wallace was recalled Sunday after a cup of coffee earlier this season with the Astros. The oft-traded Wallace may have found a home in Houston and has held his own this season with the big club and at Triple-A. He swatted two home runs Wednesday and should be a fixture in the middle of the lineup for the team. He turns 26 in three weeks, the age when many players hit their prime, which could pay off for fantasy owners.
Mitch Moreland, 1B, TEX, $3100 – After landing on the DL back on June 22, Moreland returned to the lineup Monday, hitting in the ninth spot. While that spot is typically unattractive on most teams, hitting in the Rangers lineup in Arlington more than offsets that spot in the order. Before landing on the DL, Moreland had an impressive 10 home runs in 158 at-bats, which isn't too shabby for a player priced the way he is. Moreland's .949 OPS at home against a .688 OPS away should tell you when to use him.
Starling Marte, OF, PIT, $3300 – Many fantasy owners got excited when Marte crushed the first pitch of his Major League career over the 360 mark in Minute Maid Park. However, the blast was off Dallas Keuchel, who probably belongs in the minors at this point in his career. Marte has had a mixed bag of results since that game, going 0-fer in three of the five games since. Still, he has a solid pedigree and has good speed on the base paths along with some pop. He should hit towards the top of the Pirates lineup for the rest of the season, just realize the strikeouts could be a problem.
Lew Ford, OF, BAL, $2200 – The attractive takeaway here is the price tag for Ford, who is as cheap as they come. He found himself hitting behind Adam Jones and Matt Wieters Tuesday night, which is a good place to be. Ford has resurrected his career this season at Triple-A Norfolk, posting a .940 OPS in 62 games with 11 home runs and eight stolen bases. There's not a ton of upside here and he won't be an everyday player, but you can't argue with the bargain price.
Vernon Wells, OF, LAA, $2400 – Wells returned from the DL Saturday and has since struggled to get his timing back at the plate. He's gone 0-for-11 in three games since his return and wasn't really raking before his DL stint. Strangely, Wells has a better split against right-handed pitching (six homers, .717 OPS) than left-handed pitching (.489) despite being a right-handed hitter. Those six homers are all he has on the season and considering those stats, only use him in a favorable righty matchup.
Casey McGehee, 3B, NYY, $3000 – With the need for corner help with Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira both battling injuries, the Yankees traded for McGehee to fill the void. It's no mystery that Yankee Stadium is one of the better hitter's parks in the league and the lineup -- even without those missing sluggers -- is still very potent. Making his pinstripe debut Wednesday afternoon, McGehee batted seventh and scored 3.5 Fanduel points (two walks, a single and a run). Look for him to be in the lineup more games than not.
Welington Castillo, C, CHI, $2600 – Castillo was called up after incumbent Geovany Soto was traded away to Texas. Castillo will split time with Steve Clevenger and has some upside with the bat. He had an .800 OPS at Triple-A, which is a good number for a catcher outside of the PCL. Remember his name when the Cubs play at home and the forecast has a strong wind blowing out.
Players Looking To Rebound Or Are Starting To
Here are some players who have seen their value drop significantly due to poor production recently. You might be surprised at some of the names and how much their stock has fallen. This section will also include players who seem to be turning things around as we speak but come at a discounted price due to their recent slump.
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS, CLE, $3200 – Considering the disappointing fantasy play as a whole at the shortstop position, I'd expect Cabrera's price to be much higher than this. Considered one of the elite shortstops after his breakout season in 2011, Cabrera has an OPS only four points less than last season but isn't close to being on pace to match last year's counting stats. After swiping 17 bags last season, he only has two so far and his home run and RBI totals shouldn't come close to matching last season's totals. That being said, he's still one of the more talented offensive shortstops in the game and has hit at least .296 in each month but July. While he hit .228 in July, he's shown signs of life over the last two weeks of breaking out of his slump. Get him while he's cheap.
Matt Joyce, OF, TB, $3300 – Joyce's season has been derailed by an oblique injury, but his OPS (.853) is higher than last year's .825 mark. Joyce appears to be getting back on track as of late, hitting safely in 11 of his last 13 games. His .922 OPS vs. righties (against a .676 OPS against lefties) tells you when you should consider using him.
The Elite 100
The Elite 100 is FanDuel's newest tournament, with $100,000 in prizes.
This $100,000 fantasy MLB tournament is limited to just 100 players: time to prove you're an elite FanDuel'er! Here's everything you need to know about this huge event:
- $100,000 prize pool! You read that right, the Elite 100 will pay out a total of $100,000 in the 100 seat final This is the biggest fantasy baseball tournament remaining in 2012.
- Qualify via satellites as low as $2 or buy in for $1,070 directly
- We'll be running satellite qualifiers starting at $2 and going up to $285. Win one of these satellites, and a seat in the $1,070 final is yours! This is your chance to win a seat in our biggest remaining MLB tournament of the year for as low as $2.
- You'll also be able to buy into the Elite 100 directly for $1,070. This option will be available after we have finished running satellite qualifiers.
- Capped at 100 players only. If you prefer smaller fields, this is the tournament for you. You won't have to fight your way through thousands of other players – just the elite.
- Final will run online on August 31st.
The Elite 100 is the biggest fantasy baseball event you can enter today. 100 players fighting for their share of $100,000. Time to prove you're Elite!
