This article is part of our The Daily Duel series.
Values
Here 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.
Tony Campana, $3000, OF, CHI – Campana mainly plays against right-handed pitching and has taken over the role vacated by Marlon Byrd after he was dealt to the Red Sox. His salary has crept up over the last week but he should continue to be at the top of the Cubs' lineup and provide some value. Over his last three starts he's had 3, 5.5, and 5.25 points. His main value comes from his ability to get on base, swipe a bag and eventually score. It's no surprise that he hits two spots in front of Bryan LaHair who I discussed last week.
Jarrod Dyson, $2500, OF, KC – While Dyson is not considered a fixture at the top of the Kansas City lineup, he finds himself in the leadoff spot every few games for the Royals. Like Campana, he offers a ton of speed when getting on base. In the past his problem was getting to first, although if he can find a way to do that he has plenty of bats to drive him in. As you stack the rest of your roster keep him in mind, as he's a decent play when in the lineup.
Alex Liddi, $2800, 3B, SEA – Everyone knows Safeco is not the ideal place to hit, but everyone also knows that Seattle plays half of their games on the road. Enter Liddi who managed 30 home runs at Triple-A for the power-starved Mariners. Liddi entered Wednesday's game batting .286 with five RBI and a steal in only 40 at-bats. He's going to strike out a lot trying to hit the long ball but that doesn't count any different than a fly out or ground out. It also doesn't hurt that he has been in the middle of the Seattle order, with Chone Figgins and Ichiro Suzuki ahead of him.
Streaking
I might add this in as a weekly feature, a section about players hot at the dish. If you can catch these players a couple of games into their streak or even after what they've done over the course of a week, it can pay off nicely. Keep in mind some of these players won't come cheaply.
Pedro Alvarez, $3000, 3B, PIT – He is definitely the surprise of the group here considering Alvarez has been labeled bust until this point in his career. Since a couple of DNPs in Colorado, Alvarez has gone 10-for-26 (.385) with four home runs and eight RBI over seven games. He still has the penchant for striking out, but when he is making contact the ball is flying off his bat.
Edwin Encarnacion, $4,300, 3B, TOR – It shouldn't be a complete shock that Encarnacion has gotten off to a hot start after hitting 11 bombs following the All-Star break last season. Encarnacion is now 8-for-15 over his last five games with four home runs and seven RBI. He's not cheap at this price but he has proved over the last week that he's worth it.
Torii Hunter, $3600, OF, LAA – Hunter has hit safely in seven of his last eight games and has a home run in four of his last five games. Two of the homers were in Cleveland and the last two came at home against Minnesota. He is capable of taking the ball to any field and he also has solid hitting in front (Albert Pujols) and behind him (Howie Kendrick).
Jay Bruce, $4400, OF, CIN – Bruce is off to a hot start hitting .296 with seven home runs and 17 RBI. The surprise addition to his game is his running ability on the base paths as he has already stolen three bases. He's gone yard in four straight games before Wednesday and has a great home park to hit in.
Giancarlo Stanton, $3400, OF, MIA – While his price has dropped since the beginning of the season, Stanton has showed signs of life lately. During Sunday's game he hit a grand slam and early in the game drove a ball that was a few feet short of a home run. Tuesday night he hit a laser of Matt Cain over the left field wall and later he sent Angel Pagan to the warning track for a long fly out. He's stated that his troublesome knee has been feeling better and this could be the last time to get him for this low of a price this season.
Tip Of The Week
Check The Weather
Last week I discussed the opportunity to take advantage of early games by allowing other owners to take "weaker" players in early games while you take your regular players who play in later games. The weather this week sacked that game plan if you used any Detroit (Miguel Cabrera, Duane Below or Prince Fielder) or Kansas City players for Monday night's game. As we all now know, the game was cancelled due to rain and any players that were started racked up a zero. Could this have been avoided? Yes. While it's not completely accurate to predict the weather eight hours in advance, it is possible to get a general idea if there is going to be a rainout based on what the weather report is. Some owners will only choose players who play in indoor Stadiums to avoid this problem completely. While that will ensure your player won't be affected by the weather, it will also drastically shorten the player pool that will be available to you. As a general rule, the teams in the Northeast – Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Baltimore – will be the stadiums where games are most likely to be rained out. The teams with the least chance of being rained out are in Southern California – San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. As a reminder, the teams who play their home games indoors or with a retractable roof are: Tampa Bay, Miami, Houston, Seattle, Toronto, Arizona and Milwaukee.
Beat Kevin Payne
Like this could happen. Seriously, here's your opportunity to take your shot at me. For those who might not get it, my username is kevpayne.
RotoWire.com - Beat Kevin Payne $500 Contest
If you're into fantasy baseball, you're going to be blown away by FanDuel – where fantasy baseball leagues last just one day. AND you can play for real money. With instant cash payouts and a brand new team every single day of the season – FanDuel takes fantasy baseball fun to a whole new level.
Title – RotoWire: Beat Kevin Payne $500 Contest
Date - 05/04/2012
Buyin - $5
Prizepool - $500
Extra - Finish above Kevin Payne and win $5 (Must have signed up via RotoWire to win $5)
Cap - Max 111 Entrants
1. CLICK HERE to pick you team within the $35k salary cap. Consisting of P, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and 3xOF.
2. Sign up for an account and make a deposit at get up to $30 in sign up bonus.
3. Watch the live scoring on FanDuel during the games and see how your picks perform.
The contest is live and is open for registration today. CLICK HERE to sign up for your account and register for the contest now.
