Week 2 of the first period of Tout Wars Daily, sponsored by RTSports.com kicks off tonight at 7pm.
Brian Walton was the leader in Week 1, followed by Doug Anderson and Pat Mayo. You can see the whole leaderboard here.
You can watch tonight’s results live at RTSports.com.
Here’s who the Touts are picking this week:
Phil Hertz like Zack Greinke ($9,400 @ SD) and says that Wilson Ramos ($3,800 @ Philadelphia) is a bargain at Citizen’s Bank.
Charlie Wiegert: I’m spending top $ on top pitcher Clayton Kershaw ($9,900 vs. SF). He helped win me the Tout Daily title last year, hopefully he can do it again. Plus pitching at home against the Giants and Bumgarner will provide extra incentive. As for top hitter, I’m going with a hot hand in Justin Upton ($5,500 @ Houston) vs Keuchel, and for another pick, Jeremy Hazelbaker ($4,100 vs. Cincinnati) at home against the Reds.
Lawr Michaels likes Zack Greinke ($9,400 @ SD) facing the largely anemic Padres in San Diego. True, Greinke has been roughed up his first pair of starts, but a safe chance to establish his game (and prove the hurler was worth his massive contract) in a pitcher’s environ against a team with a .291 OBP and 81 strikeouts–sixth worst in the league–thus far makes for that opportunity. On the hitting side, Jacoby Ellsbury ($5,000 vs. Seattle) facing Nate Karns (7.20 ERA) and averaging 3.34 points a game looks like a nice play.
Ray Murphy shares a two-headed pitcher play for tonight: maybe it’s buying too much into early-season performance, but it’s hard to ignore the combo of Rich Hill ($6,700 vs. KC) and Jeremy Hellickson ($5,100 vs. Washington). At a combined $11,800, both pitching at home against offenses that have been below-average so far this year, the pair could turn a nice profit on their own and set you up to build a monster offense. As for hitter, Mark Trumbo ($4,500 versus Texas): he has 2 HR in 9 AB vs LHP this year, and a career-long record of mashing southpaws. Tonight he draws Martin Perez in Texas. Sign me up.
Gene McCaffrey: Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw (duh) ($9,900 vs. SF). Hitter: Robinson Cano ($5,300 @ Yankees)
Brian Walton notes that Garrett Richards ($8,100 @ Minneapolis) did not get off to a great start to 2016, but the Angels’ right-hander should feast on the toothless Twins offense Friday night. Minnesota’s team batting average through nine games is barely above the Mendoza Line at .201, dead last in the American League. My top hitter is third baseman Matt Carpenter ($5,800 vs. Cincinnati) of the St. Louis Cardinals, who draw Reds’ fill-in starter Tim Melville at home. St. Louis’ leadoff man is heating up with seven hits, five runs scored and eight RBI in his last five games.
Jake Ciely: Pitcher: Garrett Richards ($8,100 @ Minneapolis) Hitter: Tyler White ($4,200 @ Detroit).
Scott Swanay’s favorite pitcher tonight is Chris Sale ($9,700 @ Tampa Bay) going against a Rays lineup that doesn’t scare anyone. Kershaw has a higher expected points per dollar of salary, but Giants are a much more formidable foe than Tampa. Swanay’s favorite hitter tonight is “Hot Start All-Star” Tyler White ($4,200 @ Detroit) going against Mets/Twins cast-off Mike Pelfrey, who’s now pitching batting practice in the Motor City.
