We’re heading into the second week of the four-week Period Four of Tout Daily by RTSports.com. You can read the rules here.
After Week 1 Stephania Bell has the lead, with Scott Engel, Todd Zola, Ray Murphy and Tom Kessenich right behind her. You can see the leaderboard here.
Each week the touts send us their top picks for the week. You can follow tonight’s action at RTSports.com/tout-wars, and sign up there to play for prizes or fun.
LAWR MICHAELS
I like Chris Sale ($9,400 vs Atlanta) and Collin McHugh ($7,200 vs Oakland) as pitchers, and Giancarlo Stanton ($5,700 vs Cincinnati) and Odubel Herrera ($4,000 @ Colorado) as hitters!
PHIL HERTZ
Pitcher is Matt Shoemaker ($5,900 @ Baltimore), the hitter is Nolan Arenado ($6,800 vs Philadelphia).
HOWARD BENDER
Chris Sale ($9,400 vs Atlanta) I mean…come on. How do you not use a guy like Sale with this kind of match-up? Sure, it limits your Coors exposure with the bats but the Braves have a .256 wOBA with a 22-percent strikeout rate over the last week and a .273 wOBA with a 21-percent K-rate against southpaws this season. If he doesn’t hit double digit Ks and limit them to one run or fewer, it means the Touts and the baseball gods have conspired against me!
Adrian Gonzalez ($5,300 vs San Diego) He’s got five hits in his last three games and has hit safely in seven of his last 10 with five multi-hit games in that span. He also loves feasting on Andrew Cashner. Over 37 plate appearances against the Padres righty, he’s batting .344 (1.182 OPS) with four home runs, six RBI, eight runs scored and five walks. Giddy up!
CHARLIE WIEGERT
Sometimes you need to zig when everyone else zags. That’s my approach today, with a slate of top pitchers going demanding big salary commitment, I’m taking low priced pitchers and saving $ for hitters.
Top Pitchers…J.A. Happ ($6,300 vs Detroit) and Dan Straily ($3,100 @ Miami). Neither are impressive, but both are in situations where they should get 6-7 innings, 4-5 k’s and a win…I’m hoping for 12-15 points from each.
Top Hitters…yes I need some production. Josh Donaldson ($6,800 vs. Detroit) and Troy Tulowitzki ($4,900 vs. Detroit), Jose Altuve ($6,100 vs Oakland) and George Springer ($6,100 vs Oakland), and Rajai Davis ($4,700 vs New York) and Mike Napoli ($4,500 vs NY Yankees), all playing at home. My sleeper pick is Randall Grichuk ($3,700 @ Milwaukee) vs lefty Nelson. He’s looked sharp since his return from the minors, and went deep yesterday. I’m hoping for lightning to strike again!
JEFF BOGGIS
Jose Fernandez ($9,600 vs Cincinnati) Despite losing 3 out of his last 4 outings, Fernandez is my top pitcher for tonight’s contest. He is a much better pitcher at home and his home stats for this season back this up. At home, Fernandez is 7-1 with an ERA of 1.72 and and a K/BB ratio of 89/17.
Josh Donaldson ($6,800 vs Detroit) I love stacking Toronto players when they are at home for our Friday night contests and Donaldson is the best hitter on his team. Over the past 14 days, Donaldson has the best stats of any hitter with 18 runs, 5 home runs, 14 runs batted in, 1 stolen base, and a .429 batting average.
RAY MURPHY
Jonathan Gray ($6,000 vs Philadelphia) has been strong at Coors this year. Against a weak Phillies lineup, I’m willing to start him in thin air
Michael Saunders ($5,200 vs Detroit) faces the always-hittable Mike Pelfrey tonight, in Rogers Centre. Yes please!
MIKE GIANELLA
Top Pitcher Jose Fernandez ($9,600 vs Cincinnati) Fernandez has the highest whiff rate in the majors, and matches up well at home against a Cincinnati offense that has struggled on the road (fourth lowest wOBA in baseball).
Top Hitter – D.J. LeMahieu ($4,900 vs Philadelphia) Two weeks ago, I won the scoring period in Tout Daily by aggressively using lower profile hitters at Coors. With the Phillies in town, I thought I would repeat the strategy, allowing me to roster two high-end pitchers while taking advantage of the Coors factor. LeMahieu isn’t likely to knock the ball out of the park, but will hopefully put up a solid night anyway.
TIM HEANEY
Chris Sale ($9,400 vs Atlanta) MLB wins leader vs. league’s second-worst offense (.619 OPS) vs. LHP.
Carlos Gonzalez ($6,700 vs Philadelphia) High price is worth it. Among hitters, T-2nd-most HR (13), 3rd-highest OPS (1.112).
BRIAN WALTON
For $1000 less than top-dollared Jake Arrieta, I will go with Cole Hamels ($8,800 vs Minnesota), who draws the whiff-tastic Twins at home. His last outing was rocky, but Texas’ ace has been solid all season long.
Jake Lamb ($4800 @ San Francisco) is on a roll. During his active eight-game hitting streak, the Arizona third baseman has five home runs and 10 RBI. Against Friday’s night opponent Jeff Samardzija, Lamb is 3-for-6 including two doubles in his career.
