Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: MLB DraftKings Bargain Buys, Sleepers for August 2
You don't necessarily want to lace your entire lineup with bargain picks in a DraftKings contest. However, having low-cost options at several positions who each have a realistic chance to perform well is invaluable.
On paper, there doesn't seem to be a bigger bargain for Sunday's early games than the Kansas City Royals' Omar Infante. With a batting average of .229, one home run and 29 RBI, Infante doesn't figure to be a hot commodity on most days in the DraftKings universe. Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays should be the exception.
Toronto will start knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, and Infante has terrorized the 40-year-old veteran in his career. Infante is hitting .500 against him in 34 at-bats with a Ruthian slugging percentage of .735.
TOP NEWS
Assessing Every MLB Team's Development System ⚾
.png?w=256)
10 Scorching MLB Takes 🌶️
Yankees Call Up 6'7" Prospect 📈
For $2,700 in DK salary, there's no way you can ignore Infante on Sunday. Let's take a look at four more sleepers and bargain picks for Sunday's plethora of matinee contests.
Skip Schumaker
Similar to the way Infante has enjoyed a wealth of success against Dickey, Cincinnati Reds veteran Skip Schumaker has owned Pittsburgh Pirates starter Charlie Morton. Schumaker has 10 hits against him in 25 at-bats.
He's slugging just .440 against Morton, but if there's a ballpark where Schumaker might be able to generate some power, it's his home field in Cincinnati. At home this season, Schumaker is hitting .279 and slugging .377 compared to .173 and .240, respectively, on the road.
It's the right pitcher in the right ballpark for Schumaker to shine. At $2,000 in DK salary, he'll come at the right price to provide a surprising boon in production for your lineup.
Seth Smith
The sample size isn't as large as the previous two examples, but the Seattle Mariners Seth Smith has done a ton of damage to the Minnesota Twins' Mike Pelfrey in his career. In 14 at-bats, Smith is hitting .500 and slugging a paltry 1.000 against the veteran right-hander.
Smith has hit eight of his nine home runs this season off right-handed pitching. He's an excellent left-handed hitting specialist who has had his way with Pelfrey in the past.
His $3,500 DK salary makes him a good bargain for Sunday.
Adam Morgan
The Philadelphia Phillies have been playing great baseball of late. The team has won eight of its last 10, and there's reason to be optimistic about Sunday's game. The Phillies will host the Atlanta Braves, and the home team will send lefty Adam Morgan to the mound.
Southpaws have given the Braves the flux. Atlanta is hitting just .232 against lefties this season. Only three teams in the major leagues have a lower batting average on that side of the platoon hitting rankings.
Morgan lost a 2-1 decision against the Braves back on July 3, but he did pitch seven innings, allowing just five hits and two runs. He'd only cost you $4,400 of DK salary, which would allow you to go bananas with your other pitcher spot and most of your positional player picks.
Drew Stubbs
In 29 at-bats, the Colorado Rockies' Drew Stubbs has hit well against the St. Louis Cardinals' Jaime Garcia. Stubbs has nine hits in 29 at-bats, and he's slugging .448 against the veteran lefty.
This season, Stubbs has struggled against left-handed pitching. He's hitting just .200 against southpaws in 2015. For whatever reason, he's always seen Garcia well, and he's an option for DK players looking for a cheap outfielder who has a chance to outperform his $2,500 DK salary.
In what has been a poor season overall, Stubbs is due for a big day.
Stats per ESPN.com, salaries per DraftKings.
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.
.png?w=480)
