MLB Cash Game Picks: 4-10-15

Cash games typically reward high floor rosters. You don't need to score 60 points on FanDuel or 160 on DraftKings to win money. Instead, you should aim for a nice base of around 40 and 120 points, respectively. Our MLB Cash Game Picks will highlight the top pick and a value pick at each position for both platforms.

Pitcher

The only concern with Gio Gonzalez tonight is the weather. Forecasts are calling for rain, but if this game is played, you want the biggest betting favorite tonight in your cash games lineups. Gonzalez is not only a nice play based on his favorable Vegas line, he's also the best pitcher in the late games and facing the worst lineup. His combination of a high ceiling and high floor is excellent. Gonzalez didn't pitch enough innings last year to be a qualified starter, but among pitchers who pitched at least 150 innings he cracked the top 20 in FIP and strikeout rate. Use him on the bulk of your rosters on FanDuel and DraftKings.

Taijuan Walker is the rare underdog tout as a cash games pick. The A's aren't heavily favored, though, and the low betting total is eye catching. Furthermore, Walker is priced fairly cheaply at both FanDuel and DraftKings. His strikeout rate was excellent at the Triple-A level last year, and only poor luck on keeping the ball in the yard wrecked his ERA. Spring reports of him ditching his cutter for a more impressive slider are promising, and while I put very little stock in spring numbers, Walker was great. I'll be using him as my SP2 on a bunch of DraftKings squads.

The trainer's room has been a more familiar sight for Brandon Morrow than the baseball diamond for most of his career. He's healthy at the moment, though, and a betting favorite in pitcher-friendly Petco Park against a San Francisco Giants offense that failed to score a run until extra innings yesterday. The Giants are without Hunter Pence, and they could be without Brandon Belt again. Morrow's price point is fair as an SP2 on DraftKings, but it's his FanDuel price that caught my attention. He's severely under priced and a great play for gamers who are looking to load up on boppers.

Catcher

At FanDuel, Jonathan Lucroy is a no-brainer pick at catcher. Lucroy is a fire-breathing monster against lefties and not just relative to his peers at catcher. Among players who have received a minimum of 250 plate appearances against southpaws since 2012, he ranks 21st in wRC+. Pirates starter Jeff Locke allowed a .342 wOBA to right-handed batters last year, and that further enhances Lucroy's case for heavy usage in cash games..

Don't be fooled by Travis d'Arnaud's underwhelming numbers above. He's still very green, but he began to really show off why he was considered one of the top prospects in baseball after being recalled from Triple-A last year. His lineup spot isn't desirable, but he could conceivably move up with a southpaw facing the Mets. Even hitting down order, you should be getting a cheap piece of Eric Stults in the form of d'Arnaud on FanDuel. Stults has allowed a whopping .335 wOBA to right-handed batters since 2012.

Salvador Perez is a nifty contrarian play in GPPs on FanDuel but his cash game status at DraftKings is what gets him the nod in this article. His price is fair, and he should move up the order for the Kansas City Royals in their first game against a southpaw. Perez had a down year in 2014 against lefties, but his track record paints a more favorable picture. Hector Santiago is one of the worst probable starters tonight, and since reaching the majors in 2011, he's allowed a .328 wOBA to right-handed batters.

First Base

Second Base

At DraftKings, Howie Kendrick is too pricey for my liking in cash games. If you're stacking Dodgers in GPPs, though, you'll need to pay for him. At FanDuel, however, he's priced very nicely. As a right-handed batter, he'll be in the preferred batter's box for facing Chase Anderson. Anderson owns a reverse platoon spit in the majors allowing a .363 wOBA to righties last year. Normally, a reverse split should be taken with a grain of salt, but his platoon split extends back to his minor league career. As a right-handed batter, Kendrick will hit with park factors of 116 for doubles/triples, 109 for homers and 106 for runs. I love him at FanDuel in stacks or stand alone.

Neil Walker is a great value at both FanDuel and DraftKings. He also has third base eligibility at DraftKings, if you're looking at another play at the keystone. He's a switch-hitter who is much better as a left-handed batter than a righty. Walker owns an ISO north of .201 in a park, Miller Park, with a homer park factor of 125 for homers and 105 for runs. As the cleanup hitter, he's also in a good spot for run production.

Shortstop

Hitting atop the Los Angeles Dodgers order is Jimmy Rollins. The switch-hitting shortstop is an above average offensive player against righties and you have to love getting a leadoff hitter in one of the higher betting totals of the night. His price point is conducive for usage at both FanDuel and DraftKings. While I noted Anderson struggles with righties above, he wasn't a world beater against lefties either, allowing a .314 wOBA to them.

Jhonny Peralta is usable at DraftKings, albeit it a little pricey, but I love him at FanDuel. Getting an above average hitter at a position devoid of offensive talent who hits fifth in his team's lineup is a must at his cost. In addition to being a punching bag for left-handed batters, Marquis has served up a .321 wOBA to righties. He's going to get lit up like a Christmas tree this evening, and Peralta should join in the fun.

Third Base

Yes, Matt Carpenter's above average hitting skills against righties are nice. I'm hopping on him since he's a leadoff hitter who's left-handed and facing Marquis. Simple enough, right? He's a better play on FanDuel than at DraftKings.

Talk about a monster price discrepancy. David Wright is too expensive to use at DraftKings, but he's a bargain of epic proportions at FanDuel. Wright's excellence against lefties meshes well with Stults' struggles with right-handed batters, and Wright's a number three hitter. Pass on him at DraftKings, but use him heavily on FanDuel.

There is so much to like with Aramis Ramirez. Take a look at his numbers against lefties, that's a good starting point for getting the salivary glands working. The Miller Park park factors for right-handed batters cited in Lucroy's write-up kick things into high gear, and his cost at FanDuel and DraftKings get you worked up to a full drool.

Pablo Sandoval is off to a slow start with the Red Sox, but it's a sample of 14 plate appearances. He, like Big Papi, will benefit from Eovaldi's struggles with lefties and the homer park factor at Yankee Stadium awarded to lefties. He's a strong play at a position stacked with great choices tonight, and he's usable at both FanDuel and DraftKings.

Outfield

Ryan Braun was healthy enough to make a pinch-hit appearance last night, and I expect him to play tonight. It's imperative if you're planning to use him that you're on the lookout for the Brewers lineup. He's annihilated left-handed pitching and is a number three hitter. Throw in Locke's aforementioned struggles with right-handed batters and the Miller Park park factors and Braun is under priced at FanDuel. He's not a slam dunk choice at DraftKings, though, since you have other really great options like Mike Trout in the same price range.

Jason Heyward is the next left-handed Cardinals batter to be highlighted as a great cash games play. He, like Braun, is priced too close to studs like Trout to be a no-doubt pick at DraftKings, but he's priced right for super high ownership at FanDuel. Still, the matchup is so juicy he gets a strong endorsement at DraftKings, too, and I'd prefer him to Braun if picking between the two based on Braun carrying a bit of injury recurrence risk.

Matt Holliday isn't left-handed, but as I noted in Peralta's write-up, right-handed batters crush Marquis as well. Marquis wasn't even in the majors last year. He's arguably the worst probable pitcher tonight, and you need to get heavy exposure to him. Not noted in Peralta's write-up is that Great American Ballpark has a right-handed batter park factor for homers of 125 and 99 for runs. The number three hitter for the Cardinals will have ducks on the pond with Carpenter and Heyward hitting in front of him.

Khris Davis feels like a better GPP play than a cash game option, but at FanDuel, he's only $2,600. I'll repeat that, $2,600. He's a beast against lefties and could move up to fifth in the order against a lefty. Adam Lind -- if he's in the lineup -- certainly won't hit ahead of him. I can't pass up that bargain basement price at FanDuel.