MLB Cash Game Picks: 4-6-15

Cash Game Locks: MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball

Cash games payout half of the field, and as a result, you should be aiming for a higher floor and less concerned with ceiling in these contests. With that principal in mind, the MLB Cash Games Picks highlights the top pick and a value pick at each position on DraftKings and FanDuel.

Pitcher

DraftKings

Top Pick: David Price, Detroit Tigers, $10,400

Price is a whopping $2,000 cheaper than Clayton Kershaw. The former Ray is a big betting favorite against the Twins. Getting the win is likely. He's the top dog, though, because he should pick up plenty of strikeouts along the way, too. The Twins lineup isn't identical to 2014, but there are many similar faces and last year's squad totaled a 21.6% K. Price is no stranger to racking up punch outs.

Value Pick: Henderson Alvarez, Miami Marlins, $6,200

Alvarez is a great SP2 at DK in cash games. He's facing a really bad Braves offense that dealt away their 2014 offensive star, Justin Upton. The lone fear inducing hitter in the lineup is Freddie Freeman. Alvarez is a betting favorite who is one of the cheapest picks, and the owner of a solid 3.58 FIP last season. His ceiling is limited, but his floor is very high.

FanDuel

Top Pick: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, $11,700

There isn't a big enough to gap in price between Kershaw and the other aces to justify veering from the best pitcher in the business. With only one starting pitcher used on FD, don't get cute. Use the biggest betting favorite of the day on the bulk of your cash games rosters.

Value Pick: Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics, $9,400

This feels like beating a dead horse, but FD requires only one starting pitcher to be rostered. For that reason, I don't feel compelled to dip below Gray. He's hovering around a -150 betting line, and he's facing a bad Rangers lineup. Strikeouts aren't as important at FD as DK, so simply getting a sizable betting favorite who should pitch deep into his game and net a win is the goal here. Gray fits that description.

Catcher

DraftKings

Top Pick: John Jaso, Tampa Bay Rays, $3,900

Jaso is the probable leadoff hitter for the Rays. DK doesn't penalize outs, so the benefit of all the plate appearances possible is maximized there. The former Athletic is a well above average hitter against right-handed pitchers, and Chris Tillman isn't even close to the same class of pitcher as many of the aces toeing the rubber today.

Value Pick: Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies, $3,400

Ruiz should hit in one of the first five spots in the Phillies lineup. He's facing off against Clay Buchholz -- one of the worst starting pitchers throwing today. If you're looking to save a little money to spend heavily elsewhere, Ruiz's above average hitting skills against right-handed pitchers makes for a good target.

FanDuel

Top Pick: Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers, $3,800

Lucroy is a little pricey for facing off against a pitcher on the weaker side of his platoon split. That said, he's still an excellent hitter against righties, facing a bad pitcher (Kyle Kendrick), in a great lineup spot and in a great ballpark for hitters. If you're dipping down to Gray as your starting pitcher on FD, Lucroy makes for a player who is worth splurging on with some of your savings.

Value Pick: Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies, $2,500

Ruiz is super cheap. As I noted above in his DK write-up, he's an above average hitter in a nice lineup spot against a bad pitcher. Those same factors make him a good and relatively high floor pick at catcher on FD.

First Base

DraftKings

Top Pick: Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers, $4,500

Gonzalez owns a cushy lineup slot (cleanup) and a hearty 131 wRC+ versus righties since 2012. He enjoyed a power resurgence last year, too. James Shields isn't the easiest of assignments, but Big Game James didn't exactly tie up lefties last year either.

Value Pick: Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies, $4,100

Morneau raked in year one with the Rockies. He's facing a right-handed pitcher, Kyle Lohse, who allowed a .319 wOBA last year to lefties. As a lefty who hammers righties, Morneau makes for a high floor hitter who will also get a boost playing at hitter-friendly Miller Park.

FanDuel

Top Pick: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox, $4,500

Abreu is among the best hitters in the league, yet he's only the fourth most expensive option at first base. He offers a rare blend of a high floor and high ceiling. The Cuban first baseman annihilated righties last year, and Yordano Ventura demonstrated a reverse platoon split in 2014.

Value Pick: Adam Lind, Milwaukee Brewers, $2,800

Lind is a downright steal at his cost on FD. I'll be owning him on the vast majority of my rosters. He'll provide big cap relief while not sacrificing production. He's facing a right-handed pitcher who allowed a staggering .360 wOBA to lefties. Don't be shy about stocking up on Lind shares.

Second Base

DraftKings

Top Pick: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies, $4,100

Utley will hit in a prime lineup slot, which even in a bad lineup, can provide run production potential. He's far better against righties than lefties, and Clay Buchholz was crushed by lefties last year. The Red Sox right-hander allowed a .351 wOBA to left-handed batters.

Value Pick: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox, $3,700

Pedroia is coming off a down year by his standards, but he's an above average hitter against lefties and nestled in the top third of the order. You're getting a lot of bang for your buck with Pedroia's depressed price tag, and that's worth overlooking a tough matchup with Cole Hamels.

FanDuel

Top Pick: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies, $3,600

Utley is a good play at DK, but a better play at FD where he's priced more favorably.

Value Pick: Joe Panik, San Francisco Giants, $2,400

Panik is priced darn near the minimum salary. He's facing Josh Collmenter and his .327 wOBA allowed to lefties last year. Panik's high contact approach will slot nicely hitting second for the Giants. The ceiling isn't high, but in cash games, he looks like a good play to my eyes.

Shortstop

DraftKings

Top Pick: Jose Reyes, Toronto Blue Jays, $4,400

Value Pick: Andrelton Simmons, Atlanta Braves, $3,400

FanDuel

Top Pick: Jose Reyes, Toronto Blue Jays, $3,900

Value Pick: Andrelton Simmons, Atlanta Braves, $2,700

With the same duo of shortstops highlighted at both sites, I'll address their strengths and reasons for rostering once. Reyes is leading off for a high-scoring Blue Jays lineup. He's facing a less than 100% Masahiro Tanaka, a pitcher who Pedro Martinez accused of holding something back in the spring. If Tanaka doesn't have his top-shelf stuff today, the Blue Jays will hammer him, and Reyes will be in the catbird seat for run scoring.

Simmons lacks the ceiling of Reyes, but he's much cheaper at both sites. If you're ponying up for elite starting pitching, you've got to save money somewhere. Spending lightly on Simmons makes for a good choice since he's likely to hit second for the Braves, makes a ton of contact and is facing a low strikeout pitcher.

Third Base

DraftKings

Top Pick: Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners, $4,100

Value Pick: Mike Moutakas, Kansas City Royals, $3,600

Seager is priced outside the top 10 third basemen, and that's silly given his excellence as a hitter. The left-handed hitting Seager is especially good against righties. Since 2012, he has totaled a 132 wRC+. Does that sound like a guy who should be priced outside the top 10 at his position to you?

Moustakas is the beneficiary of a cushy lineup spot. He's hitting second, and if you buy into his postseason explosion -- five homers in 55 plate appearances -- and prospect pedigree, you'll love his price. Today, I'm most concerned with his lineup spot and the savings he'll provide me to spend on elite pitching.

FanDuel

Top Pick: Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners, $3,700

Value Pick: Chase Headley, New York Yankees, $3,000

Not noted in Seager's write-up above is Jered Weaver's waning numbers against left-handed batters. Weaver ceded a .321 wOBA to left-handed batters last year. Seager also draws a favorable lineup slot, likely hitting fifth behind Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz.

Headley is penciled into the sixth spot in the Yankees lineup, and he'll make it six straight batters who will be hitting left-handed against Hutchison. That's noteworthy since Hutchison he allowed a .353 wOBA to lefties last year. Headley is exceptionally cheap and hitting in a ballpark that amplifies homers and, to a lesser extent, runs scored. He's a strong pick.

Outfield

DraftKings

Top Pick: Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, $4,500

Value Pick: Carlos Beltran, New York Yankees, $4,100

FanDuel

Top Pick: Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, $3,900

Value Pick: Carlos Beltran, New York Yankees, $3,100

It's deja vu all over again. CarGo and Beltran are great plays at both DK and FD. Coming off an injury plagued season, Gonzalez's price tag doesn't line up with his talent level. Yes, he's better at home than on the road, but in 2013, he totaled a 156 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers on the road. He'll hit in a run production spot in the lineup and, as a left-handed batter, be standing in the optimal batter's box for facing Lohse.

Beltran is hitting third for the Yankees today, and even in a down year (also plagued by injury) he was very good against right-handed pitchers in 2014. If Hutchison gets knocked around, as I expect him to, Beltran is in the perfect spot int he lineup to make the most of an offensive outburst.