MLB Cash Game Picks: 6-17-15

Cash Game Locks: MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball

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

It's a day of aces. In addition to Clayton Kershaw, you have the choice of Felix Hernandez, Madison Bumgarner, David Price, and Johnny Cueto. Unfortunately, the Mariners play the Giants and the Tigers are opposed by the Reds. These studly studs have cancelled each other out. Kershaw is a massive favorite over Wandy Rodriguez and the Rangers. The moneyline is a staggering -260 (you have to bet $260 to win $100). It's a similar story with Michael Pineda. He's a huge favorite over Marlins hurler Jose Urena.

Kershaw possesses a strangely mortal 3.21 ERA. However, a career best 11.59 K/9 and a typical 2.28 BB/9 suggest he should be doing much better. The damage has come via an elevated 16.7 percent HR/FB ratio. Kershaw's home run rate has been better than league average in every season except his rookie campaign. There is no indication this is anything more than a blip of misfortune. The best pitcher in baseball remains ridiculously talented.

Michael Pineda is coming off his worst outing of the season in which he allowed six runs in 4.1 innings. Unlike the other aces available today, Pineda has only flashed brilliance. He's yet to throw a complete game in the majors. The other five aces of the day finish games with some regularity. As such, you're missing the massive ceiling that comes with those picks. However, the likelihood of a win against Miami offers a high floor. So long as he avoids Giancarlo Stanton's potent bat, he should be in good shape.

Catcher

Russell Martin is in his second straight season of his career resurgence. Last season, he buffed his BABIP above league average rates. This year, he's improved his contact rate while adding 50 percent more power. The 32-year-old is on pace to beat his career best in home runs. A high average, plate discipline, and power conspire to give Martin a high ceiling AND floor. He's even better against left-handed pitching.

When Matt Wieters hit the disabled list last season, he was in the midst of a breakout campaign. Since returning, he's picked up where he left off…sort of. He's hitting a robust .333/.310/.741 in 29 plate appearances. However, a lack of walks and a high whiff rate are cause for concern. We're still firmly ensconced in small sample land. We can confirm he's hitting for serious power. He also has a desirable matchup against Kevin Correia. Wieters sat last night, you can count on a start today.

First Base

Bryce Harper may be stealing the press, but Paul Goldschmidt has my vote as the best hitter in baseball. Wherever you fall in that particular argument (Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera would also like to participate), you'll have to admit Goldschimidt is the grand poohbah against left-handed pitching. Poor Hector Santiago has to survive a hitter with a career .331/.423/.611 line against southpaws. Since 2000, only Barry Bonds has done more damage to lefties. Perhaps Santiago should avoid the strike zone.

Next to Goldschmidt, Anthony Rizzo looks…well he still looks really good. There's no way to disparage a guy who is hitting .307/.423/.556 with a not-at-all-fluky .319 BABIP. Rizzo offers a balanced contact profile. His only possible shortcoming is that he's pull-centric. He's opposed by righty Shaun Marcum at Progressive Field. The Indians' home park boosts left-handed home runs by 18 percent. The oft-injured Marcum looks solid this year but for one fatal flaw – he's allowing a lot of home runs. Anytime a guy struggles to stay on the field, you can't dismiss an elevate home run rate out of hand.

Second Base

Jose Altuve isn't particularly awesome against right-handed pitching. You can see that clearly in the chart above. His wRC+ is below 100. Usually, that's an easy red flag. However, Altuve draws Kyle Kendrick at Coors Field today. His high contact, spray approach could easily produce a four hit game at the spacious park. Kendrick is quite scrubby this season (5.87 ERA, 5.88 FIP), and the Rockies bullpen is suitably shaky. Altuve will have opportunity aplenty.

Howie Kendrick isn't a flashy hitter, but he makes up for it with reliability. The righty usually bats third or fourth for a potent Dodgers lineup. The club loses some thump against left-handed pitchers (90 wRC+). In the case of the Dodgers, guys like Yasiel Puig, Alex Guerrero, and Jacob Turner should help to reverse the split issues. Los Angeles will face a decent lefty in Wandy Rodriguez. The southpaw has struggled with home runs in past seasons, but he's keeping hitters in the park this year. Kendrick is a high floor, modest ceiling pick.

Shortstop

Something happened around the beginning of June. After two baffling months, Troy Tulowitzki started doing Troy Tulowitzki things. Like hitting .370/.442/.587 with an 11.5% walk rate and a 13.5% strikeout rate. This reinvigorated Tulowitzki is opposed by lefty Brett Oberholtzer. The southpaw is making his first start at Coors Field. Most pitchers are surprised to discover their stuff doesn't move normally in the rarified air. Tulo lights up lefties with a career .322/.406/.564 line. That even includes 68 plate appearances against Kershaw…

We've talked about a couple high floor, modest ceiling players today. Jhonny Peralta is a slightly better version of that profile. He has modest platoon splits over a long and inconsistent career. The current iteration of Peralta is better than his lifetime .262/.343/.454 slash versus southpaws. While Tommy Milone doesn't have notable platoon splits, he's not a good pitcher. He's allowed a .297/.357/.533 line to righties this season. The only reason lefties are doing remarkably worse is a fluky .139 BABIP. In any case, Peralta is a righty. He should mash.

Third Base

We're picking on left-handed pitchers today. Let's return to Toronto where the Blue Jays take on Niese. Josh Donaldson is the expensive option with a career .301/.379/.598 slash against southpaws. If you're looking for a cheaper pick, give Danny Valencia a whirl. As you might expect, Donaldson is hitting for more power in his first season away from the Coliseum. The Mets bullpen is not imposing. This game could get out of hand early.

After a slow start to the season, Josh Harrison has battled his way back to a league average batting line. April was a miserable month for Harrison. However, when you consider his performance last season, April is the outlier. Due to his recent breakout, his career splits are not very informative. Instead consider his role atop the Pirates lineup against John Danks. The White Sox southpaw belongs to the same asset class as Correia – i.e. barely a spot starter.

Outfield

And yes, we're also picking on Niese. Is it any wonder? The Blue Jays have an otherworldly 143 wRC+ against lefties. The Tigers are the next best team with a measly 115 wRC+. Jose Bautista is yet another potent lefty slayer. He's a career .272/.380/.522 hitter against them, and his current season numbers are comparable. The shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the year has hardly slowed him at the plate.

Starling Marte (and his teammate Andrew McCutchen) offers massive potential against Danks. The game is at U.S. Cellular Field, where right-handed power is buffed by 28 percent. Unlike many of the other hitters listed today, Marte is impatient. You can count on balls in play, but you might lose a couple easy points via walk. Southpaws have wilted under his gaze this year - .359/.390/.795. Marte could contribute via home run, multiple hits, stolen bases, and/or run production. There will always be opportunities versus Danks.

If you're looking for a different perspective, perhaps you should take a peek at Josh Reddick. The lefty is opposed by slopmaster Odrisamer Despaigne. Finally healthy, Reddick combines power, plate discipline, and a high contact rate. The skill set should play well against Despaigne's contact driven approach. The game is at pitcher friendly O.co Coliseum. Reddick could still pop a home run, but you're probably better off hoping for a pair of doubles. Reddick's value is hurt by the Padres tough bullpen.