Friday Salary Sleepers - Featured Site: 365
Friday Salary Sleepers
Featured Site: 365 Fantasy Sports
Good for you. You made time to knock out some Daily Fantasy MLB in the midst of your ever-productive Friday. We all know that nothing was really getting done anyways…right? Might as well make some money doing something we love for a change. In honor of 365 hooking us up, this week’s featured MLB Salary Sleeper column will feature 365 Fantasy Sports and their non-conformist point-based contests. For those of you new to 365, they pride themselves in offering the widest variety of game offerings in the industry. While this could initially take you out of your comfort zone, there is a lot of value to be had if you break down each of their game styles carefully. As we prep for the Three-Event Freeroll Series taking place tonight, let’s take a look at some value to be had in Friday’s MLB games in their 640 Point Cap contests.
Breaking Down the Roster and Settings
As mentioned earlier, 365 prides themselves in doing things differently than you will find at other Daily Fantasy Sites. The first thing you will notice is that you are working with points and not a traditional Salary Cap. Technically, there isn’t a difference here, as the value you are seeking is still proportional, but it can still throw you for a loop at first. The next thing you will notice is that the roster selection is more limited, but updated daily and generally, very accurate. With only about 71 points per spot to use, and some positions’ (such as 1B on Friday) lowest rated player being valued at 68 points, this makes for some tough decisions, especially at the mound. Here are the scoring settings at 365 :
| Batting | Points |
|---|---|
| Single | 1 pt |
| Double | 3 pts |
| Triple | 4 pts |
| Home Run | 6 pts |
| RBI | 2 pts |
| Walk | 1 pt |
| Run Scored | 2 pts |
| Stolen Base | 2 pts |
| Strikeout | -1 pt |
| Pitching | Points |
| IP | 1 pts |
| Strikeout pitched | 1 pt |
| Win | 8 pts |
| Hit Allowed | -1 pt |
| Walk Allowed | -1 pt |
| ER Allowed | -2 pts |
Roster Selection
The scoring is different than any other site, but don’t let that fool you. It is very intricate and fair once you delve into it. Essentially, rarer occurrences are rewarded heavier than they are across most sites. That being said, finding a sleeper is more matchup based than most sites…which should reward the experienced Grinder. Using our friend WaiverWire’s site Daily Baseball Data’s P vs. B, we recommend starting with the mound, and selecting the Pitcher you feel has the best value, and then working back up the lineup from there. That being said, here is a value-filled lineup, that should provide an excellent foundation for your lineup on 365, or at least help you fill some holes:
| Position | Player | Cost/Max Pos. | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catcher | Jorge Posada | 69/80 | I like Jorge vs. Kyle Davies and his 5.21 ERA, despite my boy Chris Snynder being available at only 66 |
| 1st Base | Mike Napoli | 68/87 | ‘Situational Hitting’ had him benched two games, then the two games after that he went for the goose egg. That is why he is the cheapest 1B available. Napoli co-leads the Angels in HRs…Sure there are better overall options, but this value is too good to pass up vs. a 7+ ERA to pass up in my eyes |
| 2nd Base | Skip Schumaker | 66/82 | Through 2 Games and 9 IP, Diamond has allowed 8 ER. Schu’s AVG is down this year, but for the price and the matchup, he’s a great pick. Just don’t have too high of expectations. |
| 3rd Base | Chris Johnson | 74/80 | Chris Johnson is my keeper in 2 of my NFL leagues. He is also on pace for 2000 rushing yards in baseball. OK I don’t know what that means either, but I think that equates to something around being on fire since the All Star break. Add to that, that he is swinging lumber against (1-9) Ohlendorf-us on Friday and Chris Johnson is worth the reach from sleeper to mid-level at 3B |
| SS | Ian Desmond | 67/80 | There were no standouts to me in this group, so I went with the cheapest of the 3 SSs (deal with that plural acronym) that I was between. It might not seem like a lot because of the small proportions, but 1 point can go a long way on 365 |
| OF 1 | Bobby Abreu | 77/85 | Marc Rzep…who? Bobby is the cheapest at this spot, and with this matchup, it’s hard to pass up |
| OF 2 | B.J. Upton | 72/76 | BJ Upton has a solid matchup vs. Guthrie, and while 72/76 may look like a reach, the range of OF2 on 365 only extends from 72 to 69. BJ provides excellent value in this spot, at this price. |
| OF 3 | Michael Bourn | 70/76 | With a massive 38 SBs on the season, and 365’s scoring system giving 2 points for each SB, it is tough to ignore the Bourn Supremacy of this value at 70 (with the lowest at OF 3 being 69). Sure, it’s high variance, but you’re a man. Aren’t you? You can take it. |
| Pitcher | Clayton Richard | 49/78 | James Shields came in a close second, but it is tough to ignore his 6 HR night right now |
| Total | . | . | 612/640 |
This lineup gives you a solid shot, but keep in mind it is not optimal. This lineup provides you with 28 extra points. That is enough to upgrade from Clayton Richard to Yovanni G. It also gives you enough room to significantly improve your batting. Best of luck of this fine Friday!
- Cameron