MLB GPP Plays: Tuesday, September 22nd
GPPs are very different from your cash games and you use a different strategy with them. In our GPPs we are not interested in safe plays, since GPPs are all about UPSIDE. We want players who can explode, as all-or-nothing type players can become GPP gold, and your value players are just as important as your star players. You need your players to have huge nights in order to take down these big tournaments.
My goal is to provide players who will be under-owned and/or have that big game upside you are looking for. I will also try to find as much value as I possibly can. Now, let’s get to the MLB GPP plays!
STARTING PITCHER
Danny Salazar, Cleveland Indians – I absolutely love Jake Arrieta tonight and he should definitely be your cash game anchor. However, in GPPs I need some salary relief to load up on bats. Salazar has filthy stuff and double-digit strikeout upside every time he toes the rubber. He has already dominated this Minnesota Twins squad twice this season (13 IP, 3 ER, 21 Ks) and I think he shuts them down for a third straight time.
Logan Verrett, New York Mets – If you are simply looking for a cheap pitcher so that you can stack your roster with offense, Verrett is your guy. Verrett is nothing special, but he has pitched well so far in the Major Leagues and he should be able handle a very weak Atlanta Braves lineup. In the National League over the last 30 days, the Braves have the second worst team wOBA and they are dead last in run scored. Look for five to six solid innings from Verrett tonight with a handful of punch-outs and the win.
Other Pitchers to Target – Jake Arrieta, Gio Gonzalez, Lance McCullers, Tom Koehler
CATCHER
Francisco Cervelli, Pittsburgh Pirates – Cervelli had a big game last night (3-5 with 2 runs scored) and he has punished left-handed pitching in 2015 (.333 BA, .395 wOBA). Colorado Rockies lefty Chris Rusin is a guy we want to pick on tonight and Cervelli is a good place to start.
Miguel Montero, Chicago Cubs – Montero has hits in eight of his last nine games and he is now hitting .327 in the month of September. It’s a fairly small sample size (66 AB VS LHB) but Tyler Cravy has been tagged by lefties so far in his short MLB career (.308 BAA, .403 wOBA), and I expect more of the same in Wrigley Field tonight. Montero is inexpensive and he has the home run upside we require in tournaments.
Other Catchers to Target – Brian McCann, Evan Gattis, Welington Castillo, J.P. Arencibia
FIRST BASE
Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs – If salary isn’t a concern, Anthony Rizzo is my top play at first base tonight. Rizzo has been tearing the cover off the ball recently with 10 hits in his last five contests, including three doubles, a home run and five RBIs. Rizzo has massive potential in his matchup versus Tyler Cravy.
Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers – Despite the .219 batting average, Mike Napoli can still be productive hitter, especially against left-handed pitching (.396 wOBA). At this point in his career he is pretty much a boom-or-bust option, but at his price across the industry, I am willing to roll the dice on him in a few tournament lineups. At the very least he should see plenty of RBI opportunities hitting in the middle of the Rangers’ batting order.
Other First Basemen to Target – Paul Goldschmidt, Jose Abreu, Lucas Duda, Justin Bour
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros – There is a so much to like at second base tonight that it is actually difficult to narrow it down to two options. Any time Altuve faces a southpaw you have to get at least some exposure to him in tournaments. Altuve’s number versus lefties at home (.422 BA, .460 wOBA) are just ridiculous.
Kolten Wong, St. Louis Cardinals – If you are looking for a value play at the keystone position tonight, Kolten Wong fits the bill. Wong has struggled since the all-star break, but a matchup versus gas can Keyvius Sampson puts him back on our radar this evening. Sampson has been terrible this season (7.09 ERA, 1.86 WHIP) and lefties are smashing him (.430 wOBA).
Other Second Basemen to Target – Logan Forsythe, Jason Kipnis, Dee Gordon, Jonathan Schoop
THIRD BASE
Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals – How can you not love Matt Carpenter tonight? Carpenter is a hit-machine against right-handed pitching (.382 wOBA with 28 doubles, 18 home runs and 52 RBIs) and Keyvius Sampson gives out hits to lefties like candy on Halloween. Look for another multi-hit effort form Carpenter in this game.
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays – Evan Longoria against a lefty in Fenway Park? Yes please! Longoria this year is doing what he has always done, and that is to crush southpaws (.353 BA, .411 wOBA). Longoria is a notorious lefty killer and I love his upside in this matchup.
Other Third Basemen to Target – Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Aramis Ramirez, Kyle Seager
SHORTSTOP
Carlos Correa, Houston Astros – If you can afford to pay up at shortstop tonight, I would look to roster Carlos Correa as much as possible. Hector Santiago was excellent in the first four months of the season, but he has really scuffled in August (6.21 ERA) and September (4.61 ERA). Correa has hammered left-handed pitching in 2015 (.377 wOBA) and he has more upside than any other shortstop.
If you decide to fade Correa, I would go with a value shortstop. Both Jordy Mercer and Jhonny Peralta have fantastic matchups and they allow you to load up elsewhere. Dollar for dollar, these are your two best options at shortstop.
Other Shortstops to Target – Francisco Lindor, Xander Bogaerts, Elvis Andrus
OUTFIELD
Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals – If you roll out a value pitcher, it just makes sense to get some exposure to Bruce Harper this evening. Harper is the hottest hitter on the planet right now as he has produced five multi-hit performances in his last seven games, including five long-balls. If Baltimore pitches to him, you can bet he will make them pay.
Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates – I expect most fantasy owners to pay up for Andrew McCutchen if they roster a Pirates outfielder tonight, and that should keep Marte’s ownership fairly low in tournaments. Marte is on a heater with six hits in his last two games, including a double and two bombs. Right-handed batters have hit Chris Rusin hard at home this season (.353 wOBA) and I expect that trend to continue in Coors Field tonight.
Value Outfielders – Rajai Davis has always hit left-handed pitching well and he is not afraid to steal against them. Jose Quintana has not had much luck versus the Tigers and Davis has hit him well (.316 BA, .350 OBP in 40 plate appearances) in his career. Lefties have been “(player-popup)Jeremy Guthrie”:/players/jeremy-guthrie-10953’s kryptonite throughout his career and Seth Smith has feasted on right-handed pitching over the years. As a bonus, Smith has crushed Guthrie (6-9 with two doubles) in a small sample size. Brandon Guyer is coming off a huge game last night (3-for-4 with a home run) and he has thrived against lefties this year (.364 wOBA).
Other Outfielders to Target – George Springer, Dexter Fowler, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Curtis Granderson, Mikie Mahtook