MME Playbook Pitching Pool for FanDuel and DraftKings
Pitchers Guidelines
Make sure you have a minimum of 5-10% on each of the following, however, similar to our max exposure guidelines above – the more lineups you have the more acceptable it is to target any one player or stack with a higher exposure. If you have 150 lineups and love CC Sabathia, then throw 20% minimum on him which would result in 30 lineups out of your 150. If you only have 20 lineups, you might want to just have 10% or so which would result in a minimum of 2 lineups with CC. *Just remember, your pitching percentage on DraftKings is 200% total due to there being 2 pitching slots. I am normally more apt to have a higher minimum exposure on DK just due to the two pitcher spots*
I personally prefer to throw a minimum percentage of 5-10% on my FanDuel pool and a minimum of 10-20% on my Draftkings pitching pool. I try not to have a total higher than 60% on FanDuel and 120% on DraftKings. This allows the DS Optimizer to use the projections and algorithm to fill in 40% of the pool based on its own optimal approach.
Pitchers:
Zack Greinke – Since the All-Star break, Greinke has three straight quality starts, giving up just 1 or 2 runs in each game. That said, he gave up a home run in each game and has just 15 strikeouts in those 20 innings. I am worried about this start in Texas, however, I think Greinke is priced around others in better spots and the fear of playing in Texas will keep his ownership in the single-digits. This is purely an ownership play and I still love his ceiling. Great MME/GPP option for Single Entry.
Marco Gonzalez – Marco has a 73% strike ratio in the past three starts and has had two gems and one stinker since the ASB. His control is the optimistic view and his home runs issues as of late (5 total in last 3 starts) is the pessimistic view. I am banking on this 3-game stretch being the outlier because Gonzalez had only given up 12 home runs in 125 innings pitched (less than 1 per game) before the break.
Sean Manaea – Another mid-tier option (best price point for targeting in MME) in the same game as Marco Gonzalez is Sean Manaea. Over his last three starts, he’s given up just a 24% hard-hit rate and an 89 MPH exit velocity. The downside is that he’s extremely volatile and that is showcased by his last two starts.
On August 1st, he went 6 innings and had 5 strikeouts and gave up just 1 earned run. On August 7th, he went 2.2 innings and gave up 3 earned runs and was pulled after 77 pitches because he couldn’t find the strike zone.
Sean Reid-Foley – I’ll discuss what I want to do with him in Slack because this is a crucial decision for today’s slate due to his price.
I am saving the rest of my pitcher pool for members and will drop those in Slack chat along with all of the other coaches “Slack Notes”.
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Congratulations to a staffer and a member with his SECOND $100,000 Winner in 10-days!
A staffer, “dabbingpuggle” took home $10,000 and $20,000 with a strong MME approach on FanDuel while the member, “dradt/bv6211” took home his second $100,000 prize over the last two weeks and then another $50,000 and $30,000 on Saturday. He attributes his success to contest selection and using our tools that the company provides. You can read about his success and an interview with him (prior to last night’s $80,000 wins) HERE.
Congratulations to both of you!
MME Playbook Stacks for FanDuel and DraftKings
Stacking Guidelines
The first “group” of teams are your primary targets. Your goal is to make sure that you have the largest portion of lineups with these teams fully stacked with either the 3-3, 3-4, or 4-4 settings and 2 or 3 uniques (2 on slates that are smaller and 3 on the larger slates). Lately, I’ve had my most success using a mixture of 3-3 and 3-4/4-3 in the optimizer, rather than full 4-4 stacks. Go with what you prefer in this setting.
The second “group” of teams are your secondary and tertiary targets. You’ll want to sprinkle them in a little on their own and a few of them with your favorite teams from the first group. I try to ensure that about 75% of all my stacks involve a team or teams from Tier 1.
Tier 1 Stack Targets:
Cleveland Indians – Opposing pitcher, Homer Bailey has a 7.64 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, and allowed opposing hitters to shreds him to the tune of a .344 AVG over the last 10-games.
At home in 2018, Bailey has a 6.44 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, and given up a .310 AVG. He is 0-5 in 8 games and 43.1 innings pitched. In that sample size, he has given up 31 earned runs and 9 home runs. He’s terrible everywhere but even more so at home.
Atlanta Braves – In game 2 of a doubleheader, the Braves get to face a long-reliever (and a bad one at that) in the right-handed pitcher, Merandy Gonzalez.
In just 17.1 innings out of the bullpen, Gonzalez has given up 11 earned runs and has a 1.79 WHIP and given up a .311 AVG to opposing hitters. I think the Braves destroy Gonzalez in game 2 against one of the worst bullpens in the league over the last 30-days and will be depleted from the first game of the doubleheader. I love this spot for the Braves.
Arizona Diamondbacks – Bartolo Colon is getting worse as the season progresses and he fatigues. After a decent start to the season, Colon has a 6.41 ERA and given up a .320 AVG in the last 10-games. In 2018, he’s given up 26 home runs in just 130.1 innings pitched. Yikes.
In his last three starts, Colon has given up a 52% hard-hit rate and a 96 MPH exit velocity. I expect fireworks from the Dbacks.
Tier 2 Stack Targets:
St Louis Cardinals – Opposing left-handed pitcher, Tommy Milone, is not good. He was exposed in his last start against the Braves, giving up 7 earned runs and 3 home runs in 6 innings pitched.
In a small sample size in 2018, Milone has given up a .424 wOBA and .283 ISO to right-handed hitters. The Cardinals entire lineup is right-handed hitters except for Matt Carpenter, who is pretty much Superman. This is going to be a disaster for the Nationals.
I am saving the rest of my Tier 2 stacks for my “Slack Notes”. I’ll also be breaking down a Single Entry game plan for today’s main slate.
You can hit me up on Twitter anytime and subscribe to my YouTube channel as I am just getting it off the ground.
Fortune favors the bold, go make your own luck!
-Donuts