Author Archives: hunterstokes21
Odds To Win The 2017 World Series: Nats/Giants/Astros Great Value – Bounce On KC/NYY
For a second straight week we love the Nationals with the best odd value of the week. They have some financial flexibility to bring in a few more ALL – Star Caliber players and also possess the prospects in order to get it done. If you believe (like I do) that the Nats are serious about trading for guys like Andrew McCutchen and Chris Sale, than it is imperative you get this club at their odd this week.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
The Nationals are really making noise about trying to land Andrew McCutchen and Chris Sale. Even if they don’t fulfill the need, I still think they will add more depth via trade for another good Starting Pitcher and also add an impressive CF, and reliever.
We shall wait and see whether or not that could be the likes of Dexter Fowler or a reunion with Ian Desmond to play CF, Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen to be added to for late inning work. At +1200 the Nats are full value for the best odd of the week.
The NL East may be easier to win than the NL West and NL Central if you think the way that most good handicappers are right now. The Mets are dreaming if they think they can contend with 3 Infield Starters with bad backs, and a declining metrics Shortstop, added to not a true CF, and a horrible Catcher offensive situation.
I am trying not to bag on the Mets too much here, as I think they could still rally to win 85 – 90 wins again next year based on the strength of the rest of the Division, it is just the health concerns that would frighten me to pieces. Read the rest of this entry
6 MLB Teams That Will Be Hurt Most By The New CBA
Billy Beane was the king of the front offices just a few years ago, but a future loss of MLB Revenue Sharing and not being able to recoup 1st RD Draft picks by losing star players will hurt them even greater. The AL West also has 4 big market clubs residing it now, with Houston being a lot better than they were in 2013 and 2014 when they first joined the Division from the National League, This time frame was the best the A’s have seen of recent vintage. it will be a tough grind for Oakland to compete until a new stadium is built.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Yesterday we talked about 6 teams that stand to gain an advantage under the new CBA, Today we explore the 6 teams that were hurt most.
While the news of taxing the higher revenue generating teams will work to bridge the top teams to the mid – market revenue clubs. the abolishing of a 1st RD Draft Pick compensation pick being lost to franchises for having signed one of their Qualifying Offer rejected players will hurt many franchises.
Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Oakland. Colorado, San Diego and Milwaukee all had days in my opinion. The Rays, Twins, Reds and Marlins are not too far from list either, however all of those organizations also are not good shape with the new pact either, however they are not as bad as the top 6 clubs.
The Pirates were already thinking about trading Andrew McCutchen, and this should give a violent shove in that direction.
It will also show that players such as Carlos Gonzalez, Sonny Gray, Charlie Blackmon, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Gerrit Cole, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Nolan Arenado will all be dealt before their Team Control expires. It is the new landscape of the CBA.
I would hate the new CBA as these clubs.
Under the old agreement . these teams may have been more apt to take their chances on a playoff run – sighting at least a 1st RD Draft Pick would be coming back their way should their superstars leave their squads. Read the rest of this entry
6 MLB Teams That Will Benefit The Most By The New CBA
The Toronto Blue Jays have had to contend with the overspending in the last 25 years by the Yankees and Red Sox. With stiffer penalties now imposed on the higher payroll clubs. coupled with their recent back to back ALCS Appearances, the franchise draws enough to spend more money on total team salary in the next few years. It will come down to the management’s ability on player personnel that should determine their success for the next 5 years and not sheer finances.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
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Tomorrow we will point out the clubs that were hurt most in the short term. today we talk about the winners of the new deal.
I am calling the Nationals, Mariners, Astros, Jays, Cardinals and Giants the immediate victors under the new format.
When i was thinking about more the past two days, the new structure seems to favor mid level payroll teams more than the lower or higher payroll clubs.
With the new penalties for spending way more money than the Luxury Tax Threshold, the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Tigers are going to find that the impact will run pretty steep on their roster decisions for the next 5 years.
Being that that all of those franchises are still going to dole out the kind of money on player contracts they are, I am not calling them losers for the new CBA either. Read the rest of this entry
The New Luxury Tax Threshold Means The Top 11 Salaried Clubs Will All Be Affected In The Present + Future
The Dodgers have spent over $300 MIL on salary in back to back years, and are the clubhouse leaders in Luxury Tax penalties paid in that time frame. At a 50% penalty currently until falling under the limit for a year, the Los Angeles forked out $40 MIL in Luxury Taxes in 2016. With an estimated $193 MIL payroll already is signed and team controlled players – considering there are several roster holes now created by departing guys, the team will need to spend around $235 MIL in 2017 total payroll in order to be competitive.. With a 50% penalty – and an additional 45% hit for going $40 MIL over the new $195 MIL limit in 2017, I highly expect the organization will be less willing to spend 90 cents extra for every dollar spent beyond that.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
With the new CBA being tentatively signed yesterday through 2021 – the lower payroll teams will finally see some steeper enforcement of higher payroll squads.
With several penalties that range up to a 90% max penalty for spending over the limit, the dollars finally make sense for the MLB to curtail a team going rogue on their payroll spending.
Under the new deal, the format will jump from a team’s AAV (Average Annual Value) limit of $189 MIL to $195 MIL in 2017, $197 MIL in 2018, $206 MIL in 2019, $208 MIL in 2020 and $210 MIL on 2021.
The penalty for a 1st year abuser went from 12.5% to 20%, The 2nd year Still remains at 30%, the 3rd season escalates from 40% previously to 50% already. Each campaign the team is over following 3 years, the team is nailed for 50% of money spent over the limit.
Additionally, the franchise will pay a fee of 12% for spending between $20 MIL to $40 MIL over the Threshold.
If a organization goes $40 MIL over, they are faced with a surcharge of 42%.
3rd time abusers will pay 45% for every dollar doled out past $40 MIL over.
This means a 1st time penalty would still spank a team to the tune of 60% if a club spends more than $40 MIL over the limit. Read the rest of this entry
New York Yankees State Of The Union For 2017: Stemming The Tide For Upcoming Seasons
The Yankees shocked the baseball world by contending for the last 2 months in 2016 after dealing away Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran at the Deadline. With a the young ‘”Baby Bombers” on the way, tt will take a few good veterans to compliment the talent in order for the Yankees to become extremely dangerous once again. It all starts with the GM Brian Cashman.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
I will be the first one to give credit to Brian Cashman for arranging the July Trade Deadline deal moves to free up a rebuild on the fly. The Yankees rewarded their longterm GM by continuing their season streak of over .500 to 22 years.
The management has also been fortunate that Gary Sanchez fared so incredibly well – so they could sell Brian McCann to the Astros, and effectively free up another $10 MIL into their couch cushions.
As it sits right now the clubs projected roster is looking to be in the $167 MIL range for total team salary. Unfortunately they are still on the hook to CC Sabathia for $25 MIL and Alex Rodriguez for $21 MIL in 2017. even though latter is not even on the roster anymore.
So what do the Yanks do this winter? They are perennial abusers of the Salary Tax Threshold, and have been paying 50% of their dollars spent beyond the limit for the last several years.
With the news of talks proceeding on that number potentially reaching $200 MIL or under the new CBA, the Pinstripers should definitely dole out some bread for Free Agents this offseason.
I would say that for the Bronx Bombers to be competitive for the AL East, they need to add at least $50 MIL in players salaries this winter in order to fight the Jays and Red Sox for the Division.
The Mets And White Sox Should Workout A Mega Blockbuster Trade For Chris Sale
The Mets have enough young Starting Pitching talent to acquire Chris Sale. I have gone one step further in propoisng them to add Adam Eaton, Todd Frazier and David Robertson as well. The Mets would not be signing Yoenis Cespedes under this potential deal.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The New York Mets could use a healthy ace pitcher, natural CF, 3B to move David Wright over to 1B, while the White Sox could stand to replenish their squad with a nice lift of young Starting Pitchers.
The Proposed Idea for a Trade:
To the Mets:
SP – Chris Sale
OF – Adam Eaton
3B – Todd Frazier
RP – David Robertson
To the White Sox
SP – Steven Matz
SP – Robert Gsellman
SP – Seth Lugo
INF – Wilmer Flores
1B – Dominic Smith (Minors)
1B – Lucas Duda
CF – Juan Lagares
MIlwaukee Is Making A Boneheaded Move If Non-Tendering Chris Carter: Should Have Learned From Houston Last Year
Chris Carter would be the perfect ‘cheap’ addition to compete on a lot of American League Rosters. This man has been criminally underrated for the power and walks he has put forth over the last 4 campaigns. With the ability to DH/play 1B or LF, with Milwaukee having 2 years left of team control in Arbitration, the club has DFA’d him, and likely will be forced to release him outright as A Free Agent. The management also signed an unproven MLB’er (Eric Thames) to a guaranteed $15 MIL over 3 years. Pretty bad on all front in my opinion!
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Last year at this time I made the point that the Houston Astros made a big mistake in non-tendering Chris Carter. At that juncture, the man has clubbed 90 HRS over the previous 3 campaigns with the Astros.
Houston struggled at the First Base Position all year in 2016 – with a collection of Tyler White, Marwin Gonzalez, Luis Valbuena and Yulieski Gurriel. With just bringing forth 84 wins. with the cutoff for the playoffs at 89 victories, one could say the franchise could have used the slugger ( and his .821 OPS, 41 HRs and 94 RBI).
The ‘Stros’ finished with production of .232/.299/.381 – 19 HRs, 62 RBI out of the position – which had a huge factor in them not reaching the playoffs, having the 2nd worst offensive output for the American League (Yankees – the worst).
Carter is a powerful dude who is a kind of the new Adam Dunn of the Majors. If he qualified for HR/PER AB ALL – Time with 3000 PA (he has 2645 his 14.97 AB per homer would rank him 13th in Major League Baseball History. So where is the love? Read the rest of this entry
The Nationals Should Definitely Sign Aroldis Chapman!
Aroldis Chapman is on pace to be one of the best ALL – Time Closers in the game. Toting a Career ERA of 2.08 – and a incredible 15.2/Per 9 IP SO rate, this man is about as hard to hit as they come. Entering the 2017 season at just Age 28, I would have no qualms about inking this man to a 6 year deal – worth anywhere from $90 – $100 MIL. He will have a few suitors. With the Nationals having an escalating payroll, this might be the best way to sign one guy to galvanize the team.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
This is an absolutely pivotal year for the Washington Nationals. They have many of their players locked up for 1 – 2 more years, but an escalating payroll also has entered the fray, and now they are in deep trouble to re-sign Bryce Harper when he comes up for Free Agency in 2019.
Looking at the projected player payroll for the current roster – and this franchise sits at about $155 MIL in 2017. They have some maneuvers they could pull off to take the money down slightly.
I would start with trading Gio Gonzalez to free up $12 MIL. This guy is the #4 or #5 at best. Yes we have seen lesser pitchers like Andrew Cashner sign a deal for one year at $10 MIL with the Rangers, however that has more to do with the Texas depth.
By dealing Gonzalez. the Nationals still would have a rotation of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Tanner Roark, Joe Ross and Lucas Giolito, with Reynaldo Lopez and A.J. Cole likely seeing some action first out of the “Taxi squad.”
Quite simply put, the Nationals are extremely talented with 2 pitchers that could win the Cy Young (Scherzer who won it in 2016 and Strasburg, who could have won it had they given out an award at the ALL – Star Break) and up to 3 players that would be listed among the top 15 NL MVP favorites (Harper, Daniel Murphy and Trea Turner), but they do possess a few holes with losing Wilson Ramos and Mar Melancon off the end of the year Roster.
I fully think they should shore up their Late Inning work by signing Aroldis Chapman to whatever he wants this winter. Read the rest of this entry
Seattle Mariners Showing A Riverboat Gambler Mentality With The Segura Deal: Why Not Covet Chris Carter Next?
The Seattle Mariners at a massive fork in the road for their franchise. The bulk of the roster is right at the peak of their careers, and with the A’s and Angels rebuilding. -and perhaps the Rangers taking a step back, GM Jerry DiPoto trading a young SP with a ton of potential in Taijuan Walker, in order to secure the biggest weakness the club suffered down the stretch in the 2016 season. In landing Jean Segura, the brass is hoping they have found the Leadoff man/Shortstop that will hep the break the longest MLB Playoff Drought currently.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
i love the Jean Segura trade for the Martiners. In a deal announced over Thanksgiving, the M’s picked up the 2016 All – Star 2B/SS, along with Mitch Haniger and Zac Curtis for a return of Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker.
The real meat of this trade boils down to Segura vs Walker.
I definitely think the SS position was a sore spot for Seattle down the stretch in 2016 – with Marte slumping after a hot start to begin the campaign.
Yes pitching is at a premium in the market place right now, however Walker, now 24, hasn’t delivered to the hype he came into the MLB with – and Seattle had him pegged as the #3 Starter on the Depth Chart, despite Ariel Miranda outperforming him last season.
Segura led the NL with hits in 2016 (203) – and featured a career best .319/.368/.499 – with an astounding 71 XBH (20 HRs, 7 = 3B and 41 Doubles.) This helped the 26 Year Old tally 102 Runs Scored, while swiping 33 Bases.
Even though projecting a repeat performance out of Segura in 2017 may be a huge stretch, this man posted an incredible overall year and it may be one of the most underrated campaigns for an offensive player in the Majors this past campaign. Read the rest of this entry
Odds To Win The 2017 World Series:
The Nationals feature 3 potential MVPs and 2 Cy Young Pitchers as their top talent – while the rest of the Division struggles with overcoming roster hauls, rebuilding and tragedy. The Cubs are the expected overwhelming favorite, however they don’t pay nearly enough, and nothing is ever certain in the playoffs. Give me the Nats as the best on the board currently.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
If you bet with your mind and not your heart in the last 12 months, than you would have lost on the World Series predictions. I prognosticated in my yearly preseason bets that I thought the Cubs would win the Fall Classic, but profusely hated the odds of +500 to begin the campaign.
I still fully capitalized on my preseason wager of picking the Dodgers at +1500 for $50, along with the Mets and Nationals at +1100 for $50 a piece as well.
That, coupled with my Baltimore Orioles AL pick to win the AL Pennant at 28/1 Odds served to put me into a position to hedge several bets in the playoffs to turn a nice profit. Later in the week we will delve into the websites entire wagers for the whole calendar season.
The reigning champions are also extreme favorites again heading into 2017 – at a +280 clip. I may pick them to win another World Series again in my actual predictions, however those are still horrible odds to throw some cabbage down on.
Betting The Underdog In The Playoffs Has Proven Wisely The Last 3 Years
So it started with a late rally with the 2014 AL Wild Card Game, and ever since that result, only 3 series have been won by the favorite, and now 2 more underdogs have taken 2 – 0 leads in this years postseason.
If you were a betting man and took all of the longshots, you would have made a fortune as all the 9 rounds were lost by the favorite.
2014 AL Wild card
Oakland was favored over KC and stormed out to 7 – 3 lead before imploding with a Royals running attack that feasted on Jon Lester and then the A’s Bullpen.
2014 ALDS Round
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were wiped out by Kansas City in the next round. as were the Tigers by the Orioles
2014 ALCS
Baltimore was actually favored to win the pennant, but the Royals took em out in a sweep. Read the rest of this entry
MLB DFS Strategies: How To Stack 3, 5 + 7 Teams + 3 Pitchers To Win Money
We are using a formula that is not being implemented by anyone else. Granted this theory works way better on FanDuel than on DraftKings, but is also a great GPP maneuver for the bigger totals on DraftKings. We also like the choice between the two sites. Being able to switch off players on DraftKings, and have 15 games per day is conducive to more other player rosters spread out over the field. This system does not mesh well with head to head to double up formulas. It is best used with Quintuple up winnings, or great big jackpots. Your 9, 30 or 63 rosters will all be different – and you’re hoping that one of the variations will be that one to hit it big.
We posted a little while ago on our new MLB Reports MLB DFS strategy. First off I will say that it works far better on FanDuel, and FanPicks than it does on DraftKings, however we will not exclude DK from the discussion – as the payout big if you do hit, but it can be a grind.
The sites where they give you more points for offense is the big deal there.
So what we do is isolate three pitchers (one ace, one mid level and one bargain) who we like for the slate of games. Then based on the team stacks that are good, we decide whether or not to implore 3, 5 or 7 team stacks. Depending on this number determines whether you use 9, 30 or 63 rosters for the night.
Based on what contest you like to use, you must check on the max entries for your selections. We must commonly use 5 stacks with the three pitchers. This gives you the chance to both use DraftKings and FanDuel on equal footing.
Since you must use two pitchers on DraftKings, the three pitchers will be on 66.67% of your lineups, while on FanDuel each chucker is used once for 33.33%. It still stands to reason you need to have 2 of the 3 chuckers to throw well on any given night to turn a profit. If all 3 are good, your chances increase even more. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For FanDuel – 5/19/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post.
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS FanDuel style.
We Will Give You – Daily
5 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these 5 squads).
3 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
11 Games – ALL Day Slate (DraftKings, Thursday May 19, 2016)
Stacking Options – Todays Ranking
(1) Cubs vs Junior Guerra
(2) O’s vs Nate Karns
(3) White Sox vs Collin McHugh
(4) Yankees vs Kendall Graveman
(5) Pirates vs Mike Foltynewicz
3 Pitchers to use.
(1) Chris Sale, HOU @ CWS, $12, 100
(2) Marco Estrada, TOR @ MIN, $8400
(3) Jeff Locke, ATL @ PIT, $6900
Sample Lineup 1
P – Chris Sale, HOU @ CWS, $12, 100
C – Miguel Montero, CHC @ MIL, $2400 (Tucker Barnhart as backup, $2300)
1B – Mark Teixeira, NYY @ OAK, $2700
2B – Gordon Beckham, ATL @ PIT. $2400
3B – Chase Headley, NYY @ OAK, $2800
SS – Javier Baez, CHC @ MIL, $2800
OF – Jacoby Ellsbury , NYY @ OAK, $3100
OF – Brett Gardner, NYY @ OAK, $3100
OF – Jason Heyward, CHC @ MIL, $3600
$35, 000, 000 ($0 left)
Sample Lineup 2
P – Marco Estrada, TOR @ MIN, $8400
C – Miguel Montero, CHC @ MIL, $2400 (Tucker Barnhart as backup, $2300)
1B – John Jaso, ATL @ PIT, $3100
2B – Brett Lawrie, HOU @ CWS, $3000
3B – Todd Frazier, HOU @ CWS, $4200
SS – Jordy Mercer, ATL @ PIT, 2700
OF – Adam Eaton, HOU @ CWS, $4000
OF – Andrew McCutchen. ATL @ PIT, $4300
OF – Melky Cabrera, HOU @ CWS, $2900
$ 35, 000, 000 ($0 left)
Sample Lineup 3
P – Jeff Locke, ATL @ PIT, $6900
C – Matt Wieters or Caleb Joseph are both at $2100, SEA @ BAL
1B – Anthony Rizzo, CHC @ MIL $4600
2B – Jonathan Schoop, SEA @ BAL, $2900
3B – Kris Bryant, CHC @ MIL $4600
SS – Javier Baez, CHC @ MIL, $2800
OF – Dexter Fowler, CHC @ MIL, $4000
OF – Mark Trumbo, SEA @ BAL, $3600
OF – Adam Jones, SEA @ BAL, $3400
$34, 700, 000 ($300 left)
If you’re not familiar with the points breakdown, here’s the format utilizing a $35 million salary cap.
Scoring System: https://www.fanduel.com/spring-training?t=lobby
1 Starting Pitcher (SP)
1 Catcher (C)
1 First Baseman (1B)
1 Second Baseman (2B)
1 Third Baseman (3B)
1 Short Stop (SS)
3 Outfielders (OF)
Game Types: https://www.fanduel.com/how-it-works
50-50s
If you’re interested in playing DFS games, please use my Fanduel referral link to signup.
Please use the Referral Link for a signup bonus:
https://www.fanduel.com/?invitedby=bobadney&cnl=da
*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***
A big thanks goes out to our ‘Chief Writer/Part Owner’ Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s featured post.
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MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For DraftKings – 5/19/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post.
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style.
We Will Give You – Daily
5 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these 5 squads).
3 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
MLB Daily Fantasy Picks (DFS) For FanDuel – 5/18/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
We are ramping up our coverage on DFS play at MLB Reports, and will include some strategy articles in the forthcoming days and weeks. We come from a high level of handicapping backgrounds, and have been given the go ahead from the braintrust at MLB Reports to start sharing some of these with you.
Of course Chuck Booth (MLB Reports Majority Owner) and I spearheaded this movement back a few years ago with just regular baseball futures. We were not sure if we wanted to go ahead with the MLB DFS Fantasy at all, but were finally convinced for demand by a couple of our BBBA writers (Josh Robbins and Trey Rose). The need is there and we are looking to deliver.
I have played DFS long enough to be the guy who writes the posts here. The gambling philosophy championed by Booth in the 90’s is brilliant for any sources of tournaments or gambling period!
It weaves the Martingale Betting System (progressive betting with the double up theory) and it fosters it with several other techniques so you don’t bet against yourself.
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS FanDuel style.
We Will Give You – Daily
5 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these 5 squads).
3 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget). Read the rest of this entry
MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For DraftKings – 5/18/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
We are ramping up our coverage on DFS play at MLB Reports, and will include some strategy articles in the forthcoming days and weeks. We come from a high level of handicapping backgrounds, and have been given the go ahead from the braintrust at MLB Reports to start sharing some of these with you.
Of course Chuck Booth (MLB Reports Majority Owner) and I spearheaded this movement back a few years ago with just regular baseball futures. We were not sure if we wanted to go ahead with the MLB DFS Fantasy at all, but were finally convinced for demand by a couple of our BBBA writers (Josh Robbins and Trey Rose). The need is there and we are looking to deliver.
I have played DFS long enough to be the guy who writes the posts here. The gambling philosophy championed by Booth in the 90’s is brilliant for any sources of tournaments or gambling period!
It weaves the Martingale Betting System (progressive betting with the double up theory) and it fosters it with several other techniques so you don’t bet against yourself.
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style.
We Will Give You – Daily
5 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these 5 squads).
3 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For DraftKings – 5/17/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
We are ramping up our coverage on DFS play at MLB Reports, and will include some strategy articles in the forthcoming days and weeks. We come from a high level of handicapping backgrounds, and have been given the go ahead from the braintrust at MLB Reports to start sharing some of these with you.
Of course Chuck Booth and I spearheaded this movement back in a few years ago with just regular baseball futures. We were not sure if we wanted to go ahead with the MLB DFS Fantasy at all, but were finally convinced for demand by a couple of our BBBA writers (Josh Robbins and Trey Rose). The need is there and we are looking to deliver.
I have played DFS long enough to be the guy who writes the posts here. The gambling philosophy championed by Booth in the 90’s is brilliant for any sources of tournaments or gambling period. It weaves the Martingale Betting System (progressive betting with the double up theory) and it fosters it with several other techniques so you don’t bet against yourself.
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Look for that in coming days. Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style.
We Will Give You – Daily
5 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these 5 squads).
3 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 7 – May
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 Follow The MLBreports On Twitter
MAY 15, 2016
Well not much has changed from this week as compared to last week. Detroit carried its free fall to 4th in the AL Central, the Yankees took 5 of 7 contests – and 7/10 in their homestand to save their season for now.
Miami and Philadelphia continue to stick around in the NL East, and the Giants and Dodgers finally had winning weeks to make the NL West Division Leader respectable.
Nobody looks scarier right now than the Boston Red Sox offense, who led by David Ortiz, Jackie Bradley JR. and Xander Bogaerts, plated 10 runs or more in 5 of the last 6 games, after going their 1st 32 games without doing so.
I am still awaiting for a Jays big winning streak. Houston has not played winning baseball since the 1st 6 weeks of the 2015 – and are tending to resemble the 2007 Tampa Bay Rays more than anything.
All offense and little pitching and defense.
There is nobody struggling worse than Logan Morrison, Russell Martin, Carlos Gomez and the consortium of LF’s in Anaheim! Recently bouncing out of this list are Jason Heyward and Chase Headley.
We are nearing the quarter pole and rapidly approaching Memorial Day Weekend, so it is not early anymore.
Read the rest of this entry
MLB Daily Fantasy Picks (DFS) For FanDuel – 5/15/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Sunday is always a crapshoot with everything involved, so make sure you check your starting lineups, weather and backup Catcher roles.
The game I am keying on more than others today is the game at Camden Yards. With contests in Coors Field, Chase Field and Miller Park also featuring on massive hitter friendly venues, I will be playing a roster on all of them.
The Tigers are still criminally underpriced on FanDuel right now, as their losing streak has a ton more to do with their horrific Late Inning Relief of late.
I am waiting for Justin Upton to start cracking the ball, and will play him on a roster for 2 – 3 weeks once he starts rolling. He is a type of guy who will bash 10 HRs in a month at least once in a baseball year.
In the same game, I am running with Jonathan Schoop, who clubbed 2 jacks Saturday – and could easily go yard again on Sunday.
Adam Jones is also on fire – after early season struggles, and is a nice bargain at $2800. Manny Machado took a goose egg for FPP – and I simply can’t think he will do this two games in a row.
Tentatively, I also have put Nolan Reimold into the lineup, should he not be played, I am going to use Yasiel Puig on a wildcard throw out there at $2400.
I would have loved to have implored the Jays lineup – however they were all way out of whack for the price – so I am only going to use Troy Tulowitzki.
The Tigers are facing Kevin Gausman, yet have several hitters that just lace fastballs.
As for my pitcher – I am going with Masahiro Tanaka. The White Sox have guys that whiff in their lineup something fierce, and I like Tanaka over Miguel Gonzalez in this matchup.
MAY 15, 2016…All Day Slate – Camden Heavy
P – Masahiro Tanaka, CWS @ NYY, $9800
C – Victor Martinez. DET @ BAL, $3500
1B – Miguel Cabrera. DET @ BAL, $3700
2B – Jonathan Schoop. DET @ BAL, $2800
3B – Manny Machado, DET @ BAL, $4200
SS – Troy Tulowitzki, TOR @ TEX, $2800
OF – Justin Upton, DET @ BAL, $2900
OF – Adam Jones, DET @ BAL, $2800
OF – Nolan Reimold, DET @ BAL, $2600 (Or Yasiel Puig, STL @ LAD, $2400, vs Mike Leake)
$35, 000, 000 ($0 Left)
2nd Sample Lineup – Coors Field Stack
P – Danny Duffy, ATL @ KC, $6800
C – Victor Martinez, DET @ BAL, $3500 or Buster Posey SF @ ARI, $3400
1B – Lucas Duda, NYM @ COL, $3800
2B – Neil Walker, NYM @ COL, $3500
3B – Danny Valencia, OAK @ TB, $2400
SS – Marcus Semien, OAK @ TB $2200
OF – Yoenis Cespedes, NYM @ COL, $5000
OF – Curtis Granderson, NYM @ COL, $3700
OF – Carlos Gonzalez, NYM @ COL, $4000
$35, 000, 000 ($0 Left)
If you’re not familiar with the points breakdown, here’s the format utilizing a $35 million salary cap.
Scoring System: https://www.fanduel.com/spring-training?t=lobby
1 Starting Pitcher (SP)
1 Catcher (C)
1 First Baseman (1B)
1 Second Baseman (2B)
1 Third Baseman (3B)
1 Short Stop (SS)
3 Outfielders (OF)
Game Types: https://www.fanduel.com/how-it-works
50-50s
If you’re interested in playing DFS games, please use my Fanduel referral link to signup.
Please use the Referral Link for a signup bonus:
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*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***
A big thanks goes out to our ‘Chief Writer/Part Owner’ Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s featured post.
To Subscribe and listen daily to ‘Our Lead Personality’ Sully’s 20 Minutes Daily (every day since Oct.24, 2012) Podcast click here. Guaranteed listening to the Sully Baseball Daily Podcast will be the best time you invest in online!
MLB Daily Fantasy Picks (DFS) For FanDuel – 5/12/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Clayton Kershaw won me a lot of money last start, and I will use him every time he is Starting.
I like using an affordable stack alongside the LHP, so I am using the struggling Tigers at hitter friendly Camden Yards tomorrow night.
Again, love FanDuel with using Victor Martinez as a Catcher. he can go in a 4 player stack with J.D. Martinez, Miguel Cabrera and Justin Upton.
In order to afford this lineup, I am using the KC Royals in another mini stack, imploring the use of Alcides Escobar, Alex Gordon and Omar Infante. All 3 men are decent contact free swingers, who can do damage against Nate Eovaldi.
Since Aaron Hill crushed it last Saturday night with Kershaw’s start in the same day – I put him in the lineup again. Not bad value for $2100 the way he has performed recently.
MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 5 – May
The Bucs have the best Batting Average and OBP in the majors this year, and are waiting for the Starting Pitching to join them. Considering they have talent in the Minor Leagues to address this, and won 98 Games last year, it is not surprising to see them jump 10 spots in the rankings on a great week of play – where so many of their fellow NL clubs (besides the Nats and Cubs struggled so mightily).
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_Hunter21
Follow The MLBreports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Disclaimer: We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series. Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.
Game Records were before the results of the ESPN Sunday Night Game was played
Gone are the days right now where a Yankees and Red Sox Sunday Night matchup wasn’t important in the pantheon that are the weekly MLB Power Rankings.
Boston is still going to be in the top 10 as the AL East lone representative on the heels of their offensive output.
Every time I look up the Beantown Boys are into the double digits in hits for the game, and David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia are in the thick of it.
While they also didn’t make the biggest movers and shakers either, John Farrell‘s club is looking poised to be cracking the top 5 soon.
The NL West have all teams .500 or worse, and I am shocked at how that has translated for the Dodgers and Giants. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For FanDuel – 5/1/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
I am still surprised on what the Astros have served up to us this year. They are 7 – 17 and on the verge of being blasted out of their season. It is this reason why I will stack this club against Rich Hill.
1st off…It is hard to sweep clubs, and teams that have the 1st 2 games of a weekend series tend to slack a little in the history of this game.
I also can’t fathom Rich Hill pitching like a CY Young winner all year as well. Give me Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis as the Catcher option (he may DH, but is a great chance for the slot to use, and at $2700 he is a bargain.)
For this very theme I will pick Doug Fister as my Starter. He is value priced at $6700, and I can’t see a better park to use the light throwing chucker.
To keep some payroll for another stack with the Detroit Tigers, I have implored Brandon Drury in my lineup for $2700. This continues to be play every day right now, and he has performed well.
Justin Upton tends to bunch his HRs together, so I added him and Miguel Cabrera to the docket on Sunday.
If Miggy doesn’t end up playing, I would also not mind playing Chris Carter – as well (plus could then switch Drury for Nick Castellanos), as I am going to use Ryan Braun in the OF.
Weather plays a big factor, as does Sunday lineups, so watch for all. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For FanDuel – 4/30/16 + Bonus 2nd Lineup
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
The Tigers have definitely heated up their lineup in the last week – and are perhaps still vastly underrated on FanDuel right now. Looking to capitalize on low values for Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez.
I also believe in the NY Yankees getting the better of Rick Porcello on Saturday with LHB Brett Gardner and Brian McCann. I added Starlin Castro to the fold at Fenway Park.
For some reason, the Yankees do well at Fenway for batting anyway. Plus I can’t think that Porcello will keep up his success either.
There is a lot of frontline pitchers throwing on Saturday, so I am steering clear of a a ton of cash on FanDuel. I do love Francisco Liriano vs the Reds. Heck, I love anyone against the Reds – who are starting their freefall.
The Yankees and Tigers are kind of an old unconventional duo for a couple of stacks, and that is what I am hoping for. I may play a Chase Field lineup as well – and just call it a day. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For FanDuel – 4/29/16
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
Starting Pitchers
P – Jon Lester, ATL @ CHC, $11, 000
P – Juan Nicasio, CIN @ PIT, $6800
Team Stacks
Chicago Cubs vs Aaron Blair
Arizona vs Tyler Chatwood
Colorado vs Robbie Ray Read the rest of this entry
MLB Daily Fantasy Picks DFS For FanDuel 4/27/16
Team Stack #1 includes the Nats 1, 2, 3 and possibly #5 or #6 hitter with Michael Taylor, Anthony Rendon, Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth. Washington will face off against the Phillies RHP Jeremy Hellickson Wed night at Nationals Park in DC.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
I am all for thinking that Jake Arrieta will continue to deal with the rest of the pitchers, but he is so overpriced on FanDuel, that it will kill the rest of your roster. Yes his PPG is astronomical, and the experts will say to always use he or Clayton Kershaw on days they are pitching. I won’t do it, and then split next to nil with the rest of the punters.
I love betting against the Braves each and every day – and will keep the tradition going for probably the whole year here. Steven Wright is at home versus the powerless Braves.
By using that guy, I am able to stack two lineups with the Red Sox and Nationals, where I can use David Ortiz and Bryce Harper on my roster.
Using the Washington squad minus Daniel Murphy was necessary to implore the Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Pedroia and Ortiz move.
The Nats should still hit those guys 1, 2, 3 and 5 tomorrow, or maybe Werth at 6 vs Jeremy Hellickson.
Bryce Harper was walked 3 times on Tuesday – and you can count one a free pass about once a game right now. Read the rest of this entry
MLB DFS Picks For FanDuel – 4/25/16
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 Follow @mlbreports
There is awesome value with the Detroit Tigers players on Monday. You have Miguel Cabrera all the way down to $3700, Victor Martinez to $2600 and Justin Upton to $3000. I have the Tigers 2 – 5hitters all lined up in a stack.
Against conventional wisdom, I have Carlos Gonzalez against a LHP. With it being Jeff Locke, and CARGO hitting right behind Nolan Arenado, there would have been a nice 3 – 4 combo. Except for than it would mean a weaker OF move with Nori Aoki, and Jose Iglesias at SS.
Now I get to use J.D. Martinez, Carlos Correa and Kyle Seager instead of Arenado, Iglesias and Aoki.
When you can put together a lineup where all 8 guys have been ALL – Stars in the past, and are capable of doing some yard work, than this is exciting. Some of the guys are struggling for sure, but that is why they are priced so low currently.
Starting Pitchers
Marcus Stroman vs White Sox, $8100
Ross Stripling vs Marlins, $7600
Rick Porcello vs Braves, $7400
Team Stacks
Detroit Tigers vs Kendall Graveman
Seattle Mariners vs Doug Fister
Colorado Rockies vs Jeff Locke
Sample Lineup
P – Rick Porcello, $7400
C – Victor Martinez, $2600
1B – Miguel Cabrera, $3700
2B – Robinson Cano, $3700
3B – Kyle Seager, $3000
SS – Carlos Correa $4100
OF – Carlos Gonzalez, $4000
OF – Justin Upton, $3000
OF – J.D. Martinez, $3300
$34, 800, 000 ($200 Left)
If you’re not familiar with the points breakdown, here’s the format utilizing a $35 million salary cap.
Scoring System: https://www.fanduel.com/spring-training?t=lobby
1 Starting Pitcher (SP)
1 Catcher (C)
1 First Baseman (1B)
1 Second Baseman (2B)
1 Third Baseman (3B)
1 Short Stop (SS)
3 Outfielders (OF)
Game Types: https://www.fanduel.com/how-it-works
50-50s
If you’re interested in playing DFS games, please use my Fanduel referral link to signup.
Please use the Referral Link for a signup bonus:
https://www.fanduel.com/?invitedby=bobadney&cnl=da
*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***
A big thanks goes out to our ‘Chief Writer/Part Owner’ Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s featured post.
To Subscribe and listen daily to ‘Our Lead Personality’ Sully’s 20 Minutes Daily (every day since Oct.24, 2012) Podcast click here. Guaranteed listening to the Sully Baseball Daily Podcast will be the best time you invest in online.
MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 4 – April
One is the #1 club in the whole MLB right now, and the other was the biggest mover and shaker of the week for week 3 of MLB action. Both are leading the Central Divisions in their respective leagues behind awesome starting pitching and timely power.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_Hunter21
Follow The MLBreports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Disclaimer: We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series. Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.
Game Records were before the results of the ESPN Sunday Night Game was played.
After a crazy week in which we saw our 1st no hitter, and massive long 16 inning game in Washington, we have for you the MLB Power Rankings.
There was no movement from the top 3 clubs. The NL West saw the Dodgers take a decent lead on the Giants – and that is major critical, as that is the team most likely to give them trouble in their quest for a 4th straight Division crown.
Bryce Harper has pulverized the Phillies, Marlins, Braves and Twins thus far. His late inning heroics are taking him to the next level.
The biggest mover and shaker this week was the White Sox, who climbed up 7 slots. The Giants dropping 8 positions was the biggest decline.
Bad weeks were had by the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees and Astros. All clubs in the AL who are supposed to contend for a playoff slot.
The Mariners won their 3rd straight road series against the Angels (after beating the Yankees and Tribe 1s), and sit just a half game back in the AL West.
Oakland had started 7 – 0 on the road, before yielding 15 runs over the last 2 losses to the Blue Jays. They are tied with the Rangers for the lead in the Division, but it is just a matter of time before they are bounced out in my opinion.
Cleveland had a nice week of 4 – 2 to jump up 5 spots in the rankings. and are that much closer to bringing back Michael Brantley.
Gaining only one spot but having an awesome week were the New York Mets. All the boys are hitting now, and they are 8 – 2 in their last 10 contests. Read the rest of this entry
MLB DFS Picks For FanDuel – 4/22/16
Longoria has bashed 6 HRs in 64 career AB vs CC Sabathia, and is the bargain of the night at just $2900 on FanDuel.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 Follow @mlbreports
Coming off a No hitter in Cincinnati on Thursday, I love the Cubs to continue their dominance over the Reds this weekend. While I would say that Chicago will win the game handedly, the prices are just too high for some of the hitters.
I love picking Bryce Harper in any lineup right now. You always know he will walk even if he doesn’t club the ball out of the yard. I am calling for a stack against the Twins Kyle Gibson.
I also went with 3 Baltimore Orioles vs Chris Young in KC – who is yet to his stride this year.
Chris Davis has got to be the best play in the Majors besides Bryce Harper tomorrow. He should get some lemons to hit over the wall.
I love playing Matt Moore against the struggling Yankees lineup. Their Left Handed hitters like Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner should have a tough time.
The Rays chucker has not allowed a HR to New York’s hitters through 54 AB. Meanwhile, the Rays should be able to score versus an aging CC Sabathia.
Evan Longoria has feasted on the man, and Logan Forsythe has a great short history versus him as well. Read the rest of this entry
Odds To Win The MLB 2016 World Series + Best And Worst Bets
The Mets made it to the World Series in 2015 after a subpar start heading into the Trade Deadline. With a ton of pitching and some decent positional players still on the roster, they could set themselves up for a lengthy run in the NL East. Especially if they can coordinate a couple of trades near the Trade Deadline. While they may have started slow, the bats are alive and well, and the rotation should come around soon. They are this week’s best odd.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_Hunter21
Follow The MLBreports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Nationals asserted themselves on this leaderboard thanks to a quick start. They were my 2nd best bet last week at +1100. Now the odd at +650 is not worth any money at all.
Since Washington was able to play so well, this has created the perfect storm to put some more cash on the Mets. At +1300, New York is just begging for a wager.
The strength of schedule to which the Nats have played has definitely factored in. 2 series versus the Braves and Marlins and one against the Phillies already, Dusty Baker‘s club has had about a ‘cupcake itinerary’ as you possibly could find.
It gets better for the District’s squad, as they go home for another series with Philadelphia – that comes on the heels of a weekend Interleague series versus the Twins.
If Washington wins those 2 series, they should be about 15 or 16 wins after 22 games. They should cement themselves in the playoffs with an easy NL East opponents schedule all year. I just want to see them play some tougher clubs.
The Mets offense has sprung to life behind the backs of Yoenis Cespedes, Neil Walker, David Wright and Michael Conforto. When the Pitching Rotation settles in a little bit, they should take off.
While Washington is leading the Division, they have yet to face the NL reigning pennant winners. The division win could come down to the 19 contests between the two clubs.
Terry Collins‘ team has 16 straight games versus squads with losing records. While the Giants are capable of contending all year, New York should be able to match them well for pitching. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 2 – April
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) Follow @stokes_Hunter21
Follow The MLBreports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Disclaimer: We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series. Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.
The Cubs will top our list for a second straight week despite losing 2 out of 3 games to the Rockies at Wrigley Field this weekend. The biggest reason is the pitching.
Jake Arrieta is 3 – 0, and has picked up right where we he left off in 2015, and Jon Lester has thrown awesome too. The Bullpen has also been good.
The bats are too solid not to come around and gel as the season moves along. They are playing .750 baseball after a 4 – 2 week still.
Bryce Harper is the best player on the planet, and has homered in 6 straight contests at Citizens Bank Ball Park (4 overall in a row for the MLB this year.) Just were a Jonathan Papelbon last minute meltdown from going a perfect 7 – 0 for the week.
Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg. Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy are their top players – and all performing like it, the rest of the club is following through in their secondary roles. This team is scary.
I have the Royals as the top American League club. This squad is 8 – 1 in games that are not started by back end of the rotation man Chris Young.
The reigning 2 time pennant winners have company on the top of the Division to make it interesting, however this team has the better pedigree the last few years.
Some may say with a weekend series win – that the Dodgers should be put in front of the Giants, yet they are still only one game ahead of San Francisco.
With the Giants – there is no real weakness, while with the Los Angeles team, the Bullpen is not giving everyone confidence in the back half of games.
The Dodger Blue is still in the top 5, so I am high on them. Kenta Maeda could be the steal of the winter with how this guy is throwing so far. Reinforcements are starting to come back. Read the rest of this entry
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