Daily Dime: Rosario, Howard, Owings and other bargains
Only seven games on the Monday slate, and one of ’em is a noon start. At least it’s Harvey Day. Please remember to check the weather reports and scan today’s MLB lineups prior to game time. Now let’s look for bargains…
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Ryan Howard, 1B, at Col (Lyles), $3400 at FanDuel: Howard’s flaws are well-documented, but he’s slashing .314/.375/.588 with three homers so far this month. He’s also 7-for-14 over his last four games, and, for what it’s worth, he’s 3-for-8 with a double in his career against Lyles. I’m happy to take him at Coors at this price.
Maikel Franco, 3B, at Col (Lyles), $2200: Franco is a 22-year-old power-hitting prospect (with minimal on-base skills), recently recalled by Philly. At this price, in a friendly hitting environment, I’m willing to take a shot. He went 2-for-4 on Sunday with a triple, homer and two RBIs, and Lyles certainly isn’t a pitcher you need to avoid.
Jake Marisnick, OF, vs. Oak (Pomeranz), $2600: After a scorching hot start Marisnick has finally cooled off a bit, though he’s still hitting .291 with nine steals. Two of Jake’s three homers this season have been hit off left-handed pitching, including one at Oakland against Pomeranz. If you’re rolling out one of Monday’s pricier starters — someone like Harvey, Kluber or Sale — then you’re going to need to go cheap somewhere.
Chris Owings, SS, at Mia (Haren), $3300: Owings is on a silly tear right now, riding a six-game hitting streak that includes five multi-hit efforts. He’s enjoyed facing Dan Haren over the past three years, going 9-for-14 with a pair of doubles. No reason to think Owings won’t keep hitting.
Billy Burns, OF, at Hou (McCullers), $2500: Whenever I write the Dime, there’s a decent chance you’ll get a blurb about Billy Burns. That’s just how it goes. Burns is still dirt-cheap, despite the .321 average and three steals in 13 starts. He went 3-for-4 from the lead-off spot on Sunday against the White Sox, scoring a run and swiping a bag.
Wilin Rosario, C, vs. Phi (Hamels), $3500: As many of you already know, Rosario has a history of crushing lefties. Over the course of his career, he’s slashed .329/.363/.645 against LHPs with 31 home runs in 377 at-bats. Not too shabby. Hamels, of course, is not some league-average left-hander, but Rosario has a solid history against him, going 4-for-12 with two bombs.
Khris Davis, OF, at Det (Lobstein), $2800 : Milwaukee faces a LHP who was hammered in his last appearance (2.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER), so this matchup would seem to favor Davis. RHBs have hit .325/.386/.450 against Lobstein so far this year. On a light day, at this price, I’m in.
Dan Haren, P, vs. Ari (de la Rosa), $7800: To be perfectly honest, I’m not all that interested in the starting pitchers beyond today’s top three (Harvey, Sale, Kluber). But if you’re looking for a Hail Mary at a decent price, Haren fits. He’s pitching at home — which he seems to enjoy — and he’s facing an opponent that’s lost seven of nine. Traditionally, Haren does his best work in the early months, so this is the time to use him (if there’s ever a time).
Wilmer Flores, SS, vs. STL (Lackey), $2600: Flores has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, clearing the fence three times since May 10. Lackey has been solid, sure, but he’s not on the must-avoid list. Owings is my Plan A at short, and Wilmer is my cheaper Plan B.
Carlos Ruiz, C, at Col (Lyles), $3000: Here’s one more way to get a share of the Coors Field action on Monday, if you can’t quite afford Rosario. Ruiz is working on a modest five-game hitting streak, and he’s slashing .297/.350/.378 in May. Facing a sketchy starter in a friendly park, I’m interested.
