This article is part of our The Daily Duel series.
Newbies
Teams continue to call up players plus some veterans come off the DL in this week's "Newbies" section. It's important to track everyone coming back into their team's lineup as they could make for sneaky plays in tournament formats if your opponents aren't keeping track of them.
Jonathan Schoop, BAL, $2400 – At first glance, Schoop's .256/.301/.396 line over 289 plate appearances with Triple-A Norfolk doesn't look overly impressive. Then again, he did this as a 21-year-old. Schoop doesn't have a ton of speed for a middle infielder, but he does offer some pop. He hit 14 home runs at Double-A last season at age 20 and connected on a homer in his first start with the Orioles on Wednesday night. Look for the Orioles to give him some run over their final few games with the team now eliminated from the playoffs.
Marcus Semien, CHI, $3000 – Semien joined the White Sox earlier this month, but he didn't start receiving regular playing until the past two weeks. Since becoming a regular in the lineup, he has been one of the few bright spots for Chicago, hitting .300 while sporting a nice combination of speed and power. Over two minor league levels this season, Semien hit 19 home runs and stole 24 bases while posting a 90:98 K:BB rate. He's not a huge prospect at 23, but the White Sox will give him a shot until the end of the season.
Value Players Looking To Rebound
Here are some players who have seen their values drop significantly due to poor production. You might be surprised at some of the names and how much their stock has fallen. That said, for most of these players there is either a track record of success or enough pedigree that they should be able to turn their season around sooner rather than later and have good value in the near future as a result.
A.J. Pierzynski, TEX, $2800 – Pierzynski is in the midst of a dismal stretch, going 4-for-25 (.160) over the past week. Regardless, he should be in the lineup for the final four games at home against the Angels with the Rangers in the thick of the Wild Card race, and he's hit better in Arlington than on the road. Look for him to come up in the clutch for the Rangers over the weekend.
Chris Johnson, ATL, $2700 – It's kind of odd to see someone who ranks second to only Michael Cuddyer for the National League batting title priced this cheaply. Johnson doesn't hit for a lot of power (11 home runs), but he has 44 extra-base hits while making fewer outs (-.25 points in the FanDuel format) than most players. While it's probably close to impossible for Johnson to catch Cuddyer, look for the Braves to give him the opportunity to do so.
On Fire
These players have been some of the hottest hitters in the league recently. They are worth considering putting into the lineup regardless of their price. Hot streaks do not always last, but one of my rules is if a player is smoking the ball, there is no reason to sit him down.
Howie Kendrick, LAA, $2800 – At this price, Kendrick should have been in my "rebound" section last week. He's the type of player who goes on streaks that make you think he can win a batting title, a feat many pundits thought possible just a couple seasons ago. He's gotten hot over the last week and homered in consecutive games Monday and Tuesday. Angels manager Mike Scioscia has slotted Kendrick into the cleanup spot recently, sandwiching him between Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, a great spot to be in. See if he can carry his streak into the weekend; hitting in Arlington is a great place to be.
Omar Infante, DET – Infante has caught fire over the last week putting up a .989 OPS for the playoff-bound Tigers. He has four home runs over the last 30 days as well and is going to finish with one of the better hitting seasons of his career (.318 average, .798 OPS). Detroit locked up the AL Central on Wednesday night, so make sure Infante is in the lineup before selecting him.
David DeJesus, TB, $2900 – DeJesus seems to have found new life after joining the Rays, as he's sporting an 1.162 OPS over his last 26 at-bats. Ride him while he's hot, as he's a sneaky play since his lack of power typically turns off owners in daily fantasy.
FanDuel/Rotowire $1,500 Week 4 Contest
RotoWire $1500 Contest on FanDuel.com.
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Good Luck!
