Memorial Day MLB is some of the best baseball of the year and it doesn’t look like this year’s version will disappoint. There will be a few games to watch for weather coverage, but expect most if not all of these games to be played on Monday.

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Weather:
CLE/CHI: Rain at 30-40%
TEX/MIN: Rain at 50-60%
NYY/STL: Rain at 40%

Positional Breakdown:

Starting Pitchers

With so many games today, there are plenty of choices. My favorite of the day is Jeff Samardzija. He has a 1.46 ERA on the season and although he has zero wins on the season, his domination won’t need a win to put up big points. He has given up just two earned runs and 15 hits in his last 27 innings. Tanner Roark is my favorite mid-ranged price pitcher today. He faces the Marlins who hit almost 60 points worse on the road (.232) than at home. He’s been very good in five of his last six starts allowing two earned runs or less in those starts.

Two guys that I like, but not as highly as the two previous ones mentioned are Michael Wacha and Yordano Ventura. Wacha has given up three earned runs or less in every start this season. He also throws his changeup 19% of the time, which should be a good equalizer against a heavily left-handed Yankees lineup. Ventura is a nice option today because of his matchup against the Astros. He’s a fastball changeup guy and there are no real Astros hitters that dominate both. He has also given up just two home runs in 27.1 home innings.

Others to Consider: Drew Smyly, Josh Tomlin

Catchers

Devin Mesoraco is my number one catcher for a few good reasons. First, he has crushed them in limited at bats. He’s hitting 8 for 18 against them this season. Secondly, Ryu has given up nine 9 hits in each of his last three starts. He’s very hittable right now even if he isn’t giving up a ton of runs. Evan Gattis gets himself a good matchup today against the struggling Clay Buchholz. Right-handed batters are hitting .360 against him this season and Gattis is coming off a two home run game.

I said that Ventura had a great matchup against the Astros today and that’s true. The only guy that scares me is Jason Castro. I think he’ll do well against Ventura because he is the sixth best hitter in the MLB against the changeup. Ventura throws it a ton, so be aware of this heading into today’s action.

Others to Consider: Derek Norris

First Basemen

There are many first basemen to like, so I won’t go heavy into each one. First, Edwin Encarnacion has to be considered as long as you have the money. The guy has eight home runs in the last 15 days and he gets a lefty today. Justin Morneau gets a great matchup against Kyle Kendrick today, a RHP who gives up a .341 average to LHB this season.

Paul Goldschmidt has been great this season against fastballs and sliders and well, thats what Tyson Ross throws. Ross is a 37% slider guy. For a better price, Mark Teixeira gets a good matchup against Michael Wacha. As already noted, Wacha throws 19% changeups. Well, Teixeira has hit .500 off of changeups this season and will likely see enough of them today to make for a good pick.

Others to Consider: Freddie Freeman, Miguel Cabrera

Second Basemen

Ian Kinsler ships off to Oakland for a four-game series this week against the A’s and I like him in game one. He gets Tommy Milone, a LHP who throws changeups and curves for 35% of his pitches. Kinsler is a top ten hitter against the curve and is also very good against the changeup.

Brandon Phillips is a guy I would look at harder at his 5k price and facing Ryu today. He’s hitting .286 in the last 15 days and Ryu has never really been an extremely dominating force on the mound.

Robinson Cano and Chase Utley are both great picks today for almost the same price. They’re both hitting over .330 against each of the arm sides they face today. They’ll both be facing average stuff out of those two pitchers as well today.

Others to Consider: Howie Kendrick

Third Basemen

Adrian Beltre is sad to leave Detroit because he tore them up this weekend. He’s hitting .455 in his last seven days and is one of many good Rangers plays today. He gets Kevin Correja who is allowing both sides of the plate to hit .290 or better against him this season. If you’re a GPP player and want to fade the public then go with Pablo Sandoval against Samardzija. I’d be surprised to see him used much even with him as hot as he is. He gets a tough matchup, but gets to hit lefty today and has hit .377 with four home runs in his last 15 days.

Third base is a weaker position today I feel like, but I do think there is some value to be had with Carlos Santana. He gets to hit righty today and faces Quintana, a LHP who doesn’t have a dominating WHIP.

Others to Consider: Chris Johnson

Shortstop

Ian Desmond is red hot right now and has five home runs in the last 15 days. It’s hard not to like him especially when the pitcher he faces sees his ERA almost double when he goes on the road. Derek Jetter is at 2.5k on Draftstreet today. That seems almost criminal and if you’re not going expensive then you need to punt with Wacha. He had four hits yesterday and because of it has a .316 average in the last 15 days.

Others to Consider: Xander Bogaerts, Jimmy Rollins

Outfielders

There are many outfielders to like today, but there are two under the radar guys I like that must be discussed now! Gerardo Parra and AJ Pollock are two guys that have crushed sliders this season. In fact, they’re both in the top ten against that pitch so far this season. I say this because Ross has thrown 37% sliders in his starts.

Ryan Braun had a monster four hit game yesterday and gets to face Chris Tillman today. Tillman is either injured or having a tough time with command and either way that’s a big plus for a guy like Braun who is hitting great right now. Don’t look now, but Jason Heyward is hitting over .325 in the last 15 days. He has even added a home run during that stretch and faces a struggling Buchholz. He’s not my favorite Braves player today though. That award goes to Justin Upton. He’s hitting great right now and should take advantage of the struggling Buchholz more than any Braves player today.

Junior Lake makes for an interesting value play today. He used to be a platoon guy, but is hitting over .280 against RHP this season. I believe he’s facing Petit today who is a guy we’ve seen make spot starts for the injured Cain lately. Lake is hittin g.346 in the last seven days.

Others to Consider: Mike Trout, Michael Cuddyer, Alex Rios

Top Stacks:
Atlanta: Heyward/Freeman/J.Upton/Gattis
Colorado: Cuddyer/Tulowitzki/Gonzalez/Morneau
Texas: Choo/Rios/Beltre/Odor
Arizona: Parra/Pollock/Goldschmidt

Lineup:

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