I’m playing in a Double Up! contest. Today is an unusual day in the schedule because there is a full complement of games on a Thursday. That almost never happens. So, today is a good day to play depending on what strategies you like to employ. Don’t forget to get your deposit bonus here.

Those of you that like to play matchups will have a hard time today. There are several pitchers I really like today, so picking pitchers should be a snap, but there are very few weak sisters out there. This is where your strategy comes into play. I’m a pretty consistent with my strategies, so I will maintain the matchup strategy despite the difficulty today. Feel free to move away from that as you see fit. If you choose to do that, take a look at the lefty/righty splits before you make your selections.

My Team

Pitcher: Matt Moore vs. Miami Marlins

This is Draftkings gold right here. You have an 8-0 pitcher going up against the worst offense in baseball. How could you pass up this opportunity. Sure, this is where life interferes with our best laid plans. That’s why they call it gambling you know. There are other opportunities here with good pitchers in situations where they can shine. Just like yesterday, I always offer an alternative. Alternative: Homer Bailey vs. Cleveland Indians

Pitcher: Felix Hernandez vs. San Diego Padres

Just like with the matchup above, we are going with a very good pitcher going up against a struggling offensive team and a spacious ballpark. Those are three things that just go so well together. Yes, we are spending a lot on pitching, but I want to get about 50 points out of my pitchers today so the hitters don’t have to work so hard. Alternative: Jake Peavy vs. Chicago Cubs

Catcher: Ryan Hanigan vs. Scott Kazmir

I hope he plays today. They only problem with going with cheaper options at a position is that they aren’t guaranteed to play. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of money left over after going heavy on the pitching. Hanigan seems to be picking up his game lately and Kazmir is very hittable. Alternative: Salvador Perez

First Base: Lyle Overbay vs. Dillon Gee

When you look up mediocre in the dictionary you see a picture of Dillon Gee. God love him, he’ll give you innings but he will give up plenty of runs along the way. The Yankees have a good enough lineup that they will get to him and Overybay will be one of those guys. Alternative: Travis Hafner

Second Base: Chris Getz vs. Michael Wacha

Consider this my wild card. Michael Wacha is making his ML debut and those outings usually go one of two ways. Either they come out and pitch lights out or they get lit up. Wacha was a first round pick last season, so he has the talent to pitch lights out (4-0 in AAA this season). We just have hope when we go this cheap. Alternative: Brandon Phillips

Third Base: Todd Frazier vs. Scott Kazmir

Again, there are very few opportunities to take advantage of weak pitching, so you have to take advantage of it while it is there. Quite frankly, I’m not sure what Kazmir is doing in a ML rotation, but while he’s there you have to take advantage of it. Alternative: Mike Moustakas

Shortstop: Zack Cozart vs. Scott Kazmir

Zack Cozart is an optical allusion. Everytime I look in the newspaper he seems to have two or three hits on the day. Yet, you look at his batting average and OBP and they are in the tank. I guess I’m not looking in the newspaper often enough. Well, like I said before on Kazmir, you have to take advantage of pitching this bad when it is the only bad pitching on the docket. Alternative: Alcides Escobar

Outfield: Xavier Paul vs. Scott Kazmir

Remember the time when the Cincinnati voters stuffed the ballot box and got their entire infield into the all-star game? Today kind of feels like that as I have gotten four of the first six regulars from this particular game. That’s what happens when matchups are weak on a particular day. This has the look of one of those 13-6 games where everyone gets in on the action. Alternative: Shin-Shoo Choo

Outfield: Lorenzo Cain vs. Michael Wacha

Again, I really don’t want to pick on a young pitcher because they can be so unpredictable. That being said, Cain has been pretty solid on the season, but he comes fairly cheaply to you. When you spend as much on pitching as we have you have to take some chances on some lesser players. Alternative: Alex Gordon

Outfield: Brett Gardner vs. Dillon Gee

I probably didn’t start enough Yankees today, but they are also typically difficult to afford. Gardner is reasonably priced and he will score points for you with the bat and with his feet. Gardner rarely ever explodes for a ton of points, but he is a pretty safe bet to score between five and ten points for you. Alternative: Vernon Wells