Saturday's First Baseman/DH Value Rankings
Here are theScore's first baseman/DH value rankings for Saturday, May 14 (all stats exclude Friday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Freddie Freeman (ATL) | at KC | 10 |
| Miguel Cabrera (DET) | at BAL | 10 |
| Justin Smoak (TOR) | at TEX | 9 |
| Jose Abreu (CWS) | at NYY | 9 |
| Hanley Ramirez (BOS) | vs. HOU | 9 |
| Victor Martinez (DET) | at BAL | 9 |
| C.J. Cron (LAA) | at SEA | 9 |
| Justin Bour (MIA) | at WAS | 8 |
| David Ortiz (BOS) | vs. HOU | 8 |
| Eric Hosmer (KC) | vs. ATL | 8 |
Freeman got off to a terrible start to the season, recording just two hits in his first eight games. Since then, 26-year-old has hit .344/.413/.570 with five home runs and six doubles. Even with the lack of protection in Atlanta's lineup, the left-handed hitter is a great value against right-handed swingman Dillon Gee.
Since April 19, Smoak has been arguably the best hitter on a team filled with perennial All-Stars like Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki. He's hitting .346/.443/.500 since that date. The switch-hitter has been more productive as a lefty in his career, and will get to face RHP Colby Lewis, who has already allowed nine homers this year.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Davis (BAL) | vs. DET | 7 |
| Joe Mauer (MIN) | at CLE | 7 |
| Pedro Alvarez (BAL) | vs. DET | 7 |
| Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) | vs. SF | 6 |
| Mark Reynolds (COL) | vs. NYM | 6 |
| Lucas Duda (NYM) | at COL | 6 |
| Anthony Rizzo (CHC) | vs. PIT | 6 |
| Edwin Encarnacion (TOR) | at TEX | 6 |
| Carlos Santana (CLE) | vs. MIN | 5 |
| Joey Votto (CIN) | at PHI | 5 |
| Byung Ho Park (MIN) | at CLE | 5 |
| Mike Napoli (CLE) | vs. MIN | 5 |
| John Jaso (PIT) | at CHC | 5 |
Davis and Mauer are polar opposites; Davis's all-or-nothing approach and raw power is built for tournament play, whereas Mauer's high OBP, leadoff spot in the batting order and low cost is ideal for cash games.
Duda receives the Coors Field price-bump, but he's hitting just .172 in his last 10 games. Limit him and his raw power to tournament use.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Zimmerman (WAS) | vs. MIA | 4 |
| Brandon Belt (SF) | at ARI | 4 |
| Chris Carter (MIL) | vs. SD | 4 |
| Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) | vs. STL | 4 |
| Logan Morrison (TB) | vs. OAK | 4 |
| Mark Teixeira (NYY) | vs. CWS | 3 |
| Albert Pujols (LAA) | at SEA | 3 |
| Ryan Howard (PHI) | vs. CIN | 3 |
| Mitch Moreland (TEX) | vs. TOR | 3 |
| Billy Butler (OAK) | at TB | 3 |
| Wil Myers (SD) | at MIL | 2 |
| Prince Fielder (TEX) | vs. TOR | 2 |
| Kendrys Morales (KC) | vs. ATL | 2 |
| Tyler White (HOU) | at BOS | 1 |
Zimmerman has a huge unwarranted price bump on Saturday. It is likely due to the amount of RBI chances he's had with Bryce Harper getting walked as often as he has, and the fact that there is a lefty on the mound. He's been a much better hitter in his career against southpaws, but he still isn't worth the risky investment considering his .687 OPS this season.
White saw a huge price boost after a red-hot start to his career and it has yet to decrease dramatically despite hitting .133./.195/.267 since April 14.