Fantasy MLB Player Picks & Strategy for Monday 4/9/12

It’s not quite a full slate of games in the Major Leagues Monday, but 24 of the league’s 30 teams will be on display. We’ll get a lot more home openers, including in Philadelphia where Cole Hamels will be on display against the Marlins. That’s the first game of the afternoon, and it will all end up nearly 12 hours later in Oakland where rookie Yoenis Cespedes looks to stay hot against Kansas City.

Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies 1:05pm ET

The Phillies are 5-1 in the past six starts against the Marlins with SP Cole Hamels ($309K) on the mound. Pitching in the team’s home opener against a tired Marlins team already playing their fifth game of the season might be a good matchup for Hamels, even though he is a bit pricey. Marlins SS Emilio Bonifacio ($70K) has shown off his wheels during the early going, as he is already up to three stolen bases. SS Jose Reyes ($109K) has hit safely in each of his first four games with the Marlins, and he has extra-base hits in each of the past two.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Minnesota Twins 4:10pm ET

The Angels are 5-2 in their past seven meetings with the Twins, so that might bode well for SP C.J. Wilson ($293K) in his first start with his new team. Angels LF Vernon Wells ($78K) has just two hits over his first 13 at-bats, but he swatted a solo home run in Sunday’s game. 2B Howie Kendrick ($82K) picked up three hits Sunday, and he is batting .417 on the young season. The Twins managed a total of five runs in their lost weekend in Baltimore. Avoid all of their offensive players until they show some signs of life at the plate.

San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies 4:10pm ET

The Rockies offense should be able to tee off against SP Barry Zito ($176K), who was atrocious during the spring. SS Troy Tulowitzki ($117K) was hitless Sunday in Houston. He should return home and really take it to Zito and the winless Giants. C Wilin Rosario swatted a homer in Houston Sunday, but it’s likely C Ramon Hernandez ($74K) is back behind the plate in the home opener. C Buster Posey ($91K) launched his first home run of the season Sunday in Arizona.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians 7:05pm ET

The White Sox are 17-8 in their past 25 meetings with the Indians, including an impressive 10-3 mark in their past 13 visits to Cleveland. That doesn’t bode well for SP Josh Tomlin ($198K), although the Indians are 13-4 in Tomlin’s past 17 home starts. C Carlos Santana ($89K) is one of the premier catchers in the major leagues, but he is still relatively underpriced. Fantasy owners were treated to a multi-homer game by Santana Sunday afternoon. White Sox manager Robin Ventura is trying to cycle all of his players into the starting lineup in the first week. RF Kosuke Fukudome ($68K) and SS Eduardo Escobar ($55K) are likely to get a start in the next day or two.

New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles 7:05pm ET

Yankees 2B Robinson Cano ($104K), SS Derek Jeter ($88K) and 1B Mark Teixeira ($100K) are a combined .415 (22-for-53) with 10 extra-base hits in their career against Orioles SP Brian Matusz ($154K). Orioles SS J.J. Hardy ($83K) swatted his first home of the season Sunday. 3B Mark Reynolds (calf) missed Sunday’s game due to a calf injury, so he is a bit risky at $75K even though he claims he is fine.

Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs 7:05pm ET

Brewers OF Nyjer Morgan ($73K) is hitless through eight at-bats in his first three games, so it might be a good idea to avoid him until he can get on track. SP Chris Volstad ($168K) makes his first start for the Cubs. He was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA over 14 innings in two starts against Milwaukee last season. Brewers SP Shaun Marcum ($236K) went 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings in two outings against the Cubs in 2011.

Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays 7:07pm ET

Red Sox 1B Adrian Gonzalez ($103K) belted his first home run of the season in Detroit Sunday. He’ll be going up against Blue Jays SP Henderson Alvarez ($192K), a rookie who will try to keep the BoSox winless. Blue Jays SS Yunel Escobar is hitless over his past 11 at-bats, and is just 2-for-19 (.105) on the young season. 3B Brett Lawrie has driven in three runs over his past two starts. LF Eric Thames ($78K) collected his first two hits of the season Sunday, but he has no extra-base hits, runs scored or RBI through three games. Avoid.

Washington Nationals at New York Mets 7:10pm ET

The Nationals have won four straight at CitiField in New York, and the Mets are just 1-4 in SP Mike Pelfrey‘s ($148K) past five home starts against the Nats. That bodes well for SP Edwin Jackson ($203K), who makes his debut for Washington. 2B Ruben Tejada ($60K) posted a career-high four hits Sunday, including two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI. He should draw another start Monday, and is a good, cheap fantasy option. 1B Daniel Murphy ($82K) already has three doubles through three games.

St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds 7:10pm ET

Cardinals RF Carlos Beltran ($105K) muscled up for two homers in the three-game set in Milwaukee over the weekend, and he had a three-hit game Sunday. He is well worth the money. CF Shane Robinson ($60K) might have bought himself another start with a home run and three hits Sunday, although check Twitter and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to verify he is playing again. Manager Mike Matheny might go another way. Reds RF Jay Bruce ($84K) swatted two homers Sunday, and he had three bombs in three games against the Marlins this weekend.

Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers 8:05pm ET

Rangers SP Yu Darvish ($251K) will make his long-anticipated Major League debut Monday against the division rival Mariners. The Rangers are 44-18 in their past 62 games against the Mariners in Arlington, so that bodes well for the newcomer. Mariners RF Ichiro Suzuki ($89K) has 16 fantasy points over his past two games. C Jesus Montero ($91K), who might make his first start behind the plate in Arlington, has managed just six total fantasy points over his first four games. Avoid.

Atlanta Braves at Houston Astros 8:05pm ET

Braves C Brian McCann ($82K) collected his first fantasy points of the season Sunday, launchng a solo home run. He has just one hit over his first 11 at-bats. CF Michael Bourn ($84K) has also stumbled out of the chute, collecting just two hits through his first 11 at-bats for a total of three fantasy points in three games. Astros 2B Jose Altuve ($79K) has three runs with a triple over his past two outings.

Kansas City Royals at Oakland Athletics 10:05pm ET

Athletics rookie CF Yoenis Cespedes ($90K) has launched home runs in each of his past three games. However, he still has just one hit in each of his first four games over 13 at-bats, and he has struck out seven times. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer ($93K) has homered in back-to-back games. DH Billy Butler launched his first home run of the season Sunday, and he collected his first three RBI of the season in the win. SP Tommy Milone ($181K), who was part of the Gio Gonzalez deal with Washington during the offseason, debuts for the Athletics.