MLB Grind Down: Saturday, April 19th - Page 3

by John Britt (jmbwngfn) Last Updated 2014-04-19 16:51:07

Seattle at Miami

Seattle					Miami
Roenis Elias		Vegas Moneyline			Henderson Alvarez		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		SEA (-116)			RIGHT		7.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.133	0.521	0.224	18.8%	SP vs. Left	0.287	0.770	0.346	11.3%
SP vs. Right	0.220	0.591	0.285	14.9%	SP vs. Right	0.230	0.560	0.261	16.0%
Batter Splits	SEA BvP		SEA vs R		Batter Splits	MIA BvP		MIA vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Roenis Elias – Elias has really been impressive in all three starts this year but i’m not entirely sold yet. Just like many young pitchers, he still has a lot of work to do on his command and it’s just a matter of time until he’s unable to pitch out of trouble. The matchup is decent, but I just can’t pull the trigger here. Rating = 4.5

• Henderson Alvarez – Alvarez has lost all three of his prior starts this season and it’s a miracle that he didn’t allow more than three runs in his last game (as he allowed 15 baserunners in six innings). His strikeout rate is far from impressive and you can certainly do better than him today. Rating = 2.5

Seattle

• Robinson Cano – Cano is always a great option versus right handed pitching, but he’s especially attractive today against the very hittable Henderson Alvarez. He’s 6 for 11 off of Alvarez in his career with three doubles and a pair of homeruns.

• Additional Plays: – Kyle Seager

Miami

• Giancarlo Stanton – The guy simply tattoo’s left-handed pitching. He has multi homerun potential here and should be considered regardless of the asking price.

• Additional Plays: – Jeff Baker, Reed Johnson

Chicago White Sox at Texas

Chicago White Sox					Texas
Jose Quintana		Vegas Moneyline			Colby Lewis		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		CWS (-102)			RIGHT		9.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.258	0.718	0.317	21.3%	SP vs. Left
SP vs. Right	0.238	0.672	0.301	19.5%	SP vs. Right	0.200	1.000	0.420	40.0%
Batter Splits	CHW BvP		CHW vs R		Batter Splits	TEX BvP		TEX vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Jose Quintana – Quintana seems to continually overlooked in fantasy baseball, but a visit to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is not the time to pounce on the southpaw. Facing the Rangers lineup, even without Beltre, is still a formidable task and Quintana didn’t have much success there last season. His strikeout potential makes him an intriguing contrarian GPP play but there are certainly better options for cash games. Rating = 4.5

• Colby Lewis – Colby Lewis has been decent at times in the past, but was not at all impressive in his only other start this season versus Seattle. He’s still recovering from shoulder surgery and, unless you’re only targeting a potential “W”, he’s just not worthy of a fantasy start yet. Rating = 5

White Sox

• Adam Eaton – The White Sox leadoff man has played very well for his new club and is scoring runs in bunches. Colby Lewis has struggled in the past against left-handed batters and Eaton owns a .850 OPS versus righties so far this season.

• Additional Plays: – Adam Dunn, Alejando De Aza

Rangers

• Alex Rios – Rios hits left-handed pitching much better than he does righties and is swinging a hot stick right now with five hits in the last two games.

• Additional Plays: – Kevin Kouzmanoff

Philadelphia at Colorado

Philadelphia					Colorado
Kyle Kendrick		Vegas Moneyline			Jordan Lyles		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		COL (-150)			RIGHT		10.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.252	0.699	0.312	14.8%	SP vs. Left	0.270	0.742	0.335	11.6%
SP vs. Right	0.309	0.774	0.350	13.5%	SP vs. Right	0.296	0.816	0.367	18.5%
Batter Splits	PHI BvP		PHI vs R		Batter Splits	COL BvP		COL vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Kyle Kendrick and Jordan Lyles – It’s Coors Field and neither pitcher is all that impressive. Look elsewhere. Combined Rating = 0

Philadelphia

• Chase Utley – Utley has been red-hot to open the 2014 season and should get back on track tonight against the very hittable righty Jordan Lyles.

• Additional Plays: – Domonic Brown, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard

Colorado

• Carlos Gonzalez – You obviously want exposure to the game in Coors Field and it’s hard to go wrong with Cargo today against the right handed Kyle Kendrick.

• Troy Tulowitzki – If you didn’t roster him last night, you probably didn’t have much success in GPPs as he was 3 for 3 with a double and a homerun. With the scene still in Coors Field, and the very hittable Kyle Kendrick on the bump for the Phillies, expect more of the same tonight.

• Additional Plays: – Honestly, anyone in the starting lineup is worth consideration.

San Francisco at San Diego

San Francisco					San Diego
Tim Hudson		Vegas Moneyline			Eric Stults		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		SFG (-127)			LEFT		6.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.234	0.656	0.298	16.8%	SP vs. Left	0.197	0.570	0.255	17.4%
SP vs. Right	0.238	0.619	0.276	19.0%	SP vs. Right	0.303	0.786	0.345	14.1%
Batter Splits	SFG BvP		SFG vs L		Batter Splits	SDP BvP		SDP vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Tim Hudson – Old Man Hudson just keeps producing, winning all three of his starts this season and pitching past into the eighth inning in all of them. He won’t blow hitters away, but he keeps hitters off balance and forces a ton of ground balls. The lack of strikeouts are really the only drawback here. Rating = 7

• Eric Stultz – Stultz has good “stuff” but just can’t seem to put it all together. He hasn’t pitched that well so far this season and the Giants knocked him around a bit last season. The Giants have several hitters who kill left-handed pitching, so it’s probably wise to look elsewhere. Rating = 4.5

San Francisco

• Buster Posey – This is an easy one, Posey crushes left-handed pitching and has terrorized Eric Stutlz in his career.

• Additional Plays: – Hunter Pence

San Diego

There are better options than the San Diego bats in spacious Petco Park against the stingy Tim Hudson

Arizona at LA Dodgers

Arizona					LA Dodgers
Mike Bolsinger		Vegas Moneyline			Dan Haren		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		LAD (-200)			RIGHT		7.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left					SP vs. Left	0.258	0.726	0.318	19.0%
SP vs. Right					SP vs. Right	0.272	0.753	0.335	22.7%
Batter Splits	ARI BvP		ARI vs R		Batter Splits	LAD BvP		LAD vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

• Mike Bolsinger – I won’t pretend to know much about Mike Bolsinger, but considering his 4.72 ERA at AAA last season, I’m certainly not recommending him tonight. Rating = 2

• Dan Haren – Haren has pitched very well in his two starts this year and the Dodgers are a big favorite by Vegas standards, which makes him a reasonable cash game play. Rating = 6

Arizona

• Paul Goldschmidt – He’s expensive, but he posted a .948 OPS in the very hitter friendly Chase Field last season and Haren has been susceptible to the long ball the last few years.

• Additional Plays: – Aaron Hill, Eric Chavez

Los Angeles

• Adrian Gonzalez – A-Gon enters tonight’s game riding a 13 game hitting streak and will be licking his chops to get into the batters box against righty Michael Bolsinger.

• Additional Plays: – Hanley Ramirez, Yasiel Puig