MLB Daily Grind Down: Wednesday, August 21st Part 2
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Colorado vs. Philadelphia
| 7:05 PM | Colorado – ROAD | Philadelphia – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.262 | 0.734 | 19.80% | 0.60 | 0.253 | 0.704 | 19.90% | 0.53 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.262 | 0.710 | 19.00% | 0.42 | 0.254 | 0.698 | 19.60% | 0.41 | |
| SP STATS | Nicasio – RHP | Lee – LHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.41 | 4.94 | 6.37 | 7.27 | 1.05 | 3.19 | 8.33 | 12.88 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.43 | 3.86 | 4.82 | 8.10 | 1.07 | 3.86 | 7.71 | 10.00 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
COL vs L  | COL BvP | PHI vs R | PHI BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5
- Favored Team – PHI -166
Pitcher Grind Down
PHI – Cliff Lee has had a rough go of it lately, he has allowed at least 3 earned runs in each of his last 5 starts. That said, his strikeout numbers are still up there and he is still Cliff Lee. I think he gets back to his dominant self today against the Rockies who just aren’t the same team on the road. If he can pitch around Tulowitzki, I’m expecting a big game from Lee. Rating = 9
COL – Juan Nicasio has really struggled on the road with a 5.76 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. He’s not a great fantasy option at this point in the season and I think the Phillies put up some runs on him today. Rating = 3
Batter Grind Down
PHI – Nicasio has actually given up a much higher average to right hand bats, but the OPS numbers against lefties and righties are very close meaning when lefties do get a hold of his pitches, they are going for extra bases. I’m targeting the lefties Chase Utley and Domonic Brown.
COL – Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki are both very good against lefties, but this isn’t an ordinary lefty. I will take good pitching (Lee) over good hitting.
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Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore
| 7:05 PM | Tampa Bay – ROAD | Baltimore – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.263 | 0.749 | 18.60% | 0.63 | 0.265 | 0.757 | 18.30% | 0.63 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.281 | 0.767 | 19.00% | 0.50 | 0.271 | 0.774 | 17.80% | 0.52 | |
| SP STATS | Hellickson – RHP | Chen – LHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.29 | 4.91 | 6.89 | 8.73 | 1.15 | 3.23 | 5.73 | 9.61 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.89 | 7.90 | 4.09 | 2.40 | 0.99 | 5.11 | 6.69 | 7.05 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| TBR vs L | TBR BvP | BAL vs R | BAL BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 9.0
- Favored Team – BAL -125
Pitcher Grind Down
BAL – If you take a look at Wei-Yin Chen game logs, you will see just how consistent he is. He gives up 3-4 earned runs, between 5-7 hits, and picks up a few strikeouts along the way. He isn’t a pitcher with very big upside though, and the Rays lead the league against left hand pitching. Rating = 3
TB – Jeremy Hellickson has had a very rough August, in three starts he has a 7.9 ERA while only lasting 13 total innings in those three starts combined. He is coming in struggling and faces a tough Orioles offense. No thank you. Rating = 2
Batter Grind Down
BAL – Hellickson is giving up an OPS of .769 to lefties this season including 12 HR’s. I have a feeling that Chris Davis is going to get number 46 against him tonight. Davis is expensive, but when he is locked in, all it takes is one swing for him to make his value. I also like Adam Jones and a hot Matt Wieters.
TB – The Rays crush left hand pitching. Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist, and Wil Myers are all very good against lefties and should be targeted tonight in this hitter’s park. If you need a cheap option at SS, Sean Rodriguez provides good value.
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Minnesota vs. Detroit
| 7:05 PM | Minnesota – ROAD | Detroit – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.241 | 0.695 | 22.00% | 0.54 | 0.279 | 0.783 | 17.50% | 0.65 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.239 | 0.698 | 21.70% | 0.44 | 0.284 | 0.786 | 16.50% | 0.52 | |
| SP STATS | Correia – RHP | Sanchez – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.45 | 4.61 | 5.14 | 7.51 | 1.13 | 2.50 | 9.74 | 13.52 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.62 | 5.51 | 6.71 | 7.37 | 0.86 | 2.05 | 9.82 | 16.33 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| MIN vs R | MIN BvP | DET vs R | DET BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5
- Favored Team – DET -255
Pitcher Grind Down
DET – Anibal Sanchez is back to where he was at the first of the year and that is picking up wins and striking people out. Sanchez owns a solid 1.98 ERA at home with a very impressive K rate of almost 11 per 9 innings. I like the matchup against the Twins today too, so if you are looking for an ace that has a great shot to get the win, Sanchez is your guy. Rating = 9
MIN – Kevin Correia really struggles on the road with a 6.10 ERA and a WHIP of 1.6, now he has to go into Detroit and take on this Tigers lineup. There is a reason Detroit is favored by so much. Rating = 1
Batter Grind Down
DET – The Tigers didn’t provide the fireworks that I was expecting against Pelfrey last night, but I think they make up for it tonight against Correia. Correia is giving up a .322 batting average to lefties with an OPS of .868. I think the right hand bats are in play too, but I really like Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez.
MIN – Twins face once of the best pitchers in the game, don’t try to get cute and out think everyone else. Just avoid them.
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Toronto vs. NY Yankees
| 7:05 PM | Toronto – ROAD | NY Yankees – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.254 | 0.741 | 18.20% | 0.63 | 0.240 | 0.669 | 19.60% | 0.52 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.254 | 0.749 | 18.00% | 0.50 | 0.243 | 0.685 | 19.70% | 0.41 | |
| SP STATS | Dickey – RHP | Warren – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.29 | 4.49 | 6.85 | 9.54 | 1.43 | 3.57 | 7.14 | 3.54 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.23 | 3.32 | 7.22 | 11.40 | 2.58 | 4.05 | 10.16 | 2.55 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| TOR vs R | TOR BvP | NYY vs R | NYY BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 9.0
- Favored Team – NYY -125
Pitcher Grind Down
NYY – Adam Warren will be making a spot start for the Yankees tonight. He is not going to be able to last much longer than 5 innings even if he is pitching well. For that reason alone, it’s safe to avoid him. Rating = 3
TOR – The curious case of RA Dickey continues. When you think he has a good matchup, he ends up getting rocked and when you think he is going to get rocked, he goes out and pitches a shutout. He’s been pitching better over the last month, but I still don’t know what to expect, especially considering his matchup tonight against the Yankees. Rating = 5
Batter Grind Down
NYY – Like I said, I just don’t know what to expect from Dickey. The over/under in this one is high so Vegas expects some runs. Maybe just play it safe here and take the cheap OF’s Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki.
TOR – Warren probably won’t last long in this one, but when he is in there, the lefties of the Blue Jays should have a good go at it. Warren is giving up a .303 batting average to lefties. I think Jose Reyes is primed for a big game after a night off.
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Arizona vs. Cincinnati
| 7:10 PM | Arizona – ROAD | Cincinnati – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.257 | 0.713 | 18.50% | 0.55 | 0.250 | 0.723 | 20.10% | 0.58 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.256 | 0.715 | 19.10% | 0.45 | 0.247 | 0.714 | 20.30% | 0.46 | |
| SP STATS | McCarthy – RHP | Leake – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.44 | 4.84 | 5.73 | 7.09 | 1.24 | 3.01 | 5.50 | 9.76 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.39 | 4.26 | 6.64 | 7.60 | 1.67 | 3.75 | 5.25 | 7.00 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| ARI vs R | ARI BvP | CIN vs R | CIN BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5
- Favored Team – CIN -167
Pitcher Grind Down
CIN – Mike Leake has gotten rocked in two of his last three starts which makes me a bit weary of taking him against a very hot D-Backs team tonight. Leake’s ERA at home has been slowly creeping up and is now very close to 4.00. Leake is a big favorite though, so if he can keep the damage at a minimum then he should be in line for the win. Rating = 6
ARI – Brandon McCarthy hasn’t had a very good season. Now he has to pitch in the Great American Ballpark against a Reds team that mashes right hand pitching. There are better options, much better options. Rating = 2
Batter Grind Down
CIN – McCarthy has given up a .300 average to both lefties and righties this season so he is equally bad against both. Joey Votto has to be considered one of the top plays today and Shin-Soo Choo and Jay Bruce should also be in consideration.
ARI – Paul Goldschmidt and Aaron Hill are both on fire right now and play in a very hitter friendly ballpark. On sites that are slow to adjust salaries, they are likely underpriced.
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