MLB Grind Down: Friday, September 12th Page Two
Washington at NY Mets
| Washington | NY Mets | ||||||||
| Gio Gonzalez | Vegas Moneyline | Dillon Gee | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| LEFT | WAS (-146) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.216 | 0.632 | 0.286 | 26.40% | SP vs. Left | 0.232 | 0.698 | 0.310 | 13.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.238 | 0.684 | 0.306 | 23.20% | SP vs. Right | 0.224 | 0.693 | 0.308 | 21.30% |
| Batter Splits | WSN BvP  | WSN vs R | Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Gio Gonzalez – Gonzalez has had a good, but not great season for the Nationals. He owns a 3.78 ERA (3.49 xFIP) with a K/9 of 9.0. He still walks too many batters, but his matchup against the Mets more than makes up for that. The Mets are ranked 28th in wOBA vs. LH pitching while striking out at a 24% clip. It also doesn’t hurt that Gio will get to face them without David Wright. Rating = 7.5
- Dillon Gee – Gee has given up at least 2 earned runs in 5 straight starts. His ERA has risen to 3.74 on the season and his K/9 is mediocre as he is averaging only 6.2 K’s per 9 innings. He draws a tough matchup against the Nationals whose lineup is tough 1-8. He can be safely be avoided tonight. Rating = 4
Batter Grind Down
Washington
Adam LaRoche – LaRoche just continues to crush the Mets. He hit a HR and finished with 3 RBI’s last night. He now has 15 RBI’s over his last 10 games. He draws a nice matchup against Gee who has given up a career .335 wOBA to LH hitters.
Additional Plays: Bryce Harper, Denard Span
NY Mets
There isn’t much to get excited about these days when it comes to the Mets offense. Avoid them tonight against Gio Gonzalez.
Atlanta at Texas
| Atlanta | Texas | ||||||||
| Alex Wood | Vegas Moneyline | Derek Holland | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| LEFT | ATL (-135) | LEFT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.253 | 0.676 | 0.304 | 24.40% | SP vs. Left | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.230 | 0.637 | 0.284 | 23.70% | SP vs. Right | ||||
| Batter Splits | ATL BvP | ATL vs L | Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Alex Wood – Wood is enjoying a very nice 2014 campaign. He owns a 2.90 ERA (3.24 xFIP) with a K/9 of 8.7. He makes a nice tournament play tonight, but is a bit too risky to use in cash games. The Rangers are actually a very good team against LH pitching (5th in wOBA) and the ballpark doesn’t help the matchup at all as Globe Life Park is a very hitter-friendly ballpark. Rating = 5.5
- Derek Holland – Holland has shown no signs of rust coming back from injury. In his 2 starts this season, he has struck out a combined 11 batters while only giving up a single earned run. That said, this is a tough ballpark to pitch in and the Braves have some very powerful hitters in their lineup. As a team, the Braves are ranked 9th in wOBA vs. lefties this season. Much like Wood, I would only use him in tournaments. Rating = 5
Batter Grind Down
Atlanta
Evan Gattis – Gattis draws a favorable matchup against the lefty Derek Holland. Gattis has crushed LH pitching this season with a .369 batting average and a .449 wOBA. He also sees a nice ballpark boost and may benefit from being able to DH in this series.
Additional Plays: Justin Upton
Texas
Adrian Beltre – It seems like Beltre is the only Rangers player that ever gets featured here, but once again he is one of the top plays at 3B. He has mashed LH pitching to the tune of a .351 batting average and a .429 wOBA.
Additional Plays: Ryan Rua
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox
| Minnesota | Chicago White Sox | ||||||||
| Phil Hughes | Vegas Moneyline | Jose Quintana | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | CWS (-120) | LEFT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.253 | 0.634 | 0.279 | 22.30% | SP vs. Left | 0.242 | 0.647 | 0.286 | 21.80% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.285 | 0.719 | 0.314 | 20.90% | SP vs. Right | 0.254 | 0.660 | 0.293 | 19.90% |
| Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs L | Batter Splits | CHW BvP | CHW vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Phil Hughes – Hughes has been all over the map this season, but you certainly want to target him when he is pitching well. Since the start of August, he has an ERA right around 2.00 with 47 strikeouts over 50 innings of work. He’s facing a very capable offense of the White Sox, but they are a team that strikes out often. Hughes makes a solid tournament play tonight. Rating = 6
- Jose Quintana – Quintana has pitched well this season, but hasn’t been in the best form of late. Since the start of August, he has an ERA right around 4.00. He owns a respectable K/9 of 7.6, but does draw a pretty tough matchup against the Twins who have been hitting the ball well ever since calling Kennys Vargas up from the minors. Overall, Quintana is an average play tonight. Rating = 5
Batter Grind Down
Minnesota
On a night with a full slate of games, there aren’t any Twins hitters that stand out here. Jose Quintana has kept both LH and RH hitters in check this season.
Chicago White Sox
Jose Abreu – It’s hard not to mention Abreu when he is facing a RH pitcher. Abreu has 26 HR’s off of RH pitching this season and is facing Phil Hughes who has had some serious reverse splits in his career.
Additional Plays: Adam Eaton
Cincinnati at Milwaukee
| Cincinnati | Milwaukee | ||||||||
| Mat Latos | Vegas Moneyline | Kyle Lohse | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | MIL (-135) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.233 | 0.609 | 0.270 | 17.70% | SP vs. Left | 0.252 | 0.750 | 0.328 | 15.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.691 | 0.306 | 17.60% | SP vs. Right | 0.249 | 0.683 | 0.303 | 19.10% |
| Batter Splits | CIN BvP | CIN vs R | Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Mat Latos – Latos owns a 3.25 ERA on the season, but does have an xFIP of 4.00. He has a career low K/9 of 6.5 and faces a very talented Brewers offense that is ranked 10th in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season. Not only that, but the Brewers still have something to play for, while the Reds are counting the days until the end of the season. Rating = 4
- Kyle Lohse – Lohse has been a perfect example of the Brewers over the last few weeks. Basically, he has not played well. He has an ERA close to 8.00 since the start of August. While I expect him to turn it around soon, he’s a very risky fantasy option at this point. The price is low, but I’ll label him as a deep tournament play. Rating = 4
Batter Grind Down
Cincinnati
Jay Bruce – Bruce gets a nice ballpark boost in Miller Park, a nice matchup against the struggling Kyle Lohse, and he’s extremely cheap. That’s a pretty lethal fantasy combination.
Additional Plays: Billy Hamilton, Devin Mesoraco
Milwaukee
Carlos Gomez – Gomez is a great source of both speed (30 SB’s) and power (21 HR’s) and he has really hit Mat Latos well in his career. In only 24 career at bats, Gomez has 10 hits and 2 HR’s off of Latos.
Additional Plays: Scooter Gennett, Jonathan Lucroy, Gerardo Parra
Boston at Kansas City
| Boston | Kansas City | ||||||||
| Allen Webster | Vegas Moneyline | Yordano Ventura | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | KCR (-175) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.260 | 0.754 | 0.351 | 11.30% | SP vs. Left | 0.228 | 0.648 | 0.290 | 19.00% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.267 | 0.825 | 0.357 | 17.70% | SP vs. Right | 0.249 | 0.705 | 0.315 | 21.00% |
| Batter Splits | BOS BvP | BOS vs R | Batter Splits | KCR BvP | KCR vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Allen Webster – Webster has had a rough season. He owns a 6.47 ERA and has walked as many batters per 9 innings (5.58) as he has struck out (5.80). He can safely be avoided against the Royals who strike out fewer than any team in baseball. Rating = 3
- Yordano Ventura – Ventura comes into tonight’s game with terrific form. Since the start of August, he has posted an ERA right around 2.50 with 32 K’s over 35 innings of work. He is facing a Red Sox offense that is ranked 20th in wOBA vs. RH pitching and he is facing them in a pitcher-friendly Kaufmann Stadium. He’s a solid play tonight for the price. Rating = 7
Batter Grind Down
Boston
Avoid all hitters on the Red Sox tonight. Yordano Ventura has held both LH and RH hitters under a .315 wOBA this season.
Kansas City
Alex Gordon – Webster has been equally giving to both LH and RH hitters this season. He has given up a .350+ wOBA to both so hitters from both sides of the plate are in play tonight. Gordon has good power against righties and should see plenty of RBI opportunities.
Additional Plays: Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez