Daily Batter Breakdown: Fri, May 16th

by Jon Schiller (Varncass) Last Updated 2014-05-16 19:01:06

Welcome to the Daily Batter Breakdown. Each day, with at least 8 games on the night slate, I’ll breakdown some of the best top tier hitters to target based on matchup. The biggest split taken into account will be left/right, but each player card will also show park factors, player salaries and then a description of why I’ll be targeting him. Be sure to check out the FAQ for more information on specific stats.

I am extremely interested to see how tonight plays out as we have a game at Coors Field with a 10 over/under, however that game should be severely impacted by rain. There is a 60-70% chance of Thunderstorms there from what I can see and I am extremely interested to see how many people decide to gamble and roll with this game and those who don’t as it’s a game you really can’t ignore completely.

		Brian McCann
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.214	0.583	3.57%	0.255
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.300	0.814	5.00%	0.362
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Volquez – RIGHT			0.295	0.833	9.29%	0.368
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.087	1.040	$3,100	$5,937	$7,900	$3,800	$65,300	$6,000	$9,100

Brian McCann

The Yankees/Pirates Game Has Been Postponed

I think we are seeing McCann finally start to turn it around and put good swings on the ball. I am going to look for every opportunity that I can get to utilize him now since his price is still so low. He’s a lefty power bat in the Yankees lineup this year and profiles as a solid fantasy candidate, he just hasn’t put it all together. He has always crushed right handed pitching in his career and should be hitting a bit more homers with the short porch in right field. Volquez seems to be crashing back to reality right now with two 6 ER outings in the last 3 and a 3 ER as well. He has allowed an .834 OPS to left handed hitting this year and has struggled in his career against them. If you feel comfortable with the weather I like McCann.

		Albert Pujols
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.255	0.858	7.27%	0.361
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.115	0.371	0.00%	0.133
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Archer – RIGHT			0.231	0.589	6.53%	0.271
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.968	1.066	$3,600	$9,004	$10,000	$4,800	$82,800	$7,600	$12,600

Albert Pujols

Pujols is struggling right now there is no doubt about that but I really like his matchup against Archer. Archer has been struggling lately and has actually allowed a 1.002 OPS to right handers this year along with all 3 of the homers which he has given up recently. I am not sure what’s caused this regression but he cannot get righties out with any regularity right now. Pujols has 8 HR of right handers this year and is hitting them better than lefties. His .871 OPS is really nice and I like him to bust out of his slump tonight.

		Jedd Gyorko
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.167	0.514	0.00%	0.248
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.211	0.799	10.53%	0.337
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		De La Rosa – LEFT			0.279	0.756	9.15%	0.345
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.273	1.146	$2,800	$4,852	$8,100	$3,700	$65,300	$6,700	$5,000

Jedd Gyorko

Ah yes, the Coors Field game. I expect the Padres to be really popular tonight against De La Rosa. There is a 10 over/under, the Padres offense has been doing a lot better as a full lineup and De La Rosa has given up 5 of his 6 HR to righties and a .789 OPS which isn’t horrible but it’s much worse than against lefties. Gyorko’s struggling right now but I’m a big fan of his game as his swing reminds me a bit of Buster Posey. He really hit lefties well last year with a homer every 14 at bats against them and an .828 OPS. He’s struggling right now but you cannot beat the price at Coors Field against a lefty, just watch the rain.

		Chase Headley
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.118	0.412	5.88%	0.177
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.300	1.362	20.00%	0.556
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		De La Rosa – LEFT			0.279	0.756	9.15%	0.345
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.273	1.146	$3,400	$5,165	$9,750	$4,300	$64,100	$8,200	$7,200

Chase Headley

I really like Headley too at the price that he’s being offered at. The Padres should be able to do some damage tonight and Headley will be hitting in the middle of the lineup. I noted above how De La Rosa has struggled against righties this year and the switch hitting Headley is a solid hitter who hits both sides nicely. His price is a little bit more expensive but definitely worth it at 3rd base.

		Troy Tulowitzki
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.444	1.368	8.33%	0.573
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.235	0.997	11.76%	0.43
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Stults – LEFT			0.309	0.803	5.01%	0.352
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.273	1.146	$5,700	$10,551	$14,150	$6,100	$124,200	$8,800	$14,000

Troy Tulowitzki

Troy Tulowitzki is in Coors facing Eric Stults, is there really anything more I need to say? He’s hit a little bit of a snag and has been “struggling” with a 1.056 OPS in the last 7 but he’s Troy Tulowitzki against a lefty in Coors, don’t overthink it.

		Shin-Soo Choo
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.288	0.917	4.11%	0.402
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.179	0.603	3.57%	0.278
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Hutchison – RIGHT			0.255	0.741	8.26%	0.324
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.985	1.002	$4,200	$7,722	$10,500	$4,900	$71,300	$7,600	$9,900

Shin-Soo Choo

Choo is having a great season so far and a lot of it is due to his improvement against left handed pitchers. He’s still much better against righties and gets to hit against Hutchison tonight who hasn’t been horrible and he hasn’t been good either. I really like when the Rangers have a 8.5 over/under and have Choo leading off as he will get 5 or 6 plate appearances in a game and has the ability to steal bases and homer. Hutchison has just been meh so far this year and I like Choo to hit a leadoff homer.

		Yasiel Puig
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.355	0.880	3.23%	0.396
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.385	1.33	11.54%	0.555
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Miley – LEFT			0.256	0.725	8.48%	0.323
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.974	1.044	$4,700	$9,065	$12,050	$5,500	$111,500	$10,200	$11,800

Yasiel Puig

This dude is on fire right now with the bat. I remember when he first came up last year and had a run like this and it was basically plug him into the lineup and let him work. He’s extremely expensive but definitely in reach if you use the Padres cheap guys today. He’s up against Miley who hasn’t been good this year and is hitting in Chase Field with the Dodgers favored. I really like Puig to do some damage tonight.

		Chris Parmelee
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.333	0.733	0.00%	0.337
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.350	0.909	5.00%	0.402
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Young – RIGHT			0.190	0.631	10.53%	0.280
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.020	1.019	$2,500	$3,879	$7,200	$3,700	$38,900	$5,300	$4,500

Chris Parmelee

Parmelee gets called up and what does he do? He hits. His sitting at a really low salary on almost every single site right now and has some of the best HR power that you will get from someone that low. Chris Young has been solid this year but he doesn’t really strike anyone out so even on DraftStreet you are safe plugging in his meager salary and rolling with this upside play. I think there are plays like Parmelee that are going to allow you to roster stars and scrubs tonight and not falter because of it.

		Pedro Alvarez
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.209	0.698	5.22%	0.310
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.316	0.697	0.00%	0.321
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Phelps – RIGHT			0.240	0.716	9.54%	0.327
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.087	1.040	$3,300	$7,569	$8,600	$4,100	$77,200	$6,000	$10,700

Pedro Alvarez

Phelps has improved his homer giving up tendencies this year but now he gets to face a Pirates lineup that does like to hit them. Pedro is going to love the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium and is an extreme upside play on most of the sites for how cheap he is. Watch out because he loves to strikeout and is almost a GPP only play, but he has shown multiple times his 2 HR power against right handers this year. I’m going to have some exposure to him tonight and hope he connects with one.

		Robinson Cano
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.300	0.751	1.11%	0.319
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.333	0.81	0.00%	0.344
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Gibson – RIGHT			0.325	0.810	9.21%	0.365
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.020	1.019	$3,600	$8,282	$10,500	$5,000	$79,200	$6,600	$9,300

Robinson Cano

Cano has been a disappointment in the power department this year as he’s really only hitting for average and not HRs right now. He makes a great cash game play as he hardly strikes out and walks a decent amount of times. Kyle Gibson is either great or terrible and with his .747 OPS allowed to lefties and with all the solid lefty bats in the Mariners lineup I’m going to go with him being terrible tonight. I think Cano does a lot of damage and is able to knock in a bunch of runs and I especially like him for the survivor over on FanDuel tonight.