Daily Batter Breakdown: Wed, April 2nd

by Jon Schiller (Varncass) Last Updated 2014-04-02 21:25:33

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.
There are not a plethora of good pitching options today like there was the first day so it might be a good idea to grab a value pitcher and go for the stud batters today. As most teams aren’t even to the back half of their rotations, the pitching is going to get worse over the next few days if you can believe it. There are 2 or 3 games that I will be heavily targeting tonight in my lineups and since batter salaries haven’t gone through the roof it’s pretty easy to obtain a very stacked hitting lineup.

		Carlos Ruiz
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.300	0.836	2.50%	0.356
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.000	0.143	0.00%	0.099
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Ross – LEFT			0.209	0.513	7.23%	0.243
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.985	1.016	$3,200	$5,874	$9,450	$3,100	$70,900	$4,900	$8,300

Carlos Ruiz

I am not too high on many of the catcher options tonight. I do like Yadi and I do like McCann but Ruiz should be cheaper than both of those options and should have just as big of an upside. Ruiz was really good in 2012 but had the suspension and never really mashed the ball well last year. The one thing he was able to do is continue his success against left handed pitching against whom he hit .300 with a .837 OPS. The Phillies will play Texas and another reliever turned starter in Robbie Ross and I would be surprised if some of them didn’t get to him. I’m a little higher on Texas players as you will see later but even the lefties on Philly are not bad plays.

		Prince Fielder
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.271	0.819	4.09%	0.359
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.083	0.35	0.00%	0.199
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Kendrick – RIGHT			0.246	0.675	6.89%	0.301
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.985	1.002	$4,300	$8,451	$12,400	$4,800	$92,100	$7,400	$11,000

Prince Fielder

I almost cringe recommending Fielder in this spot after watching him fail for the majority of the end of last season, but his matchup is just too good to ignore here. Vegas has the Rangers run total a 5 which is the highest of all of the teams tonight. Fielder should finally get some cheese to munch on from Kendrick who has really never been a great pitcher. Kendrick generally allows righties to hit him better than lefties and Fielder was somewhat average against right handed pitchers last year but I just don’t see how he isn’t productive in this game.

		Daniel Nava
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.322	0.894	2.95%	0.392
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.471	1.147	5.88%	0.502
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Jimenez – RIGHT			0.223	0.656	8.31%	0.293
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.057	1.073	$2,900	$6,008	$9,700	$3,500	$61,600	$5,100	$8,100

Daniel Nava

I really liked Nava to begin the season against Tillman, and my opinion hasn’t changed after his 0/5 game. He is still hitting at thet op of the lineup and he has still crushed right handed pitching in his career. He still is affordable and hitting at the top of a lineup in one of the highest scoring games of the night is always good. I am not going to be the guy who falls off the bandwagon only to be disappointed when a monster 4/5 1hr 4rbi game happens.

		Neil Walker
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.256	0.805	4.02%	0.352
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.214	0.955	14.29%	0.388
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Jackson – RIGHT			0.294	0.803	9.89%	0.366
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.907	0.897	$3,100	$5,960	$8,500	$3,600	$75,500	$6,000	$7,700

Neil Walker

Walker is always in play as a value option when hitting against a right hander. I wouldn’t begin to think of using him against a lefty (1 HR in 3 years) but right handers are a completely different story, and Edwin Jackson is not a very good one. Jackson unravels quickly and has some of the worst outings I’ve ever seen when he’s bad which could make Pittsburhg one of the better stacks tonight. Walker has already hit a homer this year and he could definitely keep it going today against Jackson who has struggled against left handed batters in his career.

		Pablo Sandoval
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.281	0.786	3.45%	0.341
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.375	1.099	6.25%	0.473
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Cahill – RIGHT			0.275	0.752	8.92%	0.342
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.974	0.970	$3,500	$6,440	$8,850	$4,000	$68,600	$6,600	$9,200

Pablo Sandoval

Sandoval is fairly cheap today and should make one of the top 3rd base hitting plays of the day. Beltre is good for a top dollar option but if you’re looking to save a little money and still get a guy with 2 HR upside look at the Panda. Sandoval has done all of his damage against right handed pitchers and Cahill was, uhh, bad in his first start. The game is being played in Arizona so the over/under is fairly high and I like the Giants to put up some runs here. They have a nice contingent of hitters that can do damage against Cahill if he trots out the same stuff as last time.

		Jhonny Peralta
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.352	0.964	3.20%	0.414
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.250	0.583	0.00%	0.254
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Cingrani – LEFT			0.200	0.687	11.94%	0.307
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.989	0.938	$3,000	$4,746	$8,350	$3,200	$57,200	$5,300	$8,100

Jhonny Peralta

Peralta will bat in the 2 hole tonight against Cingrani, and if there anything Cingrani struggled against last year it was keeping the right handers from taking him deep. Peralta has great upside hitting in front of a ton of right handers and while I have some concerns about the suspension effecting his play, he is really cheap across the industry and absolutely mashed left handed pitching last year. Look for Peralta to make up for his 0/4 start and endear himself to his teammates in this one.

		Shin-Soo Choo
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.317	1.011	5.41%	0.438
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.267	0.821	0.00%	0.372
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Kendrick – RIGHT			0.246	0.675	6.89%	0.301
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.985	1.002	$3,900	$8,898	$12,050	$4,300	$79,500	$7,800	$10,000

Shin-Soo Choo

Using Choo against a right hander is usually never a bad idea, just like last night, so we will try it again here. He’s fairly expensive but if you can fit him in, him hitting at the top of the highest projected scoring team’s lineup and against a right hander should give you all of the upside you will need. Kendrick isn’t notoriously bad against left handed hitters but he’s pitching in a hitter’s park against a really good lineup.

		Andrew McCutchen
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.302	0.864	3.54%	0.374
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.250	0.806	6.25%	0.36
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Jackson – RIGHT			0.270	0.734	5.67%	0.325
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.907	0.947	$4,600	$8,597	$12,700	$4,400	$95,900	$8,400	$11,700

Andrew McCutchen

I am not very high on Edwin Jackson today and I think the Pirates offense could be a sneaky stack. They don’t play in a very hitter-friendly park, but their prices are all extremely affordable and McCutchen is arguably the best hitter in the National League. McCutchen’s price is not top dollar right now even though he should provide top dollar upside today. I generally like taking him against left handed pitching but Edwin Jackson as a pitcher should do just fine here as Jackson’s floor is negative points.

		Mark Trumbo
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.223	0.685	4.59%	0.298
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.182	0.399	0.00%	0.184
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Hudson – RIGHT			0.254	0.654	4.23%	0.292
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.974	1.044	$3,900	$6,464	$9,800	$4,200	$85,100	$7,700	$9,500

Mark Trumbo

I feel like some people have forgotten about Trumbo, now that he is on the Diamondbacks. I think he should even be more targeted hitting at Chase Field right now. Trumbo definitely gives you 2 HR upside, although he could go 0/4 with 4Ks as well, making him a very nice GPP pick. This should be one of the highest scoring games of the night and with Hudson pitching for the Giants, I really like the Diamondbacks tonight as a stack option especially on a site like Draftstreet where Goldschmidt and Trumbo are both very affordable.

		Adam Jones
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.300	0.846	5.73%	0.365
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.250	0.688	6.25%	0.298
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Lackey – RIGHT			0.258	0.749	4.39%	0.331
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.057	1.024	$4,200	$7,301	$10,800	$4,100	$77,800	$7,200	$11,300

Adam Jones

Adam Jones is my favorite reverse splits guy of the night. He gets to face Lackey who has really struggled against right handers in his career but especially last year when he gaveu p 16 HR and a .764 OPS which is much worse than the lefties he faced. Not only is Lackey worse against right handers; Adam Jones has hit right handers consistently better in his career than he has left handers. I really like him in this game and Vegas is even giving the Orioles bats a positive rating tonight against Lackey.