Daily Hitter Breakdown: Fri, April 11th

by Jon Schiller (Varncass) Last Updated 2014-04-11 15:36:56

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.

We went through a few days of no weather concerns so it’s only natural that on a huge Friday we have a little bit of weather problems. The games in the northeast as of the writing of this look like they need to be monitored as there is a pretty solid chance of rain in most of them. Other than that, it’s a great slate to have a DFBC Qualifier and an FBC qualifier all in one night. Even better is there is no game at Coors Field tonight so tons of people won’t be stacking that one.

		Salvador Perez
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.283	0.714	2.24%	0.312
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.353	0.972	0.00%	0.442
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Gibson – RIGHT			0.300	0.830	5.15%	0.371
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.020	1.026	$3,400	$5,399	$8,250	$3,700	$73,600	$5,400	$7,800

Salvador Perez

Salvador Perez has been great in the early part of this season and I think he makes a really solid play tonight that won’t be owned by many. He usually hits left handers better but this year he has been absolutely mashing right handed pitching with a .588 average and a 1.491 OPS. Kyle Gibson had a great start the first time out but Vegas doesn’t believe in him and neither do I as his Twins are a dog at home to the Royals in a high scoring game. Gibson gave up an .869 OPS to right handers last year and I really think Perez gets to Gibson today.

		Chris Davis
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.316	1.142	10.90%	0.473
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.370	0.869	0.00%	0.37
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		McGowan – RIGHT			0.266	0.791	9.86%	0.347
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.057	1.073	$4,200	$7,623	$12,250	$4,400	$107,300	$7,700	$11,400

Chris Davis

Would anyone have guessed that almost 2 weeks into the season that Chris Davis wouldn’t have homered yet? I wouldn’t have taken that bet, but Davis is still being productive due to his doubles and solid OPS. In Davis’ breakout year last year he hit right handers to a 1.143 OPS clip and a 1.058 OPS at home. Davis gets to face the righty McGowan at home today which is great but it’s even better because McGowan was awful in his first start since returning from the surgeries and I don’t expect him to be much better here. He really struggled against LHB and Davis should have a field day today.

		Dustin Pedroia
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.354	0.937	1.04%	0.407
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.188	0.438	0.00%	0.192
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Sabathia – LEFT			0.282	0.802	7.12%	0.353
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.087	1.003	$3,700	$5,738	$10,600	$4,300	$76,100	$6,900	$10,100

Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia has been pretty below average in the first few weeks of the season but today he gets to play a guy who might be able to turn his fortunes around. Yes, that man is CC Sabathia who has been really bad this year and doesn’t appear to be the same player he was a while ago. Sabathia has given up an .848 OPS and 3 HR to right handed batters this year and Pedroia has always been solid at destroying left handed pitchers.

		Trevor Plouffe
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.300	0.826	1.82%	0.359
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.333	0.883	0.00%	0.404
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Chen – LEFT			0.228	0.627	6.90%	0.284
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.020	1.026	$3,500	$6,541	$8,050	$3,600	$60,500	$5,600	$6,900

Trevor Plouffe

Plouffe is my off the wall pick for a homer tonight. I really like his proficiency against left handed pitching in his career as he has a career .849 OPS against southpaws and he hardly ever strikes out against them. Bruce Chen was great in his first start but he has been fairly homer-friendly to right handers in his recent years and I expect the Twins to score a few runs against Chen today. I like Dozier and Willingham but I like Plouffe a little bit better.

		Elvis Andrus
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.270	0.644	0.23%	0.290
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.333	0.875	4.17%	0.381
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Feldman – RIGHT			0.226	0.634	7.44%	0.290
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.985	1.016	$3,800	$6,308	$9,700	$4,400	$72,000	$6,900	$9,100

Elvis Andrus

When I look at the shortstop pool today, I’m really only seeing 2 guys that I am going to be targeting. The first guy is Elvis Andrus and I really hate to do it, but with the Rangers as the highest projected scoring team tonight if there’s any night to pick Andrus it’s tonight. He will most likely be hitting 2nd in the lineup behind Choo so he should have some RBI opportunities. I still remember last year’s awful hitting year for Andrus but he’s facing Feldman and Vegas really believes in the Rangers tonight posting them at -230 in this game.

		Shin-Soo Choo
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.317	1.011	5.41%	0.438
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.400	1.08	0.00%	0.457
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Feldman – RIGHT			0.227	0.632	7.38%	0.291
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.985	1.002	$3,800	$8,096	$12,050	$4,700	$85,700	$8,100	$9,800

Shin-Soo Choo

If you take Andrus, then you really have to look at Shin-Soo Choo. Choo has been great lately (always against RHP) and should make for a great outfield play today. Scott Feldman has also been solid but as noted above, Vegas loves the Rangers in this game and I’m not sold on Feldman. Choo is going to hit a leadoff homer at some point here soon so why not today? He’s at Globe Life Park against a right hander in favorable conditions, so as long as his price isn’t out of this world I love him today.

		Kole Calhoun
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.262	0.782	4.83%	0.339
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.208	0.728	8.33%	0.319
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Gee – RIGHT			0.284	0.808	8.65%	0.356
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.968	0.987	$3,000	$7,245	$9,700	$4,300	$70,100	$6,200	$8,000

Kole Calhoun

Calhoun was talked about as one of the best breakout candidates this season, but really hasn’t panned out yet. This may make some people wary of him but I like him today against Gee. Gee in the last few years has really struggled against left handed hitting giving up a .784 OPS. Calhoun has hit all but one of his major league homers off of right handed pitching and his left handed batting approach is sure to get him a leadoff spot tonight.

		Alfonso Soriano
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.293	0.904	6.81%	0.385
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.273	0.86	4.55%	0.38
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Lester – LEFT			0.261	0.706	7.74%	0.318
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
1.087	1.003	$3,400	$5,439	$9,200	$4,000	$71,600	$7,500	$8,000

Alfonso Soriano

Soriano bombs seem to come in waves and because of that I think he makes a great GPP play tonight. He is against Lester who is markedly worse against right handed hitting and Soriano is better against left handed pitching. Soriano gets to hit in Yankee Stadium which also gives him a bump of comfortability and is extremely cheap across the industry.

		Paul Goldschmidt
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.309	0.986	7.38%	0.414
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.350	1.162	10.00%	0.474
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Ryu – LEFT			0.246	0.633	6.67%	0.286
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.974	1.044	$4,900	$9,711	$12,750	$5,600	$104,200	$8,800	$12,000

Paul Goldschmidt

Ryu was uh, horrible in start against San Francisco on the 4th, but was good in his other two so I am not really sure what to make of him. One thing I do know is that Paul Goldschmidt absolutely rocks left handed pitching and if I was going to bet on which would have a better day relative to salaries I would go with Goldschmidt. He’s expensive, but he’s at home where he hits really well against a left hander which hand he obliterates. If you can fit him in without breaking the bank, do so.

		Hanley Ramirez
		Daily Breakdown			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		Left/Right Splits			0.344	1.001	5.88%	0.429
		Last 7 Days Splits			0.421	1.371	10.53%	0.577
		Opp SP vs. LR			Avg	OPS	HR%	wOBA
		McCarthy – RIGHT			0.299	0.777	2.92%	0.350
PARK-1	PARK-LR	FD	DS	DD	DK	FF	SS	FTD
0.974	1.044	$4,500	$8,321	$11,850	$5,300	$102,100	$8,700	$11,800

Hanley Ramirez

The other shortstop option today is going to be the most expensive option on the board in Ramirez. Hanley is hitting at Chase Field as well and without Tulo playing, a Han-Ram start in a hitter’s park becomes the highest upside shortstop play of the night. While Ramirez hasn’t been great against right handed pitching, McCarthy hasn’t been good at pitching to them and Ramirez also hits in a pretty powerful lineup considering the park.