Home Run Derby: Friday, August 2nd
Calling home runs, besides great fun, often makes the difference between a wildly profitable night in DFS and missing the cash line. Throughout the 2019 MLB season, I will endeavor to find a few home runs in three salary tiers on DraftKings. Join me throughout the year and call your home runs for monthly and seasonal RotoGrinders prizes. Without further ado, let’s play Home Run Derby!
Throughout this season, I will produce the Home Run Derby for main slates on DraftKings 2-3 days per week — selecting a home run from three different pricing tiers. If you want to call your home runs, please use these tiers for your selections to be eligible for any Derby prizes. Here are the tiers.
Luxury Box – $4,500 and above
Club Seats – $3,500 – $4400
Bleachers – Below $3,500
Hitters must be selected from the DraftKings Main Slate.
Schedule this Week: Monday, Tuesday, Friday
Happy Friday… and August, Grinders! The final month of Home Run Derby is upon us. In September, I will transition back to NFL with my similar article — Finding Paydirt. The overall leaderboard has 31 more days to come to a close. Shanekern03 still sits atop the leaderboard for what feels like the entire duration of the MLB season. Will anyone be able to knock him out of the top spot? The prize is a 3-month combo premium subscription as the NFL season kicks off. The value of this subscription is pretty massive — rife with articles, videos, tools, and of course, entry into the Premium Discord chat. If you were saving up your home runs for a month… this is the month.
A small note, if I may. My wife and I are expecting our third child somewhere around August 22nd. I am going to try really hard to maintain my three-article pace throughout the month but things could become difficult after our newest bundle of joy arrives. For that reason, those of you who are consistent home run hunters should make sure to check the Articles section early in the month and not miss any slates. For this article, I cannot guarantee the end of the month.
With that aside, let’s have some fun. Tonight’s slate is packed with 12 games. Who is going yard? I am going to give you my three picks and then wrap up July with the final leaderboard update. Who won the month?
The statistics for each player are for the 2019 season.
Luxury Box
Trevor Story — SS – $5,400
Story in 2019 – .260 ISO, 44.0 FB%, 44.0 Hard%, 90.9 MPH aEV
Anderson vs RHH – .137 ISO, 87.5 MPH aEV, 31.3 FB%, 41.5 Hard%
A Coors Field fade could be the right move if any pivots have a multi-HR game tonight. Yet, when I sifted through all of our high-end options, I just could not bring myself to picking anyone outside of a Colorado bat at home. While the righty-righty matchup isn’t necessarily ideal, Story carries a massive fly ball tendency against both sides of the plate. Sitting at 42.4% with fly balls against right-handed pitching, I am pretty comfortable taking a shot on Trevor Story this evening.
Shaun Anderson is anything but inspiring. With limited strikeout ability (16.1%), I don’t have to worry as much about Story’s lofty K%. The Giants bullpen took a hit at the trade deadline and Story should see winnable matchups throughout this contest.
Club Seats
Cavan Biggio — 2B – $4,300
Biggio in 2019 – .169 ISO, 48.3 FB%, 46.7 Hard%, 89.7 MPH aEV
Brooks vs LHH – .268 ISO, 90.6 MPH aEV, 35.6 FB%, 42.6 Hard%
Speaking of fly balls, Cavan Biggio is a fly ball machine. If you thought the above 46.7% rate against both sides of the plate was large, you would not believe his 57.7 FB% against right-handed pitching. Of course, the sample is small during the nascent stages of Biggio’s career — but I am okay speculating on a guy with this type of lean early. Camden Yards is the perfect place to target a lefty with a fly ball lean.
Aaron Brooks… well… I mean… I really don’t have much to say here. Brooks was not very good in Oakland so a shift to Baltimore is not going to help his prospects. Already a fly ball pitcher, the fly balls are going to likely result in more home runs in his new digs. Advantage hitters in Baltimore, tonight.
Bleachers
JaCoby Jones – OF – $3,200
Jones in 2019 – .188 ISO, 37.2 FB%, 43.1 Hard%, 91.3 MPH aEV
Lynn vs RHH – .144 ISO, 87.0 MPH aEV, 37.0 FB%, 42.4 Hard%
Well, this tier really stinks tonight. The other night I went with JaCoby because of his skills against righties. I mentioned that if I were to develop a model to look for home runs that Jones would be a pick regardless of tier. I certainly misspoke, as I would be hardpressed to take JaCoby Jones over Christian Yelich in Miller Park. That said, Jones still checks all of the power boxes that I am looking for when I am looking for a home run. The matchup against Lynn is not perfect but… nothing is perfect in this tier.
For what it’s worth, Lynn is still giving up just enough hard contact to make me want to chase a home run or two even if he pitches well. With the context of tonight’s slate and the temperature in Texas, I can’t find a better option than Jones in this tier. Eventually, I am going to get this right.
Leaderboard (sortable by column)
| Player | Total | July | 7/2 | 7/3 | 7/5 | 7/15 | 7/16 | 7/19 | 7/22 | 7/23 | 7/26 | 7/29 | 7/30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| joeycis | 31 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| erichanlon | 24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| shanekern03 | 44 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| KardiacChris | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| nrcave | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| mewhitenoise | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D4RKSH33P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| boomanfoo | 28 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| allanturner84 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| hautalak | 25 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| kdubs81 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SportsLover37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| chdmoney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| moisheg1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| chris5764 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| donb5170 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TheDataDetective | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| pabloplyr | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| infy72 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ropediddy | 25 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| krot | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bcorbett | 39 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| pastorthor | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MoccasinMusic | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Gillik9486 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anttheman | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Curse | 24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TheBigMeat88 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| only1david77 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WestCrook1 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| oxlodge42 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| strgzer585 | 37 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| okbosox26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| djwagner92 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| weave40 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| pryan000 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| RLane11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Semaj89 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HIPPYHD | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| michjim | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| apov22 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| mmart2780 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| gswenson0607 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| mcnasty52 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| whitetrashballerz | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| dankc2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AverageMoesef | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| tsall | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| jsherman003 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| samsonite136 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| steelerhead | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| wcuball29 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| him | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| silverback9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timtime33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| yellowzjacket | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| mattk614 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| jut01013 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| jokerdpro | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| dhorton8813 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| yisman | 32 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NatemanH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| kodatazer | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SmoothLH20 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJESQUIRE | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| mclellan72 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DKMaestro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EmceeDusty | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| sochoice | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bigstacks2015 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| XonoX | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MattyIce07 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wencesace21 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J_maw | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TakeoverTarget | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| nearthewall | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mangone | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| dannydonahue98 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BigPod | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GBRollClones | 13 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PackerOwner | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| autumnhunter33 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rcplayer07 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FiveStarCo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| tmirrione | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| player527 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| pclesnare | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| fredvr223 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| jsteele1020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bdawg22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Congratulations go out to… well… me!!! Just kidding. But seriously though, strgzer585 and I tied for the July lead with 10 home runs apiece. I thought I landed my first solo victory after Justin Turner and Michael Conforto went yard in my updates. I didn’t see that Juan Soto also homered until I wrote the article. Kudos to strgzer585 for staying active in the contest and a well-deserved victory for the month of July. Send me a direct message on the site so I can arrange for your shirt to be sent out. One month and one shirt left. Who is going to earn this luxurious prize?
I am happy we are kicking off August on a Friday. With 12 games, there truly are so many different ways to approach this slate. Coors Field will divvy up a bunch of the ownership in our contest. Will a contrarian option hit multiple home runs? Will a Coors Field fade work out? I will be back next week to unveil the new leaderboard and give you my next three picks. Until then, good luck, everyone.
I am happy to announce that at the end of each month I will be rewarding the highest home run total with a RotoGrinders T-shirt. Having a rough month? Don’t let up. The RotoGrinders member with the most home runs throughout the season — until the end of August — will be awarded a 3-month Combo Premium subscription to start the NFL season!
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the article, stick around for the rest of the MLB season. Want to compete against me? Drop your expensive, mid-tier, and cheap home run calls in the comments (DraftKings pricing). Otherwise, give me a follow on Twitter where I typically post slate-relevant statistics and embarrassing comments about professional wrestling.
Statistics for this article are obtained from FanGraphs, Baseball Reference, RotoGrinders Daily Research Console, and Baseball Savant.