MLB Daily Grind Down April 23rd
The RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down article will give you an in-depth analysis into the MLB schedule. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on which trends you can exploit.
While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy baseball, there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, weather, and salaries. The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. No sport has more variance than baseball. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.
Today’s schedule is completely full, there are a total of 17 games today thanks to the weather raining out a couple of last night’s games. There are a couple of day games so we will get to those first and then break down each of the night games. My favorite play of the day is David Price who gets to face all of those left hand bats of the Yankees.
Miami at Minnesota
| Miami | Minnesota | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target Field | 2:10 PM | ||||||
| Ricky Nolasco (0-2 REC, 3.86 ERA, 6.0 Avg IP) | Kevin Correia (1-1 REC, 2.95 ERA, 5.1 Avg IP) | ||||||
| PvB | 11-30 (0.367) H/AB, 1 OPS, 0 HR, 10 Ks | PvB | 28-70 (0.4) H/AB, 1.143 OPS, 4 HR, 9 Ks | ||||
| ROAD | 11.1 IP, 3.97 ERA, 0.231 BAA, 6.4 K/9 | HOME | 14 IP, 2.57 ERA, 0.278 BAA, 4.5 K/9 | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
MIA BvP  | MIA vs R | MIN BvP | MIN vs R | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 8.0
- Favored MIN -150
Pitchers
- Home Kevin Correia gets the start in the first game of the double header and has a terrific matchup against the struggling Marlins. Correia isn’t a guy that is going to rack up double digit strikeouts, but he keeps his ERA low and gets outs. He is a big favorite and should be targeted if you are in the daytime leagues.
- Away Ricky Nolasco is a fairly average pitcher that I usually try to stay away from unless he has a matchup that is just too good to pass on. Today is not that day. Nolasco has a career ERA over 4 and that’s what you can expect from him today. Avoid
Batters
- Home The Twins hitters are definitely in play today against Nolasco. Joe Mauer has been swinging a hot bat, Josh Willingham is cheaper than usual, and Justin Morneau is a guy that I really like. All three of them are in play.
- Away While Correia isn’t going to strike out a ton of batters, he usually gets outs and the way that the Marlins are playing, he will likely get those outs fairly quickly. Maybe take a shot on Giancarlo Stanton, but other than that avoid the Marlins.
Atlanta at Colorado
| Atlanta | Colorado | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coors Field | 3:10 PM | ||||||
| Mike Minor (2-1 REC, 0.95 ERA, 5.2 Avg IP) | Jeff Francis (1-1 REC, 8.25 ERA, 5.2 Avg IP) | ||||||
| PvB | 9-32 (0.281) H/AB, 1 OPS, 2 HR, 6 Ks | PvB | 18-60 (0.3) H/AB, 0.817 OPS, 2 HR, 11 Ks | ||||
| ROAD | 5.2 IP, 0 ERA, 0.227 BAA, 6.4 K/9 | HOME | 10.1 IP, 6.1 ERA, 0.326 BAA, 7.8 K/9 | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| OAK BvP | OAK vs R | BOS BvP | BOS vs R | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 9.5
- Favored ATL -106
Pitchers
- Home Jeff Francis has an ERA above 8 already this season and is pitching in Coors field today. If there was ever a pitcher to completely ignore, it’s Francis.
- Away Mike Minor has been on fire to start the season. He is 2-1 with an ERA under 1 while racking up 16 strikeouts over 19 innings. But he is playing in Coors field and that alone makes me want to avoid him.
Batters
- Home Lot of hitters in play today. Troy Tulowitzki crushes lefties at home as does Michael Cuddyer. I don’t love the lefty/lefty matchup for Carlos Gonzalez, but the rest of the team is in play.
- Away Today would be a good day to do a mini stack of the Braves. Francis is giving up runs like their hot. Chris Johnson, Dan Uggla, and both Upton brothers could be the way to go against this lefty.
Oakland at Boston
| Oakland | Boston | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenway Park | 6:30 PM | ||||||
| Bartolo Colon (2-0 REC, 3.32 ERA, 6.0 Avg IP) | Alfredo Aceves (1-0 REC, 6.28 ERA, 5.0 Avg IP) | ||||||
| PvB | 22-103 (0.214) H/AB, 0.699 OPS, 4 HR, 24 Ks | PvB | 6-30 (0.2) H/AB, 0.633 OPS, 1 HR, 9 Ks | ||||
| ROAD | 6 IP, 4.5 ERA, 0.32 BAA, 3 K/9 | HOME | 5 IP, 3.6 ERA, 0.3 BAA, 7.2 K/9 | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| PIT BvP | PIT vs L | PHI BvP | PHI vs L | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 8.5
- Favored BOS -117
Pitchers
- Home Alfredo Aceves is the exact opposite of what you want in a pitcher when you are playing daily fantasy baseball. He is extremely inconsistent and can allow strings of runs that kills his value. Avoid him today.
- Away Bartolo Colon hasn’t been terrible this season, but I’m certainly not going to waste my pitcher spot on him when he is playing the Red Sox in Fenway. Too many other options out there.
Batters
- Home Mike Napoli has been swinging the bat well and makes a solid play today against Colon. I also like the lefty/righty matchup for Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino. Try to steer clear of Pedroia though, he is only 1/10 against Colon in his career.
- Away The A’s offense usually gets ignored in daily fantasy baseball and I’m not exactly sure why. Brandon Moss, Jed Lowrie, and Coco Crisp have all been producing and are all in play today, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them put up 5+ runs against Aceves.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
| Pittsburgh | Philadelphia | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizens Bank Park | 7:05 PM | ||||||
| Jeff Locke (1-1 REC, 5.17 ERA, 4.2 Avg IP) | Cole Hamels (0-2 REC, 6.46 ERA, 6.1 Avg IP) | ||||||
| PvB | 0-0 (0) H/AB, 0 OPS, 0 HR, 0 Ks | PvB | 22-81 (0.272) H/AB, 0.852 OPS, 5 HR, 17 Ks | ||||
| ROAD | 6 IP, 6 ERA, 0.364 BAA, 4.5 K/9 | HOME | 12.2 IP, 7.82 ERA, 0.298 BAA, 7.1 K/9 | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| STL BvP | STL vs L | WSN BvP | WSN vs R | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 7.0
- Favored PHI -154
Pitchers
- Home Cole Hamels is really off to a rough start this year, but a matchup against the Pirates might be just what he need to get going. While the BvP may suggest otherwise, I love Hamels today. Target
- Away Jeff Locke is a pitcher that usually doesn’t last very deep into the game. His ERA is high and the manager is quick to pull the plug on him when things start going wrong. Not the type of pitcher I like to take.
Batters
- Home None of the Phillies bats have ever faced Locke, but you want to target the players that are good against lefties. I’m looking at Jimmy Rollins and Michael Young, both should be able to get hits off of Locke.
- Away I think Hamels really turns it on in this game and for that reason I am going to say to avoid the Pirates bats.
St. Louis at Washington
| St. Louis | Washington | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationals Park | 7:05 PM | ||||||
| Adam Wainwright (3-1 REC, 2.48 ERA, 6.1 Avg IP) | Ross Detwiler (1-0 REC, 0.90 ERA, 5.1 Avg IP) | ||||||
| PvB | 30-105 (0.286) H/AB, 0.781 OPS, 2 HR, 24 Ks | PvB | 8-25 (0.32) H/AB, 1 OPS, 1 HR, 3 Ks | ||||
| ROAD | 20 IP, 3.6 ERA, 0.338 BAA, 7.2 K/9 | HOME | 7 IP, 1.29 ERA, 0.167 BAA, 6.4 K/9 | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| KCR BvP | KCR vs R | DET BvP | DET vs R | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 7.0
- Favored WAS -103
Pitchers
- Home Ross Detwiler has really been solid to start the season. In three starts, he has pitched 20 innings, racked up 11 K’s, and only allowed two earned runs. While I think he pitches well, this Cardinals team can sure hit against lefties so I’m not taking the chance.
- Away Adam Wainwright is looking like his 2010 self again which is great news for the Cardinals. He has gotten knocked around a bit on the road this season, but I like the matchup today against the Phillies. He is definitely in play.
Batters
- Home I never like to take hitters in a game that has a low over/under, especially when the team is facing a guy like Wainwright. Avoid.
- Away While I just said that I don’t like to take hitters in a low over/under game, I am going against my usual rule and going to say that the Cardinals batters are in play. Matt Holliday, Carlos Beltran, and Yadier Molina are all great against lefties.