MLB Daily Grind Down May 6th
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.
With only 8 night games going to night, you have to be extra mindful of overlay in your GPPs Paul Goldschmidt gets my nod as the play of the day today as he gains all the splits in his favor vs. a struggling left-hander who he is 9-12 against. Here is todays grind down to get you pointed in the right direction.
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City
| Chicago White Sox | Kansas City | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauffman Stadium | 2:10 PM | ||||||
| Chris Sale – (3-2), 3.83 ERA, 8.33 K/9, 1.15 WHIP | James Shields – (2-2), 3 ERA, 8.36 K/9, 1.05 WHIP | ||||||
| PvB | (57-199 H/AB) 0.286 BA-A, 0.23 K%, 0.764 OPS-A | PvB | (50-178 H/AB) 0.281 BA-A, 0.2 K%, 0.798 OPS-A | ||||
| ROAD | (1-2), 5.89 ERA, 3 HRA, 7.9 K/9, 1.255 WHIP | HOME | (1-1), 2.81 ERA, 2 HRA, 7.3 K/9, 0.688 WHIP | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
CHW BvP  | CHW vs R | KCR BvP | KCR vs L | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 7
- Favored KAN -140
Pitchers
- Home James Shields is the favorite in a game with a low OU which makes him an instant target. His 2.81 home ERA is very nice and his K/9 ratio has been a click better on the year. CHW is batting .216 on the road, .224 vs. right-handers, and .224 over the last 7 days. Target
- Away Chris Sale is capable of GPP winning performances himself and the OU is very low in this one so he could be considered as a GPP play. He has not been sharp on the year but his high K/9 ratio gives you some wiggle room. KAN is batting .278 at home, .301 vs. left-handers, and .290 over the last 7 days
Batters
- Home Billy Butler is 8-25 with 3 HRs versus Sale. Salvador Perez, Alcides Escobar, and Chris Getz numbers are positive also.
- Away Alexi Ramirez is 11-26 vs. Shields with 2 HRs. Alex Rios is 14-45 vs. him with HR also.
Oakland at Cleveland
| Oakland | Cleveland | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Field | 7:05 PM | ||||||
| Jarrod Parker – (1-4), 7.36 ERA, 5.57 K/9, 2.01 WHIP | Ubaldo Jimenez – (1-2), 7.13 ERA, 7.13 K/9, 1.33 WHIP | ||||||
| PvB | (11-48 H/AB) 0.229 BA-A, 0.15 K%, 0.688 OPS-A | PvB | (15-68 H/AB) 0.221 BA-A, 0.37 K%, 0.676 OPS-A | ||||
| ROAD | (0-1), 2.79 ERA, 1 HRA, 5.6 K/9, 2.069 WHIP | HOME | (0-2), 21 ERA, 2 HRA, 7.5 K/9, 2.833 WHIP | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| OAK BvP | OAK vs R | CLE BvP | CLE vs R | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 8.5
- Favored CLE -115
Pitchers
- Home Ubaldo Jimenez had his ground ball pitch working in his last start and he finished the day 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, a 4 Ks. This will be only his 5th start on the year but he is a 2.50 pitcher on the road and a 21.00 pitcher at home. You cannot read too much into numbers but he needs at least one good start at home before I will consider him there but hi last 2 starts have looked encouraging and he is the favorite today. OAK is batting .271 on the road, .237 vs. right-handers, and .251 over the last 7 days. In Play
- Away Jarrod Parker has been horrible on the year. The BvPs are low but he has had success against this team in the past. His one good start of the year came on the road but his 2.01 WHIP is off the charts and he runs into a hot CLE team. CLE is batting .263 at home, .268 vs. right-handers, and .338 with 15 HRs over the last 7 days.
Batters
- Home Gentleman start your CLE stacks.
- Away Yoenis Cespedes has 26.3 fp over the last week. He is 2-2 vs. Jimenez. Brandon Moss has 20 fp over the last week and is batting .300 vs. right-handers. Josh Donaldson continues his run of games. Josh Reddick is 2-6 with 1 HR versus Jimenez but batting only .148 on the year.
Atlanta at Cincinnati
| Atlanta | Cincinnati | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great American Ball Park | 7:10 PM | ||||||
| Paul Maholm – (3-3), 3.08 ERA, 7.58 K/9, 1.08 WHIP | Bronson Arroyo – (2-3), 3.95 ERA, 3.95 K/9, 1.07 WHIP | ||||||
| PvB | (37-152 H/AB) 0.243 BA-A, 0.13 K%, 0.743 OPS-A | PvB | (47-159 H/AB) 0.296 BA-A, 0.16 K%, 0.943 OPS-A | ||||
| ROAD | (2-2), 4.07 ERA, 1 HRA, 8.1 K/9, 1.192 WHIP | HOME | (2-0), 2.86 ERA, 1 HRA, 5.7 K/9, 0.955 WHIP | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| ATL BvP | ATL vs R | CIN BvP | CIN vs L | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 7.5
- Favored CIN -112
Pitchers
- Home Bronson Arroyo has 4 quality starts in 6 outings. He has been a better pitcher at home where he has a 2.86 ERA. His Ks are on the low side and he has given up 5 HRs which is dangerous. ATL is batting .245 on the road, .244 vs. right-handers, and .245 over the last 7 days. They have a .296 BAA vs. Arroyo with 12 HR in 159 AB. Avoid
- Away Paul Maholm is the slight dog in this matchup but if I were taking a pitcher from this matchup it would be him because of his upside. Left-handers have just 4 hit in 45 AB vs. Maholm and none of them have been for extra bases. Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Shin-Shoo Choo all bat left-handed. CIN is batting .224 on the road, .279 vs. left-handers, and .245 over the last 7 days. Target
Batters
- Home Brandon Phillips has a very nice .324 batting average vs. left-handers. He is 18-51 versus Maholm with 4 HRs. He might not play tonight, though so be careful.
- Away Freddie Freeman is 3-7 vs. Arroyo with an HR. He is swinging the bat well producing 19 fp over the last 7 days. Everyone takes about Chris Johnson versus left-handers but he has a .295 batting average vs. right-handers on the year and is 4-10 vs. Arroyo with 3 doubles. Dan Uggla is 6-18 with 2 HRs vs. him and Justin Upton has taken him deep twice as well.
Minnesota at Boston
| Minnesota | Boston | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenway Park | 7:10 PM | ||||||
| Vance Worley – (0-4), 7.22 ERA, 5.43 K/9, 1.92 WHIP | Clay Buchholz – (6-0), 1.01 ERA, 9.57 K/9, 0.96 WHIP | ||||||
| PvB | (1-12 H/AB) 0.083 BA-A, 0.33 K%, 0.333 OPS-A | PvB | (17-52 H/AB) 0.327 BA-A, 0.12 K%, 0.808 OPS-A | ||||
| ROAD | (0-1), 5.94 ERA, 4 HRA, 5.4 K/9, 1.74 WHIP | HOME | (4-0), 1.17 ERA, 0 HRA, 10.3 K/9, 0.978 WHIP | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| MIN BvP | MIN vs R | BOS BvP | BOS vs R | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 8
- Favored BOS -200
Pitchers
- Home Clay Buchholz takes the hill as the huge favorite today. He has been incredibly dominant and has a perfect 6-0 record. His K/9 ratio is back up to where it was 5 years ago, which makes him a legitimate fantasy stud. MIN is batting .225 on the road, .235 vs right-handers, and .235 over the last 7 days. They have a .327 BAA vs. Buchholz as a team. Target
- Away Vance Worley is not fantasy relevant. He might pitched well enough to not destroy your daily fantasy roster if you select him but that’s about it. Avoid
Batters
- Home Gentleman start your BOS stacks
- Away If you are playing the fade then Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have good numbers and catch a right-handed pitcher. Chris Parmelee has been hot and is cheap.
Toronto at Tampa Bay
| Toronto | Tampa Bay | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropicana Field | 7:10 PM | ||||||
| Mark Buehrle – (1-2), 6.43 ERA, 5.14 K/9, 1.51 WHIP | Jeremy Hellickson – (1-2), 4.71 ERA, 7.73 K/9, 1.21 WHIP | ||||||
| PvB | (27-85 H/AB) 0.318 BA-A, 0.11 K%, 0.776 OPS-A | PvB | (28-109 H/AB) 0.257 BA-A, 0.2 K%, 0.743 OPS-A | ||||
| ROAD | (0-1), 9.31 ERA, 3 HRA, 4.7 K/9, 1.655 WHIP | HOME | (1-0), 3.38 ERA, 1 HRA, 5.4 K/9, 0.975 WHIP | ||||
| BATTER SPLITS BREAKDOWN | |||||||
| TOR BvP | TOR vs R | TBR BvP | TBR vs L | ||||
| Note: Batter Splits Above Open in Pop Up Window | |||||||
Las Vegas
- OU 7.5
- Favored TAM -143
Pitchers
- Home Jeremy Hellickson has been a better pitcher at home. His last 2 starts did not go well but they were on the road. His K/9 totals should get a decent little bump against a TOR team with 251 Ks on the year. TOR is batting .227 on the road, .227 vs. right-handers, and .241 over the last 7 days. The BvP data favors TOR. In Play
- Away Mark Buehrle will not end up in any of daily rosters. He has been horrible on the year and I do not trust him even though the OU is low. Even when pitching well, his Ks are on the low side. TAM is batting .257 at home, .275 vs. left-handers, and .275 over the last 7 days. Buehrle is cold and the splits favor TAM. Aviod
Batters
- Home Jose Molina is 9-24 versus Buehrle with 1 HR. James Loney is batting .636 versus left-handers on the year. The splits favor Evan Longoria today if you needed a reason to play him. This one could get ugly so consider everyone in play.
- Away Jose Bautista, J.P. Arencibia, and Edwin Encarnacion all have nice BvPs today. Melky Cabrera and Adam Lind are nice as well. Menunori Kawasaki has produced 14.5 fp over the last week and is still very cheap on most sites.