MLB Daily Grind Down: Saturday, August 24th

by Kyle Koch (Jackandsoda) Last Updated 2013-08-24 20:15:25

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.

Note: Any Fantasy Point Average Listed Uses FanDuel Scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s MLB Scoring System, check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review

• FPAB – Fantasy Points Per At Bat
• K% – Strikeout Percentage
• K/9 – Strikeouts Per 9 IP

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Boston vs. LA Dodgers

4:05 PM	Boston – ROAD					LA Dodgers – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.273	0.785	20.30%	0.69		0.266	0.724	18.40%	0.56
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.251	0.713	20.80%	0.43		0.259	0.715	18.90%	0.44
SP STATS	Lester – LHP					Ryu – LHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.35	4.31	7.61	10.13		1.23	2.91	7.35	11.70
LAST 14 DAYS	1.15	2.03	4.81	8.55		0.79	0.64	6.43	15.50
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	BOS vs L		BOS BvP			LAD vs L		LAD BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7

• Favored Team – LAD -117

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home It is hard to ignore Hyun-Jin Ryu ‘s 1.78 home ERA and .225 BAA even against the league’s second highest scoring team. BOS has curbed their K totals since the All-Star break. They have recorded the 13th most Ks since then. Ryu is still very playable at home but there is a little more risk than upside in the play at this point of the season but you are going to have to take a chance somewhere. BOS is batting .262 on the road, .255 versus left-handers, and .275 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 7

• Away Jon Lester has been rolling since the All-Star Break with a 2.52 ERA. 4 of those 6 starts came on the road against some quality opponents so I think you can ignore his 4.34 road ERA today in this pitcher friendly park. LAD is batting .260 at home, .271 versus right-handers, and .243 over the past 7 days. RG Start-Ability 7

Batter Grind Down

• Home Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig are your best bets today because of the high BAA versus left-handers. Adrian Gonzalez is hitting left-handers well on the year also. RG Stack Rating 2

• Away Ryu has actually struggled more with left-handers this year than right-handers. Still, a hot Will Middlebrooks looks like a nice option. Jonny Gomes and Dustin Predoria are always a threat versus left-handers. RG Stack Rating 3

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Oakland vs. Baltimore

4:05 PM	Oakland – ROAD					Baltimore – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.244	0.717	19.40%	0.60		0.265	0.757	18.30%	0.63
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.245	0.712	18.80%	0.46		0.249	0.705	19.00%	0.44
SP STATS	Milone – LHP					Tillman – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.30	4.30	6.85	9.26		1.30	3.70	7.34	10.88
LAST 14 DAYS	1.67	1.93	10.71	8.20		0.93	1.93	6.43	10.50
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	OAK vs R		OAK BvP			BAL vs L		BAL BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 9

• Favored Team – BAL -125

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Chris Tillman Has a 3.35 ERA and .204 BAA since the All-Star Break so he is pitching better than the beginning of the season. However, his home ERA of 4.48 has increased since the break. He has given up 20 HRs in 14 starts at Camden Yards. He should walk away with the win but he is a lock to give up at least 1 long ball, maybe even 2. OAK is batting .251 on the road, .245 versus right-handers, and .253 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

• Away Jarrod Parker got crushed to the tune of 6 ER earlier this year by the same BAL team. That start was in OAK a much more pitcher friendly environment. Furthermore, it was not the first time this team has done that to him. BAL owns a .362 BAA and 1.072 OPS versus Parker in 58 AB. BAL is batting .260 at home, .272 versus right-handers, and .273 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4

Batter Grind Down

• Home Everyone has positive BvPs versus Parker but Chris Davis ‘s numbers are the best. He is 3-8 with 2 HRs versus Parker. Chris Davis and Adam Jones have been hot for BAL each with over 30 fp in the last 7 days. Brian Roberts has been hot as well with 20 fp. RG Stack Rating 7

• Away When a pitcher is struggling with the long ball everyone is playable. This is especially true on a short day when you need to find that one strange play that produces. A hot Brandon Moss with 3 HRs in the last 7 days is your best play. RG Stack Rating

Detroit vs. NY Mets

3:10 PM	Detroit – ROAD					NY Mets – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.279	0.783	17.50%	0.65		0.237	0.681	22.20%	0.54
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.284	0.786	16.50%	0.52		0.236	0.680	21.80%	0.42
SP STATS	Scherzer – RHP					Harvey – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	0.90	2.82	9.67	15.00		0.89	2.25	9.83	14.05
LAST 14 DAYS	0.81	2.57	6.43	12.67		0.95	2.57	6.43	11.33
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	DET vs R		DET BvP			NYM vs R		NYM BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 6

• Favored Team – DET -145

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Matt Harvey has a 1.83 ERA and .181 BAA at home this year. He has a 1.94 ERA and .208 BAA since the All-Star Break. His most attractive feature is, of course, his 9.80 K/9 on the year. DET is a tough draw and Harvey will have to pitch perfect to walk away with the win today but he is capable of pitching perfect even against DET. DET is batting .266, .284 versus right-handers, and .275 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 8

• Away Max Scherzer has the easiest draw of the AM side of things. NYM is horrible at home and not that good in general. Mad Max is much better on the road than he is a home with a 2.29 ERA and 1.71 BAA. He is completely shutting down right-handers with a .159 BAA. His 18-1 record say it all. NYM is batting .228 at home, .238 versus right-handers, and .266 last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 10

Batter Grind Down

• Home I would say Miguel Cabrera has been hot over the last 7 days producing 32.75 fp but that is just standard production for him. He is hot when he starts pushing that number over 40 fp. He is always a good play if you can afford him. I would trust the low OU outside of that and avoid the rest of DET high dollar bats today. RG Stack Rating 3

• Away If you want to play the fade then Eric Young jr. and Marlon Byrd have been steadily producing for awhile. RG Stack Rating 1

Night Games Coming Soon

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Texas vs. Chicago White Sox

4:05 PM	Texas – ROAD					Chicago White Sox – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.263	0.742	16.90%	0.61		0.248	0.678	19.60%	0.51
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.266	0.739	17.20%	0.47		0.253	0.689	19.20%	0.40
SP STATS	Darvish – RHP					Santiago – LHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.03	2.68	11.96	15.63		1.34	3.27	8.77	7.39
LAST 14 DAYS	1.09	2.82	11.40	17.03		1.85	3.24	5.00	7.73
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	TEX vs L		TEX BvP			CHW vs R		CHW BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7

• Favored Team – TEX -200

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Hector Santiago has been pitching really well on the year. He has been slightly worse at home. I just cannot wrap my head around a scenario in which CHW scores him enough runs for him to get the win against Yu today. TEX is batting .255 on the road, .267 versus left-handers, and .265 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 6

• Away Yu Darvish has the most upside in daily fantasy out of any pitcher in the MLB. He faces one of the league’s worst opponents. enough said. RG Start-Ability 10

Batter Grind Down

• Home Darvish is buzz-sawing right-handers to a .141 BAA. If you are going to play the fade then make it a left-handed bat. RG Stack Rating 1

• Away The right-handed bats of Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrua, and Craig Gentry have been the hottest Rangers. Jeff Baker is worth a look today. I also like Alex Rios in his return to CHW. RG Stack Rating 5

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Minnesota vs. Cleveland

7:05 PM	Minnesota – ROAD					Cleveland – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.241	0.695	22.00%	0.54		0.256	0.736	21.30%	0.64
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.239	0.698	21.70%	0.44		0.249	0.722	21.90%	0.48
SP STATS	Hendriks – RHP					McAllister – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.31	3.94	4.50	5.67		1.36	3.74	6.82	8.88
LAST 14 DAYS	1.31	2.84	4.43	7.10		1.61	6.48	11.11	8.05
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	MIN vs R		MIN BvP			CLE vs R		CLE BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5

• Favored Team – CLE -180

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Here I go again with Zach McAllister. He draws the easiest matchup in a MIN team that has recorded the most Ks since the All-Star Break and has recorded the 6th fewest runs. McAllister is in a good spot to produce. MIN is batting .231 on the road, .239 versus right-handers, and .258 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 8

• Away Liam Hendricks has recorded only 7 Ks in his first 3 starts. He has not been that good of a pitcher either with a 2.88 BAA. He has little upside and even though his ERA is a decent 3.94, he has yet to throw over a 100 pitches. CLE is batting .253 on the road, .248 versus right-handers, and .238 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 2

Batter Grind Down

• Home Hendricks is allowing right-handers a .313 BAA and .896 OPS. Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Carlos Santana, and Drew Stubbs have been productive for CLE. RG Stack Rating 6

• Away Josh Willingham is a sick 5-7 with 3 HRs versus McAllister. Justin Morneau has been hot and has positive BvPs as well. RG Stack Rating 1

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