MLB Daily Grind Down: Saturday, August 3rd

by Kyle Koch (Jackandsoda) Last Updated 2013-08-04 12:08:22

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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Kansas City vs. NY Mets

1:10 PM	Kansas City – ROAD					NY Mets – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.255	0.684	17.20%	0.53		0.237	0.684	22.40%	0.55
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.254	0.686	16.90%	0.40		0.243	0.691	22.70%	0.42
SP STATS	Chen – LHP					Torres – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.15	2.09	6.50	4.19		1.25	3.13	8.08	4.02
LAST 14 DAYS	0.67	2.25	6.75	11.00		2.11	9.00	8.00	6.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	KCR vs R		KCR BvP			NYM vs L		NYM BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8

• Favored Team – KAN -120

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Jeremy Hefner is struggling at home. He is struggling in general. It does not help things that NYM also struggles at home to score runs. KAN is batting .262 on the road, .253 versus right-handers, and .261 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

• Away Bruce Chen first 2 starts since joining the rotation have been good and his season numbers look pretty enticing. These numbers are well below the 36 year old’s career totals of a 4.51 and 1.38 WHIP so I would not buy into them too much. He faces an easier draw today in NYM. NYM is batting .227 at home, .243 versus left-handers, and .243 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

Batter Grind Down

• Home Josh Satin is batting .405 versus left-handed pitching and should get the start today. David Wright is batting .339 versus left-handers and .306 at home but most likely will not play because of a hamstring injury. Eric Young Jr. has been hot and hit lefties well also. RG Stack Rating 5

• Away Hefner has allowed left-handers to bat .281 against him. The 3 hottest royals bats happen to be the left-handed bats of Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, and Mike Moustakas. David Lough is batting over .300 versus right-handers RG Stack Rating 4

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LA Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs

4:05 PM	LA Dodgers – ROAD					Chicago Cubs – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.265	0.715	18.30%	0.56		0.242	0.712	19.10%	0.56
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.266	0.723	18.10%	0.43		0.228	0.691	21.80%	0.42
SP STATS	Capuano – LHP					Samardzija – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.35	4.54	7.03	6.67		1.28	3.75	9.13	11.55
LAST 14 DAYS	1.00	4.09	4.91	6.00		1.15	1.80	8.10	12.67
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	LAD vs R		LAD BvP			CHC vs L		CHC BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5

• Favored Team – LAD -115

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Jeff Samardzija has run into some problems at home. He is only a really good pitcher when he takes his act on the road. Check the weather and if the wind looks favorable then his high K/9 rate might be worth a gamble. However, LAD has recorded the 7th fewest Ks on the year so I am not sure it is worth the risk especially when you consider the fact that they own a .400 BAA versus him as a team. LAD is batting .276 on the road, .266 versus right-handers, and .260 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

• Away Chris Capuano either goes for 0 ER or 5 ER. There seems to be very little middle ground with him. A matchup versus CHC looks like a good one on paper but he gave up 5 ER to PHI not that long ago and just had a start where he held CIN scoreless. There really is no telling. He has not pitched past the 7th inning in any of his starts even the good ones. CHC is batting .255 at home, .233 versus left-handers, and .226 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4

Batter Grind Down

• Home Starlin Castro is 4-7 off of Capuano. Junior Lake is batting .440 versus left-handed pitching. Anthony Rizzo is hot with 28 fp over the last week but is only batting .204 versus left-handed pitching. RG Stack Rating 3

• Away Yasiel Puig has been super hot with 28.75 fp over the last 7 days. Hanley Ramirez is 8-15 off of Samardzija. Both those two players plus Adrian Gonzalez are batting over .300 versus right-handers. RG Stack Rating 3

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Atlanta vs. Philadelphia

4:05 PM	Atlanta – ROAD					Philadelphia – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.250	0.735	22.70%	0.59		0.254	0.716	19.80%	0.53
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.242	0.710	22.30%	0.46		0.258	0.703	19.50%	0.41
SP STATS	Beachy – RHP					Lannan – LHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	2.81	17.18	14.06	1.20		1.36	4.10	4.84	7.29
LAST 14 DAYS	2.81	17.18	14.06	1.20		1.73	5.73	4.91	7.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	ATL vs L		ATL BvP			PHI vs R		PHI BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5

• Favored Team – ATL -115

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home John Lannan has been much better at home on the year with a 2.93 ERA and .236 BAA. He runs into a really hot ATL team that has batted well against him in the past with a .298 BAA. His K/9 numbers should get a boost from ATL high K rate but his K/9 is only 4.81 so I would not expect too many. All in All, he doesn not seem worth the risk since you cannot be sure the Phillies get him many runs. ATL is batting .243 on the road, .247 versus left-handers, and .330 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

• Away Brandon Beachy did not even make it 4 IP in his first start. He threw around 80 pitches and gave up 2 HRs. He did have 5 Ks if you are looking for something positive. This start should be better but it is going to take awhile for him to round into shape. It is best to just avoid him until that happens. PHI is batting .249 at home, .256 versus right-handers, and .193 over the last 7 days RG Start-Ability 1

Batter Grind Down

• Home Carlos Ruiz is 5-11 with 1 HR off of Beachy. Darin Ruf has been the hottest PHI. He is batting .321 versus right-handed pitching. RG Stack Rating 4

• Away Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Chris Johnson, Justin Upton, and Brian McCann have all been super hot for ATL. Dan Uggla is 9-25 with 1 HR versus Lannan but almost everyone has positive BvPs. Chris Johnson is batting .391 versus left-handers. Evan Gattis is batting .310 vs them. RG Stack Rating 6

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Texas vs. Oakland

4:07 PM	Texas – ROAD					Oakland – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.258	0.738	17.30%	0.58		0.243	0.712	19.80%	0.60
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.262	0.741	17.10%	0.47		0.244	0.709	19.50%	0.46
SP STATS	Garza – RHP					Parker – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.11	2.95	7.72	12.16		1.23	4.07	6.00	8.43
LAST 14 DAYS	0.92	1.88	7.02	13.05		1.58	5.25	5.25	6.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	TEX vs R		TEX BvP			OAK vs R		OAK BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7

• Favored Team – OAK -130

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Jarrod Parker should have an easier time with TEX than Milone did last night but I am not sure I would trust his home 4.81 ERA. He has held TEX to a .191 BAA on the year in 2 starts and a .168 BAA for his career. TEX is batting .253 on the road, .262 versus right-handers, and .288 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 6

• Away Matt Garza has looked good in his first 2 starts since joining the Rangers. He should benefit from this pitcher’s park today and the fact the OAK struggles at home. Plus, OAK as a team owns a .202 BAA versus Garza. OAK is batting .239 at home, .240 versus right-handers, and .253 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 7

Batter Grind Down

• Home Brandon Moss is 3-6 with 1 HR versus Garza. Yoenis Cespedes is hot with 22.5 fp over the last 7 days. RG Stack Rating

• Away Elvis Andrus, A.J. Pierzynski, and Nelson Cruz have all been hot. Adrian Beltre is bating .309 versus right-handers on the year. RG Stack Rating 3

Night Games Coming Soon

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Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit

7:05 PM	Chicago White Sox – ROAD					Detroit – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.248	0.687	20.30%	0.52		0.280	0.781	17.40%	0.66
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.254	0.697	20.00%	0.41		0.268	0.774	19.20%	0.53
SP STATS	Danks – LHP					Scherzer – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.17	4.57	6.02	7.94		0.92	3.01	10.31	15.20
LAST 14 DAYS	1.25	5.40	4.50	6.00		0.36	1.29	7.71	16.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	CHW vs R		CHW BvP			DET vs L		DET BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5

• Favored Team – DET -250

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Max Scherzer has not been that good at home with a 3.84 ERA but his K/9 total of 10.27 are among the best in the league and he is huge favorite today versus this weak CHW team. Long story short, he should get more than enough whiffs to offset any damage that may happen. CHW is batting .255 on the road, .251 versus right-handers, and .217 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 10

• Away John Danks just got let up by this same DET team in CHW. They are a much more deadly team in DET and Danks is a 5.36 pitcher on the road. DET is batting .301 at home, .273 versus left-handers, and .312 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 2

Batter Grind Down

• Home Miguel Cabrera is batting .419 versus left-handed pitching and .383 at home. Jonny Peralta is batting .356 versus left-handers and .354 at home. Tori Hunter is batting .347 versus left-handers and .246 at home. Omar Infante is batting .291 versus left-handers and .343 at home. Matt Tulasosopo is batting .281 versus left-handers and .345 at home. DET as a team has a .288 BAA versus Danks so pick your poison. Austin Jackson is 12-29 with 3 HRs is the most notable set of BvPs.RG Stack Rating 10

• Away If you are playing the fade then Adam Dunn is 7-24 with 2 HRs versus Scherzer. Paul Konerko is 8-32 with 2 HRs also. RG Stack Rating 1

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