MLB Daily Grind Down: Saturday, September 21st

by John Britt (jmbwngfn) Last Updated 2013-09-21 18:23:09

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

Baltimore vs. Tampa Bay

1:05 PM	Baltimore – ROAD					Tampa Bay – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.264	0.755	18.10%	0.63		0.262	0.748	18.70%	0.62
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.267	0.767	18.00%	0.52		0.250	0.734	19.00%	0.48
SP STATS	Gonzalez – RHP					Cobb – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.27	3.92	6.43	8.65		1.20	3.02	8.30	11.95
LAST 14 DAYS	0.94	2.45	6.96	11.70		1.30	4.12	8.91	11.07
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	BAL vs R		BAL BvP			TBR vs R		TBR BvP

Pitcher Grind Down

• Miguel Gonzalez – Gonzalez is nothing more than a middle of the road MLB pitcher and isn’t worth consideration other than as a cheap GPP flier. Pitcher Rating: 4 out of 10

• Alex Cobb – Cobb has had an exceptional season and now sports an ERA of just 3.02 on the season. He strikes out nearly a batter per inning and pitched very well against Baltimore the only other time they met this year. Pitcher Rating: 6 out of 10

Batter Grind Down

Evan Longoria is 5 for 14 with a homerun against Gonzalez.

Sean Rodriguez is on a mini hot streak and has a pair of homeruns this week. He makes for a solid value play.

San Francisco vs. NY Yankees

1:05 PM	San Francisco – ROAD					NY Yankees – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.259	0.692	16.90%	0.51		0.246	0.685	19.40%	0.55
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.264	0.706	16.90%	0.41		0.245	0.694	19.80%	0.42
SP STATS	Vogelsong – RHP					Nova – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.59	5.73	6.15	6.36		1.32	3.36	7.60	10.15
LAST 14 DAYS	1.84	6.89	2.96	2.73		1.79	7.07	4.50	3.33
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	SFG vs R		SFG BvP			NYY vs R		NYY BvP

Pitcher Grind Down

• Ryan Vogelsong – Vogelsong has had a 2013 season that he wishes he could forget. He’s a better pitcher than his 5.73 ERA suggests, but his strikeout rate is less than ideal and this matchup in Yankee Stadium is worth avoiding. Pitcher Rating: 3 out of 10

• Ivan Nova – Nova has had for more success at Yankee Stadium, posting a 6-2 record and a 2.71 ERA on the year. With that said, he’s been knocked around in each of his last three starts and is risky enough that he should probably only be used in GPP’s. Pitcher Rating: 5 out of 10

Batter Grind Down

Soriano is 5 for 15 with a homerun off of Vogelsong

Hunter Pence has a 1.252 OPS this month and has driven in 26 runs in just 19 games in September.

Atlanta vs. Chicago Cubs

4:05 PM	Atlanta – ROAD					Chicago Cubs – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.252	0.731	22.40%	0.59		0.240	0.702	20.10%	0.54
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.242	0.705	22.10%	0.45		0.241	0.702	19.40%	0.43
SP STATS	Medlen – RHP					Wood – LHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.26	3.32	7.15	10.47		1.12	3.05	6.38	9.97
LAST 14 DAYS	1.06	1.32	7.50	15.10		1.00	1.38	7.62	13.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	ATL vs L		ATL BvP			CHC vs R		CHC BvP

Pitcher Grind Down

• Kris Medlen – Medlan has looked like the 2012 version of himself lately, as he is 8-3 with a 2.78 ERA since the All-Star break. With that said, he has struggled a bit on the road this year and Wrigley Field is not the safest pitching environment out there. Pitcher Rating: 7 out of 10

• Travis Wood – Wood has rather quietly had a fantastic season. He sports a 3.03 ERA on the year and has held opposing hitters to a .219 Batting Average. However, he has not pitched quiet as well at home and Atlanta has a handful of players who thrive against left-handed pitching. Pitcher Rating: 5 out of 10

Batter Grind Down

Justin Upton is hitting .350 over the last week and owns an impressive 1.043 OPS versus southpaws this year.

Minnesota vs. Oakland

4:07 PM	Minnesota – ROAD					Oakland – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.241	0.698	22.20%	0.54		0.244	0.718	19.40%	0.59
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.237	0.692	22.40%	0.43		0.257	0.759	19.00%	0.51
SP STATS	Hernandez – LHP					Parker – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.62	5.26	4.58	5.08		1.23	3.81	6.24	9.34
LAST 14 DAYS	1.85	5.59	4.89	4.10		1.98	7.84	6.24	4.05
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	MIN vs R		MIN BvP			OAK vs L		OAK BvP

Pitcher Grind Down

• Pedro Hernandez – Hernandez has been consistently mediocre and has struggled on the road this year (6.94 road ERA). Pitcher Rating: 3 out of 10

• Jarrod Parker – Parker was lit up by the Angels in his last start but had been pitching very well leading up to that game. He has a soft matchup versus a Minnesota team that has been falling apart down the stretch. Pitcher Rating: 6 out of 10

Batter Grind Down

Josh Donaldson is hitting .393 this month and has also absolutely crushed left-handed pitching (1.055 OPS)

Houston vs. Cleveland

6:05 PM	Houston – ROAD					Cleveland – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.239	0.683	25.60%	0.54		0.253	0.732	21.10%	0.63
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.256	0.707	25.60%	0.42		0.245	0.717	21.70%	0.47
SP STATS	Clemens – RHP					Kazmir – LHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.44	5.54	5.85	2.46		1.35	4.34	8.75	9.19
LAST 14 DAYS	1.00	2.57	2.57	7.00		1.40	4.20	13.20	11.33
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	HOU vs L		HOU BvP			CLE vs R		CLE BvP

Pitcher Grind Down

• Paul Clemens – If you’re contemplating starting Paul Clemens today, then I’m surprised you still have a bankroll left at this point in the season. He sports a 5.54 ERA on the year and is a converted reliever who will struggle to pitch deep into games. Pitcher Rating: 2 out of 10

• Scott Kazmir – With a matchup against the Astro’s on tap, Kazmir is in play today. He’s been mediocre lately but has an impressive strikeout rate and faces a Houston team that has struck out more than any other team in baseball. Pitcher Rating: 6 out of 10h3. Batter Grind Down

Jose Altuve is 3 for 3 off of Kazmir and is a career .320 hitter versus lefties.

Grind Down: Page 1 – Page 2