MLB Daily Grind Down: Sunday, August 18th
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. Detroit
| 1:05 PM | Kansas City – ROAD | Detroit – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.259 | 0.692 | 16.60% | 0.55 | 0.279 | 0.783 | 17.50% | 0.65 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.260 | 0.698 | 16.70% | 0.41 | 0.272 | 0.787 | 19.10% | 0.55 | |
| SP STATS | Chen – LHP | Scherzer – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.04 | 1.62 | 6.62 | 5.28 | 0.91 | 2.85 | 9.93 | 15.05 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 0.79 | 0.44 | 7.13 | 13.07 | 0.89 | 1.74 | 7.57 | 13.73 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
KCR vs R  | KCR BvP | DET vs L | DET BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 7
- Favored Team – DET -180
Pitcher Grind Down
- Home Max Scherzer has GPP winning upside so he is playable everyday but the numbers say it is best not to pay for him this afternoon. He is a worse pitcher at home than he is on the road and this KAN team always seems to get to him, He has a 5.25 ERA versus him on the year and the starters have some sick BvPs versus him. Pay for another stud. KAN is batting .262 on the road, .259 versus right-handers, and .248 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 7
- Away Bruce Chen is a great run but he is 36 and a career 4.45 pitcher. I think his 1.62 ERA on the year is just a string of nice starts and I fully expect this great DET team to lay into him today. DET is batting .295 at home, .270 versus left-handers, and .284 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4
Batter Grind Down
- Home I love the right-handed bats here. All of the right-handed starters have positive BvPs. Miguel Cabrera ‘s 13-32 with 4 HRs is the best line. He has been hot with 35.25 fp over the last 7 days. RG Stack Rating 8
- Away If you have the stones, the BvPs are very encouraging for KAN. Eric Hosmer is super hot with 24.5 fp over the last 7 days. RG Stack Rating 4
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San Francisco vs. Miami
| 1:10 PM | San Francisco – ROAD | Miami – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.259 | 0.690 | 17.20% | 0.51 | 0.231 | 0.622 | 19.50% | 0.43 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.262 | 0.700 | 17.00% | 0.40 | 0.229 | 0.645 | 21.70% | 0.35 | |
| SP STATS | Bumgarner – LHP | Koehler – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 0.99 | 2.73 | 8.77 | 12.83 | 1.35 | 4.62 | 6.30 | 6.05 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.33 | 2.50 | 9.50 | 12.00 | 1.62 | 4.41 | 7.83 | 8.70 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| SFG vs R | SFG BvP | MIA vs L | MIA BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 7
- Favored Team – SFO -167
Pitcher Grind Down
- Home Vegas has faith in Tom Koehler to keep this game close. I do not see where that faith is coming from. All of his splits are below average and he has a lackluster K/9. Plus, he plays for MIA. SFO is batting .262 on the road, .262 versus left-handers, and .265 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 2
- Away Madison Bumgarner is having the kind of season the Matt Cain had a year ago. His numbers are all elite. They take a slight dip on the road but today he is facing the AAA team of MIA so who cares? MIA is batting .234 at home, .224 versus left-handers, and .234 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 9
Batter Grind Down
- Home Giancario Stanton is 6-8 with 5 XBH versus Bumgarner if you want to play the fade. RG Stack Rating 1
- Away Brandon Belt ha been super hot with 32 fp over the last 7 days. Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval have been hot as well. Brandon Crawford is batting .304 versus right-handers. RG Stack Rating 5
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LA Dodgers vs. Philadelphia
| 1:35 PM | LA Dodgers – ROAD | Philadelphia – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.266 | 0.724 | 18.40% | 0.56 | 0.253 | 0.704 | 19.90% | 0.53 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.261 | 0.720 | 18.90% | 0.44 | 0.257 | 0.706 | 19.60% | 0.42 | |
| SP STATS | Nolasco – RHP | Hamels – LHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.26 | 3.62 | 7.08 | 9.81 | 1.19 | 3.65 | 7.96 | 10.56 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.37 | 2.76 | 7.27 | 12.03 | 0.88 | 1.13 | 6.38 | 14.00 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| LAD vs L | LAD BvP | PHI vs R | PHI BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5
- Favored Team – LAD -110
Pitcher Grind Down
- Home Call me sadistic but I really wanted to see Cole Hamels lose 20 games. It probably will not happen now but the problem with him for us is still there. He plays for the PHI and his team will most likely not get him any run support. He has GPP winning upside so he is worth a look if you are willing to gamble. LAD is batting .274 on the road, .259 versus left-handers, and .298 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 7
- Away It seems like Ricky Nolasco got worse since joining LAD. He faces a PHI team that is an easy draw on paper but one that has seen him numerous times and has decent numbers against him. I cannot see using him today as amtchup play especially when you consider his opponent on the hill. PHI is batting .245 at home, .254 versus right-handers, and .183 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 6
Batter Grind Down
- Home Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Domonic Brown all have positive BvPs versus Nolasco. Cody Asche has been productive over the last 7 days and offers value. RG Stack Rating 1
- Away Adrian Gonzalez is 8-27 with 2 HRs versus Hamels. Hanley Ramirez is 17-60 with 2 HR as well. RG Stack Rating 2
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Arizona vs. Pittsburgh
| 1:35 PM | Arizona – ROAD | Pittsburgh – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.257 | 0.713 | 18.50% | 0.55 | 0.245 | 0.702 | 22.30% | 0.55 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.255 | 0.714 | 19.20% | 0.45 | 0.257 | 0.736 | 23.30% | 0.48 | |
| SP STATS | Miley – LHP | Morton – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.32 | 3.63 | 6.62 | 9.72 | 1.32 | 3.79 | 6.76 | 8.84 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 1.10 | 2.21 | 7.16 | 13.03 | 1.37 | 4.26 | 6.16 | 9.00 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| ARI vs R | ARI BvP | PIT vs L | PIT BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5
- Favored Team – PIT -125
Pitcher Grind Down
- Home Did you see the 8 ER ARI hung on Locke yesterday? I am not sure I will be willing to trust Charlie Morton and his .298 BAA at home today versus this hot team. ARI is batting .262 on the road, .256 versus right-handers, and .279 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4
- Away Wade Miley has actually been a little better on the road than he is at home but I do not trust him today versus this PIT team that is very good in their home park. He is allowing left-handers to bat .286 versus him, which is not good considering how many lefties PIT has in their LU. PIT is batting .251 at home, .243 versus left-handers, and .256 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4
Batter Grind Down
- Home The left-handed bat of Pedro Alvarez and his day game HR totals are your best play today. Andrew McCutchen crushes the ball at home. Starlin Marte has been hot over the last 7 days with 22 fp. RG Stack Rating 6
- Away Morton is allowing left-handers to bat .333 versus him. Aaron Hill, Paul Goldschmidt, Martin Prado, and Gerardo Parra have been hot for ARI.RG Stack Rating 4
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Colorado vs. Baltimore
| 1:35 PM | Colorado – ROAD | Baltimore – HOME | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM BATTING | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | AVG | OPS | K% | FPAB | |
| SEASON | 0.262 | 0.734 | 19.80% | 0.60 | 0.265 | 0.757 | 18.30% | 0.63 | |
| VS. LEFT/RIGHT | 0.265 | 0.751 | 20.00% | 0.49 | 0.275 | 0.785 | 17.90% | 0.53 | |
| SP STATS | Chacin – RHP | Feldman – RHP | |||||||
| WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | WHIP | ERA | K/9 | FPPG | ||
| SEASON | 1.19 | 3.18 | 5.40 | 10.04 | 1.20 | 4.00 | 6.67 | 9.42 | |
| LAST 14 DAYS | 0.91 | 1.57 | 5.48 | 13.67 | 1.70 | 5.40 | 10.80 | 8.00 | |
| BATTER SPLITS | Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window | ||||||||
| COL vs R | COL BvP | BAL vs R | BAL BvP | ||||||
What Vegas Says
- Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5
- Favored Team – BAL -160
Pitcher Grind Down
- Home Scott Feldman has a 5.17 ERA since joining the AL. He is maintaining a decent WHIP and not giving up that many HRs so I think it is a little but of bad luck. COL has not looked like the same team without Carlos Gonzalez. Feldman is probably over-priced but if you can get him for a discount on your site then he might be worth a look in a multiple pitcher format. RG Start-Ability 5
- Away Jhoulys Chacin has been close to unhittable outside of COL. BAL is another hitter’s park and they are the 4th highest scoring offense so I would not pull the trigger on him today but keep him on your radar. BAL is batting .257 at home, .271 versus right-handers, and .248 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4
Batter Grind Down
- Home Chris Davis is playable versus a right-hander at home no matter who it may be. Brian Roberts has been ghot with 23.25 fp. RG Stack Rating 4
- Away Michael Cuddyer is 7-13 with 2 HRs versus Feldman. Fowler, Dickerson, and Rosario have been hot for COL. RG Stack Rating 5
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