MLB Daily Grind Down: Sunday, August 4th

by Kyle Koch (Jackandsoda) Last Updated 2013-08-04 17:05:17

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

It is a lackluster Sunday for most of us but for 40 lucky contestants today is the shot at a big payout! good luck to all the Grinders in the tournament. My Money is on Stlcards84. Here is today’s Daily Grind Down to help you win some money as well.

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

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Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit

1:05 PM	Chicago White Sox – ROAD					Detroit – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.250	0.687	20.30%	0.53		0.280	0.781	17.40%	0.65
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.256	0.701	20.50%	0.42		0.286	0.788	16.80%	0.53
SP STATS	Rienzo – RHP					Porcello – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON						1.24	4.49	6.87	8.53
LAST 14 DAYS						1.00	0.00	1.29	12.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	CHW vs R		CHW BvP			DET vs R		DET BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5

• Favored Team – DET -220

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Rick Porcello is everyone’s favorite upside play. I think he has more downside than upside especially at home where he is a 5.22 pitcher but he draws an easy matchup today in CHW. CHW has struggled all year to put up runs and is throwing a AAA call-up. RG Start-Ability 8

• Away Andre Rienzo threw a gem in CLE his MLB debut. He gets an even tougher assignment today in DET. DET is a great home team. Actually, they are the best home team. I know he is till probably cheap but he is too great of a risk today even at his price. RG Start-Ability 1

Batter Grind Down

• Home The OU is low but it is not often that DET gets to feed off of AAA pitching. Stack away my friends! RG Stack Rating 7

• Away I think it is just as likely that CHW hits Porcello hard today as it is that he throws a Gem. I like a productive Adam Dunn. Paul Konerko is 11-31 with 1 HR versus Porcello. Alex Rios is 7-34 with 3 HRs. Dayan Viciedo and Gordan Beckham ‘s numbers are positive as well. RG Stack Rating 3

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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		0.236	0.684	22.40%	0.55
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.251	0.680	17.30%	0.39		0.234	0.682	22.30%	0.43
SP STATS	Santana – RHP					Wheeler – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.08	3.06	6.97	11.11		1.44	3.72	7.30	9.89
LAST 14 DAYS	0.80	0.59	5.36	13.55		1.47	4.22	8.82	9.60
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	KCR vs R		KCR BvP			NYM vs R		NYM BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7

• Favored Team – KAN -139

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Zack Wheeler has a 5.87 home ERA but he is a nice Dark Horse pick today against a KAN team that has struggled offensively and will be without one of their best bats playing in the NL. Many people were higher on Wheeler than Harvey in the Mets front office. When he has been good, he has been electric. I think he is worth a shot today. RG Start-Ability 6

• Away Everyone that trade for a mediocre player at the deadline failed in not making a play for Ervin Santana. He is a true fantasy ace and would have been a ral asset to a team’s playoff rum. His numbers take a slight dip on the road but today he draws the Mets who struggle at home. There is no reason to believ why his great June and July will not continue. RG Start-Ability 8

Batter Grind Down

• Home I do not trust this offense without David wright to anchor it. RG Stack Rating 1

• Away Kan best hitters have bee their left-handed bats of Alex Girdan and Eric Hosmer. Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas make solid plays as well. RG Stack Rating 3

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Cleveland vs. Miami

1:10 PM	Cleveland – ROAD					Miami – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.256	0.744	21.50%	0.65		0.230	0.623	19.10%	0.43
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.254	0.739	22.10%	0.50		0.227	0.642	21.20%	0.35
SP STATS	Kazmir – LHP					Eovaldi – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.26	3.96	8.10	9.44		1.22	3.54	6.04	8.46
LAST 14 DAYS	0.75	0.89	7.16	14.03		1.50	5.06	7.88	8.33
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	CLE vs R		CLE BvP			MIA vs L		MIA BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5

• Favored Team – CLE -125

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Nathan Eovaldi may have a low ERA but he only throws 6 IP a game so his upside is capped. He faces too tough of opponent today for me to consider him. *RG Start-Ability 4 *

• Away Scott Kazmir is a huge gamble but he has GPP winning upside. He faces a MIA team that has struggled to score runs all year so today looks like a good spot to take him. MIA does not K all that much, though. You will need a lock down performance from him in order to win and I am not sure he can deliver. RG Start-Ability 7

Batter Grind Down

• Home Giancario Stanton is hot and has the traditional splits in his favor. RG Stack Rating 2

• Away The OU is low so temper your expectations for CLE. Yan Gomes, Jason Kipnis, and Michael Brantley are all batting for a high average versus right-handers. RG Stack Rating 4

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St. Louis vs. Cincinnati

1:10 PM	St. Louis – ROAD					Cincinnati – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.276	0.751	17.30%	0.61		0.250	0.721	20.10%	0.58
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.287	0.765	17.60%	0.49		0.252	0.723	20.20%	0.47
SP STATS	Lynn – RHP					Leake – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.27	3.98	8.51	11.52		1.19	2.73	5.48	10.36
LAST 14 DAYS	1.86	6.06	5.03	6.03		1.96	3.09	5.63	11.10
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	STL vs R		STL BvP			CIN vs R		CIN BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8

• Favored Team – CIN -130

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Mike Leake gets Las Vegas nod at home today because he is having a fantastic year. His home ERA is not that great at 3.47 and STL hung him for 3 ER the last time they saw him. He may get the win but STL hits right-handers very well and I would have a hard time taking him against the league’s 3rd highest scoring offense. RG Start-Ability 6

• Away Lance Lynn has been dismal on the road with a 5.20 ERA. His stats have taken a tailspin here in June and July and his ERA is pushing 5 for both months. He has had great success versus CIN on the year with a 2.87 ERA versus them in 3 starts, however. He has far more upside than Leake if you are willing to gamble but is running so bad that it would be doing just that, gambling. RG Start-Ability 5

Batter Grind Down

• Home Jay Bruce, Shin-Soo Choo, Zack Cozart, Joey Votto, and Brandon Phillips all have positive BvPs versus Lynn. Joey Votto is super hot with 29.75 fp over the last 7 days. RG Stack Rating 4

• Away Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran have been hot for STL. Holliday is 7-17 versus Leake. RG Stack Rating 3

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Colorado vs. Pittsburgh

1:35 PM	Colorado – ROAD					Pittsburgh – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.264	0.746	19.80%	0.62		0.243	0.700	22.30%	0.55
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.269	0.770	19.90%	0.52		0.243	0.702	21.90%	0.42
SP STATS	Nicasio – RHP					Burnett – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.31	4.40	6.38	7.69		1.24	2.96	9.87	11.90
LAST 14 DAYS	0.63	0.47	7.11	13.67		1.82	2.45	10.44	11.37
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	COL vs R		COL BvP			PIT vs R		PIT BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5

• Favored Team – PIT -200

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home A.J. Burnett has a great ERA and he plays for a winning team but his 4-7 record is pretty bad. If you believe in the luck factor then his is bad and I would avoid him. He has been spectacular at home on the year and catches a cold COL team that is not great on the road. RG Start-Ability 9

• Away Juan Nicasio has been a gas can away from Coors Feld if you can believe that. PIT is a great home team. There is no reason to look at him against given the fact that he is a huge road dog. RG Start-Ability 2

Batter Grind Down

• Home Andrew McCutchen is super hot with 30.5 fp. He hits left-handers very well and crushes the ball at home. Starlin Marte, another right-handed bat, is also hot with 20.25 fp over the last 7 days. RG Stack Rating 6

• Away Todd Helton is 5-16 versus Burnett. Troy Tulowitzki is heating up with 21 fp over the last 7 days. RG Stack Rating 3

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