MLB Daily Grind Down: Thursday, August 29th

by Kyle Koch (Jackandsoda) Last Updated 2013-08-29 20:42:54

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.

It is not an overly loaded day but short days are a good time to win Qs and we have a couple of big tournaments coming up real soon. Today is my birthday so please everyone be nice to me. It has been a rough month so I could use a little love from the community. IUt is funny how birthdays work. Every other day it is fair game to treat my however you want but on my birthday you are obligated to be nice to me. I am cashing in today. Here is today’s Daily Grind Down to help get your research started.

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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Oakland vs. Detroit

1:05 PM	Oakland – ROAD					Detroit – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.244	0.718	19.40%	0.59		0.282	0.785	16.90%	0.65
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.244	0.710	19.10%	0.46		0.286	0.787	16.30%	0.52
SP STATS	Colon – RHP					Scherzer – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.19	2.97	4.85	10.09		0.91	2.73	9.90	15.23
LAST 14 DAYS	2.00	11.25	6.75	2.00		0.95	1.80	9.45	15.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	OAK vs R		OAK BvP			DET vs R		DET BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5

• Favored Team – DET -200

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home My associate warned you last night about Doug Fister. I hope you listened. Max Scherzer has many of the same things working against him this morning. The difference, though, is that with only 8 pitchers to choose from, Scherzer only needs to have an average outing to be considered a winning selections. His numbers take a slight dip at home but he has only lost 1 game on the year. OAK is batting .255 on the road, .245 versus right-handers, and .292 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 8

• Away I know Bartolo Colon has had a great season up to this point but he has fallen off the map lately. Fatigue has gotten the best of him. OAK gave him a short rest but that also means that he will be coming into this start not as sharp against the toughest team in the league to play against on the road. DET is batting .298 at home, .288 versus right-handers, and .332 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 3

Batter Grind Down

• Home Vegas has faith in Colon to keep the game low scoring so I may be wrong about this but I expect an outburst by DET today of at least 6 ER. Miguel Cabrera, Austin Jackson, Tori Hunter, Andy Dirks, and Omar Infante have been hot for DET. DET as a team has a .317 BAA versus Colon. RG Stack Rating 8

• Away OAK has been hot and this is a hitter’s park. Brandon Moss is super hot with 41 fp over the last 7 days. Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie and Josh Donaldson have been hot as well. I think Oak gets to Scherzer a bit so consider a few of these players. RG Stack Rating 4

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Philadelphia vs. NY Mets

1:10 PM	Philadelphia – ROAD					NY Mets – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.248	0.694	19.90%	0.52		0.239	0.683	22.20%	0.54
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.254	0.702	19.60%	0.41		0.237	0.679	22.00%	0.41
SP STATS	Martin – RHP					Torres – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.80	6.33	9.81	7.42		1.17	3.06	6.51	3.04
LAST 14 DAYS	1.67	6.00	9.75	7.00		1.10	4.82	3.96	1.35
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	PHI vs R		PHI BvP			NYM vs R		NYM BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8

• Favored Team – NYM -110

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home If you are a silver linings kind of guy then Carlos Torres has been great at home with a 0.79 ERA. When allowed to start, he went around 90 pitches. There are not may options this morning and he is the slight favorite but it is a limited upside play. PHI is batting .250 on the road, .253 versus right-handers, and .243 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 3

• Away Both these 2 players look like a bad play on paper but they are your value plays for this morning. The positive about Ethan Martin is his high K rate. He is capable of a big game and the Mets are a little better than a AAA team at this point. He has been getting hammered though so it is buyer beware. NYM is batting .224 at home, .235 versus right-handers, and .199 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

Batter Grind Down

• Home I probably be running a cheap Mets stack as one of my LUs. This is instance where I feel you have to play one side or the other if you are not taking Martin on a multiple pitcher site then you are obligated to take a few NYM bats. RG Stack Rating 6

• Away Carlos Ruiz and Darin Ruf have been hot for PHI. Chase Utley is a nice ptions as well this morning. RG Stack Rating 3

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LA Angels vs. Tampa Bay

1:10 PM	LA Angels – ROAD					Tampa Bay – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.263	0.743	18.90%	0.61		0.262	0.748	18.70%	0.62
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.270	0.753	18.80%	0.48		0.280	0.764	18.80%	0.49
SP STATS	Vargas – LHP					Odorizzi – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.42	3.77	6.13	9.59		1.44	6.00	7.00	5.00
LAST 14 DAYS	1.75	4.50	6.19	7.67
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	LAA vs R		LAA BvP			TBR vs L		TBR BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8.5

• Favored Team – TAM -148

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Jake Odorizzi held BOS to 1 ER in 6 IP last time he started. TAM is letting him throw around a 100 pitches a start so the upside is there. Out of all the value plays available, he seems to be the most risky to me but you are going to have to take a chance somewhere this morning. LAA is batting .252 on the road, .270 versus right-handers, and .244 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 4

• Away Jason Vargas is one of your “better plays” this morning at SP. Crazy, I know. The main problem with him is that TAM kills it at home and crushes left-handed pitching but who are you really going to put your money behind this morning? Vargas has a 3.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP on the year and will be almost as cheap as all of the unproven players going. TAM is batting .262 at home, .279 versus left-handers, and .242 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

Batter Grind Down

• Home Ben Zobrist is your best option. He is 7-19 with 3 XBH versus Vargas but everyon from TAM is worth a look. RG Stack Rating 7

• Away Everyone from LAA is worth a look. LAA has a few nice Value plays available because of injury. Mike Trout is always an option but I like LAA more as a team to lok for to add value to your AM LU. RG Stack Rating 7

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Kansas City vs. Minnesota

1:10 PM	Kansas City – ROAD					Minnesota – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.258	0.688	16.60%	0.54		0.241	0.698	22.20%	0.54
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.257	0.687	16.70%	0.40		0.251	0.708	22.60%	0.43
SP STATS	Chen – LHP					Deduno – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.17	2.88	6.21	4.86		1.34	3.69	5.40	9.24
LAST 14 DAYS	1.63	7.31	5.06	4.00		1.35	5.29	6.88	8.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	KCR vs R		KCR BvP			MIN vs L		MIN BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 8

• Favored Team – KAN -130

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Samuel Deduno has been very good as a starter this year. He plays for a very bad team so he has not been much of a fantasy option but we only have a few quality players going for the early start games so he is worth a serious look today. Deduno is a reverse split pitcher holding left-handers to a .200 BAA which should help him today versus this heavily left-handed KAN team. KAN is batting .263 on the road, .260 versus right-handers, and .294 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 6

• Away Bruce Chen is your second ace of the morning. He is having agreat year and he held this MIN team scoreless the last time he saw them. I use the term ace loosely but he is one of your best options this morning. MIN is batting .251 at home, .250 versus left-handers, and .214 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 6

Batter Grind Down

• Home Trevor Plouffe has 3 HRs in 20 AB versus Chen Brian Dozier and Josh Willingham have positive BvPs as well and hit Left-handers for a nice average. RG Stack Rating 3

• Away Alex Gordon, Billy Bitler, Eric Hosmer, and Aclides Escobar all have positive BvPs versus Deduno. Salvador Perez, Alex Gordon, and Billy Butler have all been super hot with over 30 fp each. Bonifacia, and Hosmer have been hot as well. RG Stack Rating 5

Night Games Coming Soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!________________________________________________________________________________________

Milwaukee vs. Pittsburgh

7:05 PM	Milwaukee – ROAD					Pittsburgh – HOME
TEAM BATTING	AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB		AVG	OPS	K%	FPAB
SEASON	0.254	0.714	19.70%	0.57		0.245	0.705	22.40%	0.55
VS. LEFT/RIGHT	0.251	0.713	18.90%	0.43		0.241	0.696	22.10%	0.41
SP STATS	Gallardo – RHP					Cole – RHP
	WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG		WHIP	ERA	K/9	FPPG
SEASON	1.45	4.61	7.00	8.53		1.18	3.81	6.58	9.69
LAST 14 DAYS	1.07	1.46	5.95	11.05		1.42	3.00	7.50	11.00
BATTER SPLITS	Note: Batter Splits Below Open in Pop Up Window
	MIL vs R		MIL BvP			PIT vs R		PIT BvP

What Vegas Says

• Over/Under Total Runs – 7.5

• Favored Team – PIT -169

Pitcher Grind Down

• Home Gerrit Cole at home is one of your best options today even if the numbers do not support things. He has a very nice 1.18 WHIP on the year and MIL has not looked the same without Ryan Braun in the LU. Cole’s K/9 totals are on the low side but there are very few quality pitchers going tonight. MIL is batting .250 on the road, .251 versus right-handers, and .287 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 6

• Away Yovani Gallardo has way more upside than Cole but is not having that great of a year. He is 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA since the break but his BAA has stayed roughly the same at .272. He will probably have a bounce back season next year but I will be avoiding him until April. PIT is batting .253 at home, .241 versus right-handers, and .267 over the last 7 days. RG Start-Ability 5

Batter Grind Down

• Home Andrew McCutchen has been hot for sometime now. He is 9-22 over the last 7 days. Everyone from PIT has had limited success versus Gallardo so I like a mini run of players today. RG Stack Rating 5

• Away Khris Davis and Aramis Ramirez have been your hottest Brewers. I’m not sold on the team but Aoki and Schafer might be worth a look today. RG Stack Rating 3

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