MLB Grind Down: Friday, June 5th - Page Three
Texas at Kansas City – 8:10 PM EST
| Texas | Kansas City | ||||||||
 | Chi Chi Gonzalez |  | Edinson Volquez | ||||||
| Right | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| KCR (-151) | 8 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.216 | 0.67 | 0.298 | 0.179 | ||||
| SP vs. Right | SP vs. Right | 0.226 | 0.624 | 0.282 | 0.168 | ||||
| Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs R | Batter Splits | KC vs R | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Chi Chi Gonzalez (FD: $5900, DK: $5400)
Kansas City Royals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.318 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 16.7% (Rank: 3)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.332 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 13.8% (Rank: 1)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.65 (Rank: 29)
Analysis: Gonzalez pitched well in his first major league start, pitching 5.2 scoreless innings against the Red Sox. I typically like to take a wait and see approach with these young pitchers, especially those that don’t have a high-strikeout rate in the minors. If Gonzalez can pitch well tonight against the Royals, then he’ll have my attention.
Pitcher Rating:42.2
Edinson Volquez (FD: $8400, DK: $7800)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 253.2 — SIERA: 4.19 — K/9: 6.7 — BB/9: 3.3 — FB Rate: 33.3% — HR/FB: 8.1%
Last 30 Days: IP: 26.2 — SIERA: 4.68 — K/9: 7.1 — BB/9: 4.4 — FB Rate: 35.9% — HR/FB: 7.1%
Texas Rangers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.314 (Rank: 14) — Strikeout Rate: 20.4% (Rank: 17)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.334 (Rank: 4) — Strikeout Rate: 21.5% (Rank: 17)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.79 (Rank: 13)
Analysis: Volquez is serviceable starter for the Royals and in daily fantasy baseball. He has a 4.19 SIERA with a K/9 of 6.7 since the start of 2014. Volquez is a small favorite tonight at home against the Rangers, who are ranked right around the major league average in both wOBA and strikeout rate against right-handed pitching.
Pitcher Rating:58.9
Batter Grind Down
Texas
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Prince Fielder (FD: $4000, DK: $5000)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 259 — wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: 143
Joey Gallo (FD: $3400, DK: $4000)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 4 — wOBA: 1.234 — ISO: 1.333 — wRC+: 737
Kansas City
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Eric Hosmer (FD: $3500, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 518 — wOBA: 0.343 — ISO: 0.157 — wRC+: 120
Kendrys Morales (FD: $3000, DK: $4200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 384 — wOBA: 0.302 — ISO: 0.150 — wRC+: 92
Miami at Colorado – 8:40 PM EST
| Miami | Colorado | ||||||||
 | Tom Koehler |  | Eddie Butler | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| COL (-107) | 10.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.244 | 0.691 | 0.309 | 0.193 | SP vs. Left | 0.359 | 1.086 | 0.463 | 0.087 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.685 | 0.306 | 0.178 | SP vs. Right | 0.278 | 0.802 | 0.352 | 0.098 |
| Batter Splits | MIA BvP | MIA vs R | Batter Splits | COL BvP | COL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Tom Koehler (FD: $6400, DK: $5200)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 249.2 — SIERA: 4.33 — K/9: 6.9 — BB/9: 3.5 — FB Rate: 39.4% — HR/FB: 8.0%
Last 30 Days: IP: 31.1 — SIERA: 5.01 — K/9: 6.0 — BB/9: 4.3 — FB Rate: 38.9% — HR/FB: 8.1%
Colorado Rockies Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.335 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 19.4% (Rank: 11)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.3 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 24.7% (Rank: 30)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.74 (Rank: 22)
Analysis: Koehler is rarely a recommended pitching option. That’s not going to change tonight with a matchup against the Rockies in Coors Field.
Pitcher Rating:36.0
Eddie Butler (FD: $4900, DK: $4200)
Pitching Stats:
2014-15: IP: 65.0 — SIERA: 5.49 — K/9: — BB/9: 4.9 — FB Rate: 25.2% — HR/FB: 13.8%
Last 30 Days: IP: 23.0 — SIERA: 5.73 — K/9: — BB/9: 5.1 — FB Rate: 24.4% — HR/FB: 20.0%
Miami Marlins Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.289 (Rank: 28) — Strikeout Rate: 21.0% (Rank: 22)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.343 (Rank: 2) — Strikeout Rate: 21.1% (Rank: 16)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.73 (Rank: 23)
Analysis: Butler may be facing a struggling offense in the Marlins, but he’s pitching in Coors Field. You know the drill.
Pitcher Rating:31.3
Batter Grind Down
Miami
Giancarlo Stanton (FD: $5300, DK: $5800)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 701 — wOBA: 0.374 — ISO: 0.258 — wRC+: 139
Last 14 Days: PA: 57 — wOBA: 0.378 — ISO: 0.340 — wRC+: 139
Analysis: Stanton may not be hitting for average this season, but he’s still hitting for power. He is the top overall play at any position tonight, as he sees a huge ballpark boost playing in Coors Field. Stanton has a .374 wOBA and a .258 ISO against right-handed pitching over the last two seasons and he draws a favorable matchup against Eddie Butler, who has given up a .352 wOBA to right-handed hitters. Load up on the fish tonight!
Additional Plays:
Dee Gordon (FD: $3900, DK: $5300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 687 — wOBA: 0.325 — ISO: 0.086 — wRC+: 109
Marcell Ozuna (FD: $3400, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 670 — wOBA: 0.329 — ISO: 0.160 — wRC+: 108
Justin Bour (FD: $3100, DK: $3500)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 149 — wOBA: 0.381 — ISO: 0.170 — wRC+: 142
Christian Yelich (FD: $3100, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 618 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.110 — wRC+: 103
Martin Prado (FD: $3000, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 634 — wOBA: 0.296 — ISO: 0.099 — wRC+: 84
Colorado
Troy Tulowitzki (FD: $4800, DK: $5100)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 408 — wOBA: 0.366 — ISO: 0.187 — wRC+: 117
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.437 — ISO: 0.298 — wRC+: 163
Analysis: It’s time to get as many shares of Tulowitzki as you can. He has been swinging a hot bat over the last two weeks, he’s playing at home in Coors Field, and he has a favorable matchup against Tom Koehler. The Rockies and Marlins are two of the top offenses to target tonight, so don’t be afraid to stack this game in both cash games and tournaments.
Additional Plays:
Nolan Arenado (FD: $4200, DK: $4900)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 491 — wOBA: 0.358 — ISO: 0.231 — wRC+: 112
Charlie Blackmon (FD: $4000, DK: $4700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 639 — wOBA: 0.357 — ISO: 0.166 — wRC+: 111
Carlos Gonzalez (FD: $3600, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 330 — wOBA: 0.330 — ISO: 0.193 — wRC+: 93
DJ LeMahieu (FD: $3500, DK: $4200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 544 — wOBA: 0.311 — ISO: 0.101 — wRC+: 80
Ben Paulsen (FD: $3300, DK: $3600)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 101 — wOBA: 0.412 — ISO: 0.237 — wRC+: 147
NY Mets at Arizona – 9:40 PM EST
| NY Mets | Arizona | ||||||||
 | Jonathon Niese |  | Jeremy Hellickson | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| ARI (-125) | 9 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.245 | 0.667 | 0.294 | 0.193 | SP vs. Left | 0.264 | 0.755 | 0.328 | 0.178 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.278 | 0.77 | 0.339 | 0.158 | SP vs. Right | 0.287 | 0.836 | 0.365 | 0.178 |
| Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | Batter Splits | ARI vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jon Niese (FD: $7600, DK: $6000)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 244.2 — SIERA: 3.89 — K/9: 6.4 — BB/9: 2.3 — FB Rate: 28.4% — HR/FB: 11.3%
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.0 — SIERA: 4.51 — K/9: 6.0 — BB/9: 2.3 — FB Rate: 37.8% — HR/FB: 13.5%
Arizona Diamondbacks Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 14) — Strikeout Rate: 18.7% (Rank: 11)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.318 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 18.7% (Rank: 11)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.64 (Rank: 30)
Analysis: There are so many average to below-average pitching options tonight. Niese is one of the many that doesn’t really stand out as a great play. He has a low strikeout rate and a difficult matchup against the Diamondbacks in the hitter-friendly Chase Field. There are better pitching options at his price point.
Pitcher Rating:53.0
Jeremy Hellickson (FD: $5900, DK: $6400)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 120.1 — SIERA: 4.22 — K/9: 7.0 — BB/9: 2.9 — FB Rate: 37.1% — HR/FB: 11.1%
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.0 — SIERA: 4.56 — K/9: 5.3 — BB/9: 2.8 — FB Rate: 33.7% — HR/FB: 19.4%
New York Mets Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.287 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 20.5% (Rank: 20)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.325 (Rank: 10) — Strikeout Rate: 23.7% (Rank: 26)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.83 (Rank: 10)
Analysis: Hellickson is having a subpar season by his standards. He owns a 4.37 SIERA with a K/9 of 6.2. He is a fly-ball pitcher that doesn’t exactly benefit from playing in Chase Field. He does draw a favorable matchup tonight against the Mets though. New York is ranked 29th in wOBA (.287) and 20th in strikeout rate (20.5%) against right-handed pitching this season. At his price point, he may be worth a look as a deep sleeper in tournaments.
Pitcher Rating:52.3
Batter Grind Down
NY Mets
Daniel Murphy (FD: $, DK: $3900)
Position Eligibility: FD: — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 650 — wOBA: 0.334 — ISO: 0.131 — wRC+: 117
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.430 — ISO: 0.122 — wRC+: 180
Analysis: Murphy has been swinging a hot bat with 14 hits over his last ten games. His price has come up across the industry, but he’s still in play tonight against Jeremy Hellickson, who has given up a .328 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Murphy also sees a positive ballpark shift playing in the hitter-friendly Chase Field.
Secondary Plays:
Lucas Duda (FD: $3800, DK: $4200)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 626 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.258 — wRC+: 154
Wilmer Flores (FD: $2400, DK: $3400)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: 2B/SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 359 — wOBA: 0.307 — ISO: 0.151 — wRC+: 98
Arizona
Paul Goldschmidt (FD: $5500, DK: $5700)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 148 — wOBA: 0.465 — ISO: 0.241 — wRC+: 197
Last 14 Days: PA: 62 — wOBA: 0.594 — ISO: 0.432 — wRC+: 281
Analysis: Goldschmidt may be the hottest hitter in baseball right now. He has a .594 wOBA and a .432 ISO over the last 14 days. He draws a favorable matchup tonight against Jon Niese and he gets to face him at home in the hitter-friendly Chase Field. He’s expensive, but a single swing of his bat can make playing him worth the expensive price tag.
Secondary Plays:
A.J. Pollock (FD: $4700, DK: $4600)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 105 — wOBA: 0.422 — ISO: 0.274 — wRC+: 167
St. Louis at LA Dodgers – 10:10 PM EST
| St. Louis | LA Dodgers | ||||||||
 | Carlos Martinez |  | Brett Anderson | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| LAD (-120) | 6.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.278 | 0.85 | 0.365 | 0.145 | SP vs. Left | 0.339 | 0.753 | 0.337 | 0.118 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.61 | 0.276 | 0.294 | SP vs. Right | 0.250 | 0.676 | 0.293 | 0.184 |
| Batter Splits | STL BvP | STL vs L | Batter Splits | LAD BvP | LA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Carlos Martinez (FD: $9100, DK: $9100)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 149.2 — SIERA: 3.48 — K/9: 8.9 — BB/9: 3.8 — FB Rate: 26.2% — HR/FB: 10.3%
Last 30 Days: IP: 30.2 — SIERA: 3.06 — K/9: 10.6 — BB/9: 3.8 — FB Rate: 21.1% — HR/FB: 12.5%
Los Angeles Dodgers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.355 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 19.7% (Rank: 14)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.306 (Rank: 22) — Strikeout Rate: 20.8% (Rank: 15)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.91 (Rank: 5)
Analysis: Martinez has pitched well this season, especially over the last 30 days. He has a 3.06 SIERA and a K/9 of 10.6 during that stretch. The issue isn’t form, it’s his matchup. The Dodgers are ranked first in wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. They also average the fifth-most pitches per plate appearance. Even on a night with such limited pitching options, Martinez should be limited to tournament play.
Pitcher Rating:65.1
Brett Anderson (FD: $6700, DK: $7000)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 98.2 — SIERA: 3.36 — K/9: 6.2 — BB/9: 2.5 — FB Rate: 20.7% — HR/FB: 7.8%
Last 30 Days: IP: 29.2 — SIERA: 2.88 — K/9: 7.3 — BB/9: 3.0 — FB Rate: 16.1% — HR/FB: 14.3%
St. Louis Cardinals Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.313 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 22.8% (Rank: 21)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.312 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 22.7% (Rank: 22)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.75 (Rank: 21)
Analysis: Most people see the Cardinals on the schedule and automatically think to avoid the pitcher facing them. While that may be true for right-handed pitchers, St. Louis has actually struggled against left-handed pitchers this season. They are ranked 17th in wOBA and 21st in strikeout rate against southpaws. Anderson is cheap, he has decent strikeout potential, and he’s a small favorite in a game that features a low run total. He deserves a look in all league formats tonight.
Pitcher Rating:70.7
Batter Grind Down
St. Louis
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Jhonny Peralta (FD: $3600, DK: $4100)
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 188 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.240 — wRC+: 147
Randal Grichuk (FD: $2400, DK: $3200)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 84 — wOBA: 0.308 — ISO: 0.198 — wRC+: 96
LA Dodgers
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Joc Pederson (FD: $4300, DK: $4400)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 204 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.293 — wRC+: 152
Adrian Gonzalez (FD: $4000, DK: $4300)
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 651 — wOBA: 0.401 — ISO: 0.252 — wRC+: 161
Tampa Bay at Seattle – 10:10 PM EST
| Tampa Bay | Seattle | ||||||||
 | Jake Odorizzi |  | J.A. Happ | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TBR (-114) | 7 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.231 | 0.65 | 0.286 | 0.269 | SP vs. Left | 0.251 | 0.795 | 0.348 | 0.242 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.229 | 0.673 | 0.301 | 0.187 | SP vs. Right | 0.258 | 0.735 | 0.323 | 0.182 |
| Batter Splits | TBR BvP | TB vs L | Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Jake Odorizzi (FD: $8600, DK: $8600)
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 240.1 — SIERA: 3.65 — K/9: 8.7 — BB/9: 2.7 — FB Rate: 45.4% — HR/FB: 8.0%
Last 30 Days: IP: 31.2 — SIERA: 3.66 — K/9: 7.7 — BB/9: 1.7 — FB Rate: 38.1% — HR/FB: 13.5%
Seattle Mariners Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.295 (Rank: 23) — Strikeout Rate: 23.2% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.328 (Rank: 7) — Strikeout Rate: 18.6% (Rank: 9)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.87 (Rank: 7)
Analysis: You know the pitching options are limited, when Jake Odorizzi has the highest pitcher rating of any on the board that night. Odorizzi is a high-strikeout pitcher, but he has much better splits at home than he does on the road. We may have to make an exception tonight though, as he draws a very favorable matchup against the Mariners. Seattle is ranked 23rd in wOBA and 28th in strikeout rate against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:82.5
J.A. Happ (FD: $7200, DK: $6700)
Pitching Stats:
2014-15: IP: 216.1 — SIERA: 3.96 — K/9: — BB/9: 2.7 — FB Rate: 38.3% — HR/FB: 10.9%
Last 30 Days: IP: 25.0 — SIERA: 4.31 — K/9: — BB/9: 2.5 — FB Rate: 43.4% — HR/FB: 5.6%
Tampa Bay Rays Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.331 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 23.2% (Rank: 23)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.332 (Rank: 5) — Strikeout Rate: 22.8% (Rank: 23)
Pitches per Plate Appearance: 3.86 (Rank: 9)
Analysis: Happ can be a decent fantasy option when the right matchup presents itself, but the Rays actually hit left-handed pitching very well. They are ranked fifth in wOBA against southpaws this season. The Rays are also ranked fifth in team wOBA over the last 14 days of play.
Pitcher Rating:61.0
Batter Grind Down
Tampa Bay
NO ELITE PLAYS
Secondary Plays:
Evan Longoria (FD: $3100, DK: $3800)
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 232 — wOBA: 0.361 — ISO: 0.174 — wRC+: 139
Joey Butler (FD: $3000, DK: $3700)
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 34 — wOBA: 0.337 — ISO: 0.212 — wRC+: 121
Seattle
NO RECOMMENDED PLAYS