MLB Grind Down: Friday, September 26th Page Three
Kansas City at Chicago White Sox
| Kansas City | Chicago White Sox | ||||||||
| Jeremy Guthrie | Vegas Moneyline | Hector Noesi | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | KCR (-140) | RIGHT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.302 | 0.846 | 0.372 | 14.30% | SP vs. Left | 0.241 | 0.731 | 0.321 | 15.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.234 | 0.604 | 0.271 | 13.80% | SP vs. Right | 0.301 | 0.837 | 0.368 | 18.60% |
| Batter Splits | KCR BvP  | KCR vs R | Batter Splits | CHW BvP | CHW vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Jeremy Guthrie – Guthrie is a sizable favorite tonight against the White Sox, but he’s not a pitcher that you can have confidence in when you roster him. He has a 4.28 ERA on the season with a very low K/9 of only 5.2. He continues to struggle against LH hitters and remains a risky fantasy option. Rating = 5
Salaries: $6300 FD, $11200 DD, $6800 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Hector Noesi – Noesi is also an easy pitcher to avoid tonight. He is a below average starter facing a Royals offense that strikes out fewer times than any team in baseball. It also doesn’t help that the Royals still have something to play for. Avoid Noesi in all leagues. Rating = 3
Salaries: $6400 FD, $ DD, $7300 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
Kansas City
Salvador Perez – Noesi has had some serious reverse splits this season. He has given up a .368 wOBA to batters from the right side of the plate. Perez has also had some reverse splits as he has hit RH pitching much better than LH pitching this season.
Additional Plays: Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer
Chicago White Sox
Adam Eaton – As mentioned above, Guthrie really struggles against LH hitters. He has given up a .372 wOBA to hitters from the left side of the plate. Eaton is a high on-base player that also has decent speed and decent pop in his bat.
Additional Plays: Jose Abreu
St. Louis at Arizona
| St. Louis | Arizona | ||||||||
| Michael Wacha | Vegas Moneyline | Trevor Cahill | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | STL (-160) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.215 | 0.569 | 0.261 | 18.50% | SP vs. Left | 0.340 | 0.933 | 0.407 | 13.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.245 | 0.695 | 0.310 | 23.60% | SP vs. Right | 0.218 | 0.655 | 0.299 | 29.20% |
| Batter Splits | STL BvP | STL vs R | Batter Splits | ARI BvP | ARI vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Michael Wacha – Wacha threw 78 pitches in his last start which is the most that he has thrown since coming back from injury. While his pitch count keeps moving in the right direction, it’s still not nearly high enough for him to be considered as a viable fantasy option. A limited upside in a hitter-friendly ballpark is more than enough reason to avoid Wacha tonight against the Diamondbacks. Rating = 5
Salaries: $7300 FD, $15300 DD, $7800 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Trevor Cahill – Chase Field has not been very kind to Cahill this season. In his starts at home, Cahill has posted a 6.84 ERA while giving up a .355 wOBA to his opponents. He draws a tough matchup tonight against the Cardinals who are still fighting for their division title. Rating = 3
Salaries: $5600 FD, $ DD, $5400 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
St. Louis
Jhonny Peralta – Peralta is one of the more powerful shortstops in baseball with 21 home runs on the season. He also draws a favorable matchup against Trevor Cahill who has really struggled at home. Peralta should see quite a few RBI opportunities tonight.
Additional Plays: Matt Adams, Matt Carpenter
Arizona
There really aren’t any plays that stand out tonight on the Diamondbacks. Michael Wacha has held LH and RH hitters under a .310 wOBA this season.
LA Angels at Seattle
| LA Angels | Seattle | ||||||||
| Jered Weaver | Vegas Moneyline | Hisashi Iwakuma | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | LAA (-145) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.248 | 0.699 | 0.312 | 20.00% | SP vs. Left | 0.278 | 0.708 | 0.312 | 19.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.207 | 0.620 | 0.277 | 17.50% | SP vs. Right | 0.208 | 0.568 | 0.250 | 24.70% |
| Batter Splits | LAA BvP | LAA vs R | Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Jered Weaver – Weaver is always in play when he is pitching at home, but the same can’t be said when he is pitching on the road. He has a 4.62 ERA on the road with a lower strikeout rate and a much higher wOBA given up. The Mariners are still alive in the Wildcard chase and have their entire season on the line. There are better pitching options tonight. Rating = 5
Salaries: $8300 FD, $NA DD, $9000 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Hisashi Iwakuma – Iwakuma has an ERA close to 10.0 in the month of September, but the Mariners need a big outing from him tonight in order to keep their postseason hopes alive. Iwakuma still has a solid K/9 of 7.9 and he rarely walks any batters. Iwakuma should be able to bounce back tonight and put his team in a great position to pull off the win. Rating = 6
Salaries: $8600 FD, $18650 DD, $10000 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
The Angels have not hit Hisashi Iwakuma well in the past and this is a pitcher-friendly ballpark. Avoid the Angels tonight.
Seattle
Kyle Seager – Seager makes a great play tonight against Jered Weaver as he is at his best when he is facing a right-hand pitcher (.376 wOBA) and when he is at home (.400 wOBA).
Additional Plays: Robinson Cano, Logan Morrison
Colorado at LA Dodgers
| Colorado | LA Dodgers | ||||||||
| Jordan Lyles | Vegas Moneyline | Roberto Hernandez | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | LAD (-175) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.281 | 0.837 | 0.370 | 14.00% | SP vs. Left | 0.241 | 0.728 | 0.326 | 9.70% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.226 | 0.653 | 0.290 | 19.10% | SP vs. Right | 0.244 | 0.741 | 0.324 | 19.20% |
| Batter Splits | COL BvP | COL vs R | Batter Splits | LAD BvP | LAD vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Jordan Lyles – Lyles has actually had a nice bounce-back season. His numbers have improved across the board as he has posted a 4.15 ERA with a K/9 of 6.3. That said, he draws one of the worst matchups on the board tonight as the Dodgers are ranked 4th in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season. This is a night to spend up on pitching. Rating = 4
Salaries: $6200 FD, $10450 DD, $5400 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Roberto Hernandez – Hernandez is not a great fantasy option. We’ve been avoiding him all season long and there is not reason to target him in the last start of the year. Even though the Rockies have struggled on the road, they still have a very talented lineup and Hernandez doesn’t strike many batters out. Rating = 5
Salaries: $5800 FD, $11200 DD, $6300 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
Colorado
Justin Morneau – Morneau is having a terrific season with the Rockies, especially against RH pitching. He’s also had great success off of Roberto Hernandez going 12/38 with 4 HR’s and 3 doubles off of him in his career.
Additional Plays: Corey Dickerson
LA Dodgers
Adrian Gonzalez – Gonzalez leads the majors in RBI’s this season and will look to add to that total tonight against Jordan Lyles who has given up a .370 wOBA to batters from the left side of the plate.
Additional Plays: Dee Gordon, Carl Crawford
San Diego at San Francisco
| San Diego | San Francisco | ||||||||
| Ian Kennedy | Vegas Moneyline | Ryan Vogelsong | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | SFG (-150) | RIGHT | 6.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.237 | 0.704 | 0.310 | 24.50% | SP vs. Left | 0.281 | 0.789 | 0.347 | 20.10% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.257 | 0.714 | 0.316 | 24.60% | SP vs. Right | 0.218 | 0.674 | 0.301 | 18.60% |
| Batter Splits | SDP BvP | SDP vs R | Batter Splits | SFG BvP | SFG vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Ian Kennedy – Kennedy is a solid GPP play thanks to his strikeout potential. On the season he has a 3.76 ERA with a K/9 of 9.3. While he’s typically a better play in Petco, AT&T Park is also a pitcher-friendly environment. There are safer options in cash games, but he offers great upside as a tournament play. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $8000 FD, $16050 DD, $8900 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Ryan Vogelsong – The Giants have locked up a Wildcard spot, but they are still fighting for home field advantage in the Wildcard game. They should roll out all of their starters tonight against the Padres. Vogelsong is the top value pitcher on the board as he draws a terrific matchup against the Padres in the pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. Vogelsong has a 2.95 ERA at home and a decent strikeout rate. For the price, he’s a terrific value play. Rating = 6.5
Salaries: $6500 FD, $12600 DD, $7000 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
San Diego
Avoid all Padres tonight against Ryan Vogelsong.
San Francisco
Buster Posey – Posey and the Giants are looking to finish the season strong. Posey has had great success off of Kennedy in his career going 15/36 with 3 XBH’s against him. He’s a solid option if you want to pay up at catcher tonight.
Additional Plays: Pablo Sandoval