MLB Grind Down: Friday, September 5th Page Three

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2014-09-05 23:55:34

LA Angels at Minnesota

LA Angels					Minnesota
Matt Shoemaker		Vegas Moneyline			Ricky Nolasco		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		LAA (-155)			RIGHT		8.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.268	0.759	0.333	21.60%	SP vs. Left	0.332	0.919	0.400	13.70%
SP vs. Right	0.203	0.594	0.263	26.80%	SP vs. Right	0.296	0.836	0.362	18.90%
Batter Splits	LAA BvP		LAA vs R		Batter Splits	MIN BvP		MIN vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Matt Shoemaker – Shoemaker is coming off of a terrific month of August. He posted a 1.31 ERA with 38 K’s over 41 innings of work. Not only that, but he held batters to a .176 batting average. I think he may be a semi-popular pick tonight, but I won’t be targeting him for a couple of reasons. First off, his price has gone way up. Second, he’s facing a Twins team that has the 4th best offense in baseball over the last 30 days. I think he’s a bit overpriced for his matchup. Rating = 6

Salaries: $8500 FD, $16000 DD, $9000 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Ricky Nolasco – Even though the Angels offense has been ice cold for the better part of a month now, you can safely avoid Nolasco in all league formats. It just hasn’t been Nolasco’s year. He owns a 5.96 ERA with a K/9 of only 6.2. There just isn’t any upside in this matchup. Rating = 4

Salaries: $5000 FD, $8450 DD, $5500 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

LA Angels

Mike Trout – Batters from both side of the plate are in play against Nolasco as he has given up a .368+ wOBA to both LH and RH hitters this season. Trout is my favorite OF on the board tonight and you can certainly fit him in your lineups with all of the value that’s available at some of the other positions.

Additional Plays: Kole Calhoun, Howie Kendrick

Minnesota

Even though I won’t be targeting Matt Shoemaker tonight, I will not be targeting any hitters against him either.

San Diego at Colorado

San Diego					Colorado
Eric Stults		Vegas Moneyline			Tyler Matzek		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		COL (-120)			LEFT		10.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.268	0.746	0.327	12.30%	SP vs. Left	0.184	0.540	0.246	27.40%
SP vs. Right	0.279	0.811	0.353	15.30%	SP vs. Right	0.305	0.880	0.384	12.70%
Batter Splits	SDP BvP		SDP vs L		Batter Splits	COL BvP		COL vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Eric Stults – Stults is pitching in Coors Field tonight. Stults is a risky option when he’s pitching at home, you should want nothing to do with him on the road in Coors. Rating = 1

Salaries: $6100 FD, $10750 DD, $5800 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Tyler Matzek – Matzek is in the same boat as Stults. He’s an average lefty that is pitching in the most hitter-friendly ballpark in all of baseball. Avoid both pitchers here. Rating = 2

Salaries: $5500 FD, $13250 DD, $6100 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

San Diego

Rene Rivera – Rivera has been very good against LH pitching this season, sporting a .276 batting average and a .382 wOBA. In addition to a great ballpark boost in Coors, he also draws a nice matchup against Tyler Matzek who has given up a .383 wOBA to batters from the right side of the plate.

Additional Plays: Jedd Gyorko, Yangervis Solarte

Colorado

Nolan Arenado – Arenado has a .412 wOBA against LH pitching this season and a .400 wOBA at home. He gets both tonight against Stults in Coors Field. If that’s not enough, how about the fact that Stults has already given up 23 HR’s this season? Arenado will likely be the highest owned 3B, but that doesn’t matter for cash games.

Additional Plays: Drew Stubbs, Charlie Blackmon, Josh Rutledge, Michael McKenry

Houston at Oakland

Houston					Oakland
Brett Oberholtzer		Vegas Moneyline			Jeff Samardzija		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		OAK (-225)			RIGHT		7.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.285	0.733	0.324	20.50%	SP vs. Left	0.245	0.682	0.300	22.50%
SP vs. Right	0.288	0.770	0.335	14.00%	SP vs. Right	0.222	0.631	0.280	21.70%
Batter Splits	HOU BvP		HOU vs R		Batter Splits	OAK BvP		OAK vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Brett Oberholtzer – Oberholtzer hasn’t been awful this season, but he hasn’t been great either. He is sporting an average ERA (4.22) and K/9 (6.0 per 9 innings). He’s one of the biggest underdogs on the board and draws a very tough matchup against the A’s who really hit well at home. Rating = 3

Salaries: $6000 FD, $9800 DD, $6200 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Jeff Samardzija – The last time Samardzija faced the Astros, he struck out 10 batters over 8 strong innings of work. He gets to face them again tonight, only this time he will face them at home. He’s one of the biggest favorites on the board and gets a small fantasy boost thanks to his matchup against the strikeout happy Astros. He makes a perfect complement to Stephen Strasburg on multi-pitcher sites. Rating = 8

Salaries: $8900 FD, $18050 DD, $9600 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

Houston

There aren’t any options that stand out on the Astros tonight. They are huge underdogs in a game with a low run total.

Oakland

Derek Norris – Norris is always in play against LH pitching. He has mashed lefties to a tune of a .323 batting averaging and a .396 wOBA. He’s also had some terrific splits at home as his wOBA is almost a full 100 points higher than that of his wOBA on the road. Norris provides great upside at a discounted price on both FD and DK.

Additional Plays: Josh Donaldson, Jonny Gomes

Arizona at LA Dodgers

Arizona					LA Dodgers
Vidal Nuno		Vegas Moneyline			Dan Haren		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		LAD (-160)			RIGHT		7.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.198	0.623	0.281	21.30%	SP vs. Left	0.235	0.692	0.301	22.80%
SP vs. Right	0.259	0.762	0.333	18.10%	SP vs. Right	0.287	0.817	0.353	13.10%
Batter Splits	ARI BvP		ARI vs R		Batter Splits	LAD BvP		LAD vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Vidal Nuno – Nuno will get the start tonight for the Diamondbacks. While the Dodgers haven’t hit LH pitching well as a team, they have quite a few bats in their lineup that can really hit LH pitching well. With a full slate of games, Nuno is a below average pitching option that should be avoided in all leagues. Rating = 4

Salaries: $6400 FD, $12700 DD, $6700 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Dan Haren – Haren has been all over the map this season. He’s an extremely tough pitcher to predict and he gives up way too many HR’s (1.44 per 9 innings). The Diamondbacks have been scoring some runs over their last few games and have some talented bats in their lineup. Haren is not going to be a popular play tonight so even if he has a nice outing, it’s not going to hurt you if you avoid him. Rating = 5

Salaries: $7100 FD, $14450 DD, $6600 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

Arizona

Mark Trumbo – I’m not sure that I will be using Trumbo in cash games, but I like him as a GPP play. Trumbo is a HR hitter that is facing a pitcher that has already given up 25 HR’s this season. Haren also has some serious reverse splits as he is giving up a .352 wOBA to batters from the right side of the plate.

Additional Plays: Ender Inciarte, David Peralta

LA Dodgers

Yasiel Puig – Puig is too talented to be listed at $2,600 on FD. As a daily fantasy player, you have to take incredible value where you can find it. Puig has a career .293 batting average against LH pitching and is another player with both good power and good speed. He’s a must on FD, but his price on the other sites is high enough that you can fade him.

Additional Plays: Hanley Ramirez