MLB Grind Down: Monday, July 6th - Page Two
Baltimore at Minnesota – 8:10 PM EST
| Baltimore | Minnesota | ||||||||
 | Wei-Yin Chen |  | Phil Hughes | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| BAL (-110) | 8 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.255 | 0.669 | 0.295 | 0.174 | SP vs. Left | 0.254 | 0.672 | 0.293 | 0.192 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.252 | 0.738 | 0.322 | 0.189 | SP vs. Right | 0.286 | 0.75 | 0.326 | 0.195 |
| Batter Splits | BAL BvP | BAL vs R | Batter Splits | MIN BvP | MIN vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Wei-Yin Chen : FD: $7,800 — DK: $7,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 280.2 — SIERA: 3.83 — K%: 18.5% — BB%: 4.9% — FB Rate: 39.0% — HR/FB: 11.4%
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.0 — SIERA: 3.54 — K%: 20.4% — BB%: 4.9% — FB Rate: 34.2% — HR/FB: 16.0%
Minnesota Twins Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.307 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 19.9% (Rank: 10)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.316 (Rank: 17) — Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 15)
Pitchers per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 16)
Analysis: Chen has pitched well over the last month of play, posting a 3.54 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 20.4%. While those numbers are promising, it’s hard to trust Chen in cash games with all of the elite pitching options on the board tonight. The Twins are a decent hitting team against left-handed pitching, ranking 17th in wOBA (.307) and tenth in strikeout rate (19.9%). Chen won’t be on many people’s radar tonight, including my own.
Pitcher Rating:62.7
Phil Hughes : FD: $7,700 — DK: $8,000
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 315.0 — SIERA: 3.51 — K%: 19.4% — BB%: 2.0% — FB Rate: 40.4% — HR/FB: 8.7%
Last 30 Days: IP: 36.1 — SIERA: 4.29 — K%: 13.6% — BB%: 2.1% — FB Rate: 40.5% — HR/FB: 14.9%
Baltimore Orioles Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.319 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 22.8% (Rank: 28)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.321 (Rank: 14) — Strikeout Rate: 23.7% (Rank: 29)
Pitchers per PA: 3.81 (Rank: 12)
Analysis: After two quality outings in a row, Hughes gave up four earned runs to the Reds in his last start. He just doesn’t have that killer instinct that we saw from his last year. His strikeouts are down this season, while his home runs are up drastically. At this point, he’s an easy pitcher to avoid, especially when he faces powerful lineups like the Orioles. Baltimore is ranked 11th in wOBA (.319) against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:56.4
Batter Grind Down
Baltimore
Phil Hughes is a reverse-splits pitcher that has given up a .326 wOBA to right-handed hitters over the last two seasons. Hughes is also an extreme fly-ball pitcher, which bodes well for the power bats from Baltimore. Manny Machado is the preferred target tonight, but Chris Davis, Matt Wieters, and Chris Parmelee are also worth a look.
Elite Plays
Manny Machado : FD: $4,200 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 525 — wOBA: 0.366 — ISO: 0.201 — wRC+: 135
Last 14 Days: PA: 56 — wOBA: 0.363 — ISO: 0.255 — wRC+: 132
Secondary Plays:
Chris Davis : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,000
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 604 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.219 — wRC+: 105
Last 14 Days: PA: 54 — wOBA: 0.374 — ISO: 0.229 — wRC+: 140
Matt Wieters : FD: $2,900 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 144 — wOBA: 0.362 — ISO: 0.197 — wRC+: 132
Last 14 Days: PA: 28 — wOBA: 0.152 — ISO: 0.143 — wRC+: -15
Chris Parmelee : FD: $2,200 — DK: $2,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 240 — wOBA: 0.298 — ISO: 0.162 — wRC+: 89
Last 14 Days: PA: 39 — wOBA: 0.288 — ISO: 0.237 — wRC+: 80
Minnesota
The Twins have had some monster outings against southpaws this season. They are a team that can string together hits and put up big innings on their opponents. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against Wei-Yin Chen, who has given up a .322 wOBA to right-handed hitters over the last two seasons.
Elite Plays
Brian Dozier : FD: $3,500 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 311 — wOBA: 0.359 — ISO: 0.222 — wRC+: 131
Last 14 Days: PA: 58 — wOBA: 0.341 — ISO: 0.232 — wRC+: 119
Secondary Plays:
Torii Hunter : FD: $2,900 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 250 — wOBA: 0.333 — ISO: 0.155 — wRC+: 112
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.386 — ISO: 0.354 — wRC+: 149
Trevor Plouffe : FD: $2,900 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 270 — wOBA: 0.340 — ISO: 0.160 — wRC+: 118
Last 14 Days: PA: 54 — wOBA: 0.355 — ISO: 0.180 — wRC+: 128
Toronto at Chicago White Sox – 8:10 PM EST
| Toronto | Chicago White Sox | ||||||||
 | Mark Buehrle |  | Chris Sale | ||||||
| LEFT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHW (-144) | 7 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.266 | 0.756 | 0.331 | 0.14 | SP vs. Left | 0.168 | 0.417 | 0.197 | 0.358 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.278 | 0.731 | 0.319 | 0.135 | SP vs. Right | 0.211 | 0.602 | 0.267 | 0.311 |
| Batter Splits | TOR BvP | TOR vs L | Batter Splits | CHW BvP | CWS vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Mark Buehrle : FD: $7,600 — DK: $6,800
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 308.1 — SIERA: 4.31 — K%: 13.6% — BB%: 5.1% — FB Rate: 33.0% — HR/FB: 8.0%
Last 30 Days: IP: 34.0 — SIERA: 3.31 — K%: 18.8% — BB%: 3.8% — FB Rate: 28.0% — HR/FB: 10.7%
Chicago White Sox Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.255 (Rank: 30) — Strikeout Rate: 23.0% (Rank: 22)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.334 (Rank: 6) — Strikeout Rate: 20.0% (Rank: 15)
Pitchers per PA: 3.75 (Rank: 22)
Analysis: Buehrle has pitched well over his last month of play, posting a 3.31 SIERA with a strikeout rate of 18.8%. While the matchup against the White Sox is a favorable one, Buehrle is not a pitcher that we ever really feel confident in rostering. He has such a low strikeout rate that he needs a near perfect outing to pay off his salary. I’ll be avoiding him tonight in lieu of pitchers with more upside.
Pitcher Rating:52.3
Chris Sale : FD: $11,500 — DK: $12,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 277.1 — SIERA: 2.42 — K%: 31.9% — BB%: 5.6% — FB Rate: 39.6% — HR/FB: 8.0%
Last 30 Days: IP: 37.1 — SIERA: 1.38 — K%: 42.8% — BB%: 4.1% — FB Rate: 38.7% — HR/FB: 6.9%
Toronto Blue Jays Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.378 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 16.9% (Rank: 2)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.339 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 17.4% (Rank: 5)
Pitchers per PA: 3.79 (Rank: 14)
Analysis: Speaking of upside, how about the 42.8% strikeout rate that Sale has posted over the last month? He is on a completely different level right now, striking out ten times more batters than he has walked in his recent starts. His matchup against the Blue Jays is a difficult one, but Sale should still be considered the top pitching option on the board tonight.
Pitcher Rating:95.0
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
Not only has Chris Sale been in amazing form recently, but he has also held left and right-handed hitters under a .270 wOBA over the last two seasons. The Blue Jays hit left-handed pitching well as a team, but they will struggle to put up runs against one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays:
NONE
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox draw a favorable matchup against Mark Buerhle has given up a .319+ wOBA to left and right-handed hitters over the last two seasons. The White Sox may not hit southpaws well as a team, but they do have some hitters that feast on left-handed pitching. Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia are both excellent fantasy options in this one.
Elite Plays
Jose Abreu : FD: $3,800 — DK: $5,400
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 220 — wOBA: 0.432 — ISO: 0.271 — wRC+: 180
Last 14 Days: PA: 49 — wOBA: 0.395 — ISO: 0.255 — wRC+: 153
Avisail Garcia : FD: $2,600 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 105 — wOBA: 0.389 — ISO: 0.196 — wRC+: 149
Last 14 Days: PA: 46 — wOBA: 0.331 — ISO: 0.048 — wRC+: 108
Secondary Plays:
Melky Cabrera : FD: $2,600 — DK: $3,800
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 245 — wOBA: 0.303 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 90
Last 14 Days: PA: 46 — wOBA: 0.403 — ISO: 0.268 — wRC+: 159
Tampa Bay at Kansas City – 8:10 PM EST
| Tampa Bay | Kansas City | ||||||||
 | Alex Colome |  | Edinson Volquez | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| KCR (-135) | 7.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.259 | 0.722 | 0.316 | 0.133 | SP vs. Left | 0.221 | 0.673 | 0.299 | 0.186 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.258 | 0.717 | 0.312 | 0.163 | SP vs. Right | 0.234 | 0.653 | 0.294 | 0.167 |
| Batter Splits | TBR BvP | TB vs R | Batter Splits | KCR BvP | KC vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Alex Colome : FD: $6,400 — DK: $5,400
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 92.2 — SIERA: 4.76 — K%: 14.6% — BB%: 8.7% — FB Rate: 36.3% — HR/FB: 9.3%
Last 30 Days: IP: 33.1 — SIERA: 5.49 — K%: 12.1% — BB%: 11.4% — FB Rate: 37.5% — HR/FB: 5.1%
Kansas City Royals Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.318 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 16.0% (Rank: 1)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.279 (Rank: 24) — Strikeout Rate: 18.4% (Rank: 8)
Pitchers per PA: 3.67 (Rank: 30)
Analysis: Colome has an above-average SIERA with a below-average strikeout rate. That’s not a good combination for a pitcher, especially one that gives up a lot of walks. He is an easy avoid tonight against the Royals, who have the lowest strikeout rate (16.0%) of any team against right-handed pitching this season.
Pitcher Rating:37.1
Edinson Volquez : FD: $8,400 — DK: $6,700
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 288.1 — SIERA: 4.19 — K%: 17.6% — BB%: 8.6% — FB Rate: 32.8% — HR/FB: 8.6%
Last 30 Days: IP: 34.2 — SIERA: 4.22 — K%: 16.5% — BB%: 7.9% — FB Rate: 29.7% — HR/FB: 12.1%
Tampa Bay Rays Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.292 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 22.3% (Rank: 26)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.265 (Rank: 29) — Strikeout Rate: 28.6% (Rank: 30)
Pitchers per PA: 3.86 (Rank: 9)
Analysis: Volquez has been a serviceable starter for the Royals. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff, but he has a decent SIERA with a mediocre strikeout rate. He is a sizable favorite tonight against the Rays, who are ranked 26th in wOBA (.292) and 26th in strikeout rate (22.3%) against right-handed-pitching this season. Volquez will fly under the radar tonight, but with the expected run support, he could be a very cheap source for a win.
Pitcher Rating:64.2
Batter Grind Down
Tampa Bay
The Rays are one of the worst hitting teams against right-handed pitching this season. They draw an average matchup tonight against Edinson Volquez, who has held left and right-handed hitters under a .300 wOBA over the last two seasons. Kevin Kiermaier is the only fantasy option of note on the Rays.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays:
Kevin Kiermaier : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 508 — wOBA: 0.339 — ISO: 0.201 — wRC+: 123
Last 14 Days: PA: 51 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.140 — wRC+: 88
Kansas City
The Royals’ offense has been very streaky this season, but one thing that they always do well is put the ball in play. They have the lowest strikeout rate of any team against right-handed pitching. They draw a favorable matchup tonight against Alex Colome, who hasn’t been particularly effective against hitters from either side of the plate.
Elite Plays
Eric Hosmer : FD: $2,700 — DK: $4,000
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 582 — wOBA: 0.335 — ISO: 0.144 — wRC+: 114
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.232 — ISO: 0.026 — wRC+: 42
Alcides Escobar : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: SS — DK: SS
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 681 — wOBA: 0.299 — ISO: 0.084 — wRC+: 89
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.281 — ISO: 0.020 — wRC+: 76
Secondary Plays:
Lorenzo Cain : FD: $3,600 — DK: $4,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 556 — wOBA: 0.322 — ISO: 0.110 — wRC+: 105
Last 14 Days: PA: 43 — wOBA: 0.446 — ISO: 0.189 — wRC+: 191
Kendrys Morales : FD: $2,700 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 446 — wOBA: 0.306 — ISO: 0.163 — wRC+: 95
Last 14 Days: PA: 53 — wOBA: 0.316 — ISO: 0.188 — wRC+: 101
Detroit at Seattle – 10:10 PM EST
| Detroit | Seattle | ||||||||
 | Alfredo Simon |  | Hisashi Iwakuma | ||||||
| RIGHT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| SEA (-148) | 7 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.263 | 0.762 | 0.333 | 0.156 | SP vs. Left | 0.274 | 0.723 | 0.317 | 0.187 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.23 | 0.648 | 0.288 | 0.17 | SP vs. Right | 0.218 | 0.607 | 0.265 | 0.24 |
| Batter Splits | DET BvP | DET vs R | Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Alfredo Simon : FD: $7,900 — DK: $5,500
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 287.2 — SIERA: 4.19 — K%: 16.3% — BB%: 7.1% — FB Rate: 32.0% — HR/FB: 10.9%
Last 30 Days: IP: 27.2 — SIERA: 3.78 — K%: 20.3% — BB%: 7.0% — FB Rate: 32.6% — HR/FB: 16.7%
Seattle Mariners Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.291 (Rank: 28) — Strikeout Rate: 22.3% (Rank: 26)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.276 (Rank: 26) — Strikeout Rate: 19.9% (Rank: 14)
Pitchers per PA: 3.88 (Rank: 6)
Analysis: Simon has given up at least five earned runs in each of his last three starts. While his matchup against the Mariners is appealing, I’ll give the edge to Seattle in this matchup. Simon’s biggest issue is against left-handed hitters and the Mariners’ lineup is chock-full of lefties.
Pitcher Rating:49.2
Hisashi Iwakuma : FD: $7,800 — DK: $8,300
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 195.1 — SIERA: 3.04 — K%: 21.2% — BB%: 3.1% — FB Rate: 29.0% — HR/FB: 14.7%
Detroit Tigers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.328 (Rank: 4) — Strikeout Rate: 19.1% (Rank: 11)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.376 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 13)
Pitchers per PA: 3.84 (Rank: 11)
Analysis: Iwakuma will make his first start since April 20th, after missing time with a lat injury. Manager Lloyd McClendon says that Iwakuma will not be limited in his first start back, but it would be surprising to see him throw more than 100 pitches. Rust is always an issue when coming back from injury and with a matchup against the Tigers, it’s easy to take a wait and see approach with Iwakuma. Let him get a start or two under his belt before targeting him in daily leagues.
Pitcher Rating:67.7
Batter Grind Down
Detroit
The Tigers draw a difficult matchup against Hisashi Iwakuma, but they are one of the best offenses in baseball against right-handed pitching. This may be a time to avoid both the pitcher and the offense that he is facing. Hot-hitting J.D. Martinez is in play here, but he should be considered a secondary option at his price point.
Elite Plays
NONE
Secondary Plays:
J.D. Martinez : FD: $4,400 — DK: $4,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 606 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.236 — wRC+: 147
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.511 — ISO: 0.500 — wRC+: 236
Seattle
The Mariners have struggled to score runs all season, but they are in a good spot tonight at home against Alfredo Simon. Since the start of the 2014 season, Simon has given up a .333 wOBA to left-handed hitters. This is a great opportunity to buy low on the lefties in this lineup.
Elite Plays
Kyle Seager : FD: $2,500 — DK: $4,100
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 660 — wOBA: 0.353 — ISO: 0.198 — wRC+: 130
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.251 — ISO: 0.116 — wRC+: 59
Secondary Plays:
Logan Morrison : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B/OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 508 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.177 — wRC+: 110
Last 14 Days: PA: 47 — wOBA: 0.244 — ISO: 0.195 — wRC+: 54
Seth Smith : FD: $2,300 — DK: $3,700
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 686 — wOBA: 0.348 — ISO: 0.189 — wRC+: 127
Last 14 Days: PA: 31 — wOBA: 0.283 — ISO: 0.103 — wRC+: 81
Philadelphia at LA Dodgers – 10:10 PM EST
| Philadelphia | LA Dodgers | ||||||||
 | Sean O’Sullivan |  | Eric Surkamp | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| LAD (-200) | 8 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.36 | 1.122 | 0.468 | 0.107 | SP vs. Left | 0.167 | 0.687 | 0.289 | 0.196 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.272 | 0.745 | 0.324 | 0.113 | SP vs. Right | 0.311 | 0 | 0.34 | 0.177 |
| Batter Splits | PHI BvP | PHI vs L | Batter Splits | LAD BvP | LA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Sean O’Sullivan : FD: $4,900 — DK: $4,200
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 78.1 — SIERA: 4.88 — K%: 11.1% — BB%: 5.7% — FB Rate: 38.4% — HR/FB: 15.9%
Last 30 Days: IP: 26.1 — SIERA: 5.18 — K%: 10.2% — BB%: 7.0% — FB Rate: 37.9% — HR/FB: 12.8%
Los Angeles Dodgers Offense (2015)
vs. RH Pitching: wOBA: 0.339 (Rank: 1) — Strikeout Rate: 19.7% (Rank: 15)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.326 (Rank: 11) — Strikeout Rate: 22.1% (Rank: 23)
Pitchers per PA: 3.89 (Rank: 4)
Analysis: If you are even considering O’Sullivan tonight, you should probably try to find a new hobby. He is the worst pitcher on the bump tonight and he also draws the worst matchup. That’s not the combination that we are looking for. O’Sullivan has not pitched well this season and he has to face a Dodgers’ offense that is ranked first in wOBA (.339) against right-handed pitching.
Pitcher Rating:22.0
Eric Surkamp : FD: $4,600 — DK: N/A
Editor’s Note: Yimi Garcia, not Eric Surkamp, will start for the Dodgers tonight.
Pitching Stats:
2014 – 2015: IP: 24.1 — SIERA: 4.30 — K%: 18.7% — BB%: 12.2% — FB Rate: 39.1% — HR/FB: 11.1%
Philadelphia Phillies Offense (2015)
vs. LH Pitching: wOBA: 0.311 (Rank: 13) — Strikeout Rate: 19.5% (Rank: 8)
Last 14 Days: wOBA: 0.339 (Rank: 3) — Strikeout Rate: 17.1% (Rank: 4)
Pitchers per PA: 3.71 (Rank: 27)
Analysis: Surkamp has been called up from the minors to make a spot start tonight against the Phillies. In his six minor league starts this season, he has been less than impressive with a 5.48 SIERA and a strikeout rate of 17.0%. The cheap price tag and the Vegas line make him an appealing option on paper, but the Phillies are actually very good against left-handed pitching. I will have zero shares of Surkamp tonight, even though he is the biggest favorite on the board.
Pitcher Rating:51.1
Batter Grind Down
Philadelphia
The Phillies’ offense has come alive recently, ranking third in wOBA (.339) and fourth in strikeout rate (19.5%) over the last 14 days. They are also ranked above the major league average in wOBA against southpaws. Cesar Hernandez has been on fire recently (check his game logs) and should be considered one of the top value plays on the board. Maikel Franco is also worth a look at third base.
Elite Plays
Cesar Hernandez : FD: $3,000 — DK: $3,100
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B/SS
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 84 — wOBA: 0.369 — ISO: 0.053 — wRC+: 136
Last 14 Days: PA: 62 — wOBA: 0.472 — ISO: 0.093 — wRC+: 207
Secondary Plays:
Maikel Franco : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 3B
2014-15 vs. LH Pitching: PA: 75 — wOBA: 0.290 — ISO: 0.182 — wRC+: 82
Last 14 Days: PA: 61 — wOBA: 0.394 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 153
LA Dodgers
The Dodgers have the highest team total on the board tonight. They draw a favorable matchup against Sean O’Sullivan at home. Hitters from both sides of the plate are in play here, but the left-handed bats have the splits in their favor. Since the start of the 2014 season, O’Sullivan has given up a whopping .468 wOBA to hitters from the left side of the plate. Load up on Dodgers in both cash games and tournaments tonight.
Elite Plays
Joc Pederson : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,000
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 302 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.268 — wRC+: 149
Last 14 Days: PA: 50 — wOBA: 0.258 — ISO: 0.163 — wRC+: 64
Yasmani Grandal : FD: $3,200 — DK: $4,200
Position Eligibility: FD: C — DK: C
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 552 — wOBA: 0.364 — ISO: 0.228 — wRC+: 138
Last 14 Days: PA: 35 — wOBA: 0.377 — ISO: 0.276 — wRC+: 145
Adrian Gonzalez : FD: $3,000 — DK: $4,700
Position Eligibility: FD: 1B — DK: 1B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 747 — wOBA: 0.387 — ISO: 0.239 — wRC+: 152
Last 14 Days: PA: 48 — wOBA: 0.352 — ISO: 0.233 — wRC+: 128
Andre Ethier : FD: $2,400 — DK: $3,500
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 552 — wOBA: 0.336 — ISO: 0.167 — wRC+: 118
Last 14 Days: PA: 34 — wOBA: 0.330 — ISO: 0.138 — wRC+: 113
Secondary Plays:
Justin Turner : FD: $3,400 — DK: $3,900
Position Eligibility: FD: 3B — DK: 2B/3B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 389 — wOBA: 0.425 — ISO: 0.209 — wRC+: 178
Last 14 Days: PA: 46 — wOBA: 0.349 — ISO: 0.250 — wRC+: 126
Yasiel Puig : FD: $3,300 — DK: $4,300
Position Eligibility: FD: OF — DK: OF
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 603 — wOBA: 0.383 — ISO: 0.200 — wRC+: 150
Last 14 Days: PA: 41 — wOBA: 0.273 — ISO: 0.118 — wRC+: 74
Howie Kendrick : FD: $3,100 — DK: $4,100
Position Eligibility: FD: 2B — DK: 2B
2014-15 vs. RH Pitching: PA: 765 — wOBA: 0.323 — ISO: 0.107 — wRC+: 111
Last 14 Days: PA: 54 — wOBA: 0.349 — ISO: 0.102 — wRC+: 126