MLB Grind Down: Saturday, August 16th Page Three
Chicago Cubs at NY Mets
| Chicago Cubs | NY Mets | ||||||||
| Dan Straily | Vegas Moneyline | Jonathon Niese | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | NYM (-155) | LEFT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.228 | 0.794 | 0.342 | 18.20% | SP vs. Left | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.234 | 0.794 | 0.348 | 25.40% | SP vs. Right | ||||
| Batter Splits | CHC BvP  | CHC vs L | Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Dan Straily – After three straight starts without allowing a run for AAA Iowa, Straily will finally get the call back to the big leagues for his new team. Straily had a forgetable season with the Athletics earlier this year, but this is a kid who posted a 10-8 record and 3.96 ERA as a 24 year old last season. He’ll take on a Mets team that owns a league worst .266 wOBA since the All-Star break and he should benefit from a shift to the National League. The Cubs rarely make it easy for their pitchers to be in line for a “W” but Straily is still a nice value option to fill out a rotation on multi-pitcher sites. Rating = 5
Salaries: $6400 FD, $11150 DD, $6200 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Jonathon Niese – Niese bounced back from a rather terrible start against Washington with a win against the Phillies in which he only allowed two runs on five hits over seven strong innings. Dating back to the beginning of last season, Niese has posted a 2.77 ERA in 23 starts at Citi FIeld. Tonight, he’ll do battle with a Cubs team who own the highest K% in MLB this season against left-handed pitching (24.8%) but who does rank fifth in wOBA against southpaws. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $6800 FD, $11600 DD, $6100 DK, $65600 FF, $17300 SS, $11600 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Chicago Cubs
Starlin Castro – After two more hits last night, Castro now has at least one hit in every single game during the month of August. He’s hitting .308 against left-handed pitching this season and .421 during the month of August. He’s also had success against Niese in the past, going 5 for 16 with a triple and a homerun.
Additional Plays: Justin Ruggiano, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez
NY Mets
Lucas Duda – Duda has cooled off a bit lately, but is still the owner of a .393 wOBA against right-handed pitching.
Additional Plays: Daniel Murphy
San Diego at St. Louis
| San Diego | St. Louis | ||||||||
| Jesse Hahn | Vegas Moneyline | Shelby Miller | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | STL (-135) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.168 | 0.506 | 0.229 | 24.00% | SP vs. Left | 0.250 | 0.749 | 0.333 | 14.30% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.196 | 0.578 | 0.278 | 24.10% | SP vs. Right | 0.235 | 0.693 | 0.310 | 16.70% |
| Batter Splits | SDP BvP | SDP vs R | Batter Splits | STL BvP | STL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Jesse Hahn – After an impressive (and rather short) career in the minor leagues, Hahn has kept things rolling at the big league level as well. In 11 stars with the Padres he amassed a 7-3 record while posting an impressive 2.52 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 8.64 K’s/9. His control has been an issue thus far, but he’ll face a Cardinals team who he mowed down just two weeks ago and who ranks #29th in MLB in homeruns. Rating = 5
Salaries: $7000 FD, $14050 DD, $8600 DK, $110200 FF, $26300 SS, $14050 FTD
- Shelby Miller – After four straight solid outings, Miller was roughed up a bit in his last start; surrendering five earned runs to the Marlins in just five innings of work. His 10.2 BB% is the highest in MLB among qualified pitchers and it tends to get him into trouble, but he’s only issued three walks over his last four starts. Miller owns a solid 3.95 ERA at Busch Stadium this season and defeated this weak hitting Padres team in their only other meeting this season. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $5500 FD, $10900 DD, $6000 DK, $66600 FF, $16600 SS, $10900 FTD
Batter Grind Down
San Diego
Seth Smith – Smith has doubled in each of the first two games of this series and now owns a .397 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season.
Additional Plays: Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Will Venable
St. Louis
Matt Carpenter – The Cardinals leadoff man has had a somewhat disappointing season, but he’s showing the improved patience at the plate lately that made him so successful last season. He’s reached base seven times and scored three runs during the Cardinals current three game winning streak and his success at the top of this lineup is vital if this Cardinals lineup plans on turning things around.
Additional Plays: Kolten Wong, Matt Holliday, Matt Adams, Jon Jay
LA Angels at Texas
| LA Angels | Texas | ||||||||
| Matt Shoemaker | Vegas Moneyline | Colby Lewis | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | LAA (-165) | RIGHT | 9.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.296 | 0.821 | 0.357 | 20.70% | SP vs. Left | 0.359 | 0.949 | 0.411 | 15.50% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.695 | 0.304 | 25.30% | SP vs. Right | 0.266 | 0.759 | 0.329 | 20.90% |
| Batter Splits | LAA BvP | LAA vs R | Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Matt Shoemaker – Since suffering through a rather miserable June, Shoemaker has found his groove lately and has now posted a 2.75 xFIP since the All-Star break. Despite a 4-1 road record he’s pitched rather poorly away from Southern California, posting a 6.16 ERA in five starts. However, this Texas team is the worst team in the AL and Shoemaker cruised to an easy win against them in their only other meeting of the season. If the price is right he’s certainly worth a look in all formats. Rating = 5.5
Salaries: $7200 FD, $13550 DD, $6600 DK, $121400 FF, $20200 SS, $13550 FTD
- Colby Lewis – After randomly dominating the White Sox last week, Lewis returned to his normal, rather uneffective ways against Tampa Bay in his last start. With a 5.42 ERA and 1.66 WHIP he’s far from an ideal fantasy target against an Anahiem team that owns the leagues best team road wOBA (.333 wOBA). Lewis has been terrorized by lefties to the tune of the .414 wOBA, which happens to be the worst among qualified pitchers in MLB this season. Needless to say, I will not be considering Lewis in any capacity tonight. Rating = 2
Salaries: $6700 FD, $10600 DD, $6000 DK, $64500 FF, $16400 SS, $10600 FTD
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
Kole Calhoun – Calhoun had another monster game last night, going 3 for 4 with a double and a homerun to extend his hitting streak to six games. Colby Lewis is atrocious against left-handed pitching and Calhoun owns a solid .367 wOBA against right-handed pitching. He’s swinging one of the hottest bats in MLB right now and has the best matchup on the board.
Additional Plays: Mike Trout, Erick Aybar, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton
Texas
Adrian Beltre – Beltre was perfect at the plate last night, going 4 for 4 in the Rangers loss to the Angels. He has absolutely smashed the ball all season at home, posting a .992 OPS at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. He’s 2 for 3 with a double off of Shoemaker in the past and is far and away the most dangerous hitter in the Texas lineup.
Additional Plays: Shin-Soo Choo
Cincinnati at Colorado
| Cincinnati | Colorado | ||||||||
| Dylan Axelrod | Vegas Moneyline | Jordan Lyles | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | COL (100) | RIGHT | 10.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.260 | 0.789 | 0.346 | 14.60% | ||||
| SP vs. Right | SP vs. Right | 0.229 | 0.647 | 0.288 | 19.90% | ||||
| Batter Splits | CIN BvP | CIN vs R | Batter Splits | COL BvP | COL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Dylan Axelrod – I’ll will keep this one short and sweet. Axelrod owns a 5.36 career ERA and will draw his first MLB start in nearly a year at Coors Field where the Rockies rake. If you’re taking him, I’m surprised you still have money left to burn. Rating = 1
Salaries: $ FD, $NA DD, $NA DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Jordan Lyles – On one hand, Jordan Lyles owns a 6-1 record, a 3.70 ERA and will take on a banged up Cincinnati team who ranks #29th in MLB in wOBA since the All-Star break. On the other hand, this is a pitcher who posted an ERA over 5.00 in each of the last three seasons at SEA LEVEL in Houston. If you have the stones to take him and it works out for you then bravo, but i’ll be staying far away. Rating = 3
Salaries: $6700 FD, $12050 DD, $5600 DK, $65900 FF, $16900 SS, $12050 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Cincinnati
Devin Mesoraco – Mesoraco enters tonight’s game in Coors Field sporting a rather ridiculous .406 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season. His .290 ISO against right-handed pitching makes him an ideal player to target inside Coors Field. He’s already gone deep twice this week and, in my opinion, is the clear #1 option behind the plate today.
Additional Plays: Billy Hamilton, Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier
Colorado
Justin Morneau – Morneau brings an 11 game hitting streak into tonight’s game and is now hitting .383 since the All-Star break. He sports a .408 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season and is hitting .327 this season at Coors Field. With Dylan Axelrod on the bump for the Reds, Morneau becomes an elite option at 1B.
Additional Plays: Everyone
Milwaukee at LA Dodgers
| Milwaukee | LA Dodgers | ||||||||
| Yovani Gallardo | Vegas Moneyline | Clayton Kershaw | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | LAD (-200) | LEFT | 6.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.225 | 0.623 | 0.284 | 17.60% | SP vs. Left | 0.163 | 0.372 | 0.169 | 31.70% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.269 | 0.721 | 0.319 | 19.40% | SP vs. Right | 0.207 | 0.567 | 0.251 | 32.70% |
| Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs L | Batter Splits | LAD BvP | LAD vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Yovani Gallardo – Gallardo is doing his best to challenge Tim Lincecum as the most difficult starting pitcher to predict this season. He’s been very solid away from Miller Park thus far, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.74 ERA in 11 road starts. He’s been pitching very well since the All-Star break, amassing a 2.56 ERA over five second half starts. He’s always worth a GPP flier, but he’s a very risky cash game play tonight with Kershaw likely forcing him into perfection if he hopes to walk away with a “W”. Rating = 5
Salaries: $7200 FD, $14900 DD, $7500 DK, $89600 FF, $22600 SS, $14900 FTD
- Clayton Kershaw – He’s 14-2 with a 1.78 ERA, so rather than try to highlight the reasons to take him I think it makes more sense to try to find a reason not to….Unfortunately there just aren’t any solid reasons. Despite possessing several lefty killers, the Brewers are only ranked #18 in MLB in wOBA against left-handed pitching and Kershaw made easy work of them in their only previous meeting this season. Aside from one outlier start, even Kershaws poor performances are successful by fantasy standards and if you can afford to roster him than you should absolutely do so. Rating = 9.5
Salaries: $12000 FD, $21700 DD, $14400 DK, $160000 FF, $33000 SS, $21700 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Milwaukee
Many of these Milwaukee hitters crush left-handed pitching, but picking on the best pitcher in baseball is just not a profitable endeavor.
LA Dodgers
Adrian Gonzalez – After a really slow May and June, A-Gon has come alive recently, posting a .308 batting average since the beginning of July. He owns .379 wOBA against right-handed pitching this season and has had success against Gallardo (4 for 14 with a triple and a homerun)
Additional Plays: Yasiel Puig, Dee Gordon, Matt Kemp