MLB Grind Down: Saturday, August 9th Page Two
NY Mets at Philadelphia
| NY Mets | Philadelphia | ||||||||
| Dillon Gee | Vegas Moneyline | Cole Hamels | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | PHI (-151) | LEFT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.245 | 0.732 | 0.325 | 12.50% | SP vs. Left | 0.212 | 0.598 | 0.274 | 23.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.200 | 0.620 | 0.277 | 22.40% | SP vs. Right | 0.222 | 0.624 | 0.277 | 25.60% |
| Batter Splits | NYM BvP  | NYM vs L | Batter Splits | PHI BvP | PHI vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Dillon Gee – After an impressive (yet injured) first half to the 2014 season, things have turned ugly for him since the All-Star break. In four second-half starts he owns an 0-3 record and 6.85 ERA. This Phillies team ranks #29 in wOBA against right-handed pitching, but yet they’ve gotten to Gee in both prior meetings this season. Gee is capable of tossing a gem anytime he takes the mound, but his recent struggles coupled with Cole Hamels on the opposing mound really make him a risky cash game play. Rating = 4.5
Salaries: $6500 FD, $12450 DD, $7300 DK, $65400 FF, $21700 SS, $12450 FTD
- Cole Hamels – Despite his name continually being thrown around in trade/waiver news, Hamels just continues to shine. Over his last four starts he’s 3-0 with a 0.60 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and has racked up 33 K’s in 30 innings. He’ll take on a Mets team who ranks #28th in MLB in wOBA against left-handed pitching and who he’s already seen four times this season; posting a 2.70 ERA while fanning 29 batters in 26.2 innings. The Phillies rarely put him in position for an easy win which hurts a bit on the sites that heavily weight win points, but he’s still a solid option in all scenarios regardless. Rating = 8
Salaries: $9800 FD, $21150 DD, $11100 DK, $141400 FF, $31700 SS, $20200 FTD
Batter Grind Down
NY Mets
David Wright – Wright brings a seven game hitting streak into today’s game and has a long history of success against Cole Hamels (25 for 76 with 5 doubles, a triple and 5 homeruns). He’s historically crushed left-handed pitching and is one of the better 3B options today despite the tough matchup.
Additional Plays: Daniel Murphy
Philadelphia
Jimmy Rollins – Rollins owns Dillon Gee, going 12 for 25 with two doubles and a pair of homeruns off of him in their prior meetings.
Additional Plays: Ryan Howard (also owns Gee), Chase Utley
Texas at Houston
| Texas | Houston | ||||||||
| Yu Darvish | Vegas Moneyline | Scott Feldman | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | TEX (-165) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.241 | 0.713 | 0.317 | 30.10% | SP vs. Left | 0.277 | 0.746 | 0.327 | 10.80% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.217 | 0.580 | 0.257 | 30.10% | SP vs. Right | 0.270 | 0.792 | 0.347 | 14.50% |
| Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs R | Batter Splits | HOU BvP | HOU vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Yu Darvish – Darvish’s career numbers against the Houston Astros are about all I needed to look at to make him my top pitching choice of the day. In Eight career starts versus Houston here is his stat line; 4-2 record, 3.00 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 80 strikeouts in 57 innings. His 30.1% strikeout percentage this season is the 2nd best in MLB (only Kershaw is better) and the Houston Astros own the second highest strikeout percentage in the league (23.4%, with only Miami being worse). His upside in this matchup is off the charts and if you can find a way to fit him into your roster I highly recommend you do it. Rating = 9.5
Salaries: $11100 FD, $21700 DD, $12000 DK, $136500 FF, $32100 SS, $20800 FTD
- Scott Feldman – Feldman enters tonight’s game on the heels of back-to-back overly impressive outings and will now be tasked with taking on a Texas Rangers team who own the AL’s worst record and whom he spent eight seasons with. He tossed seven shutout innings the first time he saw the Rangers this season, but was knocked around for four runs on ten hits in five innings in the other outing. His 4.90 K’s/9 is not appealing and with Darvish on the opposing mound, a win is highly unlikely. Rating = 3.5
Salaries: $5600 FD, $9700 DD, $5600 DK, $52800 FF, $13600 SS, $9700 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Texas
Leonys Martin – Martin has had far more success this season both against right-handed pitching at at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and he’ll get both of those matchups today. He’s had success against Feldman in the past, going 3 for 7 with a pair of walks.
Additional Plays: Adrian Beltre, J.P. Arencibia, Shin-Soo Choo
Houston
Matt Dominguez has already taken Darvish deep three times so I can see the argument for taking a chance with him, but I won’t be targeting any of the Astros today.
LA Dodgers at Milwaukee
| LA Dodgers | Milwaukee | ||||||||
| Zack Greinke | Vegas Moneyline | Mike Fiers | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | LAD (-140) | RIGHT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.256 | 0.666 | 0.294 | 23.50% | SP vs. Left | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.234 | 0.655 | 0.288 | 29.20% | SP vs. Right | ||||
| Batter Splits | LAD BvP | LAD vs R | Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Zack Greinke – Greinke will return to Milwaukee today to take on his old team, and he’ll be hoping to fair better than he did in this spot last year when he was rocked for five earned runs on eight hits with three walks before being yanked after four innings. With that said, he sports a 12-7 record and 2.71 ERA after 23 starts and his 26.5% strikeout percentage ranks him 10th among qualified pitchers this season. Greinke clearly has elite stuff but has also earned a reputation for being a bit of a, for the lack of a better term, “head-case” so there is a bit more risk attached to him today in his return to Miller Park. Rating = 7
Salaries: $9900 FD, $19650 DD, $10600 DK, $124500 FF, $30400 SS, $19650 FTD
- Mike Fiers – After an impressive rookie season with the Brewers in 2012 (3.74 ERA and 9.54 K’s/9 in 127.2 innings), Fiers stumbled in just 22 innings of work in 2013 and, for reasons that I’ve often wondered, has been relegated to AAA ever since. He’s been terrific in the Pacific Coast League again this season for the Nashvile Sounds, posting a 2.55 ERA and 129 strikeouts over 102.1 innings. He won’t blow hitters away with power pitches, and there is certainly a large element of risk here against a Dodgers team that owns a .326 wOBA against right-handed pitching (4th best in MLB) but he’s definitely worth a look as a value option on multi-pitcher sites. Rating = 5
Salaries: $5000 FD, $8600 DD, $5800 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
LA Dodgers
Yaisel Puig – Puig has come out of the all-star break swinging a hot bat as he’s posted a 1.036 OPS in 15 second half games. He’ll face a rather inexperienced Mike Fiers today and he owns a .429 wOBA against right-handed pitching.
Additional Plays: Justin Turner, Adrian Gonzalez, Dee Gordon
Milwaukee
Carlos Gomez – Don’t get carried away with picking on Greinke, but Gomez make sense today as he’s tied for the team lead in wOBA against right-handed pitching (.381 wOBA) and has a pair of homeruns already this week.
Additional Plays: Scooter Gennett, Ryan Braun
Washington at Atlanta
| Washington | Atlanta | ||||||||
| Tanner Roark | Vegas Moneyline | Aaron Harang | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | WAS (-118) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.212 | 0.635 | 0.284 | 15.30% | SP vs. Left | 0.287 | 0.763 | 0.338 | 16.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.247 | 0.616 | 0.274 | 21.90% | SP vs. Right | 0.235 | 0.669 | 0.296 | 19.60% |
| Batter Splits | WSN BvP | WSN vs R | Batter Splits | ATL BvP | ATL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Tanner Roark – After four straight impressive seven inning outings, the Baltimore Orioles finally got to Roark earlier this week. Today he’ll take on a strikeout prone Braves team who bring just a .295 wOBA against right-handed pitching into tonight’s game. Roark doesn’t get the credit he deserves, but dating back to this time last season all Roark has done is post a 18-8 record and 2.54 ERA in 27 starts (and also nine relief appearances). The Braves roughed him up in early April, but he responded with a very strong outing the last time they met and he can still be found for a relative discount on many sites. Rating = 6
Salaries: $7600 FD, $15650 DD, $8700 DK, $109400 FF, $25100 SS, $15650 FTD
- Aaron Harang – The Braves have dropped all four games in which Harang has started since the All-Star break, but it hasn’t been due to poor pitching as he owns a 2.88 ERA over that span. He cruised to an easy win the only other time he’s faced Washington this season, tossing six innings of one run ball in a 10-2 Atlanta win. The Nationals lineup has been showing signs of life lately, but they still rank #29th in MLB in batting average against right-handed pitching (.236 average). He’s not the most exciting option to choose from, but he’s in play as a secondary pitching option if the price is right. Rating = 5
Salaries: $6600 FD, $14300 DD, $6800 DK, $75700 FF, $18200 SS, $14300 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Washington
Denard Span – With three more hits last night, Span extended his on-base streak to 34 games and his hitting streak to 12 games. He’s in a nice spot tonight against Aaron Harang who has allowed lefties to post a .338 wOBA against him. He’s hitting .452 since the all-star break and can rack up fantasy points on the basepaths as well.
Additional Plays: Bryce Harper, Adam LaRoche
Atlanta
Freddie Freeman – Freeman homered last night and is now sporting a .375 wOBA against right-handed pitching. He’s hitting .381 over the last week and has has had moderate success against Roark in the past.
Additional Plays: Jason Heyward, Evan Gattis
Miami at Cincinnati
| Miami | Cincinnati | ||||||||
| Brad Penny | Vegas Moneyline | Alfredo Simon | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | CIN (-119) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.245 | 0.723 | 0.317 | 14.80% | ||||
| SP vs. Right | SP vs. Right | 0.215 | 0.603 | 0.272 | 15.30% | ||||
| Batter Splits | MIA BvP | MIA vs R | Batter Splits | CIN BvP | CIN vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Brad Penny – Brad Penny has had his time as a top notch starter in MLB, but those days are long behind him. He’ll draw his first start in nearly 18 months tonight against a struggling Reds offense, but he’s still a guy who’s posted a 5.41 and 1.60 over his last two “healthy” seasons. He’s not a recommended option in any scenario tonight. Rating = 2
Salaries: $2700 FD, $8650 DD, $6500 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Alfredo Simon – After an incredibly successful first half of the season (12-3 record, 2.70 ERA) things have taken a turn for the worse for Simon since the All-Star break. In four second half starts he’s taken the loss in each game, posted a 5.06 ERA and has only struck out 10 batters over 21.1 innings. He’ll take on a Marlins team that tends to lack a lot of their offensive punch on the road, but his advanced stats have been indicating a decline for awhile (.246 BABIP, 4.48 FIP) and I’ll be avoiding him today. Rating = 4
Salaries: $6900 FD, $13900 DD, $7000 DK, $73900 FF, $20600 SS, $13900 FTD
Batter Grind Down
Miami
Christian Yelich – With Alredo Simon falling apart a bit lately, this matchup is far less intimidating for Yelich and company. Simon’s weakness this season has been left-handed batters and Yelich cant rack up fantasy points in a myriad of ways.
Additional Plays: Giancarlo Stanton
Cincinnati
Jay Bruce- Picking on Brad Penny will likely be a common theme tonight and Jay Bruce is in a nice spot against the right hander. He has had a very forgetable season, but that’s caused his asking price to drop and he can still be very dangerous against right-handed pitching. He has shown signs of life at the plate lately, racking up nine hits over the last six games.
Additional Plays: Billy Hamilton, Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco