MLB Grind Down: Sunday, August 10th Page Two

by Ryan138 Last Updated 2014-08-10 16:10:25

NY Mets at Philadelphia

NY Mets					Philadelphia
Zack Wheeler		Vegas Moneyline			Kyle Kendrick		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		NYM (-121)			RIGHT		8.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.293	0.815	0.363	21.40%	SP vs. Left	0.297	0.856	0.373	16.50%
SP vs. Right	0.209	0.591	0.267	24.00%	SP vs. Right	0.240	0.666	0.297	12.60%
Batter Splits	NYM BvP		NYM vs R		Batter Splits	PHI BvP		PHI vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Zack Wheeler – Wheeler has had an extremely good 5 weeks or so. His July ERA was a very nice 1.67 after 5 starts and was able to strike out 30 batters in 32.1 innings. Wheeler has faced off against this Phillies squad twice this season and has allowed 3 earned runs in 13 innings while striking out 13 batters. Wheeler makes for a great mid-tiered option today. Rating = 7

Salaries: $7700 FD, $14800 DD, $8400 DK, $100200 FF, $23800 SS, $14800 FTD

• Kyle Kendrick – Kendrick has struggled a bunch this season and has a 4.74 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Kendrick is the opposite of Wheeler and really struggled through the month of July (6.94 ERA). Couple this with getting tagged for 4 earned runs in both of his starts against the Mets, and you can safely avoid Kendrick today. Rating = 4

Salaries: $5700 FD, $10900 DD, $5900 DK, $51800 FF, $15400 SS, $10900 FTD

Batter Grind Down

NY Mets

Daniel Murphy – All the Mets lefties are decent plays today as Kendrick really struggles against LH bats (.373 wOBA). Murphy is the hottest bat of them all as he had multi-hit games in 5 straight games before getting shut down by Hamels yesterday.

Additional Plays: Lucas Duda Curtis Granderson

Philadelphia

Chase Utley – Wheeler, like Kendrick, has struggled against LH bats this year. He allows a wOBA of .363 making Utley a a great play against him. He makes a GPP only play as I think Wheeler pitches well today.

LA Dodgers at Milwaukee

LA Dodgers					Milwaukee
Clayton Kershaw		Vegas Moneyline			Jimmy Nelson		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		LAD (-180)			RIGHT		6.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.163	0.372	0.169	31.70%	SP vs. Left	0.234	0.748	0.332	22.50%
SP vs. Right	0.207	0.567	0.251	32.70%	SP vs. Right	0.241	0.654	0.301	18.00%
Batter Splits	LAD BvP		LAD vs R		Batter Splits	MIL BvP		MIL vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Clayton Kershaw – Kershaw really struggled in his last start. He gave up a whopping 3 earned runs and only went 7 innings with 7 strikeouts. Amazingly, this is a struggling start for the leagues top ace. His numbers are ridiculous this year, but today has a difficult matchup against the Brewers in their hitters’ park. The Brewers are full of power RH bats, which may not put up a ton of runs today, but it is enough to scare me into playing Cueto over Kershaw today due to price and matchup. He is still a top pitching option on the day. Rating = 9

Salaries: $12100 FD, $22400 DD, $14000 DK, $163200 FF, $33000 SS, $22400 FTD

• Jimmy Nelson – Nelson has pitched respectably for his first 5 starts this season. He has a 4.20 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP on the year and has struck out 27 batters in 30 innings. His problem has ben the long ball as he has given up 3 home runs in those 5 starts. He has a tough matchup against the Dodgers who have the 7th highest team wOBA against RH pitching. Rating = 5

*Salaries: *

Batter Grind Down

LA Dodgers

Adrian Gonzalez – Nelson, in a small sample, has allowed lefties a wOBA of .332 this season. He has is coming off a home run yesterday and has 2 in his last 2 games. I think you can play the hot bat today against Nelson.

Additional Plays: Matt Kemp Dee Gordon

Milwaukee

Unless you want to make a crazy stack for GPPs, Kershaw is a stud.

Texas at Houston

Texas					Houston
Nick Martinez		Vegas Moneyline			Dallas Keuchel		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		HOU (-160)			LEFT		8.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.300	0.907	0.397	9.60%	SP vs. Left	0.257	0.656	0.294	23.50%
SP vs. Right	0.290	0.829	0.359	11.00%	SP vs. Right	0.256	0.683	0.304	16.90%
Batter Splits	TEX BvP		TEX vs L		Batter Splits	HOU BvP		HOU vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Nick Martinez – Martinez is easily one of the worst starters in the league at the moment. Martinez had one decent performance against the Yankees, but has allowed at least 4 earned runs in his other last 4 starts. He is not a fantasy option regardless of getting a decent matchup today. Rating = 2

Salaries: $5000 FD, $8950 DD, $4800 DK, $40000 FF, $13000 SS, $8950 FTD

• Dallas Keuchel – Keuchel has really bounced back from the mid-June to early July struggles. In his last 3 starts he has allowed a total of 2 earned runs while pitching at least 7 innings in each start. Keuchel is still very cheap at sites like DK and I think makes a great multi-pitcher option today for his price at certain sites. Where he is expensive, the matchup against the Rangers who are very good against LH pitching (6th in team wOBA) makes him a tough play. Rating = 6

Salaries: $8000 FD, $15650 DD, $6900 DK, $111700 FF, $22800 SS, $15650 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Texas

Adrian Beltre – Beltre is a great 3rd base option today against the lefty Keuchel. Beltre has crushed LH pitching all year long and has a wOBA of .393 on the season against lefties.

Additional Plays: Elvin Andrus

Houston

Chris Carter – Martinez has struggled against both RH and LH hitters this year. He allows a wOBA of .350+ to both so I will be picking guys like Carter who has been extremely hot recently. He has 3 bombs in his last 3 games and has multi-hit games in 4 of his last 7 games.

Additional Plays: Jose Altuve Jason Castro Robbie Grossman Marc Krauss Jon Singleton

San Francisco at Kansas City

San Francisco					Kansas City
Tim Lincecum		Vegas Moneyline			Danny Duffy		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		KCR (-135)			LEFT		7.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.231	0.684	0.308	15.00%	SP vs. Left	0.145	0.393	0.184	19.80%
SP vs. Right	0.247	0.758	0.331	28.00%	SP vs. Right	0.214	0.650	0.292	19.70%
Batter Splits	SFG BvP		SFG vs L		Batter Splits	KCR BvP		KCR vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Tim Lincecum – Well it looks like that great stretch for the Freak has ended recently. After pitching very well, he has now allowed 14 earned runs in his last 3 starts. He now takes on a Royals team who we know strike out at the lowest rate in the league and are a decent favorite today. Lincecum has shown he can pitch well still, but I think is too risky of an option today. Rating = 4

Salaries: $7500 FD, $14700 DD, $7700 DK, $60800 FF, $22900 SS, $14700 FTD

• Danny Duffy – Duffy has been nothing by great for the Royals this year and especially recently. He has allowed 1 earned run or less in his last 5 starts straight. The problem with Duffy is he is not going very deep into games (only gone 7 innings in 1 of those 5 starts) and is not striking out a ton of batters (7.18 K/9). This is the reason his salary is still very cheap across the industry and I think makes a good multi-pitcher play today. Rating = 6

Salaries: $7000 FD, $11850 DD, $7400 DK, $97800 FF, $21000 SS, $11850 FTD

Batter Grind Down

San Francisco

Buster Posey – Posey makes a great option at catcher as he gets another R/L matchup against Duffy. I think I might like Mesoraco a bit better today as Duffy has pitched very well, but Posey is still clearly in play.

Additional Plays: Hunter Pence

Kansas City

Alex Gordon – Gordon has been a very good hitter for the Royals recently and has 2 home runs in his last 3 games. He has made it on base in his last 7 games straight and should be able to make it 8 against Lincecum today.

Additional Plays: Salvador Perez

Tampa Bay at Chicago Cubs

Tampa Bay					Chicago Cubs
Alex Cobb		Vegas Moneyline			Travis Wood		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		TBR (-140)			LEFT		8.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.209	0.610	0.274	21.70%	SP vs. Left	0.219	0.618	0.272	21.00%
SP vs. Right	0.256	0.689	0.314	22.90%	SP vs. Right	0.296	0.832	0.370	17.40%
Batter Splits	TBR BvP		TBR vs L		Batter Splits	CHC BvP		CHC vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Alex Cobb – Cobb has been a very consistent option so far this year. He has an overall 3.53 ERA and 1.21 WHIP on the season. He has a good strikeout rate of 8.44 on the year which could come into play after watching what Odorizzi was able to do to this Cubs squad. Early indications are the wind in blowing in making Cobb a very good mid-level play today. Rating = 7

Salaries: $8300 FD, $15000 DD, $8300 DK, $113400 FF, $25100 SS, $15000 FTD

• Travis Wood – Wood has been really bad this year for the Cubs. He has a 5.08 ERA and high 1.54 WHIP on the year. He does have the wind on his side today, but has not shown any glimpses of pitching well in any type of matchup this year. Avoid him today. Rating = 3

Salaries: $6200 FD, $8950 DD, $5700 DK, $51700 FF, $13800 SS, $8950 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Tampa Bay

Evan Longoria – Longo makes a great option at Wrigley today as he gets a great matchup against Wood. Wood has gotten mashed by righties all year long and has a wOBA of .370 against them. Longo should have a lot of RBI opportunities today.

Additional Plays: Desmond Jennings Ben Zobrist

Chicago Cubs

Anthony Rizzo – If anyone can hit the ball through the wind at Wrigley it is Rizzo today. His price has dropped a bit due to some struggles in the last week, which makes him a great option to buy low at the moment. GPP only due to matchup and park factors today though.

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