MLB Grind Down: Sunday, June 1st

by Ryan138 Last Updated 2014-06-01 15:02:40

The RotoGrinders MLB Grind Down article will give you an in-depth analysis into the MLB schedule. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on which trends you can exploit. While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy baseball, there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, weather, and salaries.

The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. No sport has more variance than baseball. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.

Note: Any Fantasy Point Average Listed Uses FanDuel Scoring. For more info on FanDuel’s MLB Scoring System,check out the scoring systems section of our FanDuel Review

Minnesota at NY Yankees

Minnesota					NY Yankees
Phil Hughes		Vegas Moneyline			Chase Whitley		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		NYY (-130)			RIGHT		9.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.276	0.788	0.346	19.8%	SP vs. Left	0.333	0.885	0.387	13.3%
SP vs. Right	0.299	0.780	0.344	18.9%	SP vs. Right	0.250	0.579	0.271	16.1%
Batter Splits	MIN BvP		MIN vs R		Batter Splits	NYY BvP		NYY vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Phil Hughes – Hughes has been pitching extremely well over the last month. In May, he has a 1.62 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. Couple that with his 24 strikeouts and 0 walks and you have a great fantasy starter. He does draw a matchup today against his former squad and is an underdog in a game with a 9 O/U. Vegas is telling me to keep my expectations down, but if the price is right, Hughes makes a good GPP play today. Rating = 5

Salaries: $6300 FD, $15398 DS, $14800 DD, $8300 DK, $103400 FF, $22900 SS, $12700 FTD

• Chase Whitley – Whitley has pitched alright in his first 3 starts for the Yankees and brings a 2.57 ERA into this matchup. The problem with Whitley is he has yet to go passed 5 innings. We have seen a lot of pitchers keep this Twins team off the scoreboard, but Whitley’s lack of ability to go deep into this game really depresses his fantasy value. Rating = 4

Salaries: $4000 FD, $8339 DS, $10700 DD, $5500 DK, $67700 FF, $13000 SS, $9500 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Minnesota

Oswaldo Arcia – Whitley is giving up a .387 wOBA to lefties in his few starts and Arcia has been hitting very well recently. Arcia is 9/21 with 2 home runs in the last week and hits RH pitching very well this year (.960 OPS).

Additional Plays: Joe Mauer

NY Yankees

Jacoby Ellsbury – Jacoby hit Hughes well when he played for Boston and is starting to look like the bat the Yankees were expecting this year. Ellsbury makes a great cash game play against Hughes as he gets points in so many ways. His 4 stolen bases in the last 5 games is a very good sign going forward as well.

Additional Plays: Brian McCann Brett Gardner

Colorado at Cleveland

Colorado					Cleveland
Jhoulys Chacin		Vegas Moneyline			Josh Tomlin		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		CLE (-118)			RIGHT		8.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.274	0.737	0.327	11.5%	SP vs. Left	0.222	0.726	0.320	15.8%
SP vs. Right	0.241	0.666	0.298	18.7%	SP vs. Right	0.211	0.571	0.251	22.0%
Batter Splits	COL BvP		COL vs R		Batter Splits	CLE BvP		CLE vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Jhoulys Chacin – Chacin comes into this game with a 5.20 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He has been bad both at and away from Coors while allowing hitters to bat .280 against him. He faces a Cleveland team whose bats may be heating up as they have scored 12 runs in the last two games. Chacin does not make for a reliable fantasy starter today. Rating = 3

Salaries: $5300 FD, $10287 DS, $9400 DD, $5500 DK, $54200 FF, $13000 SS, $12500 FTD

• Josh Tomlin – Tomlin continues to turn in decent starts this year, but makes a tough fantasy start at this point. He has yet to go past 6 innings this year and fails to strike guys out on a consistent basis (career K/9 is 5.10). Even though he has a 3.03 ERA on the year, his upside may be limited. Rating = 4

Salaries: $4700 FD, $9879 DS, $12650 DD, $7000 DK, $87800 FF, $21700 SS, $9500 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Colorado

Charlie Blackmon – He was ice cold prior to yesterday’s home run making Blackmon a decent buy low option at sites where his salary has plummeted. He continues to hit RH pitching for an over .300 AVG.

Additional Plays: Carlos Gonzalez

Cleveland

Michael Brantley – Brantley finally broke his hitting streak as it was stopped after 15 games yesterday. During that streak, Brantley had 23 hits continues to mash RH pitching for a .312 AVG. I fully expect a new streak to begin against Chacin today.

Additional Plays: Asdrubal Cabrera Jason Kipnis Lonnie Chisenhall*

Kansas City at Toronto

Kansas City					Toronto
Jeremy Guthrie		Vegas Moneyline			Mark Buehrle		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		TOR (-164)			LEFT		9.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.315	0.882	0.386	11.3%	SP vs. Left	0.253	0.689	0.317	13.8%
SP vs. Right	0.228	0.603	0.276	12.6%	SP vs. Right	0.277	0.732	0.325	16.2%
Batter Splits	KCR BvP		KCR vs L		Batter Splits	TOR BvP		TOR vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Jeremy Guthrie – Guthrie has looked better recently, allowing only 2 earned runs in his last 2 games. He still holds a 4.14 ERA and a very low K/9 at 4.27. Guthrie takes on an extremely hot offense and is an underdog in a game with the highest O/U on the day. Guthrie should be avoided in all situations. Rating = 2

Salaries: $5200 FD, $8606 DS, $10400 DD, $6100 DK, $52800 FF, $14600 SS, $11400 FTD

• Mark Buehrle – Buerhle continues to go out and throw strong performances for the Blue Jays this year. He is, though, a bit riskier to take at Rogers Centre as his ERA is over 2 runs higher at home and is allowing batters to hit .312 against him there. He should have a lot of run support today and makes a good GPP play, but at his price point there are better options. Rating = 5

Salaries: $8100 FD, $15716 DS, $15000 DD, $7800 DK, $108800 FF, $22800 SS, $13100 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Kansas City

Billy Butler – Butler is 22/63 with 3 home runs against Buehrle in his career and is a great cheap GPP option to take today.

Additional Plays: Salvador Perez

Toronto

Adam Lind – Lefties have crushed Guthrie for a .386 wOBA and Lind is coming off a 3 hit performance yesterday. He also has great BvP as he is 16/44 with a home run against him. This Toronto team is playing out of this world and continue to make a great stack.

Additional Plays: Melky Cabrera Jose Reyes Edwin Encarnacion Jose Bautista*

Atlanta at Miami

Atlanta					Miami
Aaron Harang		Vegas Moneyline			Nathan Eovaldi		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		MIA (-117)			RIGHT		7.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.258	0.772	0.341	16.6%	SP vs. Left	0.276	0.745	0.338	15.7%
SP vs. Right	0.268	0.724	0.321	23.8%	SP vs. Right	0.232	0.629	0.282	21.1%
Batter Splits	ATL BvP		ATL vs R		Batter Splits	MIA BvP		MIA vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Aaron Harang – Harang has continued to impress this year with a 3.29 ERA and a very respectable 9.73 K/9 on the season. He has a matchup with a Miami team that he shut down for one earned run as well as got blown up for 9 in his second start against them. Harang makes for a good second starter if the price is right today. Rating = 6

Salaries: $6800 FD, $17162 DS, $14600 DD, $8200 DK, $86600 FF, $23300 SS, $14000 FTD

• Nathan Eovaldi – Eovaldi has become a very good fantasy option for Miami this year. At home, Eovaldi has a 2.54 ERA on the season. His 7.66 K/9 makes him useful for all formats and is a slight favorite against a Braves team that is in in the bottom 5 of the league in overall strikeouts. Eovaldi has given up 1 earned run in 13 innings against the Braves and should look to for another good performance. Rating = 6

Salaries: $6800 FD, $17459 DS, $14950 DD, $7300 DK, $76800 FF, $22600 SS, $13200 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Atlanta

Freddie Freeman – Eovaldi has allowed LH batters to hit .311 against him with a .510 SLG. Freeman’s salary may be a bit down at some sites due to a lackluster 10 days or so.

Additional Plays: Jason Heyward

Miami

Christian Yelich – Yelich is coming off a good 3 hit performance yesterday and has a matchup against Harang that allows lefties a wOBA of .341. Yelich is cheap across the industry and makes for a decent GPP play.

Additional Plays: Garrett Jones

Tampa Bay at Boston

Tampa Bay					Boston
Erik Bedard		Vegas Moneyline			Jon Lester		Vegas Over/Under
LEFT		BOS (-155)			LEFT		8.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.295	0.799	0.359	17.8%	SP vs. Left	0.241	0.669	0.293	27.4%
SP vs. Right	0.247	0.734	0.327	20.4%	SP vs. Right	0.253	0.694	0.312	19.8%
Batter Splits	TBR BvP		TBR vs L		Batter Splits	BOS BvP		BOS vs L
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Erik Bedard – Bedard finally had the performance I had been waiting for all year giving up 8 earned runs to the Blue Jays in his last start. This raised his overall ERA to 4.10 on the year and his WHIP to 1.44. Today, he takes on a Boston offense that he has held to an overall team average of .218, but is a heavy underdog. I am expecting more of the bad Bedard than good this afternoon. Rating = 4

Salaries: $5200 FD, $9491 DS, $11950 DD, $5700 DK, $58400 FF, $15000 SS, $10100 FTD

• Jon Lester – Lester has struggled a bit recently giving up 10 earned runs in his last 2 starts. His problem in the last two starts is allowing 23 base runners during that span and will look to turn things around against a Tampa Bay team that has not been as successful against LH pitching as they have in the past. Lester’s 10.23 K/9 makes him a great GPP play today. Rating = 6

Salaries: $8400 FD, $17315 DS, $16250 DD, $9900 DK, $102900 FF, $27400 SS, $15000 FTD

Batter Grind Down

Tampa Bay

Ben Zobrist – Zobrist is back from injury and his salary is depressed across the industry. He makes a good play as he has hit LH pitching for over .300 and an OPS of .933 so far this season.

Additional Plays: Evan Longoria

Boston

Dustin Pedroia – Early news states that he should be in the lineup this afternoon as he was held out yesterday. Pedroia is always in play against LH pitching as he has mashed it over the last 3 years for a .340 AVG and .508 SLG.

Additional Plays: Jonny Gomes Xander Bogaerts

MLB Grind Down Page 1 – Page 2