MLB Grind Down: Sunday, October 4 - Page Two
LA Angels at Texas – 3:05 PM EST
| LA Angels | Texas | ||||||||
 | Garrett Richards |  | Cole Hamels | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TEX (0) | 0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.225 | 0.629 | 0.282 | 0.203 | SP vs. Left | 0.238 | 0.662 | 0.291 | 0.252 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.225 | 0.629 | 0.282 | 0.203 | SP vs. Right | 0.238 | 0.662 | 0.291 | 0.252 |
| Batter Splits | LAA BvP | ANA vs L | Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Garrett Richards – With the Angels refusing to quit on this season, Richards will pitch on short rest today in Texas. While Richards is a pitcher who is usually worth considering, it would be a big risk to start him on short rest in a good hitter’s park against a tough Rangers offense. Pitcher Rating – 5
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 201 – SIERA: 3.96 – ERA: 3.62 – K%: 20.3% – BB%: 8.8% – HR/9: 0.85
Salaries: $8,700 FD, $8,500 DK
Cole Hamels – Hamels was not supposed to be needed until the playoffs, but this game now matters for Texas. Hamels has not been consistent for the Rangers, but he has been very good at times. This Angels team continues to fight, and is a dangerous opponent, but Hamels certainly has GPP upside today, as he has double digit strikeout ability. Pitcher Rating – 7.5
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 203 – SIERA: 3.46 – ERA: 3.72 – K%: 24.4% – BB%: 7.1% – HR/9: 0.93
Salaries: $10,600 FD, $9,800 DK
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
Hamels has been tough on both right and left-handed batters this season, with a wOBA of .296 and .297. Outside of a tournament play on Mike Trout, it is tough to recommend Angels hitters today.
Secondary Plays:
Mike Trout – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .425 – OBP: .424 – ISO: .284 – wRC+: 180
Texas
Garrett Richards generates a high ground ball rate with an above average strikeout rate, making him a tough pitcher to play against. I certainly expect Texas to be able to put up a few runs today, but there are no elite hitting options in this game.
Secondary Plays:
Shin Soo-Choo – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .397 – OBP: .400 – ISO: .221 – wRC+: 149
Prince Fielder – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .394 – OBP: .418 – ISO: .166 – wRC+: 147
Mitch Moreland – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .374 – OBP: .349 – ISO: .236 – wRC+: 133
San Diego at LA Dodgers – 3:10 PM EST
| San Diego | LA Dodgers | ||||||||
 | Frank Garces |  | Clayton Kershaw | ||||||
| LEFT | |||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| LAD (0) | 0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.289 | 0.886 | 0.374 | 0.141 | SP vs. Left | 0.193 | 0.521 | 0.233 | 0.321 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.289 | 0.886 | 0.374 | 0.141 | SP vs. Right | 0.193 | 0.521 | 0.233 | 0.321 |
| Batter Splits | SDP BvP | Batter Splits | LAD BvP | LA vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Clayton Kershaw – The best pitcher in the league will make one final regular season start as a playoff tune-up. He should not be expected to pitch as deep as usual, limiting his value somewhat. Even in a shortened outing, he should rack up some strikeouts and have a good chance for a win, but it’s tough to pay his salary when you can’t count on a full day’s work out of him. Pitcher Rating – 8
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 229 – SIERA: 2.28 – ERA: 2.16 – K%: 33.5% – BB%: 4.8% – HR/9: 0.59
Salaries: $13,000 FD, $15,000 DK
Frank Garces – Garces will make his first career start today for the Padres. He has pitched 36 innings out of the bullpen and has a 4.78 SIERA to show for it. It is generally assumed that a pitcher will be less effective in the rotation than out of the bullpen. If that is the case here, you want no part of Garces. Pitcher Rating – 2
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 36 – SIERA: 4.78 – ERA: 5.00 – K%: 17.1% – BB%: 12.2% – HR/9: 2.00
Salaries: $4,000 FD, $4,000 DK
Batter Grind Down
San Diego
There is no reason to play any San Diego batters today. There is not much upside even after the Dodgers go to the bullpen.
Secondary Plays:
LA Dodgers
All Dodgers batters are in play against Frank Garces, and likely quite a few different bullpen arms. Garces is a left-handed pitcher, but I would expect them to see several right-handed pitchers coming out of the bullpen.
Elite Plays
Justin Ruggiano – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .409 – OBP: .371 – ISO: .284 – wRC+: 166
Scott Van Slyke – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .345 – OBP: .386 – ISO: .140 – wRC+: 122
Enrique Hernandez – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .515 – OBP: .476 – ISO: .333 – wRC+: 238
Secondary Plays:
Howie Kendrick – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .313 – OBP: .330 – ISO: .103 – wRC+: 100
Yasiel Puig – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .397 – OBP: .382 – ISO: .277 – wRC+: 157
Oakland at Seattle – 3:10 PM EST
| Oakland | Seattle | ||||||||
 | Chris Bassitt |  | Vidal Nuno | ||||||
| RIGHT | LEFT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| SEA (0) | 0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.27 | 0.705 | 0.314 | 0.172 | SP vs. Left | 0.269 | 0.804 | 0.348 | 0.185 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.27 | 0.705 | 0.314 | 0.172 | SP vs. Right | 0.269 | 0.804 | 0.348 | 0.185 |
| Batter Splits | OAK BvP | OAK vs L | Batter Splits | SEA BvP | SEA vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Chris Bassitt – Bassitt put together a solid stretch if starts in late July-early August, but has not had the same type of success recently. In his last three starts, he has allowed 13 runs in 11 innings with a 8:6 K:BB ratio. There is very little reason to expect much out of him today. Pitcher Rating – 3.5
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 80 – SIERA: 4.23 – ERA: 3.60 – K%: 18.3% – BB%: 7.5% – HR/9: 0.56
Salaries: $6,500 FD, $6,100 DK
Vidal Nuno – Nuno has only posted one start all season that was useful for fantasy purposes, and while his peripherals are strong enough to suggest some upside, most of his work has come out of the bullpen and he has only thrown six innings or more three times this season. Pitcher Rating – 4
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 83 – SIERA: 3.59 – ERA: 3.80 – K%: 21.9% – BB%: 6.0% – HR/9: 1.52
Salaries: $6,000 FD, $4,700 DK
Batter Grind Down
Oakland
Right-handed batters can be played against Vidal Nuno if you really want to use players from this game, but it looks more like a game to avoid.
Secondary Plays:
Danny Valencia – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .344 – OBP: .368 – ISO: .142 – wRC+: 118
Brett Lawrie – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .361 – OBP: .348 – ISO: .199 – wRC+: 133
Seattle
Chris Bassitt doesn’t have bad numbers against either right or left-handed batters. Seattle will probably get some runs, but this doesn’t look like a great game to target for hitters or pitchers.
Elite Plays
Nelson Cruz – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .372 – OBP: .344 – ISO: .245 – wRC+: 142
Secondary Plays:
Robinson Cano – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .351 – OBP: .350 – ISO: .173 – wRC+: 127
Kyle Seager – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .324 – OBP: .332 – ISO: .169 – wRC+: 109
Seth Smith – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .338 – OBP: .339 – ISO: .195 – wRC+: 118
Detroit at Chicago White Sox – 3:10 PM EST
| Detroit | Chicago White Sox | ||||||||
 | Daniel Norris |  | Frankie Montas | ||||||
| LEFT | RIGHT | ||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| CHW (-115) | 8.5 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.236 | 0.704 | 0.305 | 0.168 | SP vs. Left | ||||
| SP vs. Right | 0.236 | 0.704 | 0.305 | 0.168 | SP vs. Right | ||||
| Batter Splits | DET vs R | Batter Splits | CHW BvP | CWS vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Daniel Norris – Norris threw five perfect innings against the White Sox two weeks ago, but was pulled from the game as they are keeping a close eye on his pitch count. He is a key part of the Tigers future, and they have no reason to push him at this point. It has been a rocky season for Norris, but he certainly has upside in any given start. I would think six innings would be about the most he’ll go today, which keeps him pretty far down the list of tournament options. Pitcher Rating – 5
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 55 – SIERA: 4.49 – ERA: 4.09 – K%: 18.0% – BB%: 7.7% – HR/9: 1.47
Salaries: $6,200 FD, $5,200 DK
Frankie Montas – Montas will make his second career start in the season finale. Things did not go well in his first start, allowing six runs in three innings against this same Tigers team. He had good numbers in the minors, but had never pitched above Double-A prior to this month, and there’s little reason to take a chance here. Pitcher Rating – 3
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 11 – SIERA: 3.75 – ERA: 5.73 – K%: 26.5% – BB%: 12.2% – HR/9: 0.82
Salaries: $3,000 FD, $4,000 DK
Batter Grind Down
Detroit
The Tigers had no trouble with Montas in his first start, and while we don’t really know what to expect from him, Tigers bats can be used today, as it seems unlikely that Montas puts up a great start today. If you’re looking to play Detroit bats, keep a close eye on the lineup, as it seems quite likely that Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez could be out of the lineup.
Elite Plays
Miguel Cabrera – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .402 – OBP: .431 – ISO: .180 – wRC+: 158
J.D. Martinez – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .371 – OBP: .337 – ISO: .249 – wRC+: 136
Secondary Plays:
Ian Kinsler – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .335 – OBP: .344 – ISO: .129 – wRC+: 111
Anthony Gose – 2015 vs RHP – wOBA: .313 – OBP: .329 – ISO: .116 – wRC+: 96
Chicago White Sox
In a very limited sample size, Daniel Norris has shown reverse splits, allowing a .376 wOBA to left-handed batters and just a .305 wOBA to right-handed batters. There is some HR/FB% fluke in those numbers, but I would not be overly anxious to load up batters against him. On the plus side, he’s unlikely to go deep into the game and the Tigers don’t have much of a bullpen.
Elite Plays
Jose Abreu – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .288 – OBP: .306 – ISO: .120 – wRC+: 78
Secondary Plays:
Trayce Thompson – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .408 – OBP: .352 – ISO: .288 – wRC+: 161
Alexei Ramirez – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .309 – OBP: .328 – ISO: .105 – wRC+: 93
Toronto at Tampa Bay – 3:10 PM EST
| Toronto | Tampa Bay | ||||||||
 | Mark Buehrle |  | Matt Moore | ||||||
| LEFT | |||||||||
| Vegas Moneyline | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||||
| TBR (0) | 0 | ||||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.276 | 0.735 | 0.319 | 0.127 | SP vs. Left | 0.309 | 0.847 | 0.367 | 0.185 |
| SP vs. Right | 0.276 | 0.735 | 0.319 | 0.127 | SP vs. Right | 0.309 | 0.847 | 0.367 | 0.185 |
| Batter Splits | TOR BvP | Batter Splits | TBR BvP | TB vs L | |||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
Matt Moore – Moore struggled badly in his return from Tommy John surgery, but appears to have things turned around over his last three starts. He has allowed just three runs in his last three starts with a 19:3 K:BB ratio. While he is an upside pitcher, assuming that the Blue Jays play their starters today, it is not ever recommended to start a left-handed pitcher against Toronto.
Pitcher Stats 2015: IP: 57 – SIERA: 4.60 – ERA: 5.84 – K%: 16.5% – BB%: 7.5% – HR/9: 1.26
Salaries: $6,100 FD, $5,000 DK
Mark Buehrle – Buehrle is officially starting the game today, but he is only expected to pitch two innings before being removed. He is at 198 innings for the season, and Toronto wants him to be able to reach 200 innings for the 15th straight seasons. Isn’t that sweet! Obviously, he cannot be used today. Pitcher Rating – 0
Salaries: $7,800 FD, $6,600 DK
Batter Grind Down
Toronto
If we assume that Matt Moore is close to full strength, he is not an easy pitcher to attack. But, even if he’s at his best, this Blue Jays lineup is so loaded that they have to be given the edge in this matchup.
Elite Plays
Josh Donaldson – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .437 – OBP: .400 – ISO: .342 – wRC+: 181
Jose Bautista – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .355 – OBP: .367 – ISO: .221 – wRC+: 125
Edwin Encarnacion – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .373 – OBP: .368 – ISO: .229 – wRC+: 137
Russell Martin – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .410 – OBP: .417 – ISO: .250 – wRC+: 163
Secondary Plays:
Troy Tulowitzki – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .404 – OBP: .407 – ISO: .194 – wRC+: 146
Chris Colabello – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .385 – OBP: .358 – ISO: .241 – wRC+: 146
Tampa Bay
We don’t know who Tampa will face after seeing Mark Buehrle for two innings today. It’s probably best to avoid this situation, though there is certainly some tournament upside here.
Secondary Plays:
Evan Longoria – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .395 – OBP: .389 – ISO: .227 – wRC+: 158
Mikie Mahtook – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .439 – OBP: .370 – ISO: .385 – wRC+: 188
Brandon Guyer – 2015 vs LHP – wOBA: .373 – OBP: .387 – ISO: .189 – wRC+: 142