MLB Grind Down: Sunday, September 7th

by Ryan138 Last Updated 2014-09-08 02:40:20

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

Kansas City at NY Yankees

Kansas City					NY Yankees
Yordano Ventura		Vegas Moneyline			Shane Greene		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		NYY (-113)			RIGHT		8.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.233	0.661	0.295	19.70%	SP vs. Left	0.265	0.737	0.332	15.30%
SP vs. Right	0.250	0.709	0.316	21.10%	SP vs. Right	0.250	0.683	0.308	29.80%
Batter Splits	KCR BvP		KCR vs R		Batter Splits	NYY BvP		NYY vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Yordano Ventura – Ventura has been very good for the playoff hopeful Royals squad. He has not allowed more than 3 earned runs in any of his last 7 starts and has now picked up his strike out rate that started off the season so low. Ventura has struck out 44 batters in his last 44.1 innings, but now has to make a start at Yankee Stadium. The park and the matchup make him a GPP only play for me, especially on certain sites where he seems underpriced. Rating = 6

Salaries: $7900 FD, $14900 DD, $8000 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Shane Greene – Greene got lit up in his last start only lasting 2.2 innings. Greene has pitched much better away from Yankee Stadium and has a 5.40 ERA at home. He is a very risky start today and should be avoided. Rating = 4

Salaries: $6900 FD, $9500 DD, $7800 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

Kansas City

Alex Gordon – Gordon has been unbelievable all season long and is trying to lead the Royals to the playoffs. I am a bit surprised he has not taken advantage of Yankee Stadium yet, but today I think he does against Greene.

Additional Plays: Salvador Perez

NY Yankees

Brett Gardner – Gardner has been hitting in the 3 spot recently for the Yankees and he has really earned it this year. He is also recently playing for well as he has 7 hits in his last 20 at bats with 5 extra base hits.

Additional Plays: Jacoby Ellsbury

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland

Chicago White Sox					Cleveland
Scott Carroll		Vegas Moneyline			Carlos Carrasco		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		CLE (-200)			RIGHT		8.5
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.300	0.869	0.380	8.9%	SP vs. Left	0.222	0.588	0.265	22.20%
SP vs. Right	0.290	0.764	0.340	13.7%	SP vs. Right	0.222	0.588	0.264	27.90%
Batter Splits	CHW BvP		CHW vs R		Batter Splits	CLE BvP		CLE vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Scott Carroll – Carroll is pitching today and has never been a fantasy option in any format. He has been very bad and should be avoided today. Rating = 2

Salaries: $5000 FD, $10550 DD, $4800 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Carlos Carrasco – Carrasco has pitched very well since returning to the starting rotation in August. His August ERA was 1.82 in 4 starts. He also just faced this White Sox squad 2 starts ago and struck out 7 in 6.2 innings while giving up 1 earned run. Carrasco is a huge favorite and makes a good GPP play today where his price is cheap still. Rating = 7

Salaries: $6800 FD, $11950 DD, $8300 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

Chicago White Sox

Jose Abreu – Abreu is a GPP play only today as I think Carrasco pitches very well. I think he will be very low owned as the White Sox are huge underdogs, which makes Abreu a great long shot option as he is always in line to bomb.

Cleveland

Carlos Santana – Santana makes a great play today against Carroll as he is on one of his hot streaks right now. The average will never be there but he does have 3 bombs in his last 5 starts and Carroll has been HR prone as he has given up 12 in 16 starts.

Additional Plays: Jose Ramirez Michael Brantley Jason Kipnis

Atlanta at Miami

Atlanta					Miami
Julio Teheran		Vegas Moneyline			Brad Hand		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		ATL (-145)			LEFT		7.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.227	0.673	0.296	18.1%	SP vs. Left	0.228	0.640	0.284	18.00%
SP vs. Right	0.221	0.597	0.267	23.9%	SP vs. Right	0.275	0.822	0.359	12.70%
Batter Splits	ATL BvP		ATL vs L		Batter Splits	MIA BvP		MIA vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Julio Teheran – Teheran has been a stud all year long. He holds a 2.90 ERA (3.82 xFIP) and a 1.08 WHIP. The matchup here is great as he has pitched 21 innings against this Marlins squad and has held them to 4 earned runs and struck out 24 batters. He makes a great cash game play today. Rating = 8

Salaries: $8500 FD, $18850 DD, $9700 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Brad Hand – Every time I think Hand is going to get lit up he seems to give up 2-3 earned runs. Regardless, He is not a fantasy relevant starter as he doesn’t go deep into games and has a very weak 5.59 K/9 rate. Avoid him today. Rating = 4

Salaries: $5000 FD, $10100 DD, $5200 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

Atlanta

Justin Upton – This may be one of the top wOBA options of the day. Hand has allowed RH hitters to a wOBA of .359 and Upton has mashed lefties for a wOBA of .452. Plug him in there.

Additional Plays: Chris Johnson Evan Gattis

Miami

I will be avoiding the Marlins bats today.

NY Mets at Cincinnati

NY Mets					Cincinnati
Zack Wheeler		Vegas Moneyline			Mat Latos		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		CIN (-120)			RIGHT		7.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.265	0.772	0.346	20.6%	SP vs. Left	0.225	0.592	0.263	17.20%
SP vs. Right	0.207	0.592	0.267	25.9%	SP vs. Right	0.239	0.697	0.309	17.90%
Batter Splits	NYM BvP		NYM vs R		Batter Splits	CIN BvP		CIN vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• Zack Wheeler – Wheeler has been a pretty consistent pitcher in the second half of the season. He holds a 2.57 ERA post All-Star break. Wheeler has shown his strike out ability as well recently with 7+ strike outs in 3 of his last 4 starts. He now gets a matchup against the struggling Reds squad making him a very good GPP play. Rating = 6

Salaries: $7700 FD, $15050 DD, $8800 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Mat Latos – Along with the rest of the Reds, Latos has struggled lately. He has allowed 9 earned runs in his last 2 starts while giving up 17 hits (3 home runs). His offense will struggle to get him any runs and this Reds squad is something that I am staying away from all together right now. Rating = 5

Salaries: $7600 FD, $14600 DD, $9000 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

NY Mets

Lucas Duda – Duda makes a great play today as he has had a very good year. He has mashed RH pitching for a wOBA of .396 this year.

Additional Plays: Curtis Granderson

Cincinnati

Jay Bruce – Wheeler has struggled all year long against LH hitters. He has allowed a wOBA of .346 against lefties, which makes Bruce a great play today.

Additional Plays: Billy Hamilton

Toronto at Boston

Toronto					Boston
R.A. Dickey		Vegas Moneyline			Rubby De La Rosa		Vegas Over/Under
RIGHT		BOS (-108)			RIGHT		9.0
Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%	Stats	Avg	OPS	wOBA	K%
SP vs. Left	0.229	0.694	0.312	17.8%	SP vs. Left	0.294	0.838	0.365	14.20%
SP vs. Right	0.246	0.751	0.330	20.8%	SP vs. Right	0.252	0.715	0.318	19.30%
Batter Splits	TOR BvP		TOR vs R		Batter Splits	BOS BvP		BOS vs R
Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window

Pitcher Grind Down

• R.A. Dickey – Dickey is not a guy I have felt safe picking in any situation for DFS purposes this year, but does seem to go out there and give up a few earned runs, and go 6 or 6 innings. He’s striking guys out at a decent 7.54 K/9, but this game features a very high total and I have a sense that he gets lit up a bit. Rating = 4

Salaries: $7700 FD, $14350 DD, $8200 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD

• Rubby De La Rosa – Rubby’s start got pushed back to today, but I do not think that is going to help him much here. He has struggled to go deep into ball games recently and has been lit up for 12 earned runs in 14.2 innings against this Blue Jays squad. Avoid him today. Rating = 3

Salaries: $6200 FD, $10250 DD, $5500 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD

Batter Grind Down

Toronto

Jose Reyes – This whole Blue Jays squad is in play against Rubby as they have really got to him in his few starts against them. Reyes makes a great way as he should be on base and driven in a few times today.

Additional Plays: Edwin Encarnacion Adam Lind Jose Bautista Colby Rasmus

Boston

David Ortiz – Ortiz knows how to hit Dickey as he is 6/18 with 2 bombs against him.

Additional Plays: Mookie Betts Yoenis Cespedes

MLB Grind Down Page 1 – Page 2

Have a Question for Notorious about Today’s Games? Check out Expert Chat

Monday through Friday For FanDuel, DraftStreet and DraftKings Incentives Members – 5:30 PM EST