MLB Grind Down: Thursday, September 11th Page Two
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
| Pittsburgh | Philadelphia | ||||||||
| Francisco Liriano | Vegas Moneyline | A.J. Burnett | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| LEFT | PIT (-137) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.279 | 0.766 | 0.340 | 30.20% | SP vs. Left | 0.238 | 0.765 | 0.341 | 18.20% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.206 | 0.643 | 0.290 | 24.10% | SP vs. Right | 0.256 | 0.708 | 0.315 | 22.30% |
| Batter Splits | PIT BvP  | PIT vs R | Batter Splits | PHI BvP | PHI vs L | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Francisco Liriano – Liriano is finally starting to piece it together. Over his last 3 starts, he has only given up 2 earned runs while striking out 22 batters. When he’s on his game, he’s one of the better strikeout pitchers in the National League. He draws a terrific matchup tonight against the Phillies who are ranked 22nd in wOBA vs. LH pitching while striking out at a 21.3% clip. His price is affordable and the upside is there. Rating = 7
Salaries: $7900 FD, $14950 DD, $9500 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- A.J. Burnett – Burnett has been so up and down this season. If you pull up his game logs, you will see exactly what I am talking about. He’ll give up 5 earned runs in one start and then come out and throw a gem in his next outing. At this point, I am going to label him as a GPP only option. He still has the ability to strike batters out, but draws a very tough matchup against the Pirates who are ranked 3rd in wOBA vs. RH pitching this season.. Rating = 5
Salaries: $7400 FD, $14600 DD, $7700 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
Pittsburgh
Andrew McCutchen – The Pirates are in a sneaky spot to stack tonight. Not only do they hit RH pitching well as a team, but when Burnett is off his game, he is really off. Cutch has been swinging a hot bat with 16 hits over his last 10 games, including the inside-the-park HR last night.
Additional Plays: Josh Harrison, Neil Walker, Russell Martin
Philadelphia
Liriano has had some reverse splits this season, but I’m not necessarily buying into them as he has been terrific against LH hitters throughout his career. I’ll be avoiding all Phillies hitters tonight.
Washington at NY Mets
| Washington | NY Mets | ||||||||
| Tanner Roark | Vegas Moneyline | Bartolo Colon | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | WAS (-126) | RIGHT | 7.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.239 | 0.685 | 0.305 | 14.10% | SP vs. Left | 0.254 | 0.660 | 0.291 | 17.60% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.235 | 0.584 | 0.260 | 22.80% | SP vs. Right | 0.268 | 0.722 | 0.315 | 18.70% |
| Batter Splits | WSN BvP | WSN vs R | Batter Splits | NYM BvP | NYM vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Tanner Roark – Roark’s road ERA is nearly a full run higher than his home ERA, but he has given up a nearly identical batting average and wOBA regardless of where he has pitched. Roark isn’t the best strikeout pitcher in baseball, but he does own a K/9 of 6.7 to go along with his 2.97 ERA. Tonight he draws a terrific matchup against the Mets who are ranked 23rd in wOBA vs. RH pitching and 30th in wOBA at home. He makes a nice cash game play tonight, especially on multi-pitcher sites. Rating = 6.5
Salaries: $7400 FD, $15000 DD, $8600 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Bartolo Colon – Colon didn’t have the greatest month of August, but you can never rule him out when he is pitching at Citi Field. On the season, he owns a 3.50 home ERA with 73 K’s over 82 innings of work. Colon throws a lot of strikes as evidenced by his very low walk rate of only 1.1 per 9 innings. Colon draws a tough matchup tonight though. The Nationals lineup is tough 1-8 and they have been swinging the bat well as a team. Colon is more risk than reward in this matchup. Rating = 5
Salaries: $7800 FD, $14750 DD, $8700 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
Washington
Ian Desmond – This isn’t the best matchup in terms of the ballpark, but Desmond has hit 2 HR’s off of Colon in his career. Desmond has already hit 22 HR’s this season and provides power at a position that typically doesn’t hit many HR’s.
Additional Plays: Adam LaRoche, Bryce Harper
NY Mets
There aren’t any options that stand out on the Mets tonight. They have been awful at home this season and Roark has held both LH and RH hitters under a .305 wOBA this season.
LA Angels at Texas
| LA Angels | Texas | ||||||||
| Corey Rasmus | Vegas Moneyline | Nick Martinez | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | LAA (-160) | RIGHT | 9.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | SP vs. Left | 0.296 | 0.888 | 0.390 | 12.20% | ||||
| SP vs. Right | SP vs. Right | 0.279 | 0.783 | 0.339 | 13.10% | ||||
| Batter Splits | LAA BvP | LAA vs R | Batter Splits | TEX BvP | TEX vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Cory Rasmus – Rasmus has pitched well out of the bullpen this season, but will only be making his 3rd career start. In his last start, he pitched well, but only lasted 3 innings. It will be interesting to see if the Angels stretch him out a bit more tonight, but we have to assume that he’s not going to pitch way deep into this game. With his upside limited, I will be avoiding him tonight against the Rangers in Arlington. Rating = 4
Salaries: $ FD, $NA DD, $NA DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Nick Martinez – Martinez is not a viable fantasy option. His 5.03 ERA matches his K/9. He also has one of the worst matchups on the board as he is facing an Angels offense that continues to obliterate the ball. Avoid him at all costs tonight. Rating = 3
Salaries: $5000 FD, $9950 DD, $5800 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
LA Angels
Kole Calhoun – Calhoun has homered in back to back games and draws another solid matchup tonight against Martinez who has given up a .390 wOBA to LH hitters this season. All batters in this Angels lineup are in play, don’t be afraid to stack them up in both cash games and GPP’s.
Additional Plays: Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Howie Kendrick, David Freese, Erick Aybar
Texas
Adrian Beltre – Beltre is always in play at home. On the season he has a .434 wOBA at home and a .367 wOBA against RH pitching. He gets both tonight against the young RHP Rasmus.
Additional Plays: Elvis Andrus
Miami at Milwaukee
| Miami | Milwaukee | ||||||||
| Nathan Eovaldi | Vegas Moneyline | Mike Fiers | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | MIL (-150) | RIGHT | 8.0 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.293 | 0.773 | 0.337 | 15.80% | SP vs. Left | 0.183 | 0.491 | 0.222 | 25.80% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.245 | 0.638 | 0.282 | 18.80% | SP vs. Right | 0.167 | 0.503 | 0.221 | 30.10% |
| Batter Splits | MIA BvP | MIA vs R | Batter Splits | MIL BvP | MIL vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Nathan Eovaldi – Eovaldi owns a 4.19 ERA on the season with a K/9 of 6.6. With the velocity that he has, you would think he would be able to strike a few more batters out, but that hasn’t been the case this season. I don’t love the matchup against the Brewers who are ranked 10th in wOBA vs. RH pitching. This game means a lot more to the Brewers too. Rating = 4
Salaries: $6100 FD, $12600 DD, $6600 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Mike Fiers – Fiers has been able to rack up the strikeouts no matter which level of ball he has played. In the majors this season, he owns a 2.03 ERA with a K/9 of 9.4. Tonight he faces a Marlins offense that strikes out at a 25% clip on the road which is the highest in the major leagues. His upside tonight is tremendous, but the concern here is that he’s a fly ball pitcher in a HR-friendly ballpark. Rating = 7
Salaries: $8200 FD, $13100 DD, $10100 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
Miami
Giancarlo Stanton – Stanton is a threat to hit a HR regardless of who he is facing, but you have to like his odds to homer off of a fly-ball pitcher in a HR-friendly ballpark.
Additional Plays: Christian Yelich
Milwaukee
Scooter Gennett – It’s been the year of the Scooter in Milwaukee. He is at his best when he is at home (.392 wOBA) and against a RH pitcher (.362 wOBA). He’s still cheap across the industry and makes a great play tonight against Eovaldi who has struggled with LH hitters.
Additional Plays: Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy
Boston at Kansas City
| Boston | Kansas City | ||||||||
| Allen Webster | Vegas Moneyline | Liam Hendriks | Vegas Over/Under | ||||||
| RIGHT | KCR (-136) | RIGHT | 7.5 | ||||||
| Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% | Stats | Avg | OPS | wOBA | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP vs. Left | 0.260 | 0.754 | 0.351 | 11.30% | SP vs. Left | 0.265 | 0.737 | 0.323 | 15.40% |
| SP vs. Right | 0.267 | 0.825 | 0.357 | 17.70% | SP vs. Right | 0.217 | 0.687 | 0.300 | 16.30% |
| Batter Splits | BOS BvP | BOS vs R | Batter Splits | KCR BvP | KCR vs R | ||||
| Batter Split Links Above Open In Pop-Up Window | |||||||||
Pitcher Grind Down
- Clay Buchholz – Buchholz will sprinkle in a solid start every now and then, but for the most part has really struggled this season. He owns a 5.29 ERA with a K/9 of only 6.3. Tonight he faces the Royals who strike out fewer times than any team in baseball. He’s too risky to use in cash games and doesn’t have enough upside to use in GPP’s. Rating = 4
Salaries: $5500 FD, $8850 DD, $5500 DK, $NA FF, $NA SS, $NA FTD
- Liam Hendriks – Hendriks owns a 4.81 ERA on the season with a K/9 of 5.2. He doesn’t walk many batters, but does give up 1.1 HR’s per 9 innings. He really lacks that upside that you like to see with starting pitchers. He could be targeted on multi-pitcher sites if you are looking to save some cap space, but I don’t love the matchup against the Red Sox. Rating = 5
Salaries: $5200 FD, $9150 DD, $6400 DK, $ FF, $ SS, $ FTD
Batter Grind Down
Boston
David Oritz – Big Papi makes a nice play tonight at 1B. Hendriks has given up a .323 wOBA to LH hitters this season and Ortiz has hit 21 of his 32 HR’s against righties. Even though Kaufmann Stadium is a tough place to hit HR’s, I still think Ortiz is a solid play tonight.
Additional Plays: Mookie Betts, Yoenis Cespedes
Kansas City
Alex Gordon – Gordon has hit RH pitching well all season long and draws a great matchup against Buchholz who has given up a .348 wOBA to LH hitters. He should see plenty of RBI opportunities tonight as well.
Additional Plays: Eric Hosmer