The daily grind: 4-17-13

The Daily Grind provides daily match-up advice for tinkerers and daily fantasy players. I welcome advice to help make this column more effective, including notice of impending weather events, new injuries, and changes to platoon situations. Ownership rates are from Yahoo!

The Fanduel picks are a mixture of Daily League specific advice and information for the more typical fantasy owner. Use the team-by-team TDG eligible players spreadsheet for more detailed information.

Today’s grind

The Fanduel Daily League Players of the Day are:

Pitcher (to start): Bud Norris is off to a hot start but so are the A’s. His peripherals suggest an ERA just north of 4.00, but the usual small sample warnings still apply.

J.A. Happ isn’t the coolest pitcher to stream, but he’s showing the same stuff and repertoire that gave him a 4.01 FIP last year, which is a respectable number for a streaming option.

Pitcher (bum): Alfredo Aceves has a fun name to say, but I’m betting against him pitching deep into the game.

Probable rain has ruined my daily fantasy targets in Tommy Hanson and Vance Worley. They may try to squeeze the game in before heavier rain moves in, which will produce unpredictable results. Expect it to be rain-shortened if it happens at all.

Hitter (power): Chris Heisey has the platoon advantage against John Lannan.

Seth Smith has been doing his thing in the early going and will face Norris today.

Hitter (speed): Try Chris Denorfia against Clayton Kershaw if you’re desperate about steals. Now is probably a good time to point out that it’s way too early to be this desperate.

Tomorrow’s grind

Pitcher (to start): Jhoulys Chacin is fairly safe to own outright. He’s currently on 33 percent of Yahoo rosters. The key to this recommendation is his ability to keep the walk rate below three BB/9. If it reverts to his 4.11 BB/9 career average, he’ll be back to waiver fodder.

I’m a big fan of Patrick Corbin, the only real downside is his home in Arizona.

Julio Teheran is down to 38 percent ownership and I’m still a believer.

Zach McAllister is practically ignored at four percent owned. He’s far from a must own, but I see him as a future fantasy core performer—the kind of guy you draft for $5 to eat 200 innings without hurting the bottom line.

Pitcher (bum): This is probably the only time I’ll have Cole Hamels in this section of the column. He’s been having trouble generating whiffs but no problems allowing long balls. It’s probably all small sample noise, but there is a chance that he’s having trouble with his change-up. Right now, it’s his fastball that’s getting mashed, but the success of that pitch is based heavily on the change up.

Jeff Locke is going to have a hell of a time against the Braves.

A Hardball Times Update
Goodbye for now.

I’m targeting Indians hitters tomorrow because Phil Hughes has looked a mess this season.

Hitter (power): Think about hanging on to Heisey for that Hamels match-up.

Evan Gattis’ ownership keeps climbing but tomorrow’s a good time to own him if he’s still available.

Hitter (speed):
Think about giving both Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs a try against Hughes.

Gregor Blanco is another stolen base threat for tomorrow.

Weather watch

The Rockies and Mets will almost certainly be postponed due to heavy snow and sub-20 degree temperatures.

A Midwest storm could rain out the Angels, Twins, Rangers, and Cubs.


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Vrev
10 years ago

Isn’t it Arizona up against Hughes tomorrow, rather than Cleveland?

Brad Johnson
10 years ago

Important news of which I forgot. Tony Cingrani starts tomorrow.