The daily grind 4-21

The Daily Grind provides daily match-up advice based on my every morning waiver wire search. I welcome advice to help make this column more effective. Ownership rates are from Yahoo!

Yesterday, I offered my readers a challenge. If they could provide me with 20 new Twitter followers by the time I woke up today, I would post updates this weekend. Well, they failed. I netted only 19 new followers. I’m sorely disappointed.

I figured a Saturday column with a writer option for a Sunday update was an appropriate reward for a near miss.

Today’s grind

I went to pick up Philip Humber and Jeanmar Gomez this morning in one of my daily transactions leagues and found them both gone. It’s a shallow league too. I suspect mine enemies are watching. Humber and Gomez face the Mariners and Athletics respectively.

Hot handers can try Joe Saunders against the Braves or Jake Westbrook against the Pirates. I mistrust both. I picked up Marco Estrada in a league this morning, but I’m not sure that’s an endorsement. I need strikeouts in a H2H league.

I’m throwing a buy label on Kirk Nieuwenhuis (whose name I did not spell correctly on my first try). With Andres Torres out, he’s getting full time reps and looks to be enjoying his first pass through the league. I picked him up in two of my three semi-deep leagues.

I said Chris Heisey might start today, but he ended up playing yesterday, which might mean Ryan Ludwick gets the start today. Nate Schierholtz is probably a better bet in the “might play” category.

Luke Scott really needs to be owned and has a great match-up today—Carl Pavano. His ownership rate is up eight points since yesterday to 24 percent.

Tomorrow’s grind

Waiver pitching looks to be quite thin tomorrow. Try Tyson Ross at home against the Indians or Joe Blanton against the Padres. I wanted to recommend Kyle Lohse, but I was shocked to find him 75 percent owned.

I almost missed Danny Duffy, who is only 17 percent owned. After watching him pitch a couple times, I’m fully convinced we’re looking at a top 30 fantasy pitcher. Own him.

For hitters, I’d look to the Padres’ roster first as Blanton can be hit-friendly. Jesus Guzman, Will Venable and Yonder Alonso are some names to try. Chris Denorfia will probably sit against the righty, although he’s the Padre I’m most comfortable starting.

Josh Reddick faces non-dominant righty Justin Masterson and could be a decent play.

Reliever watch

Greg Holland has been terrible this year. I think Kelvin Herrera and his 100 mph fastball have probably leapfrogged Holland in the Royals pen. Jonathan Broxton has been serviceable for now, but he’s shown signs of the control problems that previously plagued him.

The Giants brought in Javier Lopez after Santiago Casilla allowed a lead off base runner in the ninth inning. Important to note is that the Mets had three lefties in a row coming up. Lopez promptly blew the save.

Yesterday’s results

If anyone followed my advice regarding Hector Noesi yesterday, take solace in the fact that I followed it too, to the tune of 1.1 IP, 1 K, 40.50 ERA, 6.00 WHIP

If anyone followed my advice regarding Ross Detwiler, you’re welcome. He earned the win to go with 6 IP, 7 K, 0.00 ERA, and 0.67 WHIP

A Hardball Times Update
Goodbye for now.

Lance Lynn picked up another win and likely won’t be around to stream for awhile now: 7 IP, 4 K, 1.29 ERA, 0.71 WHIP

Jonathon Niese was merely solid: 6 IP, 5 K, 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP

Surprise, Juan Rivera turned in an empty 1-for-4. Feel free to slap me upside the head the next time I recommend him.

Ryan Sweeney was also 1-for-4 but I’m not nearly as nonplussed about my choice to recommend him.

Denorfia went 0-for-3 because, let’s face it, Cole Hamels is really good. I warned you about that.

Diamondbacks? Gerardo Parra, 0-for-4. Jason Kubel, 1-for-3 with a walk. A.J. Pollock, 0-for-4. Such is baseball.

And seriously, thanks for the support on Twitter. We’ll play again next week.


You can follow me on twitter @BaseballATeam
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MikeS
11 years ago

Whoever beat you to Humber is probably feeling pretty pleased with himself.

Dave
11 years ago

Thanks for the column, inc. wknds…i’ve been searching everywhere for something like this.