The daily grind: 8-3

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!

The Fanduel picks are a mixture of Daily League specific advice and information for the more typical fantasy owner.

Today’s grind

Those in leagues with same-day moves should refer back to yesterday’s table.

The Fanduel Daily League Players of the Day are:

Pitcher (to start): It’s another day where the pitching options are dangerous. Joe Blanton has pitched very well lately, as he often does in the second half of the season. His match-up against the Diamondbacks isn’t a walk in the park, though.

Felix Doubront has been merely solid all season long. He has the top number I look for in a fantasy pitcher—about one strikeout per inning. He also has the second number—a tolerable walk rate. But the results just haven’t really been there all season. The Twins lean lefty with some of their better hitters, so it’s a solid match-up for him.

He’s on waivers in most leagues, but Dan Straily leads baseball in strikeouts this year and he’s making his debut.

Pitcher (bum): I disrespected the Braves yesterday and it prevented me from winning some Fanduel cash for once. Today I’ll overcompensate by placing Armando Galarraga on the bum list.

Jonathan Sanchez is always some kind of terrible. I’m shocked he’s still getting starts. He could challenge Nick Blackburn for most superbly bad pitcher of 2012. As such, the Giants should benefit.

The Rangers should bash Jeremy Guthrie to pieces.

Hitter (power): There’s quite a few power options. Jonny Gomes and Chris Carter are squared off against Brett Cecil and Scott Hairston draws Clayton Richard.

Hitter (speed): David Murphy’s not really a true speed threat, but he could swipe one if the Rangers aren’t too busy forming a conga line. Quintin Berry, Rajai Davis and Jemile Weeks have truer speed match-ups.

Tomorrow’s grind

Wei-Yin Chen will face the Rays tomorrow. He’s generally solid and is coming off a 12 strikeout performance.

Paul Maholm is rostered in way more leagues than he ought to be—41 percent. He has a middling option against the Astros.

If I had more balls, I’d recommend Mark Rogers against the Cardinals. Instead, I not-so-subtly hint that maybe you can make use of your cojones.

Team Player Handedness Opposing pitcher   Team Player Handedness Opposing pitcher
Angels         Astros      
  Alberto Callaspo R Gavin Floyd     J.D. Martinez R Paul Maholm
Athletics         Brewers      
  Jemile Weeks S Ricky Romero     Norichika Aoki L Adam Wainwright
  Chris Carter R Ricky Romero   Cardinals      
  Jonny Gomes R Ricky Romero     Jon Jay L Mark Rogers
Blue Jays         Dodgers      
  Anthony Gose L A.J. Griffin     A.J. Ellis R Chris Volstad
  Rajai Davis R A.J. Griffin   Giants      
Mariners           Marco Scutaro R Jeff Francis
  Eric Thames L Hiroki Kuroda   Mets      
  Mike Carp L Hiroki Kuroda     Kirk Nieuwenhuis L Edinson Volquez
  Trayvon Robinson S Hiroki Kuroda   Nationals      
  Michael Saunders L Hiroki Kuroda     Jesus Flores R Mark Buehrle
Orioles           Steve Lombardozzi S Mark Buehrle
  Wilson Betemit S Jeremy Hellickson     Tyler Moore R Mark Buehrle
Rangers         Padres      
  Geovany Soto R Will Smith     Yonder Alonso L Jeremy Hefner
  Craig Gentry R Will Smith     Carlos Quentin R Jeremy Hefner
Red Sox           Cameron Maybin R Jeremy Hefner
  Cody Ross R Cole De Vries     Will Venable L Jeremy Hefner
Royals         Phillies      
  Salvador Perez R Scott Feldman     Domonic Brown L Joe Saunders
  Alcides Escobar R Scott Feldman     Ty Wigginton R Joe Saunders
  Lorenzo Cain R Scott Feldman     John Mayberry Jr. R Joe Saunders
Tigers         Pirates      
  Brennan Boesch L Ubaldo Jimenez     Travis Snider L Mike Leake
  Quintin Berry L Ubaldo Jimenez     Starling Marte R Mike Leake
Twins           Garrett Jones L Mike Leake
  Ryan Doumit S Clay Buchholz   Reds      
  Denard Span L Clay Buchholz     Zack Cozart R James McDonald
  Ben Revere L Clay Buchholz     Todd Frazier R James McDonald
White Sox                
  Dayan Viciedo R Ervin Santana          

A few match-ups stand out as better than the rest. There is the usual mix of A’s hitters—Gomes, Carter and Weeks. If that’s not your style Travis Snider has a friendly match-up against Mike Leake. Last and potentially least, Craig Gentry will find himself facing Will Smith.

Reliever watch

Chris Perez blew just his second save of the season. Prior to the season, I had written him off as a Kevin Gregg-quality nightmare to manage, but he’s really helped out his owners.

Frank Francisco is nearing return, which shouldn’t mean anything but somehow does…


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ecp
11 years ago

Actually, yesterday doesn’t go as a blown save for Chris Perez.  He gave up the game-winning hit, true, but the game was tied when he came in (it was actually tied when the inning started), so it wasn’t a save opportunity.

Brad Johnson
11 years ago

I need a better process to quickly obtaining BS info. Too many errors like this depending on Google News.

stan
11 years ago

Kirk Nieuwenhuis is in the minors FYI

Brad Johnson
11 years ago

Ha. I knew that too, but I wanted to make a recommendation against Volquez and I guess I forgot…

legionreport.com
11 years ago

Reliever watch? Betancourt to be shipped soon? Is it smart to grab belisle?

Brad Johnson
11 years ago

Sure. I think a trade is less likely than a week ago, but it could happen and Belisle would instantly become a solid option.

Just three years ago, Belisle looked like one of the worst pitchers I’ve ever seen in the majors. Baseball’s funny.