The daily grind: 9-7-13

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

Today’s weather watch

Games in Cleveland and Chicago (NL) have a
30 percent chance to see a storm.

Today’s grind

Today is a little heavy on pitch count limited options.

Tomorrow’s grind

Pitcher (to start): Despite an excellent match-up against Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Mets, Danny Salazar’s pitch count limitation of about 75 pitches puts a real damper on his value. Still, a win is likely with solid supporting numbers.

Michael Wacha versus Charlie Morton would be a better match-up with their respective offenses weren’t so good. Still, this is the game to watch tomorrow even if it isn’t the game to stream.

Erasmo Ramirez seems to have settled in as the pitcher we all expected.

Pitcher (bum): Paul Maholm was off his game the last time out and it hasn’t just been limited to the one start. With September call-ups, the Phillies have enough right-handed hitters rostered to go with a platoon heavy lineup.
R
Andre Rienzo passes the smell test as a solid MLB pitcher, but a match-up against the Orioles is a tough one and he’s shown some major control issues in his last two starts.

Scott Baker will be making his first start since Tommy John surgery in April 2012. Expect heaping helpings of rust.

The Athletics will see Paul Clemens, who really does not look like a MLB starting pitcher.

Chad Bettis versus Ian Kennedy has the potential to be a high scoring affair.

Hitter (power): Jason Kubel isn’t guaranteed to start, but has a lovely match-up against Matsuzaka.

Seth Smith, Brandon Moss, and Michael Choice (if he starts) are all brilliant plays against Clemens.

Hitter (speed): Just keep an eye out on Billy Hamilton. He’s 3-for-3 in steal attempts as a pinch runner but has yet to receive a plate appearance.

Michael Brantley is more like to start than Kubel, but he hasn’t been a great source of steals this season.

Rajai Davis has the platoon advantage against Andrew Albers.

Craig Gentry’s side of the platoon will likely start against Jason Vargas.

Recent extendee Will Venable also has a hittable opponent.

Pitchers to come

Monday: I’ll be sitting out tomorrow again, so here is a sneak peak at Monday. Your top pitchers are Taijuan Walker, Ubaldo Jimenez, Gerrit Cole, and Ricky Nolasco.

Tuesday: Tuesday’s pick remains Tony Cingrani against the Cubs.

Wednesday: Wednesday isn’t a great streaming day. Sonny Gray versus the Twins stands out as the only good pitcher against a bad lineup.

Noteworthy news

I guess I should have recommended Yusmeiro Petit after all – he nearly delivered a perfect game yesterday. Obviously, the available information suggested that we expect a mediocre outing, so I’m not kicking myself over anything.