The Daily Grind: Deeply Undesirable

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AGENDA

1. 1. TDG Invitational
   2. Weather Reports

1. Pitchers to Use and Abuse
2. SaberSim Says…
3. Vinnie Boy

1. The Daily Grind Invitational

DivoBronco stuck with Kyle Gibson despite a risk of postponement. The gamble paid off. Gibson was the top performer. DB also benefited from Mookie Betts, Justin Upton, and Ross Stripling. Congrats and Leaderboard.

Normal parameters tonight on FantasyDraft. Come collect your free $1.64.

If you have not signed up for FantasyDraft, please use this referral link for tracking purposes. If I understand properly, by using the referral, you will receive a 10 percent return on any rakes you pay.

2. Weather Reports

Just keep an on Atlanta and Colorado. They’re both probably fine. We’ll know more later in the day.

3. Pitchers to Use and Abuse

Main Slate: To quote Morty, “Oh Jeez.” This is an indigestion inducing group of pitchers. There’s no shortage of usable arms, but it’s hard to find anything exciting.

Forget the aces for a minute. Rick Porcello looks like a must-play at $18,600 opposite a middling Blue Jays lineup. He’s such a steady source of six or seven solid innings. This is the least exciting “top” pick possible. He’s very likely to receive the win bonus opposite Ryan Borucki ($11,700). Yea, I know Borucki has three solid starts under his belt. He even tamed the Yankees. I attribute that to a lack of scouting reports. He’s a left-handed non-premium changeup artist which always draws me to comp Tyler Anderson (and Joey Lucchesi).

Ok, it’s been less than a minute. We can return to the aces anyway. Madison Bumgarner ($22,400) hasn’t been himself since returning. His price is low enough to throw the dice. However, it’s not a gamble you’ll find me taking.

Noah Syndergaard ($21,600) is probably pitch constrained versus the Nationals tonight. I wanted to recommend a contrarian Tanner Roark play. Sadly, he’s way too expensive at $17,100. His command hasn’t been sharp lately.

Walker Buehler ($18,900) is also returning from injury. Thus, pitch constraints. Call me crazy, I like Felix Pena ($14,000) just as much as Buehler tonight.

Now we’re past the post-injury guys. Cole Hamels is coming off three terrible outings. He’ll face a bad Orioles offense. I know I won’t find the necessary $17,800.

Junior Guerra ($17,700) smells a little pricey too – even for a visit to PNC Park against a slumpy Pirates offense. Nick Kingham ($15,200) is on the other side of this one. That looks like par value to me.

Jake Arrieta ($17,000) is frustratingly inconsistent. Also, he’s twice struggled against the lowly Marlins this season. Perhaps the third time is the charm? So long as he survives five innings, he should be staked a healthy lead and a victory.

Nate Eovaldi! Yes! Finally a pitcher who looks like an easy bargain at $16,400 versus the Twins. Eovaldi has returned from half a decade on the disabled list featuring the exact same stuff he showed back in the 1960s. 97 mph fastball? Check. Splitter/slider? Check. Emerging cutter? Double-check. That thing is fully formed now. In fact, it’s a big reason for his 2018 success. Eovaldi remains homer prone. Watch out when the Yankees acquire him at the deadline.

Ok, now we’re cooking with gas. Dallas Keuchel runs $16,300 opposite the Detroit Mud Hens. They’re so bad. And what do we have here? Carlos friggin’ Martinez for $16,200? He hosts the Reds. Sure, they’re a hot club, and Matt Harvey ($14,700) is no longer a punch line. I’m still tabbing CMart as the top pitcher in the slate despite his mid-tier price tag.

Either end of Domingo German ($14,700) at Shane Bieber ($16,200) seems needlessly risky. They’re good young pitchers against even better young lineups.

James Shields ($12,800) could be sneaky playable opposite the Royals. I’d feel better about this one if he was $2,000 cheaper. Lets stop there…

Stack Targets: Borucki, Christian Bergman, Wei-Yin Chen, Antonio Senzatela, Edwin Jackson, Mike Fiers

4. SaberSim Says…

Syndergaard, Bumgarner, Keuchel, Anibal Sanchez, and Buehler are the top rated pitchers per The Sim. Fine, spit on my Carlos Martinez excitement. Pena, Sanchez, and Keuchel are the best of the value pitchers. Premium bats include Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, and Mitch Haniger. Bargains consist of Marcell Ozuna, Chris Herrmann, Guillermo Heredia (assuming they play), Kole Calhoun, and Jose Martinez.

5. Vinnie Boy

A member of the Phillies media annoyed me the other day by suggesting Vince Velasquez should be bumped to the bullpen in favor of Enyel De Los Santos. There are so many things wrong with that idea. I could go on for thousands and thousands of words. Instead, here are just some of the reasons to stick with the status quo re: Velasquez.

That Statcast reading is bullshit. Arenado threw that about 130 mph.

When watching highlights of home runs, it’s stunning how many come on pitches right down the middle of the plate. Oh, Jose Bautista lives!