The Daily Grind: Chat Hax

On the internet, the term “hax” is most frequently used in video games to dismiss an especially good or lucky play. In the real world, it’s one of the few words cats say.

AGENDA

1. Chat Hax
2. Weather Reports
3. Pitchers to Use and Abuse
4. SaberSim Says…
5. TDG Invitational Returns!

1. Chat Hax

Tuesday is chat day. I usually hop on a little before 4:00pm ET and wrap things up slightly after 5:00pm ET. I get way more questions than I have time to answer, so here are a few helpful hints for getting your question seen.

• Post in the first five minutes. I usually spend the first half hour answering questions from the first five minutes. Then I skip ahead to present time.
• Don’t bother asking a question from around minute 10 through minute 30.
• Things tend to slow down around 4:45. I’m guessing people are getting ready to leave work. If you ask your question from then until the end, I’m more likely to see it.
• Ask things I find interesting. Some examples of what not to ask include “rank these” lists (I will not) and things I’ve already answered three times. I like to talk about strategy and anything that involves thought.

2. Weather Reports

The Rockies game could get some rain. For now, it’s considered a low risk. If we were to use a stoplight grade, it would be lemon-lime.

3. Pitchers to Use and Abuse

Main Slate: Fourteen of 15 games are in the main slate. Sorry to those who wanted to use Astros or Diamondbacks. Madison Bumgarner is the headliner. He’s visiting spacious Marlins Stadium. He costs twice as much as his opponent, Dan Straily, even though I peg their odds of winning as roughly equivalent. An early peek at SaberSim reveals that I’m not on crack. Bumgarner is projected for .38 wins while Straily is pegged for .35 wins. Straily happens to be one of the top bargains at the position.

Jacob deGrom experienced minor triceps discomfort in his last start. It’s a good excuse to skip him opposite Sonny Gray and the Yankees. As for Gray, at $10,700 on DraftKings, he’s a tad expensive for a high floor, low ceiling type. I usually like those when they cost in the $8,000 range.

If you like playing the hot hand game, Danny Salazar and Justin Verlander are your guys. They’re both pricey though. Salazar is visiting Minnesota while Verlander is hanging out in Texas. Expect 15 to 30 points.

A bunch of decent pitchers are priced between $7,400 and $8,500. Marco Estrada is the cheapest and bestest of the bunch. He was in a deep funk for awhile there, but he’s since reeled off three straight gems. I’m pronouncing him back on track in time to face a mid-tier Rays offense.

Kyle Hendricks and Rick Porcello certainly fell a long way from their 2016 production. Hendricks remains inconsistent and beset by short outings. He’ll host the Reds. Porcello has that Sonny Gray-like profile I like at a reasonable $7,800 price tag. The Cardinals are visiting Fenway.

Zach Davies, Dinelson Lamet, Luis Castillo, and Alex Wood are all varying degrees of high risk, high reward.

Stack Targets: Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Smith, Blake Snell, Bartolo Colon, A.J. Griffin, Kyle Freeland, Jason Hammel, Mark Leiter, Wade Miley

4. SaberSim Says…

Wood, Lamet, Salazar, Verlander, and Bumgarner are the top rated pitchers tonight. It would seem SaberSim isn’t aware of Wood’s declining velocity or apparent 90 pitch count. Similarly, the projection system doesn’t care that the Phillies offense is hitting the piss out of the ball.

Bats include the ever-present Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman, Giancarlo Stanton, Mookie Betts, and Charlie Blackmon. Bargain hunters should consider Starling Marte, Joc Pederson, Miguel Cabrera, Ben Zobrist, Tyler Flowers, and Lucas Duda.

5. The Daily Grind Invitational

Congrats are in order for pyelsik. He narrowly eked out the victory with the help of Anthony Rizzo, Rougned Odor, and Giancarlo Stanton. Leaderboard.

We’re on DraftKings today. See ya there.