The Daily Grind: DFS, Streaming, and More for August 3

Agenda

1. FanDuel Updates
2. The Daily Grind Invitational and Leaderboard
3. Daily DFS
4. SaberSim Observations
5. Tomorrow’s Targets
6. Factor Grid

1. FanDuel Updates

A couple days ago, FanDuel announced they were new and improved. They rolled out a “fresh” UI, but the real news is their ban of scripting. Combined with a couple other new-ish features like contests by experience type, FanDuel now offers the exact same product as Yahoo. Incidentally, the new UI is awfully similar to Yahoo’s (and also just plain awful).

Scripting matters because it rigged the game against ordinary folks, allowing quants to automagically match against weaker opponents. While I’m fuzzy as to the actual process used to ban scripting – i.e. is saying “no scripting” like saying “don’t bit torrent my movie” – it’s encouraging to see a major site move away from catering to only the power users.

As I wrote last week, the industry needs to look for ways to make more users profitable. Nobody expects everybody to take home money, or even 50 percent of users, but the percentage of profitable users should be at least twice the current rate (reportedly nine percent). On the day they announced this news, FanDuel’s $3 Squeeze paid the top 25 percent of owners – a move I personally championed. Of course, the next day, they reverted to their usual top 19 percent paid.

We’ll see if FanDuel can continue to make strides to earn and keep new users. Meanwhile, radio silence out of DraftKings whose main initiatives have been to give out tickets for referrals and create “daily missions” to further addict their users.

2. The Daily Grind Invitational and Leaderboard

Gmijboys stomped the field. He was the only guy to use Jacob deGrom and Scott Schebler. The leaderboard is updated. We’re back on DraftKings for another go tonight.

3. Daily DFS 

Yesterday’s Grind

Early: Three games are early today. Each game has one good starting pitcher (Max Scherzer, John Lackey, and Junior Guerra) and one disaster-in-waiting (Tom Koehler, Edwin Jackson, Zack Godley). So put that in your pipe or whatever.

Stack Targets: Koehler, Jackson, Godley

Late: The main event is 12 games deep. We have a deep pool of mid-tier pitchers to parse. First, let’s talk aces, specifically Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels, and Chris Sale. Cueto has the much-coveted Phillies matchup while Hamels  (at Baltimore) and Sale (at Detroit) have difficult assignments. I don’t trust Steven Matz at the moment, but you can try to label him as a DFS ace versus the Broken Bombers.

Rick Porcello sometimes throws complete games, and that’s something. He’s opposite the homer or bust Mariners. It should be a fairly even matchup with Hisashi Iwakuma going for Seattle.

I’d like Michael Fulmer more if he were opposed by Sale. The path to victory is shrouded by the Dark Sox. Incidentally, have you ever noticed the White Sox actually wear black socks? As for Fulmer, a long outing with a big strikeout total is possible.

The fan in me is interested to see Brock Stewart against Tyler Anderson at Coors Field. The borderline narcoleptic in me will be asleep by the third inning. Using pitchers are Coors Field is a fun tactic in a small slate, but there are too many alternatives tonight.

Stack Targets: Rob Whalen, Tyler Duffey, Cody Reed, Stewart, Jeff Locke, Jered Weaver, Collin McHugh, Aaron Nola, Trevor Bauer

4. SaberSim Observations

Scherzer, Odorizzi, Lackey, Cueto, and Guerra top the charts. Like I said, the early slate had three good pitchers. Bauer, McHugh, and Kevin Gausman round out the night top five. Can’t say I like any of that latter trio.

Stacks include dat Coors game. Nationals, Cubs, Trout, Pirates, and Blue Jays.

5. Tomorrow’s Targets 

Pitchers to Start: Matt Moore is technically just above the arbitrary 50 percent owned threshold I used for this section. I made the rule which means I get to decide when to break it. With a matchup versus the mostly feeble Phillies offense, Moore’s Giants debut should be sparkly. Moore is one of those frustrating pitchers whose results don’t seem to reflect the quality of opponent.

Also consider: Bartolo Colon

Pitchers to Exploit: Mike Clevinger may one day be a guy to start, but I think he has more adjustments to make at the major league level. Clevinger has the stuff to record upwards of a strikeout per inning. His command is fine, but he catches too much plate in order to avoid walks.

Also consider: Brandon Finnegan, Yovani Gallardo, A.J. Griffin, Jesse Hahn, Ricky Nolasco, Tyrell Jenkins, Mike Fiers, Tyler Chatwood, Kenta Maeda, Ariel Miranda

Hitters (power): Jhonny Peralta is back just in time to pick up the slack for Aledmys Diaz. Sad to see Diaz and Story go down on the same day. Peralta was having a terrible time at the plate prior to his most recent injury. He’s opposed by Finnegan.

Also consider: Brad Miller, Scott Schebler, Tommy Joseph, Pedro Alvarez, Hyun-soo Kim, Stephen Vogt, Melvin Upton, Chase Utley, Aaron Hill, Franklin Gutierrez,

Hitters (speed): Rajai Davis has quieted down enough to be available in a wide range of leagues. He’s a power/speed double threat versus new Twin Hector Santiago.

Also consider: Jose Peraza, Tim Anderson, Leonys Martin

6. The Factor Grid

The table below indicates which stadiums have the best conditions for hitters today. The color coding is a classic stoplight where green equals go for hitters. The weather conditions are from SI Weather’s home run app. A 10/10 means great atmospheric conditions for home runs. A 1/10 means lousy atmospheric conditions.

The Link.

This post is not brought to you by any DFS platform. The current author is quite pleased to present a DFS ad free environment.