The Daily Grind: Holding Down The Fort

The overlords of FanGraphs – dark and otherwise – have declared this random mid-season day (and tomorrow) to be a holiday and thus we do not have to produce content. So consider this bonus material.

AGENDA

1. TDG Invitational
2. Weather Reports
3. Pitchers to Use and Abuse
4. Immaculate

1.The Daily Grind Invitational

After pulling down the win yesterday, the roc-pile is back on top of the, erhm, pile. A mistaken choice of Chris Sale was more than remedied by Sonny Gray, Mike Trout, Ryan Cordell, and Alex Bregman. The four combined for 130 of his 164.55 points. Congrats and Leaderboard.

I fully expect a LARGE overlay in tonight’s four-game TDGI on FantasyDraft. The small slates are always hard to fill, and the holiday is liable to draw away several of our regulars. More to the point, I know at least two entries (mine) will be submitted blind at 10am. Given that I expect something like 30 entries to a 52-slot GPP that pays the top 13, even a blind entry has a positive expected value.

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

Don’t worry about it.

3. Pitchers to Use and Abuse

Even though the afternoon slate is larger, I’m only going to focus on our nightly contest grouping. Remember, I’m not required to write any of this!

Hyun-Jin Ryu ($21,400) is a plausible price leader for this mini-slate. He’s coming off a painful outing at Coors Field. Buehler rebounded just fine from his Colorado disasterpiece, and there’s no reason to expect Ryu to be any different. If there’s a drawback to his matchup against the Padres, it’s their ninth-best 104 wRC+ against lefty pitchers. Returning tonight is Dinelson Lamet. Good ol’ Two-Nelsons posted rather unimpressive results on his rehab tour. I expect him to melt in the heat of Los Angeles.

I’ll have to remember to make that reference on a day when people are actually reading my words…

The Angels have the lowest strikeout rate in the league at a mere 16.6 percent. While Lance Lynn ($18,400) is throwing more offspeed stuff than ever before, he still predictably throws fastballs nearly 70 percent of the time. I’m more inclined to use a couple of those chiseled Angles than Lynn. But what do I know? Having rostered Lynn zero times this season, I’ve probably missed out on hundreds of dollars.

Mike Soroka ($18,100) is hosting Zach Eflin ($16,300) in a battle for the NL East. Soroka has, improbably, dodged their division rivals thus far. The Phillies offense isn’t what it was supposed to be, but it’s still a league average group (12th-ranked 98 wRC+). They tend to go big or home which makes Soroka an interesting play in GPPs. As for Eflin, he’s a bland command and control type who will probably underperform this price.

I’m starting to believe Griffin Canning is never going to make this start. Third time’s the charm? He costs a quite affordable $16,700 opposite the very same Rangers offense against which I’ve cautiously recommended him.

Favorite Plays: Ryu, Canning

Stack Targets: Marcus Stroman, Hector Velazquez, Lamet, Eflin

4.Immaculate

Strasburg throws a lot of these doesn’t he?

Here’s the bright side of Luke Voit’s injury – this guy gets to play. Gio Urshela is basically Miguel Andujar with positive defense and -10 raw power. Make sure you stick around for the second defensive play near the end.

Craig Kimbrel’s arrival in Chicago isn’t going quite as desired. Though I can’t find the heart to blame Kimbrel for this one.