I am so very glad I have a distraction to come to each night – researching stats, writing this article, weighing options.
It’s a nice getaway from this cruel world we live in.
And like Forrest Gump, that’s all I am going to say about that…
But today sports continue and we have 10 games on today’s MLB slate. I feel like I have said this a lot lately, but the pitching is freaking terrible tonight! It’s gross. Like watching someone pick their nose and eat their boogers gross.
Somehow we will narrow down pitching options and throw up a few options into our lineups. But there are quite a few hitters that stick out tonight as we have a game in Coors and, well, like I said, the pitching is disastrous.
Shall we?
Jerad Eickhoff – SP – Philadelphia Phillies – $8,000
Analysis: I think it’s pretty clear Eickhoff is the top pitching option on the slate. Based on K upside, matchup, price and ballpark, I don’t see how you can argue against it with pricier options such as Quintana and Greinke. Eickhoff is by no means a safe bet, but he’s got offspeed stuff that can eat the Padres alive, and he’s done it once this season already against San Diego – 5 IP, 5 H, 8 Ks. Hopefully he can pitch deeper into this one and tone down the hits to lefties. Seriously, I think the only way Eickhoff doesn’t come through is if he gets BABIP’ed to death.
Giancarlo Stanton – OF – Miami Marlins – $5,700
Analysis: OK, confession. I have not rostered Giancarlo Stanton during this ridiculous home run heater. I keep thinking I am chasing and I don’t like to roster guys who have consecutive days of home runs because they can’t surely keep up that pace and ownership gets really high. Well, Stanton is another animal and has been the exception to my rule (and Joey Gallo, too). But I swear if Stanton fails me in this spot, I am not going to be mad, I am just going to laugh, shrug and have a beer. But anyone who has followed the Index knows I love Stanton against lefties. And Stanton draws Ty Blach, who has been a serviceable starter for San Fran. But I’ll take the hot hitter with double dong upside against a lefty. Blach has limited damaged against RH bats – .323 wOBA, 0.95 K/9 rate and a 31% hard contact rate, but this is Stanton and his 8 home runs in 11 games is something that just can’t be ignored. For giggles, I looked up Stanton’s stats in last 14 days, here’s the line – .542 wOBA, .341 average, .614 ISO, 8 HRs, 51.6% hard contact rate. Redonk.
Corey Dickerson – OF – Tampa Bay Rays – $3,600
Analysis: I am going to live or die with the Tampa stack tonight. News flash, they have one of the best matchups on the board and I am not sure if people will go to them. Not because they aren’t worthy, but they are cheap and I don’t know if people will feel like they have to pay down for them. So, anyway, if you want more on Tampa, subscribe or sign-up for our 7-day free trial to read the rest below, but today’s freebie is Corey Dickerson vs. Nick Tepesch, a dreadful former Ranger “great.” This game is in Rogers’ Centre, a hitter’s paradise and bump for Tampa, who has a 35% hard contact rate against RH pitchers and a .188 ISO. Oh, so Tepesch, his numbers are too ridiculous this year because of sample size, but since 2016, Tepesch gives up a .434 wOBA, a 2.08 HR/9 and a 50% hard contact rate against lefties. Oh, that’s so bad.
