Owners who start Matt should be re-Joyce-ing by the end of the day (via wctrib.com)
It’s hump day — or more fondly known as “hump daaaaayy”. You can thank an obnoxious talking camel for that one.
Fantasy baseball owners will need to set their lineups rather quickly today. After a rainout on Monday, the Indians and Padres will begin Game 1 of their doubleheader at 12:05 PM ET. It’s a little added stress, but look at it on the bright side, we’ll have 16 games today instead of the normal max of 15.
START ‘EM:
» Matt Joyce, Tampa Bay Ray: Throughout his career, Matt Joyce has enjoyed (or been hurt by?) one of the more pronounced lefty/righty splits in baseball. He’s one of the worst hitters around vs. left-handed pitching, but the ability for managers to platoon him vs. right-handed pitching has made him a valuable asset. In six years, the 29-year-old Joyce has a god-awful wOBA (weighted on-base average) of .264 vs. LHP, but a much more respectable number of .363 against right-handed pitching. Last season, those stats grew even further apart, with a a .217 wOBA vs. LHP and a .345 wOBA vs. RHP. In 2013, 16 of his 18 HR came when facing right-handed pitching. The two home runs he hit off of left-handers represented one quarter of his career bombs against southpaws.
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On Wednesday, Joyce and the Rays will be squaring off against Kansas City Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie — a right-handed pitcher. Joyce will be in the Rays lineup, and rightfully so, as he’s pummeled Guthrie in the past, going 13-for-32 (.406) with two home runs, three doubles, a triple and seven RBI against the former Stanford Cardinal standout. Having Matt in your Wednesday lineup will give you something to re-Joyce about.
Put me in, coach: Curtis Granderson (11-for-40 vs. Santana, but 5 of those hits are HR), Ichiro Suzuki (4-for-16, .250 BA, 2 HR, 2B, 3 RBI vs. Gonzalez), Kyle Seager (6-for-13, .462 BA, 2B, 2 RBI vs. Richards)
SIT ‘EM:
Miguel Montero (10-for-55, .182 BA, 15 K vs. Lincecum), Starlin Castro (5-for-28, .179 BA, zero XBH, 3 K vs. Rodriguez), Jimmy Rollins (3-for-18, .167 BA vs. Garza), Yunel Escobar (3-for-23, .130 BA, HR vs. Guthrie)
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