X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Conspiracy Theories and the "D" in R.O.I.D.S.

 

Conspire With ROIDS

As we begin cycling off our first official ROIDS program, I want to direct your attention away from fantasy baseball for a moment. A popular Katy Perry song goes: “So you wanna play with magic? Boy, you should know what you’re falling for. Baby, do you dare to do this? 'Cause I’m coming at you like a dark horse.”

The pop goddess has conspiracy theorists convinced she wrote this song as a tribute to Satan and the Illuminati. Crazy, right? My theory actually takes it another step. Perhaps, the Illuminati play fantasy baseball? In typical Illuminati fashion, they use pop culture to spread their message-- in this case, fantasy baseball sleeper advice.

Why else would KP have embedded so much secret elite draft advice into her hit song? The good news is, you don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to understand what it all means. So in honor of Katy and her devotion to the Illuminati’s interest in fantasy baseball, I have named the D in ROIDS, after her hit song, Dark Horse.
 

“So you wanna play with magic?”

Well yes Katy, I do. But first you have to know how to find draft magic. Draft magic comes from the eye test. It comes from clues hidden in the comment sections in local sports news. It also comes from advanced statistical analysis. It’s most importantly the magic you feel deep in your plumbs, like a gut feeling. It’s the only reason I was able to predict Michael Brantley’s outbreak in 2014 (I have no proof of this).

At the start of the 2014 season Razzball projected Brantley, then 26, to hit 13 HR and 73 RBI with an OPS of .768. He ultimately nearly doubled his home run projection, had 97 RBI and a .890 OPS.  My point is, projections aren't guarantees.

So who knew about Brantley?

Besides me? The small amount of people in Cleveland that religiously watch the Indians play. You find them in the comment sections of local sports stories. Whenever Brantley was under-ranked or underestimated,  Indians loyalists would come out of the woodwork. They all knew he was legit and weren't wondering if he would break out, but when. I tend to pay attention to stuff like that.
 

Magic in Action

So, who has the Katy Perry Dark Horse Magic in 2015? Look no further than Avisail Garcia, outfielder for the Chicago White Sox. Ever watch him play? He passes the eye test. Ask anyone in the South Side of Chicago, and they know what I mean.

His potential 20/20 bat, plus Steamer’s enticing prediction of .282/.336/.479 and 17 HR, 67 RBI is eerily similar to Brantley in 2014. Garcia is currently ranked around the 48th-best outfielder in standard drafts. At only 23 years old, he hasn’t reached his potential.

Garcia’s weaknesses are evident. He has a high swing rate and a tendency to flail at the plate. He’s posted minimal walk rates at every level of play. If he doesn’t improve at the plate, he is B.J. Upton. If he learns discipline, his speed and plus power makes him Shin-Soo Choo.

“Boy you should know what you're falling for. Baby do you dare to do this?” Katy Perry must have been looking into a crystal ball when she wrote those lyrics, because she's serenading me about drafting Baltimore’s Steve Pearce.

Over the 2014 season, Pearce managed a .263 ISO in 363 at-bats. That would would rank him seventh, just ahead of David Ortiz. His 17.5% HR/FB puts him in front of Todd Frazier and not far behind MVP Mike Trout. Additionally, in 383 at bats, Pearce’s 161 wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created plus) would have ranked him 16th in MLB.

Steamer predicts very little regression in 2015, with 23 HR, 73 RBI and .270/.349/.467. He reminds me of a 2010 Jose Bautista, when Bautista was the dark horse. I’m not suggesting that you draft Pearce with the expectations of a Jose Bautista, that's crazy. But I think there is substantial draft value where he currently sits.

What I like best about the Joey Bats and Pearce comparison is that each swings a bat like an axe murderer. That's exactly what I want to do to my speakers when the Katy Perry song is playing.

Tune in next week to get your final butt injection of ROIDS, and as a bonus, my Dad will be making a special appearance. If you have any ideas, physical challenges or questions for him, please post them in the comment section.

Missed a letter? Find previous editions of ROIDS here: R O I.

 

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

James Llontop1 hour ago

A Big Underdog At UFC 309
Paul Craig1 hour ago

Looks To Snap Losing Skid At UFC 309
Bo Nickal1 hour ago

Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic1 hour ago

Ends Layoff At UFC 309
Jon Jones2 hours ago

Defends Heavyweight Title At UFC 309
P.J. Washington2 hours ago

Officially Out On Thursday
George Kittle2 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited On Thursday
Kyrie Irving2 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Luka Doncic2 hours ago

Will Play On Thursday
Andre Drummond2 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday
Jimmy Butler2 hours ago

To Miss Third Straight Game
J.J. McCarthy3 hours ago

Receives Injection, Doesn't Have Another Surgery
Jake Ferguson3 hours ago

Misses First Practice Of The Week
Tony Pollard3 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Dakota Joshua4 hours ago

Makes Season Debut After Cancer Recovery
Alec Martinez4 hours ago

A Game-Time Call On Thursday
Viktor Arvidsson4 hours ago

Sits Out Meeting With Predators
Sean Couturier4 hours ago

Out On Thursday
Samuel Ersson4 hours ago

Misses Thursday's Action
Sam Bennett4 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen4 hours ago

Unavailable Thursday
Tage Thompson5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Thursday
Harrison Butker5 hours ago

Chiefs Place Harrison Butker On Injured Reserve
Darnell Mooney5 hours ago

Added To Week 11 Injury Report
Najee Harris5 hours ago

Back To Full Practice On Thursday
Amari Cooper6 hours ago

Says He Feels Like He'll Play In Week 11
Tyreek Hill6 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Nico Collins7 hours ago

Takes Part In Thursday's Practice
Tank Bigsby7 hours ago

Sitting Out Another Practice
Tampa Bay Rays8 hours ago

Rays To Play Home Games In 2025 At Steinbrenner Field
Dalton Kincaid8 hours ago

Not Present On Thursday
Davante Adams8 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
Sam LaPorta8 hours ago

Sidelined Again At Practice
Caleb Williams10 hours ago

Bears Reiterate That Caleb Williams Will Start In Week 11
Mikko Rantanen10 hours ago

Grabs Four Points Against Kings
Aliaksei Protas11 hours ago

Enjoys Multi-Point Outing Versus Maple Leafs
Patrick Kane11 hours ago

Notches Two Points In Overtime Win
Blake Lizotte11 hours ago

Suffers Another Injury
Pyotr Kochetkov11 hours ago

Suffers Injury Versus Utah
Caleb Jones11 hours ago

Hurt On Wednesday
Darcy Kuemper11 hours ago

Exits With Injury Wednesday
LeBron James11 hours ago

Makes History With Third Consecutive Triple-Double
Jaxson Hayes12 hours ago

To Be Re-Evaluated In 1-2 Weeks
Walker Kessler12 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Thursday
P.J. Washington12 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Thursday
Luka Doncic12 hours ago

Expected To Remain In The Lineup Thursday
DeMar DeRozan12 hours ago

Exits Win With Back Problem
Aaron Rodgers12 hours ago

Leaning Toward Return In 2025
Grayson Allen24 hours ago

Ruled Out Versus Kings
D'Angelo Russell1 day ago

Suiting Up On Wednesday
Bradley Beal1 day ago

Unavailable Wednesday
DK Metcalf1 day ago

Puts In Full Practice On Wednesday
Henrik Norlander1 day ago

Needs Strong Showing At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Michael Kim1 day ago

Playing Well Down The Stretch
Nick Taylor1 day ago

Returns To Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Jhonattan Vegas1 day ago

Playing Well Heading To Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Matthias Schmid1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Heads To Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Mackenzie Hughes1 day ago

Debuts At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

Seeking Back-To-Back Top-10 Finishes In Bermuda
Lucas Glover1 day ago

In A Groove Ahead Of Bermuda Championship
Andrew Putnam1 day ago

A Player To Watch In Bermuda
PGA1 day ago

Nico Echavarria In Top Form Heading To Bermuda
Jusuf Nurkic1 day ago

Back On Wednesday Night
Anfernee Simons1 day ago

Won't Suit Up Against The Timberwolves
Robert Williams III1 day ago

Resting In Rematch With Minnesota
Deandre Ayton1 day ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Andre Drummond1 day ago

Out Sick On Wednesday
Paul George1 day ago

Won't Play Versus Cleveland
Joel Embiid1 day ago

Sitting On Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Labeled As Day-To-Day
Mattias Samuelsson1 day ago

Out Indefinitely
Gabriel Landeskog1 day ago

Remains Without A Timeline
Jonas Brodin1 day ago

Considered Questionable For Thursday
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Listed As DNP On Wednesday
Tyreek Hill1 day ago

Misses Wednesday's Practice
Hampus Lindholm1 day ago

Expected To Miss "Weeks"
Jani Hakanpaa1 day ago

Available On Wednesday
Tee Higgins1 day ago

Officially Limited On Wednesday
Michael Pittman Jr.1 day ago

Practicing In Full
Nick Hardy1 day ago

Looks To Find Consistency On The Greens In Bermuda
Carson Young2 days ago

Hopes To Carry Recent Form To Bermuda
Kevin Yu2 days ago

A Name To Watch At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Shohei Ohtani2 days ago

Among NL Silver Slugger Winners
Aaron Judge2 days ago

Headlines AL Silver Slugger Winners
Wander Franco2 days ago

Now Facing Weapons Charges
Travis d'Arnaud2 days ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Angels
Brendon Todd2 days ago

A Hard Sell At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Greyson Sigg2 days ago

May Surprise In Bermuda
Jacob Bridgeman2 days ago

In For Adventure At Port Royal Golf Course
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Plays Solid In Bermuda
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Tries To Build Off ZOZO Championship
Daniel Berger2 days ago

Looks To Continue His Consistent Run At Port Royal Golf Course
Justin Lower2 days ago

Looks To Continue His Hot Play At Butterfield Bermuda Championship
2 days ago

Blue Jays, Red Sox To Meet With Juan Soto
Jasson Domínguez3 days ago

Yankees Expect Jasson Dominguez To Have A Big Role In 2025
Carlos Correa3 days ago

Progressing
Carlos Prates3 days ago

Gets Higlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC Vegas 100
Neil Magny3 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 100
Cortavious Romious3 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 100
Gaston Bolaños3 days ago

Gaston Bolanos Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Joey Logano3 days ago

Holds On At Phoenix To Win His Third Cup Series Championship
Los Angeles Dodgers3 days ago

Dodgers Considered Favorites For Roki Sasaki
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Falls Short Of The 2024 Cup Series Title At Phoenix
Dusko Todorovic3 days ago

Gets TKO'd At UFC Vegas 100
Wander Franco3 days ago

Arrested On Monday After Altercation
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Lacks Speed Of Other Championship 4 Contenders But Drives Well
William Byron4 days ago

Finishes Third In Phoenix Race And Championship
Miami Marlins4 days ago

Marlins Hire Clayton McCullough As New Skipper
Mansur Abdul-Malik4 days ago

Gets First-Round Finish At UFC Vegas 100
Luana Pinheiro4 days ago

Falls Short At UFC Vegas 100
Gillian Robertson4 days ago

Extends Win Streak At UFC Vegas 100
Gerald Meerschaert4 days ago

Gets Finished At UFC Vegas 100
MMA4 days ago

Reinier de Ridder Gets Submission Win In UFC Debut
4 days ago

Rays Have Interest In Juan Soto
NASCAR5 days ago

Bubba Wallace Is A Top DFS Recommendation With Upside For Phoenix
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Is Expected To Compete For The Title At Phoenix
Joey Logano5 days ago

Is One Of The Favorites To Win At Phoenix
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Could Be A Favorable DFS Option For Phoenix Lineups
Corey Lajoie5 days ago

Corey LaJoie Will Start 20th At Phoenix
Brad Keselowski5 days ago

Is A Solid Recommendation For Phoenix DFS Lineups
Erik Jones5 days ago

Will Start 19th At Phoenix This Week
Carson Hocevar5 days ago

Will Compete For A Top-10 Finish At Phoenix
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Should DFS Players Fade Ty Gibbs At Phoenix?
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Is Chase Elliott A Solid DFS Pick For Phoenix Lineups?
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

The Championship Favorite Despite Qualifying Blunder
William Byron5 days ago

Will Be Strong In Fight For Championship
Austin Cindric5 days ago

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Phoenix DFS Lineups?
Ross Chastain5 days ago

Is Great At Phoenix
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Looking To Go Back-To-Back At Phoenix After Championship Snub
Chase Briscoe5 days ago

Can Be Worth Rostering In Tournaments At Phoenix
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Could Contend At Phoenix
5 days ago

Nick Martinez Expected To Accept Qualifying Offer
MLB5 days ago

Roki Sasaki Will Be Posted, Opens Door For 2025 MLB Debut

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP