Todd Frazier Agrees To Terms With Mets

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that free-agent infielder Todd Frazier has agreed to a two-year, $17 million contract, with the New York Mets. It is a nice deal for Frazier, who aside from home runs, has struggled in recent years. This past season, the 31-year-old hit .213 with 27 home runs and 76 RBI […]

Brad Miller Expected To Play First Base

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said the plan for now is for infielder Brad Miller to play first base, with Micah Johnson, Daniel Robertson, Ryan Schimpf and Joey Wendle battling for the second base duties. Miller is also a candidate to start at the keystone if the Rays add a first baseman before the […]

Using Sabermetrics For Fantasy Baseball Part 1 - BABIP for Hitters

Hello fellow RotoBallers! Sabermetrics have become an integral tool for fantasy baseball draft prep, but a concise resource for understanding the basics can be difficult to find. This series attempts to define and explain all of the metrics fantasy owners may find useful, citing examples of how to use them in the process. Twenty degrees […]

2018 Home Run Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

Drafting sluggers is absolutely imperative in fantasy baseball. With homers on the rise, fantasy owners must be sure to prioritize the long ball this season. It seemed like every other fantasy-viable batter hit over 25 HR last year, didn’t it? At the same time, however, sluggers like Mark Trumbo (23 HR), Miguel Cabrera (16 HR), […]

Mitch Moreland (1B, BOS) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~275 CURRENT ADP: 406 ANALYSIS: Mitch Moreland had a 2017 line (.246/.326/.443 with 22 HR) that was far from impressive for a 1B, but it masks a lot of positive indicators in the 32-year old's profile. For instance, he bested his career BB% (9.9% vs. 8%) while simultaneously holding his career K% (20.8% to […]

T.J. Rivera Hopes To Return By May

New York Mets infielder T.J. Rivera (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery on his injured right elbow in September, but he has been progressing nicely and hopes to return in May. Rivera has had a solid couple of years for the Mets, slashing .290/.330/.430 with five home runs and 13 doubles in 73 games in 2017 prior […]

Carlos Santana (1B, PHI) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~130 CURRENT ADP: 169 ANALYSIS: Carlos Santana hit .259/.363/.455 with 23 HR last season, making him a valuable asset in OBP leagues already. The change in ballpark alone, from Cleveland's Progressive Field to Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, is likely to add roughly 33 percent to his long ball total, getting him to 30 bombs […]

Boston Red Sox Top MLB Prospects for 2018 Dynasty Leagues

This is a farm system that a year ago looked loaded and now looks depleted. But that was expected. The top three prospects last offseason were Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers. Most figured that all three would graduate in 2017, and even if not Devers, at least Benintendi and Moncada looked like locks […]

2018 Outfield - Early Points League Rankings and Tiers

I have the honor of tackling the ever-so-deep class of outfielders for you, the esteemed points-league owner. We realize that many sites tailor their analysis toward the standard rotisserie league, but we love everyone equally. That said, we have to recognize that standard 5x5 categories are also much easier to create white-label rankings that anyone […]

Baltimore Orioles Top MLB Prospects for 2018 Dynasty Leagues

Howdy fellow RotoBallers! Fresh off the release of the final dynasty positional rankings list, I am publishing my rankings for each individual team in baseball, starting with the American League East. Instead of giving full briefs of each prospect, I will just give the prospects' superlatives and then issue smaller descriptions for each player in the […]

Miguel Cabrera Unlikely To Be Traded

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila doesn't see it as likely that the club will trade first baseman Miguel Cabrera amidst their rebuild. "That's hard to predict as far as Miggy's concerned,'' Avila said. "That's a huge contract, and those kind of contracts are not usually moved or easily moved.'' Cabrera had the worst season […]

2018 Dynasty Baseball Strategy - Basic Asset Valuation

Dynasty baseball is a beautiful thing. In a redraft league, everybody is trying to win now. You all have the same goal. Dynasty formats allow for long-term planning. If your team is competitive, you'll value players differently than a rebuilding owner. This discrepancy makes it much easier to find mutually beneficial trades. Unfortunately, this same […]

2018 First Base - Early Points League Rankings and Tiers

If you play in a head-to-head points league, or season long format, you already know how difficult it can be to find fantasy analysis tailored to the format. Not only are the traditional rotisserie and head-to-head arrangements more popular, but the very nature of points leagues makes them difficult to cover in a general sense […]

2018 Batting Average Risers and Fallers - What We Learned

The great thing about batting average is that it’s a great starting metric for building a strong fantasy team. It’s one of those rare stats that, when correctly targeted and prioritized, sets the foundation for a season of nearly guaranteed success. In fantasy football, it’s a good idea to acquire players who get red zone […]

Top 100: MLB Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball

Prospects. For any fantasy baseball enthusiast, it's all about knowing about the prospects, rookies and call-ups. More than any other sport, baseball offers a fresh influx of rookie talent every year, both before and during the MLB season. And adding the right guy at the right time can be a league winner (see Aaron Judge and […]

Fantasy Implications - Carlos Santana to Phillies

After spending the first eight years of his career in Cleveland, Carlos Santana is finally getting a change in scenery as he joins the Philadelphia Phillies. The signing comes as somewhat of a surprise, as the Phillies finished with the third-worst record in MLB in 2017 and are clearly in a rebuilding mode. Santana will take […]

Top 450: Points Leagues Tiered Staff Rankings (January)

In case you haven't noticed, we've already been cranking out all sorts of 2018 fantasy baseball rankings at RotoBaller HQ. It's only mid-January but you can already find preliminary staff rankings for mixed leagues, points leagues, AL/NL only leagues, dynasty leagues, top 2018 prospects, dynasty prospects and more. Today we are here to start looking […]

Padres Not Planning To Alter Eric Hosmer Offer

San Diego Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler said that the team isn't planning on making big changes to their contact offer to free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer. The Padres presented Hosmer's agent, Scott Boras, with a seven-year deal worth less than $140 million earlier this month, and the Padres apparently haven't budged from that position. […]

Champ or Chump - Yangervis Solarte and Mitch Moreland

Much is made of a team's projected batting order early on in the offseason, but the discussions quickly become moot as the realities of the regular season alter every team's plans. Slumping players move down the batting order, replaced by their more productive teammates. A utility guy could escape the bench and become a fixture […]

Justin Morneau To Retire

First baseman/designated hitter Justin Morneau will retire Wednesday, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Bollinger adds that Morneau will join the Minnesota Twins as a special assistant. The four-time All-Star spent the bulk of his 14-year career with the Twins before spending two years with the Colorado Rockies and one season with the Chicago White […]

Nationals Closing In On Deal With Howie Kendrick

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that free-agent infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick is closing in on a deal with the Washington Nationals for two years and $7 million. Kendrick came over from the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline this past season. The 34-year-old hit .315 over 91 games between Washington and Philadelphia in 2017. He’s a solid […]

#TrendingNow - Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Risers and Fallers

We are just under 30 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting! Just under 30 days from the smell of pine tar and freshly cut grass. Just under 30 days from the sounds of fastballs hitting catcher’s mitts and the crack of a wood bat. Just under 30 days until another summer full of memories. […]

Luke Voit Working in the Outfield

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Luke Voit has been taking fly balls in the outfield this offseason in hopes to increase his versatility. Voit started 12 games in left field in 2006 while he was in Double-A, so it's not a brand new thing for him. Voit is trying to crack the Opening Day roster, […]

Mets, Adrian Gonzalez Agree To Deal

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the New York Mets and free-agent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez have agreed to terms. Gonzalez was dealt from the Dodgers to the Braves in a salary dump. He was bought out by the Braves, and they will be on the hook for about $22 million of Gonzalez's remaining […]

Jose Abreu And White Sox Settle At $13 Million

Robert Murray of FanRag Sports reports that the Chicago White Sox and first baseman Jose Abreu have agreed on a $13 million deal to avoid arbitration. Abreu remains one of the more underrated hitters in both real life and fantasy. This past year he hit .304 with 33 home runs and 102 RBI. He should […]

Mets Considering Lucas Duda Reunion

The New York Mets may not be done just yet in terms of reuniting with players they traded in 2017. After re-signing outfielder Jay Bruce on Wednesday, the Amazins are reportedly considering making a run at free-agent first baseman Lucas Duda as well. In 126 games last season between the Mets and Tampa Bay Rays, Duda […]

Champ or Chump: Chase Headley & Starlin Castro

The following analysis is presented with some misgivings. Both Chase Headley and Starlin Castro were moved this offseason, making them candidates for a change of scenery examination. However, these veteran players do not present an obvious fit with their presumably rebuilding clubs and have been included in trade speculation, with Castro reportedly asking to be […]

Fantasy Implications - Yonder Alonso to Indians

It was a breakout year for Yonder Alonso in 2017, as he recorded career-highs in home runs (28), on-base percentage (.365) and slugging percentage (.501). Alonso has generally been able to get on base at a good rate with a career .340 OBP, but it was the power surge that was the most surprising for […]

Jay Bruce Returns To Mets On Three-Year Deal

Jerry Cransick of ESPN.com reports that free-agent outfielder Jay Bruce has agreed to a three-year deal worth $39 million with the New York Mets. Bruce was acquired in 2016 at the trade deadline by the Mets and flipped by the Mets to the Indians during the 2017 trade deadline. In 153 games as a Met, he hit .245 […]

Howie Kendrick Could Be A Potential Fit For The Mets

Free-agent infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick could be a potential fit for the New York Mets, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. Puma also notes that the team could look at Kendrick as a clubhouse leader and also as their second baseman. Kendrick played all over the diamond last year between the Nationals and […]