Jose Altuve Already Picking Up Where He Left Off In 2017

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is hitting .412 through 17 at-bats with a couple weeks left in Spring Training. It doesn't matter whether it's the preseason, regular season, postseason or a game on Mars. Altuve will hit no matter where he is it seems. The Astros regulars are beginning to get more at-bats now […]

Adalberto Mondesi, Bubba Starling Still Sidelined

Kansas City Royals second baseman Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder) and outfielder Bubba Starling (oblique) both remain sidelined in camp. Mondesi will not throw for the next five days, while Starling will be out for a while and is a candidate to open the year on the disabled list, according to manager Ned Yost. Neither player really […]

Starlin Castro Looks To Be Favorite For Three-Hole

Miami Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro has mostly been hitting in the three spot in the batting order this spring, and manager Don Mattingly plans on mainly using Castro in the third spot during the season. The 27-year-old will hit in front of cleanup hitter Justin Bour. Castro has posted a career slash line of […]

Matt Carpenter Begins Fielding and Batting Practice

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter (back, shoulder) began hitting and fielding drills this week. The team is reportedly concerned about both Carpenter's back and his shoulder, which may lead them to sticking him at first base. Originally, Carpenter was being looked at as a super-utility infielder who could play almost any infield position. For […]

Javier Baez Still Bothered By Hamstring

Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (hamstring) is still feeling bothered by hamstring tightness. Baez suffered the injury while he was running to second base on a double. Baez will not play Saturday and the team will see how he feels from there. Baez may slip a few rounds due to the injury, but if […]

Eduardo Nunez Hitless in Debut

Boston Red Sox super-utility man Eduardo Nunez (knee) had no hits in two at-bats in four innings of play on Wednesday. Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reported that following the fourth inning, Nunez began a more intensive workout session. Nunez pulled a sled loaded with weights back and forth, followed by more conditioning work. Nunez […]

Points League Primer - Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategy

When discussing fantasy baseball, an often neglected but entertaining format is the points league. These exist in both season-long cumulative and weekly head-to-head leagues. While existential debates about scoring categories and their true depiction of player worth are endless, points leagues arguably get closest to the objective of sabermetrics. Points leagues attempt to define a […]

Ian Kinsler with a Strong Start in Spring

Los Angeles Angels second baseman Ian Kinsler is off to a strong start this spring. The 35-year-old is 4-for-11 with five walks so far with the Angels. Kinsler was traded to the Angels from the Tigers back in December for a pair of prospects. The veteran posted a career-low .236 batting average last season, but […]

Dustin Pedroia Still Has Long Recovery

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) still has a lengthy process ahead of him before he is ready to get back on the field in games, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Manager Alex Cora said it was unlikely Pedroia would even be ready for a minor league game before camp […]

Javier Baez Expects To Play Saturday

Updating a previous report, after leaving Thursday’s contest with a hamstring injury, Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez said he is “100 percent.” It’s certainly good news, but the Cubs are likely to be cautious with Baez. Baez will sit out on Friday but wants to play Saturday. Hamstring injuries can linger, so the Cubs […]

Javier Baez Sidelined With Left Hamstring Tightness

Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (hamstring) left Thursday’s game with tightness in his left hamstring. There is no word on how long Baez is expected to be out and if his chances of playing Opening Day are in doubt. Infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist will assume the second base job in the meantime with infielder Tommy […]

Jason Kipnis Is Putting On a Show This Spring

Cleveland Indians second baseman/outfielder Jason Kipnis has gotten off to an excellent start in Cactus League play this spring. Kipnis is slashing .450/.450/1.350 with six home runs, 12 RBI, and only three strikeouts. After what was mostly a lost 2017 due to injuries and prolonged slumps, Kipnis is looking to come out of the gates […]

Javier Baez Suffers Hamstring Injury

Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez left Thursday’s game early with a hamstring injury. Baez appeared to suffer the injury rounding first base on a double. Baez grabbed his hamstring and left immediately. There is no update on the severity of the injury, but hamstring injuries tend to be tricky. If Baez isn’t ready to […]

Eduardo Nunez Makes Spring Debut Thursday

Boston Red Sox super-utility man Eduardo Nunez will be making his spring debut at second base Thursday. Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe has reported Nunez is in the lineup and is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday as well. Nunez will start the season at second base in place of the injured Dustin Pedroia (knee). […]

Dustin Pedroia Unlikely To Play In Spring Games

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora stated it is unlikely that second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) would get into even a minor league game this spring. Pedroia is still recovering from offseason knee surgery. As with the plan for all their players, the Red Sox are being very methodical in gradually bringing players along. Even […]

Carlos Asuaje And Cory Spangenberg Fighting For Roster Spot

San Diego Padres manager Andy Green hinted the loser of the second base battle between Carlos Asuaje and Cory Spangenberg may not make the final roster. Due to crowded outfield and pitching situations, the Padres likely do not have room for two left-handed hitting second basemen. Additionally, right-handed Jose Pirela, who can play outfield and […]

Eduardo Nunez Has First Appearance In Spring Delayed

Boston Red Sox super-utility player Eduardo Nunez will not start Wednesday as previously expected, reported Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. Nunez is fine, but the team is just being cautious because the grass is wet due to rain. He is expected to start Thursday. Nunez hit .321 with eight home runs and six stolen bases […]

Best-Ball Draft Strategy Overview for Fantasy Baseball

It's finally March, which can only mean two things: Spring Training and fantasy drafts. All the effort spent on rankings and draft prep finally come to fruition. Once your draft is completed, you then get to spend every day of the rest of the season analyzing player performances, scouring waiver wires and setting the best […]

Brian Dozier, Twins Not Talking Extension

The Minnesota Twins and star second baseman Brian Dozier have not discussed a contract extension. Dozier will earn $9 million this season in what is the final year of his contract. He told the media in late January that he wanted to sign a long-term deal with the Twins but nothing has come of those […]

Ketel Marte To Be Everyday Second Baseman

Arizona middle infielder Ketel Marte is currently the favorite to be the Diamondbacks everyday second baseman. The D'Backs seem to be emphasizing defense this season, as evidenced by their roster moves. Marte played plus defense at shortstop last season, so there's no reason to think it won't carry over to second base. Marte's biggest asset […]

Jason Kipnis (2B/OF, CLE) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~185 CURRENT ADP: 259 ANALYSIS: Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis had a forgettable 2017, batting just .232/.291/.414 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI in 90 games. Kipnis' 2017 was riddled with injuries, limiting him to the fewest games played in a season in his career by a significant margin. He also bounced […]

Braves Trade For Ryan Schimpf

The Atlanta Braves traded with the Tampa Bay Rays for second baseman Ryan Schimpf in exchange for a player to be named later. What's so intriguing about a soon-to-be 30-year-old with only two years of major league experience? Well, in those two years, he's amassed 34 homers in 527 plate appearances. Yes, he's only hit .195 […]

Daniel Murphy Starts Hitting Off Tee

Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (knee) has begun to hit balls off a tee, according to new manager Dave Martinez. The team is bringing Murphy back at a glacial pace as he recovers from debridement microfracture surgery he had back in October right after the season ended. Murphy has a history of injuries, so […]

Ben Zobrist Will Play In First Spring Game Tuesday

Chicago Cubs infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist (back) will make his Spring Training debut on Tuesday, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. Zobrist has been held out as a precaution due to back issues. The veteran is likely to play in many games his year, but both infielder Javier Baez and infielder/outfielder Ian Happ should draw more […]

Hitters Who Changed Scenes for 2018

We are just weeks away from the start of the 2018 baseball regular season, which makes it a good time to look back at the big roster moves made in this most recent offseason. I already provided a group of four pitchers who changed scenes. Now, here are four hitters who moved to different teams. For […]

Ozzie Albies Has Great Day At Plate For Braves

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies wants to lock down the job before the team breaks camp. He helped his cause on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a run. Albies is now hitting .400 and it looks like it would take a total collapse for him to not be in Atlanta when the season starts.

Nick Gordon, Brock Stassi Likely To Return Sunday

The Minnesota Twins expect to get second baseman Nick Gordon (wrist) and first baseman Brock Stassi (back) back in time to participate in Sunday's spring training game. Gordon has been sidelined since straining his wrist sliding into third base earlier in the week, while Stassi has been dealing with back spasms throughout the week. Gordon […]

RotoBaller Industry Expert Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft

On Thursday, February 15th, we brought together an illustrious group of industry experts to take part in the RotoBaller Friends and Family mock draft. We'll be playing this out as a best ball league. Our participants represented sites like: Creative Sports (Lawr Michaels) Fangraphs (Alex Chamberlain) GuruElite (Ray Flowers) Fantasy Alarm (Howard Bender) CBS (Heath […]

Joe Panik (2B, SF) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~295 CURRENT ADP: 385 ANALYSIS: Over the past two seasons, Joe Panik has put up eerily similar numbers, averaging 10 homers, 64 runs and 58 RBI. The only fluctuation was his batting average, where an unlucky .245 BABIP in 2016 resulted in a significantly lower .239 BA versus his career .282. Now […]

Ben Zobrist Close To Game Action

Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist (back) is getting close to game action and manager Joe Maddon said that he could play in games as early next week. Zobrist has been dealing with back issues for all of spring training, but Maddon has said all along that he is going to take it easy with […]