Spring Training Lineup Takeaways - Week 2 Lineup Trends

Welcome back RotoBallers! We are entering week three of Spring Training already, and with that came a lot of things we saw in week two. But of course, my week one review also still has very relevant information as well. Just a reminder, in my Lineup Takeaways series we are focusing 100% on lineups, news and […]

J.D. Martinez: Bounce-Back or Fantasy Bust?

It's easy to forget that just three short years ago, J.D Martinez was considered the best hitter in baseball. He slashed an incredible .330/.402/.629 with 43 home runs and 130 RBI, taking home the AL Hank Aaron Award. Martinez followed up that season with a very solid 2019, but his production completely fell off in […]

Michael Florio's Hitters to Target

Every year, one of the articles I look most forward to writing is about the players I am targeting in my drafts. It not only allows me to talk about the players I know I am high on and go into my drafts hoping to select, but it also forces me to look over my […]

Yordan Alvarez Set For Spring Debut Sunday

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) has been pegged to serve as the DH in Sunday's Grapefruit League outing against Washington, marking his spring debut. Alvarez has worked his way back from double arthroscopic knee surgery, which limited him to just two games during the 2020 year. When healthy, his power is unquestioned. Currently […]

Ha-seong Kim Struggling With Contact

San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim has struggled to start spring training, recording just two hits with four strikeouts in 14 plate appearances. The 25-year-old joined the majors this offseason after seven excellent years in the KBO, culminating with a .306/.397/.523 line last season with 30 homers, 23 steals and 220 runs-plus-RBI in 138 contests. […]

Brendan McKay Progresses In Return To Game Action

Tampa Bay Rays left-handed pitcher/designated hitter Brendan McKay (shoulder) is scheduled to begin throwing off the mound by the conclusion of March, with the hope that he can hit in Grapefruit League games as soon as next week. McKay underwent shoulder surgery on his throwing arm in August 2020, having the start of his year […]

Yordan Alvarez On Track For Spring Debut Next Week

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) is nearing a return to game action and could be in the lineup for Grapefruit League games as soon as next week. Alvarez's 2020 campaign was torpedoed by a positive COVID-19 test, followed by surgeries on both of his knees. Playing in just two games, Alvarez was unable […]

Ty France Continues To Mash

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Ty France continues to crush the competition in spring training. On Tuesday against the Royals, France picked up two more hits, a double and a home run, while reaching base a third time with a walk. He is now batting .615 for spring training, with a 2.128 OPS. France's underlying numbers […]

Franmil Reyes (DH, CLE) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 125 CURRENT ADP: ~147 overall ANALYSIS: While Franmil Reyes AKA Franimal did not technically break out in the shortened 2020 season, he did find some success as he slashed .275/.344/.450 with nine HR, 35 RBI, and 27 R across 211 AB. The power with Franmil is very real as he smacked 37 […]

Giancarlo Stanton Has Solid Day Sunday

Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton had a solid day Sunday as he went 2-for-3 with two doubles in the 4-0 win against the Philadelphia Phillies. The doubles marked the first hits of the spring for Stanton as he is now 2-for-7 through his first three games. Stanton had an injury-plagued 2019 and 2020 but is […]

Lineup Takeaways - Week 1 Spring Training Lineups

Well, after a recent article highlighting the idea of what I was wanting to do with this Spring Training series, here is a first look at my Lineup Takeaway series I will be bringing you the rest of the 2021 season. We are focusing 100% on lineups, news and quotes - strictly about lineups and […]

Ty France Stays Hot With Another Homer

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Ty France went deep once again in Sunday's Cactus League matchup against the Angels. Through five spring training games, France is batting .545 with two homers, a double, and three RBI. If there was any doubt about France's role as the everyday designated hitter, he is proving that he deserves the […]

Dominic Smith Homers On Saturday

New York Mets outfielder/first baseman Dominic Smith went 1-for-3, including a two-run home run, in Grapefruit League action on Saturday against the Astros. Smith was the Mets designated hitter, who slotted into the lineup batting fifth. With no designated hitter in the NL for 2021, Smith should see the bulk of his playing time in […]

Finding Over/Undervalued First Basemen Using Expected Draft Values

Welcome to the FSWA-nominated Expected Draft Values series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We'll start at first base and make our way around the diamond to begin the 2021 […]

KC Bubba's 2021 Best Ball Draft Avoids (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. The fantasy baseball season is here! For those fantasy players looking to get an edge on their 2021 leagues, Best Ball formats are a great way to get a head start on the competition. By jumping in best ball leagues, fantasy players can get […]

Aaron Boone To Rejoin The Yankees This Weekend

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will rejoin the team sometime this weekend after undergoing surgery to receive a pacemaker in his heart on Wednesday. Thankfully, Boone’s surgery reportedly went smoothly, and the skipper’s return to the team has been on schedule as he had been expected to miss only a few days. The biggest […]

Ty France Goes Deep Thursday

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Ty France recorded his first home run of the spring on Thursday, hitting the third of three consecutive homers off Rockies lefty Phillip Diehl in the third inning of the Cactus League matchup. France is off to a hot start over his first few games in camp, and could be well on […]

Jorge Soler Looking To Bounce Back In 2021

Kansas City Royals designated hitter Jorge Soler had a disappointing season in 2020, slashing .228/.326/.443 with eight home runs and 24 RBI over 43 games. He struck out at a career-high rate (34.5%). The previous season, he was a fantasy stud, leading the American League with 48 home runs while tallying 117 RBI and slashing […]

Dominic Smith Making Spring Debut On Thursday

New York Mets outfielder/first baseman Dominic Smith will be making his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday against the Nationals. Smith will be batting third as the Mets' designated hitter. In 2020, Smith broke out with a .316/.377/.616 slash line, 10 home runs, and 42 RBI. He finished tied for second in the National League with […]

J.D. Martinez Solid On Wednesday

Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's 14-6 rout of the Minnesota Twins. Martinez has started the spring hot as he is now 4-for-8 with five total bases in his first three games. Martinez is coming off a down year where he slashed just .213/.291/.389 […]

DJ Stewart Hits Second Home Run Of Spring Wednesday

Baltimore Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart had another nice day at the plate in Wednesday's 8-1 win over the Braves, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run. Stewarts' fourth-inning shot off of Carl Edwards Jr. was his second of the spring. The 27-year-old hit a poor .193 in 2020, but did have seven HR. With Anthony […]

Lineup Takeaways - An Early Look at Spring Training Trends

As many of you know, tracking lineups is what I am all in on this 2021 season and with it comes an influx of data and information right away. Going forward, a weekly article will occur - especially as we get into more tangible information and data. However, I wanted to get ahead of the […]

Aaron Boone Taking A Leave Of Absence

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is taking a medical leave of absence from the team to receive a pacemaker in his heart. The Yankees are optimistic that Boone can return to the team within the next few days so his absence shouldn't have much of an impact on the team's lineups during the regular […]

Nelson Cruz Crushes Three-Run Home Run Wednesday

Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in his first Grapefruit League action against the Red Sox on Wednesday. Cruz hammered a two-seam fastball up in the zone over the wall in left field for his first- and very loud- hit of the spring. The home run was absolutely […]

Yordan Alvarez Taking Batting Practice Swings

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knees) took some batting practice swings off of a pitching machine on Wednesday. The Astros are understandably taking things easy with Alvarez, who had a lost 2020 season due to knee injuries. It's unlikely that the 23-year-old slugger will play the outfield, though that suits fantasy managers just fine if […]

Nelson Cruz In Lineup Wednesday For First Spring Action

Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz is in the lineup Wednesday for his Grapefruit League debut against the Red Sox. Manager Rocco Baldelli said that the team would ease their 40-year-old slugger into the action, much the same way they would with third baseman Josh Donaldson. Cruz has hit above .300 in each of the […]

Chris Davis Dealing With Strained Back

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (back) was held out of the team's spring training lineup on Tuesday after he strained his lower back in Sunday's spring opener, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Davis is considered day-to-day. After hitting just .115 without a home run in 16 games last season, Davis needed to earn at-bats […]

Triple-A Season Delayed At Least A Month

Major League Baseball will bring back alternate training sites similar to those used in 2020, a long-awaited move that will delay the start of the Triple-A minor league season by at least a month. Games will be pushed back to around the same time as Double-A and Single-A are expected to start in the first […]

ESPN ADP Advantages - Overvalued / Undervalued Players

A quick way to get ahead in your league is to take advantage of bad pre-rankings. In every online draft room, the pool of players is ranked for players to choose from. These pre-ranks have a huge influence on how drafts go. Lots of managers choose when to pull the trigger on the players they […]

Jorge Ona Makes Early Spring Statement

San Diego Padres designated hitter Jorge Ona blasted a towering two-run home run in the sixth inning to tie the game 4-4 against the Mariners in the team's spring debut on Sunday. Ona is in a four-way battle for the final spot on the team's bench with Brian O'Grady, Luis Campusano and Jorge Mateo. Ona […]