Updated First Base Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

The clock ticks ever closer to Opening Day and we here at RotoBaller are back to give one final round of position-by-position analysis with a mixed-league, 5x5 framework. We’re going to start at the most glorious position on the field: first base. No, I didn’t play first myself, why do you ask? While there are […]

Dave Emerick's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

I'll openly acknowledge that I don't really do bold predictions. I sit, read, think, and then watch the players play. If I see something, maybe I'll write an article. But in the spirit of fun, I've put together my own version of 10 Bold Predictions that will definitely, almost probably come to pass.Be sure to […]

Luke Voit (1B, NYY) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 150 CURRENT ADP: ~180 overall ANALYSIS: In the space of a couple of months at the end of 2018, Luke Voit went from a fading first base prospect with a mediocre short first stint in the majors to a legitimate starting MLB first baseman. His late-season hot streak started in […]

ADP Draft Sleepers Tool - Quickly Find Draft Day Gems

RotoBaller Premium Subscribers can click here to access the ADP Draft Sleepers Tool. RotoBaller’s ADP Draft Sleepers Tool is a powerful yet simple tool that can help you unearth fantasy baseball gems on draft day. It's a sleek tool that's easy to use, and will have a huge effect on your draft selections and help you […]

Chris Sale Named Opening Day Starter

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale has been named the team's Opening Day starter against the Mariners on March 28. It will be the second straight year that Sale will start on Opening Day for Boston. The 29-year-old left-hander went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA in 27 starts in 2018, but he missed most […]

Dynasty Buy or Sell - Catchers, First Base, Second Base

As the season continues to drag closer, fantasy baseball owners are waiting, or willing, to make that first move of the year. For dynasty owners, this means trading talent for future assets or plugging those gaps that currently exist on teams hoping to compete. And yet, the other concern for owners is what players are […]

Ryan Brasier Makes Spring Debut

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Ryan Brasier (toe) made his spring debut on Saturday and allowed two hits and a run after being slowed by an infection in his right pinkie toe that he suffered early in spring training. “Now he’s going to be pitching on the program every two days and he should be […]

Dustin Pedroia Plays In Spring Game Saturday

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (knee) played five innings on defense and had three at-bats in a Grapefruit League game on Saturday against the Braves. A decision could be made as early as Sunday if Pedroia will play on Opening Day against the Mariners. The veteran went 0-for-3 but hit a hard line […]

Chris Sale Looks Good In Spring Debut

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale gave up two hits, no walks and struck out seven in four innings in his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday against the Braves. The hard-throwing southpaw was sidelined with inflammation in his left shoulder for most of the second half of last season and wants to stay healthy […]

Late-Round SP Fliers Who Could Rack Up Wins

Pitcher wins, as you may know, are now widely considered to be essentially meaningless outside of a fantasy context. For the same reason, they also make for a weird fantasy stat. For example, Rick Porcello only managed a 4.28 ERA in 2018, which ranked 45th out of 58 qualified pitchers. That ERA was also backed […]

Top 690: Updated H2H Points League Rankings

Welcome back RotoBallers. Spring training is in full swing, and we couldn't be more excited for fantasy baseball drafts and the approaching MLB season. Below you will find our staff's updated fantasy baseball points league rankings (top 690) for head-to-head points formats. Be sure to also check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard and bookmark that page. It's loaded […]

Top 770: Updated 5x5 Roto Rankings (Mixed Leagues)

Welcome back RotoBallers. Spring training is in full swing, and we couldn't be more excited for fantasy baseball drafts and the approaching MLB season. Below you will find our staff's updated fantasy baseball mixed league rankings (top 770) for 5x5 category mixed roto formats. Be sure to also check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard and bookmark that page. […]

Hot September Hitters Ready to Break Out in 2019

September can be a weird month for fantasy baseball. More often than not there are only a handful of owners really fully focused at that stage. Unfortunately by that stage of the season no matter what your league rules at least a couple of owners will be out of contention and their focus will have […]

Starting Pitchers Who'll Continue to Break Out in 2019

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the concept of "TINSTAAPP". Spelled out it means "There's No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect" and it basically implies that it's impossible to predict which starting pitching prospects will pan out and which will flame out. There are plenty of examples in both directions; for example, […]

Predicting the Top 10 Finishers for RBI in 2019

If you so much as mention the acronym "RBI" in the wrong baseball circles these days, you run the risk of being ridiculed. Because RBI is such an opportunity-driven statistic, it is no longer viewed as an accurate measurement of a player's overall value. J.T. Realmuto didn't have any control over the on-base percentages of […]

Michael Chavis Has Four Homers This Spring

Boston Red Sox third baseman/first baseman Michael Chavis, the team's No. 1 prospect and No. 79 overall per MLB Pipeline, ranks second in baseball with four spring homers. However, he was optioned to Triple-A on Tuesday and the team doesn't have an opening for his power bat right now. He'll continue to work on improving […]

Rafael Devers Continues Strong Spring

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers finished 2-for-3 and scored once in Thursday's 4-4 tie with the Tigers. So far this spring, the 22-year-old leads his team with 13 hits in 11 games, including a home run, two doubles, and a triple, while also driving in four. However, the most important number is that […]

Steve Pearce Homers Twice on Thursday

Boston Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce broke an 0-for-11 spring training streak in a strong way by mashing two home runs in a 4-4 tie with the Tigers on Thursday. Despite his 2018 postseason heroics, today's showing is a direct example of what to expect from Pearce. Periods of ineffectiveness at the plate are […]

Eduardo Rodriguez Fans Eight On Thursday

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez worked five innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out eight and walking two against the Detroit Tigers. It was a solid day all around for the 25-year-old but a three-run second put a damper on the outing. The Sox are hoping to stretch out the […]

Where Do Elite Starters Come From?

Among expert drafts, starting pitchers are coming off the board earlier and more rapidly than in previous years. For instance, the LABR mixed league saw nine starters drafted in the first two rounds in comparison to just six in 2018 and five in 2017. Pitcher selection in expert drafts has been somewhat more aggressive than […]

Breakout Relievers Who'll Keep Succeeding in 2019

"Don't pay for saves." That has always been the advice repeated ad nauseum by veteran fantasy baseball players and while that sentiment is true on the surface, dealing with bullpens in fantasy baseball is a lot murkier in 2019 than it was in 2009. With specialized pitching roles leading to starters being left in the game […]

Nick Mariano's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

2018 was a banner season for baseball's Marianos, as Mariano Rivera was headed full steam ahead towards a unanimous Hall of Fame entry and yours truly was cruising with the most accurate fantasy baseball ranks of the season per FantasyPros, unbeknownst to me until recently. I'm still riding high off of that and you're all […]

Five Hitters Whose Barrels Rate Makes Them Undervalued

Baseball is back! The nostalgic diamond traditions of cracker jacks, oat sodas and intricately-designed grass patterns have finally returned. Most importantly, the boys of summer are once again fine-tuning their five tools for the upcoming season. In 2016, Major League Baseball expanded its research on exit velocity and launch angle by introducing Barrels. Barrels not […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball Part 12 - Spin Rate

Spin rate has become one of the most recognizable Statcast metrics, with supporters of a given pitcher highlighting his spin rates to make their case. Unfortunately, the baseball world has done a lousy job conveying what spin rate really means. The result has been a ton of owners who know that spin rate exists, but […]

Could Craig Kimbrel Hold Out Until Midseason?

There is a possibility that free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel and his agent, David Meter, consider holding out until after the MLB draft in June. Kimbrel would then shed the draft-pick compensation attached to him after he rejected the Red Sox's one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer last fall. Contenders might be more interested in giving Kimbrel […]

Chris Sale Throws in Simulated Game Monday

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale completed three innings of work against the organization's minor leaguers in a simulated game on Monday. He fanned five hitters, walked one, allowed three hits, and also hit a batter in the outing. The most important note is that his fastball sat between 91-93 mph as he continues […]

JB's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

It is such an honor to have been selected to hit lead-off for the 2019 RotoBaller staff Bold Predictions. Sure, I asked for it due to time constraints but that's not how I will tell my story to the grand-kids. Bold predictions are everyone's favorite articles. They are fun, not always entirely plausible, while still […]

One Dollar Bids - Auction Draft Targets

Auction drafts are an interesting animal. This especially comes through at the end of drafts. In a snake draft, that sleeper you really wanted may get picked just before your turn, but if he does get to your spot, he's yours. In an auction draft, someone you had tabbed as a $1 sleeper can be […]

Predicting the Top 10 Home Run Hitters of 2019

Last year 14 players hit over 35 or more home runs; the year before that it was 18. The point is, narrowing such an impressive pool of players down to 10 is challenging. The list is realistic but I wanted to be slightly bold as well. It wouldn’t be much of a prediction if we […]

2018 Breakout Infielders Due for Regression in 2019

Nothing sinks a fantasy season quite like a bust, and the last thing we want to do as fantasy owners is deal with one of those headaches all season. Last year players like Brian Dozier, Marcell Ozuna, and Jonathan Schoop drove us mad, The goal of this article is to identify an infielder at every […]