Introducing xPA to Project Plate Appearances

I like big rates and I cannot lie. You other readers can't deny. When a rate walks in with an itty PA and an integer in my face, I get sprung...Whoa! Wait just one second, Sir-Mix-A-Nick. Before I go full-Rhymenoceros on everyone, maybe we oughta back the track up a little bit. What I like […]

Dynasty League Buy/Sell

With the uncertainty of opening day, there is no better time to play in an MLB Fantasy Dynasty League. Due to the league format, it by far the most unaffected by the delay of Opening Day. Drafting and trading can proceed in full force as the value assigned to these players go long beyond this […]

Deeper Draft Sleepers - NL Outfielders

We’re confident there will be a 2020 baseball season, but the game might look a little different. For instance, we may not see a 162 game season and the first several weeks may be played in empty baseball stadiums. The game may also feature a universal designated hitter. In attempting to identify deep outfield NL […]

Electronic Strike Zone: Who Benefits and Who Doesn't

Among the more high-profile MLB rule changes expected to take effect over the next few years is the usage of an electronic strike zone. The electronic strike zone was used in the Atlantic League in 2019, and the MLB Umpires Association has cleared the way for its introduction to the major leagues at some point […]

How a Revamped MLB Season will Impact Fantasy Baseball

No matter how this MLB season plays out it will look like something we have never seen before. Not only is the start of the season already delayed, but there is no definitive end in sight. If we do see baseball this season, the game is going to look very different. First, there will be […]

OPS Overachievers: Using xOPS to Judge Performance

We've already dug into xOPS by looking at the biggest underachievers from last year. Now, it's time to examine the other side of the coin - the less shiny side. Many might believe that wOBA is the stat you should be looking for and people much smarter than I have been duking out this debate […]

2020 Starting Pitcher Sleepers - September Surgers

September can be an overlooked month for Fantasy Baseball players, particularly those who are out of contention. It’s a month where we might miss strong performances from players who have fallen off of our radar due to previous struggles. However, if you dig deeper into September performances, you might find some potential gems to target […]

Fantasy Baseball ADP Reflections - Relief Pitchers

We’re still awaiting concrete news on how a 2020 baseball season will look like (if it does exist). Different possibilities have surfaced in recent days which includes an option of multiple doubleheaders being played every week. It’s still far too early to tell how serious or plausible this is but should it come to fruition, […]

Deeper AL Outfield Sleepers for 2020

As usual, the outfield position is deep in 2020. You can draft the position early or late and still find plenty of value to fill your roster. Finding the right guys is not always easy, but we are here to help. The players mentioned in this article have ADP's somewhere in the 240-300 range. These […]

OPS Underachievers: Using Differences in xOPS to Judge Performance

Add a player's on-base-percentage to his slugging-percentage and you wind up with OPS. Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. But some things don't need to be complicated to be useful and descriptive. There are a hundred ways to judge a baseball player's performance but OPS remains one of the best proxies for quickly judging a player's overall offensive […]

Stock Your Dynasty Farm: AL East Sleeper Prospects

The AL East features the top farm system in baseball, two uber-prospects, the only Canadian team, as well as two of sports’ most prestigious franchises. Needless to say, there are some storylines to mine for content here. And yet, what may be the richest and most influential division in baseball is, in my humble opinion, […]

AL Players Who Could Benefit From Expanded Rosters

Although we still don't have baseball, we're starting to get a lot of proposals on how we COULD have baseball this summer. The plans may wind up just being a fantasy, but, hey, this is a fantasy site, so it makes sense for us to take a look at it. One of the facets of […]

Man vs. Machine: Nick Mariano and ATC's Over/Undervalued Players

Welcome to Round 2 of Man vs. Machine, where one fantasy analyst goes toe-to-toe with one projection system for ranking supremacy. We here at RotoBaller are fortunate enough to have FantasyPros’ Most Accurate Fantasy Baseball Draft Ranker from both 2018 and 2019 on our roster in Nick Mariano and Ariel Cohen, respectively. Ariel also created […]

JB's Bullpen Method - Building Aces out of Relief Pitchers

If you read my Top 10 Draft Tips piece, you got a preview of the method I have been using for many years in fantasy baseball. It's really less of a method or strategy, and more a state of mind. The Bullpen Method is a lifestyle! I always speak about the importance of balance on […]

First Basemen Likely to Return A Loss in 2020

We all dream of drafting the sleeper pick who vastly outproduce his draft-day value and carries our team to victory. However, the truth is that those types of selections are few and far between. Often a player will give you more value than you would normally expect from his draft slot, but it's likely only […]

Closers Due for Regression in 2020

Finding reliable closers is always a challenge. There is a high turnover rate in the role every season, and in today's game, a lot of teams are going to a closer-by-committee approach, which adds a layer of confusion to the saves category. In each of the last three seasons, exactly 11 relievers have saved 30 […]

ADP Champ or Chump Spotlight: Eloy Jimenez

Considering that the Coronavirus has delayed the season indefinitely, it's a great opportunity to try changing up the formatting of this column. We're going to take a deep look into one player, spending time on his MiLB numbers in addition to MLB peripheral stats in order to paint a truly complete picture of his prospects […]

Carlos Rodon Could Return In June

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (elbow) has benefited from the delayed start to the 2020 season and said returning to pitch in June “is realistic.” Rodon is recovering from Tommy John surgery after making just seven starts in 2019. Rodon has seemed to be having a positive recovery and the extra time off […]

Finding Value in Points Leagues: Outfield Edition

Welcome back RotoBallers to my Finding Value in Points League Series! Points leagues have become more and more popular in recent years, but there is still an emphasis placed on roto leagues. That leads towards analysis and often player values skewed by something I have dubbed roto bias. Due to that, I decided to start […]

Second-Year Hitters Ready To Break Out

We fantasy baseball players were treated to a large influx of talented rookie batters last season. Some like Peter Alonso and Eloy Jimenez enjoyed breakout seasons. Phenom prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. also made his big league debut last season and based on his lofty ADP, he's considered a no brainer to have a huge second […]

Dylan Cease (SP, CHW) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~250 CURRENT ADP: ~275 overall ANALYSIS: The White Sox have a few young arms of intrigue in Cease, Michael Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez; however, Cease may have the most upside for 2020. He has elite stuff, with a curveball that seemed electric last season and, according to FanGraphs, had the fourth most drop of any curve in […]

Break the League: Fantrax Points League Ranker

I never thought I'd ever say this but it looks like I'm going vegetarian for this article because there's no real beef here. Those that have been reading along with this series know that I've had some harsh words for ESPN, Yahoo, and CBS, as I think they often do a disservice to their points […]

Finding Value in Points Leagues: Corner Infield Edition

Welcome back RotoBallers to my Finding Value in Points League Series! Points leagues are my favorite format to play in fantasy baseball. I am not alone there as fantasy baseball points leagues become more and more popular every season. It is a natural transition from those who have played fantasy football and have been considering […]

Fantasy Baseball ADP Reflections - Shortstop

With shortstop being arguably the most loaded fantasy position in 2020 and the strongest it has been for years, finding value at the position could be the difference in helping you win your league. With so many shortstops going early in drafts, picking one who ultimately disappoints will set you back considerably more than it […]

Finding Value in Points Leagues: Middle Infield Edition

Welcome RotoBallers to my Finding Value in Points League Series! Points leagues are becoming more and more popular in the fantasy baseball world. They have long been my preferred way of playing, so the boom in popularity is great! One of the biggest differences between points and roto leagues is that more stats come into […]

2020 Keeper Value Rankings - Top 150 Overall

In case you missed it, all preseason long I've been breaking down the top Keeper Values at each position. To get insight on any individual position, simply choose here: First Base, Second Base, Third Base, Shortstop, Catcher, Outfield, Starting Pitcher, and Relief Pitchers. Now, for your convenience, here are the Top 150 Overall Keeper Values for 2020. Keeper Value Rankings […]

AL Starting Pitching Sleepers for 2020

The shorter 2020 MLB regular season has led to a few shifts in fantasy strategy but perhaps nowhere is that more evident than in the starting pitching landscape. We're used to constructing fantasy rotations around strikeout pitchers and ratio arms or high-upside flyers and solid innings-eaters. However, with a shorter season, there will likely be no […]

September Batting Average Risers

After looking at September breakouts for both power and speed, it's time to finish our series by looking at a few guys who saw real batting average spikes during the season's final month. Now, batting averages are often most impacted by hot streaks and lucky stretches, but by looking under the surface and picking apart […]

Break the League: CBS Points League Ranker

Much like their milquetoast television lineup, CBS points leagues are like a warm bath of mediocrity. Are they great? No-oooo, but are they awful? Also, no. I mean, you're never really going to want to watch a Chuck Lorre sitcom or the latest chapter in naval policing, but they can still serve a purpose. Because sometimes […]

Slow-Starting Pitchers to Avoid in Drafts

This baseball season is going to be like one we have never seen before. While we await word on when and how the season will play out, it is becoming clear that we will be dealing with a shortened season. I’ve written about how a delayed start will impact injured players and discussed how a shortened […]