Opening Day Observations

When are we going to finally get around to making MLB Opening Day a national holiday? I can tell you the only thing that kept me from calling in sick was the fact that technology allows me to stream live games in HD on my cell phone while I sit at my desk waiting until […]

Victor Victor Mesa Playing In Games

Miami Marlins outfield prospect Victor Victor Mesa (hamstring) has resumed playing in minor league games after being shut down this spring. The team will make a decision in the next few days on whether he goes to High-A Jupiter or extended spring training. The 22-year-old Cuban was signed last fall and is already the team's […]

Lewis Brinson At The Top Of The Lineup On Opening Day

Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson is batting in the leadoff spot against the Colorado Rockies on Opening Day. The centerpiece of the Christian Yelich deal had an encouraging spring that saw him hit .278 with five home runs and eight RBI through 54 at-bats. He will hope to carry over that success to the regular […]

What to Expect from the Marlins' Young Rotation

In the days leading up to the start of the 2019 season, the Miami Marlins made it clear that the youth movement has completely taken over. Veteran Dan Straily was released and Wei-Yin Chen was sent to the bullpen, paving the way for a pitching rotation that doesn't boast a player over the age of […]

Updated Relief Pitcher Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

We're back up on the bump for this edition of our mixed rankings analysis, and not a moment too soon. The 2019 baseball season is already here! RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel want to make sure you are prepared for last-minute drafts, so they have given their […]

Updated Catcher Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

As we enter the final stretch for drafting it is time to take a look at the latest iteration of points leagues rankings from our amazing hard working rankings staff. Few things in fantasy baseball are more miserable for many than discussing catchers, with perhaps just injuries and suspensions taking the crown. However, getting the […]

Updated First Base Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

The RotoBaller Head-to-Head rankings review series winds down with a view of first base through the lens of our three-man expert panel of fantasy accuracy champ Nick Mariano and premier staffers JB Branson and Bill Dubiel. The top tier could conceivably have a new kingpin at any point, and not all of our experts believe […]

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (3/28/19): MLB DFS Lineups

Opening Day is finally here! The baseball season officially got underway last week in Japan but for all intents and purposes this is Opening Day for most fans. Of course that also means the return of daily fantasy baseball. The Opening Day main slate kicks off at 3pm ET with the Houston @ Tampa Bay […]

Updated Shortstop Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

The RotoBaller Head-to-Head rankings review series continues with a view of shortstop through the lens of our three-man expert panel of fantasy accuracy champ Nick Mariano and premier staffers JB Branson and Bill Dubiel. The position is well-stocked with useful starters, but as you get deeper, the H2H negatives will get exposed more. Near the […]

Updated Starting Pitcher Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

We are continuing our updated analysis of points league tiered rankings with a final look at starting pitchers. In H2H points leagues, starting pitchers are the lifeblood of a fantasy team. The more innings and strikeouts a starter can rack up, the further it carries your team toward a championship. There is a solid core […]

Five Starting Pitcher Sleepers: National League

With Opening Day now close enough at hand that we can count the hours instead of the days, weeks, or months, the majority of fantasy baseball drafts have already taken place. Still drafting your teams? This column was meant to be ready a week earlier, but the great and unknowable forces of the universe conspired […]

Man vs. Machine: Nick Mariano and THE BAT's Undervalued and Overvalued Players

What do I, Nick Mariano, have in common with great minds such as Ken Jennings, Gary Kasparov, and Lee Sedot? Before, I wouldn’t have had an answer, but now I can say that we’ve all had the honor of challenging incredible Artificial Intelligence minds! Nevermind that those other three guys got crushed in their “Man […]

Dan Straily Released By Marlins

The Miami Marlins have released starter Dan Straily and will be going with their younger arms to start the season. Straily gave up 11 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings this spring, while striking out 14 and walking five. Young fireballer Sandy Alcantara was a surprise choice to start the year and likely took Straily's […]

Pablo Lopez, Trevor Richards Both Make Marlins Rotation

Miami Marlins starter Pablo Lopez has been tabbed to open the season in the rotation, along with Trevor Richards. Both pitchers had impressive springs and will join Jose Urena, Caleb Smith and surprise opener Sandy Alcantara to face a formidable NL East division. Lopez immediately turned heads this spring with a noticeable uptick in his […]

Sandy Alcantara Will Open In Marlins Rotation

Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara will be a part of the Marlins rotation, a surprising development given his struggles to find the plate this spring. He beat out Dan Straily for a spot despite walking 11 batters in 15 spring innings to go with 21 strikeouts. He still pumps a fastball in the upper 90s […]

Updated Third Base Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

We are continuing our updated analysis of points league tiered rankings with the hot corner. Third base has a treasure trove of fantasy stars in the making, if things break right of course. If you are relatively new to points leagues, you need to pay close attention to the difference between these rankings and that […]

Updated Outfield Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

As we enter the final stretch for drafting it is time to take a look at the latest iteration of points leagues rankings from our amazing hard working rankings staff. Starting with the outfield is always fun because there is so much depth at the position, especially if you only require three of them, as […]

Brian Anderson Continues To Be Top Sleeper Candidate

Miami Marlins third baseman Brian Anderson finished spring training with a .354 batting average, six runs, nine RBI and two home runs in 48 at-bats. He had a promising spring training after finishing last year with not only an impressive .273/.357/.400 batting line but with 87 runs and 65 RBI in his first full season […]

Five National League Outfield Sleepers for 2019

Sleepers, draft values, ADP bargains...whatever you want to call them, every fantasy owner is looking for them at this time of year. Identifying and acquiring players whose production will outstrip the investment required to land their services is the crux of the game. It's often what separates the winners and losers, and it's arguably the […]

Second Base Draft Sleepers for 2019

I've written before about my qualms with the term "sleeper." In an age where more information is available than ever before, the odds that you'll catch any of your rivals napping on a particular player are fairly low. Having said that, it's still useful to consider players whose average draft position comes in well below […]

Updated Starting Pitcher Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

We're back up on the bump for this edition of our mixed rankings analysis, and not a moment too soon. The 2019 baseball season is already here! RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel want to make sure you are prepared for last-minute drafts, so they have given their […]

Wei-Yin Chen Will Start Season In Bullpen

Miami Marlins starter Wei-Yin Chen will start the 2019 season as a reliever, manager Don Mattingly announced on Sunday. The move is not entirely surprising as opponents have batted Chen around this spring. In 16 1/3 innings, batters have scored 17 runs off 21 hits, three of which were homers. He's only struck out eight […]

Updated Second Base Rankings - H2H Points Leagues

Continuing on our points league tiered rankings analysis we move over to the keystone position. Second base has the deepest talent pool that it's seen in recent years as it’s full of elite bats at the top and high-upside youngsters in the lower tiers. With two games in the regular season already in the books, […]

Infielders Who'll Continue to Break Out In 2019

2018 was a fantastic year for a number of MLB players. Breaking out and either surprising people or reaching your true potential must be a fantastic feeling for players who have put in years of work to get to where they are. Those breakout players are also a lot of fun for fantasy baseball owners. […]

Wei-Yin Chen Expected to Be in Marlins Rotation

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen admitted that he's not at 100 percent, but the Marlins starter is still in line to make the team's starting rotation. According to beat writer Joe Frisaro, Chen is projected to be the team's third or fourth starter behind Jose Urena and Dan Straily. Chen is just 13-18 since […]

Curtis Granderson Makes Opening Day Roster

Miami Marlins outfielder Curtis Granderson will be on the team's Opening Day roster when the season begins, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Granderson, who recently turned 38 years old, split time between the Blue Jays and Brewers last year, launching 13 home runs in 123 games. Granderson is long past his prime, but his 69 […]

Peter O'Brien Optioned to Triple-A

The Miami Marlins have optioned outfielder Peter O'Brien to Triple-A, according to beat reporter Joe Frisaro. O'Brien was having a productive Spring Training, but it looks as if the Marlins will keep Rosell Herrera as the fourth outfielder when the season starts. O'Brien has some pop in his bat, and it wouldn't be surprising to […]

Neil Walker Homers Off Max Scherzer

Miami Marlins third baseman Neil Walker hit a home run off Nationals starter Max Scherzer on Friday, bringing his on-base percentage in March to .344 and his slugging percentage to .633. That makes four home runs this spring for the veteran, who is slotted to regularly bat third against righties and can also play first base. […]

Garrett Cooper Making Powerful Case To Make Team

Miami Marlins outfielder Garrett Cooper is doing everything he can to crack the Marlins 25-man roster. The 28-year-old went 2-for-3 on Friday, bringing his spring training OPS to .991 with a week to go. The Marlins already have Curtis Granderson, Lewis Brinson locked up to start the season, with only Pete O'Brien as Cooper's main […]

Jorge Alfaro Will Be Marlins Opening Day Catcher

Miami Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro (knee) has been named the team's Opening Day catcher by Don Mattingly. Alfaro has not played in almost three weeks, but will be catching on Saturday when the team faces the Astros. Acquired over the offseason in the J.T. Realmuto trade with the Phillies, Alfaro has been dealing with knee […]