2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: Five Runs Sleepers

Bringing runs across the plate is often seen as a one dimensional facet of the game. The guys who swat the RBI are saluted while many fantasy owners forget about the valuable run scored, an unglamorous statistic. I guess the R column just isn't as sexy as the HR or the SB. Overlooking the runs […]

David Wright (3B, NYM) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~160 CURRENT ADP: 195.7 ANALYSIS: David Wright spent the majority of 2015 on the disabled list with spinal stenosis, but was able to return in August and played right through the postseason run and into the World Series with the Mets. In September, his only full regular season month, he slashed .299/.396/.483 […]

Steven Matz (SP, NYM) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~120 CURRENT ADP: 131 ANALYSIS: Steven Matz started 14 games at the Triple-A level in 2015, recording a 2.19 ERA, racking up 94 strike outs and yielded just six home runs in 90.1 innings pitched. The Long Island native showed no signs of growing pains upon reaching the majors last year. In […]

2016 Bust Candidates: NL Outfielders to Avoid

The wait is finally over – spring training is in full swing. And what better way to celebrate the advent of draft season than to profile potential breakouts and busts? If you've been following my ongoing series, I've been taking a look at both NL and AL players who may breakout, bounce back, bust or regress in […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: 5 RP Sleepers

Non-closing relievers, with some exceptions, have limited value in most fantasy formats. As a result, they are often overlooked by many owners. However, a quality set-up man can help your ratios, boost your strikeout totals, and even vulture a few wins or saves. If your league counts holds, all the better. That's without acknowledging the […]

Saves & Holds: NL East Bullpen Depth Chart

With the 2016 fantasy baseball season approaching, bullpen depth charts can be tricky to decipher when entering your fantasy drafts. Projections of who will be vital to their respective team and to your fantasy team will be analyzed over the course of the next two months. Below I've identified the projected NL East closers, setup men, and […]

Tyler Clippard Set Up To Be DBacks' Setup Man

Tyler Clippard did not have a great 2015 campaign. His strikeout rate was down, and his flyball rate was up. In 2014 with the Nationals, Clippard had an impressive 10.5 K/9 ratio. However it fell to 8.8 in Oakland in 2015, and then after going to the Mets in the same season it fell to […]

Addison Reed Next In Line For Saves For NYM?

Addison Reed was bounced from Arizona after a nightmarish stretch as the team's closer. He would rebound and be an effective reliever, but never regained his closing job. After joining the Amazins, Reed posted an impressive 1.17 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 17/5 K/BB ratio over 15 1/3 innings. With Tyler Clippard gone, Reed is poised […]

Wilmer Flores A Deep League Stash in 2016

A true fan favorite, Wilmer Flores may not have a chance to give his fans some face time in 2016. When the Mets signed Asdrubal Cabrera, it basically relegated Flores to the bench and out of fantasy relevance. However Flores could platoon with Cabrera, and will be one of the first bats off the bench […]

Bartolo Colon Will Have Value Early in 2016

Bartolo Colon may be the most entertaining player on the Mets just by virtue of his size, and how he looks at the plate. Make no mistake though, the seasoned veteran still has a little something something to offer. His strikeout rate and ERA won't wow anyone, but his walk rate will. Colon makes hitters […]

Kevin Plawecki Makes For A Good Injury Replacement

Kevin Plawecki did not make the most of his opportunity last season, but that doesn't mean he can't be someone to watch in 2016. The narrative hasn't changed in the sense that Plawecki still needs an injury to Travis d'Arnaud in order to be relevant. That being said, catcher isn't the best source of counting […]

Rafael Montero Worth Monitoring In 2016

Rafael Montero doesn't have much fantasy value at the moment, as he's projected to be a bullpen option or spot starter. However, given the seemingly increased fragility of starting pitchers lately, Montero is worth keeping tabs on. Should one of the Mets' other starters go down, Montero would likely be the next man up. Also, […]

Michael Conforto (OF, NYM) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~140 CURRENT ADP: 230 ANALYSIS: Even though Michael Conforto had fewer than 200 plate appearances above A-ball, the Mets were aggressive in promoting him last July. Thrown into the fire of a pennant race, Conforto shined, putting together a .270/.335/.506 line with nine homers and 56 R+RBI in 56 games. The power […]

David Wright A Risky Pick On Draft Day?

David Wright is still a good baseball player, and chances are he can still be productive...when he plays. That is the major issue here; a prolonged DL stint will likely hang over Wright and his fantasy owners like the sword of Damocles in 2016. Spinal stenosis is a serious condition for athletes and one has […]

Asdrubal Cabrera Looks To Build On Strong Second Half

Let's be real for a second. Asdrubal Cabrera is not a sexy pick at shortstop by any means. The reality is though that shortstop is basically the top 10 options, and then 50 feet of crap. So say you're fishing at the bottom of the barrel, Cabrera isn't a bad guy to take a flier […]

Neil Walker A Safe 2016 2B Option

Much like with Asdrubal Cabrera, Neil Walker is hardly a sexy name to draft for your middle-infielder position. Unlike with Cabrera though, Walker is a bit of a known commodity and his production is more valuable. Even though he won't light the world on fire, you know what you're going to get out of Neil […]

Zack Wheeler An Injury Stash Draft Pick In 2016

I personally have never liked drafting guys who were going to miss approximately half the season. If you're in a deep league and want to stash a pitcher though, Zack Wheeler is a good candidate. The Mets are loaded with pitching so it's easy to overlook Wheeler and be jaded towards his potential. The facts […]

New York Mets Top MLB Prospects for 2016 Dynasty Leagues

The New York Mets surprised everyone when they not only knocked the Washington Nationals out of the NL East Division race, but when they went all the way to the World Series. Everyone knew that the Mets would at least be a threat in the National League with the strength of their rotation, but I […]

Five Hitters to Target in OBP Leagues

Not all leagues are created equal. What I mean is not all leagues abide by the same standards. Some owners have stuck by the traditional 5X5 roto leagues, while others have transitioned to 6X6 leagues with such exotic categories as OBP, K/9 and SLG. I’m not here to say which format is best, (though I […]

2016 Outfield Prospects and Dynasty Rankings - NL East Edition

It's been awhile since I offered up the top catching prospects for dynasty leagues (also first base, second base, shortstop, and third base). With the fantasy season fast approaching, we'll spend the next few weeks blitzing through outfielders and pitchers. There is a daunting quantity of outfield prospects. Anytime you're feeling overwhelmed by a task, […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: David Wright

David Wright spent the majority of his 2015 season on the disabled list with spinal stenosis. Sure, that sounds bad, but Wright was able to return in August and played right through the postseason run and into the World Series. In September, his only full regular season month, he posted solid numbers. Playing in 23 […]

Five Undervalued NL Starting Pitcher Targets for 2016 Drafts

The National League is simply loaded with elite pitching. You could miss out on most of the top ranked guys and still find yourself with an abundance of options heading into the middle rounds. Still, it's important to know what you're looking for when those later rounds approach and there are holes to fill at […]

Early Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft: Third Round Breakdown

The lineup (in draft order): Jacob Bogardus, Brad Johnson, Alex Brock, Harris Yudin, Max Petrie, Josh Leonard, Ross Williamson, Andrew Miller (from The Fantasy Fix), Nick Mariano (myself), Tom Bellucco, Brian Dunshee (also from The Fantasy Fix), and Edward Suletan. Scroll to the bottom for an image of the draftboard. We put together a traditional 5x5 […]

Mets Pursuing Colon For New Contract

The New York Mets are stepping up their efforts to re-sign starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, according to Newsday. This pursuit comes moments after the Mets traded away Jon Niese to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Neil Walker. There’s an opening in the rotation as Zack Wheeler returns from Tommy John surgery. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah […]

Mets Acquire Walker From Pirates For Niese

The New York Mets acquired Neil Walker from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Jon Niese, according to The New York Post. The deal is reported as a player-for-player swap with no picks or cash involved. This was the Mets quick response after losing out on free agent Ben Zobrist Tuesday to the Chicago Cubs. […]

2016 Top Five Catcher Keeper Values

What Have We Here? It's good to have a methodology. Today, we'll discuss the top five catcher keepers using a keeper value tool I developed. Many keeper leagues have a cost to keeping players. I wanted to incorporate that opportunity cost into my formula. These rankings are derived from my 15 step formula. The Keeper Valuation […]

Breakout Starting Pitchers and What It Means for 2016: Arrieta, Martinez, and Thor

Welcome to our last segment of Breakout/Busts. We've covered the field, now we head to the pitching mound. Pitching is where most fantasy seasons are won and lost. The problem is players read that and assume "OK, let's draft some aces in the first six rounds". But it doesn't work like that. Unless you're grabbing Clayton […]

Mets Unlikely To Give 4th Year To Zobrist

The New York Mets’ top free agent target this off-season is Ben Zobrist, according to FOX Sports. The only problem is that the defending National League champions will unlikely give him a four-year contract, according to ESPN.com. Zobrist will turn 35 early next season. If the Mets decide to give the utility player four years, […]

Who Ya Got: Schwarber or d'Arnaud?

Last offseason, I stumped fairly hard for Travis d'Arnaud as a fantasy sleeper, expecting him to build on his performance down the stretch in 2014. Unfortunately, he continued to have trouble staying on the field, as a pair of injuries put him on the shelf for most of the season's first half. When he did […]

Mets 'Very Interested' In Zobrist: Conference Call Wednesday

The New York Mets are “very interested” in Ben Zobrist and the reigning National League champions are trying to make it happen, according to The New York Times. It appears as if this isn’t just a rumor because the Mets met with Zobrist’s representatives at the GM meetings and then held a conference call with […]