John Jaso (C / DH, TAM) - Waiver Wire Analysis

BALLER MOVE: Roster immediately as DL slot OWNED IN: 5% of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: Everyone’s favorite platoon catcher was recently placed on the 15-day disabled list after sliding in to second base head first. His injury surely caused most owners or prospective owners to drop him. Rather than outright drop him however, the smartest move is […]

Asdrubal Cabrera (2B/SS, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in AL-Only or Deep Mixed Leagues OWNED IN: 40% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: Asdrubal Cabrera is not going to be the Asdrubal Cabrera we saw put up 25 and 17 in 2011, but that doesn't mean he can't help your fantasy team. Now a member of the Rays, Cabrera will have 76 […]

MLB Closers and Saves Waiver Wire Watch for 4/6/15

Most fantasy owners focus all their attention on the big time stars of the league. Lesser known relief pitchers are often overlooked by casual fantasy players, except when they're blowing a big save perhaps. That's why twice a week throughout the entire 2015 MLB Season RotoBaller will bring you the latest fantasy info, breaking news and advice […]

Top 10 Projected WHIP Finishers For Starters

In case you missed it last week we covered Daniel Okrent, IPRAT and our projections for which relievers will finish in the top ten in WHIP for this season. Today we will purchase a flux capacitor, install it into the RotoBaller DeLorean, and drive into the future to share with you who will finish in […]

Four Starting Pitcher Breakout Candidates for 2015

In order to stay relevant and competitive in MLB baseball, a team must have a constant flow of rising young pitching. Without this key element a team might as well yell over their PA system to their fans, "Expect fireworks before, during and after tonight's game. Direct your eyes upwards at all costs."   The […]

Alex Cobb: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Undervalued Starting Pitcher

Ace? Pseudo Ace? Damaged Goods? Alex Cobb of the Tampa Bay Rays has tendinitis in his forearm and is slated to miss his Opening Day start, which for some reason has resulted in his draft stock falling fairly significantly. His average draft pick was 70.3 prior to the news of this minor injury, and is now at […]

Drew Smyly (SP, TB) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~175 Overall ANALYSIS: Mostly overlooked last season in a star-studded Tigers rotation, Drew Smyly was sent in the David Price deal to Tampe Bay, where he immediately thrived. Prior to being shut down at the end of 2014, Smyly made seven starts for the Rays, striking out nearly a batter per inning and flashing […]

Desmond Jennings (TB, OF) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft in Late rounds of All leagues as a OF4/UTIL. ANALYSIS: There are some premium positions in fantasy baseball that have a so-called "inner circle" of elite talent. These are the guys worth reaching for to maximize value in your draft. However, the OF position is loaded with talent ranging from speed demons […]

Jake Odorizzi (SP, TB) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft in Middle Rounds of All Leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays middle-of-the-rotation starter Jake Odorizzi had a pretty solid season in 2014, compiling an 11-13 record, a 4.13 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 168 innings of work. The former first round draft pick has never dazzled at the minor league level, but […]

Scott Kazmir (SP, OAK) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft Target in Mid-to-Late Rounds ANALYSIS: With a current ADP of around 195 Scott Kazmir finds himself on our list of ADP draft sleepers for starting pitchers, and is in a position to return a healthy return on his draft day investment. Kazmir had practically fallen off the face of the baseball earth before joining on […]

Brad Boxberger (TB, RP) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft Target in Late Rounds of All Leagues ANALYSIS: A guy you’ll want to keep on your radar this year during your fantasy drafts is Brad Boxberger. Boxberger was the setup man last year for the Rays and more than excelled in his role. He posted a 2.37 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 104 strikeouts, 20 […]

Top 5 Starting Pitcher Breakouts - 2015 MLB Fantasy Draft Prep

  Hunting for Treasure Most of us in the industry say this every year: starting pitching is the easiest asset to add during the season. There are several reasons for this, not least of which is the number of starters who break out from nowhere on an annual basis.   Among last season’s top fantasy arms were […]

Jake Odorizzi (SP, TB) - Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target Late in Mixed Leagues ANALYSIS: Jake Odorizzi started and finished his rookie season poorly, and consequently, his overall surface numbers (4.13 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) weren’t eye-popping. He had issues his second and third times through the batting order, and his release point was inconsistent. His OPS against was 345 points higher on the […]

Drew Smyly Sidelined Indefinitely, Shoulder Issue

Tampa Bay Rays southpaw Drew Smyly has been sidelined indefinitely with shoulder tendinitis according to The Tampa Bay Times. Smyly pitched exceptionally well for Tampa down the stretch of last season to a 1.70 ERA in seven starts after being dealt to the Rays in the deal that sent David Price to Detroit. Smyly is coming off […]

Save Prospecting: Top Five Non-Closing AL Relief Pitchers

Last week I looked at the top five non-closer NL relief pitcher options. Today we take a look at the top AL relief pitchers currently not occupying closer roles.   Top Five Non-Closing AL Relievers Wade Davis - RHP, Kansas City Royals If we are talking about American League bullpens, you have to start the […]

MLB Closer Breakdown: AL East Edition - 2015 Fantasy Baseball

  New York Yankees This is going to be one of the most closely monitored closer competitions in the spring of 2015. The Yankees are currently examining two gigantic (literally) options for the closer spot, in the forms of lefty Andrew Miller and righty Dellin Betances, both of whom throw absolute smoke. Both did plenty […]

Steven Souza (OF, TB) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target as Low-End OF3 ANALYSIS: Steven Souza can be described as late-bloomer, mainly due to his off-the-field problems, which included a 50-game suspension for a banned stimulant in 2010. Since that time, he has destroyed minor league pitching. He won the International League MVP in 2014 with a .345/.427/.577 line, 18 HR, 77 RBI and […]

Steven Souza: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  Quad-A or Stud? Quad-A. The one distinction no baseball player wants to ever see on their scouting report. It is typically designated for older prospects who mash in the minors but can never put it together on the big stage. Steven Souza, 25, is at the age when questions begin surfacing about a player's potential. […]

Drew Smyly (SP, TBR) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Add in Early Teen Rounds ANALYSIS: Drew Smyly's size, pitch velocity and strikeout totals get fantasy GMs excited, but his platoon split issues have made Smyly a part-time fantasy baseball contributor. Smyly is absolutely deadly against left-handed hitters, with a .238 wOBA against lefties for his career. Lefties hit just .136 against his curve and […]

Drew Smyly: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  A New Approach in Tampa Bay Makes Drew Smyly Worth Drafting Drew Smyly is a riddle wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a Rays jersey. His size, pitch velocity and, most importantly, his strikeout totals get fantasy GMs excited, but his platoon split issues made Smyly a part time fantasy […]

Matt Moore Aiming For June Return to the Rays Rotation

Nine months removed from Tommy John surgery, Matt Moore sees the light at the end of the tunnel that will get him back on the field. Marc Tompkin of the Tampa Bay Times has reported that Moore is slated to begin throwing off of a mound the last week of January.  Tompkin also stated that […]

MLB Hot Stove 2015: Athletics Deal For Zobrist, Escobar

It’s been a busy offseason for Oakland general manager Billy Beane, seeking to rectify his club after a monumental collapse in 2014. He continued that trend by making a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. In a five-player trade, the Athletics acquired two-time All-Star Ben Zobrist and shortstop Yunel Escobar in exchange for catcher John […]

Jake Odorizzi: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  Jake Odorizzi: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper As you've no doubt heard by now, the Tampa Bay Rays dealt Wil Myers, the centerpiece of the 2012 James Shields trade, to the San Diego Padres on December 17th. Myers was a massive disappointment in 2014. Coming off American League Rookie of the Year honors, he missed […]

4 Two-Start Starting Pitchers: Streamers for Week 23

Even though fantasy football drafts are in full swing, it’s approaching fantasy baseball playoffs time for many leagues, so this is the time when roster management and attention to lineup detail really pays off! Don’t get too distracted with fantasy football that you let your fellow fantasy baseball owners out-manage you down the stretch, costing […]

Drew Smyly (SP, TAM) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add In All Mixed Leagues & AL-Only Leagues Immediately ANALYSIS: Mazel Tov Tampa, you have managed to get pretty decent return for one of the top established aces in the league, David Price. The best part is that they traded a lefty for a lefty, so in theory, their rotation only loses potential skill, but […]

Getting A Grip On Holds: Relief Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups

While the holds statistic is even harder to predict than saves for closers, the players we highlight today feature some sleeper setup men and some looking to reclaim glory they once had. The more likely an MLB team is to win, the more likely these following relief pitchers will be eligible to earn the holds that could […]

Top 5 Hitter Streamers & Waiver Wire Targets For Week 22

Depending on the league you play in, your fantasy season may be almost over at this point in the year. Especially if you play in any sort of format involving a playoff bracket, this could very well be the last week that you have to make a difference before the playoff spots are determined. That […]

Deep League Waiver Wire Pickups: Hitters & Pitchers For Week 20

I am excited about this week's deep league waiver wire sleeper pickups article. There is real value in this group of players. While I am very high on David Peralta and Mike Zunino, don’t sleep on the savvy veterans either. Let's get to it!   J.P. Arencibia - C, Texas Rangers Owned in 21% of […]

Hitters to Buy and Sell in Fantasy Baseball (Week 20)

Can you believe that combined, Carlos Gonzalez and Adrian Beltre have only hit for 27 HR, 99 RBI, and have amassed only four SB?  Jose Abreu, with an average draft pick of 135.8 (ESPN leagues), has bested the previous two first-round picks' homer totals and has almost equaled their combined RBI total, with 86. Speaking of […]

Jake McGee (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Jake McGee is the new Sean Doolittle, and by that I mean he's the new "most dominant closer who also doesn't walk anyone, ever, for real".  Don't believe me?  Consider this: since taking over the closer role for the Rays on June 27th, McGee has pitched 17 innings, during which […]