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Early Positional Breakdowns: Shortstop -Bases Loaded Pod
Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) and Jorge Montanez (@Roto_Nino) get an early start on the 2021 positional outlooks. Subscribe to the Bases Loaded podcast, part of RotoBaller Radio's Podcast Network. Like and Subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all our latest podcasts and catch us on iTunes and BlogTalkRadio as well! Be sure to also tune […]
Early One-Man Mock (Round 1) - 2022 Fantasy Baseball
There is no such thing as too early when it comes to draft prep. The calendar won't flip to 2022 for another few weeks but we at RotoBaller aren't ones to sit around and wait. Mock drafts take time, so I took matters into my own hands to complete a one-man mock. For the most […]
Kyle Schwarber Signs With Nationals
Free-agent outfielder Kyle Schwarber signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Washington Nationals on Saturday, according to a source. Schwarber, a hero in the 2016 World Series run with the Cubs, became a free agent on Dec. 3 when he was non-tendered after six seasons in Chicago. The 27-year-old lefty slugger hit just .188 with […]
Nationals Looking For Corner Outfielder
The Washington Nationals are looking to sign a free-agent corner outfielder despite already trading for first baseman Josh Bell this offseason. Marcell Ozuna is the biggest name available, but he could be out of the team's price range after having a big year in Atlanta. Veteran Michael Brantley is more affordable and still brings a […]
Year-In-Review: Rafael Dolis and Jordan Romano
As I created my early 2021 Relief Pitcher rankings, I realized how wide open so many bullpens are right now due to free agency. One team that will surely add a late-inning arm this offseason is the Toronto Blue Jays, as Anthony Bass and Ken Giles are both now free agents. But are they in […]
Nationals Seeking Another Bat
Despite trading for first baseman Josh Bell last week, the Washington Nationals continue to seek another middle-of-the-order bat to add to a lineup that includes star outfielder Juan Soto. It could mean another trade, with Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant being connected to the Nationals for a while now. Outfielders Marcell Ozuna and George […]
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
Once again, I'll start by saying the 2021 baseball season is not guaranteed to be a normal one. But for now, let's just close our eyes and dream of a world unencumbered by COVID-19 and talk about our silly little game as if a 162-game season will come next spring. Join me for my position-by-position […]
Nationals Not Ruling Out Ryan Zimmerman
Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that he's not ruling out a reunion with first baseman Ryan Zimmerman despite the fact that the team just traded for first baseman Josh Bell on Christmas Eve. Washington is still trying to add a quality right-handed hitter, although it seems unlikely that Zimmerman would fit into the […]
Nationals Trade For Josh Bell
The Washington Nationals acquired first baseman Josh Bell from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in exchange for young pitchers Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean. Bell set career highs in almost every category when he made his first All-Star team in 2019 by hitting .277 with 37 home runs and 116 RBI, but he regressed in […]
Nationals Open To Trading Carter Kieboom
The Washington Nationals are open to trading infielder Carter Kieboom, according to sources. However, young pitching prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge, the team's last two top draft picks, are not on the trade block. Kieboom could become the trade chip that helps bring in some star talent such as Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris […]
Squaring It Up: 2020's Biggest Brl/BBE% Gainers
Often when it comes to fantasy baseball, we get overloaded with statistics and it becomes hard to sort out what's useful from what's misleading. Many experts can write pages about why they swear by certain stats as being the most predictive for future success or accurate in reflecting who had a good season. In the […]
Nationals Sign Welington Castillo
The Washington Nationals added catching depth on Monday by signing catcher Welington Castillo to a minor league deal, according to a source. Castillo will make $950,000 if he is with the major league team in 2021. The 33-year-old was with the team in spring training in 2020 but decided not to play in early July […]
A Year to Forget: Relievers Who'll Rebound in 2021
The 2020 season was so weird, unprecedented, awkward, and chaotic, it might be wise to toss out most of the stats when prepping for your 2021 fantasy drafts. But we are also human, and sometimes getting that bad taste a down season leaves in your mouth can be nearly impossible no matter the circumstances. These […]
Statcast Review - Noteworthy xBA/xSLG Hitting Leaders
Thanks to its abbreviated schedule, the 2020 MLB season resulted in some unusual outcomes. Michael Conforto posted the highest full-season BABIP since Ty Cobb in 1913, Luke Voit was on pace for 60 home runs, and Robbie Ray walked a ridiculous 18% of the batters he faced. xStats were not immune to that weirdness, xBA […]
Strike Zone Rate Analysis - Starting Pitchers
There are hundreds of metrics out there that describe pitchers. The richness of the available data is rivaled by no other sport. This can at times lead to information overload, leading us too far away from the core tenants of what success looks like. One group of statistics that are very simple and very helpful […]
Nationals Not Seriously Considering Kris Bryant
Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that the team hasn't had any serious ideas of acquiring Chicago Cubs third baseman and former MVP Kris Bryant. Rizzo said the offseason priority is a bat for the middle of the lineup after they lost star third baseman Anthony Rendon in free agency last year. Manager Dave […]
Nationals Interested In Kyle Schwarber
The Washington Nationals are interested in free-agent outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who could add some nice pop to the middle of their lineup despite posting a .701 OPS during the shortened 2020 season. Washington has a very clear outfield need this winter, especially after former right fielder Adam Eaton signed a deal with the White Sox. […]
MLB's Best Pitches by the Numbers
One of the most-often used algorithms in the data science world is called clustering. Clustering is defined, by Wikipedia, as: grouping a set of objects in such a way that objects in the same group (called a cluster) are more similar (in some sense) to each other than to those in other groups (clusters) In baseball […]
Projecting Power in 2021: Early ADP Air% Exit Velocity
Looking at average exit velocity to project future power is not very useful compared to looking only at balls hit in the air. Because who cares how hard ground balls are hit? However, it can be even more useful to parse out those velocities into more refined bins and cast a more critical eye to […]
Top 250 Dynasty Prospects for 2021
The 2020 baseball season was unlike any year we’ve ever seen with its shortened season and schedule that can perhaps be best described as organized chaos. The absence of a minor league season played havoc with prospect prognosticators. The 2021 season — and perhaps beyond — will continue to present unique challenges as the pandemic […]
Biggest Risers of 2020 – Relief Pitchers
In 2020, we saw a large number of relief pitchers, previously not in the upper tier of fantasy rankings, breakout or bounce back from 2019 decrepitude. Below we will take a look at a few of the biggest relief pitcher risers of the 2020 season as we gear up for 2021 drafts in the spring. […]
Year in Review: Victor Robles
Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles endured a tough 2020 season, slashing a paltry .220/.293/.315 while collecting just four stolen bases. That pace would have given him around only 12 SB in a full 162-game season. Fantasy managers had to have been expecting more considering he was a top-75 pick on average heading into 2020, just a […]
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings
The 2021 MLB season isn't guaranteed to be normal but I have hope that next spring will be much healthier. As such, I will approach ranks as if a traditional 162-game season is coming. Join me for my position-by-position ranking series for the 2021 fantasy baseball season. How much weight do we give 2020? How […]
Starting Pitcher K-BB% Fallers: Who to Worry About
In part one of this mini-series, Sam Chinitz covered K-BB% risers from 2021. You can check that post out here. This article will take a look at the pitchers that went in the wrong direction. Strikeout to walk rate is so important to be mindful of when evaluating pitchers. No matter how you slice it, […]
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Rankings
The upcoming 2021 season may not be normal -- going from 2020 to 2021 doesn't wave a magic wand -- but there's still comfort in baseball. As such, I will approach ranks as if a traditional 162-game season is coming. Join me for my position-by-position ranking series for the 2021 fantasy baseball season. How much […]
Nationals Unlikely To Land Kris Bryant, DJ LeMahieu
The Washington Nationals have been connected to names like Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu, but they remain unlikely to land a big-ticket item this offseason. Washington is more likely to pursue less-expensive players because they have so many holes to fill on their roster. Juan Soto and Trea […]
Nationals Targeting Kris Bryant
The Washington Nationals are targeting third baseman Kris Bryant and are determined to keep right-handed pitchers Jackson Rutledge and Cade Cavalli, the team's top two prospects, in any trade. The New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays could all be fits for Bryant as well. Bryant is expected to be tendered a […]
Projecting Power in 2021: Elite Levels of Air% Exit Velocity
Everyone wants more power, even more so when it comes relatively cheap. But even when pricey, you're going to need to draft a bomber or two. One of the best ways to see how a player's power is trending is to sift through their exit-velocities to see what they're saying. Most know by now that […]
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Rankings
I think most of us would agree that looking forward to 2021 is a good idea. For me, that means immersing myself in the upcoming baseball season. While there's no guarantee COVID-19 won't affect the '21 season, I will approach ranks as if a traditional 162-game season is coming. Join me for my position-by-position ranking […]
Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft - ADP Surprises
Of course, there are many changes to be made throughout the offseason. It feels as if the dust is still settling on the 2020 World Series yet baseball fans are more ready for the upcoming season than ever. We have no idea whether a full schedule can be played, what games will look like, and […]
