Roto Strategy - Is Punting Steals a Good Idea?
In fantasy baseball, there are two scoring categories that are somewhat exclusive to a certain type of player: stolen bases and saves. Saves are obvious; only closers can earn them. As such, fantasy owners must decide how important that category is to the overall construction of their roster. If we value the stat, we'll draft […]
Riley Mrack's 10 Bold Predictions for 2020
Who doesn't love a good set of bold predictions? There's nothing like some biased analysis to persuade you to target or avoid the players that are featured in this specific article series. While I will present some factual data, I must admit my personal rooting interest has had some influence on a few of these […]
Yahoo ADP Comparison - Overpriced / Underpriced Players
Average Draft Position (ADP) is a must-have piece of information when it comes to drafting. While every league is different and may have a particularly aggressive or conservative group of owners when it comes to certain players, it’s the best tool we have when analyzing players’ value. Now, instead of just talking about total ADP […]
Adam Eaton Returns Wednesday
Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton (hamstring) returned to Grapefruit League play on Wednesday as the designated hitter and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout against the Astros. If Eaton can avoid any setbacks with his hamstring, he should be fine for Opening Day. Trea Turner is expected to lead off in 2020, with Eaton hitting second. […]
Yan Gomes, Kurt Suzuki to Split Time
Although Washington Nationals catcher Yan Gomes will be the team's primary option again this season, fellow catcher Kurt Suzuki will get a large chunk of the playing time. Suzuki is looking to catch starters Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez, with Gomes catching the rest of the staff. Suzuki has been the superior hitter for years […]
Starlin Castro May Hit Third
Washington Nationals second baseman Starlin Castro is likely to be the team's No. 3 hitter this season, hitting between lefty outfielders Adam Eaton and Juan Soto. It would certainly be a prime situation for Castro and would give a bump to his fantasy value. Castro's 97 career wRC+ doesn't make him a prototypical No. 3 […]
Break the League: The ESPN Points League Ranker
It might always be in fashion to go after the worldwide leader but this not just some critique de rigueur of their points game and coverage. I actually have a soft spot for ESPN as they were home to my original league for years and our scoring is somewhat similar to their default settings. When […]
Bases Loaded Podcast: Shortstop Rankings Risers, Fallers and Sleepers
Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) is joined by Jorge Montanez of RotoBaller (@Roto_Nino). They get into their shortstop rankings risers, fallers and sleepers. 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 […]
Max Scherzer Has Right Side "Discomfort"
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer said Tuesday that he is dealing with some discomfort on his right side, but blames it on lacking endurance in the early going. He threw long toss and plans to make his scheduled start on Sunday. Scherzer may not be concerned, but his health issues last year make any […]
Adam Eaton (OF, WAS) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~180s CURRENT ADP: ~204 overall ANALYSIS: In 2019, a healthy Adam Eaton hit .279/.365/.428 with 15 home runs, 15 steals, 103 runs scored and 49 driven in—nothing spectacular, but useful in four categories. He played in 151 games after combining for just 118 in his first two years in Washington. That […]
2019 Busts Who'll Keep Junking it Up - Infielders
Nothing grinds a fantasy owner's gears quite like a bust. Well, maybe unpaid league dues, but busts are a close second. It doesn't feel good to stare at your lineup all-season and watch a high draft pick torpedo your team's chances at glory. Spurned owners tend to avoid the players who've burned them, but a […]
Eric Samulski's 10 Bold Predictions for 2020
I've read these columns for years, so it's kind of surreal to be putting out my own. As somebody who constantly over-analyzes, I tend to be less risky in my fantasy decisions because a part of my brain always walks me back from the ledge. With that in mind, I tried to mix up the […]
Late-Round Outfielders - Targets and Avoids in 2020
Once you reach the middle-to-late rounds of drafts, it would be smart to consider drafting some upside fliers that can provide a great return on value. You can take a risk or two on a variety of different players, including a prospect, forgotten veterans, players returning from injuries, or even players with skills but have […]
Asdrubal Cabrera Could Start At Third Base
Washington Nationals infielder Asdrubal Cabrera has "embraced" a role as a mentor to fellow infielder Carter Kieboom. Cabrera is likely also the backup plan to start at third if Kieboom isn't ready at the beginning of the season. Certainly Cabrera would be more valuable as a primary starter than mostly coming off the bench. He […]
ADP Champ or Chump: Kole Calhoun and Rafael Devers
Welcome! This column takes a deep dive into two player profiles to determine if they represent value at their current draft day cost or if you would be better off looking at similarly-priced options. We incorporate every grain of relevant data we can, including info from Baseball Savant, Roster Resource, FanGraphs, FantasyPros, and Baseball Prospectus. […]
ESPN ADP Comparison - Overpriced / Underpriced Players
Average Draft Position (ADP) is a must-have piece of information when it comes to drafting. While every league is different and may have a particularly aggressive or conservative group of owners when it comes to certain players, it’s the best tool we have when analyzing players’ value. Now, instead of just talking about total ADP […]
Introducing the RotoBaller Points League Ranker Tool
Its time to shine some love down on point league players and help you crush your leagues with easy to understand and easy to leverage information that will put you streets ahead of the average competition. That's right, you over there who was thrilled last year to draft Ronald Acuna Jr. in the first round […]
Nine NL Rookies Ready to Leap Into Starting Lineups
Every year, there are those rookies who we expect to make a splash right away; think Kris Bryant, Ronald Acuna, Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge -- those guys. Once we make it through all the service time manipulation shenanigans, there are always youngsters ready to snatch roster spots immediately, and 2020 is no exception. Earlier this week […]
Joining the Launch Angle Revolution: Potential Power Risers
Launch angle has become perhaps the trendiest stat in all of fantasy baseball. If you turn on any podcast, you hear analysts mentioning that "if a player could only increase his launch angle, he could be a stud" (cough - Yandy Diaz - cough). Often, I think this analysis is oversimplified. Launch angle is obviously […]
Predicting the Top-10 Finishers in ERA for 2020
Earned Run Average (ERA) is one of the most important stats when it comes to pitching. The best pitchers in the league have the lowest ERA, because, quite simply, if a pitcher doesn’t let up runs, they are inherently more valuable. Determining the top ERA leaders for the upcoming season can be extremely useful, because […]
2020 Shortstop Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Leagues
As the season draws near, we realize suddenly that it's draft season. There is a large portion of fantasy baseball busy with mock drafts, rankings, sleepers, and more mock drafts. The Dynasty community, on the other hand, is looking to continue their dominance, rebuild, or in a worst-case scenario, stick their hands up in frustration. […]
2020 Fantasy Baseball Busts - RotoBaller Staff Picks
As you prepare for fantasy baseball drafts in 2020, it's crucial that you avoid the dreaded bust who could sink your team. As we did with sleepers, our staff came together to share their thoughts on preseason ADP values, this time on their least favorite picks. While you've likely heard some of these names already […]
MLB Spring Training Notebook - Injuries, Risers, Position Battles (3/6/20)
Welcome to the first edition of our Spring Training Notebook, where we'll dive into a few of the bigger stories around Major League Baseball's Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. As we head through the thick of Spring Training 2020, players are starting to separate themselves in the eyes of their organizations with hopes of making the […]
Third Basemen Set to Breakout in 2020
The purpose of this article, as the title suggests, is to identify third basemen who have shown the potential to have a breakout season heading into 2020. These will be players that were likely on waivers at some point in your league during 2019 and may or may not have been added down the stretch. […]
Late-Round Values and Fliers for Stolen Bases (Premium Content)
There is so much more of a fantasy baseball focus on stolen bases over the past few seasons. Specialists in the category such as Billy Hamilton and Mallex Smith have become highly sought after, only to burn owners because they didn’t do much in other categories. More to the point, there is much speculation whether […]
WPC+ Videocast: TGFBI Expert League Analysis
Pierre Camus and Nicklaus Gaut review their draft boards and ADP for The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational (TGFBI) expert league. They share their strategies, discuss which picks were most surprising, and explain how this information can help you in your home league draft! Like and subscribe to the RotoBaller channel on Youtube to get all […]
Victor Robles Remains Day-to-Day
Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles is still day-to-day as of Thursday with an oblique injury. He had an MRI about a week ago now and is doing some hitting and throwing despite the day-to-day designation. The injury may be lingering a little bit but it doesn't seem to be a big deal yet. Still, if […]
Stephen Strasburg Throws Bullpen To Stay On Schedule
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg threw a bullpen session roughly equivalent to three innings on Thursday. He's simply putting in the work to get into a routine this spring. He doesn't seem to be resting on his laurels--and by laurels, we mean his big pile of money--after signing a $245-million contract this offseason to […]
Bases Loaded Podcast: All Things Fantasy Baseball w/ Bobby Sylvester (@bobbyfantasypro)
Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) is joined by Bobby Sylvester (@bobbyfantasypro) and they discuss all things fantasy baseball! 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 […]
Auction Draft Dollar Day Targets
There are multiple strategies available to drafters in auctions. It is one of the reasons auctions are so much more interesting and fun than snake drafts. They award owners the ability to maneuver their roster the way they see fit. One of the most popular strategies is a stars-and-scrubs alignment, meaning owners pay up for […]