Melvin Upton Jr. (OF, SDP) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 60 percent of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: While his ownership rate is finally trending up, the mind fairly boggles at how slow the fantasy community has been to embrace the Melvin Upton Jr. (née Bossman) renaissance. Yes, he was abysmal in two seasons with the Braves, but he... Read More

Week 13 Waiver Wire: First Base (1B) and Third Base (3B)

Hard to believe we’re nearly at the halfway point of the 2016 season, isn’t it? It’s been a bit of a down year offensively at first base, so hopefully you’ve found this feature helpful. Well, ideally, you drafted one of the big names who haven’t disappointed, but you get the point. Remember, in addition to... Read More

Buy, Sell or Hold: What to Do With These First Half Overachievers

This article first appeared in the Metro news publication. Every season gives us plenty of fantasy breakouts and busts. This week and next week, we’ll take a closer look at players who have surprised or disappointed fantasy owners, and determine their outlooks for the remainder of 2016. Today, our focus is on the guys who... Read More

Luis Valbuena (1B/3B, HOU) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed Leagues, AL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 5% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: There’s no point in sugar-coating it— for the first month of the season, Luis Valbuena was terrible. He hit just .183/.290/.250 with zero homers and only four extra-base hits. But since May 7, when he finally went yard for the first... Read More

Joe Mauer (1B, MIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed Leagues, AL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 21% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Joe Mauer has started all but two games for the Twins in 2016. After a couple of lean years, Mauer is on pace for his highest home run total since 2009— he has seven bombs already. Five of those homers have... Read More

Brandon Moss (1B/OF, STL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed Leagues, NL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 41% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: After scuffling throughout most of the month of May, Brandon Moss has been a force so far in June. While he’s only played in 14 games, he’s hit a whopping .354/.436/.875 with seven dingers and 22 R+RBI. You usually don’t get... Read More

Week 12 Buy and Sell for Fantasy Baseball

After a couple of weeks on the positive side of the ledger, regression was inevitable. Jayson Werth didn’t offer much in the way of category juice over the past week, though he did continue to collect hits and lift his batting average back toward respectability. Jon Gray turned in a solid effort against the Marlins... Read More

Week 12 Waiver Wire: First Base (1B) and Third Base (3B)

Welcome back, RotoBallers. It's that time again, and I'm here to help you identify some waiver wire pickups at first base and third base for Week 12. Be sure to also check out our weekly waiver wire rankings that are constantly being updated for different league sized and formats. We're bearing down on the halfway... Read More

Week 11 Waiver Wire: First Base (1B) and Third Base (3B)

With one exception, today we’ll be looking exclusively at players who can be slotted into both middle and corner infield positions. That kind of flexibility is plenty valuable, especially for owners who are dealing with a rash of injuries. If you count yourself among that unfortunate group, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive... Read More

Yesterday's Studs and Duds: Fantasy Baseball Recap from 6/15/16

Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. Several contests needed extra innings to be decided, leaving us with some wacky stat lines to discuss. Here's a quick look at those who impressed on Wednesday, and those who want to pretend the day never... Read More

Week 11 Buy and Sell for Fantasy Baseball

Another week above water for Buy/Sell! I might just be getting the hang of this fantasy baseball thing. Owners finally sat up and took notice of Danny Duffy after his 10-strikeout performance against the White Sox. He’s among the most added players across all the major platforms over the last few days. Jake Lamb had... Read More

Tommy Joseph (1B, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 17% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: After battling concussions and an astigmatism in his eye over the last few years, Tommy Joseph is finally healthy and showing the power stroke that led the Phillies to ask for him in the Hunter Pence trade back in 2012. While his... Read More

Martin Prado (3B, MIA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 28% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Martin Prado has always been a more valuable player in real life than in fantasy baseball. He’s scored more than 81 runs just once, never totaled more than 82 RBI or 15 homers, and hasn’t stolen more than five bases in a... Read More

Danny Espinosa (2B/SS/3B, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 34% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Danny Espinosa averaged 19 homers and 19 steals in his two seasons as a regular, albeit with middling batting averages. He’s spent the last few years serving as a utility man, but with Ian Desmond departing as a free agent this winter,... Read More

Steve Pearce (1B/2B, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, AL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 39% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Steve Pearce has been in and out of the lineup this month while dealing with elbow soreness, but he’s continued to hit when on the field. He’s collected three hits in three of his last five games, including three doubles. That barrage... Read More

Jhonny Peralta (SS/3B, STL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-Only Leagues OWNED IN: 42% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Jhonny Peralta missed the first two months of the season with a torn thumb ligament. He’s shown little rust since returning, hitting .321/.387/.536 with a homer and 11 R+RBI in his first six games. Peralta has not yet gained third base eligibility... Read More

Robbie Grossman (OF, MIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3 percent of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: Throughout his minor league tenure, Robbie Grossman showed great patience at the plate, along with some pop and speed. He was never able to translate that success to the big leagues, though, producing below-average numbers in parts of three seasons with the... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Strategy: Prospects to Stash

This article first appeared in the Metro news publication. With Tuesday’s announcement that the Pirates will finally promote top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon, fantasy owners may be wondering who’s next – and whether they’re worth a roster spot. Here are some names to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Obviously, in any competitive... Read More

Yesterday's Studs and Duds: Fantasy Baseball Recap from 6/9/16

Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. As usual, Thursday's limited slate of games didn't want for notable performances. Here's a quick rundown of those who impressed on Thursday, and those who want to pretend the day never happened. Editor’s Note: To... Read More

Danny Duffy (SP, KCR) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15 percent of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: Danny Duffy’s supposed breakout in 2014 was a mirage, built primarily on the back of an unsustainable BABIP. He was more or less the same pitcher last year, but when that number normalized, his ERA rose by a run and... Read More

Week 10 Buy and Sell for Fantasy Baseball

Last week’s recommendations worked out pretty well. On the buy side, Joey Votto hit .318/.464/.727 with two homers and three (!) stolen bases. Scott Kazmir had his outing against the Braves cut short by leg cramps and didn’t post great ratios. He still struck out a batter per inning and got a win, though. Moving... Read More

Yesterday's Studs and Duds: Fantasy Baseball Recap from 6/8/16

Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. Every team was in action last night, so there's plenty to discuss. Here's a quick look at those who impressed on Wednesday, and those who want to pretend the day never happened. Editor’s Note: To... Read More

Matt Shoemaker (SP, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40 percent of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: Matt Shoemaker came seemingly out of nowhere in 2014 to deliver an excellent fantasy season. He won 16 games with a 3.04 ERA, 8.2 K/9, and 5.17 K/B. Last season, he showed flashes of that form, but was too often... Read More

Michael Fulmer (SP, DET) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 64 percent of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: Given how well Yoenis Cespedes has performed since joining the Mets, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the organization who regrets that trade. But the Tigers are reaping the benefits as well, thanks to Michael Fulmer's strong debut. Through his first... Read More

Domingo Santana (OF, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16 percent of Fleaflicker leagues ANALYSIS: A popular sleeper in fantasy drafts this year, Domingo Santana hasn't quite delivered on that promise. That's partially due to a shoulder injury that hampered him for a while before he finally went on the disabled list. He's healthy now and... Read More

Week 10 Waiver Wire: First Base (1B) and Third Base (3B)

Week 10?! That can't be right. It seems like just yesterday that we were all saying things like, "Hey, catcher might not be a black hole this season!" and "That Dallas Keuchel guy sure can throw a baseball good!" and "Justin Upton's probably going to have a career year!" Oh, to be two months younger... Read More

Fantasy Baseball Strategy: How to Close the Standings Gap

This article first appeared in the Metro news publication. With Memorial Day in the rearview mirror, many fantasy owners are staring up at their rivals in the standings and feeling the pressure of falling behind. If you’re among them, here are some tips to help you close the gap. Review the Numbers When looking at... Read More

Yesterday's Studs and Duds: Fantasy Baseball Recap from 6/2/16

Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. There was a good mix of high-scoring affairs and dominant pitching performances. Here's a quick rundown of those who impressed on Thursday, and those who want to pretend the day never happened. Editor’s Note: To... Read More

Yesterday's Studs and Duds: Fantasy Baseball Recap from 6/1/16

Every day, we will be taking a quick look at the best and worst fantasy baseball performers from yesterday's games. They were low-scoring affairs for the most part, with a couple of slugfests thrown in. Here's a quick look at those who impressed on Wednesday, and those who want to pretend the day never happened.... Read More

Week 9 Buy and Sell for Fantasy Baseball

Last week’s column could best be graded as an “incomplete” since two of the four players highlighted went on the disabled list – one on each side. As for those who stayed on the field, Brad Miller hit well (.939 OPS) but didn’t offer much in the way of category juice, while Julio Teheran had... Read More