Sauceda's Slants: Finding POWA in the Infield

We recently introduced our new hitter metric, POWA (which stands for Prediction of wOBA Attempt), to more appropriately align and weight new Statcast metrics to better predict future performance. You can read the introductory piece for the full details and a 2019 POWA leaderboard, but the gist of it is: POWA is nearly 10% more […]

Sauceda's Slants: More POWA to your Outfield

We recently introduced our new hitter metric, POWA (which stands for Prediction of wOBA Attempt), to more appropriately align and weight new Statcast metrics to better predict future performance. You can read the introductory piece for the full details and a 2019 POWA leaderboard, but the gist of it is: POWA is nearly 10% more […]

Introducing POWA - A New Hitting Metric Stickier Than wOBA

It can be fun to look back at previous things you’ve written, gaining a window into your state of mind in that moment. I originally wrote much of this piece back in March, when baseball seemed like a distant dream. From March: "The last few weeks have been challenging. In the grand scheme of things, […]

Sauceda's Slants - Five Starters To Add For Pitching-Thirsty Teams

Oh, the thrill of Monday mornings. On your train commute to work, you rush to set your lineups for the upcoming week. Unfortunately, you see your pitching staff is riddled with swiss flags and “IL” labels — a sign that the chaos of the baseball season has infected your team. You see Max Scherzer ailing with […]

Sauceda's Slants: Folding Aces

There are very few Fantasy experiences more pleasing than hitting on a late-round sleeper or sneaky waiver acquisition — not unlike the experience of finding a twenty-dollar bill in your pocket that you had completely forgotten. When landing these types of players, common refrain tends to be, “sell high!” But for anyone who’s played in […]

Sauceda's Slants: Buy Low Report - 8 Hitters to Target

There’s something positively blissful about scanning your rosters and seeing double-digit — or *gasp* single-digit! — ranks up-and-down the roster. But let’s be clear: these stats are in the past. They’re already banked. They shouldn’t overpower our valuation of them going forward because, really, that’s all that matters — what are they likely to produce […]

Sauceda's Slants - Six Hitters to Buy for Today's Environment

Pitching days can be pure euphoria — firing up the games to watch your pitchers (hopefully) mow down the opposing team for several innings. Catching one of your hitters’ at-bats just doesn’t create that same lasting feeling. Or, at least that’s what I used to say. Nowadays, I find myself bracing for dear life whenever […]

Sauceda's Slants - Is Carlos Rodon McCullers-ing?

Maybe this isn’t the best time to write this. He just gave up eight earned runs (ER) in a wild game at home against the Detroit Tigers, a team that currently ranks 27th in runs per game and 25th by weighted on-base average (wOBA). Or maybe that makes this the perfect time to write this, because […]

Sauceda's Slants - Take Action on Early Season Trends

Someone recently DM’d me on Twitter asking where I’ve been. Where had my writing gone? I must admit, I was flattered that someone enjoyed my work and was curious why we hadn’t seen more. So what? Why am I telling you this? All for the glorification of my massive ego? (And perhaps to suggest you’re […]