Articles
2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: Corey Dickerson
With the recent trade from the Colorado Rockies to the Tampa Bay Rays, Corey Dickerson’s opportunity for more playing time has drastically improved. Unlike his tenure with the Rockies, Dickerson’s position as an everyday outfielder is his to lose. Tampa Bay will likely look to use Dickerson as their everyday left fielder. Dickerson’s last season […]
Billy Johnston 9 years agoAuction Strategy: Use All Of Your Money
Don't Get Caught Watching The last installment of my four part series on auction strategy is all about the money. Specifically, you should spend all of it. Your plan and budget are set, and now it is time to start drafting. You set a lovely, structured plan. Now you're immediately challenged by other owners spending […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoAuction Draft Strategy: How to Manage Your Budget
We previous looked at Part 1 (How to Prepare for Auction Drafts) and Part 2 (Five Key Mistakes to Avoid Making) of our Auction Draft Strategy series. Today we look at how to budget your team's salary. The most important strategy for auction drafts is how to budget your allowance. Keeping track of how your dollars are […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoAuction Draft Strategy: Five Key Mistakes to Avoid at the Auction Table
There are many ways your auction can blow up before your eyes. Part Two of my strategy for auction drafts is focused around five key mistakes to avoid making in auction drafts. This list of five is comes from my own experience at the auction table in more than a few auction leagues over the years. These […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoAuction Draft Strategy Part One: How to Prepare for Auction Drafts
Going Once, Going Twice... An auction is the most exciting way to draft in fantasy baseball, but it can also be the most difficult. For this article and the three to follow, I will be using the assumption that your league’s standard settings give you a $260 allowance. For those unfamiliar with the process, that is […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoArismendy Alcantara (2B/SS/OF, CHI) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target Late in Deep, NL-Only Leagues ANALYSIS: As of early March, Arismendy Alcantara hasn’t won any of the starting nine field positions but is listed second on Chicago’s depth chart at both second base and center field. However, with Joe Madden now in Chicago, plenty of opportunity for at bats in a utility role […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoTop 10 Projected Stolen Base Leaders: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings
RUN, RUN, RUN! Predicting the top five or six stolen base leaders is a relatively easy process. Those guys are in situations that breed an abundance of opportunities and they do not have much, if any, depth behind them competing for playing time. They rack up stolen base by the dozens and have a clear […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoTop 10 Projected RBI Producers: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings
With the season only a month away, some fantasy owners have already started drafting, and everyone else is preparing to do so. Most (if not all) leagues value runs batted in (RBI) as a scoring statistic, and it's as important as any scoring stat out there. But it's not always so easy to forecast. […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoAndrew Heaney: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper
Andrew Heaney had a busy offseason in which he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Miami Marlins only to be traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim five hours later. At Anaheim, Heaney will compete for the final spot in the starting rotation with Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano, according to […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoBilly Hamilton (OF, CIN) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target as OF2 ANALYSIS: Billy Hamilton's 56 SB last year still were good for the second-most in the league (Dee Gordon, 64). However, Hamilton left a lot to be desired last year, with only 72 runs scored and a mediocre .250 batting average. Understandably, Hamilton owners were driven crazy by his inconsistency, but he […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoBilly Hamilton: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper
The Flash, Sometimes While Billy Hamilton didn't steal 100 bases last year, his 56 still were good for the second-mostin the league (Dee Gordon, 64). However, Hamilton left more to be desired last year, with only 72 runs scored and a mediocre .250 batting average. Understandably, Hamilton owners were driven crazy by his inconsistency. It was […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoJonathan Villar (SS, HOU) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target Late In Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Out of the three shortstops in Houston, the other two being Jed Lowrie and Marwin Gonzalez, Jonathan Villar is the only one who has any stand out skill – speed. In only 87 games last year, Villar snagged 17 SB. He stole another 24 in 51 games in Triple-A. It is not […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoMatt Kemp: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Overvalued Outfielder and Potential Bust
Busted Hips, Busted Fantasy Asset Matt Kemp’s first half of 2014 was as ugly as they come with only eight home runs, 35 RBI, and a .269 batting average. He fixed whatever was bothering him in the first half by hitting 17 homers, 54 RBI, and a .309 average in the second half. Moving […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoAndrew Heaney (SP, LAA) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target in Late Rounds ANALYSIS: This offseason, Andrew Heaney was traded from the Marlins to the Dodgers to the Angels in one day. In Anaheim, Heaney will compete for the final spot in the starting rotation with Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano, according to the Angels' official site. In just 29.1 innings last year, Heaney […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoJonathan Villar: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Deep Shortstop Sleeper
A Sleeper If He Plays Houston Astros shortstop Jonathan Villar is a deep sleeper this year. Out of the three shortstops in Houston, the other two being Jed Lowrie and Marwin Gonzalez, Villar is the only one who has any stand out skill - speed. The itch to develop Villar into a big league asset should set in rather […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Platoons - Blackmon, Dickerson, Stubbs
Platoon Power Platoons can be an excellent source of cheap, high quality production. Last season, the Colorado Rockies featured a useful outfield platoon with Charlie Blackmon, Drew Stubbs, and Corey Dickerson. All three compiled great seasons individually, and I expect the same from them this season. With Carlos Gonzalez a permanent injury risk, there should be […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoChris Owings (SS, ARI) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target as High-End MI ANALYSIS: With only 393 career plate appearances (PA) in the majors, Chris Owings has won the Diamondbacks' starting shortstop job. Naturally, this will increase his fantasy value significantly in 2015, as will his eligibility at both SS and 2B. In 332 PA last year, Owings showed decent speed with eight […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoChris Owings: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Sleeper
Multiple-Position Eligibility For A Middle Infield Sleeper With only two years of experience and 393 plate appearances (PA) in the major leagues, Chris Owings has taken the starting shortstop position from Cliff Pennington. Naturally, this will increase his fantasy value significantly in 2015 as will his dual eligibility in both SS and 2B. In his […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoStephen Vogt (C, OAK) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target in Late Rounds as Backup Catcher ANALYSIS: Stephen Vogt had a modest fantasy year in 2014, with only nine HR, 35 RBI and a .279 AVG. With only one other catcher, Josh Phegley, on the A’s 40-man roster, expect Vogt to see a healthy increase in PA from the 287 he had last […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoOakland's Catcher Platoon: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Sleepers
Stephen Vogt and Josh Phegley Both Figure to be Sleepers in 2015 The magical world of Billy Beane and platooning every position on the diamond does not seem to be fading anytime soon. One of the more interesting platoons last year was the catcher platoon of Derek Norris, John Jaso, and Stephen Vogt. The […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoHitters 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 […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Baseball Buy / Sell: Hitters To Target In Week 18
Like last week, now is make it or break it time in fantasy baseball. Making drastic and questionable changes to your team is now necessary if you are far behind in the standings. Trading your big name for two or three solid contributors can make a huge impact. Also, continuing to hold on to your […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Baseball Buy Low / Sell High: Hitters Week 17
We are now entering the post-All Star Game portion of the fantasy season. My biggest takeaway from the game itself was how bad Yasiel Puig choked in not JUST the game, but the Home Run Derby, too. Poor guy. We should all know by now whether our teams need true adjustment or if it'll be […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Baseball Buy Low / Sell High: Hitters for Week 16
Buy/Sell Week 16: Don't Give Up Yet! In some leagues we only have about 6 weeks left (excluding the playoffs) of fantasy baseball. I hope you all enjoy the impending end to the season, because I know we will all have a lot more time on our hands when it’s over. Even if your playoff […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Baseball Hitters to Buy and Sell for Week 15
Move over Billy Hamilton and Dee Gordon, there is another speedster at the show who has made quite an impact, Jose Altuve. What a week Altuve had last week. He had 10 SB to bring his total for the season to 37. That total has already surpassed his total last year and he does not […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoBuy / Sell Week 14: Fantasy Baseball Hitters To Target In Trades
Your Gooaaalll Is To Stay One Step Ahead I know it has been hard for most of us to sit and watch a baseball game with all of the heart stopping World Cup action happening. The good news is that your league has most likely done the same. Be alert during the next few days […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Baseball Hitters to Buy and Sell for Week 13
I’m going to change things up a bit for you guys this week. I’ve decided it would be more beneficial for the readers if I wrote four buys and only two sells in my articles. I'll discuss additional players who are overdue for a hot-streak, and spend less time on guys whose value depends largely […]
Billy Johnston 10 years agoFantasy Baseball Hitters to Buy and Sell for Week 12
In this week's buy / sell, we look at some sleeper hitters who can very likely be bought cheaply right now, as well as some overvalued hitters you should consider trading away. But first, there will be a little gloating over last week's buy candidate, who went off in a historic way... Hopefully You Listened To […]
Billy Johnston 11 years agoFantasy Baseball Advice: Q&A Session on Reddit (6/5)
Yesterday RotoBaller participated in an awesome Q&A session on Reddit. Almost 200 questions & answers were posted, and each one was answered by @BillyJohnston14 and the RotoBaller team. We talked about recent MLB news, waiver wire pickups, sleepers, prospects, trades and much much more. You can click here to read a full transcript on Reddit of all […]
Billy Johnston 11 years agoBuy / Sell Hitters Week 10: Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice
Although he's way more of a predictable power hitter than some of the potential sleepers on list below, it was still awesome to watch Edwin Encarnacion have the best May we’ve seen since Mickey Mantle. With 17 home runs and 33 RBI in the past 30 days (not games), I’d say he’s hotter than the David Price […]
Billy Johnston 11 years ago