2020 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - Jose Urquidy

It's been a tumultuous winter for the Houston Astros. Not only were they embroiled in a sign-stealing scandal (which has, naturally, progressed apace to unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about ever more sophisticated methods of cheating), but they watched staff ace Gerrit Cole sign a mammoth free-agent deal with the Yankees. Plenty of virtual ink has been... Read More

Early ADP Thoughts - Outfielders

♫It's the most wonderful tiiiiiiiime, of the year!♫ Well, sort of. In much of the country, February brings terrible weather and generally feels interminable, despite being the shortest month on the calendar. This being a leap year, we get an extra day of it. Fun! But for fantasy baseball owners, fun is exactly what you... Read More

Cavan Biggio: 2020 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

Now that the calendar has flipped to February, it's time to begin mapping out strategy in earnest for your 2020 fantasy baseball drafts. That includes identifying potentially undervalued targets, often referred to in the popular parlance as "sleepers." Anyone who has read my work in the past knows my feelings toward that term. It's too... Read More

Fernando Tatis Jr. - 2019 Season in Review

A year ago, though he was highly valued in dynasty leagues, Fernando Tatis Jr. was viewed merely as a late-round flier in redraft formats. At just 20 years old and with only 450 plate appearances above Single-A, there was a large degree of uncertainty around his 2019 outlook. Would San Diego's front office manipulate his... Read More

2019 Season in Review: Carlos Correa

Over the first five seasons of his career, Carlos Correa has demonstrated why the Astros chose him first overall in the 2012 MLB amateur draft. He captured American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2015, along with some down-ballot MVP consideration. In 2017, he made his first All-Star team, finishing 10th in the league... Read More

2019 Season in Review: Danny Santana

One of the first articles I ever published with RotoBaller was a warning. Specifically, this column dissuaded fantasy owners from buying into Danny Santana's breakout 2014 season. (Yes, I've been doing this for a long time/am old.) That year, Santana had emerged from obscurity as a 23-year-old rookie to hit .319/.353/.472 with 70 runs scored... Read More

Don't Doubt Mike Trout: Why He's Still #1

It has become fashionable for fantasy owners to suggest that perhaps this is the year that Mike Trout should be supplanted as the consensus first overall draft pick. Not one, but two other players - Ronald Acuna and Christian Yelich - are being regularly selected in early NFBC drafts ahead of the 28-year-old Trout, who... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 26

One last week remains in the 2019 season. For as much as the fantasy baseball campaign is a marathon, it always seems to pass by so quickly, doesn't it? Hopefully this column has been a boon to your pursuit of fantasy hardware. Once more unto the breach, without further ado... As a reminder, our focus... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 26

This is it, folks. One last week and we'll arrive at the conclusion of the 2019 baseball season. Odds are if you're still reading this, you're in the hunt for a championship - or at least finishing on the podium and/or in the money. Hopefully this feature has been of assistance. A reminder before we... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 25

Two weeks. That's all that separates us from the end of the 2019 season. It feels like we only just got started. Alas, all good things must come to an end. Hopefully this season has qualified as such for you - and if this feature played a role in making it so, even better. A... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 25

With just two weeks remaining in the 2019 season, every move takes on added importance. The finish line is in view. It's quite literally now or never for those with title hopes. In the final stretch, the waiver wire is your only avenue for reinforcements, and though you'll have fewer rivals to outmaneuver, those that... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 24

Only three weeks left in the 2019 season. If you're reading this, your team is almost certainly still in the hunt for a championship. Congratulations on surviving the grind of a long season. We're not at the finish line yet, though. In the final stretch, the waiver wire is your only avenue for reinforcements, and... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 24

With just three weeks remaining in the 2019 season, the stakes are at their highest. There is precious little room for error as we barrel toward the conclusion of the year. That's true regardless of format; head-to-head owners have to navigate their league's postseason, while rotisserie players must make every move count as they scratch... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

Somehow, it's already September. If you're still in the championship hunt, congratulations on navigating the first five months of the long grind that is the fantasy baseball season. With trade deadlines firmly in the rearview mirror, the waiver wire is your only recourse for reinforcements. A well-timed pickup could prove to be the difference between... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

This is it, folks. We've officially crossed the rubicon into September. Almost all head-to-head leagues have commenced postseason play, and rotisserie owners are scrambling for any edge they can find as we rapidly approach the end of the 2019 season. Pitching has been a trouble spot for many owners this season. Hopefully, this column has... Read More

Tips for Head-to-Head Playoff Success

Anyone who has read my work, followed my Twitter feed, or in some other fashion engaged with me on the subject of fantasy baseball knows my strong preference for rotisserie formats over head-to-head. While the appeal of the latter is obvious, the idea of successfully navigating the grind of a six-month season only be to... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22

Only five weeks remain in the 2019 regular season. Some leagues have already commenced postseason play; most of us are still fighting for positioning. With trade deadlines firmly in the rearview mirror, the waiver wire is your only recourse for reinforcements. A well-timed pickup could prove to be the difference between a championship and a... Read More

Delino DeShields (OF, TEX) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of leagues ANALYSIS: Delino DeShields is not a great hitter, as evidenced by his .674 OPS and 17 home runs in 1,841 career plate appearances. He can draw walks, but strikes out too much for a guy with no pop. If you're rostering him in a fantasy... Read More

Oscar Mercado (OF, CLE) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 34% of leagues ANALYSIS: Since being promoted to the major leagues in mid-May, Oscar Mercado has compiled roughly a half-season's worth of plate appearances. With the usual caveat that we can't simply extrapolate that sample over a full season, what he has done in that time is worthy of... Read More

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Tigers are terrible, but bad teams still get save opportunities (unless they're the Orioles, perhaps). Joe Jimenez has assumed the closer role after Detroit shipped Shane Greene to Atlanta at the trade deadline, and done well thus far. The hard-throwing righty has converted four... Read More

Kevin Pillar (OF, SF) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 43% of leagues ANALYSIS: Kevin Pillar has been one of the game's hottest hitters in recent weeks, and fantasy owners have begun to take notice - his ownership rate has more than doubled in the last few days. You can still add him in the majority of Yahoo leagues,... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 22

Just over a month remains of the 2019 season. Playoffs have already begun in some fantasy baseball leagues, but most of us are still fighting for position regardless of scoring format. Pitching has been a bugbear for many owners in 2019. Hopefully, this column has helped you navigate the waters thus far and will continue... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 21

The end of the 2019 season is now, incredibly, just six weeks away. With fantasy football kicking into high gear and many owners out of the running in baseball leagues, we can expect there to be fewer suitors for any waiver wire pickups moving forward. The owners who remain, of course, are generally of a... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 21

Time marches on, and with it the 2019 fantasy baseball season. With playoffs looming in head-to-head leagues, rotisserie formats barreling toward crunch time, and trade deadlines either near or already behind us, outmaneuvering your rivals on the waiver wire is of the utmost importance. Good thing you're reading this column, eh? A reminder before we... Read More

Managing For The Stretch Run

If you've gotten this far into the season and remain firmly in contention, congratulations! The fantasy baseball season is a grind, and maintaining a competitive squad for four and a half months presents a challenge to which many owners can't measure up. Still, as we approach the playoffs for those of you in head-to-head leagues... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

Time marches on, and with it the end of the 2019 fantasy baseball season grows nearer. With fantasy football kicking into high gear and many owners out of the running in baseball leagues, we can expect there to be fewer suitors for any waiver wire pickups moving forward. The owners who remain, of course, are... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 20

Week...20?! That can't be right, but somehow it is. With playoffs looming in head-to-head leagues, rotisserie formats barreling toward crunch time, and trade deadlines either near or already behind us, outmaneuvering your rivals on the waiver wire is of the utmost importance. Good thing you're reading this column. A reminder before we begin: This column... Read More

On The Value of Rankings

If you read my work last season, you may remember that 2018 was an uncommonly lean year in terms of personal fantasy success. Actually kinda hope you don't remember, because if you do that probably means I complained about it too often. Alas. Anyway, in reflecting on the root causes of these struggles, one of... Read More

1B and 3B Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 19

It's frankly flabbergasting to find ourselves in August already, but here we are. With fantasy football kicking into high gear and many owners out of the running in baseball leagues, we can expect there to be fewer suitors for any waiver wire pickups moving forward. The owners who remain, of course, are generally of a... Read More

Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 19

We're into August - the dog days of summer and the fantasy baseball season alike. The grind of a long season, along with the impending start of football, will siphon off the weak links in your league. That means less competition for waiver wire assets, but it also means that everyone still playing is in... Read More