What are FIP and xFIP? Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome RotoBallers to our overview of FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and xFIP (expected Fielding Independent Pitching). This article is a deeper dive into FIP/xFIP and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball." In this article, we'll explore how to separate a pitcher's performance from his supporting cast and luck using metrics […]

What is Plate Discipline (SwStr% and O-Swing%)? Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our overview of plate discipline. This article is a deeper dive into plate discipline, and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball." In this article, we'll look at how to predict K% and BB% using advanced plate discipline stats such as swinging strike percentage (SwStr%) and chase rate […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: Glossary Of Key Stats to Predict Performance (2025)

Hello, fellow RotoBallers! Sabermetrics have become an integral tool for fantasy baseball draft prep, but a concise resource for understanding the basics can be difficult to find. Today's article is an initial overview of sabermetrics and key stats for fantasy baseball -- we will also be going through some of the individual stats below, and […]

What is Batted Ball Distribution? Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome, RotoBallers, to our overview of batted ball distribution, or a batter's rates of grounders (GB%), flies (FB%), and line drives (LD%). This article is a deeper dive into batted ball distribution, and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball." In this article, we'll explain the differences between grounders, flies, and […]

What is HR/FB Rate? Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome Rotoballers to our overview of HR/FB (home run to fly ball ratio). This article is a deeper dive into HR/FB, and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball." In this article, we'll explain why HR/FB is important and how short-term spikes generally aren't predictive of power breakouts in layman's terms […]

What is BABIP (for Hitters)? Sabermetrics Glossary for Fantasy Baseball (2025)

Welcome RotoBallers to our overview of BABIP (batting average on balls in play) for hitters. This article is a deeper dive into BABIP for batters, and is part of our ongoing series "Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball". In this article we'll explain what BABIP is, specifically for hitters, and provide a definition that is hopefully […]

Rick Lucks' 2024 Fantasy Baseball Bold Predictions Revisited

Doesn't March feel like forever ago? Now that the 2024 fantasy baseball season is in the books, some of what we were thinking seems ridiculous in hindsight. I joined several of my Rotoballer colleagues in making bold predictions before the 2024 campaign, and now it's time to see how they panned out. Spoiler alert: there […]

Champ or Chump: Luisangel Acuna and Spencer Schwellenbach Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

We're in the fantasy baseball season's final week. It's easy to assume your waiver wire gems will keep performing well, but this isn't always the case. Luisangel Acuna is off to a hot start with the Mets, but he may lose his starting job with the imminent return of Francisco Lindor. The Braves don't have […]

Champ or Chump: Tylor Megill and JJ Bleday Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

We're down to the final two weeks of the fantasy baseball season. If your standings are close (or you're in the playoffs of a H2H league), any decision could make or break your year. You should do your homework for the best chance at success, but don't beat yourself up if things go awry. Remember, […]

Champ or Chump: Rhett Lowder Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Have you heard? A dominant college pitcher was taken in the 2023 Draft's first round. Scouts loved his stuff and control, and he was expected to advance quickly. He debuted in the NL Central this season, and his career is off to a solid start with an ERA of 0.87. That sounds like we're talking […]

Champ or Chump: Kyle Manzardo and David Peterson Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

The calendar flipped to September, so it's crunch time in fantasy baseball. Choosing the wrong stream or rostering an unproductive player could make the difference between winning or losing your league. If you need a bat, Kyle Manzardo possesses solid skills for the stretch run. However, he may be the wrong fit depending on your […]

Champ or Chump: Connor Norby and Dylan Crews Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Why do people love lists so much? MLB.com ranks the top 30 prospects in every organization plus an overall top 100, making it sound like everyone is a huge prospect. Most prospect lists are also agnostic of time, making it difficult to know if someone is expected to be great right away or struggle for […]

Champ or Chump: Jace Jung and Junior Caminero Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Traditionally, teams wait until September to call up promising rookies. September rosters no longer expand to 3,000 players per team, so clubs will take the plunge earlier if they think a prospect could benefit from big league time. Two teams recently made this decision. Jace Jung, younger brother of Texas' Josh Jung, and the No. […]

Champ or Chump: Victor Robles and Austin Wells Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

If you sort your waiver wire by whatever stat you're looking for, the results will be bleak right now. Everybody searches waivers that way, and your rivals have likely picked it clean. This doesn't mean that waivers are a barren wasteland, just that you need to approach it a little more creatively. One effective approach […]

Champ or Chump: Lucas Erceg and Coby Mayo Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

MLB's trade deadline was a week ago today. Roles are still unsettled, and talented players will receive their first opportunity. This will probably be the last chance for fantasy managers to add impact talent off waivers until September call-ups. Lucas Erceg was traded from the A's to the Royals, and he doesn't have a fantasy-friendly […]

Champ or Chump: Isaac Paredes, Randy Arozarena, and Jazz Chisolm Jr. Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

It's trade deadline day, and fantasy managers are scrambling to keep up with all the moves. A.J. Puk and Hunter Harvey were once top saves specs, but both were traded before "the guy" on their former clubs. That makes them Chumps. Similarly, Jason Adam and Carlos Estevez enter situations where they'll get fewer saves than […]

Champ or Chump: Nacho Alvarez and Edouard Julien Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Injuries are unavoidable in professional sports, and fantasy managers are accustomed to scrambling for a replacement when a major player goes down. If there's a bright side, injuries often open up opportunities for intriguing players. For instance, Ozzie Albies is expected to miss at least eight weeks with a wrist injury. The Braves are calling […]

Champ or Chump: Willi Castro and Jurickson Profar Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Nothing is better than seeing one of your sleeper picks named to a spot in the All-Star Game. Whether you're rewarded for your preseason draft prep or waiver wire savviness, it's confirmation that you're doing something right. Of course, first-half All-Stars can turn into second-half disappointments. Willi Castro might be an All-Star, but there's an […]

Champ or Chump: Brooks Lee and Jake Irvin Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

With the All-Star Game and MLB trade deadline rapidly approaching, now is the ideal time for fantasy managers to look at player performances. Importantly, surface stats rarely tell the whole story. For instance, Brooks Lee is a 23-year-old top prospect hitting .474/.476/.684 with a homer in his first 21 PAs for Minnesota. His peripherals suggest […]

Champ or Chump: James Wood Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Once again, a huge prospect made his MLB debut. James Wood, 21, is the No. 3 prospect in the game per FanGraphs and MLB.com, and his tools are comparable to Elly De La Cruz. He has crushed MiLB pitching, combining an advanced plate approach with eye-popping exit velocity numbers. Of course, many highly-touted rookies have […]

Champ or Chump: Spencer Horwitz and Ben Rice Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Fantasy managers in on-base percentage or points formats are in luck. Two of the most interesting names broadly available on waivers, Spencer Horwitz and Ben Rice, have plate discipline as their carrying skills. Both offer multipositional eligibility and are off to hot starts. Both are also relative unknowns in fantasy circles, so managers probably don't […]

Champ or Chump: Jake McCarthy and Heliot Ramos Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Mookie Betts fractured his left wrist on Sunday, leaving fantasy managers scrambling for a replacement. If you're using Betts in the middle infield, the preferred replacement is David Hamilton. Hamilton bizarrely lost playing time so the Red Sox could play center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (four Outs Above Average) as a terrible shortstop (-6 OAA), but […]

Champ or Chump: Drew Thorpe and Mitchell Parker Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

They say that pitching wins championships. That might be true, but bad pitching loses championships far more quickly. While most leagues have only one offensive rate stat (batting average or OBP), there are two for pitching (ERA and WHIP). If your league has an innings cap and counts strikeouts, K/9 effectively becomes a third rate […]

Champ or Chump: Justyn-Henry Malloy and Mark Vientos Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

We're two months into the season, and MLB clubs are officially deviating from their preseason plans. Spencer Torkelson, Brett Baty, Reid Detmers, and Edouard Julien all figured to be major pieces in their organizations, and as of today, all four are in the minor leagues. Fantasy managers may also need to start making tough decisions […]

Champ or Chump: David Fry and Matt Waldron Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Managing your fantasy baseball rosters can feel like work. You double-check your lineups, research waiver options, and watch your team daily. It's also easy to feel down if your teams aren't performing as expected. Wasn't fantasy baseball supposed to be fun? One solution to this is rostering "fun" players you'd like to follow anyway, but […]

Champ or Chump: Robert Gasser and Christian Scott Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Fantasy managers never seem to have enough pitching, so it's easy to make a claim whenever an arm makes a promising debut. Sadly, many of these arms blow up our ratios, forcing us back to the wire to rinse and repeat. Of course, we cannot ignore waiver arms either. Wins, strikeouts, saves, and quality starts […]

Champ or Chump: Paul Skenes Fantasy Baseball Outlook

A new era dawned in Pittsburgh on May 11. Paul Skenes, age 21, made his MLB debut and racked up seven strikeouts in just four innings. The team won, and baseball fans were treated to the most anticipated debut of a prospect pitcher since Stephen Strasburg. Pirates fans are understandably excited, but what should fantasy […]

Champ or Chump: Josh Hader, Corey Seager, Corbin Carroll Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

The calendar has flipped to May, so it's time to assess your fantasy players. Players who aren't performing may force us to adjust our expectations moving forward rather than assume positive regression is coming. Of course, we don't want to cut bait on a superstar who goes supernova for five months, either. It's a delicate […]

Champ or Chump: Joey Loperfido and Pete Crow-Armstrong Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

This column is not exclusively about prospects, but most of the interesting names this time of year are prospects. Next week, we'll try to find something to look at other than prospects. That's not an option this week. Two more names of note have recently been called up: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Joey Loperfido. Both offer […]

Champ or Chump: Andy Pages and Jonatan Clase Fantasy Baseball Outlooks

Last week, we explored how prospect rankings don't always equate to immediate fantasy baseball value. You probably want to roster Jackson Holliday in 2028, but his chances of making a quick impact in our game are low. The converse is also true. Players who don't have much prospect pedigree may have just the skills your […]