Steven Souza: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  Quad-A or Stud? Quad-A. The one distinction no baseball player wants to ever see on their scouting report. It is typically designated for older prospects who mash in the minors but can never put it together on the big stage. Steven Souza, 25, is at the age when questions begin surfacing about a player's potential. […]

Jacoby Ellsbury: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Star

2011 - It Was A Very Good Year When the New York Yankees signed Jacoby Ellsbury as a free agent before the 2014 season they hoped they would be getting the same player who tore up the world of fantasy baseball in 2011. That season Ellsbury batted .321 with 32 HR, 39 SB, 105 RBI and […]

A.J. Pollock: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  A Late Season Bounceback Life is full of setbacks. How people respond to setbacks can define their character – it shows work ethic and pride. After taking a Johnny Cueto fastball to the hand in late May, no one would have batted an eye if A.J. Pollock chalked up 2014 as a lost season. […]

Miguel Montero: Veteran Catcher Available on the Cheap

  Better in Chicago? I understand the Chicago Cubs addition of Miguel Montero was not all about his bat. He is also an upgrade defensively over Wellington Castillo. You can read all about his ability to frame and his defensive metrics in this great piece from Fangraphs. He'll hit in the middle of the rebuilt Cubs lineup. […]

Michael Saunders: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Deeeeeep Outfield Sleeper

  A New Home in Toronto Could Help Saunders Reach Potential When we put together our rankings earlier this winter, I had Michael Saunders lower than every other outfielder on my list except one. I may have forgotten that he was traded to the Blue Jays, a move which should provide a bump to his […]

Jorge Soler: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  For Owners In Need of HR and RBI, Soler Might be a Perfect Sleeper Candidate Expectations are sky-high in the Windy City. First Baseman Anthony Rizzo has guaranteed an NL Central Division Title. In order to fulfill that promise, the Cubs will need their nucleus of young talent to contribute in a big way. […]

Travis Snider: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  With More ABs in Baltimore, 2015 Could Be Travis Snider's Year As a die-hard Pittsburgh Pirates fan, I hated hearing the news of outfielder Travis Snider's trade to the Baltimore Orioles. The guy made some spectacular catches, had a bunch of clutch at-bats, and turned out to be the perfect complementary mentor, backup, and […]

Kris Bryant: 2015 Fantasy Baseball 3B / OF Sleeper

  The North Side's Savior? When called up, Kris Bryant will become at least the 25th different third basemen to play for the Chicago Cubs since the year 2000. The regime of Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have made the moves necessary (trade of Luis Valbuena) to open up the hot corner for Bryant. However, […]

Chase Headley: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Target

2012 Was A Very Good Year The New York Yankees signing of Chase Headley to a four-year, $52 million contract speaks volumes about what they think Alex Rodriguez can bring to the table this coming season. Headley has more in common with Scott Brosius than Rodriguez in his prime. Although Headley is the kind of positive […]

Carlos Rodon: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  If Rodon Cracks the Rotation, He Will Make an Impact in 2015 At some point this season, Carlos Rodon will be a member of the Chicago White Sox. It remains to be seen whether or not he will be a part of the Opening Day roster. Furthermore, the jury is still out regarding his […]

Gerrit Cole: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  Strong Finish in 2014 Makes Cole Worth a Look The best kinds of sleepers in a fantasy baseball draft are the ones who have shown the potential to be an all-star fantasy player, but have never really put it all together. Take that with a grain of salt, because over time that optimism should […]

Conspiracy Theories and the "D" in R.O.I.D.S.

  Conspire With ROIDS As we begin cycling off our first official ROIDS program, I want to direct your attention away from fantasy baseball for a moment. A popular Katy Perry song goes: “So you wanna play with magic? Boy, you should know what you’re falling for. Baby, do you dare to do this? 'Cause I’m coming at […]

Ryan Zimmerman: Comeback Player of the Year?

  He's Baaaaack (And Could be a Sneaky Draft Value) Despite media outlets everywhere outside the Capital Beltway proclaiming Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg as the face of the franchise, true Washingtonians know that Ryan Zimmerman is the real National treasure. Since he was drafted fourth overall in 2005, Zim has been the Opening Day […]

Cliff Lee: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Or Bust?

  Lee Will Have to Overcome Age & Injuries to be a Contributor Over six seasons from 2008 to 2013, few pitchers were as dominant as Cliff Lee. At times he was virtually unhittable, and achieved greatness despite pitching four of those six seasons in the bandbox that is Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. Over the six […]

Podcast: Anthony Aniano & Real Talk Raph Discuss Injured Pitchers and ADP

Last week RotoBaller's own Real Talk Raph joined Anthony Aniano's fantasy sports show (War Room Radio) to discuss the upcoming 2015 MLB and fantasy baseball season, including various draft strategies. Listen in on them bantering about injured starting pitchers (SP) like Matt Harvey, Jose Fernandez and Masahiro Tanaka, current ADP trends on players like Bryce Harper […]

J.J. Hardy: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Sleeper

Hardy's Track Record Makes Him a Late-Round Sleeper When identifying a fantasy baseball draft sleeper, I like the guy to fit a few different criteria. First among those is being “under the radar,” but also I need there to be some proof that there’s potential upside when looking beneath the surface. In our 2015 shortstop […]

Chris 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 […]

Josh Tomlin: Analyzing His Starting Pitcher Sleeper Potential

  With More Playing Time, Tomlin Could  Be A Fantasy Asset Josh Tomlin isn't a sexy pick. Frankly, putting his name in a 2015 sleeper column seems rather like going to a wine and cheese night with a packet of American singles and a bottle Two-Buck Chuck. It'll get the job done, but people are going to […]

Yasmani Grandal: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Sleeper

  Grandal's Potential Makes Him a Sleeper Candidate Yasmani Grandal was largely a disappointment in 2014. Despite the pedigree of a top prospect and nearly 90 games of experience at the major league level, he batted an anemic .225/.327/.401 with 49 RBIs and 47 runs scored through 128 games. After that campaign, some have written […]

Jonathan Schoop: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Sleeper

  Can Offseason Adjustments Unlock Potential? Set to be the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, Jonathan Schoop definitely has the potential to be an everyday fantasy starter in 2015. I don’t believe that 2014 was a good indicator of his entire skill set, as he hit .209 with 16 homers, 45 RBIs, and […]

Kolten Wong: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Sleeper

  Wong Could Have a Breakout Sophomore Campaign OBP is not a standard category in the majority of fantasy leagues. It is, however, scored in both of my main leagues, and its value in real baseball is well established. Even in standard leagues, looking at OBP and underlying plate discipline metrics is useful, and I […]

Shelby Miller: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  Shelby Miller is Likely to Bounce Back in 2015 One of the biggest shocks of the offseason was when the Atlanta Braves shipped Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller and a prospect. Miller is entering his third full season in The Show at age 24. He is […]

Melky Cabrera: Underrated MLB Veteran & Fantasy Baseball Outfielder

Melky Cabrera: A Questionable Past Melky Cabrera will be joining his sixth team this spring after signing a three-year, $42 million dollar contract with the White Sox. Cabrera is coming off a good season with the Blue Jays in which he hit .301 with 16 HR and 73 RBI. His strong performance undoubtedly helped him to […]

Kevin Gausman: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper Candidate

  Is Kevin Gausman A Starting Pitcher Sleeper? The sudden emergence of the Baltimore Orioles after a decade and a half as the doormat of the AL East is one of the more surprising recent developments in baseball. Most expected Dylan Bundy to be a linchpin for them by now after being selected with the fourth […]

Yasiel Puig: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Stud

It's Time To Face Your Fears The only thing to fear about making Yasiel Puig a high pick in your fantasy baseball draft is Yasiel Puig himself. Blessed with talents on loan from a higher source, Puig has all the tools necessary to be considered a perennial five tool player. The question remains, does he […]

Shane Victorino: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Deep Sleeper

2015 Could be a Bounce-Back Year for Victorino Looking at the current Red Sox 2015 outfield, there are plenty of guys who will be sharing at bats. Heading into Spring Training, the Sox will have recent signings Hanley Ramirez and Rusney Castillo entrenched as regulars, as well as Daniel Nava, Allen Craig, Shane Victorino and youngsters […]

Oakland'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 […]

Drew Smyly: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  A New Approach in Tampa Bay Makes Drew Smyly Worth Drafting Drew Smyly is a riddle wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a Rays jersey. His size, pitch velocity and, most importantly, his strikeout totals get fantasy GMs excited, but his platoon split issues made Smyly a part time fantasy […]

Kevin Gausman: 2015 MLB Fantasy Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  Kevin Gausman – Worth the Hype in 2015? Sporting a fastball that averages 95 mph and often sits just shy of 100, and a splitter that misses bats at a high rate, Kevin Gausman will likely be a popular sleeper pick in 2015 fantasy baseball drafts. But is he worth the hype? This author thinks his […]

Yusmeiro Petit: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

Yusmeiro Petit: Sleeper Or Illusion? Yusmeiro Petit shined for the Giants in 2014. As a spot starter and long reliever, he logged 117 innings with a 3.69 ERA, setting a new MLB record for most consecutive batters retired in the process. With Bruce Bochy apparently open to the idea of Petit wrestling a rotation spot […]