Rich Hill A Sneaky Veteran SP Option in 2016

At the age of 35 and having played for five different teams, we can file Rich Hill under the “Grizzled Veteran” category. In the early days of Hill’s career, we got a good look at what he could do on the bump while making 57 starts with the Chicago Cubs. He dazzled fans with an […]

Zack Cozart Provides Surprising Power For A Shortstop

In 2014, Zack Cozart hit four home runs in 147 games. In 2015, Zack Cozart hit four home runs in the month of April alone. He would hit five more home runs before slipping on first base and suffering a horrific knee injury just 53 games into the season. Before the injury, we were seeing […]

MLB Network Names Michael Brantley MLB's Top Left Fielder

MLB Network ranked the top left fielders in all of baseball on Monday and came to the conclusion that the Indians' Michael Brantley is the current king of the hill. This is not entirely surprising, even with him slated to start the season on the disabled list. Brantley has been an offensive juggernaut since coming […]

Indians Happy to Have Rajai Davis on Their Side

After watching him on their division rival Tigers the past two years, Indians manager Terry Francona has to be pleased about having outfielder Rajai Davis hitting for him in 2016. Considering Davis hit .381 with three stolen bases, three triples and 13 runs against them last year, one can't blame Francona. Batting average and speed have long been Rajai's […]

Risks Outweigh Rewards For Devin Mesoraco

Devin Mesroraco has been all over the place in recent years. Even in a career (2014) year where Mesoraco hit .273 with 25 home runs, 80 RBI, and an All Star Game appearance, he was only able to play in 114 games. Granted, capable backup Brayan Pena was on hand to give him rest, but […]

Don't Pounce Early On Anibal Sanchez

Just two seasons ago, Detroit's Anibal Sanchez was one of the more dominant pitchers in the American League. He put together a stellar 2013 campaign, logging a career-high 202 strikeouts and allowing a minuscule 0.4 HR/9 IP. He somehow improved upon his HR/9 numbers in 2014, allowing just 0.3/9 that season. While 2013 and 2014 […]

David Peralta Poised For 2016 Breakout

The platoon of David Peralta and Ender Inciarte was frustrating for fantasy owners in 2015 as both players had potential, but they both cut into one another's fantasy upside. Ender's time in Arizona has ended though (pun intended) so Peralta looks like he will see much more playing time this season. In 462 AB last […]

Brad Ziegler A Risk/Reward Closing Option in 2016

Ziegler didn't start out as the Diamondbacks' closer last season, but he took over and was very effective after Addison Reed was relieved of his duties. Ziegler notched 30 saves and a 1.85 ERA, so he was definitely fantasy relevant. However, you always feel like you're playing with fire when Ziegler is on the mound […]

Rick Porcello Can Thrive With Less Pressure In 2016

Remember when Rick Porcello came to baseball as a precocious 20-year-old who won 14 games for the Detroit Tigers? 2009 is so long ago. Now he's fresh off a season where he finished with a 9-15 record and an ugly 4.92 ERA. He probably spent some time staring at the mirror, wondering where that youngster […]

Jose Fernandez Remains a Top-Five Fantasy Pitcher in 2016

When healthy, Jose Fernandez has the type of stuff that most pitchers dream about. Fernandez stormed onto the major-league stage during his 2013 rookie season where he finished with a 12-6 record, a 2.19 ERA and a .98 WHIP. He also notched 187 strikeouts in 172.2 IP. Unfortunately, Tommy John surgery in 2014 shut Fernandez […]

Dee Gordon is Fantasy Baseball's Best Second Baseman for 2016

After a head-scratching trade sent him from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Miami Marlins, Dee Gordon’s 2015 season was the best of any major-league second baseman. In just his second year as a big-league starter, Gordon finished with a .333 average, 205 hits, 24 doubles, eight triples and 58 stolen bases. His highly successful […]

Giancarlo Stanton is Still a Top-Five Fantasy Baseball Pick in 2016

Giancarlo Stanton was a monster in 2015 before a broken hand in late June shut his season down. Stanton, who was on track for an MVP-caliber year, had 27 HR and 67 RBI, both which led the NL, before suffering that broken hand. If Stanton could stay healthy for an entire season, he would consistently […]

Who's on First in Boston? Hanley Ramirez Is, That's Who

When discussing Clay Buchholz, I alluded to former Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington's very bad decision of having a 2015 pitching rotation with no aces. His having Hanley Ramirez play left field is probably Bad Idea 1A. In his short stint of patrolling the outfield, Ramirez made former Boston left fielders like Mike Greenwell […]

Flying Under The Radar, Kyle Hendricks May Be Worth A Late-Round Pick

Lost amidst the free agent signings and veterans at the top of Chicago’s pitching rotation is Kyle Hendricks, the 26-year-old who’ll be pitching in only his third season in the majors in 2016.  His first two years weren't exactly extraordinary, but there have been signs of fantasy value. He became a solid late-season pickup in 2014, […]

Will Archie Bradley Shake Off Rough First Season?

Bradley looked like he was poised to break out in 2015 after a very strong showing in spring training. Unfortunately, things just went south from there. After taking a comebacker off Carlos Gonzalez's bat in the face, Bradley was never the same. Even before the injury, Bradley's walk rate raised some red flags. He was […]

Curtis Granderson Looks To Build On Solid 2015

The "Grandyman" proved that he still can hit last season. Granderson has enjoyed a nice renaissance with Kevin Long as his hitting coach again. He's never going to be the guy that hit 40 bombs for the Yankees again, but he can still provide 20+ home runs with good runs scored numbers and occasional steals. […]

Kenta Maeda Not the Dodgers' Savior

Many pitchers have come from Japan with hopes that their talent will transfer to the big leagues in America. The Dodgers are looking to make this splash in the international market a big one as Kenta Maeda joins them after posting a dominant 2.09 ERA last season in Japan. While there have been a number […]

Carlos Martinez Updates Status for Spring Training

After being shut down last September with a strained shoulder, Carlos Martinez is reporting that he is 90% healthy and will be ready for Spring Training. He's looking to build upon a wildly successful full season in the Cardinals' rotation, which saw him go 14-7 with a 3.01 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 184 strikeouts. This […]

Jhonny Peralta Looks for Consistency in 2016

After two Jekyll and Hyde-like seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Jhonny Peralta is looking to swing an impactful bat through an entire season in 2016. After hitting .298 with 13 home runs and 46 RBI before the All-Star Break, he slumped to .243, four home runs and 25 RBI in the second half. In his […]

Will One-Year Gamble Pay Off For Matt Wieters And Orioles?

Matt Wieters accepted a one-year qualifying offer from the Orioles this past November, which places his quest for a long-term contract on hold until next offseason. While he certainly cashed in (to the tune of $15.8 million for 2016), Wieters has clearly placed the onus on his back to deliver a productive campaign and to […]

Sean Doolittle Still Oakland Athletics' Ninth Inning Guy

Sean Doolittle just recently announced that he is fully healthy and ready for spring training. This news has put a smile on every Bay Area resident wearing a Green Collar, and for good reason. The Oakland Athletics’ closer has amassed 224 strikeouts in 192 2/3 innings over the course of his Major League career. Throw […]

Billy Burns Will Give Fantasy Owners Balance in 2016

In his first near-full major league season, Billy Burns made a great impression on the Oakland Athletics’ front office and fans alike. He proved himself to be a contact hitter who gets on base and uses his speed to score runs. After getting called up from the AAA Nashville Sounds, Burns started to turn the […]

Strikeouts Contribute to Most of Raisel Iglesias' Value

When it comes to the Cincinnati Reds’ pitching rotation, it can be tough to fully commit to any of its members when trying to form a reliable fantasy SP roster. Aside from Homer Bailey, who is still a question mark in his own right, there is an unproven track record from top to bottom. Raisel Iglesias […]

Marcus Semien is a Big Question Mark Heading into the 2016 Season

Whether Marcus Semien has made a good or bad name for himself in Major League Baseball is still up for debate. Semien is one of the least disciplined infielders in all of Major League Baseball. In the 2015 season at shortstop with the Oakland Athletics, Semien had a mind-boggling 35 errors. Thank goodness errors do […]

Mark Canha's Progression as a Viable 1B

Mark Canha’s career has taken a lot of twists and turns. The Florida Marlins selected the former UC Berkley Golden Bear in the seventh round of the 2010 Junior Amateur Draft. In 2014, the Colorado Rockies swiped Canha from the Marlins in the Rule 5 draft and just moments later, traded him to the Oakland […]

Travis d'Arnaud A Top Five Backstop For 2016?

Travis d'Arnaud had his season cut short by injuries in 2015. Bad news for him, but good news for owners who can take advantage of any discount this might lead to in upcoming drafts. d'Arnaud finished with the third highest OPS among qualified catchers, behind Buster Posey, and Kyle Schwarber. In 239 ABs, d'Arnaud recorded […]

Can Marco Estrada Repeat Production in 2016?

Marco Estrada is another Blue Jay who found success during his first season playing for Toronto. In 28 starts, Estrada went 13-8, putting together an impressive 3.18 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. He struck out 131 batters while only relinquishing 134 hits in 181.0 innings pitched. There is, however, unfortunately much to nitpick about Estrada’s career […]

Pablo Sandoval Wants a Better Sequel For Kung Fu Panda in Boston

Pablo Sandoval bid a sad farewell to San Francisco after the 2014 season after signing with Boston. He didn't bowl anyone over during his first season in a Red Sox uniform. His numbers were a far cry from his best days: .245 with 10 homers and 47 RBIs, which came NOWHERE near his '09 line […]

Evan Longoria Deserves One More Chance from Fantasy Owners

Evan Longoria is the Tampa Bay Rays' all-time leader in home runs and runs batted in, but has failed to live up to the expectations he set for himself with his early-career production. Longoria has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, but over the last three years, he has constructed moderate stat lines, despite […]

Which Rubby De La Rosa Will We See in 2016

Rubby probably rubbed a lot of fantasy owners the wrong way last season, particularly in the second half. After posting a 1.14 WHIP, and 8.3 K/9 rate over the first two months, De La Rosa regressed mightily. He still finished with a 14-9 record, but, much like with new teammate Shelby Miller, wins and losses […]