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To help you dominate all of your 2017 fantasy baseball leagues, below are some 2017 fantasy baseball first base (1B) sleepers & waiver wire pickups to consider adding to your fantasy baseball teams.
We recommend MLB first basemen for you to consider as 2017 draft sleepers, ADP values, or hot pickups off the waiver wire once the season starts.
For more sleepers, also see our fantasy baseball rankings hub. The handy Rankings Assistant Tool combines all staff ranks in one area - tiers, points leagues, prospects, dynasty ranks and more.
Prefer using your phone? Our Draft Sleepers & Waiver Wire Pickups app is free and available in the Apple and Android Stores. Just search for "waiver wire" in either App Store.
2017 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Adds by MLB Position
ALL - C - 1B - 2B - SS - 3B - OF - SP - RP
Trey Mancini (1B/OF, BAL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles rookie first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini has made the most of all of his opportunities this season and has four home runs over the last 14 days. He has garnered more playing time with Chris Davis on the disabled list and, while his slugging profile looks similar to Davis (11 home runs in 175 at-bats), he also has a .303 batting average this season. It would be good if Mancini took a walk...continue reading
Logan Morrison (1B, TB) – Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Like many others throughout the league, Logan Morrison has increased his flyball rate and is on pace for a career-best home run mark. However, Morrison has made other improvements to his game, most notably his plate approach. Specifically, he has been more patient at the plate as his out of zone swing rate has dropped from around 30% over the past three seasons to 24.9% this season. Thus, he is swinging at more pitches inside the strike zone,...continue reading
Logan Morrison (1B, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Logan Morrison is setting a career high with his home run production, as he is already up to 15 HR in 53 games. Morrison's previous career high of 24 HR took 123 games and that was back in 2011 with the Florida Marlins. This season, he has an .890 OPS and his RBI production has also accelerated, as he has 36 RBI this season, with 21 coming over the last 30 days....continue reading
Alex Avila (C/1B, DET) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 43% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Detroit Tigers first baseman/catcher Alex Avila has garnered even more fantasy value with his increase in playing time with James McCann out. Avila has excelled at the catcher position with a .910 OPS over the last 14 days and has a 1.029 OPS this season, including seven home runs in 99 at-bats. He only has a .114 batting average over the last seven days, striking out nine times, but does have a...continue reading
Lucas Duda (1B, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Lucas Duda is surging, posting six home runs, 11 RBI, and seven runs scored in his past ten games. However, he still has not gotten much fantasy attention, as is indicated by being owned in just 16% of leagues. First base is a deep position, but fantasy owners should find a place to start Duda as a corner infielder or utility player. Duda’s peripherals suggest that he is finally healthy again as his hard-hit rate is a career best...continue reading
Tommy Joseph (1B, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups
Baller Move: Add in 12+ Team Leagues Owned In: 22% of Fleaflicker Leagues Analysis: Tommy Joseph catches a lot of flack from Fantasy Baseball Managers and those who believe he is just the Philadelphia gatekeeper at first base during the organization's rebuild, and the reasoning is perplexing. This season Joseph has smacked eight homers along with holding a slash line of .248/.310/.763. While several of his offensive categories have been trending downward this year, Joseph is still a reliable deep-threat with a HR% at 4.6 percent and an isolated power figure...continue reading
Alex Avila (C/1B, DET) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team, Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Alex Avila's return to the Detroit Tigers has been a triumphant one so far. After one year in exile with the White Sox, Avila has not only reclaimed the starting catcher job, he's earning himself a spot on many fantasy rosters too. Avila is hitting a shockingly high .337 over 86 at-bats, but with a .469 BABIP that is 126 points above his career average, it's not going to last too much longer. This is...continue reading
Justin Bour (1B, MIA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add In All Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Miami Marlins first baseman Justin Bour has a .349 batting average over the last 30 days, clubbing 10 home runs and becoming one of the top waiver pickups. Bour has been particularly hot over the last 14 days, hitting seven home runs, and has 11 runs scored and 11 RBI over that time span. His batting average for the season has continued to climb as well, jumping from .248 to .285 over the last couple weeks, and he...continue reading
Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Two weeks into the season, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Josh Bell was hitting a putrid .200/.273/.250 with only two extra-base hits, both doubles. In the month since, Bell has been outstanding. He's hit nine home runs, tying him with Cody Bellinger for second among all rookies. Over the last 30 days, Bell has an .812 OPS and has totalled 14 RBI and 18 runs scored. He still has his issues against left-handed pitchers, a .205 batting average...continue reading
Justin Smoak (1B, TOR) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 47% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak has been written on before, but he just cannot stop hitting. Four homers and nine RBI in the last two weeks alone have brought Smoak up to 11 HR, 30 RBI on the season. He's also scoring plenty, having crossed the plate 12 times in the last 14 days. At age 30, it's unlikely we're seeing any sort of breakout that defies his Major League track record, but he is...continue reading
Ryon Healy (1B/3B, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 52% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Ryon Healy was a hotly debated name throughout the offseason but has lost attention this season with the emergence of teammate Yonder Alonso. However, he has held up his end of the bargain flashing plenty of individual skill early in the season. Most notably, Healy has popped eight home runs through two months of the season, five of which have come in May. While not quite among the elite in hard-hit rate, Healy...continue reading
Justin Smoak (1B, TOR) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: A former first round pick, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak has five home runs over the last 14 days, driving in 14, and has an 1.121 OPS. He has nine home runs this season, but the most impressive thing about his stat line is that he has four home runs in 30 at-bats against left-handed pitchers. Smoak has also owned his home in Toronto, Rogers Center, posting a 1.038 OPS in 66 at-bats at home. Unfortunately...continue reading
Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates' first baseman Josh Bell has lived up to his power potential over the past week, clubbing four home runs and knocking in nine RBI. Moving his sample size to the last 30 days, Bell has a 1.014 OPS and .376 isolated power, scoring 16 runs and racking up 17 RBI. Those numbers make Bell look like one of the better sluggers in the league and his .270 batting average over the last month has...continue reading
Tommy Joseph (1B, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 22% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Philadephia Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph is owned in less than a quarter of Yahoo leagues, but that will quickly change if he keeps on hitting .417 in a two week period. Joseph has a 1.349 OPS over that time period, clubbing four home runs, and is now up to six home runs, 18 RBI, and 18 runs scored this season. A .478 BABIP over these last two weeks has been a big reason for the...continue reading
Justin Bour (1B, MIA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 15% Yahoo ANALYSIS: In his first 10 games this season, Justin Bour had just five hits and no home runs. Given his 303 ADP, most owners either didn't notice or made him one of their first cuts of 2017. Since that ignominious start, however, Bour has been excellent. He's hit .309/.391/.619, with nine homers and 22 RBI. Bour has hit behind Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton most of the year, but has recently been seeing time between the two slugging...continue reading
Ryon Healy (1B/3B, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 54% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Ryon Healy caught our attention in half a season in 2016, stroking 33 extra-base hits in 72 games. So far, he has six home runs to open the 2017 season. He only has a .732 OPP, however, including a .762 OPS over the last seven days, but advanced statistics show that Healy could break out soon. Healy has seen his flyball percentage jump from 39% in 2016 to 48% in 2017, but his HR/FB rate has...continue reading
Yonder Alonso (1B, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 60% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Yonder Alonso was a top prospect in the Reds' and Padres' systems, but was seen as a player that would be a good doubles hitter with an average in the .300s. He had a .943 OPS in 47 games in 2011, but his 1.077 OPS and 12 home runs so far this season have come out of nowhere. The 12 home runs are already a career high and his 1.077 OPS is more than 300 points better than...continue reading
Marwin Gonzalez (1B/2B/3B/SS/OF, HOU) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 47% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: There is no player in baseball that is hotter over the last week than Marwin Gonzalez, as he has five home runs, 12 RBI, and a stolen base. On top of his strong performance, Gonzalez's eligibility at every position other than catcher makes him nearly indispensible when he is on a hot streak like this one. He is also a switch hitter, which is why he is matchup proof as of now (1.086 OPS against left-handed pitchers...continue reading
Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 45% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Cody Bellinger posted a 1.055 OPS in 67 at-bats with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers before being called up by the Los Angeles Dodgers; he has been even better in the majors, posting a 1.127 OPS clubbing four home runs. He has found a spot in the Dodgers' lineup in left field, but will now get opportunities at his preferred position of 1B with Adrian Gonzalez on the disabled list. While Bellinger has...continue reading
Yuli Gurriel (1B/3B, HOU) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 42% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: A week into the season, Yulieski Gurriel was looking completely drop-worthy in all leagues. A 3-for-24 start had some concerned that his skill set just wouldn't translate to the majors after he slashed .262/.292/.385 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 130 at-bats in his debut last season. It didn't take long for Gurriel to pick up the pace, though. In the last 18 games, Gurriel has eight multi-hit games and four games with three hits. He's now slashing a...continue reading
Greg Bird (1B, NYY) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Greg Bird will be shut down for the next week or so with no baseball activities. Bird had his second MRI of the season on his ankle. The first showed a bone bruise that the team hoped would heal. Today's test proved it has not. The first baseman will not be traveling to Chicago, and time away from the game may help him rest both physically and mentally. After posting strong numbers in spring training, Bird is hitting on...continue reading
Power Risers and Fallers: Week Four
Welcome back to this investigative piece where we examine players who have seen some notable changes in their power profiles -- for better or for worse -- in 2017. As usual, you don’t need me to tell you that Miguel Sano or Aaron Judge are strong or that Jarrod Dyson and Billy Hamilton are toward the bottom in average exit velocity. And as with every April analysis article, the standard “it’s really early so read with heaping grains of salt”...continue reading
Digging Deeper: Week 4 AL Waiver Wire Targets
Welcome back to Digging Deeper! I'll be taking a look at some deeper AL waiver wire options for Week 4 of the fantasy baseball season. As we round up the first month of the season, we are beginning to see which small sample sizes are real, and which players will bounce back from rough starts. Take a look at your waiver wire to see if any of the latter players are available. If your leaguemates cut bait too soon, you can capitalize on a rebound in May and beyond. Along with the normal...continue reading
Digging Deeper: Week 4 NL Waiver Wire Targets
Welcome back to our Week 4 edition of Digging Deeper, our weekly column where we will focus on deep league waiver wire options. My counterpart Tom Bellucco will be handling the American League while I focus on the National League. For those that have played in limited size leagues, you are well aware that at-bats and innings are the precious commodities. You are not going to find a top-100 player on the wire at any point this season. In fact, top-150 is a stretch. And as the year goes on, the options are going to...continue reading
Contact Rate Risers and Fallers: Week 4
Welcome back, RotoBallers! We now have a decent enough sample size in the early MLB season to look at some key offensive trends. Among those trends we will follow each week is contact rate. A sudden increase or decrease in contact rate could signal the beginning of an extended hot or cold streak. Each week we will look at a few players on each side and compare their previous week's contact rate with their actual performance. We do this because we care about you, the fantasy player. Top contact rate risers and...continue reading
Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) - Prospect Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: According to Dodgers beat reporter Ken Gurnick, super prospect Cody Bellinger has been called up today:
Source: Cody Bellinger is being called up by Dodgers.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) April 25, 2017 For now, we are recommending adding him off the waiver wire for 12+ team leagues. If you have a roster spot to burn, he can be added in shallower leagues as well. It will be interesting to see how much he plays,...continue readingWeek 4 Waiver Wire - First Base (1B) and Third Base (3B)
Believe it or not, April is almost coming to an end. Before it does, we'll look at some of the men at first and third base who have made a good early impression, but are still underowned in fantasy leagues. The corner infield positions traditionally offer power with the potential for high averages, so you may want to target players that can offer an advantage in those categories to bolster your team. In this piece, I'll identify Week 4 waiver wire targets for first base and third base who should be able...continue reading
Travis Shaw (1B/3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 55% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Eric Thames is getting a lot of attention in Milwaukee, and deservedly so - but he isn't the only Brewer swinging a hot bat. Travis Shaw has hit four home runs in his last five games, bringing his overall line to .254/.309/.635. His 16 RBI are tied for fourth in MLB, and he's also scored 10 runs hitting primarily in the cleanup spot. 12 of Shaw's 16 hits so far this season have gone for extra bases, and...continue reading
Trey Mancini (DH, BAL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-Team Leagues, Monitor in All Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Trey Mancini has gotten off to a record breaking start at the plate to begin his career. On Easter Sunday against the Orioles, Mancini got the start at first base and went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI. Dating back to last season, he has seven HR and 14 RBI over the first 12 games of his major league career. Obviously he won't keep up this torrid pace, but it's impressive to see...continue reading
Ryan Zimmerman (1B, WAS) – Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 16% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Zimmerman has mashed three home runs in 34 at-bats this season and has also added three doubles to his ledger. That type of production is reminiscent of his 2012 and 2013 seasons. With a return to health and a new approach at the plate, there is a lot of buzz and discussion surrounding whether or not this start is sustainable. His metrics in this regard are not promising. His fly ball rate is at its lowest rate...continue reading
Travis Shaw (1B/3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 51% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Travis Shaw faded badly after a hot start with the Red Sox last season. Traded to Milwaukee over the winter, he's the starting third baseman and hitting in the middle of what figures to be a sneaky-good Brewers lineup. While Fenway Park has a well-deserved reputation as a hitter’s park, it's actually one of the most difficult places in the game for lefties to hit a home run. Miller Park is among the best parks for lefty power, and it's...continue reading
Ryan Zimmerman (1B, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of Yahoo leagues ANALYSIS: Ryan Zimmerman had been written off by most fantasy owners after hitting .249 in 2015 and down to .218 in 2016. Throw in the 215 games missed in the last three years and his fantasy value was practically nil entering this season. He has turned that around in a hurry through just one week. Zimmerman was already hitting .300 with a pair of homers in the first week before stepping in and hitting a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the ninth inning against...continue reading
Hitter Streamers (Week 2): Head-to-Head Leagues
Welcome back to my hitting streamers column for Week 2, taking a look at hitters to add or stream off the waiver wire for this week's scheduled games. To keep things simple, I pick from players who are less than 50% owned and who play at least seven games in the week. If someone jumps off the page at me as a less than seven game player, I may make an exception, but otherwise the advantage in number of games dictates my choices. With that said, let’s dive right in. Bats to Stream...continue reading
Travis Shaw (1B/3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Adds
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10-12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 47% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Last call on Travis Shaw. With his ownership rate climbing to around 50%, he will soon be owned in most competitive 10-12+ team leagues. He's probably not winning any leagues, but given his hot start he's worth an add in most formats. Shaw has had an excellent start to the 2017 season, hitting .357 in the extremely small four-game sample. All five of his hits have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one home run), flashing some of...continue reading
Mark Reynolds (1B, COL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues, Monitor in All Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: With Ian Desmond out for the foreseeable future, Reynolds has a great opportunity in front of him. Tasked with first base and the number seven spot in the Rockies lineup for now, he has responded with seven hits and two walks in 15 plate appearances. They have been productive at bats as well, with two home runs, three doubles, three runs, and six RBI through just three games (he has started every game). Reynolds posted a surprisingly...continue reading
Lucas Duda (1B, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 10% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Lucas Duda missed most of 2016 with a back injury, but over the prior two seasons, he was seventh among first basemen in home runs and 12th in both runs and RBI. While he's never going to hit for a high average — his best single-season mark is .253 — the veteran also boasts a career .346 OBP. Assuming health, Duda is an excellent CI option in 12-team mixers and a viable starter at 1B in...continue reading
Week 1 Waiver Wire: 0-25% Owned Pickups
Baseball is finally back. In light of this, let's give that free agent pool one last look over before the stats start flying. Here are the best players who are owned in 0-25% of Yahoo leagues. You can see our column on 25-50% owned players as well. These are your deeper Week 1 waiver wire pickups and adds - players that should be considered as additions to your teams, after your drafts have already been completed. Deep League Waiver Wire Adds Catcher: Cameron Rupp, Philadelphia Phillies (16% owned) Rupp is mainly keeping...continue reading
Week 1 Waiver Wire: 25-50% Owned Pickups
Wow, we're really here. After all this time, baseball is truly back. Happy Opening Day RotoBallers! In light of this, let's give that free agent pool one last look over before the stats start flying. Today, we'll look at players who are owned in 25-50% of Yahoo leagues and see who stands out. You can see our deeper leagues list of 0-25% owned players as well. These are your Week 1 waiver wire pickups and adds - players that should be considered as additions to your teams, after your drafts have already...continue reading
Brad Miller (1B/SS, TB) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers & Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~150 CURRENT ADP: ~179 ANALYSIS: Shortstop is not the deepest position in fantasy baseball these days and there's a pretty steep drop-off after the top 10 are off the board. If you wait on the position, whether by choice or not, Brad Miller stands out as a name with great value. Miller qualifies at first base as well, but is far more valuable at SS as a rare power threat. He finished last season in Tampa Bay with 30 HR, 81 RBI and 73 R....continue reading
Draft Values: The 2017 All-Bargain Team
This article first appeared on the Metro news publication. Our long national nightmare is nearly over. No, not that one…here we’re referring to the lack of baseball. Opening Day is right around the corner, and not a moment too soon. After last week’s look at the busts, let’s end draft season on a happy note with the 2017 All-Bargain team. Best Draft Values in 2017 Catcher: Brian McCann, Houston Astros McCann has hit at least 20 home runs in nine straight seasons, and has averaged 135 games played over the...continue reading
C.J Cron (1B/DH, LAA) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers & Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~210 CURRENT ADP: ~240 ANALYSIS: It’s easy for lower-tier first basemen to get overshadowed in fantasy baseball, with the position being the home of mashers like Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo. Cron is one of those players – he’s shown consistency and a good amount of power in his first three years in the bigs, but not enough to generate much fantasy buzz. As he enters his age-27 season, however, things look like they could start to turn for the Angels’ first baseman. Cron...continue reading
Cody Bellinger (1B, LAD) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~400 CURRENT ADP: 461 ANALYSIS: A former fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft, Cody Bellinger has now become a top-10 prospect in MLB. The 21-year-old hit 29 HR with eight steals across three levels of the minor leagues in 2016, after demolishing High-A ball (30 HR, 10 SB) the previous season. He has only played three games at the Triple-A level, but in those three game he jacked three bombs. The 6-foot-4 lefty is currently blocked by the great Adrian Gonzalez at first base,...continue reading
Tommy Joseph (1B, PHI) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~190 CURRENT ADP: 214 ANALYSIS: Tommy Joseph exploded onto the fantasy baseball scene during his rookie season in 2016 by smacking 21 HR with a monstrous .248 ISO, both ranking third among rookies. His PA:HR ratio (16.5:1) was actually better than that of Edwin Encarnacion, who led the position with 42 HR. The kid can rake. But unfortunately, that is all he has shown the ability to do thus far. Joseph has never been known to hit for a high average consistently, and seems...continue reading
Justin Bour (1B, MIA) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~270 CURRENT ADP: 302 ANALYSIS: Justin Bour was a popular low-end sleeper pick heading into the 2016 season, and he was certainly on his way to proving that to be true heading into July. In just three months he had racked up 15 HR, 46 RBI and a .873 OPS. The excitement came to an immediate halt, however, after a sprained ankle on July 2 led to a stint on the 60-day DL. Bour finally returned in September, but was noticeably not in his first half form, and failed...continue reading
Greg Bird (1B, NYY) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~183 CURRENT ADP: ~246 ANALYSIS: Many fantasy owners were already excited about Bird heading into the 2016 season after he hit 11 HR in only 46 games following a late season call-up in 2015. But fans received the disappointing news prior to spring training that Bird would miss the season after having shoulder surgery. Fast forward to 2017 and the excitement is back as Bird is now recovered and slated to be the primary first baseman for the Bronx Bombers. Bird Dog combined across multiple levels to hit at least 20...continue reading
Matt Holliday (OF/1B, NYY) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~225
CURRENT ADP: 257
ANALYSIS: Matt Holliday is long one of the most bankable assets in baseball, but recent times haven’t been kind to him. Injuries have limited him to just 700 total plate appearances in the last two seasons. In 2015, he managed just four home runs after averaging 26 over the previous nine seasons. Last year, he hit a career-worst .246 and posted a walk rate below 10 percent for the first time since 2007. Now he’s
...continue readingJurickson Profar (1B/2B/3B/SS/OF, TEX) - 2017 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~350
CURRENT ADP: 376
ANALYSIS: The dust has settled on Jurickson Profar's hype and he is now being valued well outside the top 20 at second base. You may recall Profar got off to a sizzling start, hitting .343 at the onset of July. It was all downhill from there, however, and he finished with a disappointing .239 average with five homers and two steals to his name over 272 at-bats. Profar played all over the field in 2016, making him a
...continue readingChamp or Chump: Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner
I read something the other day referring to the Yankees as possible "AL Dodgers" due to their ability to spend. I thought LA's limitless payroll made them the NL's Yankees, but apparently the team is the new "Evil Empire." Regardless of their reputation, the team has kept its offseason under control. Balking at Minnesota's asking price for Brian Dozier, the team acquired Logan Forsythe from Tampa Bay to fill their hole at second base. They also resigned Justin Turner, keeping the 2016 team together instead of looking for...continue reading
Champ or Chump: Kendrys Morales and Jose Bautista
Toronto has had a polarizing offseason to say the least. Faced with the possibility of losing two of their trademark sluggers, the team jumped on DH Kendrys Morales with a long term contract to fill the void. The move was questioned at the time, and looked even worse when the market refused to pay for sluggers. They saved some face by re-signing Jose Bautista later on, but Canadian baseball fans will not enjoy watching Edwin Encarnacion in a Tribe uniform. Toronto still projects to have a plus lineup...continue reading
2016 in Review: Values at First Base
Our review of the 2016 fantasy baseball season continues with a look at some of the top value performances at first base. 2016 First Base Values Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians Since arriving in the big leagues in 2010, the Carlos Santana has bounced around a few different positions, coming up as a catcher and also spending time at first and third base. In 2016, however, he seemed to finally settle on first base and DH, not spending one inning behind the plate for the first time in his major league career. The stability...continue reading
