X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Kyle Bishop's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019: Midseason Review

Kyle Bishop checks in on the status of his bold predictions for the 2019 fantasy baseball season at the halfway mark.

This week is as good a time as any to pause and reflect on the 2019 baseball season thus far.

Fortunately, it's been a much less challenging year than last for yours truly. Other than a hapless squad in The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational (15-team industry leagues are tough, and weekly lineups and waivers are just not something I will ever like), my teams are all contenders.

The same can be said of my bold predictions for 2019. A lot can happen between now and the end of the season, but the majority of these fearless forecasts are looking pretty good at the season's slightly-more-than-halfway mark. Below, I'll review the calls made in March and assign a number from 1 - 10 that reflects how confident I am that they'll ultimately come to fruition.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

Domingo German is a top-40 starting pitcher.

Even having missed nearly a month due to a hip flexor strain, German sits comfortably inside the top 40 SP on both Yahoo and ESPN. A big part of that is his 10 victories, which put him one behind Lucas Giolito for the league lead. (Imagine if I'd tried to tell you back in March that those two would be leading the league in victories at the break.) The 26-year-old has continued to miss plenty of bats and is no longer missing the zone with as much frequency as before. He'll have to prove he can hold up under a full season's workload, and home runs have remained a bugaboo, but this is a strong start to the proceedings.

Confidence: 8/10

 

Adam Frazier is a top-12 second baseman.

Frazier isn't even the best 2B-eligible player on his own team - Colin Moran has been better overall, and Kevin Newman has been superior recently. He's hitting for average (.287) and has scored 49 runs, but doesn't add enough value in the other counting stats to come close to a viable starting second baseman in standard mixers. He also may lose his grip on the leadoff spot moving forward if Newman continues to excel.

Confidence: 1/10

 

Hunter Renfroe hits 40 home runs.

After hitting 26 homers in each of the previous two seasons, Renfroe already has 27 this year. That puts him on pace to easily clear 40, with an outside shot at 50 bombs. Playing time hasn't been much of an issue as the Padres have found plenty of at-bats for him as well as fellow slugger Franmil Reyes. Rumors have swirled about San Diego shopping Renfroe, which would make sense given their crowded outfield and the fact that he and Reyes are essentially the same player.

Confidence: 9/10

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not a top-12 third baseman.

Vladito looked like the superstar we all expect him to be at the Home Run Derby on Monday, putting on an absolute clinic in the first two rounds before falling to Pete Alonso in the final. His actual production in games, however, has left fantasy owners wanting. He's barely in the top 50 at the position according to ESPN's Player Rater, and considering that his ADP was in the top 50 overall, that has to be considered a significant disappointment. Guerrero is just 20 years old, and it seems only a matter of time before he's a perennial stud. It just may not happen this year.

Confidence: 7/10

 

Blake Snell’s ERA more than doubles.

By many measures, Snell has actually pitched better this year than he did in 2018, when he took home the American League Cy Young honors. However, an increased home run rate and inflated BABIP have led to a 4.70 ERA nearly three runs higher than the previous year's mark. Based on his peripherals, he should be much better in the second half, but enough damage may already have been done for this prediction to hit.

Confidence: 5/10

 

Billy Hamilton and Adalberto Mondesi combine for 120 stolen bases…and a .280 OBP.

The Royals haven't run with as much reckless abandon as many expected, though they still lead the league with 84 steals (next best are the Rangers, with 72). Mondesi and Hamilton have combined for 44 of them, but that pace leaves them well short of making a winner of this prediction. It's Hamilton who's slacking here, as he has just 16 thefts in 21 tries. As for the OBP component, they're both under .300 but have combined for a .292 mark.

Confidence: 1/10

 

Madison Bumgarner finishes outside the top-60 starting pitchers.

Bumgarner hasn't been great with just five wins and decent ratios (4.03 ERA/1.20 WHIP), thanks to a crummy team around him and giving up a ton of hard contact. He has recovered what he lost in terms of strikeouts and walks last year, though, which has been enough to crack the top 50 starters thus far. Assuming he is traded this month to a contender, he'll have a better chance at logging more victories, but it's worth noting that he has struggled on the road this season and been generally homer-prone. If he winds up in, say, Yankee Stadium, that could be problematic.

Confidence: 3/10

 

Kirby Yates leads the league in saves.

Yates ended the first half with 30 saves. No one else has more than 24, and only eight other players even have 20. At least three of that group are likely to be traded before the deadline. There have been rumors around Yates himself being dealt as well, though that seems unlikely with the Padres still firmly in the playoff picture. Even if it were to happen, there aren't many places he could land where he wouldn't remain the primary option for saves. Barring injury or a change in role, this is looking like a good call.

Confidence: 9/10

 

The best hitter named Justin isn’t Justin Upton, Justin Turner, or Justin Smoak – it’s Justin Bour.

Even with Upton missing most of the first half and both Turner and Smoak underperforming, it hasn't panned out because Bour has been straight trash this season. In fairness, I knew this one was crazy when I wrote it.

Confidence: lmao/10

 

Kenta Maeda is the Dodgers’ most valuable starting pitcher.

Maeda has been pretty good, and he's managed to remain a mainstay in the Dodgers rotation after a couple of seasons where they shuttled him off the bullpen whenever they felt like it. It's just that Hyun-Jin Ryu has been outstanding, Walker Buehler has been even better than he was a rookie (never mind the ERA, which is inflated due to a low strand rate), and Clayton Kershaw's been healthy outside of an early-season shoulder scare.

Confidence: 1/10

More 2019 Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Brad Keselowski

Likely to Brush Past Chicago Street Course to Focus on Daytona
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek One of the Best Underdog Options After Strong Runs at Mexico City and Last Year
Cole Custer

Strong Mexico City Run and Xfinity Series Chicago Win Make Him a Solid DFS Option
Erik Jones

Likely Not Good Enough on Road Courses for DFS Consideration Despite Poor Qualifying Result
Noah Gragson

May Be Better Than Other Cheap DFS Options
Riley Herbst

Despite Decent Mexico City Run, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Chicago
Cody Ware

Is a Road Course Veteran, but It's Rarely Helped Him in NASCAR
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Is The Heavy Favorite to Win at Chicago Street Course
Christopher Bell

Should Be Strong Despite Practice Struggles at Chicago Street Course
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF