Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball: Ballpark Factors

If you have ever selected a streamable pitcher based on home park or benched an otherwise must-start arm at Coors Field, you already know how much a stadium can impact a player's bottom line. Ballpark Factors quantify the influence each stadium has, allowing you to make the most of your fantasy team's real-life schedule. However, […]

Andres Gimenez (2B/SS, CLE) - 2021 Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers

Andres Gimenez burst onto the scene in the shortened 2020 season. Originally expected to spend the year at the alternate training site for the New York Mets, Gimenez worked his way into a roster spot in spring training with his baserunning instincts and highlight-reel defensive plays, and then soon overtook the slumping Amed Rosario to […]

Jose Altuve Hits First Home Run Of Spring

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored in Wednesday's tie with the Cardinals. Altuve had been in a bit of a slump, so it was a good sign to see him back in the hit column, particularly with his first homer of the spring. The 30-year-old […]

Alek Manoah Among Players Sent To Minors By Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays sent 25 players to the minor league camp on Thursday, including starting pitcher and former first-round pick Alek Manoah. The hard-throwing righty made a huge impression this spring by dominating the Yankees in two appearances. Although he won't break camp with the Jays, he could possibly help the club late in […]

Nick Solak Homers In Rangers Win

Texas Rangers second baseman Nick Solak continued to emerge from his slow start to the spring with a 2-for-3 day that included a home run. After just four hits in his first seven games, the 26-year-old is 4-for-9 (.444) with two home runs over his past three games. In total, Solak is hitting 8-for-26 (.308) […]

Joe Dunand Hits A Walk-Off On Wednesday

Miami Marlins infield prospect Joe Dunand hit a walk-off home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the New York Mets. Dunand didn't start but ended up going 1-for-2 with a home run, a run scored and two RBI. The 25-year-old is now hitting .294 with a 1.015 OPS. Alex Rodriguez's nephew is unlikely to […]

Jazz Chisholm Goes Yard On Wednesday

Miami Marlins infielder Jazz Chisholm had a second strong start in a row on Wednesday. In a Grapefruit League game against the New York Mets, Jazz got the start at second base and went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk. He had two hits in his previous start as well, boosting his […]

Sam Chinitz's 10 Bold Predictions For 2021

The 2021 MLB regular season is less than one month away, so it’s time for some bold predictions. Last year’s bold predictions didn’t pan out too well for me; if we’re being generous, two out of the ten predictions hit -- and that’s including Corey Kluber posting a sub-3.00 ERA (which technically happened, even if […]

MLB Spring Training Notebook (3/17) - Jorge Polanco Leaves Game

Welcome to the 2021 edition of RotoBaller's Spring Training Notebook. Thankfully, we have real, live baseball being played every day again, and while it doesn't count for anything, these exhibition games gives us the smallest glimmer into players and teams heading into the new season. We're into our third week of spring training games and […]

2020 Breakout Infielders Who'll Keep Improving

In a recent article, I outlined a methodology to determine which breakout 2020 seasons from hitters would be built off of into 2021. Upon further reflection, however, I’m unconvinced that that methodology the best way to spot breakouts that will continue to improve, in large part because of its reliance on evaluating the stickiness of […]

Starlin Castro Strong In Spring Return

Washington Nationals second baseman Starlin Castro, whose 2020 season ended in August with a broken wrist, is hitting .348/.400/.609 in spring training. Castro is already penciled in as the team's starter at the keystone and performed decently well in just 63 PA last season, hitting .267/.302/.450. His .299 xwOBA was not great but that figure […]

Charlie Montoyo's 2022 Option Picked Up By Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays picked up manager Charlie Montoyo's 2022 option on Wednesday. The move gives the club some stability for at least the next two years. The decision should be welcomed by fantasy managers as Montoyo has pushed versatility among his players which has increased the fantasy value of players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. […]

Jonathan India Hoping To Make Opening Day Roster

Cincinnati Reds infielder Jonathan India has turned heads in Cactus League action this spring. The former No. 5 overall selection by the Reds in 2018 has hit the ball well, batting .348 with one homer, five runs, three RBI, and a steal in 23 at-bats. Cincinnati is toying with the idea of moving Eugenio Suarez […]

Jorge Polanco Has Left Adductor Tightness

Minnesota Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco (groin) was forced to leave Tuesday's game against the Pirates early due to left adductor tightness. Polanco attempted to make a diving stop in the second inning and rolled up on the ball in the process. The 27-year-old stayed in the game initially but was ultimately pulled after saying […]

MLB Spring Training Notebook (3/16) - Luis Robert Scratched Monday

Welcome to the 2021 edition of RotoBaller's Spring Training Notebook. Thankfully, we have real, live baseball being played every day again, and while it doesn't count for anything, these exhibition games gives us the smallest glimmer into players and teams heading into the new season. We're into our third week of spring training games and […]

Fantasy Baseball Spring Training Injury Updates

Injury updates tend to change often during Spring Training. "Soreness" is a common theme as players get back into game shape. I will be giving the most recent available injury updates from the offseason. These updates will undoubtedly change as Spring Training continues. As we get closer to Opening Day, some injuries are much more […]

Jazz Chisholm Smacks Two Singles On Monday

Miami Marlins infielder Jazz Chisholm got two singles in Monday's Grapefruit League win against the Houston Astros. Chisholm got the start at second base and went 2-for-2 with a run scored. The solid performance lifted Jazz's batting average to an even .200, slightly better (or at least less-bad) than his main competition, Isan Diaz, who […]

Chad Pinder (2B/3B, OAK) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 440 CURRENT ADP: ~542 overall ANALYSIS: Pinder took clear steps he took to improve his plate discipline leading up to the 2020 season last February, and those improvements showed up in his performance. Although Pinder’s O-Swing rate was up slightly from 2019 at 33.3%, his swing rate at pitches in […]

Jorge Polanco Continues Hot Spring Start

Minnesota Twins second baseman Jorge Polanco has enjoyed a strong spring so far. Polanco has six hits, two runs scored, and an RBI along with five walks to just one strikeout in eight Grapefruit League games. The 27-year-old has shown increased patience at the plate, which is certainly a positive sign after he posted the […]

Vidal Brujan Has Two Hits, Increases Versatility

Tampa Bay Rays prospect Vidal Brujan had two hits — including a double — on Sunday. The young player is now 4-for-13 (.308) with a BB-K of 2-5 this spring. Also of note, Brujan played right field for the first time. It was the fourth different position for the speedy 23-year-old who has also seen […]

Josh VanMeter Hits Second Homer Of Spring Sunday

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Josh VanMeter went 1-for-2 on Sunday, hitting his second home run of the spring in a 6-3 loss to the Giants. He accounted for all of Arizona's runs with his three-run blast to center field, as he homered for the second game in a row. VanMeter has shown himself to be […]

Rodolfo Castro Homers In Second Straight Game

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Rodolfo Castro hit his second home run in as many days on Sunday, finishing 1-for-2 with four RBI. After launching a two-run home run Saturday against the Yankees, Castro crushed a one-out grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to pull the Pirates within a run of the Phillies. Castro […]

Brendan Rodgers Could Be Ready For Opening Day

Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who injured his hamstring on Saturday while attempting to steal second base, has a shot to be ready for Opening Day. Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters on Sunday that the "training staff is encouraged" by Rodgers' hamstring. "Some of the things they look for--if he feels it walking, […]

Matt Carpenter Reaches Twice On Sunday

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter reached base twice in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the New York Mets. Carpenter ended up 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. Carpenter has been struggling mightily this spring, with Sunday's performance raising his batting average to .059 and his OPS to .390. Carpenter is more […]

Jeter Downs Leaves Game With Injury

Boston Red Sox middle infielder Jeter Downs left Sunday's game with what is being described as a left side injury. Downs, the Red Sox's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, incurred the injury while diving for a ball at shortstop. He will undergo more tests in the coming days, but this could be a huge blow […]

Launch Angle Analysis - Potential HR Risers

With the onset of Statcast data, we can now better predict which hitters may be due for a power surge. Before recent years, we only had things like hard-hit rate and home runs per fly ball ratios to look to as predictors of future changes in home run rates. Now that we have launch angle, […]

Top 10 Tips for Fantasy Baseball Snake Drafts

Before I begin, let me caveat everything I say with this: I don't consider myself to be some sort of expert master fantasy player. I've only been playing fantasy baseball for a little under a decade. But as soon as I started to immerse myself into this game we all love, my main focus was […]

Spring Training Lineup Takeaways - Week 2 Lineup Trends

Welcome back RotoBallers! We are entering week three of Spring Training already, and with that came a lot of things we saw in week two. But of course, my week one review also still has very relevant information as well. Just a reminder, in my Lineup Takeaways series we are focusing 100% on lineups, news and […]

Andres Gimenez Continues Torrid Spring

Cleveland Indians infielder Andres Gimenez continued his strong spring in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants as he went 2-for-3 with a run scored. He is now 7-for-21 with two home runs, six RBI, and three runs scored across his first eight spring games. Gimenez has been hitting near the top of the […]

Ozzie Albies Struggles Continue Saturday

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Saturday's 7-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Albies is now just 2-for-13 with a home run and one RBI in his first six spring games. It is still early enough in the spring where Albies can rebound and put together a string […]