Jose Ramirez Will Return to the Lineup on Monday

Cleveland Indians infielder Jose Ramirez (ankle) will return to the lineup on Monday. Ramirez went down in Saturday's Cactus League game but was able to make it off the field under his own power. He ended up with just a bone bruise, which was the best-case scenario. He'll be ready for Opening Day and should […]

Wilmer Flores Seeing Outfield Reps

New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores started the spring game in left field for the first time on Saturday. “You saw why he needs to be playing multiple positions because the kid can hit. He can hit really good,” manager Mickey Callaway said after Flores went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double. “We […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball Part 14 - Statcast For Pitchers

Previously, we looked at Barrels, a stat combining exit velocity and launch angle to measure how often a batter makes quality hard contact. As much as batters want to hit a Barrel every time, pitchers want to avoid them at all costs. Yet there is some evidence that pitchers do not have the same influence […]

Kyle Bishop's 10 Bold Predictions for 2018

Every day from now until Opening Day, our writers will be offering their most audacious projections for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. This is my fourth go-round with this series. I've had some great successes and some equally terrible calls in both previous attempts, and this year should be no different. Hopefully the former outweigh […]

Jose Ramirez Leaves Saturday's Game Due to an Ankle Injury

Cleveland Indians infielder Jose Ramirez was forced to leave Saturday's Cactus League game due to an ankle bruise. Ramirez went down and certainly worried his fantasy owners, but he was able to leave the field on his own and is only dealing with an ankle bruise. Because it's Spring Training, Ramirez will likely miss a […]

Blue Jays Sign Danny Espinosa

The Toronto Blue Jays signed free-agent second baseman Danny Espinosa to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training on Saturday. Espinosa appeared in 12 spring games for the Yankees but was released on March 12. The 30-year-old had his best years with the Nationals from 2010 to 2016, but he's hit just […]

Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Ichiro Suzuki To Take Swings

Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (hamstring) and outfielders Nelson Cruz (quadriceps) and Ichiro Suzuki (calf) are all scheduled to take swings Saturday. Cano and Cruz will hit in the cages, while Suzuki will take batting practice on the field. All three will likely be held out of game action until Wednesday. The M's are […]

Top Fantasy Baseball Prospects - AL Central

If you are in a dynasty league, then the number one thing you likely focus on year-round are prospects. It's a never-ending hunt to find the best prospect and acquire them for the lowest cost possible. Not only are owners looking for the best prospect, they also have to discern whether or not they will […]

2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values - Second Base

Putting my personal hangups over the term "sleeper" aside, we can all agree that what we're after in our fantasy drafts is value. Finding the most valuable players leads to winning leagues, obviously, but it's also just awesome to get something good for way below what you should've had to pay. Over the next several days, […]

Overvalued - Second Basemen Set to Bust in 2018

Predicting busts is surprisingly easy if you really think about it. Looking at a player’s age is a good starting point, but their recent season performances are even more telling. The guys listed below are players who I think will underwhelm expectations in 2018. You won’t be seeing fantasy studs like Jose Ramirez or Brian […]

Jose Altuve Nearing Massive Extension

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is nearing a five-year, $150 million extension that would begin in 2020, per MLB.com. The reigning MVP's deal ensures he will be in the heart of the Houston lineup for a long time after slashing .346/.410/.547 with four triples, 24 home runs, 32 stolen bases, 39 doubles, 81 runs […]

Reds Reassign Dilson Herrera, Others

The Cincinnati Reds have reassigned second baseman Dilson Herrera, catcher Chadwick Tromp, and infielder/outfielders Darnell Sweeney and Patrick Kivlehan to minor league camp. Herrera is the biggest name of the group and was once considered the team's second baseman of the future but shoulder surgery in July of 2017 is still preventing him from playing […]

Brad Miller To Play Saturday

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brad Miller (toe) will play in a Grapefruit League game Saturday against the Red Sox. Miller played in a minor league game on Thursday and went hitless, but he's progressing and expects to be ready for Opening Day. After surprisingly hitting 30 homers in 2016, Miller predictably fell back down to […]

Champ or Chump - Brett Gardner and Whit Merrifield

Many fantasy owners avoid players such as Billy Hamilton because his lopsided production puts you at a disadvantage in four out of five categories. The obvious solution is to roster balanced players who contribute in all of the categories, but players who can realistically do that are often expensive. Heck, Alex Bregman is commanding a […]

Deeper Second Base Sleepers - Undervalued ADPs

We are gathered here today to discuss everyone’s favorite fantasy buzzword, the “sleepers”. Not only that, but we’re tabbing these guys as deeper sleepers with a focus on the second base position. The keystone position is an exciting one these days, and while many folks are scurrying to score Ian Happ, Jonathan Villar or Ian […]

Cesar Hernandez (2B, PHI) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~255 CURRENT ADP: 282 ANALYSIS: Everyone is (rightfully) buzzing about hot prospect Scott Kingery, but no one is talking about the guy who is making Philadelphia try out Kingery in the outfield to boost his versatility. Cesar Hernandez has hit exactly .294 alongside a 10.6 percent walk rate in each of his last […]

Javier Baez Set To Return Saturday

Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (hamstring) will return to the Cubs lineup on Saturday. Baez had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury over the last week. Baez should be ready to roll on Opening Day and offers power at both middle infield positions.

Daniel Murphy Won't Be Pushed For Opening Day

Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (knee) continues to work his way back to game action but is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. He's been limited to batting practices and grounders hit right to him, so until he can move laterally, he won't play in a game. This basically eliminates him for Opening […]

Brad Miller To Play Thursday

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brad Miller (toe) will play in a minor league game Thursday, and he is fully confident that he will be ready for Opening Day. Miller dealt with injuries last year as well, playing in just 110 games and disappointing with a .201 average and nine home runs. That's after he surprisingly […]

Scooter Gennett Dealing With Sore Right Shoulder

The Cincinnati Reds have scratched second baseman Scooter Gennett (shoulder) for Thursday's Cactus League game. Gennett is dealing with a sore right shoulder, but the team doesn't expect him to miss more than a day. Infielder Brandon Dixon has taken Gennett's place at second base and is batting eighth. Dixon is a non-roster invitee who is […]

Ozzie Albies Quietly Continues To Have Strong Spring

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies, who is near .300 (.293) after his 1-for-4 day at the plate on Wednesday, is pretty much locking down his position. While he's not loved as much as say, a Jose Altuve or Daniel Murphy, he could wind up outperforming his No. 19 rank at the position. He could […]

Tyler Saladino Feels Better

After colliding with teammate Nick Delmonico, Chicago White Sox infielder Tyler Saladino (concussion) said he is feeling much improved and worked out with the team on Wednesday. Saladino should be good to go for Opening Day, but he can be left on the waiver wire entering 2018.

Andrew Romine May Not Be Out Long

Seattle Mariners infielder Andrew Romine (shoulder) is dealing with a shoulder subluxation but will rest for now, and he doesn't think it'll keep him out for long. Romine should be good to go for the start of the regular season as he competes for a utility role on the team's bench. He hit just .233 […]

Brad Miller Out Another 4-5 Days

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brad Miller (toe) will miss another four to five days before he's able to play in a game, but his availability for Opening Day shouldn't be impacted, according to manager Kevin Cash. The left-handed hitter slugged a whopping 30 home runs in 2016 but fell back to earth dramatically in 2017, […]

Robinson Cano Could Return To Games Next Week

Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (hamstring) could return to spring games next week after suffering a left hamstring strain. Cano should be fine for Opening Day, barring any setbacks, but the Mariners will likely be cautious with their star second baseman. Don't expect another season approaching 40 home runs for Cano, but he can […]

Matt Carpenter Makes His 2018 Debut

St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter (back, shoulder) made his 2018 Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday, walking twice and scoring two runs. Carpenter has been recovering from a back injury and is still dealing with a shoulder issue that plagued him last season. Still, it seems like everything went OK on Tuesday, and unless something changes, […]

Daniel Murphy Takes Grounders For First Time

Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (knee) did some fielding drills on Tuesday, according to Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post. She notes that he wasn't moving laterally, however. Murphy is being brought back slowly from microfracture surgery on his right knee. He's also been hitting in the batting cage during regular batting practice. Murphy […]

Devon Travis (2B, TOR) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~ 375 CURRENT ADP: 413 ANALYSIS: Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: Devon Travis is injury-prone. That may actually be a huge understatement, as the Blue Jays second baseman has not had a single healthy major league season in three tries. Knee and shoulder ailments have forced Travis to […]

ADP Busts - 2017 Infield Breakouts to Avoid in 2018

Earlier this week, I took a look at four outfielders whose disappointing 2017 performances made them potential draft bargains for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. Today, we’re taking the opposite tack. Overpaying for last year’s breakout is one of the easiest – and costliest – mistakes a fantasy owner can make, and we’ve all fallen […]

Top Second Base Prospect Rankings - 2018 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back, RotoBallers. I'll be breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm bringing you my top 10 second basemen - MLB prospect rankings for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. Second base is not a particularly strong position for prospects. It suffers from the same issue as first base: it is used as the position […]