RADIO
Dilson Herrera Past His Shoulder Issues
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Dilson Herrera said he's past the lingering shoulder issues that have slowed him down since landing with the Reds. "Everything is good," Herrera said Friday. "I am feeling really better, much better than last year. I'm ready to work." Herrera came to the Reds in the trade that sent outfielder Jay […]
Adam Eaton, Daniel Murphy On Target
Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said outfielder Adam Eaton (knee) and second baseman Daniel Murphy (knee) are "right on target" with their rehab. The goal is for both to be ready for Opening Day. A torn ACL cost Eaton the majority of last season, but he should return as the starting center fielder for the […]
Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~125 CURRENT ADP: 136 ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ian Happ will look to build off a strong rookie year. Happ was called up earlier than expected, but never looked back. If his minor league track record is any reference, Happ improved his batting average 20 points from his first year to his second […]
DJ LeMahieu (2B, COL) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~75 CURRENT ADP: 130 ANALYSIS: Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu had a very similar season in 2017 to the one he had in 2016. The only real difference is that he did not get to take home a shiny batting title trophy this time around. LeMahieu hit .310 with eight home runs, six […]
Cliff Pennington Signs With Reds
The Cincinnati Reds signed free-agent infielder Cliff Pennington to a split contract. He'll receive $1.5 million if he makes the major league roster. The 33-year-old switch-hitter can play all over the infield, but mainly profiles as middle infield depth for the Reds in what could be a utility role. He hit just .253 with three […]
Nick Senzel Working At Second Base And Shortstop
Cincinnati Reds third base prospect Nick Senzel arrived to the team's spring complex about a month early, and their No. 1 ranked prospect and No. 7 prospect in all of baseball has been working diligently at second base and shortstop. The 22-year-old has worked exclusively at third base since he was selected second overall in […]
Champ or Chump - Ian Desmond and Jonathan Villar
Early draft data from RTSports drafts has been added to FantasyPros, making the latter's composite ADP data a little more reliable. Your host site's ADP data is worth looking into, especially if any absentee owners are auto-selecting based on the site's default rankings. However, FantasyPros' composite ADP is the best way to feel an unbiased […]
Daniel Murphy (2B, WSH) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~40 CURRENT ADP: 67 ANALYSIS: Despite a litany of aches and injuries, Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy played in two more games this past season than in 2016 and came to the plate 11 more times. He posted slightly lower numbers in every category but runs (94 in 2017 vs. 83 in 2016), […]
Three Up, Three Down – 2018 Second Base Prospects
The keystone should be a position for players developed to keep everything together, both offensively and defensively. However, that is not the case in most years. It is generally comprised of athletes that move off of shortstop for one reason or another. Therefore, the position is usually very thin in the minor leagues. It is […]
Top 600: Dynasty League Fantasy Baseball Rankings
What's up RotoBallers. Today we are bringing you our top 600 fantasy baseball dynasty rankings for the 2018 MLB season. Dynasty leagues, or keeper formats, are becoming more and more popular in the fantasy sports landscape. For those of you who are playing in dynasty formats, or are interested in long-term valuations of fantasy players, this is […]
Brad Miller In The Running At Both First and Second Base
Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brad Miller could be in the running at either first base or second base. The general manager of the Rays went on the radio that they had an "open mind" when figuring out the right side of the infield. It was also noted that Miller would be in the running at either first […]
Robinson Cano (2B, SEA) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~50 CURRENT ADP: 79 ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners second basemen Robinson Cano suffered a power outage in the second half of the 2017 season, but still managed to hit .280 with 23 home runs and 97 runs batted in. Most infielders would sign up for those numbers any day of the week, but 2017 could be considered […]
Rangers Trade Russell Wilson To The Yankees
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that the Texas Rangers traded Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson today to the New York Yankees in exchange for future consideration. It might surprise some that Wilson actually played nearly 100 games in the Colorado Rockies system after being drafted in the 4th round of the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft. Wilson […]
Yoan Moncada (2B, CHW) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~105 CURRENT ADP: 134 ANALYSIS: The White Sox are not supposed to contend in 2018, which, in a lot of ways, is a good thing for Moncada. For one, it means that he will have a longer leash at 2B. Not that it matters, anyway, because Moncada was killing it at the end of […]
Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball Part 3 - Statcast for Batters
If you've watched a baseball broadcast in the so-called Statcast Era, you have undoubtedly noticed the broadcasters commenting on a batted ball's exit velocity, or EV. Many have taken to using stats like Hard% and Soft% to forecast how a player should be performing, expecting larger Hard% rates to produce larger BABIP and HR/FB figures. […]
Brad Miller Expected To Play First Base
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said the plan for now is for infielder Brad Miller to play first base, with Micah Johnson, Daniel Robertson, Ryan Schimpf and Joey Wendle battling for the second base duties. Miller is also a candidate to start at the keystone if the Rays add a first baseman before the […]
Michael Martinez Undergoes Surgery to Repair a Ruptured Achilles Tendon
Cleveland Indians utility player Michael Martinez underwent surgery this week to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. He was performing agility exercises in his native Dominican Republic when he was injured. Rehabilitation for a ruptured Achilles usually takes at least six months, so Martinez's entire 2018 season is in jeopardy right now. He had signed a […]
Using Sabermetrics For Fantasy Baseball Part 1 - BABIP for Hitters
Hello fellow RotoBallers! Sabermetrics have become an integral tool for fantasy baseball draft prep, but a concise resource for understanding the basics can be difficult to find. This series attempts to define and explain all of the metrics fantasy owners may find useful, citing examples of how to use them in the process. Twenty degrees […]
Phillies Sign Adam Rosales
The Philadelphia Phillies signed free-agent infielder Adam Rosales to a minor league deal that will pay him $1.75 million if he makes the big league roster. Rosales will be invited to spring training. The veteran utility player will attempt to serve in a utility role on the infield for the rebuilding Phillies. In 105 games […]
Yangervis Solarte (2B/SS/3B, TOR) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Target ~260 CURRENT ADP: 271 ANALYSIS: Yangervis Solarte personified mediocrity in 2017, slashing .255/.314/.416 with 18 long balls and a trio of steals. With eligibility at all three positions listed above plus seven games at first base, a competent batting line is really all Solarte needed to have fantasy value as a reserve. Yet there […]
T.J. Rivera Hopes To Return By May
New York Mets infielder T.J. Rivera (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery on his injured right elbow in September, but he has been progressing nicely and hopes to return in May. Rivera has had a solid couple of years for the Mets, slashing .290/.330/.430 with five home runs and 13 doubles in 73 games in 2017 prior […]
Mets Still Trying To Acquire Josh Harrison
If you’re sick of hearing rumors about the New York Mets trying to acquire a second baseman this offseason, you’re not alone. Those rumors aren’t going away anytime soon, as it’s been reported that although the Mets are still trying to acquire infielder Josh Harrison from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the free agency route is more likely. […]
2018 Dynasty Baseball Strategy - Basic Asset Valuation
Dynasty baseball is a beautiful thing. In a redraft league, everybody is trying to win now. You all have the same goal. Dynasty formats allow for long-term planning. If your team is competitive, you'll value players differently than a rebuilding owner. This discrepancy makes it much easier to find mutually beneficial trades. Unfortunately, this same […]
Tigers Sign Alexi Amarista
The Detroit Tigers signed free-agent infielder Alexi Amarista to a minor league deal Tuesday, according to a source. The Little Ninja is mainly useful for his positional versatility, and he figures to perform as a super-utility player for the rebuilding Tigers. Amarista hit just .238 with the Rockies in 2017 in 96 games, and he […]
2018 Second Base - Early Points League Rankings and Tiers
Aside from catcher, second base is amongst the shallowest positions heading into the 2018 season. Assuming a standard 10-12 team league, depending on the bench size it makes sense to roster only one 2B upon conclusion of your draft. If you can’t scoop up Jose Altuve, Jose Ramirez or Anthony Rizzo, you may need to […]
Willie Calhoun is Coming...
Last season, the Rangers surprised the baseball world by trading superstar Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a return that, at the time, was deemed pretty sparse. The centerpiece was a little known, and maybe lesser-appreciated infielder named Willie Calhoun. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft, Calhoun started his […]
Top 100: MLB Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball
Prospects. For any fantasy baseball enthusiast, it's all about knowing about the prospects, rookies and call-ups. More than any other sport, baseball offers a fresh influx of rookie talent every year, both before and during the MLB season. And adding the right guy at the right time can be a league winner (see Aaron Judge and […]
Top 450: Points Leagues Tiered Staff Rankings (January)
In case you haven't noticed, we've already been cranking out all sorts of 2018 fantasy baseball rankings at RotoBaller HQ. It's only mid-January but you can already find preliminary staff rankings for mixed leagues, points leagues, AL/NL only leagues, dynasty leagues, top 2018 prospects, dynasty prospects and more. Today we are here to start looking […]
Josh Harrison Prefers Trade If Pirates Aren't Contenders
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison said he would prefer to be traded if the team doesn't expect to be in contention in 2018 or 2019 after the trades of starting pitcher Gerrit Cole and outfielder Andrew McCutchen. “In our minds, a rebuild implies you’re looking five years down the road,” general manager Neal Huntington […]
Champ or Chump - Yangervis Solarte and Mitch Moreland
Much is made of a team's projected batting order early on in the offseason, but the discussions quickly become moot as the realities of the regular season alter every team's plans. Slumping players move down the batting order, replaced by their more productive teammates. A utility guy could escape the bench and become a fixture […]
