Archie Bradley Shows His Velocity

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Archie Bradley has already demonstrated the velocity that he hopes to maintain throughout the 2018 season. He admitted to having inconsistencies in past seasons that began even in spring training. However, in a game situation on Saturday, Bradley's first pitch was 95.1 mph. Afterwards, his 17-pitch outing only increased in speed, […]

Paul Goldschmidt's Plan Includes Time Off

According to Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt will get more days off this year, as reported by Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Goldschmidt has played 155 games or more four out of the last five seasons. He is well known for his durability. As Goldschmidt has turned 30, the manager seems intent […]

Robbie Ray To Build Upon Strong Resume

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Robbie Ray believes that last year's performance was more of a floor than one of his best years, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Ray was second in the majors with 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings and third in hits per nine. Ray impressed with 218 strikeouts for the […]

Champ or Chump - Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza Jr.

Traditionally, the Tampa Bay Rays operate in relative obscurity. That has changed this offseason, as trading away Evan Longoria, Jake Odorizzi, Corey Dickerson, and Steven Souza Jr. has led to allegations of "tanking" comparable to the Miami Marlins. The news that Brent Honeywell may require Tommy John surgery certainly doesn't help either. Despite appearances, the […]

2017 Breakouts Due for Regression - Relief Pitchers

2017 was a great season for those who follow the "Don't Pay for Saves" strategy. Actually, it's more than a strategy, it's a lifestyle. Corey Knebel blossomed into an elite closer, Fernando Rodney almost matched his age in saves, Brandon Kintzler/Sean Doolittle/Brandon Maurer/Felipe Rivero/Brad Hand all had over 20 saves, and even Bud Norris was […]

Yoenis Cespedes Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

Today's article is one in a series of debates regarding the overall ranking of some of the most fantasy-relevant players of the 2018 baseball season. RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but that doesn't mean we agreed on everything. In this space, we'll hear from rankers with the […]

Jake Lamb Fine After Hit On Ankle

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jake Lamb (ankle) was hit on his right ankle by a line drive, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Indians infielder Erik Gonzalez hit a line drive with an exit velocity of 114 mph. Lamb stated he was fine and did not appear to have any issues. We will […]

2018 Shortstops - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball dynasty rankings analysis with the first base position. RotoBaller writers Kyle Richardson, Chris Zolli, Pierre Camus, and I have come up with our preseason rankings to give you a sense of player values as early as possible. In a dynasty league, it can be tough to decide between a proven veteran or […]

J.D. Martinez Press Conference Still On Hold

Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal has reported that there is still no news on the physical nor impending press conference of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez. "I'm not concerned. My concern is with the guys here," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Until we hear more about the exact holdup, we will just […]

2018 Second Basemen - Dynasty Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball dynasty rankings analysis with the second base position. Second base is a very intriguing position for dynasty leagues, as there is a changing of the guard that could come as soon as a year or two. Out will be the mainstay names of Robinson Cano, Brian Dozier, and Daniel Murphy, […]

J.D. Martinez Deal Waiting On Physical

According to Christopher Smith of masslive.com, there will not be a press conference Thursday to officially announce the signing of outfielder J.D. Martinez by the Boston Red Sox. The reason is the physical has yet to be completed. There is no additional word regarding any specifics that the physical is causing the holdup. Smith also reported that […]

Yasmany Tomas Might Not Make Roster

According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Yasmany Tomas looks to have a hard time securing a roster spot, let alone a spot in the starting lineup. The acquisitions of outfielders Steven Souza Jr. and Jarrod Dyson secured the most likely spots Tomas could play in the outfield. Among 12 other […]

Champ or Chump - Jarrod Dyson and J.D. Martinez

Major League GMs are making up for lost time, as the moves have been fast and furious over the past few days. The Arizona Diamondbacks completely remodeled their outfield by signing free agent Jarrod Dyson and trading for Steven Souza Jr. Dyson is discussed below, and Souza's fantasy prospects will be considered in a future […]

Fantasy Implications - J.D. Martinez to the Red Sox

The national nightmare is finally over. After weeks upon months of fantasy owners developing carpal tunnel syndrome from hitting F5 repeatedly, desperately searching for any new updates, J.D. Martinez has signed a five-year, $110 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. After accumulating a .251 average and .687 on-base plus slugging percentage with 24 home […]

Jose Abreu Rankings Debate: Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

We on the RotoBaller staff have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but there's plenty of debate over individual players' proper place in the pecking order. In this space, we'll hear from rankers with the biggest differences of opinion on a well-known player and have them defend their position against each other. […]

Chris Owings Will Roam The Whole Field

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings will get plenty of playing time this year, according to manager Torey Lovullo. "He’s going to walk all over the diamond and impact the game at a different angle at different times throughout the course of the season." The agenda seems to be getting him repetitions at all the […]

Brandon Drury To Focus On Third Base

While New York Yankees infielder Brandon Drury’s ability to play both second and third base has been well documented, the prevailing thought was that he would settle at third base with the New York Yankees. This, of course, is considering the fact that top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres is poised to take over at second. On […]

Jackie Bradley Jr. (OF, BOS) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~210 CURRENT ADP: 278 ANALYSIS: Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is a defensive specialist. He has not demonstrated consistent offensive capability to be relevant in fantasy. His slash line since he has been in the big leagues is .239/.318/.407; all of these stats are below league averages in 2017. Bradley’s performance in […]

Ketel Marte in the Mix for Starting Spot

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Ketel Marte is firmly in the mix for a starting spot in the middle infield. With infielder Brandon Drury being shipped off to the Yankees, Marte will be competing with Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings for two spots in the middle infield. If he wins the job, Marte will provide fantasy owners with […]

Luis Severino Rankings Debate - Comparing RotoBaller's Rankers

We continue our long-running series of articles debating fantasy rankings with a player that is sure to be one of the first few pitchers off the board in all formats. Or is he? RotoBaller's expert writers have come up with our consensus rankings for mixed leagues, but that doesn't mean we agreed on everything. In this […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts - Third Basemen

Take a quick look at the NFBC ADPs of third basemen. What do you notice? Is Manny Machado going too high? Is Joey Gallo the boom-or-bust pick of the year? Is Josh Donaldson the best early-round value pick? Third base might just be the deepest infield position in fantasy this year, so it's important to […]

Chris Owings, Socrates Brito Behind In Camp

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Chris Owings (finger) and outfielder Socrates Brito (pinkie) are slightly behind their teammates in camp, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Owings needed a second surgery on his fractured right middle finger in November, but he's on track for Opening Day. Brito injured his finger in winter ball in the Dominican and is […]

Yasmany Tomas Cleared For Workouts

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Yasmany Tomas (hernia) has been cleared for workouts in camp by the team's medical staff after a pair of core muscle/sports hernia surgeries last year, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Tomas likely was never fully healthy in 2017, and his season officially ended in July, as he finished with a .241 average, […]

Nick Mariano's 2018 Early-Round Overvalued List (Premium Content)

All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Fantasy baseball drafts (and their articles) are almost all about finding the next superstar and unearthing talent late, but we can't forget that surrendering value by over-drafting can be just as crucial. In order to evaluate overvalued players here, we're going to utilize Average […]

Second-Year Pitchers Poised for a Breakout

The first year in the big leagues is full of ups and downs for most players, particularly pitchers. Adjusting to the best hitters in the world simply takes time, and many hurlers need multiple seasons to find their footing. Thus, identifying breakout candidates among second-year pitchers is no easy task, as the league has time […]

The Most Profitable Pitchers of the Last Five Years

If you missed last week’s column on the most profitable hitters of the last five years, you can find it here. That post explains the methodology behind this work, and acknowledges the considerable help I received from colleagues throughout the process. Today I'm here to take a look at the pitchers - players who have […]

Stephen Souza Jr. (OF, ARI) - 2018 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers & Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Target ~135 CURRENT ADP: 185 ANALYSIS: Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr broke out and set several career-highs in 2017. The stat that grabs the attention of most fantasy owners is the 30 home runs he hit in 2017. He also set career-highs by a solid margin in runs scored, runs batted in and stolen bases. […]

Taijuan Walker Hopes Humidor Helps

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Taijuan Walker hopes the humidor helps him this year, but he is not sure, according to Nick Piecoro of Arizona Central. “It’s pretty easy to get a grip with the fastball, but the hardest thing for me is getting a grip with the curveball,” Walker said. “If that (the humidor) is […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts - Catcher

Catcher is generally considered the weakest position in fantasy baseball. That is exactly why getting reliable production from the position is so important. There won’t be many good options on the waiver wire to replace a bad pick. This article looks at some catchers that are undervalued and overvalued based on their NFBC ADP (as […]

Zack Greinke Ahead Of Normal Regimen

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Greinke is accelerating his spring training plan and has already thrown five bullpen sessions, four before camp began. “Just last year, it ended up being a good year, but I felt like I was playing catchup a little too much," commented Greinke. Therefore, this year he wants to start early […]