Jonathan Lucroy Hitless In Spring Training

Oakland Athletics catcher Jonathan Lucroy was hitless in spring training, his first with the Athletics. He had 20 at-bats this spring and has zero hits and only one walk. Since 2014, the only offensively successful season Lucroy had was in 2016 (24 home runs, .292 average). In 2017, he managed only six home runs with […]

Matt Chapman Puts A Cap On A Terrible Spring

Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman must work to overcome an underperforming spring. He went 0-for-3 on Tuesday and finished with a .178 average and 10 strikeouts this spring. Chapman showed some offensive promise in 2017, hitting 14 home runs in 84 games. However, it came with a .234 average and 92 strikeouts. Currently, Chapman […]

Starting Pitchers Who Aren’t Improving in 2018

Opening Day is almost here and time is short, so let's cut to the chase. If you want to find great starting pitcher value in your draft, avoid these players. Cole Hamels and Felix Hernandez are aging arms heading into the final stages of their careers, and Jake Odorizzi’s arrow is pointing straight down. I […]

A.J. Puk Needs Tommy John Surgery

Updating a previous report, Oakland Athletics pitching prospect A.J. Puk (elbow) was recommended to have Tommy John surgery, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com. Puk sought a second opinion from well-known orthopedic surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, after receiving news Tuesday that he had ligament issues in his pitching elbow. He would be the second young pitcher […]

Top Starting Pitching Prospect Rankings - 2018 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back, RotoBallers. All preseason I've been breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm bringing you my top 15 starting pitchers - MLB prospect rankings for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. The final positional prospect rankings of the offseason, the depth at starting pitcher is as it always seems to be--deep. There are tons […]

A.J. Puk Has Elbow Ligament Concerns

Oakland Athletics pitching prospect A.J. Puk could potentially have elbow ligament issues, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports Network. A week ago, Puk was shut down after being diagnosed with biceps soreness. This was after he was having a great spring that gave manager Bob Melvin consideration on whether Puk should stay with the […]

Matt Joyce Hopes To Return To Action On Tuesday

Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce (knee) hopes to return to play in Tuesday's game, according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Joyce fouled a ball off his right kneecap in Sunday's game against the Giants. Joyce is recovering quickly and does not feel it will prevent him from starting the season. “Pretty positive […]

Infield Busts Set to Bounce Back in 2018

Collectively, the fantasy community seems to harbor contempt for players that have burned us in the past. After an established, trusted player delivers a poor season it’s hard for us to trust him again. Building a team of last year’s busts is walking a fine line. For every Justin Verlander there’s an Adam Wainwright. This […]

Trevor Cahill Works Toward A Starting Rotation Job

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Trevor Cahill has a couple more starts ahead of him before he potentially takes over a starting gig. Cahill will work three innings in Tuesday’s game at AT&T Park, then he will go to the minor leagues to get in one start in Arizona, according to Susan Slusser of the San […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts: First Basemen

This is the time of year when most average draft positions are generally appropriate and reasonable. We’re quickly approaching Opening Day and most players are sitting right where they should be, but there are a few value opportunities that look too good to pass up. At the same time, however, a few guys are still […]

Shortstop H2H Points Rankings - March Update

Welcome back RotoBallers. With the MLB season a little more than a week away, it's time to update our rankings and analysis to account for injuries, free agent signings, spring training risers/fallers and more. We continue our updated March rankings today with the shortstop position. Bill Dubiel breaks down each tier and provides analysis for which players might be […]

Harris Yudin's 10 Bold Predictions for 2018

With Opening Day rapidly approaching, our experienced writers will be offering their most daring predictions for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. Many of my predictions over the years have been laughable at season’s end, but there have been several success stories, as well. Regardless, all predictions are based in trends and patterns, with just a […]

Top Outfielders 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 15 outfielders and MLB prospect rankings for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. Every year, there is a strong crop of fantasy prospects who rise up to get a chance to shine in the majors. This season, however, there […]

Updated Outfield Rankings - 2018 Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back RotoBallers. With the MLB season a little more than a week away, it's time to update our rankings and analysis to account for injuries, free agent signings, spring training risers/fallers and more. We continue our updated March rankings today with the outfield position. Bill Dubiel breaks down each tier and provides analysis for which players might be […]

Updated Starting Pitcher Rankings - 2018 Fantasy Baseball

We are just days away from the regular season, so the crack staff at RotoBaller has updated their rankings one last time. We continue our review of the March update with a look at the starting pitcher ranks. Aces are drawing early attention, while numerous values still remain toward the end of fantasy drafts. Whether you […]

2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values - AL Starting Pitchers

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I'm not big on the term "sleeper." When anybody with a computer and a working Internet connection can drill down deep into any player's performance with a few keystrokes and a couple of clicks, the odds of you catching any of your rivals truly sleeping […]

Boog Powell Might Have Inside Track On Center Field Spot

Updating a previous report on the Oakland Athletics center field competition, all indications are moving towards Dustin Fowler being the odd man out and starting the year in the minors. According to Jane Lee of MLB.com, manager Bob Melvin said, "We’re comfortable with Smolinski and Powell." This would indicate that Boog Powell might be getting […]

Paul Blackburn Out With Forearm Strain

Updating a previous report, Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn has a forearm strain, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com. Lee also noted the MRI showed no structural damage. Manager Bob Melvin estimated Blackburn would be shut down for 10 days. With an already thin rotation, the starters are identified by their health. The starting […]

Dustin Fowler Has Competition For Center Field Spot

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin has one last decision to make, picking a center fielder, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com. The choices are among Dustin Fowler and Boog Powell. It has long been thought that Fowler had an edge on the position. Powell, .270 average, is having a good spring compared to Fowler, .189 average. Fowler comes […]

Paul Blackburn Having Forearm Tightness

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn is dealing with forearm tightness. He will see a doctor here in Arizona, according to Julian McWilliams of the The Athletic. On Tuesday, Blackburn had a terrible game against the Dodgers, giving up seven runs. This concern is bad news for the Athletics who are already reeling from injuries […]

Bruce Maxwell Earns Backup Catcher Spot

Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell earned the backup catcher job behind Jonathan Lucroy, according to Melissa Lockard of The Athletic. Maxwell started slow this spring, but is finishing strong and has a .313 average with two home runs thus far. He became the backup catcher when the Athletics optioned Dustin Garneau to Triple-A this morning. […]

A.J. Puk Shut Down With Bicep Concerns

Oakland Athletics pitching prospect A.J. Puk (bicep) has been shut down with biceps soreness, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Puk had an MRI and there was no indication of any major structural damage. Since the injury does not appear to be serious, the Athletics are just taking every precaution, considering recent […]

Relief Pitcher H2H Points Rankings - March Update

With the regular season, also known as the fantasy season, just a few weeks away, it's time for the RotoBaller staff to update our points rankings one last time. We end our review of the March update with a look at the bullpen for the relief pitcher position. While there is a lot of talent […]

Outfield H2H Points Rankings - March Update

Welcome back RotoBallers. With the MLB season just a few days away, it's time to update our rankings and analysis to account for injuries, free agent signings, spring training risers/fallers and more. We continue our updated March rankings today with the outfield position. I, Nick Mariano, will break down each tier and provides analysis for which […]

Nick Mariano's 10 Bold Predictions for 2018

As we steamroll toward Opening Day, our experienced writers will be offering their most bold predictions for the 2018 fantasy baseball season. These are always a fun exercise that allows us to really trumpet our more outlandish stances heading into 2017. I promise it comes from an educated place, but these are far from "probable" […]

Starting Pitcher H2H Points Rankings - March Update

We are getting closer and closer to the first pitch of the 2018 MLB season. Spring training is in full swing which means we are right in the thick of draft season. Below you will find our updated head-to-head points league rankings for starting pitchers. In this article, I will be discussing the updates to […]

Paul Blackburn Cannot Make It Out Of Third Inning

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn was scorched for seven runs against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Runs allowed in the spring is not an indicator of success in the season. On the positive side, though, he has struck out 17 batters in 17 innings. The biggest concern is his control; Blackburn has given away a […]

ADP Sleepers and Busts - Closers

Where an owner drafts closers comes down to personal strategy and philosophy. Some owners are willing spend up for high-end closers like Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel, while others are content to let closers fly off the board deep into the draft and scrounge for saves late. For those of us unwilling to invest in […]

2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values - AL Outfielders

Everyone knows that in fantasy baseball, values are king. Any of the different terms you might see bandied about - bargain, sleeper, flier, lotto ticket - are all driving at that same basic idea. Obviously, finding the players who can provide a huge return on a modest investment goes a long way toward winning your league. […]

Trevor Cahill To Start On Thursday

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Trevor Cahill is slated to start Thursday's game against the Rockies, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com. The free-agent deal between Cahill and the Athletics was just completed on Monday. Cahill's 2017 was strong in the beginning, but he deteriorated as the year went on. Cahill could have a resurgence pitching […]