Hitters Who Changed Scenes - Preseason Risers and Fallers

The constant and inevitable churn of players and teams continued this offseason, as it does being "constant" and all. A change of scenery having an effect in and of itself is a bit cliche and probably inaccurate, but changing parks and changing teammates will certainly have its effect on a player's stat line. One player […]

March ADP Musings - Overvalued / Undervalued Relief Pitchers

If you've played fantasy baseball long enough, you've heard some variation of the phrase "don't pay for saves" before. If you're new to the fantasy baseball community, you'll get used to it soon enough. The long-form version, for those of you who are indeed trying out fantasy baseball for the first time, is this: bullpen […]

2019 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers - RotoBaller Staff Picks

As we get set for the 2019 MLB season, it's time for our crack staff to reveal their favorite preseason sleepers. We recently polled some of our fantasy baseball writers to get their take on which hitters and pitchers they are targeting the most in the mid-to-late rounds of fantasy drafts. While you've likely heard […]

Intro: Finding Undervalued Players Using Expected Draft Values

At RotoBaller, we are all about bringing you the best analysis in the fantasy sports universe. We’re proud to unveil a draft-season project that looks at the past 10 years of draft data to find undervalued and overvalued players based on Expected Draft Values.  This series introduction will briefly break down our methodology and then […]

MacKenzie Gore Could Dominate In 2019

San Diego Padres starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, the team's No. 2 prospect and No. 15 overall per MLB Pipeline, only threw 60 2/3 innings over 16 starts for Single-A Fort Wayne last year due to a blister issue in his first full season. The third overall pick in 2017 showed improved velocity this spring and […]

Manuel Margot Falling Out Of Favor

It’s becoming probable that San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot won’t be given an everyday job in 2019. After a disappointing .245/.292/.384 slash with just eight homers and 11 steals (53 percent success rate) last year, Margot needs to showcase his offensive worth to remain in the lineup. Despite his excellent defense and a promising […]

Rookie Catchers that Could Help You in 2019

It’s not enough to just be overflowing with talent to have a good rookie season. You also need to have an opportunity. And $1 buys, or late-round selections likely won’t win you a championship on their own but most championship seasons in fantasy baseball need a little luck from those picks or a lucky waiver […]

Updated Shortstop Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

Our updated fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis rolls on with the shortstop position. With the 2019 MLB season technically underway in Japan, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel have given their rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current list any time. Shortstop […]

Updated Outfielder Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with a look at the star-studded outfield position With the 2019 season beginning in a matter of days, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel have given their preseason rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a […]

Nate Green's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

Here at RotoBaller, we offer only the best, most factually-grounded fantasy analysis. Then, once a year, along comes everyone's favorite exercise: the Bold Predictions. Ah yes, wherein those of us who write analysis about a sabermetric-driven sport are encouraged to make the wildest guesses about the coming season in fantasy baseball. Some statistical basis ought […]

RotoBaller Presents The King and Pocket Aces

Check out the newest podcast team here at RotoBaller HQ, featuring two of the best in the industry. We are thrilled to introduce the awesome duo of Scott "The King" Engel and Anthony "Pocket Aces" Aniano of RotoBaller Radio - tune in below as they discuss the fantasy baseball preseason and get you prepped for your upcoming drafts. […]

Manny Machado Launches First Spring Homer

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado cracked a two-run home run Wednesday, his first of spring training. Machado is hitting just .176 in 34 at-bats this March but it shouldn’t be a concern for the $300-million-man. Machado will likely bat second or third and should test 30 homers along with 180 runs-plus-RBI in 2019. […]

Matt Strahm Destined For Starting Rotation

San Diego Padres starter/reliever Matt Strahm is on track to be the team’s fourth starter to begin the regular season. Strahm fired five innings of scoreless ball and recorded four strikeouts Wednesday to bring his spring resume to a 2.65 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10.1 K/9 across 17 frames. Strahm’s strong performance and injuries to […]

Updated Third Base Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

We move to the left side on the infield now in our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the third base position. The 2019 baseball season is already here! RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel want to make sure you are prepared for last-minute drafts, so they have […]

Ellis Canady's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

Bold predictions. The time where we come up with ideas that should happen because in our minds they make sense. Statistical analysis, prognostication, voodoo, card reader, etc. None of these are completely certain methods to achieve the forecast that we have in mind. So, we put our idea to text, bury them in the digital […]

Jacob Nix Has Strained UCL; Padres Rotation Getting Clearer

San Diego Padres starter Jacob Nix (elbow) is reported to have a strained ulnar collateral ligament. The current treatment is a rest period of six to eight weeks before planning next steps. Tommy John surgery is a real possibility. This is a major setback for Nix, who was positioned to compete for a starting job […]

Updated Catcher Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with everyone's favorite - the catcher position. With the 2019 season beginning in a matter of days, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel have given their preseason rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current […]

Franmil Reyes Could Bat Cleanup

San Diego Padres outfielder Franmil Reyes is in pole position as the team’s cleanup hitter come Opening Day. Reyes emerged from relative anonymity to be the Padres best hitter in the second half of 2018, highlighted by 10 homers and a .920 OPS. Despite his early struggles, Reyes adapted, lowering his strikeouts to a respectable […]

Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball Part 13 - 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 […]

Jon Denzler's 10 Bold Predictions for 2019

With official regular season games on the horizon, there is one last tradition to the fantasy offseason: bold predictions. Those articles that will populate our sites, and others, with the predictions of what might happen during the upcoming campaign. And yet, it is baseball, and as the Moneyball quote says, “You still have to play […]

Updated Second Base Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the second base position. With the 2019 season kicking off in a matter of days, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel have given their preseason rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current list […]

Kirby Yates Extends Lights Out Spring Training

San Diego Padres closer Kirby Yates continued his strong spring on Sunday, firing a scoreless inning and striking out two. Through five innings, Yates has yet to allow a run. Yates will start his age-32 season as the Padres undisputed closer after inheriting the role in the second half of last season. Yates posted a […]

Jacob Nix Out Indefinitely With Arm Soreness

San Diego Padres starter Jacob Nix (arm) has been shut down indefinitely due to arm soreness after tossing four frames last Tuesday. Further tests revealed no structural damage. Padres manager Andy Green postulates Nix could miss anywhere from a few days to a “considerable period of time”. The Padres No. 19 prospect was competing for […]

Prospect Starters that Could be Impact Relievers

Last year around this time I wrote some words about Dakota Hudson and how he could be a stud in 2018 — but as a reliever, not a starter, which had been his role in the minors to that point. From last March at Rotographs: “And for me, Dakota Hudson has immense potential as a high-leverage reliever. He […]

Top 10 Shortstop Prospects - 2019 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Rankings

We're back with another list of 2019 impact prospects. Today the focus is on shortstop. The crop of talent this year starts off very strong, and then does a few hops and jumps bouncing around the skill and potential spectrum. Few positions are completely stocked with premium talent in the top-10, but compared to others, […]

Updated First Base Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

The clock ticks ever closer to Opening Day and we here at RotoBaller are back to give one final round of position-by-position analysis with a mixed-league, 5x5 framework. We’re going to start at the most glorious position on the field: first base. No, I didn’t play first myself, why do you ask? While there are […]

Chris Paddack (SP, SD) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 250 CURRENT ADP: ~280 overall ANALYSIS: Paddack has been a popular player in dynasty/keeper leagues and why not? He’s produced outstanding minor league numbers when healthy, is near-MLB-ready, and he has the stuff to be a mid-rotation arm or better. As of the writing of this piece, the young hurler had […]

Hunter Renfroe And Franmil Reyes Dealing With Fatigue

San Diego Padres outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Franmil Reyes are battling more than just each other for the right field job in San Diego this season. The two combatants are dealing with "general tiredness," but manager Andy Green believes the pair will be ready to go "when the bell rings." This situation doesn't sound serious, […]

ADP Draft Sleepers Tool - Quickly Find Draft Day Gems

RotoBaller Premium Subscribers can click here to access the ADP Draft Sleepers Tool. RotoBaller’s ADP Draft Sleepers Tool is a powerful yet simple tool that can help you unearth fantasy baseball gems on draft day. It's a sleek tool that's easy to use, and will have a huge effect on your draft selections and help you […]

Five Shortstop Sleepers for 2019

The shortstop position is arguably deeper than it's ever been, which means there's no shortage of playable options for fantasy owners. The days of glove-first shortstops being the rule, rather than the exception, are long gone at this point. In fact, shortstops are being drafted in the top 100 this spring more often than any […]