2019 Catchers - Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings

Catcher is a tough position to evaluate, as many teams utilize multiple catchers and it is rare for one to play 140 or more games in a season. Wear and tear as a backstop limits offensive value for sure, but there are still a group of solid catchers that can contribute in multiple categories. Beyond […]

Willians Astudillo - 2019 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

Sleepers. The most coveted search term during any sport's fantasy draft prep season. Which players are flying under the radar, presenting an opportunity for you to swoop in on draft day and pluck them from the player pool abyss, making you look like a genius at the end of the season when you post your […]

2019 Second Base - Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the second base position. Even though we are just coming off ringing in the new year, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Pierre Camus, and Chris Zolli have wasted to time coming up with our initial pre-draft rankings to give you a sense of player values […]

2019 First Basemen - Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings

We continue our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the first base position. Even though it is only January, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, Chris Zolli, and I have come up with our initial pre-draft rankings to give you a sense of player values as early as possible. As the offseason progresses, these rankings […]

Using Sabermetrics For Fantasy Baseball Part 2 - HR/FB for Hitters

Using BABIP to predict a player's batting average is great. Average is a category in many league formats, and every hit is an opportunity to steal a base or score a run. But most owners find the long ball sexier. Every HR comes with a guaranteed run scored and at least one RBI. Many owners […]

2019 Shortstops - Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings

It’s never too early to start looking toward the fantasy baseball season, so I’m here to kick off RotoBaller’s position-by-position rankings analysis series with the ever-so-glamorous shortstop position. Shortstop is rich at the top and while it boasts intriguing depth, this is not a position to wait on, especially if you also have a middle-infield […]

Top 660: Early Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings (January)

Welcome back RotoBallers, and Happy New Year! Below you will find our staff's early 2019 fantasy baseball tiered rankings (top 660) for mixed leagues. In case you missed it, you can also see our tiered positional rankings as well. Four of our lead fantasy baseball analysts - Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, JB Branson and Chris Zolli - have analyzed the MLB offseason moves and […]

Statcast Review - Noteworthy Hitting Leaders (xSLG)

xSLG isn’t a stat you’ll find on the back of a baseball card or one you’d find on a baseball reference page. However, as far as advanced stats go, xSLG is pretty straightforward. It is the expected slugging percentage of a hitter based on hit probability his batted balls in play, regardless of outcome. So if […]

Teoscar Hernandez - Promising or Pretender?

Every new beginning signifies an end elsewhere. This was the case for Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez last season. The hard-hitting righty broke through in more ways than one in his first full year in the big leagues, finishing with a .239/.302/.468 line, and most importantly 22 home runs. The path to the plate […]

Blue Jays Acquire Clayton Richard

The Toronto Blue Jays acquired starting pitcher Clayton Richard and cash considerations from the San Diego Padres on Sunday in exchange for minor league outfielder Connor Panas. Richard, a 35-year-old left-hander, was 7-11 with a poor 5.33 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 6.1 K/9 in 27 starts for the Padres in 2018, moves to the tough […]

Padres Talking Corey Kluber

The San Diego Padres are engaged with the Cleveland Indians in trade talks surrounding starting pitcher Corey Kluber, according to sources. However, one person with knowledge of the talks doesn't think the Padres have passed the Dodgers as the favorites for Kluber yet. Cleveland's return in the deal with San Diego could include one or […]

Top 10 Dynasty Second Basemen - Fantasy Baseball Prospects

Hey, RotoBallers. We have already started breaking down prospects in dynasty leagues, by position, beginning with catcher, outfield, and starting pitcher. Today I'm writing about my top-10 second basemen prospect rankings for 2019 dynasty baseball leagues. The second base position is a difficult spot to find natural players raised in the position. Most are positional migrants, kicked off their position to a […]

Statcast Review 2018 - Noteworthy SP Launch Angle Leaders

Fret not fantasy baseball fans, Winter Meetings have come and gone, big deals are getting struck, and we are continuing our quest to find value for next season! In this edition of Statcast Review, I take a look at some of 2018’s pitching leaders in launch angle. Launch angle alone is not all that telling […]

Padres Discussing Marcus Stroman Trade

The San Diego Padres are engaged in trade talks for Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, according to sources. However, there wasn't tangible progress toward a deal as of Saturday night. The Padres have one of the best farm systems in baseball, and pitching prospects Michael Baez and/or Logan Allen could be involved. Baez […]

Clayton Richard Designated For Assignment

The San Diego Padres designated starting pitcher Clayton Richard for assignment on Thursday. The roster move was to accommodate the recent signing of second baseman Ian Kinsler on the 40-man roster. Richard, who posted a 5.33 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 158 2/3 innings last season, will be owed $3 million in 2019. This is […]

Please Let Brandon Belt Get Traded

A report recently came to light that the San Francisco Giants were making first baseman and owner of a genuine super-beard, Brandon Belt, available in trades. Apparently, there are teams interested in the oft-injured slugger, despite the whopping $48 million due to him over the next three years. It’s not terribly surprising that Belt is available, […]

Padres Interested In Dallas Keuchel

The San Diego Padres are showing interest in free-agent starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel, according to sources. However, Keuchel's current asking price is prohibitive for the Padres right now. The left-hander is a Scott Boras client and the top pitcher left on the open market, so he isn't expected to sign until late in the offseason. […]

Padres Agree With Ian Kinsler

The San Diego Padres agreed on a two-year, $8 million deal with free-agent second baseman Ian Kinsler on Friday, according to sources. The deal comes with a club option for a third year. Kinsler will turn 37 next June and is coming off a season with the Angels and Red Sox in which he hit […]

Padres Discussing Trade For Jurickson Profar

The San Diego Padres are discussing a potential trade for Texas Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar, but no deal is imminent, according to sources. The Friars are in the market for an infielder who can cover at the 6 until their top prospect, Fernando Tatis Jr., is ready for the big leagues next year. Profar can […]

Padres Interested In Marwin Gonzalez

The San Diego Padres are interested in free-agent infielder/outfielder Marwin Gonzalez. With the Padres seeking a utility infielder who can play shortstop until prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready, other options include Daniel Descalso, Nick Ahmed, who is a favorite of Padres skipper Andy Green, and Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar. Gonzalez had a great year […]

Manuel Margot Suffers Bone Bruise In Winter Ball

San Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot (foot) suffered a bone bruise in his left foot after fouling a ball off his foot in the Dominican Republic winter league last month and will probably be shut down for the rest of the winter. This injury is unlikely to impact the start of spring training for Margot. […]

Padres Have Genuine Interest In J.T. Realmuto

The San Diego Padres are among the teams with genuine interest in trading for Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to sources. Who doesn't? About half the league wouldn't mind trading for Realmuto, but the Marlins asking price is sky high for the best hitting catcher in baseball. Realmuto should be the first fantasy catcher […]

Carlos Asuaje Designated For Assignment

San Diego Padres second baseman Carlos Asuaje was designated for assignment on Friday to make room for newly-signed starting pitcher Garrett Richards on the 40-man roster. The move likely concludes Asuaje’s three-year stint with the Padres where he slashed .240/.312/.329 across 586 plate appearances. With Luis Urias projected as the starting second baseman for 2019, […]

Top 10 Dynasty Catchers - Fantasy Baseball Prospects

In 2018, the average catcher in fantasy baseball posted a WRC+ of 90. That means that, on average, a catcher in the Majors was ten percent worse than any other position. If this does not show the dearth of talent right now for fantasy owners at the position than nothing will. This, in fact, keeps […]

Padres Discussing Sonny Gray

The San Diego Padres continue to have ongoing discussions about a potential trade for pitcher Sonny Gray, according to sources. Several other teams are thinking the same thing and hoping for a rebound from Gray after he struggled in 2018 and was demoted to the bullpen late in the season. A change of scenery to […]

Mariners on the Rebuild - Fantasy Impact

Over the weekend, the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners closed a long-gestating agreement to exchange money, pro talent, and young assets. The M’s continued their descent into “Tank City” by unloading slugger Robinson Cano and his $120 million contract along with cheap All-Star closer Edwin Diaz in exchange for less expensive but less […]

Buy Low(er) - Dynasty Baseball Players Due For A Rebound

Dynasty teams are great to own and develop; they are my favorite teams to manage actually. In real life and fantasy, there are managers who find happiness by having a finished organization that can run itself with very little decision-making on their part. There are other people who find pleasure building an organization up and […]

Padres Interested In Nathan Eovaldi

The San Diego Padres remain interested in free-agent starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, according to sources. Eovaldi has undergone Tommy John surgery twice but has returned better than ever and still can regularly hit 100 mph with his heater. The right-hander was a godsend to the Red Sox in the second half and into the playoffs […]

Padres Settle With Bryan Mitchell

The San Diego Padres avoided salary arbitration with starting pitcher Bryan Mitchell on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $910,000 deal. Mitchell was a bust in his first year in San Diego, going 2-4 with a 5.42 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and ugly 4.7 K/9 over 16 outings (11 starts) for the Friars. He'll have a […]

Garrett Richards Agrees With Padres

The San Diego Padres agreed on a two-year deal worth around $15 million with free-agent starting pitcher Garrett Richards (elbow) on Thursday, according to sources. Richards had Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss all of the 2019 season, so this deal is for 2020 and beyond. The oft-injured right-hander has high-end starting pitcher […]