Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups and Analysis: Week 5 (Duffy, Morrow, Leake, Wood)

Week 5 Waiver Wire Starting Pitchers Welcome back for another addition of Starting Pitcher Waiver Wire Pickups. We’re onto week 5 and hopefully you’ve snagged some of the pitchers mentioned in our previous articles. We’ve got another set of starting pitchers to consider for your roster, either as streamers, backend SPs for deep leagues, or... Read More

Odrisamer Despaigne (SP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting and Wait for Another Opportunity OWNED IN: 9% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: You could say Despaigne is off to a good start in 2015, backed by his 2-0 record, 1.37 ERA and shiny 0.66 WHIP in 19 2/3 innings pitched. Of his five appearances, two were starts and three came out... Read More

MLB Ready Prospects: Top 30 Power Rankings for Fantasy (Week Three)

A lot can happen in the span of a week. A team can turn a couple of wins into an 11 game winning streak. Several teams can throw a few pitches and start a new rivalry for the season. The way the season is shaping up, it looks like the NL East could be one... Read More

Week 4 Start/Sit: MLB Starting Pitcher (SP) Matchups

What’s up RotoBallers. Hopefully the start of the MLB and fantasy baseball season is treating you well so far, and your teams are tearing it up. Either way, we are here to help as always. Below are all of the starting pitching matchups for Week 4. For every week of the fantasy baseball season, we look to... Read More

Dale Thayer (RP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Holds Leagues OWNED IN: 3% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: Mustache of the year goes to Thayer. The 34-year-old righty is more than just an impressive fuzzy face. While Thayer does not strike out many, what he does do is get weak contact. For the pitches put in play against Thayer, 17.4% are line... Read More

Yonder Alonso (1B, SD) - Waiver Wire Analysis

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: I bet a lot of people would be surprised to find out Yonder Alonso is hitting .379 this season. Commonly occupying the 5th spot in a potent Padres lineup, Alonso could be an cheap source of RBI and batting average production for fantasy owners... Read More

Holds Leagues: Waiver Wire Pickups For Week Four

While holds are even tougher to predict than saves, the players we’ll highlight today include some elite setup men. The more likely an MLB team is to win, the more likely these pitchers will be eligible to earn the holds that could be the difference between winning or losing in your fantasy league. Based on... Read More

Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week Four

Still In The Beginning How have the first few weeks gone for you? Not exactly confident in the catcher you drafted? Looking for a reliable backup? Need to replace Yan Gomes, Jonathan Lucroy, or Travis d’Arnaud? RotoBaller has got you covered with analysis on three catchers who may be free agents in your league who you... Read More

Ball Street: Roto Never Sleeps - MLB Recap Featuring Butler, Utley, Fiers, Machado, Betts, Travis and More

With week 3 coming to a close, let's recap some players whose stocks might be rising or falling. Now that we're almost through April, we're developing a decent sample size so we can start to see who might be for real and who we should cut. Stats current as of 9am, 4/24/2015     MLB... Read More

Ian Kennedy Coming Off DL, Start Saturday

Ian Kennedy will return from the 15-day DL Saturday to start for the San Diego Padres at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to the Times of San Diego. Kennedy started the home opener for the Padres on April 9. Unfortunately for the 30-year-old veteran, he had to leave in the middle of the... Read More

First Base / Third Base Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds: Week Three

Hunting for values on the waiver wire is one of the most fun, and most challenging, parts of any fantasy season. This can be especially true at the infield corners, an area where the stars are readily scooped up and finding a low cost alternative can be often difficult. Here at RotoBaller, we're always looking... Read More

Will Middlebrooks (3B, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: If you need a third basemen, or corner infielder, to provide some production in the coming weeks, take a look at the Padre’s Will Middlebrooks. Middlebrooks has been a valuable fantasy player at times throughout his short career but has also had long slumps... Read More

Week 3 Start/Sit: MLB Starting Pitcher (SP) Matchups

What’s up RotoBallers. Hopefully the start of the MLB and fantasy baseball season is treating you well, and your teams are off to a roaring start. Either way, we are here to help as always. Below are all of the starting pitching matchups for Week 3. For every week of the fantasy baseball season, we look to... Read More

Derek Norris (C, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Target for 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 49% of Yahoo, 23% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: I’ll admit I was not a believer in Derek Norris entering 2015. All it took was one look at his splits (.206 vs RHP) to scare me away. After seeing Norris slotted in the 2-hole for San Diego,... Read More

Brandon Morrow (SP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues; Continue Scouting Elsewhere OWNED IN: 10% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: The signing of Brandon Morrow by the San Diego Padres did not make as much news as many of their other moves, mainly because he isn’t exactly a headline drawing player. Since 2012, he has yet to throw more than 60... Read More

Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week Two

Just Starting Out The wait is over; the 2015 fantasy baseball season has officially begun. How did Week One go? Not exactly confident in the catcher you drafted? Looking for a reliable backup? RotoBaller has got you covered with analysis on three catchers who may be free agents in your league who you can target off the... Read More

The Impact of the Craig Kimbrel Trade to San Diego

If this offseason hadn't already provided enough proof to the baseball world, the San Diego Padres are hungry as hell and I absolutely love it. The Padres acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the Atlanta Braves in a 7-player trade that once again put the baseball world on notice. The Padres are looking toward the World Series in 2015. Kimbrel... Read More

MLB Closer Breakdown: NL West Edition - 2015 Fantasy Baseball

We previously looked at the closer and bullpen situations in the AL East, AL Central, AL West, NL East, and NL Central. Today we chck out the NL West. Make sure to also bookmark our MLB Closer Depth Charts, which are updated every day for your viewing pleasure.   Arizona Diamondbacks Head Honcho – Addison Reed ; Next... Read More

Hidden Outfield Draft Gems and ADP Value Picks

What’s up RotoBallers. I’m here today to try and unearth some outfielders that you can get later in your drafts, and will also provide similar value to other outfielders who are being drafted earlier on average. If you’re looking to make a splash on draft day, you should give RotoBaller’s ADP Draft Sleepers Tool a long, hard look.... Read More

Top Five Hitters Due for a Bounceback in 2015: Fantasy Baseball Predictions

  We're Baaaaaaaack! What constitutes a bounceback or rebound year for hitters? For the sake of this list, I’m going to provide you with 10 hitters who should return to career averages or at least provide you with more than they gave in 2014.   Below are the first 5 hitters who should return you great “value”... Read More

Five Sabermetric Overperformers: 2014 Studs Due for Regression

Hitters and pitchers will disagree on the ratio - but there is a general idea in baseball that for every hard-hit out you make, a blooper will fall in for a hit. This idea that chance plays a part in the game is the concept underlying the definition of regression. A hitter can sting the... Read More

Top 5 Hitters In Their Prime Set for A Breakout Season

Mining for Draft Day Gems Players like Todd Frazier and Michael Brantley in 2014, players who provide value far greater than their ADPs, emerge every fantasy season. The challenge is finding those players before everyone else does. The players below are guys who just might enter their prime this year, catapulting their value. Some are more of... Read More

Jedd Gyorko (2B, SD) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis

CURRENT ADP: 261 RANKINGS STATUS: Undervalued ANALYSIS: There is no doubt that Jedd Gyorko's 2014 season went disastrously awry. He managed to hit just .210 with 10 HR as he was held back by plantar fasciitis in the first half. There is hope for a rebound, however, as there are numerous signs that last year's failures were... Read More

Five Players Whose New 2015 Team Will Impact Their Performance (NL Edition)

  The Newbies Spring Training is finally underway, and while some players are still looking for new homes, the dust has mostly settled from the offseason. Odds are that your favorite team is probably not a contender, even with whatever moves they made over the winter, but what about your fantasy team?     Here... Read More

A Look Ahead: The Top 5 Free Agents of 2016 by WAR

Poet Alexander Pope once wrote "hope springs eternal," but had he ever gotten the chance to attend Spring Training he may have shuffled those words around and come out with something along the lines of "spring brings eternal hope." Spring Training is finally in full swing and with those familiar sounds of bat on ball... Read More

Save Prospecting: Top Five Non-Closing NL Relief Pitchers

  Every year in fantasy baseball leagues about one third of all the opening day closers lose their jobs due to injury or poor performance. It's just the nature of the game. Below are five NL relievers to watch closely in 2015 who could have significant fantasy baseball value if the closer on their team were to... Read More

Orioles Ink Cabrera; Find Value in Implicated PED Users

After being non-tendered by the San Diego Padres earlier in the offseason, Everth Cabrera has finally found a new home with the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles signed Cabrera, who was given a 50 game suspension last season due to PED use, to a low risk one year deal worth $2.4MM guaranteed with another $600K in... Read More

Matt Kemp: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Overvalued Outfielder and Potential Bust

  Busted Hips, Busted Fantasy Asset Matt Kemp’s first half of 2014 was as ugly as they come with only eight home runs, 35 RBI, and a .269 batting average. He fixed whatever was bothering him in the first half by hitting 17 homers, 54 RBI, and a .309 average in the second half. Moving... Read More

Padres To Sign James Shields

James Shields has finally found a home, reportedly agreeing on a deal with the San Diego Padres, said to be worth between $72M and $78M, pending a successful physical. Chris Cotillo was the first to break the news of the signing. This ends a long offseason for Shields, who also reportedly had offers from the Marlins, Blue Jays... Read More

Jedd Gyorko (2B, SDP) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target in Late Rounds ANALYSIS: Jedd Gyorko was a popular sleeper candidate for 2014, but a .210/.280/.333 slash line with only 10 HR doesn’t cut it in fantasy. After last year, Gyorko's 2015 draft value has been questioned. 2013 wasn’t a fluke, though. Power has always been a part of Gyorko’s game, extending well into his... Read More