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David Emerick - RotoBaller has written 53 articles so far, you can find them below.
Astros Call Up Kyle Tucker
The Houston Astros called up outfielder Kyle Tucker, the team’s top prospect. Tucker will bat seventh and play left field in his first game for the Astros. Astros manager A.J. Hinch reported that the team intends “to play him” and Tucker has “earned the right to get the at-bats.” At Triple-A this season, Tucker has... Read More
Corey Dickerson Starting over Austin Meadows against Arrieta
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Corey Dickerson will start against right-hander Jake Arrieta on July 7. Rookie Austin Meadows has struggled against righties while Dickerson owns an .857 OPS against right-handed pitchers. Dickerson has had particular success against Philadelphia starter Jake Arrieta. In nine career at-bats, Dickerson has put a 1.222 OPS against the Phillies starter.
Trading Up: Javier Baez
Before the season, Chicago Cubs manager, Joe “Hates Your Fantasy Baseball Team” Maddon challenged Javier Baez to make himself so productive that Maddon would be forced to start Baez every day. Many fantasy owners are well aware of Maddon’s tendency to split playing time between several strong players, thereby decreasing their volume and consequently their... Read More
Gregory Polanco Revitalized by Approach Change
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco has hit .320 since June 6th when he moved off the plate. Polanco has seen a notable improvement on inside pitches and against lefties. He has enjoyed his best three weeks of the season and has put up a 1.024 OPS and 175 wRC+ during that stretch. Polanco had been... Read More
Gerrit Cole Is Tough-Luck Loser against Rays
Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole took the loss on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Cole pitched well, giving up only one earned run and striking out five. However, a pair of errors allowed another two unearned runs to score, and Cole was saddled with the loss. The game actually improved Cole’s ERA to 2.50... Read More
Braun Out with Back Issue on Saturday
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun will not start on June 30 due to back pain. Milwaukee GM David Stearn said that Braun had dealt with the issue in the previous game. The Brewers are struggling with injuries around the field, and Stearn indicated the team was ill-equipped to deal with another day-to-day injury. Stearns seemed... Read More
Keon Broxton Hits Two Home Runs, Drives in Four Runs
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Keon Broxton hit two home runs while driving in four runs on June 29 against the Reds. Broxton went 3-for-5 with a walk, lifting his batting average to .444. The Brewers recalled Broxton on June 26 after Lorenzo Cain went on the DL. The two HRs are Broxton’s first of the season.... Read More
Trading Up - Mike Trout
It is universally understood among fantasy managers that Mike Trout is the best player in baseball. There was some speculation about Trout versus Mookie Betts earlier this year, and a few articles before the 2017 season about Betts or Jose Altuve as alternative number one picks. Many analysts offer the guidance that you never want... Read More
Evan Gattis is Player of the Week
Houston Astros catcher Evan Gattis was named MLB's Player of the Week after going 10-for-24 with two doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI. He's rebounded nicely after a miserable April when he hit just .200 with one HR. He is now batting .254 with 14 HRs, 29 runs and 47 RBIs, making him the... Read More
Trading Up - Edwin Diaz
If you've read this column before, you know my standard guidance is to sell rather than buy closers. Today we take a look at the number one closer I'd actively target in a trade. I’m working on another article right now titled: “If You Only Buy One.” The idea behind it is that if you... Read More
Starling Marte Bouncing Back After DL Stint
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte hit his third double in three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. After hitting a double and home run the night before, Marte may be starting to heat back up and regain his early-season form. Marte had hit only .230 since returning to play from the disabled list after straining his... Read More
Jameson Taillon Strings Together Strong Start
Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jameson Taillon tossed another quality start against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Taillon struggled in the first two innings but settled down to record seven innings pitched while only allowing two earned runs on six hits and two walks. In Taillon's last nine starts, he has allowed more than three runs just... Read More
Trading Up - Nick Pivetta
When the Phillies called up Nick Pivetta last season, he had made five starts at AAA and put up a 1.41 ERA while averaging a 30% K-rate. Many fantasy owners salivated over the numbers when he arrived. He pitched well enough in his debut (2 Rs, 5 IP, 5 Ks) that many folks were patting... Read More
Carlos Correa Removed from Game after Grabbing Oblique Area
Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (oblique) was removed from Wednesday's game after being in visible discomfort. In his final at-bat, Correa grabbed his right side near the oblique and was then replaced by Marwin Gonzalez for the final inning. After the game, Correa looked anxious talking to reporters and said that he was "obviously concerned." The... Read More
Astros Option J.D. Davis Back To Minors
The Houston Astros optioned outfielder J.D. Davis to Triple-A Fresno so that the team could reactivate Josh Reddick (leg) from the disabled list. Davis has a 195 wRC+ in the Pacific Coast League this year but has struggled in the majors, hitting only .200 over 17 MLB games this season. The Astros have cycled a number... Read More
Trading Up - Paul Goldschmidt
Since 2013, Paul Goldschmidt has helped fantasy baseball owners win leagues in every format. This season I’ve been seeing posts for a month declaring Goldschmidt as “old-s**t.” It’s a steep fall. At the start of the season, Goldschmidt was a no-doubt first-round pick. Owners could take him number 3, and someone might grumble about Nolan... Read More
Trading Up - Miles Mikolas
The legend of the Lizard King begins in 2011 when a young Miles Mikolas, a self-described picky eater, accepted a teammate’s bet to eat a live lizard in exchange for paying Mikolas’ Arizona Fall League dues. Mikolas agreed, coated the lizard in Moutain Dew, tasted it quickly, and paced for a moment. Then he crammed... Read More
Astros Plan Forrest Whitley’s Return
Houston Astros pitching prospect Forrest Whitley is eligible to return from his suspension on May 29. Whitley was suspended for the use of a banned stimulant during the offseason and received a 50-game suspension. However, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow reports that Whitley will not immediately report to Double-A Corpus Christi. Whitley suffered a lat... Read More
Derek Fisher To DL With Illness
The Houston Astros placed outfielder Derek Fisher (stomach) on the 10-day disabled list with gastrointestinal discomfort. According to manager AJ Hinch, Fisher had not been able to eat properly and was losing weight. The move is retroactive to May 19. Over 36 games, Fisher has hit just .176 with a .419 slugging percentage. In the interim,... Read More
Trading Up - Andrelton Simmons
In this column, I'll dive into the profile of a player who could be considered a valuable trade asset and give recommendations of how to approach a potential deal in fantasy baseball leagues. After a strong first quarter of the season, Andrelton Simmons’ stock has skyrocketed as owners try to judge his value after articles... Read More
Jake Marisnick Demoted
Houston Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick was demoted to Triple-A Fresno. In 34 games this season, Marisnick was batting .141 with a .282 OPS and a .184 wOBA. Marisnick seemed to find no rhythm this year, as he has put up a 47.1 percent strikeout rate and a 1.1 percent walk rate. Managers had hoped for... Read More
George Springer Has Hit In Return To Lineup
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer (elbow) started in center field on Monday against the Angels. Springer had missed two games after taking a 92 mph fastball off the elbow on Saturday night. Andrew Heaney four-hit the Astros, and Springer went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. Owners have to be relieved to see Springer back atop the... Read More
Max Kepler (OF, MIN) - Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: When Top Prospects Fail could be the name of a Discovery Channel show as compelling as Shark Week. If so, Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler could have been featured. Last year, analysts hyped Kepler as a major breakout candidate. Then he struggled... Read More
Shopping at the DL Store - Buying Low on Injured Players
Injured players often represent buy-low opportunities, and at this point in the season, there’s an injured All-Star at each position. If you can pry them away from the owner or add them outright, each one could offer a real boost later in the season. Madison Bumgarner and Corey Seager are notably absent from this list.... Read More
Pirates Demote Nick Kingham After Strong Start
The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned rookie starting pitcher Nick Kingham to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Kingham owns a 2.92 ERA and has 16 strikeouts over two starts, including seven innings of one-hit ball in his debut. The Pirates recalled utility man Jose Osuna to take Kingham's spot on the roster. Pittsburgh has only 11 games over... Read More
Alex Bregman Breaks Out Of Homer Drought
After a cold start to May, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman extended a five-game hitting streak with his first home run since April 11th. It was just Bregman's second home run of the season, and his slugging percentage currently stands at .369. Despite a .370 OBP, Bregman has been a source of frustration for... Read More
Justin Verlander Sharp In A Losing Effort
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander struck out eight over six innings while allowing one earned run, but took the loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Despite allowing only seven baserunners, an unearned run off of an obstruction call against Alex Bregman cost Verlander the decision. The big righty still sports a 1.17 ERA... Read More
