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About Michael Connors - RotoBaller
Above all else I am a huge baseball fan. Have played fantasy baseball, football, and basketball for 15 years. I love fantasy baseball and the keeper aspects as well as the minor league systems.
I live in New Jersey but, grew up in New York. I am a very intense follower of all New York sports teams especially the Mets, Yankees, Giants, Jets, Knicks, and Rangers.
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Michael Connors - RotoBaller has written 53 articles so far, you can find them below.
Cliff Lee (SP, PHI) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target as SP3 ANALYSIS: From 2008-2013, Cliff Lee averaged 31 GS, 14 W, 222 IP, 33 BB and 200 K, along with a 2.90 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, despite pitching in the bandbox that is Citizen’s Bank Park. Lee made only 13 starts in 2014 and was a non-factor in the fantasy baseball world as a result... Read More
Cliff Lee: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Or Bust?
Lee Will Have to Overcome Age & Injuries to be a Contributor Over six seasons from 2008 to 2013, few pitchers were as dominant as Cliff Lee. At times he was virtually unhittable, and achieved greatness despite pitching four of those six seasons in the bandbox that is Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. Over the six... Read More
Rueben Randle (WR, NYG) - Fantasy Football Sleepers
BALLER MOVE: Target ~105 (Current ADP: 127, WR42) ANALYSIS: Rueben Randle is entering the 2014 NFL season as the second wide out for the New York Giants with rookie Odell Beckham presumably winning the slot role. Randle, standing at 6'4, is a big boy who accumulated 611 yards on 41 catches with six receptions going for touchdowns... Read More
Dallas Cowboys: 2014 Fantasy Football Analysis & Team Outlook
There is no way around the belief that the Dallas Cowboys have gotten even worse than they were during their 8-8 2013 campaign. They are a very dynamic offense with game breaking players which in fantasy world is what is really important. The defense however is looking miserably bad, highlighted by the losses of Ware... Read More
Philadephia Eagles: 2014 Fantasy Football Analysis & Team Outlook
The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2014 NFL season as a very interesting team from a fantasy perspective. There are questions that need to be asked--can the NFL teams catch up to Chip Kelly's offense having seen it for a full season? Can the Eagles withstand the losses of key WRs Desean Jackson and Jason Avant? Can... Read More
Washington Redskins: 2014 Fantasy Football Analysis & Team Outlook
Washington Redskins Offseason Changes Offseason Acquisitions – WR DeSean Jackson, WR Andre Roberts No Longer on the Roster – WR Josh Morgan The 2014 Washington Redskins are looking for a huge bounceback in 2014 after going 3-13 in 2013. Let's face the facts, if they want a shot to recapture the NFC East crown again quarterback Robert Griffin... Read More
Dillon Gee (SP, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: The New York Mets are welcoming Dillon Gee back to the rotation on tonight (July 9th) and if he can pick up where he left off before his disabled list stint fantasy owners must get him while they can. Gee owns a 3-1 record while maintaining a 2.73 ERA and a... Read More
Jake McGee (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Most Leagues ANALYSIS: The Tampa Bay Ray's bullpen has been manned by a number of relievers, but none have been as successful as Jake McGee. McGee seems to have been the closer in waiting for a couple of seasons, and now he's getting more of an opportunity, with 3 saves in... Read More
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Mike Leake (SP, CIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues ANALYSIS: Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mike Leake is quietly enjoying a very solid season in the shadow of Johnny Cueto. The win/loss record is not quite as impressive, currently at six wins and six losses, but there a plenty of reasons to be excited about the progress Leake has made... Read More
Nick Castellanos (3B / OF, DET) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: The Tiger's rookie Nick Castellanos had a very rough start to the season, batting in the neighborhood of .220 for the first two months of the season. In fact, all non-keeper leagues where I owned him in I gave up on him because of the lack of every aspect of... Read More
Andre Ethier (OF, LAD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Andre Ethier has been a major first half player for the past eight seasons who totally drops off at the All-Star break. That has not been the case this season, as he has been awful so far and has only just started to make some gains in the end... Read More
Travis d'Arnaud (C, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 2-Catcher Leagues ANALYSIS: Travis d'Arnaud of the New York Mets had an abysmal season up until June when the team decided to demote him to AAA Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas, he got some of his swagger back and began raking. Granted, Las Vegas is a hitter's league, but when your hitting... Read More
Lucas Duda (1B / OF, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Right off the bat (no pun intended) I'll say Lucas Duda intrigues me. He has moderate power and can hit the ball as hard as any major leaguer, which we have known for a while. Duda has proven to be serviceable and for actual Met fans he has been pretty... Read More
Mike Zunino (C, SEA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: The Mariner's decided in spring training to give catcher Mike Zunino a chance to play and show why he was the top catching prospect in the minors last season. He has been just okay so far in 2014. Zunino has shown power and has looked eerily similar to his... Read More
Chris Young (OF, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting ANALYSIS: Chris Young had been having an abysmal season before the past week in which he hit 3 HRs and 6 RBIs. The only person surprised with Chris Young's numbers was Sandy Alderson who felt the need to give him 7.5 million dollars. Everybody else realizes that this is the real Chris Young,... Read More
Tim Lincecum (SP, SF) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Tim Lincecum is not the great ace pitcher he was a few seasons ago so right out of the gates I caution you to not buy too much into the no-hitter he threw this week. It was against the Padres, who are pitiful, and before the no-hitter he had... Read More
Kevin Gausman (SP, BAL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Nearing the midway mark of the 2014 MLB season, many fantasy owners are trying to fill the voids left by injured and underperforming players. If you are part of this group pay attention! Kevin Gausman came into the this season as a top-flight pitching prospect for the Orioles, who seem to be... Read More
Seth Smith (OF, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Seth Smith deserves an award nearly halfway into the season: he's the only Padre batter with a heart beat. Smith is having a solid season which is not very shocking, as he was a decent player in Oakland, where many players seem to flourish but don't get much hype.... Read More
Wilson Ramos (C, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues ANALYSIS: Wilson Ramos is just coming off of the disabled list and should be on your radar if you have a need behind the plate. In his first game back yesterday he went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. In his 4 game rehab assignment prior to returning Ramos... Read More
Mark Reynolds (1B / 3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues (if you're power starved) ANALYSIS: Mark Reynolds is one of the easiest pro ballplayers to predict the statistics for going into a season. If he is alotted 450-500 at-bats he has a chance to strikeout the most times in one season (a record he currently owns with 223). On the flip... Read More
Trevor Plouffe (3B, MIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Trevor Plouffe is like a quad-A fantasy player. Good enough for all deep leagues, but not quite good enough for shallow leagues. While the batting average does not impress, he will pop a few homeruns for you and as the #3 hitter in a better-than-expected Twins lineup, he'll have plenty... Read More
Lorenzo Cain (OF, KC) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Lorenzo Cain has underachieved for the past few seasons, even in 2012 when he got off to a good start but got hurt. Injuries have always seemed to bite him just as he was getting rolling. In 2014 he is off to a great start, batting .339 with 18 RBI,... Read More
Denard Span (OF, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues, NL-Only Leagues ANALYSIS: Denard Span has generally been an undervalued fantasy baseball commodity over the past few MLB seasons. He has never been a guy who you can build your fantasy team around, nor will he ever be, but he can provide valuable help in stretches off the waiver wire with... Read More
Drew Stubbs (OF, COL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues, NL-Only Leagues ANALYSIS: Drew Stubbs has been a very frustrating player over the past four seasons, and has tormented me more than once after drafting him or grabbing him off the waiver wire. He has such great talent, and has been on many people's list of sleepers, because in any season... Read More
Sean Doolittle (RP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately ANALYSIS: Sean Doolittle is a relief pitcher that for the past few years I expected to take the closer role in Oakland and run away with it. He has the filthy stuff it takes to be the dominant late inning reliever he has shown flashes of, but sometimes seemed to throw a stinker in... Read More
Derek Jeter (NYY, SS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add Only in Very Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Derek Jeter was once a player who provided his owners with a good average, 200+ hits, double digit homers, double digit steals, and good on base percentage. Jeter has been one of the leagues best players for 15 years and has well earned his place in Cooperstown, but... Read More
Ubaldo Jimenez (SP, BAL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: In 2013 Jimenez recorded 13 wins, 194 Ks, and a 3.30 ERA for the Cleveland Indians. He was a stud all year and especially in the second half. Coming into this season there was hope for Jimenez which makes me wonder why he wasn't owned in more leagues, but... Read More
Josh Beckett (SP, LAD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Josh Beckett has been a hot name in fantasy baseball since he burst onto the scene in 2003. His major issue has always been his inability to stay healthy, but while he has been healthy in 2014, owners are still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until that happens,... Read More
Zach Britton (RP, BAL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues (if you need saves) ANALYSIS: Zach Britton is in his first season as a reliever and has started off dominating the opposition in such a fashion that he has grown into the Baltimore closer job. In the past he was an underwhelming starting pitcher who lacked the ability to pitch through... Read More
Jake DeGrom (SP, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues; Continue Scouting in Most ANALYSIS: Jake DeGrom has completely caught me by surprise so far. DeGrom was one of the Mets young hurlers to get a shot in the rotation when Gee went down with an injury and Mejia got bounced into the bullpen, and he has been a pleasant... Read More
