![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/04/daniel-norris-starting-pitchers-waiver-wire-rankings-daily-fantasy-baseball-MLB-DFS-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Valuable Long Relievers of 2020 and the Lingering Impact (Part 2)
In part one, we examined the bullpens in Toronto and Cincinnati. The circumstantial insanity of the 2020 MLB season necessitated some adjustments in strategy, both for big-league managers and fantasy baseball GMs. One of these adjustments, prompted by frequent doubleheaders and the three-batter minimum rule, was the greater use of long-relievers and a generally reduced... Read More
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Three Hitters Set To Break Out Later Than Expected
Finding breakout hitters can be a difference-maker for fantasy teams, especially when those hitters have had limited success at the major league level and are older than when players typically have their best seasons. Whether it be through added playing time, skill improvements, or some combination of the two, post-prime breakouts can be excellent draft... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/06/michael-lorenzen-closers-saves-fantasy-baseball-waiver-wire-pickups-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Valuable Long Relievers of 2020 and the Lingering Impact (Part 1)
The circumstantial insanity of the 2020 MLB season necessitated some adjustments in strategy, both for big-league managers and fantasy baseball GMs. One of these adjustments, prompted by frequent doubleheaders and the three-batter minimum rule, was the greater use of long-relievers and a generally reduced workload for rotation pitchers. That makes sense from the perspective of... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/01/christian-yelich-fantasy-baseball-rankings-outfield-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
A Year to Forget: Players Who Will Rebound in 2021
Happy Holidays everyone! Needless to say, 2020 was quite the crazy year — for any number of reasons. There was a lot that many of us will want to forget, and for quite a few baseball players, the 2020 season is one they'll want everyone to pretend never happened. But hey, it's almost 2021. As... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/08/jordan-romano-fantasy-baseball-closers-draft-rankings-sleepers-relief-pitchers-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Year-In-Review: Rafael Dolis and Jordan Romano
As I created my early 2021 Relief Pitcher rankings, I realized how wide open so many bullpens are right now due to free agency. One team that will surely add a late-inning arm this offseason is the Toronto Blue Jays, as Anthony Bass and Ken Giles are both now free agents. But are they in... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2018/10/vladimir-guerrero-jr.-fantasy-baseball-rookies-rankings-icon2-576x280.jpeg)
Three Hitters Set To Break Out Earlier Than Expected
Finding breakout hitters can be a difference-maker for fantasy teams, especially when those hitters have had limited success at the major league level early in their careers. Whether it be through added playing time, skill improvements, or some combination of the two, pre-prime breakouts can be excellent draft values thanks to their unusually high upside. ... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/03/taylor-rogers-fantasy-baseball-closers-saves-waiver-wire-pickups-icon-576x280.jpeg)
A Year to Forget: Relievers Who'll Rebound in 2021
The 2020 season was so weird, unprecedented, awkward, and chaotic, it might be wise to toss out most of the stats when prepping for your 2021 fantasy drafts. But we are also human, and sometimes getting that bad taste a down season leaves in your mouth can be nearly impossible no matter the circumstances. These... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/07/rotoballer-mlb-twitter-background-win-big-large-banner-stock-07152020-576x280.jpeg)
Year-In-Review: Diego Castillo and Nick Anderson
As I created my early 2021 Relief Pitcher rankings, I realized how wide open so many bullpens are right now due to free agency. But there is at least one team that can sleep well knowing the back end of their bullpen is solid as bedrock and that's the Tampa Bay Rays. Diego Castillo and... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2017/03/yasiel-puig.jpg)
Yasiel Puig: Ready to Rise in 2021
Yasiel Puig signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2020 but due to having COVID, the signing never went through and he never got his chance to play. Now we enter 2021 and we get to play this waiting game again as we hope to see him sign sooner rather than later. We tend to look... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/08/Teoscar-Hernandez-fantasy-baseball-outfield-rankings-waiver-wire-pickups-sleepers-MLB-DFS-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
A Year to Remember: Players with Career Years in 2020
The 2020 baseball season was a short one, but still a season where some players could jump onto the scene and give fantasy players something to look forward to in the coming years. Some will say 60 games are not enough for a "career season," but I beg to differ, and so do the four... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/02/james-karinchak-fantasy-baseball-rankings-draft-sleepers-relief-pitchers-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Biggest Risers of 2020 – Relief Pitchers
In 2020, we saw a large number of relief pitchers, previously not in the upper tier of fantasy rankings, breakout or bounce back from 2019 decrepitude. Below we will take a look at a few of the biggest relief pitcher risers of the 2020 season as we gear up for 2021 drafts in the spring.... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/02/victor-robles-fantasy-baseball-outfield-rankings-draft-sleepers-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Year in Review: Victor Robles
Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles endured a tough 2020 season, slashing a paltry .220/.293/.315 while collecting just four stolen bases. That pace would have given him around only 12 SB in a full 162-game season. Fantasy managers had to have been expecting more considering he was a top-75 pick on average heading into 2020, just a... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/04/yu-darvish-fantasy-baseball-starting-pitcher-rankings-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Faster and Furious: Pitchers With Rising Velocity
The shortened 2020 season resulted in some small sample size related caveats surrounding analysis heading into 2021, but fastball velocity is largely immune from that issue. Fastball velocity is extremely quick to stabilize, and even a few pitches can provide fantasy managers with a reasonably clear understanding of a pitcher’s velocity. Further supporting that notion... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/06/zach-plesac-fantasy-baseball-rookies-prospects-starting-pitchers-waiver-wire-pickups-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Starting Pitcher K-BB% Risers: Who to Believe In
The 2020 MLB season may have left starting pitchers with shorter starts and fewer total innings than usual, but arsenal adjustments and pitch improvements were still prevalent. As a result (and sometimes as a result of other factors), several pitchers saw significant changes in their strikeout and walk rates. K-BB% is one way to measure... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/02/RotoBaller-banner-red-background-football-NFL-rankings-640x315-576x280.png)
Fantasy Baseball Applications of zxwOBAcon Analysis
In part one of this series, I established that zxwOBAcon is the primary driver of season-to-season changes in xwOBAcon and that the biggest risers in zxwOBAcon each season tend to be rebound candidates. Furthermore, rebound candidates recover all of their zxwOBAcon losses more often than not and frequently outperform their season x zxwOBAcon in season... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/01/JD-Martinez-fantasy-baseball-rankings-outfield-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
2021 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values Based On Contact Quality
In part one of this series, I established that zxwOBAcon is the primary driver of season-to-season changes in xwOBAcon and that the biggest risers in zxwOBAcon each season tend to be rebound candidates. Furthermore, rebound candidates recover all of their zxwOBAcon losses more often than not and frequently outperform their season x zxwOBAcon in season... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/04/joey-gallo-rankings-fantasy-baseball-drafts-first-base-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Dissecting Contact Quality In Search Of Fantasy Bargains
Of the 1,015 hitters sampled(1) between 2015 and 2019, there were only 14 instances of hitters making more productive contact against pitches outside of the strike zone than against pitches inside of the strike zone based on xwOBAcon. Based on the same sample, the average hitter was a whopping .116 points better against pitches inside... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/08/Teoscar-Hernandez-fantasy-baseball-outfield-rankings-waiver-wire-pickups-sleepers-MLB-DFS-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Statcast Season Review: 2020 Barrel Leaders (Hitters)
The 2020 MLB season will always be one for the record books, even if everything that took place will have multiple asterisks attached to it. Evaluating Statcast numbers is a nice way to find hot and cold hitters, as well as underachievers and overachievers. Now that the regular season is over, let's reflect on the... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2018/07/shohei-ohtani-fantasy-baseball-rankings-aookies-prospects-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Reviewing Kyle Bishop's 10 Bold Predictions for 2020
My bold predictions for the 2020 season were published on March 4, or roughly a week before everything went to hell. At the time, nobody knew that we'd be left with a 60-game sprint as opposed to the usual marathon of 162. The shortened season obviously changed the calculus a great deal, but it can... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2020/07/kyle-lewis-fantasy-baseball-prospects-MLB-rookies-rankings-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Is It Too Good To Be True? Buying and Selling Hot Starts
Normally, after only one full week of the fantasy baseball season, we're casually taking stock of our teams, seeing which guys are settling into lineup spots, which teams look like they might be surprising, and generally feeling pretty good about where we're at now. However, there is nothing normal about this season. After one full... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/04/ryan-mcmahon-waiver-wire-pickups-fantasy-baseball-rankings-MLB-DFS-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Exit Velocity Hitter Studs and Duds Heading Into 2020
Welcome to this year's first iteration of Statcast Hitter Analysis. Each week, I will select a different metric to evaluate unexpected names at the top and bottom of the Statcast Leaderboards. Even if you aren't well-versed in Statcast, you know exit velocity. Even the crustiest of old-school baseball announcers have incorporated this term in his... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/02/bo-bichette-rankings-rookies-prospects-fantasy-baseball-rankings-third-base-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Young Blue Jays Lineup Set To Make Impact in 2020
In 2019, the Yankees and Marlins were tied for the youngest starting lineup in the Majors at 26.5 years of age. Heading into 2020, the average age of the Blue Jays' starting lineup in 25.5, with 30-year-old Travis Shaw projected to be their oldest starter. There is such a great deal of variance on how... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/04/dansby-swanson-shortstops-waiver-wire-fantasy-baseball-rankings-MLB-DFS-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Sauceda's Slants: Finding POWA in the Infield
We recently introduced our new hitter metric, POWA (which stands for Prediction of wOBA Attempt), to more appropriately align and weight new Statcast metrics to better predict future performance. You can read the introductory piece for the full details and a 2019 POWA leaderboard, but the gist of it is: POWA is nearly 10% more... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2018/07/jesse-winker-mlb-rookies-prospects-fantasy-baseball-waiver-wire-pickups-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Sauceda's Slants: More POWA to your Outfield
We recently introduced our new hitter metric, POWA (which stands for Prediction of wOBA Attempt), to more appropriately align and weight new Statcast metrics to better predict future performance. You can read the introductory piece for the full details and a 2019 POWA leaderboard, but the gist of it is: POWA is nearly 10% more... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/01/JD-Martinez-fantasy-baseball-rankings-outfield-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Fantasy Life Vests: Safe Hitters In A Season Of Chaos
Chaos is the name of the game when it comes to the 2020 Major League Baseball season. We've got a short season, a limited schedule, expanded rosters, universal DH, and the continuously looming threat of a global pandemic. In other words, we have a plethora of factors we've never had to deal with before as... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2018/09/jeff-mcneil-fantasy-baseball-rankings-waiver-wire-pickups-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Essential Multi-Position Performers for the Shortened Season
We have already seen several players opt out of the season and others having their outlooks for the beginning of the schedule clouded by COVID-19. There will certainly be more players forced out of action, and some may even elect to walk away when they reach certain service time thresholds or if their team falls... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/06/yordan-alvarez-prospects-rookies-fantasy-baseball-outfield-rankings-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Introducing POWA - A New Hitting Metric Stickier Than wOBA
It can be fun to look back at previous things you’ve written, gaining a window into your state of mind in that moment. I originally wrote much of this piece back in March, when baseball seemed like a distant dream. From March: "The last few weeks have been challenging. In the grand scheme of things,... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/02/RotoBaller-banner-red-background-football-NFL-rankings-640x315-576x280.png)
Why Luis Castillo Will Be a Top Ten Pitcher in 2020
Luis Castillo is an awesome pitcher. He finally put it all together in 2019 and had the season we all have waited for. In 190.2 innings he produced a 3.40 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 18.8 K-BB%, and elite 15.9 SwStr%. Castillo finished the year as the 14th best pitcher in baseball according to Razzball’s player rater. While... Read More
![](https://cdn.rotoballer.com/2019/04/brett-gardner-fantasy-baseball-outfield-rankings-waiver-wire-pickups-MLB-DFS-lineup-picks-icon-576x280.jpeg)
Historically Fast Starters to Target
The 2020 fantasy baseball season will be unlike any that has existed before. A 60-game sprint to the finish will offer all kinds of unexpected twists and turns. One consequence that seems obvious, though, is that players will not have a chance to round into shape. Guys will need to be on top of their... Read More