Hitter Batted-Ball Distribution: Using Sabermetrics for Fantasy Baseball
Fly balls can turn into home runs. Ground balls never do. It would seem as though fantasy owners want their batters to hit nothing but flies, yet this is not always the case. Why would this be? The answer, of course, comes down to batted ball distribution and how batters make contact. The league average... Read More
Fantasy Baseball Risers Post-Free Agency
With all the free-agent signings and trades that happened prior to the lockout, plenty has changed ahead of the 2022 season where the fantasy landscape is concerned. The impact of new acquisitions will certainly be felt in fantasy drafts next spring. Corey Knebel, for instance, could see a significant number of save opportunities in Philadelphia next... Read More
Valuing Injured Players Returning In 2022
Last year's season-ending injury list is an All-Star team. It holds three of the best players in the game and plenty of other superstar adjacent players. Now, heading into the 2022 fantasy baseball season, we have to evaluate the value of these injured players. Should we be concerned about Ronald Acuna Jr? Is Jacob deGrom... Read More
Joey Votto 2021 Year-In-Review
"I want to get back to being dangerous." This is a real quote from Joey Votto prior to the 2021 season. Although never seen as a prodigious slugger, the 38-year-old Votto was still bankable for 25+ home runs in his prime. Thus, when he combined for just 27 home runs between 2018 and 2019, the... Read More
Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar to Mets - Fantasy Impact
The New York Mets have been major players in the free-agent market so far this offseason. Before the MLB lockout, they made two high-profile signings by acquiring starting pitcher Max Scherzer and outfielder Starling Marte. Not to be lost in the shuffle, the Mets also signed outfielder Mark Canha and infielder Eduardo Escobar. The acquisitions... Read More
2022 Fantasy Breakout Candidates - NL Central
Identifying potential fantasy breakout players in drafts each Spring can be crucial in building a championship-winning roster for fantasy managers. Often times the breakout players, if they do in fact break out, will significantly outperform their draft position and help you find success. It may be a late-round pick performing like a quality contributor who... Read More
Arizona Fall League 2021 Wrap Up
The Arizona Fall League wrapped up on November 20th with a Mesa Solar Sox championship over the Suprise Saguaros. In this space, we will review the 2021 Arizona Fall League by highlighting players who were the most notable risers and disappointments based on their performance from a fantasy baseball perspective. Many of these prospects won't... Read More
Early One-Man Mock (Rounds 2-5) - 2022 Fantasy Baseball
I've already run through the first round of my one-man mock, which you can check out right here. Now, let's move on to the next few rounds with a look at how early drafts might shake out. I took roster construction into consideration so that a team didn't select three outfielders in the first three... Read More
2022 Fantasy Breakout Candidates - NL East
One of the keys to a successful fantasy baseball draft, and a subsequently successful season, is finding players who outperform their draft position. By and large, you’re more likely to find those types of players later in drafts. Sure, you’ll find those relatively early-round players who perform at an elite level – think Max Muncy or... Read More
2021 Fantasy Baseball Batting Awards
We've put a bow on the 2021 season, with the Braves finishing off their surprising season with a World Series victory over the Astros. That leaves fantasy baseball managers to eagerly await an offseason of hot stove rumors and draft prep. Before all that takes place, it's only right to pay tribute to the players... Read More
2022 Fantasy Baseball Breakout Candidates - AL West
Even with the offseason now in full swing with players receiving qualifying offers, it’s never too early to start identifying the players who’ll help your team take the title next season. Of course, impact fantasy players taken near the top of drafts are crucial for fantasy contenders. But, finding breakout candidates late in the draft... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/29/21): MLB DFS Lineups
Happy Friday, Rotoballers! Houston came out with an early-inning blitz to stun Atlanta and even the World Series at one game apiece. Now, the Fall Classic heads to Atlanta for Games 3, 4, and 5 on three consecutive days. It's possible the series doesn't make it back to Texas, but it would be surprising if one... Read More
2021 MLB Strength of Schedule - In Depth Analysis
Strength of schedule analysis is a common thing you'll see in fantasy football analysis. With just 16 (17 now, I guess) games on the schedule every year, the list of teams on your schedule can make a big difference in your final year metrics. If you get to face the league's worst offense twice while... Read More
2022 Fantasy Baseball Breakout Candidates - AL East
As Major League Baseball’s postseason starts to move towards a conclusion, the greater fantasy baseball-playing world is probably either still basking in the glow of a fantasy championship or lamenting losses or missteps in coming up short. Either way, it’s never too early to start compiling a list of players who could help you win... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/27/21): MLB DFS Lineups
Happy Wednesday, Rotoballers! Last night, the Braves bombed their way to an early advantage and swiped Game 1, and home field, from the Astros. Framber Valdez never looked comfortable (just like the ALCS Game 1) and was pulled early. Meanwhile, Charlie Morton was in total control, but a lousy bounce caused a broken fibula, and now... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/26/21): MLB DFS Lineups
We are finally to Game 1 of the 2021 World Series! How many of you had the Astros and Braves penciled in for this classic? I'm guessing not many. This should be an entertaining series. We are in showdown mode the rest of the way. We have at least four chances to finish off the... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/22/21): MLB DFS Lineups
Happy Friday, Rotoballers! The entire ALCS was flipped on its head within 24 hours as the Astros took games 4 and 5 to put themselves in the driver's seat for their third World Series appearance in the last five years. Still, Boston is more than capable of winning two straight, and I expect another back and... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/21/21): MLB DFS Lineups
The Braves are in L.A. for a chance to play their way into the World Series. They took a commanding 3-1 series lead at Chavez Ravine last night on the back of Eddie Rosario. The ALCS is on a travel day, so we shift into showdown mode for tonight's tilt at Dodger Stadium. For showdown... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/20/21): MLB DFS Lineups
Happy Wednesday, Rotoballers! After a wild ninth inning, the Astros and Red Sox play Game 5 of the ALCS less than 16 hours after ending Game 4. Houston exploded for seven runs in the ninth inning to tie the series at two, and they will try to steal one more game in Boston before the series... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/19/21): MLB DFS Lineups
The number of days with more than one game going on in baseball is dwindling fast. We have Game 4 of the ALCS in Boston with the Sox up 2-1. We have Game 3 of the NLCS out west with the Braves taking both games in Atlanta before heading west. It's going to be a... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/18/21): MLB DFS Lineups
Happy Monday, Rotoballers! It's Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, and the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox are tied at one game apiece. The series shifts to Fenway Park for the next three nights after the Red Sox slugged their way to taking over the home-field advantage with a 9-5 win in Game... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/16/21): MLB DFS Lineups
We are down to four teams that can win the World Series. All four are in action today. This is one of the few classic slates that we have left for baseball. Let's enjoy it while we still can! The showdowns just aren't as exciting. It will be cool in Hotlanta. Well....cooler than usual. It's... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/14/21): MLB DFS Lineups
And then there were two. Two left playing anyway. The Dodgers and Giants fittingly are the only series that went all five games, so that is our one game for the night. We shift into showdown mode for tonight's tilt at Oracle Park. For showdown mode, we pick one captain who costs 1.5x his normal... Read More
Arizona Fall League 2021 Preview
On October 13th at 3:30 pm EST, the Arizona Fall League kicks off! I am going to preview the Arizona Fall League from a fantasy sports perspective. Before digging into the players, let's get into the quick basics of what the Arizona Fall League (AFL) is. It's a six-team league that plays a 30-game schedule.... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/12/21): MLB DFS Lineups
And then there were seven. The Red Sox punched their ticket to the ALCS last night leaving three MLB games today. The White Sox are trying to avoid going the way of the Rays after yesterday's rainout. The Dodgers are Brewers are all trying to avoid the same fate. What happens today will determine just... Read More
2021 MLB Reflection and League Trends
Here at RotoBaller, we give you fantasy baseball coverage twelve months a year. The playoffs are still in full swing, which means it's probably not quite time to shift our focus to the 2022 season, but it won't be long before we're there. In the meantime, we want to spend some time reflecting on the 2021... Read More
Bold, Bolder, and Boldest in 2021: A Post-Mortem
Ahh, the time-honored tradition of making bold predictions is upon us. We hem and we haw; we make outrageous claims like Adalberto Mondesi invented the question mark, and bicker about the proper definition of "bold". In the NotBurtatorium (totally a real word), however, we worry not about this or that definition. Our goals are simple... Read More
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Picks (10/9/21): MLB DFS Lineups
The National League has the MLB stage to themselves tonight. We have the Game 2's of the NLDS series between the Braves and Brewers from Miller Park. Then we head out west for the Dodgers and Giants in San Francisco. It is a great baseball day in both locales. It's a little humid in Milwaukee,... Read More
2022 Fantasy Baseball Breakout Candidates - AL Central
It’s never too early to start laying the groundwork for a fantasy championship run next fall, whether you’re looking to repeat or not. Maybe you found success with 2021 breakout fantasy stars Tyler O’Neill or Cedric Mullins. Maybe you were a big believer in Austin Riley, Jordan Romano, or Jonathan India. Identifying and drafting or adding... Read More