RADIO
Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft - ADP Surprises
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
As we begin to look towards the 2021 baseball season, we can only hope that COVID-19 will be handled well enough to let the season run as normal. Since this is a mere early ranking exercise and we have so much ahead of us, let's just close our eyes and chat as if a 162-game... Read More
Analyzing Fly Ball Metrics: Pitchers to Trust in 2021
Welcome back to some 2020-2021 offseason fantasy baseball analysis! I recently took a look at pitchers who could see a decrease in performance next season based on their fly-ball metrics from this season. Some of these metrics included home run-to-fly-ball ratio, fly-ball rate, and average launch angle. To reiterate the value of this type of... Read More
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Rankings
Hope springs eternal for the 2021 baseball season, but it's hard to imagine we'll be completely past COVID-19 by then. Plus, we could see opening salvos for the CBA debates to come. But for now, let's just close our eyes and dream of a perfect world and chat as if a 162-game season will come... Read More
Year-in-Review: Clint Frazier
With the 2020 MLB season in the books, the focus now shifts to the 2021 season. Coming off such a strange and unusual 2020 season, the biggest questions will revolve around just how much should fantasy players buy into small-sample-sized performances. That question will very much be surrounding Clint Frazier, the former top prospect who... Read More
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
As usual, I'll start by saying the 2021 baseball season may still be affected by COVID-19. Maybe even more labor disputes just for a curveball. But for now, let's just close our eyes and dream of a perfect world and chat as if a 162-game season will come next spring. Join me for my position-by-position... Read More
Year-In-Review: Pete Alonso
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso endured a 2020 season which fell short of expectations coming off his breakout 2019 rookie campaign. After posting a .260/.358/.583 line in 2019, Alonso put up just a .231/.326/.490 line over 239 plate appearances in 2020. Alonso also clubbed 16 home runs, with six doubles and 35 RBI... Read More
Analyzing Fly Ball Metrics: Pitchers Who Could Bust in 2021
Welcome to the 2021 offseason! This past season was different and exciting, offering a new flavor of baseball with definite impacts on fantasy baseball. The shortened season brought forth some new strategies from a fantasy perspective and smaller sample sizes from an analytics perspective. That being said, assuming a "regular" 2021 season, it makes sense... Read More
Year-in-Review: Luke Voit
The 2020 MLB season just ended, and it is already time to start preparing for the 2021 season. Let’s kick things off by looking back at one of the more significant standouts in the 2020 season, Luke Voit. Voit entered spring in a potential timeshare at first base for the Yankees, but after a late... Read More
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
2021 First Look Fantasy Values: Third Base
The baseball offseason may officially begin with the end of the World Series but the projections offseason began last Thursday night with the release of the first Steamer projections for 2021. Created and maintained by mathematics teacher Jared Cross and his former students, Steamer remains the industry standard for non-aggregated projection systems, as well as... Read More
2021 First Look Fantasy Values: Outfielders
The baseball offseason may officially begin with the end of the World Series but the projections offseason began last Thursday night with the release of the first Steamer projections for 2021. Created and maintained by mathematics teacher Jared Cross and his former students, Steamer remains the industry standard for non-aggregated projection systems, as well as... Read More
2021 Fantasy Value First Looks: Shortstop
The baseball offseason may officially begin with the end of the World Series but the projections offseason began last Thursday night with the release of the first Steamer projections for 2021. Created and maintained by mathematics teacher Jared Cross and his former students, Steamer remains the industry standard for non-aggregated projection systems, as well as... Read More
2021 First Look Fantasy Values: First Base and Second Base
The baseball offseason may officially begin with the end of the World Series but the projections offseason began last Thursday night with the release of the first Steamer projections for 2021. Created and maintained by mathematics teacher Jared Cross and his former students, Steamer remains the industry standard for non-aggregated projection systems, as well as... Read More
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
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
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
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
How I Won Tout Wars
I am extremely fortunate to be able to write an article entitled, “How I Won Tout Wars.” It is truly a humbling experience, and I am both excited and proud to pen today’s words. Including all of the draft preparation that I describe in my aforementioned articles, here a few of the reasons that (I... Read More
Champ or Chump: Year in Review
Now that the 2020 fantasy baseball season has come to a close, it is time to assess your performance. Did you ignore red flags that you wish you hadn't? Was a strong process foiled by unpredictable factors outside of anybody's control? Both of these things are likely true to some extent. The key is to... Read More
Effects of an Innocuous Move: Brian Goodwin to Cincinnati
If you would've told me at the start of the 2020 season that one of the two moves made by the Cincinnati Reds at the Trade Deadline would be for a Major League outfielder, I would've been forced to assume that any four Reds outfielders had been suspended for the season for pulling some sort... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Lineup Picks for Thursday 9/24
Welcome to another edition of MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers! We have reached the home stretch of this truncated MLB season and that likely means many of you are in the playoffs. I know I am, which means streaming is as important as ever. RotoBaller has been dishing out streamer advice for years. We're always... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Lineup Picks for 9/23
We are nearly the end of the fantasy baseball season, and if you're still plugging away, I congratulate you on making it this far! Many games are played today, so plenty of viable streamers sit on your waiver wire to scoop up. Let's focus on how you can use the following streamers to steal a category... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Lineup Picks for Tuesday 9/22
The MLB season is filled with ups and downs, but the key to success is to find some gems to stream! Today we're going to stream a Rockies pitcher away from Coors and continue to ride a slugging Rays' first baseman! When choosing my daily hitter streamers, I examine their platoon splits, lineup position, and... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Picks for 9/21/20
It's another manic Monday, so you know what time it is - it's time to dig deep and find some streamers. Today is a tough day for pitcher streamers, so we'll roll on a streaky Rangers' starter. We'll also pair a couple of Yankees and Marlins in favorable matchups. When choosing my daily hitter streamers,... Read More
Fantasy Baseball Injury Updates for Week 10
Injuries are commonplace in all sports. Baseball has seen the rate of injury continue to rise over the past few years. In fantasy, if someone is not in the medical field, it is hard to gauge how long a player will be out and whether they need to be replaced in a lineup. Sometimes this... Read More
Champ or Chump: Trent Grisham
While it seems like the MLB season just started yesterday, the final full week is rapidly approaching. If you're looking for an extra edge for the stretch run, rostering players on teams with a bunch of games to make up could give you a quantity advantage. The Cardinals, Brewers, Rockies, and Nationals are all scheduled... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Lineup Picks for Thursday 9/17
Welcome to another edition of MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers! We have reached the home stretch of this truncated MLB season and that likely means many of you are in the playoffs. I know I am, which means streaming is as important as ever. RotoBaller has been dishing out streamer advice for years. We're always... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Lineup Picks for Wednesday 9/16
We are rounding third base and on our way to finish this 2020 sprint season. Every move made is magnified immensely, and the slightest transaction wins categories. So without any further adieu, let's get to those streamers to help us win big in 2020. When choosing my daily hitter streamers, I examine their platoon splits,... Read More
Daily Fantasy Baseball Streamers - MLB Hitter, Pitcher Lineup Picks for Tuesday 9/15
The MLB season is filled with ups and downs, but the key to success is to find some gems to stream! Today we're going to stack four Rays against a struggling Nationals' pitcher! When choosing my daily hitter streamers, I examine their platoon splits, lineup position, and pitching matchup. With pitchers, I account for the... Read More
