Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Top Spot Starters for Week 25
In last week’s Fantasy Focus, I suggested three players to add in your quest for a championship game berth. If you’ve reached the finals, you’re just one win away from every manager’s dream: a fantasy baseball title. It’s important to note, however, that in a one (or two) week matchup, anything can happen. You can […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Advancing to Your League Championship Game
For most fantasy baseball leagues, today marks the beginning of the semifinal playoff round. If you’ve made it this far, it’s important to know that this is the most critical time of the year. Everything that’s happened up until this point is irrelevant; because in a one-week matchup, anything can happen. Forget about the fact […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: The All-August Free Agent Team
Joe Mauer, Ryan Howard, and Mark Reynolds. Everyone knows their names, and most people know they’ve played exceptionally well in August. What most people don’t know, however, is that Will Venable has batted .311 with six HR and 17 RBI in August. Being able to scour players like Venable from the waiver wire is a […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: The All-Overappreciated Team
In last week’s Fantasy Focus, I announced the 2009 All-Underappreciated Team. This week we shift gears, as I present to you the All-Overappreciated Team: Catcher – Russell Martin Martin was the No. 1 drafted catcher in most leagues this year, but has failed to live up to those expectations. The 26-year-old is currently […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: The All-Underappreciated Team
America loves the underdog; it’s a fact. More importantly, fantasy owners love the underdog. Not only are they fun to root for, but they often come much cheaper than what they should. If there’s one thing you’ve learned from me this season, it better be the importance of value. Lucky for you, this week’s Fantasy Focus is a perfect […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: The Art of Spot Starting
If there’s one thing that separates good fantasy baseball managers from the greats ones, it’s the ability to spot start. Having at least one or two open roster spots, (especially in leagues with 12 teams or less) gives you an incredible advantage over the competition. This allows you to strategically spot start players who have […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: The Impact of Deadline Deals
Major League Baseball has seen 18 trades go down in the past week. While the contenders struggled to find the final missing piece, the cellar dwellers took on prospects with an eye towards the future. So what does this have to do with fantasy baseball? Well, I’m glad you asked. Did you know that Cliff […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Second Half Studs Part Two
In last week’s fantasy focus, I outlined eight batters who have historically performed at a higher level in the second half of the season. This week, I’m suggesting eight starting pitchers who meet the same criteria. Johan Santana Santana’s first half totals are incredible, but his second half splits are phenomenal. […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Second Half Studs
The All-Star Break has come and gone, and the dog days of summer are upon us. In some leagues, only six weeks of regular season play remain, meaning now is the time to make your playoff push. Every piece of information is important, and if history is any indicator, these eight batters are likely to […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Three Prospects to Keep an Eye on
Last week’s Fantasy Focus centered around three prime sell-high targets. This week, we’ll turn our attention to the minor leagues to find out which prospects are most likely to make a fantasy impact this season. Jhoulys Chacin Chacin’s value has skyrocketed since the beginning of the 2008 season, when Baseball America ranked him as the […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Three Players To Sell High On
In my last Fantasy Focus, I outlined three pitchers whose slow starts made them prime buy-low candidates. This week I’m going to nominate three players whose hot starts make them excellent sell-high targets. Keep in mind that obvious choices, such as Kevin Millwood, will be left off the list. I would like to think that […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Three Pitchers To Buy Low On
Many starting pitchers who are usually reliable such as Brandon Webb, Jake Peavy, John Lackey and Roy Oswalt have been wildly unpredictable and/or injured through the first ten weeks of the season. If you are one of the unlucky ones who have been become frustrated with your staff’s inconsistency, you might want to look into […]
What’s Wrong With Josh Hamilton?
The Texas Rangers are 30-19 after 49 contests, leading the Angels in the AL West by 5.5 games after play on Saturday. The Rangers’ quick start can be attributed to their potent offense, which ranks fifth in the majors, scoring 5.44 runs per game. Ian Kinsler, Michael Young and Nelson Cruz have led the way […]
Will Joe Mauer Continue The Power?
Image by Keith Allison via Flickr The fantasy baseball community is buzzing over Joe Mauer‘s newfound power stroke since returning from the DL on May 1. After his grand slam against the White Sox on Thursday, Mauer is batting .417 with 8 HR in just 72 at-bats. That’s 1 long ball every 9th at-bat. The […]
What’s Wrong With Jimmy Rollins?
Several top sluggers have struggled through the first month and a half of the season. Grady Sizemore is batting .220, but has 7 bombs and 6 steals. Mark Teixeira is batting a paltry .238 in Yankee pinstripes, but remains on pace for 39 HR. Lance Berkman has battled just to stay above the Mendoza line, […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Buy Or Sell? Part 2
In last week’s fantasy focus, I outlined several players whose hot starts you should buy and sell. This week, I’ll profile a few players whose slow starts you should buy, and others who you should sell. BUY Scott Kazmir Kazmir has struggled through his first six starts of the 2009 season, posting a 6.00 ERA […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Buy Or Sell?
Nearly a month has passed since the 2009 fantasy baseball season began, and now’s the time to start making important moves. Turning a profit on a hot start can be vital to your team’s future success. With that in mind, I’ve highlighted several players who’s hot starts you should buy, and others you should sell […]
Nick’s Fantasy Focus: 2009 All-Breakout Team
With the start of the fantasy baseball season upon us, let’s highlight a few players at each position who are primed for a breakout season in 2009. C – Matt Wieters – Orioles Surprise! After posting a .355/.454/.600 line with 27 HR between High A and AA last season, Wieters is the popular pick for […]
Nick’s Fantasy Focus
As fantasy baseball managers, our job is not to assemble a team based on last year’s statistics, though many make the mistake of doing that. Instead, it is our duty to predict what’s going to happen next. Not many people realize this, but if you consistently make personnel decisions based on what happened last year, […]
Nick’s Fantasy Focus
If you are new to fantasy baseball, or are just unsure where to play or what to look for in a league, you’ve come to the right place! As a 10 year veteran of fantasy baseball, I’ve endured several different types of leagues. Some bad, and others good, but over the years I’ve learned what […]
