2011 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report: Kansas City Royals’ Mike Moustakas

In one of the most anticipated roster moves of the 2011 season, the Kansas City Royals promoted third base prospect Mike Moustakas from Triple-A on Friday. He has exactly one hit (including his first major league HR on Saturday) and one run in each of his first three games. Moustakas ranked as the No. 9 prospect according […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Why You Should Buy Low on Chicago White Sox’s Alex Rios

Ubaldo Jimenez isn’t the only star of 2010 that has struggled this season. After a year in which Alex Rios hit 21 HRs, swiped 34 bases and hit .284 in the middle of a potent White Sox lineup, the 30-year-old center fielder has slumped through the first two months of 2011, posting a pathetic .201/.253/.306 slash with four HRs […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: What’s Wrong With Florida Marlins’ Hanley Ramirez?

The consensus No. 2 pick before the season started, Hanley Ramirez has done little to justify his draft position. Through 181 at-bats this season, Ramirez is flirting with the Mendoza Line (.210) and sports a Jason Bartlett-like OPS (.618). To make matters worse, Ramirez was removed from Sunday’s game after the first inning with lower back stiffness. He […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: What’s Wrong With Chicago Cubs’ Ryan Dempster?

Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Ryan Dempster allowed seven earned runs for the second consecutive start on Thursday, recording just one out before being yanked. Along the way he walked four, hit a batter and yielded four hits, including a grand slam to Stephen Drew. Through six starts, the usually reliable Dempster now sports an unsightly 9.58 ERA […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Comparing Oakland Athletics’ Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill

Through the team’s first 22 games, the Oakland Athletics lead the majors in ERA, and it’s not even close. The A’s team ERA currently sits at 2.46, while the major’s second lowest ERA (Padres) is 2.95. Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill have been big contributors to the team’s stellar ERA thus far. From a fantasy standpoint, however, […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Why Los Angeles Angels’ Jered Weaver is a Top 10 Pitcher

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Jered Weaver tossed another quality start on Friday, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits in seven innings—against a very potent White Sox lineup in Chicago. This comes after Weaver’s absolute gem last Sunday, when he limited the Blue Jays’ lineup to just one run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings. […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Is Milwaukee Brewers’ Chris Narveson Worth a Waiver Wire Flier?

Milwaukee Brewers’ pitcher Chris Narveson tossed seven shutout innings against the Cubs Saturday night, allowing just six hits and one walk while striking out nine. Through two starts (13 innings) thus far, Narveson has yet to allow a run, and boasts a 1.00 WHIP and 14/4 K/BB ratio. The 29-year-old journeyman is currently owned in just […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Projections: How Good Is Chicago Cubs’ Starlin Castro?

Chicago Cubs’ shortstop Starlin Castro is 8-for-13 (.615) with four runs and one RBI through three games this season, and already has the fantasy baseball community buzzing over the his stud potential. Castro’s 2011 spring totals turned some heads last month, as he displayed surprising power: 66 at-bats, 14 runs, nine XBH (four HRs), 15 RBI, 2 steals, .348/.386/.621. Fresh off […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 15 Catchers
This year, there are four catchers widely accepted as top-50 players: Joe Mauer (ADP 20.59), Brian McCann (29.93), Victor Martinez (29.95) and Buster Posey (45.46). Yet despite this general belief, it’s highly unlikely that any catcher will finish the season as a top-50 player. Andy Behrens recently dug up some mind-boggling numbers that explain this theory. To paraphrase, […]
2011 Fantasy Projections, No. 96: What’s Standing Between St. Louis Cardinals’ Colby Rasmus and the Elite Ranks?

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings. Colby Rasmus soared through the St. Louis Cardinals’ system after being selected in the first round of the 2005 draft, touted as a toolsy […]
30 Teams in 30 Days: 2011 Boston Red Sox Fantasy Baseball Preview
The Boston Red Sox were as busy as any team in baseball this offseason. Although they lost Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre to free agency, the Red Sox made two shift-of-power acquisitions in Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Perhaps the most fantasy-rich team in baseball with six players in our top 100 (see below), the Red Sox […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Big Board Top 50: Is St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols Still the Top Pick?
Image by Getty Images via @daylife Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings. Over the past few weeks, we’ve announced the top 50 players on our 2011 big board. Click […]
2011 Fantasy Baseball Keeper Conundrum: Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper or Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout?
Last week I received an intriguing e-mail from an avid reader of the site. Essentially, he asked me to choose between Nationals’ right fielder Bryce Harper and Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout in a keeper/dynasty format. My initial reaction was Harper, without question. After a few days of thought, however, my answer became much more complicated… […]
Houston Astros Trade Pitcher Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia Phillies: Fantasy Impact
In one of the most anticipated deals of the summer, the Houston Astros traded pitcher Roy Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in exchange for J.A. Happ and two minor league prospects. Oswalt will make his Phillies debut Friday night against the Washington Nationals. From a fantasy perspective, Roy Oswalt’s value should receive a […]
Seattle Mariners Trade Cliff Lee to Texas Rangers for Justin Smoak: Fantasy Impact
After weeks of anticipation, Seattle Mariners’ pitcher Cliff Lee finally has a new home. Just hours after it was reported that the New York Yankees were close to acquiring Lee’s services, the Mariners dealt the 31-year-old southpaw to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Justin Smoak and minor leaguers Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke and Matt […]
Brandon Phillips: Why You Should Sell High on The Cincinnati Reds’ Second Baseman
In four and a half seasons with the Reds, Phillips has never finished with a batting average higher than .288, and his career mark is an uninspiring .269. Yet somehow, the recently-turned 29-year-old is batting .309 this season…
San Francisco Giants Trade Catcher Bengie Molina to Texas Rangers: Fantasy Impact
While the MLB trade deadline is more than four weeks away, the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers swapped catcher Bengie Molina for reliever Chris Ray and a player to be named later on Thursday. Although this deal may appear insignificant on the surface, it’s important to understand how this trade effects not only the fantasy […]
Why a Low BABIP Doesn’t Necessarily Signal a Good Buy-Low Candidate
The term Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP) has become one of the most popular stats among fantasy managers in recent years. To put it simply, BABIP measures the number of batted balls that fall safely for a hit (excluding home runs). According to The Hardball Times Glossary, the exact formula for BABIP is: (H-HR)/(AB-K-HR+SF). The major league average for […]
Closer’s Corner, June 21: Brian Fuentes, Huston Street, Alfredo Simon & More
If you read this article posted back in March, you know why it’s important to keep an eye on your league’s waiver wire as save opportunities get shuffled around major league bullpens. • Just last week, Diamondbacks’ closer Chad Qualls (who saved 24 games in 2009) was relieved of his duties after converting just 12 of his 16 save […]
2010 MLB Draft: When Will Nationals’ Bryce Harper Become Fantasy-Relevant?
The first round of Major League Baseball’s 2010 first-year player draft featured many unexpected surprises, including the position at which Bryce Harper was drafted. As expected, the Washington Nationals made the 17-year-old Junior College standout the No. 1 overall pick last Monday night. Unexpectedly, they selected the switch hitter as an outfielder instead of a catcher, the position […]
Fantasy Baseball Insiders Buy Or Sell: Troy Glaus
After nine weeks of play, Braves’ first basemen Troy Glaus is tied with Albert Pujols and Evan Longoria for fifth on the major’s RBI leader board with 44. Given his age and supposed injury propensity, most fantasy managers are looking to turn a profit on Glaus’ hot start. Instead, they should be seeking his […]
Fantasy Baseball Insiders: Buy Or Sell? Pitchers Edition
Image by John McNab via Flickr Nearly seven weeks have passed since the 2010 fantasy baseball season began, and now is the time to start making crucial decisions about your team. With young guns such as David Price and Francisco Liriano living up to recent hype, it’s not always easy to tell which of these hurlers has enough […]
Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ Inbox: Week 7 Spot-Starters: Mike Leake, Ben Sheets, Derek Holland or Jhoulys Chacin?
Continuing our mailbox segment properly titled Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ Inbox, our Insider will answer a question posed by one of our loyal readers.
This week’s question: Looking ahead to week seven, who is the best option among the following starting pitchers? Mike Leake, (who I currently own) Ben Sheets, Derek Holland or Jhoulys Chacin?
What’s Wrong With Josh Beckett?
Red Sox ace Josh Beckett got rocked—again—Friday night, allowing nine earned runs in 5 1/3 innings to the Yankees, marking the third time he’s given up seven earned runs or more in a start this season.
2010 Projections: Why You Should Buy Low on Phillies’ Pitcher Cole Hamels
After Tuesday night’s gem against St. Louis, Phillies’ starter Cole Hamels lowered his season ERA to a less than desirable 4.42. His stellar 44/12 K/BB ratio and 2.79 BB/9, however, suggests more success is on the horizon…
Prospect Report: Does Texas Rangers’ Justin Smoak Have Fantasy Value in 2010?
In one of the most anticipated roster moves of 2010, the Texas Rangers promoted highly-touted prospect Justin Smoak last Friday. In 10 games since being called up, the switch-hitting first baseman is 5-for-30 with five runs, one HR and four RBI. He does, however, have eight walks…
Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ Inbox: Trade Astros’ Carlos Lee for Blue Jays’ Vernon Wells?
In a new segment on Fantasy Baseball Insiders, our Insider will answer a fantasy baseball-related question sent from one of our readers. Whether you have a trade proposal you’d like a second opinion on, or you’re unsure who to add, drop, or keep, we’ve got you covered in something appropriately titled: the Insiders’ Inbox. I’ve been offered Vernon Wells for Carlos […]
2010 Projections: Can Twins’ Delmon Young Live Up to His 25-30 HR Potential?
One of the most hyped prospects in recent memory, Delmon Young has yet to fulfill his lofty expectations. From a bat-tossing incident which lead to a 50-game minor league suspension in 2006, to criticizing the Rays’ upper management and refusing to take coach’s instructions, Young’s character has always been in question. Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire attributes Young […]
2010 Projections: Why Reds’ Outfielder Drew Stubbs Will Steal 40 Bases
Opening Day 2010 is now upon us, which means most fantasy drafts have been completed. Judging by Average Draft Positions on Mock Draft Central, fantasy owners are allowing certain sleeper candidates to go un-drafted. One of those guys is Drew Stubbs, who has a current ADP of 311.40. Last year, Baseball America claimed Stubbs “has excellent bat speed, above-average […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Top Spot Starters For Week 26
The final week of the fantasy baseball season is upon us. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve got a lot to gain (or lose) in the next seven days. It’s important to note that all Yahoo leagues use ERA as it’s first tiebreaker. If you finish the week tied five-to-five, the championship goes to […]