Fantasy Baseball: Who’s Running Hot & Cold – August 28, 2011
HOT James Loney (LAD) – The light-hitting Dodgers first baseman always seems to leave fantasy owners wanting more. Over the past week however, Loney has been scorching at the plate going 15-for-26 (.577 AVG). He has also contributed 3 HR to go along with 7 RBI and 7 runs. He’s alos available in the vast majority […]
Versatile & Error: Good & Bad Utility Players for the Fantasy Baseball Playoffs
For many fantasy baseball leagues, the month of September is considered the ‘playoffs’ (the viability of this can be addressed in a separate article). As you head into the playoffs, one issue to contend with is the fact that many major league teams will be looking to give their veterans some rest as well as calling up someyoung prospects from the […]
Fantasy Baseball: Who’s Running Hot & Cold – August 21, 2011
HOT Peter Bourjos (LAA) – Even though he continues to bounce around the Angels’ batting order, Bourjos has caught fire as of late. In the past week, he has scorched along at a 14-for-28 (.483) clip and added 7 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI and 2 SB into the mix for an all-around fantasy effort. Mitch Moreland (TEX) – […]
Cool WHIP: Fantasy Baseball Pitchers to Help Your Team’s WHIP
As we enter the final 2 months of the 2011 baseball season, fantasy baseball owners will no doubt be taking a closer look at their teams in trying to identify shortcomings and solidify themselves in certain categories. In looking at your pitching roster, you may be one of the many fantasy owners who could use a boost in […]
Fantasy Baseball: Who’s Running Hot and Who’s Running Cold
Every now and then it’s time to check in on some players who are hot and some who are cold. HOT Dan Uggla (ATL)– It hasn’t been a stellar season for Ugly Dan but with 9 hits in his last 24 AB (.375), he has started to show signs of life at the plate. Uggla has also […]
Sabermetrics 101: Gaining the Fantasy Baseball Edge
Most people who play fantasy baseball participate in leagues which count basic statistical categories. Although actual league formats may differ (head-to-head, rotisserie, points leagues being among the most popular), the categories in which your teams compete are generally the same. Most fantasy baseball leagues will consider the following categories for batters: Runs, Home Runs, RBI, Batting Average and […]
What’s Wrong With Adam Dunn?
Coming into the 2011 season, there was arguably no more consistent a player in all of major league baseball thanAdam Dunn. When it comes to fantasy baseball, there is perhaps nothing more treasured to owners than a player that provides constant and consistent numbers, year after year. In a game where player statistics can veer wildly […]
Backstop to the Future: Fantasy Baseball Catchers in the Second Half of 2011
One position that has often befuddled fantasy baseballowners is that of catcher. Usually, there are one or two elite options and the rest of the pack has often consisted of filler players that will hopefully provide a little pop, no speed and not destroy your overall team batting average too badly. Although there are still elite options […]
Second Base Options for the Season’s Second Half
Entering the second half of the 2011 season it is time to consider your options at several positions for your fantasy baseball team. You may be looking to acquire players either through a trade or the waiver wire. Regardless of where you turn to for help improving your team, there are many options to consider. I recently discussed your fantasy […]
Fantasy Baseball: First Half Studs to Avoid in the Season’s Second Half
As often is the case, the first half of the 2011 baseball season has had its share of players who have performed much higher than their projected statistical levels. While it is tempting to hold onto these players and expect them to continue putting up huge fantasy baseball numbers, there are several players that may indeed be ‘sell high’ candidates […]
Second Half Fantasy Options: Right Field
When looking to fill out your outfield positions in fantasy baseball, your league may require you to use one each of a left fielder, center fielder and right fielder. If your league has these specific position requirements, there is no need to worry. I recently discussed options for left field fantasy baseball players as well as fantasy baseball center field options […]
Put Me In Coach! Fantasy Baseball Center Field Options
If you are in a fantasy baseball league which requires you to fill each of the 3 outfield positions individually, it can be a little more challenging than simply having 3 outfielders on your roster. Fear not, there are a lot of options at the center field position as we near the mid-point of the 2011 baseball season. Recently, […]
First Half Duds, Second Half Studs
So far in the 2011 major league baseball season, there are plenty of players having sub-par seasons from a statistical point of view. What makes some of these players such a disappointment is that based upon their previous on-field performance, a lot more was expected of them. It’s one thing to have Emilio Bonifacio struggling […]
Fan or Fantasy?
I really love playing fantasy baseball. However, there is one little thing that always seems to complicate my enjoyment: being a baseball fan. Allow me to explain. I am a baseball fan, no doubt about it. In addition, I am also a huge Toronto Blue Jays fan. I live less than an hour from the city, followed […]
Fantasy Baseball’s Second Half Stars
One of the more interesting statistics fantasy baseball owners need to evaluate on a regular basis is split stats. Whether determining fantasy baseball split stats in regard to lefty-righty matchups or home-road splits, figuring out baseball players’ tendencies can make or break a fantasy baseball season. Much like there are “morning people” and there are “nighthawks”, it’s a known fact […]
Forget the Cold Starts, These Players Are Just Getting Warm
One of the keys to success in fantasy baseball is being able to spot the trends and then acting upon them. Obviously, it makes a lot of sense to watch out for players who are starting to heat up so that they may possibly be added to your line up through either a trade or the waiver wire. […]
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 […]
“K” it Forward or Put it in Play?
When analyzing fantasy baseball pitchers, there is often the tendency to highly value those who strike out a lot of batters. But is it possible to over-value this stat? Probably not, but it got me to thinking. Since part of the fun of playing this game is trying to pick out the fantasy baseball […]
Knowing Your Platoon Splits
Platoons. Baseball Managers are well-known for using them all the time to play the odds and help ensure a better success rate. Knowing players’ tendencies and acting on them has long been a strategy employed by baseball Managers (early notables include Earl Weaver and Casey Stengel)and coaches alike. Not content to simply utilize lefty-righty matchups in their […]
Closers: The Trouble with Non-Save Situations
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…. “Baseball is a funny game”. Baseball is great for so many reasons, but one of my favorite aspects of the game is its inherent quirks. Speaking of quirks, nothing is quite as quirky as closing pitchers. It takes a special breed to trot out in the […]
Bourn Free: Getting That Green Light
It is a generally held principal in baseball that the stolen base is only considered to be an effective offensive weapon when the success rate breaks 70%. Therefore, when we are looking around the Major Leagues to determine stolen base potential from players, it may be worthwhile to take into consideration individual players’ success rates. […]
The 70/30 Split
One of the best parts of fantasy baseball is analyzing who is over-performing and who is under-performing. After all, determining who can help your team directly contributes to your chances of winning your league which is of course the second most important thing in fantasy baseball (the first being to have fun, right?). There are […]
Try Our Free 1-Day Fantasy Baseball FreeRoll Hosted by DraftStreet.com
Baseball season has arrived and it’s time for fantasy baseball. But not the average, full-season, six-month type that seems to never end. I’m talking about a one-night showdown on Friday, May 13th. Yes, Friday the 13th! We have teamed up with DraftStreet.com to offer an exclusive free contest to BaseballReflections.com readers. The freeroll will […]
Home Cookin’: Surprising Pitching Splits
Split stats. They can often be the saviour of your fantasy baseball team. When it comes to line up changes, it is beneficial to know which players have more success in one situation versus another. It can often help pad your stats and better yet, avoid negative hits to your ERA or WHIP. Making […]
“Special” K’s. Not Just for Breakfast Anymore.
Streaming pitchers for K’s and Wins. It’s a bit of specialty among certain fantasy owners. Let’s face it, a lot of fantasy managers have done it. You may even do it yourself. Many fantasy leagues are now putting a cap on the number of weekly moves you can make in an attempt to cut down […]
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 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 […]
Baseball Reflections Weekly Mailbag
Here’s our weekly (we hope) mailbag. This is where YOU, the Baseball Reflections readers, get to ask questions of the Baseball Reflections staff (me and probably one or two others depending on the question) on any baseball related topic of your choosing. It can be on Fantasy Baseball, sabermetrics, specific team related or just baseball […]
Baseball Reflections Weekly Mailbag
Happy Saturday! Pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training camp and position players will be reporting soon, too. Life is good! To celebrate this momentous event we have decided to host a weekly (we hope) mailbag. This is where YOU, the Baseball Reflections readers, get to ask questions of the Baseball Reflections staff (me […]
