Category Archives: Fantasy Baseball

Does Yimi Garcia Have Fantasy Relevance?

Joey Ricotta |March 31st, 2020  

Signed as a free agent this offseason, the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yimi Garcia, enters 2020 as a primary setup man for the Miami Marlins. In this day and age, it’s hard to find a pitcher who hasn’t had Tommy John surgery at some point in their career. Garcia is no exception, he missed most of the 2016 season because of arm issues and wound up getting the procedure done on October 25, 2016, which caused him to miss the entirety of the 2017 season. Continue reading →

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 80 Outfielders

Kody Clawson  | March 11th, 2020

As usual, outfield is a position that is as deep as it is varied. You’ll find many different skillsets available amongst the position. But you’ll also need at least three and maybe up to five from the position to fill out your roster. So let’s look at the position not only in rank, but also in skillset, in order to see who you should draft when.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 20 Shortstops

Matt Bishop | February 29, 2020

It’s almost baseball season and Shortstop is deep. In fact, there are 14 shortstops that are being drafted within the Top 100 players this season. With an abundance of talent at the position this year, there are at least 15 shortstops that are serviceable as your #1 option, in my opinion. If you miss out on an elite option at the position, no need to panic as you can wait a bit to grab a potential bounce back.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 50 Relievers

Jacob Dunne | February 20th, 2020

Finding a reliable source of saves is as tough as it’s ever been. Only 22 pitchers reached 20 saves in 2019 and only 11 pitchers reached 30 saves. More managers are opting to go with a committee to close out games instead of just one ace reliever. That’s why true closers are rarer than ever this year.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 30 First Basemen

John Lepore | February 19th, 2020

First base used to be a spot on the diamond where teams had their big power guys. The position has fallen off offensively in recent years. Although there are still a few gems, the days of waiting on a first baseman for value later in the draft have all but disappeared. Let’s take a look at the top 30 players at first and see if there are a few values still out there.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 30 Second Basemen

Alex Kielar | February 14th, 2020

Continuing the trip around the diamond for our rankings for the 2020 Fantasy Baseball Season, next up is the second basemen. Second base has been a fairly weak position as far as fantasy production goes, with not much depth. The guys at the top have been consistent, but there has not been much after that as you go deeper. You may find some flyers in late rounds that look to break out this year, but if you want more of a guarantee, pick this position earlier. Let’s dive into it.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 30 Third Basemen

Jacob Dunne | February 12th, 2020

Third base gave fantasy owners a lot to be thankful for in 2019. The hot corner supplied elite power numbers, batting average, and even had a few players swipe 20-plus bases. Heading into the 2020 season, third base has everything you need to make a run at a fantasy championship.

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Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The Top 30 Catchers

John Lepore | February 9th, 2020

To begin the trip around the diamond with our rankings for the 2020 Fantasy Baseball Season, we start with the catchers. Over the past few years, the catching position hasn’t been exactly overflowing with fantasy talent. Sure, there are a few guys who are consistently at the top, but overall it hasn’t been great. This year there are some familiar faces as well as a few guys who have made their way up the chart and look to have a breakout season. Let’s get it started.

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Deep Dive: Dylan Bundy

Frank Ammirante | February 7th, 2020

Dylan Bundy enters his age-27 season with a clean slate, having been traded from the lowly Baltimore Orioles to the contending Los Angeles Angels. The former top pitching prospect has been plagued by the long-ball, but a move to a new team could pay dividends for his 2020 production. Let’s take a deep dive to further examine why Bundy is an intriguing option for the upcoming season.

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Fantasy Baseball: ADP Comparison (SS Edition)

Joey Ricotta | January 23rd, 2020
Welcome, maybe you saw my name at the top of the article and are wondering if you clicked on the wrong one. You might be more accustomed to seeing my name preceding DFS articles, but fantasy baseball is another arena I have a heavy interest in, and of course, DFS is just an extension of fantasy sports.

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Yasmani Grandal Signs with the Chicago White Sox

John Lepore | November 21st, 2019

The Chicago White Sox have opened up the checkbook and signed catcher Yasmani Grandal to a franchise-record 4-year/$73 million contract. The rebuild on the South Side just got a nice boost and it looks like Rick Hahn wants it ahead of schedule.

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MLB DFS – World Series Game Six: Showdown Picks

Joey Ricotta | October 29th, 2019 

Heading back to Houston for Game Six of the World Series, the road team has won every game thus far. It’s the first time the road team has won every game through five games of the World Series since 1996. The Washington Nationals look to make it six straight games and force an always exciting, must-see, winner take all, Game Seven. But in order to do so, they’ll need to get a great outing from Stephen Strasburg and be able to put a dent into Justin Verlander. Continue reading →

MLB DFS – NLCS Game Three: Showdown Slate

Joey Ricotta     | October 14th, 2019

Well, the first two games of the series were very much in favor of the Washington Nationals, as they stymied the St. Louis Cardinals’ offense and held them to only one run and four hits in the first two games combined. Things won’t get any easier for the Redbirds tonight. They’ll have the difficult task of attempting to barrel up Stephen Strasburg. The one thing going for them that they didn’t have in the first two games is Jack Flaherty. Whenever you can send your ace to the mound, you have to feel like you have a shot. Continue reading →

MLB DFS – ALDS Game Four: Showdown Slate

Joey Ricotta | October 8th, 2019 

The Tampa Bay Rays were able to stave off elimination yesterday by knocking the baseball all around the yard and defeating the Astros 10-3. But today will be even more challenging as they get the daunting task of trying to hit the timeless ace, Justin Verlander. Will they be able to do it? Who knows. What I do know is I have some top-notch options for you to use in your DFS lineups tonight. At least I hope they are top-notch.

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Locks, Stacks, and Barrels: MLB DFS for September 20th, 2019

John Lepore | September 20th, 2019

Aside from one afternoon game today, there is a full 14-game slate tonight. With so many choices for our lineups, the task of picking the right players can seem daunting. Have no fear. Baseball DFS is every day and sticking to what your research tells you will work out over the long haul. Last week my picks didn’t turn out exactly how I would’ve liked. We are back at it again though to hopefully win a little cash. Let’s get to it.

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MLB DFS: Arms, Bats, and Stacks for September 17th, 2019

Joey Ricotta | September 17th, 2019

With the MLB season winding down, we won’t have many more opportunities to take advantage and make some money playing DFS. We need to capitalize on the remaining opportunities. That brings us to tonight’s slate of 14 games, starting a little later than normal at 7:05 ET. On the docket, we have a game at Coors Field which we always have to prioritize one way or the other, as well as some pitchers in good spots. To save you time and research, I went ahead and put some work in for you. The daily grind keeps rolling and we aren’t slowing down for anything or anyone. It’s time to get right back to it. Here are some of my favorite DFS plays for tonight’s games. Continue reading →

MLB DFS – Make That Money Monday, Targets and Stacks for 9/9/19

Joey Ricotta| September 9th, 2019 

There are two NFL games on tonight after the big opening Sunday yesterday. There was baseball on yesterday and a slate of games that not many paid attention to. Tonight, however, there are eight games on the main slate on DraftKings. The perfect sized slate following a crazy, yet enjoyable Sunday of football. Just enough games to be able to differentiate your lineups from your opponent’s. Also, not too many games which allow us to fully dive into each game. Let’s take a look at what we have on tap for tonight. Continue reading →

Two-Start Pitchers: Week 23 and Streamer of the Week

Matt Bishop | September 9, 2019

STREAMER OF THE WEEK

Mitch Keller, SP PIT 

(37% CBS, 4% ESPN, 9% Yahoo)

9/10: @ San Francisco Giants (69-74) 3rd in NL West

9/15: @ Chicago Cubs (76-66) 2nd in NL Central

I know this is cheap and a bit lazy being that I used Mitch Keller last week, but he was hit on the hand by a line drive in his outing on 9/03 and was forced to leave the game after only 1,2 innings and striking out 3 batters. This forced him to miss most of his first start and all of his second, but he is slotted back into the rotation and on track for Tuesday 9/10 and Sunday 9/15, so why not?

Firmly solidified as the Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect and ranked as the 25th best prospect in baseball, Mitch Keller carries an electric skill set and an array of plus offerings. But since his callup on 5/27, the results have been lack-luster, pitching to a butt clenching 8.62 ERA 1.98 WHIP. While his 11.86 K/9 is encouraging, Keller has never really been known for his control, which is evident from his 3.45 BB/9. This is slightly higher than his 2.83 BB/9 minor league career mark, but not terrible for his first exposure to major league hitters. Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn September 4th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |September 4th, 2019

The calendar has flipped over to September, the kids are back to school and summer days are about to turn into crisp, cooler days. Heck, I kinda like it as I was just out for some tennis and felt like the coolness gave me some extra energy. This, of course, has nothing to do with what brings you, the reader, here. Let’s dig into this somewhat un-inspiring eight-game nightcap before I start talking about the weather again. Twins at Red Sox, 11 runs implied total/ Tigers at Royals, 9.5/  Rockies at Dodgers, 9.5 are our games to target for bats. By now you know the drill, tell grandma, we’re going Around the Horn! Continue reading →

Two-Start Pitchers: Week 22 and Streamer of the Week

Matt Bishop | September 1, 2019

STREAMER OF THE WEEK

Mitch Keller, SP PIT 

(37% CBS, 4% ESPN, 9% Yahoo)

9/03: Miami Marlins (48 – 87) Last in NL East

9/08: St. Louis Cardinals (75 – 59) 1st in NL Central

Firmly solidified as the Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect and ranked as the 25th best prospect in baseball, Mitch Keller carries an electric skill set and an array of plus offerings. But since his callup on 5/27, the results have been lack-luster, pitching to a butt clenching 8.62 ERA 1.98 WHIP. While his 11.86 K/9 is encouraging, Keller has never really been known for his control, which is evident from his 3.45 BB/9. This is slightly higher than his 2.83 BB/9 minor league career mark, but not terrible for his first exposure to major league hitters. Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 28th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 28th, 2019

We will get to pitching momentarily. First up is a glance at the highest implied run totals for today’s 11-game evening slate. A massive run line of 14 runs easily leads the way as the Boston Red Sox, who all of a sudden are running along very nicely (8-3 in their last 11), visit Coors Field and the Colorado Rockies. Twins-White Sox are at 10.5, Rangers and Angels as well as Pirates-Phillies are both set at 10 and the Indians-Tigers chime in at 9.5. Let’s break down some picks, hop on board, we’re going Around the Horn!

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MLB DFS: Pitching, Value Options, Stacks for August 27th

Joey Ricotta | Aug 27th, 2019

Another huge slate of games on tap for this Tuesday night. There’s a game being played at Coors Field and a ton of other juicy match-ups. Let’s take a look at some options to help us bring home some cash.

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Saturday in the Ballpark: MLB DFS Picks for August 24, 2019

Joey Ricotta | Aug 24th, 2019 

“Saturday in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July.” You’ve heard the popular song, sung by the group Chicago. If you haven’t, then skip this entire introduction and watch the video below. Now that we’re on the same page, I figured today would be a perfect time to lighten the mood. Last night was god awful for me. I was a Max Kepler home run that went just foul past the right field foul pole, away from cashing in all across the board. Instead, I wound up losing a decent chunk of money. Oh well. It happens. That’s the baseball DFS grind. And believe me, it is a grind. But there is no time to dwell on the past. Tonight looks like a fun slate to wipe the slate clean and get back to our winning ways. I remixed the song just for this slate. – “Saturday in the ballpark, it feels like the Fourth of July.” I’m expecting all of our home runs to be fair and fireworks to follow. Without further ado, let’s get to the picks that will get the party started. Don’t forget to enjoy the real song as well. Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 22nd, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 22nd, 2019

Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, and Ryan Yarbrough appear to be the night slate’s best offerings for starting pitcher tonight. As for filling out the rest of your lineups, there are many ways to approach if we decide to save our budget and go heavy on bats. Lace-up the cleats we’re going Around the Horn 

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DraftKings Around the Horn August 21st, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 21st, 2019

Our focus will be on the night slate. We’ve whittled it down to a handful of games that project for high run totals to help build your offense. The highest totals as of this morning are as follow: Angels at Rangers(11), Phillies at Red Sox (12), Royals at Orioles (10.5), Yankees at Athletics (9.5) and finally the Astros at home to the Tigers. Let’s get right to it and Go Around the Horn! Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 14th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 14th, 2019

Today you will be getting a dose of Around the Horn a day earlier. Hope you enjoy the read and we always hope that our advice has or will lend you well throughout the entire Major League Baseball season. Let’s dig right in and break down some players that can help you cash in on this Wednesday, August 14th edition of Around the Horn. Continue reading →

MLB DFS: Studs and Scrubs for August 12, 2019

Joey Ricotta Aug 12th, 2019

Not much to be said today as far as an intro goes. The title speaks for itself. I’ll be taking a studs and scrubs approach tonight, especially when it comes to pitching. There aren’t a whole lot of options to like. So, why not pay all the way down? Continue reading →

Two-Start Pitchers: Week 19 (8/12 – 8/18)

Matt Bishop | August 11, 2019

STREAMER OF THE WEEK

Yusei Kikuchi, SP SEA (@DET, @TOR)

(38% CBS, 47% ESPN, 30% Yahoo)

Yusei Kikuchi has been maddening this season, to say the least. While we have seen flashes of elite upside and ace potential, we have also seen one too many three and four inning starts, paired with a one inning effort where he was used as the opener. No matter how you spin it, he is nothing more than a streamer rest of season. Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 9th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 9th, 2019

L.A. Dodgers ace Walker Buehler appears to be the safest option at SP1. However, a couple of lesser-priced options are a good way to balance out your lineup. Houston is facing Dylan Bundy and the Orioles at hitter-friendly Camden Yards.  The Yankees are facing another one of the Blue Jays young prospects. The Red Sox are in plus-matchup at home to the Angels and the Padres are at home against Kyle Freeland who has really hit the skids of late. These are all prime spots for high scoring totals. Let’s get the weekend kicked off right and go Around the Horn! Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 8th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 8th, 2019

The Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins headline the MLB schedule tonight. As for the DFS landscape, we have a pitcher that can provide salary relief for some bats that are running on all cylinders of late. No time than the present to saddle up and go for a rip. Scorecards, crackerjack, sunflower seeds, we’re Going Around the Horn! Continue reading →

Two-Start Pitchers: Week 18 (8/05 – 8/11)

Matt Bishop | August 5, 2019

STREAMER OF THE WEEK

Daniel Norris, SP DET (CHW, KC)

(24% CBS, 2% ESPN, 5% Yahoo)

It’s getting to that time of the year where we are running out of decent streaming pitchers to talk about and upside is virtually non-existent on the waiver wire. But while Daniel Norris’ 4.67 ERA 1.40 WHIP combo on the year isn’t much to write home about, he has been very solid in his last 3 outings: Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 2nd, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 2nd, 2019

No real weather concerns to kick off the weekend for Friday night. A full slate of games to breakdown so let’s jump right in and go Around the Horn! Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn August 1st, 2019

Joel Dorcas |August 1st, 2019

A few marquee matchups will take center stage Thursday as the Cubs and Cardinals will continue their rivalry at Busch Stadium. Boston Red Sox will look to keep mashing in their series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Houston sends their ace Gerrit Cole to Progressive Field to play the resurgent Cleveland Indians. And Clayton Kershaw looks to continue his solid season versus the San Diego Padres. You know the drill, we’re going Around the Horn! Continue reading →

Now Is The Perfect Time To Get And Trade Bo Bichette

Antonio Losada | July 30th, 2019

After trading Eric Sogard to Tampa Bay on Sunday, Toronto wasted no time in calling up über-prospect Bo Bichette, who was actually pulled from the Triple-A game he was playing for Buffalo.

Such was Toronto’s anxiety to get its last shinning youngin’ to the Majors, and such should be yours to make him available to suitors in case you happen to have him in your fantasy team or are still able to acquire him in case he’s still free out there. Continue reading →

Two-Start Pitchers: Week 17 (7/29 – 8/04)

Matt Bishop | July 29, 2019

STREAMER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Beede, SP SF

(36% CBS, 7% ESPN, 11% Yahoo)

Tyler Beede’s seasonal stat line leaves much to be desired.  Currently pitching to a 4.85 ERA 1.48 WHIP with an 8.6 K/9, he doesn’t really stand out as a highly touted waiver wire add. But since the calendar has turned to July, he seems to be putting it together:

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DraftKings Around the Horn July 26th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |July 26th, 2019

Plenty of games with run totals hovering around ten and eleven Friday. Ideally some exposure to Yankees and Red Sox bats is a good strategy to take but the high prices make it difficult to fit them in. The Cardinals and Twins, amongst others, offer up some interesting pivot plays to make room for pitching. Make sure to grab your scorecards, pens, and paper on this mega-slate, let’s go  Around the Horn! Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn July 25th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |July 25th, 2019

Thursday’s MLB schedule opens up with three-afternoon games followed by six evening contests. The afternoon tilts feature premium pitching options in Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer at home while the evening games offer up the potential of lots of scoring with Texas/ Oakland, 9.5 implied total, Cleveland/ Kansas City, 10.5, and New York/ Boston, 11. Also, keep an eye on the L.A. Angels hosting the Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Tom Eshelman. Put on your caps and apply the sunscreen, we’re going Around the Horn! Continue reading →

MLB DFS: Locks, Core Hitters, BvP, and Stacks for July 23, 2019

Joey Ricotta| July 23rd, 2019

You have to risk it to get the biscuit. You’ve heard the saying before, but when it pertains to daily fantasy lineups it can be especially pertinent. With that said, I like the Miami Marlins again tonight against Dylan Covey as a lower-owned stack. Not quite sure we can use them in cash games, but let’s take a look at some players that we can. Continue reading →

Nicholas Castellanos Comerica Park Rant Is Not All Wrong

Antonio Losada| July 23rd, 2019

Moments after winning their 30th game of the season, the Tigers had someone to thank for it. His name, Nicholas Castellanos. Detroit’s outfielder hit a homer in the 10th inning to seal the victory and, well, not much more given the season the Tigers are in the middle of.

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Two-Start Pitchers: Week 16 (7/22 – 7/28)

Matt Bishop | July 22nd, 2019

STREAMER OF THE WEEK

Adrian Sampson, SP TEX

(16% CBS, 4% ESPN, 6% Yahoo)

2019 Season Stats:

(6-6) 4.92 ERA 1.45 WHIP 7.42 K/9 2.04 BB/9

13.6% K-BB% 1.76 HR/9 Continue reading →

DraftKings Around the Horn July 19th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |July 19th, 2019

Yesterday was a bit rocky if you tailed me with Charlie Morton as SP1 as he was nowhere near what we wanted for a good return. The Yankees are as close to matchup-proof as they come as they got to Morton in a 5-1 victory. Tonight we will look to some of those bats in a tasty matchup at home to the Rockies and left-handed starter Kyle Freeland. More on that later, let’s get into this mega 14 gamer, let’s go Around the Horn! Continue reading →

MLB DFS: Locks, Stacks, and Barrels for July 17, 2019

Joey Ricotta| July 17th, 2019

Pinch-hitting for your usual Wednesday Locks, Stacks, and Barrels host, I’m more than happy to attempt to help you win some cash. There are some weather concerns for this evening, so I’ve ignored players from those games. Recheck weather reports prior to setting your lineups. With that said, let’s get into this week’s edition of Locks, Stacks, and Barrels. Continue reading →

Trade Deadline: Big Arms on the Block

Frank Ammirante| July 16th, 2019

This year’s trade deadline should be eventful because of the abundance of talented pitchers available on the market, such as Matt Boyd, Marcus Stroman, Robbie Ray, Zack Wheeler, Madison Bumgarner, and Noah Syndergaard. There are a number of contending teams seeking to improve their starting rotations, including the Yankees, Phillies, Braves, Twins, Dodgers, and Astros. Let’s take a look at their top prospects who could be the centerpieces of a deadline acquisition. Continue reading →

Buy High, Trade Targets and High Floor Waiver Wire Adds

Matt Bishop | July 12, 2019

I am wrong a lot. I was wrong when I said Matt Strahm had an elite skill set and proceeded to pitch to a 9.00 ERA since June 20 and get demoted to the bullpen. I was wrong when I called Kole Calhoun a league winner only to watch him hit .227 with a .764 OPS and 100 wRC+ since June 3. And I was way off base when I called Jose Peraza a serviceable SS option the rest of the season after turning in a dreadful .755 OPS and 95 wRC+ since April 25. But no matter how off base these claims can be, 3 out of 10 in baseball ain’t bad. Good luck and godspeed. Continue reading →

Deep Dive: Yonny Baseball

Michael Simione | July 15th, 2019

Yonny Chirinos has cemented himself into the Tampa Bay Rays rotation this year. The Rays have been known to bring out the best in the players they have, and I truly think they have done that with Yonny. This year he has a record of 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA (ranked 14th) and a 0.96 WHIP making him as one of the best pitchers so far this year. Continue reading →

MLB DraftKings Around the Horn July 12th, 2019

Joel Dorcas |July 12th, 2019

Another MLB All-Star game is in the books and we can finally get to some real competition with most of the league returning to action Friday night, Yesterday the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros squared off. As for tonight, we have a nice 13 games to sink our teeth into. Baseball is back and we’re going Around the Horn! Continue reading →

Finding The Best Streamer

Michael Simione | July 12th, 2019

Streaming pitchers can win you fantasy leagues every year. No matter what format you are in you can utilize streaming to your advantage. Whether you are looking for a two-start streamer or for a spot start, picking out a pitcher can be difficult. Although streaming can help you, it can also hurt you. Here is a little peek into my mindset and how I have come to a streaming record of 82-50 on my twitter account @SPStreamer. Continue reading →

Pitchers Primed For a Better Second Half

Michael Simione  | July 11th, 2019

Max Fried

Max Fried started the year off hot with a 2.43 ERA in May. He has since cooled off putting up an ERA of 4.11 in May and 5.68 ERA in June. I wouldn’t shy away from him though; in fact, I would be buying anywhere I can. Continue reading →

Team Grades: National League West

Marcos Mendoza | July 10th, 2019

Los Angeles Dodgers 60-32: 1st place +13.5 GB

Positives:

The pure dominance of their Starting Rotation. Here are the Dodgers starting staff rankings in MLB, ERA (3.19 ) 2nd, FIP (3.42) 2nd, xFIP (3.36) 1st, AVG (.227) 4th, WHIP (1.11) 1st, and K-BB% (19.5%) 3rd. The Dodgers may very well have the best starting staff in all of MLB in 2019. Along with the Elite starting staff, the offense is near the top of MLB as well. The offense has a line of .263/.342/.466, .808 OPS, .203 ISO, 146 HRs, and 466 RBIs. They have true front runners in the NL MVP race with Cody Bellinger and in the NL CY Young race with Hyun-Jin Ryu. Continue reading →