My passion for fantasy baseball began to grow in 1992. After Sid Bream slid (allegedly) safely into home, sending my Pirates into a decades' long run of futility, I went into a deep-middle school depression. I couldn't even play kickball for months. I also was left without a relevant MLB team to cheer. Over the years, I naturally gravitated towards the fantasy game. And while taking statistics courses in Texas as I worked on my PhD, I lost my mind for statistical applications to baseball, and have no desire to get it back. I've competed in all types of formats and find myself intrigued by spotting value, especially when it comes to prospects and up-and-coming major leaguers. There's nothing quite like signing Craig Kimbrel and Mike Trout the year before they rose to superstardom, and watching your buy-low investments soar in value.
Josh Donaldson(3B, Dh-Cle): JD went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, a double, and two runs against the Royals. Donaldson will be a quite a divisive name come drafting season, with the injury history piling up and uncertainty regarding his future...
Miguel Andujar(3B-Nyy): Andujar went 2-for-4 vs. the Orioles, hitting his 42nd double of the season in the process. He is now 10th on Player Rater among third baseman, just behind Anthony Rendon and ahead of Matt Chapman. The power looks...
Luis Castillo(SP-CIn): Castillo took a no-decision after allowing five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 8 1/3 scoreless innings against the Marlins. He was in total command, inducing 12 groundouts and throwing 73 of 102 pitches for strikes....
Trey Mancini(DH-Bal): TM went 2-for-4 with two solo homers vs. the White Sox. While Mancini struggled mightily during the early part of the season, he has picked it up as of late and is now within one homer of last...
Tyler Glasnow(P-TB): Glasnow won after allowing one run on two his (one homer) and one walk with six strikeouts over seven innings against Cleveland. The tall right-hander has allowed one run or less in four of six starts since arriving...
Tim Anderson(SS-CHW): Anderson went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, three runs, one RBI, one walk, and two stolen bases vs. the Royals. He is now at 15-20, so despite a .247 AVG and relatively weak counting stats, Anderson is...
Zack Wheeler(SP:NYM): Wheeler won after allowing two runs on four hits (one homer) and one walk with eight strikeouts over seven innings against the Marlins. The right-hander has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, allowing four runs over...
Will Smith(P-SF): Smith struck out two in a scoreless ninth against the D-Backs to earn his seventh save in eight chances. The left-hander has been stellar in 2018, posting a 50:7 K:BB ratio, and a 1.27 ERA. Injuries at the...
Manny Margot(OF-SD): Margot hit his fourth homer of the season in late-night action vs. the D-Backs, indicating he is over the wrist issue he dealt with earlier this month. While the overall fantasy line still leaves much to be desired,...
Mallex Smith(OF-TB): Smith went 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBI's, one run, one walk, and one stolen base vs. the Marlins. Smith still is not seeing everyday at-bats, but he's holding his own against LHP's, and with the Rays falling...
Max Kepler(OF-MIN): Kepler went 0-for-2 with one run and three walks vs. the Rays. We were able to get Stephen Piscotty going with our write-ups, so maybe we can do the same with Max Kepler. So here it goes. He...
Jesus Aguilar(1B-MIL): Aguilar went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and a double vs. the Braves. At 28-years-old, Aguilar has arrived as an elite fantasy player. His elite 45 percent hard hit rate to go along with his fly ball and...
Marcus Stroman(SP-TOR): Stroman won after allowing two runs on five hits (one homer) and no walks with four strikeouts over seven innings vs. the Tigers, inducing 10 groundouts in an efficient 90-pitch outing. This makes back-to-back solid outings for Stroman...
Brian Dozier(2B-Min): The slugger went 1-for-4 with a homer and three RBI's out of the five-hole against Cleveland. Dozier is shockingly the 19th ranked 2B on the ESPN Player Rater thanks to a .230 AVG and a low steals total...
Rafael Devers(3B-BOS): Devers went 1-for-4 vs. the White Sox and his OPS sits at .682 on the season. The 21-year-old has really scuffled, as his contact rate has decreased to 72 percent from last season while his swinging strike and...
Blake Snell(SP-TB): Snell took a no-decision after allowing two hits and no walks with 12 strikeouts over six scoreless innings against the Mariners. The left-hander hasn't allowed an earned run over his last three starts while posting an impressive 27:4...
Matt Olson(1B-OAK): Olson went 3-for-4 with two homers, five RBIs, three runs, and one walk against the Royals. After hitting 24 homers in 59 games last season, Olson had hit only nine in 57 games entering tonight. While his 41%...
Max Kepler(OF-MIN): Kepler went 2-for-2 with a homer, a double, three RBIs, and one walk vs. the Brewers. Kepler hit his 6th homer of the season to quell any doubts that he's over the hand issue he faced earlier in...
Edubray Ramos(RP-PHI): Ramos picked up his first save of the season after pitching a scoreless ninth inning vs. the Mets. With Hector Neris' struggles, Manager Gabe Kapler has indicated his willingness to use whoever gives the team the best chance...
Cole Hamels(P-TEX): Hamels won after allowing one hit and three walks with five strikeouts over six shutout innings against the Astros. While his control issues have prevented him from going deep into games and earning decisions consistently, Hamels continues to...
Willy Adames (SS-TB): Adames has been solid at Triple-A, and is likely to take over at SS by the end of the month. He is sitting at .298-.404-.500 with three homers and two steals through 24 games with a solid...
Daniel Robertson(INF-TB): Robertson went 2-for-4 against the Red Sox. Just three short years ago, Robertson was a consensus top-30 prospect, but after some struggles in the high minors and majors, Robertson had completely fallen off the radar until his hot...
Ben Lively(SP-PHI): Lively took a no-decision after allowing one run on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts over six innings vs. the Pirates. Lively has quietly posted a 21:6 K:BB ratio over 21.1 innings in 2018. A .385...
Josh Donaldson(3B-TOR): The slugger went 1-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk against the Orioles. Likely due to an ailing shoulder that has been plaguing him in the early going, the Jays gave Donaldson a look at 1B last...
Shohei Otani(SP-LAA): The hurler moved to 2-0 after allowing one hit and one walk with 12 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings vs. the Athletics. Ohtani retired 19 straight batters as he continues to impress after an abysmal spring. He now...
Gregory Polanco(OF-PIT): Polanco went 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, four RBIs, three runs scored, one stolen base, and one walk against the Tigers. Polanco's first stolen base and first homer of the season, a game-winning three-run shot in the...
Pirates Value Power in the Burgh Corey Dickerson posted a solid .341 wOBA with 27 homers last season while quietly improving against left-handed pitching. Acquired from the Rays on Feb. 22, the slugger looks set to assume the bulk of...
Pittsburgh Pirates: Joe Musgrove(SP): While the newly acquired Pirate allowed a .526 slugging percentage and 16 homers as a starter in 78 innings with Houston last season, Musgrove thrived in the bullpen to the tune of a .321 slugging allowed...
Marcell Ozuna(OF-MIA): Marcell Ozuna went 2-for-3 with a double, one run, three RBIs and one walk vs. the Braves. Ozuna went 50th off the board in the #2EarlyMock, and I think that is fantastic value. Many may write off the...
Jon Lester(SP-CHC): Jon Lester won after allowing one run on five hits (one homer) and two walks with four strikeouts over six innings Monday against the Cardinals. Perhaps he can salvage what has been a down year by his standards....
Jacob DeGrom(SP-NYM): Jacob DeGrom lost after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits (one homer) and no walks with 11 strikeouts over six innings vs. the Nationals. I'm completely sold on the 29-year-old as a true fantasy ace, and...
Joe Mauer(1B-MIN): Joe Mauer went 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, and five RBIs vs. the Blue Jays. The 34-year-old has quietly had a productive fantasy season with a .306/.385/.424 line and 65 RBIs with 63 runs. While his 2.22...
Brian Dozier(2B-MIN): Brian Dozier went 2-for-4 with a solo homer vs. the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old is second in homers at second base with 31, trailing only Jonathan Schoop. While Dozier is slightly behind last year's HR pace due to...
Trea Turner(SS-WAS): Turner went 2-for-4 with a homer, a triple and two runs vs. the Phillies. The 24-year-old continues to make up for lost time and is now up to nine homers and 39 steals over 81 games. Are you...
Whit Merrifield(2B-KC): Whit Merrifield went 2-for-3 with a double, one run, two RBIs, one walk and one stolen base vs. the Twins. The man has arrived. He now sports a .288/.322/.466 line with 17 homers, 28 steals, 69 runs and...
Carlos Correa(SS-HOU): Carlos Correa (thumb) went 1-for-3 with one RBI, one run, one stolen base and one walk vs. the Mets in his return from the DL. Correa was back in his customary spot in the middle of the Astros...