RCL Update: Get Your Draft On

With the season starting early this year, it seems like everything is a bit crunched. This includes preparing for the Razzball Commenter Leagues drafts. March is already upon us and it’s time to get drafting! Hopefully, you’re not caught unprepared. This week I just wanted to drop some additional strategy notes I couldn’t cram into last weeks posts. This time next week we’ll have an assortment of draft data to wade through, which will be much more exciting and make it seem like real fantasy baseball season! As of now one league has drafted, the Writers League jumped in first with a draft this past Saturday evening. There were a few autodrafters (raises hand in shame), but an overall good looking draft (just don’t look at my lack of pitching staff, wow, that’s ugly). There will be a Q&A style recap of that in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for that if you’re interested but in the meantime, let’s cover the last few tips you need before tackling your own drafts in the weeks to come.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

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See all of today’s starting lineups

#	MLB Starting Lineups For Thu 8/14
	ARI \| ATL \| BAL \| CHC \| CLE \| COL \| DET \| MIA \| MIN \| NYM \| PHI \| SEA \| TOR \| WSH \| ATH \| BOS \| CHW \| CIN \| HOU \| KC \| LAA \| LAD \| MIL \| NYY \| OAK \| PIT \| SD \| SF \| STL \| TB \| TEX

2018 Oakland Athletics Minor League Preview

March 6, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 36 Comments

by: Geoff

I woke up from a cold sweat this morning, and decided to hammer out some miles on the treadmill at the 24 hour gym down the road. There I was, in the shortest of shorts, gonads dangerously on the edge of exposure, watching hours of Oakland Athletics tape. When getting into the mindset to write these posts, it’s important to mimic the approach and personalities of those General Managers you’re studying. DiPoto week in the Lifshitz house is a trip! I trade the kids for three older middle aged adults with poor credit, and mounting debt. Thank god I’m given permission to cosplay A.J. Preller in order to trade back for the kids. Wow, this got off track! Oh yeah, Oakland! The Athletics modus operandi is common knowledge. Trade for controllable talents, get the most out of the arb years, move along, and do the same damn thing. After a couple of molasses slow rebuild years, things progressed nicely toward the end of 2017, as a young core led by Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, and Franklin Barreto began to emerge. With a well stocked farm system, and some top level talents on the cusp, this is another great system for Dynasty managers looking to target strong rebuild pieces. Who wants to talk about the prospects? #MeToo. It’s the Oakland Athletics Top Prospects for 2018 Fantasy Baseball.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Top 100 Outfielders for 2018 Fantasy Baseball

March 6, 2018 | All Podcasts, Razzball Podcast | 8 Comments

by: Geoff

It was a tall task, but we came, we saw, we talked a shizz ton about 60 outfielders for your listening enjoyment. We pickup where we left off last episode, and take you from 41st all the way to 100. Of course we sneak in some time for NFBC team talk, and a host of other banter. This has to be one of the most comprehensive shows we’ve ever done. No lie, it’s three to four days long! We cover three of Grey’s outfield posts, and give you the low down on all the names to target, and which ones to avoid. Finally, please make sure to support our sponsor by heading over to RotoWear.com and entering promo code “SAGNOF” for 20% off the highest quality t-shirts in the fantasy sports game. It’s the latest edition of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Catchers To Target, 2018 Fantasy Baseball

March 6, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Sleepers | 227 Comments

by: Grey

Here, friend, are some catchers that I will be targeting at my 2018 fantasy drafts after the top options are gone. I’m not going to get into the strategy of punting catchers. Been there, half-drunkenly wrote that years ago. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2018 projections. This is a (legal-in-most-countries) supplement to the top 20 catchers of 2018 fantasy baseball. Now, guys and five girl readers, I am not saying avoid catchers like Salvador Perez if they fall, but to get on this list, you need to be drafted later than 200 overall, and, to preemptively answer at least seven comments, yes, I will go around the entire infield, outfield and pitchers to target very late. Anyway, here’s some catchers to target for 2018 fantasy baseball:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Early Showdown v2: Razzball vs. NFBC

March 5, 2018 | 2018 Fantasy Baseball Draft | 18 Comments

by: Lance

Let’s follow up on a post of mine from a few weeks ago. Before Spring Training kicked off, I took a quick look at two players – Christian Yelich and Byron Buxton – with differences between Rudy’s Player Rater for 15-team NFBC leagues and NFBC ADP data.

It was easy to get carried away with Yelich and Buxton, but for this version I’ll expand out to four players.

If you’re interested in taking a look at the differentials I’ll be using, feel free to navigate to this google sheet I made and will be using as reference. The NFBC data is from drafts between 2/15/2018 and 3/3/2018, about 100 drafts in total. I’ll reiterate once again that this isn’t exactly a one-for-one comparison, as the numbers I’m using for Rudy’s rankings are purely on ranked dollar-value output, while NFBC data is where the player is actually being drafted. The merit here is highlighting standouts between the two, as opposed to relying on one as the true indicator of a given player (…Rudy’s projections are essentially gospel for me). I’ll also focus on players inside the top 200 overall and those whom Razzball is higher than NFBC ADP on. These should be some of your value targets if you’re a faithful Razzballer.

The 2018 Razzball Commenter Leagues are now open! Free to join with prizes! All the exclamation points!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Rolling In The Deep: A Few Thoughts For Early March

March 5, 2018 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 6 Comments

by: Laura Holt

Finally – stuff is happening! Now that there have actually been some meaningful free agent signings, injury news (nooooo, Brent Honeywell!), and we’re getting reports out of camps, it’s time to take a fresh look at a handful of situations and players within the deep-league landscape. I’m writing this just before actual spring training games start, so this will be my last chance to evaluate situations before my head is pelted with box scores and video highlights, which will no doubt cloud my judgment a bit whether I want them to or not. And since we’re talking about AL-only, NL-only, and other deep leagues, we won’t be discussing how J.D. Martinez or Yu Darvish’s values have changed. Nope, we’re all about less mainstream, but just as super-sexy topics, like how the Eric Hosmer signing might affect deep-league relevant guys like Jose Pirela. C’mon… deep-league players can be super sexy, too!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

OPS Leaguers Unite! Matts Wild in Oaktown!

March 5, 2018 | OPS Leagues | 19 Comments

by: Phil B.

Oakland, while generally being seen as a place where power hitters go to be average, certainly has a few good OPSers hitting there in 2018. First off, there’s Khris Davis, but you already know about him, so let’s talk about two lesser knowns: Matt Chapman and Matt Olson. I googled the two of them and the first article that came up was from last September on Forbes. Until this moment, I had no idea Forbes cared about sports other than to rank the values of the teams and the net worth of their owners. Color me surprised (I like to think of surprised as a day-glo bluish color), so surprised that Forbes has a sportswriter and that they agree with me (or really it is me that agrees with them…great ideas all around)! The Matts will be providing some OPS fantasy goodness this season and lets look at why, shall we?

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Yahoo Friends & Family, 15 Team League: Possibly The Worst Drafted Pitching Staff Of All-Time

March 5, 2018 | Our Leagues | 198 Comments

by: Grey

Usually, as one does, I type with my fingers. Hunt and peck with mostly the index’ers, but definitely fingers all the way. I’m so pumped up going for the win this year I’m typing up this post with both fists. WE MUST WIN! BY WE I MEAN ME! BY ME I MEAN I, IF “I” WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED IN THAT SENTENCE INSTEAD OF ME; I DON’T KNOW, AND AM TOO HYPED UP TO LOOK INTO IT, IN FACT, THIS SENTENCE IS KINDA KILLING MY HYPE BY EVEN DISCUSSING GRAMMAR. GRAMMAR BOO! WINNING THIS LEAGUE YAY! Actually using my fists is not enough. I will now type up this post by banging my forehead on the keyboard. ABCJIVS1I7$ Damn, that didn’t work so well. Maybe I’ll try my nose. Hekko, froend. Ugh, that didn’t work either. Okay, I’m gonna use my fingers again, but I’m just as pumped up. RAWR! Anyway, here’s my Yahoo Friends & Family team, it’s a 15-team, mixed league:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Draft This, Not That: Shortstops

March 4, 2018 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 7 Comments

by: Kerry Klug

Draft This: Marcus Semien, OAK | Not That: Elvis Andrus, TEX

I’m trying to see if even the hate I’m about to receive is bigger in Texas. Let me get this one out of the way first that should be obvious to everyone — if you think Elvis Andrus is hitting 20 HR in a season again you are a fool on a fool’s journey. In his previous 8 major league season he averaged 4.375 HRs. His career HR/FB rate going into 2017 was 5.1%. He blew that away with an 11.6% mark in 2017. Marcus Semien on the other hand has a 27 HR season already under his belt in 2016 and would’ve reached 20 HR again in 2017 if it wasn’t for missing 81 games with a broken wrist at the beginning of the season. Wrist injuries normally should make you nervous, but Semien returned in July and is now a full year removed from the injury. Semien has legit 20+ HR power after hitting over 20 in three of his four seasons before 2017.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

2018 Fantasy Baseball Team Previews: Kansas City Royals

March 4, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Team Previews | 2 Comments

by: Dokken

Welcome to Razzball’s 2018 team previews. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be previewing all of the teams and talking to writers who represent those teams around the web. We want to provide the best and most in-depth fantasy projections to go along with the asking the most useful questions to those who know their teams best. We want to talk about the players in the first half of your draft and also the deep sleepers that make you log into google and start watching Midwest Single-A ball for hours. Just kidding, don’t do that, hopefully we don’t go that far…

It is truly incredible to look at this roster and remember that the Royals won the World Series in 2015. Just three years later, they will contend for the worst record in baseball. Without any impact prospects knocking on the door, it’s looking like a slow rebuild is in order. They’ll get some compensatory picks for their big free agents who have left the team to sign elsewhere, so that should help. As of this moment Mike Moustakas still remains without a team, but Lorenzo Cain found a home with the upstart Brewers and Eric Hosmer signed a massive 8-year deal with the downstart Padres. There is still some fantasy goodness to be had on this roster though, and I asked Mike Engel of BP Kansas City to help us parse out what’s worth pursuing and what isn’t.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

2018 New York Yankees Minor League Preview

March 4, 2018 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects | 62 Comments

by: Geoff

It’s a good time to be a Yankees fan. There’s an exciting up and coming squad in the Bronx, a farm system stock full of major league ready reinforcements at positions of need. There’s far off high upside bats and high octane teenage arms. Say what you will about my New England zip code, it’s difficult to not appreciate what Cashman & Co. have done in a few short years. Bravo! Though this next statement might make “spit” a permanent ingredient of my morning java at my local cafe, I’ll let it fly anyway. The Yankees were my favorite team to watch in 2017, and I can’t imagine that changes much with Stanton, Gleyber, Andujar, and others now in tow. “Watchability” aside this is one of the top farm systems in all of baseball. They pair high end talent, close to the majors impact, with extreme depth. As I mentioned in my Dodgers Preview, financial might doesn’t just buy you free agents, it buys you the best in scouting and resources. The Yankees fortunately/unfortunately have that in spades. Enough of the Yankee ball washing, let’s get into their top 200 prospects, kidding…kinda. It’s the New York Yankees Top Prospects for 2018.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Under the Greydar: I Believe He Can Fly

March 3, 2018 | 2023 Fantasy Baseball | 5 Comments

by: Jimothy

We all have “what ifs” in our lives. What if I was a few inches taller? You’d probably be writing about me right now, explaining why Grey has me outside the top 80 starting pitchers for this year. What if any other team drafted Mike Trout in that first round? He may have actually won a playoff game. These “what if” moments don’t come with second chances. They are a moment in time that cannot be changed. Some people are still in their “what if” moment trying to ensure that they come out on the right side of history.

The 2018 season might be Greg Bird’s third chance. First, he came up in August of 2015 and had a promising premier. In 2016, Bird missed the whole season recovering from right labrum surgery. Second, in 2017, he was back; another chance to start his career. After a month of misery the Yankees decided to put him down. Actually, he just bruised his right ankle. That’s nothing to worry about. He’ll take a few weeks off and be right back. Bird missed all of May, June, July and most of August before returning in September. Bird can’t seem to stay on the field due to injuries major and minor. However, in 2018 Bird is ready to take on his dreaded “what if.” A young highly touted prospect succumbing to injury after injury is a classic tale of sports tragedy, but Bird is ready to break out of his cage.

Evaluating Bird is a bit more difficult than the other players I have looked into already, since he has little play experience. He had a short stint as a rookie in 2015, but that was so long ago and before missing an entire season due to injury. The start of 2017 was similar. It was only a few games and the first few after missing a whole season. I would like to dig into just his return in 2017 and into the playoffs as that has been his most recent and consistent play time. It should be the most representative of future impact.

Please, blog, may I have some more?