MILB, MLB and Fantasy Baseball

Baseball is Back!
A basket full of observations from someone who watched way too much baseball on Opening Day!

2025 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Preview: Targets, Fades and Prospects
“The Cardinals will have opportunities in their rotation and after breezing through the minors last year Quinn should see at least 15 big league starts this year. It’s a reasonable cost at ADP 408 and he often goes in the mid 450’s.”

2025 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Preview: Targets, Fades and Prospects
This is a “grab him when he fits your teams needs” recommendation on Dylan Crews. Specifically, an OF with wheels and enough power to have a 20/30 (maybe 40?!?) season in the realm of outcomes. Steamer: .246/76/17/64/25

2025 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Preview: JRam, Jazz, Junior, Burger, Shaw and More
Jose Ramirez is easily the top 3B once again. That’s what a career 162 game average of .279/100/28/96/27 will do for you. Yep, you read that correctly. Since debuting in 2013 JRam has nearly a 30/30 AVERAGE across his career!

2025 Shortstop Preview: Top 10, Targets, Avoids, Prospects
What Shohei Ohtani did last year is probably the best fantasy baseball season since we have had fantasy baseball. So, how can Bobby Witt Jr. rank over Shohei?

2025 Second Base Preview: Altuve, Albies, McLain, Garcia Jr, and Turang
Second base likely won’t be a position of high end production for many of us in 2025. So, we have to ask what we want to accomplish with the position from a team construction standpoint. And how much should we pay for that?

2025 First Base Preview: Vladdy, Harper, Freddie, Walker and Vinnie
From a value and draft strategy standpoint I prefer Christian Walker at ADP 102 over the top 5 first basemen on this list. In fact, Walker’s Steamer projections are quite similar to Pete Alonso’s despite Walker going 5 rounds later.

2025 Catcher Preview: Contreras Bros., Raleigh, Rutschman, Moreno and More
There aren’t many catchers that offer Cal Raleigh’s lift in plate appearances and the added value can be significant. If I miss William Contreras with my 3rd round pick I have targeted Raleigh with a 7th rounder. The big difference between the two players is batting average and that creates the separation.

Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts Part 2: Matt Shaw, Sanchez, Steals, Saves, and SP’s
Currently Steamer projects Matt Shaw for 14/53/53/14 .250 over 452 PA’s. If Shaw makes the Cubs out of spring training, which is very possible, he will exceed the counting stats…

Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts: Ohtani, Witt Jr., Judge, Skenes and More
Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Jose Ramirez, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Kyle Tucker, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jackson Chourio, Jackson Merrill, Corbin Burnes, Luis Castillo, Wyatt Langford, James Wood, Lawrence Butler, Dylan Crews, Closers and much more in this early look at 2025 NFBC Drafts.

MLB Trade Deadline, Ranking Prospects, Matt Olson and Josh Lowe
“what may have jumped at me the most is Olson’s 2024 spray chart when compared to 2023. Last year he did so much damage to all parts of the ballpark but this year he doesn’t have a single home run to the opposite field or center field!”

MLB Weighted Home Runs Plus Stolen Base Leaders
“the 2024 list specifically showcases a number of names I consider to be undervalued in many leagues. If you are looking to make a move for your pennant run consider pushing in hard and dealing for…”

Trade Deadline, Soto Trade, Josh Smith, Rooker, Quinn and Seymour
Brent Rooker is a name that we should see moved at the deadline and he will likely bring a haul back to the Athletics. Rooker makes no bones about it, he goes up to the plate trying to do damage - and he has been doing just that. Rooker’s Statcast page shows elite rankings in all the places that make baseballs go really far really fast.

NYY v BAL, Skenes, Riley, McGonigle, Brayden and Bubba
I intended to write about how exciting the Pirates top 3 starting pitchers are. So, of course, news just broke that Paul Skenes SP will start the All-Star game for the National League. I absolutely love this!

Fantasy Focus: Infield Buy, Sell, Hold
Buy: Go get Josh Naylor CLE if you can. He’s hitting cleanup for the 1st place Guardians and currently sits .242/45/20/61/3. Naylor’s ISO is at an all time high

Wood, Ketel, Kristian Campbell and OPS Leaders
We’ve been talking about James Wood OF WAS most of the season. And you know I have felt he is ready for the big leagues for some time. We are FINALLY at the point where Wood has been promoted! He will make his debut in DC against the New York Mets and LHP David Peterson.

Merrill, Pablo, Jarren, Nacho, Zebby and Roster Moves
I think we are past the point of anyone not realizing Jackson Merrill OF SD is really good. Merrill is clearly outperforming the other Jackson mega prospects (Chourio and Holliday). Since Jun 8 Merrill is hitting .370 with 7 home runs, 4 doubles, 10 runs scored, 13 RBI and an .833 SLG.

Royce, Shota, Riley, Crews, Morris, and Brooks Lee
Jun 21, 2024
I had an extended look at Royce Lewis during the 2019 Arizona Fall League where he won the MVP award. His athleticism was obvious and even then he was one of those electric players that just grabs your attention.

Phil’s v O’s, Mookie, Blanco, Injuries, Zebby, and Keaschall
Jun 17, 2024
We should all probably appreciate what Mookie Betts is doing even more than we do. Betts has been durable over his 11 year MLB career and has already accumulated 68.6 WAR.

Gunnar, Teoscar, Crochet, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Evan Longoria.
Jun 14, 2024
Gunnar is the key player on a team loaded with talent up and down the lineup. If it weren’t for Aaron Judge I would have Gunnar in the lead for AL MVP.