Category Archives: BBBA Featured Writers
Five Must Add Waiver Wire Claims In Fantasy Baseball
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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1. Blake Snell (LHP; Tampa Bay Rays): Snell made his much anticipated major league debut earlier this this week against the New York Yankees. He threw 5 innings, giving up 2 hits, 1 earned run, 6 strikeouts, and 1 walk.
This left-hander has done nothing but impress scouts over the past two years, so it is no surprise to see his success in his first start. Following his debut, he was immediately sent down to Triple-A, but it shouldn’t be long before he is back up with the Rays. In 2015, Snell made the jump from High-A to Triple-A. He threw 134 innings, with a 1.41 ERA, 163 strikeouts, 53 walks, and a 15-4 record.
He has a plus fastball with lots of movement, a sharp slider, and a developing changeup. His command could still use some work, but it is very clear that he is ready for a full-time spot in the Rays’ rotation. If you have room on your roster, now is the time to stash Snell before he gets promoted again.
It is only a matter of time before Snell finds himself in the rotation considering the Rays are currently using a 4-man rotation.
To see the other 4 must add waiver claims, click the following link:
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2016 Detroit Tigers Top Prospects; Where They Landed + How They’re Doing
Shane Kay (Featured BBBA Writer/Owner – sonsof84tigers.mlblogs.com)
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Now that we’ve gotten in to the Minor League season, let’s take a look where the Tigers Top 10 Prospects landed according to Baseball America and how their seasons are starting…
- Michael Fulmer, RHP – Fulmer (23), the key piece in the Yoenis Cespedes trade and former 1st round pick; started the season out at Triple-A Toledo. In 3 starts, Fulmer is 1-1 with a 4.11 ERA, giving up 3 home runs, walking 5 and striking out 20 in 15.1 innings. The K per 9 (11.7) is strong, the homers per game should come down and the walks are manageable. The concern right now is contact with 9.4 hits per 9 which leads to a WHIP of 1.370. Fulmer was the only Tiger to make the Sons Of ’84 Top 100 MLB Prospects for 2016 list
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What Is Wrong With Houston Astros’ Pitcher, Ken Giles?
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
The Houston Astros acquired young flamethrower, Ken Giles, from the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason. The Astros paid a king’s ransom for Giles considering they gave up top prospect, Vincent Velazquez, former #1 overall pick, Mark Appel, Brett Oberholtzer, and Thomas Eshelman. Giles’ cost was so high because of his young age, success, and his team control for the next 4 years.
Unfortunately for the Astros, this trade hasn’t quite worked out as people expected. Giles continues to struggle, Velazquez continues to shine, and Mark Appel seems to be back on track.
Following the trade, the Astros were expected to name Giles the opening day closer over the previous closer, Luke Gregerson.
Well, the unexpected happened during spring training. Giles struggled to get people out and the Astros decided to name Gregerson the opening closer for 2016. Many Astros’ fans believed this was going to be temporary, considering the Astros paid so much for 25 year old closer, but this situation doesn’t seem to be temporary anymore.
Through 8.2 innings pitched in 2016, Giles has a 8.31 ERA, 2 losses, 13 hits given up, 3 walks, and 12 strikeouts. The start of the season is not Giles-esque considering in his first two seasons with the Phillies, he threw 115.2 innings, with a 1.56 ERA, 84 hits given up, 151 strikeouts, 36 walks, and 16 saves. So that brings up the question every Astros fan and fantasy baseball owner is asking, what is wrong with Ken Giles?
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/26/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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P – Max Scherzer (vs. Philadelphia Phillies): 12,900. It is no secret how dominant Scherzer can be when he is on the mound. He is facing a very weak offense on Tuesday, whom he has dominated throughout his career. The Phillies are ranked as the 19th best offense in Major League Baseball.
He faced the Phillies earlier this season and threw 7 innings, giving up 5 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 7 strikeouts. Throughout his career, the Phillies are hitting .174 against Scherzer over 132 at bats. Scherzer is pitching at his home stadium on Tuesday for the first time since April 11th, so he could put on a show for his home crowd.
P – Ricky Nolasco (vs. Cleveland Indians): $6,700. In order to afford some big bats, it was necessary to take a risk and go with a cheaper pitcher. In 2016, Nolasco is averaging 18.6 points per game on Draft Kings. He will be facing the Cleveland Indians’ offense on Tuesday, who is ranked as the 20th best offense in Major League Baseball.
Nolasco is known as a boom or bust option, so hopefully he booms on Tuesday. In 91 career at bats against Nolasco, the Indians’ offense is hitting .231 with 18 strikeouts.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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Josh Robbins’ MLB DFS Picks For FanDuel – 4/25/16
Josh Robbins (Featured Fantasy Writer/60ft6in.com) Follow @Qualcomm98
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Hi, my name is Josh Robbins. I would like to share my Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) strategy with you throughout the MLB season during weekdays. Fanduel is my preferred game of skill.
Welcome to the 3rd week of the 2016 MLB season.
3-Strikes: Here’s what you expect from my daily articles:
My Top 3 Starting Pitchers (aces, mid-level, bargain)
My Top 3 Stacking Options (multiple players from the same team)
My Top 3 BVP (Batter vs. Pitcher) Options Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/25/16 – Take 2
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
The match-ups for April 25th are exciting, so I decided to do a second version of my picks. You can see my original picks at the following link: CLICK HERE.
P – Noah Syndergaard (vs. Cincinnati Reds): $11,400. Syndergaard has been an absolute beast this year. In 3 starts in 2016, he has thrown 20 innings, with a 0.90 ERA, 29 strikeouts, and only 4 walks. \
He is currently averaging a massive, 31.9 points per game on Draft Kings. He will be facing the 23rd best offense in Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds, on Monday.
Syndergaard will also be pitching in his home stadium, which is always a plus to have your hometown crowd behind a pitcher. Considering what he has done this season, it is near impossible not to start him on Monday.
P – Marcus Stroman (vs. Chicago White Sox): $8,700. Stroman’s price seems a little low for Monday, but it is probably due to the fact that multiple elite pitchers are throwing on Monday. Regardless, this is good news for daily fantasy players.
Stroman has faced some incredibly tough offenses this season. His four starts consist of the Rays, Red Sox, Yankees, and the Orioles…. yikes. His stats are inflated because of his tough match-ups in my opinion.
In 28.1 innings pitched, he has a 4.13 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and 7 walks. He isn’t going to rack up a bunch of strikeouts, but he should go deep into Mondays game. He is facing the White Sox, who have the 24th best offense in baseball.
Stroman will be pitching on his home turf, against a sub-par offensive team…. this could be a great match-up for this low price.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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Steven Wright Is Pitching Himself Into Permanent Status With The Boston Red Sox
Andrew Martin (Featured BBBA Writer/Owner – baseballhistorian.blogspot.com)
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The Boston Red Sox have gone through their fair share of pitching woes over the past several seasons. Despite signing a blue chipper in David Price last offseason, the 2016 season has still been one of inconsistency for their staff.
While it seems there is still work to be done, the surprise emergence of knuckleball starter Steven Wright may end up going a long way towards fortifying the team’s starting rotation.
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Bryce Harper And Mike Trout Get All The Attention That Manny Machado Deserves Some Of Too
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
It is no secret that Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are considered the two best players in fantasy baseball, but Manny Machado deserves to be in that discussion.
One of the most discussed questions in fantasy baseball is, “which player is the best?” Prior to 2015, an overwhelming majority would have given that honor to Mike Trout.
After a history-making season in 2015, Bryce Harper broke onto the scene and people started to question whether or not he should be considered the best in the business. While Harper and Trout were getting the spotlight, I’m sure Manny Machado was thinking, “well, what about me?”
Machado deserves to be in the discussion for one of the best fantasy baseball players after his breakout 2015 season, and his torrid start to 2016. Before discussing Machado, lets take a look at Harper and Trout.
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5 Of The Biggest Surprises In The MLB So Far In 2016
Matt Musico (Featured BBBA Writer/Owner – chinmusicbaseball.com)
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The MLB’s regular-season schedule is 162 games long for a reason – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. While we’re not even at the three-week mark yet, it’s still long enough for us to get a good glimpse as to which players are off to surprisingly great starts.
Baseball is a game of failure, but it’s also a game of averages. Even if a player is white-hot for a certain period of time, they’ll eventually come back down to Earth and maybe even go into a slump to even things out (unless your Bryce Harper). However, some players may use a hot start to propel themselves to a new benchmark moving forward when it comes to their career norms.
Whether the current narrative about players is good or bad, they still have five months of games left to prove themselves, one way or the other. With that in mind, here are five players who have been pleasant surprises thus far.
And yes, I know the obvious ones like Harper, Tyler White, Trevor Story and others are not on this list. I did that on purpose.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/24/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
P – Jared Eickhoff (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $8,500. Eickhoff has been a stud all year long. He is averaging 22.9 points on Draft Kings this season. In his first 3 starts, he has thrown 19 innings, 1.89 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and only 5 walks. He will be facing the Brewer’s offense, which is nothing special.
Through the first few weeks of the season, the Brewers are ranked as the 29th best offense… that’s bad. They also strikeout the third most (156 total strikeouts) in the Major Leagues, which is great for a strikeout-pitcher such as Eickhoff.
P – Aaron Blair (vs. New York Mets): $6,800. I’m going out on a limb here, but I love Blair in this match-up. He is making his Major League debut and he is playing in his home stadium. The crowd will be behind him and he will be pumped up.
The Mets offense has struggled all year long, so this could be a good first taste of the big leagues for Blair. In Blair’s minor league career, he is averaging 8.3 strikeouts per 9 innings, with a 3.13 ERA. This start could backfire considering no one knows how Blair will fair in the bigs, but at only $6,800, it won’t hurt too badly.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/23/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports4
P – Michael Wacha (vs. San Diego Padres): $8,900. This is by far the best pitching match-up on the daily fantasy slate for Saturday. Wacha is averaging 15.5 points per game this year on Draft Kings, so he is a pretty solid option.
He is facing the San Diego Padres, whom is the 29th worst offense in baseball. In the one game that Wacha threw against the Padres in his career, he absolutely dominated them. In 28 at bats, he held them to a .107 opposing batting average, 3 hits, and 7 strikeouts.
Wacha will be traveling to San Diego for this game, but their stadium is very pitcher-friendly, so this is good news for Wacha. In 2016, he has a 1-0 record, in 16.1 innings pitched, 2.76 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and only 3 walks.
P – Jhoulys Chacin (vs. New York Mets): $6,400. Chacin has been a strikeout machine in his first two starts this year. In 11.1 innings pitched, he has a 2.38 ERA, 14 strikeouts, and 0 walks.
His first two games came against two tough offenses, the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins, and he took care of business. He faces a Mets offense on Saturday that has really struggled in 2016.
The Mets are ranked as the 26th worst offense in Major League Baseball. New York also have the 9th most offensive strikeouts, 134, which could be a great source of points for Chacin on Saturday.
Chacin could give up 3-4 runs on Saturday, but his first two starts suggest he should continue to rack up strikeouts and limit his walks. All signs point towards the RHP having a pretty good game and he is only $6,400.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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The Week That Was In Audio/Video Casting In The BBBA
The 3nd week is well underway, and we had some great shows to listen to over the last week – courtesy of the following BBBA shows.
Sully Baseball talked about the passing of Prince, the horrible uniforms of the D’backs, and the lunacy of specialty MLB Hats On certain Days. Sully also interviews Stacey Gotsulias about the Yankees and around the league. He pulled no punches in addressing the Curt Schilling fiasco. And how sure hall of famers to be 5 years ago are not now.
Hall Of Very Good Interviewed Bobblehead Hall Of Fame founder Phil Sklar
“BBA Live” Broke down the weeks worth of action.
Jays From the Couch The guys wondered about the 1st base tandem, and also the lineup configuration with Michael Saunders.
Pirates Breakdown PBC talked about the recent acquisition of Justin Masterson, and what they need to do keep up in the NL Central with the Cubs
Gateway to Baseball Heaven weighed in on the recent Jaime Garcia pitching gem, what the squad will do when Ruben Tejada comes back, and are still worried about Adam Wainwright
MLB This Week discussed the Jacob deGrom family matters and more technology with the games being streamed. Also how a family was thrown out of a ballpark.
You can either click all of these links for the individual shows, are just scroll down past to listen to them on this post.
To see all of the updates live as they happen every week click here.
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/22/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
P – Aaron Nola (vs. Milwaukee Brewers) $8,300. Rather than picking an elite pitcher and a low/mid tier guy (which I typically do), I’m sticking with two very solid mid-tier options.
Aaron Nola has been very impressive this year despite his high ERA. In 19 innings pitched, he has 23 strikeouts, a 5.68 ERA, but he owns a 3.14 FIP. His low FIP shows that his ERA is very inflated and shouldn’t reflect his performance early in the season.
He has a great strikeout rate and he is facing a very weak Milwaukee Brewers offense.
The Brewers have the 5th most strikeouts in Major League Baseball, so there is a great chance Nola will capitalize on the swing and misses of the Brewers on Friday.
P – Aaron Sanchez (vs. Oakland A’s): $7,200. Sanchez has started 2016 on a very impressive hot streak. In 20 innings pitched, he has a 1.35 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and 7 walks.
His walk rate could hurt you a little bit, but at this price, I think he is worth it. He is facing the 25th worst offense in baseball on Friday.
While the Oakland A’s don’t strikeout much (113 strikeouts, which is 11th best in the MLB), they do struggle to take a walk (only 37 walks, which ranks as the 5th worst rate in the MLB).
Since Sanchez’s kryptonite has been his walk rate in his career, this statistic could work to his favor on Friday. If he can limit the walks, he could be a very solid daily fantasy option.
To view the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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The Numbers Behind John Jaso’s Early Success
Jason Rollison (Featured BBBA Baseball Writer/Owner – piratesbreakdown.com) Follow @pbcbreakdown Follow @mlbreports
To say nothing of his more-than-capable defense at first base, John Jaso has been a revelation at the top spot in the batting order for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
John Jaso has put up some solid slash lines over his career, so it should not come as much of a surprise that he currently carries a .414 on-base percentage as part of an .897 OPS.
How has Jaso been able to acclimate himself so quickly and effectively to the top of the Pirates’ lineup?
A Solid Foundation
For Jaso, his propensity for quality plate appearances starts with the first pitch.
His F-Strike percentage (percentage of plate appearances that start with a strike) clocks in at 53.3 percent. That figure represents the third-best on the club, behind Starling Marte (52.5) and Gregory Polanco (51.6). While the importance of first-pitch strikes has been debated in recent years, good things happen for Jaso on a 1-0 count. More on that later.
In looking a bit deeper at what Jaso is actually seeing on the first pitch, the four-seam fastball is seen the most at 46 percent. It likely may not even matter what type of pitch Jaso sees first, as chances are it won’t be anywhere near the strike zone.
His Zone % (percentage of pitches seen in the strike zone) is 47.8 percent, which is not significant on its own until coupled with his O-Swing % (percentage of pitches outside of the zone that a batter swings at).
Jaso’s O-Swing percentage clocks at 16.5 percent, nearly two-thirds better than the league average of 30 percent. Incredibly, he isn’t even the best on this Pirates team in this regard. That honor belongs to David Freese and his 15.7 percent clip. Regardless, Jaso’s rate is fourth-best in the National League for anyone with 50 or more plate appearances.
The foundation that Jaso lays in his plate appearances almost feels as if he dictates to pitchers how the PA will go. He absolutely refuses to chase anything out of the zone, and such an approach can force an opposing pitcher to offer something he may not necessarily want to offer on the next pitch, which usually comes at a 1-0 count.
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Strong Player Starts (And Not) From Around The League: American League Central
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Shane Kay (Featured BBBA Baseball Writer/Owner – sonsof84tigers.mlblogs.com) Follow @sonsof84tigers Follow @mlbreports
We move on to the AL Central for our next installment of looking around the league.
Chicago White Sox
Hot
Adam Eaton, OF – The offense is struggling quite a bit, with Eaton leading the team in hitting with a respectable .327 avg, however, also leading the team with a .787 OPS is a different story
Mat Latos, SP – Latos once very promising career, looks like it may be back on track in Chiacago, as he is 3-0, with a 0.49 ERA in 3 starts with 6 hits allowed, 5 walks, and 11 K’s, to go with a .097 avg against and 0.60 WHIP
Chris Sale, SP – Finally, a star player off to a good start! Sale is 4 – 0, with a 1.79 ERA, has 26 K’s, a .162 avg against and 0.667 WHIP
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Milwaukee Brewers Notes For Week 3 Of MLB Action
Chris Zantow (Featured BBBA Baseball Writer/Owner – chriszantowauthor.wordpress.com) Follow @zantow_chris Follow @mlbreports
In last week’s Milwaukee Brewers post I touched on the new plate patience philosophy from manager Craig Counsell. So far, so good. Going into Wednesday’s game with Minnesota, the Brew Crew had a team total of 54 walks, good for third in the National League behind Pittsburgh and Chicago.
As individuals, every regular position player has drawn at least one walk with second baseman Scooter Gennett leading the way with nine. Also mentioned in the previous post is the new plate approach from “all or nothing” basher Chris Carter. He’s drawn six walks so far and had an on base percentage of .340 prior to yesterday’s contest.
Right now the increased .OBP is an important stat for the team as these guys really aren’t hitting – the team batting average is just .215 while the collective .OBP is .304 – a whopping 94 points higher.
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All-Undervalued Team: Who are the MLB’s Most Under-Appreciated Players?
The Diamondbacks set themselves up for the bargain of the MLB when they signed Goldschmidt to a 5 YRs/$32 MIL deal a long time ago. The slugging 1B will only make $40 MIL over the next 4 years – which is a huge reason why the club is in such great financial position to contend right now. He would easily be worth $30 MIL+ a year on the open market right now.
Matt Musico (Featured BBBA Writer/Owner – chinmusicbaseball.com) Follow @mmusico8 Follow @mlbreports
The concept of being undervalued on the baseball field can mean different things to different people. The following players are, without a doubt, viewed as important – and most of them, crucial – pieces to the puzzle if their respective teams plan on contending in 2016.
But when it comes to public perception and the amount of media coverage popular players like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw get over others, there are some legitimately good ballplayers who don’t get nearly enough attention. So, I put together a starting lineup with a player from each position that I think deserves more love than they’re currently getting.
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Strong Player Starts (And Not) From Around The League: National League West
CARGO’s battering mate Nolan Arenado emerged as the premiere 3B in the National League in 2015 3 Slashing .287/.323/.575 – with a league leading 42 HRs and 130 RBI. At 24 next year, he is coming off both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger year. Can he hold on until the club becomes competitive before losing his patience with the organization? He is off to another torrid start this season – after being conamed MLB Player of the week 2 for the NL – clubbing 6 HRs in a full weeks worth of games.
Shane Kay (Featured BBBA Baseball Writer/Owner – sonsof84tigers.mlblogs.com) Follow @sonsof84tigers Follow @mlbreports
Moving on from both the National League and American League Central divisions yesterday, we focus on the west today, starting with the NL West, where some unlikely trends are starting to form and surprise players are carrying teams.
Colorado Rockies
Hot
Trevor Story, SS – Story is coming back down to earth after homering in 4 straight to start the season and in 5 of his first 6 games. Teams are starting to figure him out, although he’s still hitting .274 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 8 homers to go with 1.071 OPS. The downside; however is that pitchers have found holes and have struck Trevor out 25 times
Carlos Gonzalez, OF – Nolan Arenado could go here with his 6 dingers and 16 RBI, however CarGo’s average of .367 is what gets him in to this spot, which includes 5 doubles, a triple, 4 homers, and 11 RBI to go with the 1.099 OPS
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MLB DFS Picks For FanDuel – 4/21/16
James Shields continued to be one of the most durable starters in the Major Leagues during the 2015 season – putting forth his 9th straight 200+ Innings year. He went 13 – 7, with a 3.91 ERA. The is 34, and could opt out after the season next year with a clause in his contract. The Padres should look to trade him if a deal comes along with value. Shields could still fit the bill for several contending teams. It also might be a cheaper alternative if he pitches well, if he decides to reenter the open market in a down 2016 winter for chuckers. Shields has $65 MIL guaranteed over the next 3 years. Not bad for a guy who has a 127 – 97 record with a 3.74 ERA heading into 2016 – including 9 straight years of double digit wins to his credit.
Josh Robbins (Featured Fantasy Writer/60ft6in.com) Follow @Qualcomm98
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Hi, my name is Josh Robbins. I would like to share my Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) strategy with you throughout the MLB season during weekdays. Fanduel is my preferred game of skill.
Welcome to the 3rd week of the 2016 MLB season.
3-Strikes: Here’s what you expect from my daily articles:
My Top 3 Starting Pitchers (aces, mid-level, bargain)
My Top 3 Stacking Options (multiple players from the same team)
My Top 3 BVP (Batter vs. Pitcher) Options Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/21/16
Alex Brandon – AP
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
P – Clayton Kershaw (vs. Atlanta Braves): $13,600. Kershaw comes at a steep price, but he is well worth it. There are tons of great pitching match-ups on Thursday, but Kershaw is the most sure bet.
When looking at other big match-ups, they didn’t quite match-up to Kershaw’s potential performance.
Dallas Keuchel has really struggled against the Rangers when playing in Arlington, Jake Arrieta has been crushed in his career when pitching at Cincinnati, and Max Scherzer has struggled at times against the Miami Marlins.
While there seems to be at least one red flag in all of the match-ups I mentioned, Kershaw pitching against the Braves is a match-up made in heaven.
In 88 at bats against Kershaw, the Braves lineup is hitting .148 with 34 strikeouts. In 3 starts this year, Kershaw has thrown 22 innings (averaging more than 7 innings per game) with a 1.64 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and only 2 walks.
These numbers are absolutely elite for daily fantasy.
P – Ricky Nolasco (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $6,600. Nolasco is a boom or bust option. He is either going to give up 6 runs in the first… or he is going to strikeout 10 over 7 innings.
He is a hard guy to understand, but it is hard not to love him versus the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.
The Brewers have the 26th best offense in Major League Baseball and it doesn’t look like that will be improving anytime soon.
Milwaukee have aready struck out 128 times this year, which ranks as the fifth worst in Major League Baseball.
After spending so much on Kershaw, it was necessary to take a price cut on the second pitcher, and Nolasco provides the most hope out of cheap options.
To see the rest of the picks for 4/21, click the link below:
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‘BBA Live’ Podcast – Year 2 Ep #9 – MLB Wk 3 ’16: Harper Is Still The MVP – Mets Bats Wake Up + News ALL Over
BBA Live is the flagship Podcast of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance since 2015.
Hosts Ricky Keeler Follow @rickinator555
& AC Wayne Follow @publicrecord
BBA Live! is in its second season. Listen in as AC Wayne is again joined by Ricky Keeler of Yanks Go Yard and District On Deck (Nats). Tonight, we talk about hot stats, the craziness of how good Bryce Harper is. The Mets are clubbing around the Phillies. News all over the league.
Follow and subscribe to the podcast http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mets-public-record
A casual look at Major League Baseball and The New York Mets. Call-in! #347-326-9300
Strong Player Starts (And Not) From Around The League: American League East
Shane Kay (Featured BBBA Baseball Writer/Owner – sonsof84tigers.mlblogs.com) Follow @sonsof84tigers Follow @mlbreports
Monday we explored hot (and not) starts from players around the National League East, with Bryce Harper leading the way. Today we focus on the American League East and who is off to blazing starts and exploring to find those that are not.
Baltimore Orioles
Hot
Mark Trumbo, OF – Trumbo has already hit 5 homers in 11 games for Baltimore and is hitting .386 with 11 RBI, and 1.163 OPS to this point
Manny Machado, 3B – Machado is just a little less hot than Trumbo, as he has started off with a .383 average, 4 homers, 4 doubles, 5 RBI, and a 1.155 OPS
Not
Chris Davis, 1B – Yes, Davis has hit 5 home runs and I guess it can be said he is making the most of his 9 hits, but he is hitting just .225 and has struck out 16 times so far.
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Strong Player Starts (And Not) From Around The League: National League Central
Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Shane Kay (Featured BBBA Baseball Writer/Owner – sonsof84tigers.mlblogs.com) Follow @sonsof84tigers Follow @mlbreports
Continuing on look at hot starts from around the league, we move on from the AL East to the National League Central where we see a bunch of exciting starts from teams and players as well as some very slow starts from key stars.
Chicago Cubs
Hot
Dexter Fowler, OF – Fowler has done a great job helping the a struggling offense with his team leading .378 average, 10 runs scored, 3 homers (tied with Rizzo), 9 walks (tied with Rizzo), and a 1.211 OPS
Cubs Starting Pitchers – The offense is sputtering, but the pitching is thriving right now.
All 5 starters have allowed a total of 21 runs 13 starts (combined 2.18 ERA), Jason Hammel and Jake Arrieta have batting averages against of .195 and Jon Lester has hitters baffled with a .183 avg against.
Oh, and WHIP…a combined 0.969, which is led by Arrieta at 0.77 and Lester at 0.84
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Five Minor League Prospects Who Will Be Fantasy Baseball Stars In 2016 And Beyond
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
1. Lucas Giolito (RHP; 21 Years Old; Washington Nationals): Giolito is commonly known as the top pitching prospect in the minor leagues. After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2012, he has done nothing but impress every baseball scout, fan, and especially the Washington Nationals organization.
Since his surgery, he has thrown 261 innings, with a 2.58 ERA, 83 walks (2.9 per nine innings), and 288 strikeouts (9.9 per nine innings). While his numbers are great, his physical projection is what makes him an elite prospect.
Giolotu stands 6’6 and weighs 255 pounds. His body-type projects for a hard fastball, a nasty slider, and an exciting future. He throws his fastball in the mid to high 90’s and compliments that with one of the most elite breaking balls in the minor leagues.
Assuming he can stay healthy, he has the ability to be a top 10 pitcher at his prime. He should get a promotion to the big leagues in 2016, but the Nationals will limit his innings this year as his career high (in 2015) is only 117 innings.
Before you know it, Giolito will be the household name in Washington, not Max Scherzer.
To see the other 4 potential stars, click the link below:
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Bryce Harper Will Sign The Biggest Contract In Major League Baseball History In 2019
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
Bryce Harper is on a mission in 2016 to prove he is the best player in Major League Baseball.
Heading into the season, many people thought Mike Trout was the best in the game (not me, as you can see my argument in my previous article posted prior to the season:“Fantasy Baseball Dynasty King, Mike Trout or Bryce Harper?”), despite Harper’s incredible 2015 campaign at the age of 22.
During the 2015 season, Harper hit .330 with 42 home runs, 99 RBI’s, 118 runs, 6 stolen bases, and a .460 OBP. Those impressive numbers led to his third all-star appearance, first Silver Slugger Award, and his first National League Most Valuable Player Award. While this season is in the record books,
\Bryce Harper plans to rewrite those exact record books in 2016, as he prepares to sign the most expensive contract in Major League Baseball history in 2019.
To read the rest of the article and see the projection for Harper’s contract in 2019, click the link below:
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MLB DFS Picks For FanDuel – 4/20/16
Josh Robbins (Featured Fantasy Writer/60ft6in.com) Follow @Qualcomm98
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Hi, my name is Josh Robbins. I would like to share my Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) strategy with you throughout the MLB season during weekdays. Fanduel is my preferred game of skill.
Welcome to the 3rd week of the 2016 MLB season.
3-Strikes: Here’s what you expect from my daily articles:
My Top 3 Starting Pitchers (aces, mid-level, bargain)
My Top 3 Stacking Options (multiple players from the same team)
My Top 3 BVP (Batter vs. Pitcher) Options Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings – 4/20/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
P – Ubaldo Jimenez (vs. Toronto Blue Jays): $7,000. It’s typically not a good idea to start a pitcher against the powerful Blue Jays offense, but Jimenez could be an exception. In 206 career at bats against Jimenez, the Blue Jays are only hitting .204 with 61 strikeouts. With this large sample size, I feel confident enough to say that Jimenez will contain the Jays offense. At this price point, he provides a lot of flexibility with the rest of the lineup.
P – Danny Salazar (vs. Seattle Mariners): $9,500. Danny Salazar is a strikeout machine. Throughout his career, he is averaging 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings. This year is no different. In his first two starts, he has thrown 11 innings with 16 strikeouts. He also has a 2-0 record with a 0.79 ERA. He will be facing the Seattle Mariners, whose offense is pretty average. It shouldn’t be a tough match-up for Salazar on Wednesday. In 35 career at bats against Salazar, the Mariners are hitting .114 with 13 strikeouts.
To view the rest of the picks, click the link below:
SEE THE REST OF THE PICKS
MLB DFS Picks For FanDuel – 4/19/16
Josh Robbins (Featured Fantasy Writer/60ft6in.com) Follow @Qualcomm98
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Hi, my name is Josh Robbins. I would like to share my Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) strategy with you throughout the MLB season during weekdays. Fanduel is my preferred game of skill.
Welcome to the 3rd week of the 2016 MLB season.
3-Strikes: Here’s what you expect from my daily articles:
My Top 3 Starting Pitchers (aces, mid-level, bargain)
My Top 3 Stacking Options (multiple players from the same team)
My Top 3 BVP (Batter vs. Pitcher) Options Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings – 4/19/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
P – Marcus Stroman (vs. Baltimore Orioles): $7,700. I wouldn’t typically suggest starting a pitcher against the Orioles offense, but I think Stroman can handle them.
The pitching match-ups are brutal on Tuesday, so Stroman could be a steal at such a low price point. I’m taking a huge risk here, but I’m hoping the lower price point on Stroman will allow me to afford some elite bats to make up for the difference.
P – Ervin Santana (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $8,000. Santana doesn’t have much history against the Brewers, but can they really be that difficult to get out? They are currently the 26th best offense in baseball and Santana is a crafty veteran.
I’m strictly playing a match-up here and hoping Santana can take care of a less than mediocre offense.
To view the rest of the picks, click the link below:
SEE THE REST OF THE PICKS
Strong Player Starts (And Not) From Around The League: National League East
Bryce Harper emerged as the premiere player in the National League during the 2015 season. At Age 22, he 3 Slashed .330/.460/.649 with 42 HRs. 38 – 2B. 118 Runs Scored and 124 Walks. His plate discipline is incredible, and he pulled off these numbers despite the rest of the club battling injuries and lackluster play. If they can all up their game, Harper’s talent will be elevated even higher. Harper won his 1st MVP Award in 2015. Heading into action today, he has homered in 4 straight contests, and the Nats have started out 9 – 2. – on the heels of his 1.356 OPS. Harper leads the NL in Slugging and OPS, and has reeled in 15 RBI.
Shane Kay (Featured BBBA Writer/Owner Of sonsof84tigers,mlblogs.com) Follow @sonsof84tigers Follow @mlbreports
Now that we’re a couple weeks in to the season, besides the amazing start by rookie Trevor Story, let’s take a look at some other players from the NL East that are hot starts and some that aren’t to this point.
Atlanta Braves
Hot
Nick Markakis, OF – Leading the team in hitting (.333), RBI (12), Runs (7), and OPS (.956)
Not
Freddie Freeman, 1B – Hitting just .167, with 6 hits in 36 at bats, 1 homer, 4 RBI, and 11 K’s
Julio Teheran, SP – The teams “ace” is 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in 3 starts, giving up 4 homers, walking 8, and with hitters batting .250 again.
READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY
(In this Post, Bryce Harper)
MLB Reports 
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