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MLB Most Undervalued Player: Jose Altuve
Jose Altuve, 26 years old, has a very good chance at winning the American League MVP Award in 2016. So how in the world could a potential MVP Award winner be undervalued? In 2013, the 5’4 Houston Astros’ second baseman signed a four year/$12 million contract. The contract also has a $6 million fifth year club option and a $6.5 million sixth year club option. Since signing the contract in 2013, Altuve has earned the honors of being an American League All-Star in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
I think it’s hard to say a player is undervalued if they are still under team control or arbitration eligible, but Altuve’s long-term contract is way under his specific value. He is one of the best all-around players in all of baseball. He is currently batting .346, with 22 home runs, 95 runs, 90 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, .409 OBP, and a .557 slugging percentage. Out of all players in baseball, I can’t think of any other players who put up similar all-around numbers outside of Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. Altuve also won a Gold Glove award last year, which shows his value is much more than just his bat.
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Midseason Top 100 Prospect Rankings Analysis (61-70)
Below you can find my analysis for the prospects ranked between 71-80 for the 2016 midseason top prospect list. If you want to see the full top 100 list, please visit the following link: SEE THE TOP 100 PROSPECT RANKINGS. I will be posting daily analysis of every player listed in the top 100, so please follow my blog and other social media for updates.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROSPECTS RANKED 71-80
- Kyle Lewis (SEA, 20 Years Old, OF): Kyle Lewis was drafted 11th overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 2016 MLB Draft. Lewis went to a small college named Mercer University, but nothing about Lewis is small. He puts up HUGE numbers at the plate, he is a massive human being, and he is going to be a big-time prospect. He stands 6’4 and weighs about 210 pounds. He currently plays centerfield, but as he fills out, he is expected to play one of the corner spots in the outfield. In his last season at Mercer, Lewis hit .395, with 20 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .525 OBP. In his short time in the minors, he hasn’t been overmatched at all, which is a great sign. Lewis has immense potential and could be a serious home run threat down the line.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 7/6/16
P – Michael Pineda (vs. Chicago White Sox): $10,600. Over his last six starts, Pineda has been on fire. In that timespan, he owns a 2.74 ERA and his opponents are only batting .201. He is coming off one of his best starts of the season last time out against the Texas Rangers, in which he struck out 12 batters.
P – Sonny Gray (vs. Minnesota Twins): $5,900. Gray has faired very well against mediocre offensive teams (Rays, Reds, Brewers, Angels), but he has been blown up against elite offensive teams (Pirates, Rangers, Red Sox, Mariners) this season. Luckily, Gray will make the start against a team that has struggled offensively this year on Wednesday. During June, he had a very strong month, posting a 3.23 ERA.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/30/16
P – Zach Davies (vs. Los Angeles Dodgers): $8,000. Davies has been spectacular this month. In five starts in June, he owns a 1.64 ERA, 0.788 WHIP, 36 strikeouts, and six walks in 33 innings pitched. One of those five starts came against the Dodgers, in which he threw seven innings, giving up five hits, one run, and he struck out six. The Dodgers offense has really struggled over the past seven days, which is a good sign for the young right-hander.
P – Carlos Rodon (vs. Minnesota Twins): $8,500. Rodon is coming off a very good start against the Toronto Blue Jays in his last start. Over his last 12 innings pitched, he has struck out 16 batters, which is a great sign for daily fantasy. The Minnesota Twins rank in the bottom of the major leagues against left-handed pitching in 2016, so this should be a great matchup for Rodon. Rodon faced the Twins on April 13th, going six innings, giving up three hits, zero runs, and he struck out six. Rodon can be a very high risk, high reward pitcher, so this could be a risky play.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/29/16
P – Max Scherzer (vs. New York Mets): $13,500. Well, you can’t go wrong with this pick. First of all, the Mets offense has been TERRIBLE over the past seven days. They rank 28th in runs, last in slugging, 29th in OBP, and 15th in strikeouts. Second of all, Scherzer has dominated the Mets since joining the Nationals in 2015. In five starts against the Mets, he has a 2.00 ERA. His last start against the Mets, on May 17th, he threw 6.1 innings, giving up two runs, and he struck out 10.
P – Junior Guerra (vs. Los Angeles Dodgers): $7,400. Guerra has been pretty consistent this year. In 10 starts, he owns a 4-1 record, with a 3.67 ERA, 51 hits against, 53 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 61.1 innings pitched. He is facing a Dodgers’ offense that has struggled mightily over the past seven days. During those seven days, the Dodgers are ranked 26th in runs (26), last in OBP (.298), and 24th in slugging (.402).
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/27/16
Elite P- Jake Arrieta (vs. Cincinnati Reds): $13,700
Elite P- Trevor Bauer (vs. Atlanta Braves): $12,800
Elite P- Noah Syndergaard (vs. Washington Nationals): $12,200
Bargain P- Eduardo Rodriguez (vs. Tampa Bay Rays): $6,600
Bargain P- Collin McHugh (vs. Los Angeles Angels): $6,900
Bargain P- Jeff Samardzija (vs. Oakland A’s): $8,400
To see the other positional picks, click the link below:
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Exclusive Interview With 2017 Draft Prospect and UNC Tar Heel, J.B. Bukauskas
J.B. has an electrifying fastball and slider combination, which both have potential to be plus-plus pitches. He is also developing a change-up that many scouts believe could solidify him as a top of the rotation starter one day. It’s hard to say which pitch is his best between his fastball and slider. He sits between 93-96 MPH with his fastball, but his slider could be the best breaking ball in the 2017 draft class. His elite combination of pitches, command, and maturity on and off the mound should make him one of the top prospects in the 2017 MLB Draft.
He is one of the top arms in the Cape Cod League this summer. He is also playing with Team USA this summer in Japan, Taiwan, and Cuba.
To view the rest of the article and the interview, click the link below:
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Noah Syndergaard and His Fantasy Owners Dodge A Bullet
I checked my phone yesterday, as I got a notification, and my heart skipped a beat. The notification read, “Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard left today’s game after 6 innings because of elbow discomfort, will see team doctor.” First of all, I’m a huge fan of Thor. Second of all, I own him in two of my fantasy leagues. Third of all, I hate to see another young pitcher plagued by the dreaded Tommy John Surgery. Well have no fear folks, all Thor fans have dodged a bullet.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/23/16
P- Jerad Eickhoff (vs. Minnesota Twins): $9,400. All of the top tier pitchers have tough match-ups on Thursday, but Eickhoff has a very favorable matchup. He will be facing the Minnesota Twins, who have scored the fewest runs in the American League this year. So far in 2016, Eickhoff is 4-9, with a 3.49 ERA, 83 hits against, and 73 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched. His record isn’t pretty, but it is more a matter of lack of run support, which shouldn’t be an issue against the Twins.
P- Tim Lincecum (vs. Oakland Athletics): $7,100. Lincecum dominated the A’s in his season debut on Saturday. The A’s offense has really struggled recently, so Lincecum should be able to take care of business again on Thursday. Over the last seven games, the A’s rank 29th in runs, 29th in OBP, and 29th in slugging. This will also be Lincecum’s debut at his home stadium, so the crowd will be behind him, which should help him succeed.
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Astros’ Prospect, Alex Bregman, Hit In The Head By A 94 MPH Fastball
Many Houston Astros and fantasy baseball fans have been wondering when Alex Bregman will finally make his MLB debut. Unfortunately, it might be delayed after taking a fastball to the head on Monday night. Luckily Bregman got up on his own power and he seems to be okay, but he sat out last night as a precautionary measure. Hopefully this event doesn’t hurt Bregman physically or his approach at the plate.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/21/16
P- Jose Fernandez (vs. Atlanta Braves): $13,700. Fernandez has been lethal on the mound recently. In his last 10 games, he owns a 2.25 ERA, with 91 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. Jose will be facing one of the worst offenses in baseball, so this should be a great matchup for daily fantasy.
P- Sonny Gray (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $6,600. Gray pitched incredibly well in his last start until the sixth inning, which he surrendered five funs. In his two starts prior to his last starts (since returning from the DL), he gave up only three runs on 12.2 innings pitched. Over the last seven days, the Brewers’ offense ranks in the bottom third in runs, batting average, OBP, and slugging, so hopefully Gray can take advantage of this struggling offense in his home park.
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James Shields To Be Traded In The Next 24 Hours, But To Which Team?
Well folks, we could have the first big trade of the 2016 season within the next 24 hours. The San Diego Padres are looking to deal right-handed pitcher, James Shields, as soon as they can. As of right now, it is reported that there are a few teams interested in Shields, but the Chicago White Sox are the front runners.
The White Sox could use another arm in their rotation. Currently, their rotation has four very solid starters, but the fifth starter has brought about many questions. Shields has struggled in 2016, but if he can turn it around, everyone knows how good he can really be.
If the White Sox were to land Shields, their rotation would include Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Carlos Rodon, Mat Latos, and James Shields. Trading for Shields could not only bolster their rotation, but it would also bring about a pitcher who goes deep into games to give their bullpen a rest.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/4/16
P- Clayton Kershaw (vs. Atlanta Braves): $14,100. I don’t care how expensive Kershaw is, he is a must start against one of the worst offenses in baseball. In 104 career at bats against Kershaw, the Braves’ offense is batting .240, with 35 strikeouts, and a .288 OBP.
Kershaw is currently on pace for one of the best seasons in baseball by a pitcher in a long time. In his 86.2 innings pitched in 2016, he owns a 7-1 record, 1.56 ERA, 51 hits against, 105 strikeouts, and only 5 walks.
P- Bartolo Colon (vs. Miami Marlins): $7,000. In 262 career at bats, the Marlins’ offense is batting .279 with a .287 OBP. In his last 10 starts, Colon has given up more than three runs in only one of those starts. He won’t put up elite numbers, but he is a very viable option for solid statistics.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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The Reasons Why Stephen Strasburg Is A Top-Five Pitcher In Baseball
As good as Stephen Strasburg was in the 2nd half of the 2015 year, ( 6 – 2 with a 1.90 ERA post ALL – Star), he has continued to assert himself as a top 5 pitcher in the MLB with his 8 – 0 start in 2016 – with a 2.79 ERA for`10 GS in his time this campaign so far. The 27 Year old RHP converted his recent success into a 7 YRs/$175 MIL contract extension – and is full value for it if he throws like this.
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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Stephen Strasburg is a completely different and much more dominant pitcher this season. In 2015, Strasburg struggled with injuries. This led to an 11-7 record, 3.46 ERA, 155 strikeouts, 26 walks, and a 2.81 FIP in 127.1 innings. So far in 2016, Strasburg is 8-0, with a 2.79 ERA, 86 strikeouts, 18 walks, and a 2.29 FIP in 67.2 innings. Something has clicked and Strasburg is thriving in 2016.
Strasburg’s elite strikeout rate is what propels him to a top-five starting pitcher in fantasy baseball. He is averaging 11.44 strikeouts per nine innings in 2016. On top of his strikeout rate, he is also limiting his earned runs, but his FIP suggests that his ERA should reduce even more.
His mid-to-upper 90’s fastball and filthy breaking pitches are keeping hitters off balance and limiting consistent contact. From a statistical standpoint, see the link below that compares some of the top pitchers in the game and helps depict why Stephen Strasburg is a top-five pitcher in baseball:
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Matt Harvey’s Struggles Will Continue Unless The New York Mets Take Action
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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New York Mets’ pitcher Matt Harvey could use a few days, or even weeks, off. The Dark Knight currently sports a 3-7 record, with a 6.08 ERA, 44 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 53.1 innings pitched.
Based on his career stats (28-25 record, 2.92 ERA, 493 strikeouts, 111 walks in 480.1 innings in four seasons), there is clearly something wrong with Harvey, and the Mets need to do something about it.
Many people believe the Mets should skip Harvey’s next start, but they have stated he will continue on his normal pitching schedule. The only noticeable anomaly in Harvey’s statistics is his drop in fastball velocity from an average of 95.2 MPH in 2015 to 94 MPH in 2016 and decreased breaking ball efficiency.
This drop in velocity could be from fatigue, injury, mechanical flaws, or loss of confidence and pressure from lack of success.
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings – 5/20/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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If you have any questions or comments about this article or fantasy baseball, please Tweet me. I post daily DFS lineups for Draft Kings everyday, so please make sure to follow my blog.
P – Scott Kazmir (vs. San Diego Padres): $9,500
P – Aaron Nola (vs. Atlanta Braves): $11,000
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 4/27/16
John Minchillo – AP
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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P- Jake Arrieta (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $13,800. Arrieta has not slowed down since his Cy Young Award-winning season in 2015. Through 4 starts in 2016, he has thrown 31 innings (7.75 innings per game), with a 0.87 ERA, 26 strikeouts, 6 walks, 15 hits given up, and a 4-0 record.
He comes at a very steep price, but he is worth it based on his success this season and the great match-up on Wednesday. Arrieta is facing a Brewers’ offense who is ranked as the 18th best in run production, 29th in hits, and 25th in strikeouts in Major League Baseball.
Arrieta will exploit this team and should put up at least 20 points on Wednesday. He is averaging 32.3 points per game on Draft Kings this season. He comes at a very steep price, but his point production is worth it.
P- Jose Berrios (vs. Cleveland Indians): $6,900. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a huge Jose Berrios fan. He will be making his MLB debut against the Cleveland Indians.
Throughout his minor league career, he is averaging 9.5 strikeouts per 9 innings with a 2.91 ERA. Many pitchers are rushed to the bigs, which can hurt their development, but the Twins have taken their time with Berrios.
He is very ready for this step in his career and I think he is a steal at only $6,900. Be aware that they will limit his innings, so don’t expect him to go past 6 innings on Wednesday. Luckily for daily fantasy owners, his strikeout ability should counteract the innings limit.
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What To Expect From Minnesota Twins’ Right-Handed Pitcher, Jose Berrios
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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Jose Berrios was one of my favorite prospects heading into 2016. He is finally getting his shot at the big leagues after getting called up today to make a start over the next week with the Minnesota Twins. He hasn’t thrown since last Thursday, so he is fresh and ready to go whenever the Twins need him.
He was called up because Ervin Santana and Tyler Duffey are both injured and Berrios could be needed to fill in for them. Also, starting pitchers, Kyle Gibson and Tommy Milone, have been pretty brutal since the start of 2016, so their rotation could use a jumpstart from Berrios.
This is the perfect opportunity for Berrios to prove he belongs in the Twins’ rotation permanently. Now that he is in the big leagues, what can we expect from Jose Berrios?
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/25/16 – Take 2
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)
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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.
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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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Balk This Ump! Andy Green Gets His $300 Worth After Ejection
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest Follow @mlbreports
Last night, during the San Diego Padres versus the Pittsburgh Pirates game, things got a little heated after a controversial call. With runners on second and third base, Padres’ pitcher, Colin Rea, began his windup.
During his windup, Andrew McCutchen sprinted down the third base line to distract Rea, who sped up his windup towards home plate in fear that McCutchen was trying to steal home.
The Pirates’ bench erupted as they demanded the umpires call a balk against Rea, which they did. McCutchen touched home plate to go up 2-0 in the third inning.
After the decision to call a balk, the umpires then decided to overturn the call and made the runners return to their previously occupied base.
This decision was made after the umpires discussed that Rea was going from the full windup and there is no rule against speeding up your windup in order to release the ball faster, meaning there is no balk call.
Pittsburgh’s manager, Clint Hurdle, then came out of the dugout and demanded they talk this situation over again. After a third time of talking, the umpires the reversed the reversal of the call and signaled for McCuthen to advance and score off of the balk.
This decision was made after the umpires discussed the fact that Rea’s back foot jumped off the back of the rubber during his pitching motion, which constitutes a balk.
It’s fair to say that the Padres’ manager, Andy Green, was not very happy with this decision. To see his reaction and the balk, click the link below:
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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.
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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:
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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:
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2016 MLB Mock Draft Version 1
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter @mlbreports
The 2016 MLB June Amateur Draft is quickly approaching and it’s time to make the first mock draft a few months out. The draft will be held on June 9th, 2016. There is still two months until the draft, so these predictions are subject to change.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, the draft, or baseball in general, please feel free to Tweet me @dynasty_digest
- Philadelphia Phillies: Jason Groome (LHP; Barnegat High School)
- Cincinnati Reds: Riley Pint (RHP; St. Thomas Aquinas High School)
- Atlanta Braves: Alec Hansen (RHP; University of Oklahoma)
To see the rest of the mock draft, click the link below:
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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Draft Kings 4/16/16
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter @mlbreports
P – Max Scherzer (vs. Philadelphia Phillies): $13,100. Scherzer is a no brainer for Saturday. He has faced the Phillies lineup over 97 at bats and he has held them to a .175 opposing batting average with 28 strikeouts.
Scherzer holds a career strikeout rate of 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings, which is what makes him so attractive in daily fantasy.
Even if Scherzer doesn’t have a great day, he still has the ability to put up double digit strikeouts, which will help make up any possible damage.
The Phillies have struck out the 7th most out of any Major League Baseball team, so this bodes well for Scherzer.
Another plus for Scherzer is his success at Citizens Bank Ballpark (Philadelphia Phillies home field). In 14 total innings on Citizens Bank’s mound, Scherzer has posted a 1.93 ERA and 15 strikeouts.
He comes at a hefty price, but the point return will outweigh the cost.
P – Jared Weaver (vs. Minnesota Twins): $6,700. Another day and another daily fantasy choice of a pitcher starting against the Minnesota Twins.
The Twins offense has been absolutely brutal since the start of the season. They are in dead last for runs scored and they have struck out the 5th most out of any Major League team.
Weaver started off the season strong against the Texas Ranger after throwing six innings giving up one earned run, walking one, and striking out four.
In 121 career at bats against Weaver, the Twins offense is hitting .256 with only one home run. Bad career numbers mixed with a terrible offensive cold streak is not a good combination for the Twins offense.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
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Major League Baseball Honors An American Hero, Jackie Robinson
#42 – we all know what the number means.
Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) Follow @dynasty_digest
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Today, April 15th, Major League Baseball honors a baseball hero named Jackie Robinson. Not only is he a baseball icon, but he is an American hero. Jackie Robinson will forever be remembered as the first professional baseball player to break the color barrier during an incredibly hard time period.
Jackie Robinson made his professional debut on April 15th, 1947, which is why today is so special to baseball history. He was the first African American ball player in the modern baseball era and broke the segregation barrier of baseball that lasted over 80 years.
Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and played 10 years. During his 10 year career, he hit .311 with 137 home runs, 734 RBI’s, 947 runs, 197 stolen bases, and a .409 OBP. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
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MLB Reports 
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