by Ray Kuhn

What is better than a full night of baseball? The answer, obviously, is not too many things as we had all 30 teams in action last night. It made for an exciting nigh, well unless your team didn’t perform too well, as there was something for everyone. Let’s take a look at some of the performances that stood out:

1) An Unlikely Hero…

Did you really think we weren’t going to start with Scooter Gennett? Despite the fact that he doesn’t have much of a fantasy pedigree, it is very likely he made someone a lot of money last night in DFS. As crazy as it may seem on the surface, Gennett had the platoon advantage last night in a hitters park against Adam Wainwright, and he was batting fifth in the order. One home run would have been expected, but four? That is just unreal. While we know this was clearly an isolated incident, this isn’t a situation fantasy owners should ignore either. Gennett left the park four times on Monday, which gives him seven home runs on the season, and thanks to the fact that one of those was a grand slam, he drove in 10 runs which brought his RBI total to 30. The utility player also added a single for good measure as he saw his average go from .270 to .302. Gennett is a solid player with a little track record and some pop, and it appears Cincinnati is going to deploy him all across the diamond, so in deeper leagues there is a little value. But overall, just enjoy the performance. Read more

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

As fantasy baseball owners we should always be looking for an opportunity to buy low.  Whether it’s a player who has gotten off to a slow start or has recently been placed on the disabled list (or maybe it’s a combination of the two), trying to find the player you can acquire at a fraction of the cost will be key to any long-term success.

Which players currently represent that type of opportunity?  Let’s take a look at a few hitters who we highly recommend targeting if the price is right (all statistics are through Wednesday): Read more

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

After learning of the loss of Freddie Freeman the Braves moved quickly, acquiring Matt Adams from the St. Louis Cardinals to help plug the hole.  Once thought of as one of the potentially premier power prospects in the game, Adams stock has plummeted in recent seasons.  The question is if all he needed was a fresh start, something he’s surely to get now as he should play nearly every day (with one potential exception).

Adams did show a bit more power last season, hitting 16 HR over 297 AB (as well as adding 18 doubles).  His fly ball rate was up, which is definitely notable:

• 2015 – 38.8%
• 2016 – 48.4%
• 2017 – 45.5%

Read more

by Ray Kuhn

It took a few seasons of being a utility player, but Eduardo Nunez finally got a chance to show what he could do last season. Nunez saw a substantial increase to his at bats, 553 between his time in Minnesota and San Francisco, and there were results to match.

But can we expect a repeat from in Nunez in 2017, and where should we draft him?

Without jumping too far ahead to the ending, I would not draft Nunez at his current ADP of 119. That makes him the seventh highest shortstop being selected and the 14th ranked third baseman. There is an obvious reason why Nunez is being selected at his current price, 40 stolen bases last season, and that part of his game will continue to be an asset in 2017, but it’s not enough to justify an eighth round selection. Read more

by Ray Kuhn

To say we are experiencing a renaissance at the shortstop position would be an understatement. The options seem to be endless, and they are all stocks on their way up that have yet to peak. But depending on your budget, draft strategy, or just the general flow of the draft, you might find yourself without Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, or some of the other exciting options.

And at that point, I say don’t stress. Don’t overdraft someone like Brad Miller or Tim Anderson, and instead utilize an underappreciated veteran to fill out your shortstop or middle infield position.

One of those veterans who I am keeping an eye on, is Asdrubal Cabrera. Currently, Cabrera is the 19th shortstop being selected with an ADP of 274. The main concern surrounding the veteran is his health, specifically his knees, but he appears to be healthy entering the season. New York will take care to ensure Cabrera makes it through the season healthy, and I wouldn’t expect to him end 2017 with more than the 521 at bats he had last season. Read more

by Ray Kuhn

Speed. Dee Gordon has it. A lot of it in fact as Gordon is rated as the fastest player per Baseball HQ’s skills leader board.

Perhaps even more importantly, Gordon has shown the ability to translate that speed into results on the bases. In 2014 and 2015, the second baseman averaged 61 stolen bases a season while stealing 30 bases last year in 325 at bats. This production is even more valuable as steals become increasingly rare and difficult to come by in fantasy drafts.

Gordon can certainly be a difference maker in the category, but it is just one of ten. If Gordon comes up with another 60 stolen bases this season, you will still need to find roughly another 80 stolen bases to finish third. That is an average of about seven steals from your 11 other position players (excluding the catchers), and shouldn’t be too easy to manage. Read more