FanGraphs’ leaderboards are like iron ore mines. They abound with potentially valuable commodities, but sometimes it takes effort to unlock the potential and extract the value.

There’s only so much you can write about a certain subsection of players (National League outfielders) without beating a dead horse. Alas, I’ve tried to find peculiar reasons to write about particularly interesting hitters. And, ah, FanGraphs’ leaderboards, they’re helpful in this regard, especially when broken down by splits.

Baseball Info Solutions’ (BIS) opposite-field batted ball data are no exception, as exemplified by this table of opposite-field hard-hit rate (Hard%) leaders among NL outfielders:

Read the rest of this entry »

Episode 108 – I’m Not Throwing A Parade Over That One

The latest episode of “Field of Streams” is live!

In this episode, Dylan Higgins and Brad Johnson discuss a pitcher-heavy slate, the cryptic Kevin Gausman, Russell Martin’s continued slide, shying away from David Ortiz at Fenway park, Brad suggesting a “megapunt” at first base, Logan Forsythe establishing himself as an occasional top option at second base, conflicted feelings about Chase Anderson, Ryan Braun straightening things out, Raisel Iglesia’s late emergence, and trying to consider the very few matchups to not trust Clayton Kershaw in.

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast (field-of-streams): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Agenda

1. Fringy Keepers
2. Daily DFS
3. GB / FB Splits
4. SaberSim Hi/Lo
5. Tomorrow’s Targets – Koehler, Pena, Sabathia, Hicks, Odubel
6. Factor Grid

Read the rest of this entry »

As the founder and commissioner of my local league since its inception in 2003, I face a difficult task every year. Invariably, as the calendar flips to September, at least one owner who has little chance at finishing in a money spot, essentially abandons his team. This is not a free league for simple bragging rights. It’s certainly nowhere near the high stakes played for in the NFBC, but it’s enough to incentivize owners to remain active all season long. And yet, it’s clear that the entry fee alone is not enough.

Read the rest of this entry »

Unlike that other Roto Riteup author, I won’t let down my readers just because of Labor Day. This is actually a particularly contentious week between the unnamed one and I, as we are in a showdown in his league to see who makes the playoffs. The winner is guaranteed a spot, so it’s all hands on deck. If there’s any interest, I can post the running score throughout the week.

On today’s agenda:
1. James McCann flashes us (his power)
2. Patrick Corbin cruises
3. Welcome back, Joe Panik and Lucas Duda
4. Streaming Pitching Options
Read the rest of this entry »

Episode 107 – Logan Against The Wolfman

The latest episode of “Field of Streams” is live!

In this episode, Dylan Higgins and Matthew Dewoskin discuss Matt losing money in a glacier, right-handed catchers who are struggling with lefties, Ryan Zimmerman having success vs. lefties, Ian Kinsler having another healthy productive season, a strange comparison between Dee Gordon and Pedro Alvarez, the return of the Jeff Locke story, Odubel Herrera having a name that seems misspelled, “Team Y,” and Matt going to Cleveland.

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast (field-of-streams): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Agenda

1. Happy Halladay
2. Daily DFS
3. SaberSim Hi/Lo
4. Tomorrow’s Targets – Dickey, Conley, Morneau, Paulsen, Blanco
5. Factor Grid

Read the rest of this entry »

Sean Doolittle hit 95 mph on Sunday afternoon! His velo has been steadily increasing since he came back. They were trailing, but Drew Pomeranz was tasked with the eighth, and Doolittle had the ninth. It looks like he’s inching closer and closer to reclaiming the closer gig for the A’s. This could be the week that he gets some save opportunities. Ryan Dull kept up his strong debut with a perfect seventh, notching two more strikeouts. He’s someone who can help you with ratios and maybe grab you the odd hold. He doesn’t have any yet, but he’s looking good. Tom Wilhelmson needed 24 pitches to get five outs and his tenth save for the Mariners.

Read the rest of this entry »

Programming note: there will be no Roto Riteup tomorrow morning due to the Labor Day holiday.

On today’s agenda:
1. Various news and notes
2. Streaming Pitcher Options

Read the rest of this entry »

Of note this week is that five of the six starts are slated to come for pitchers at home, and considering the typical home/road boost — 3.73/4.18 splits for MLB starters this year — that should bode well for these selections as we come down the home stretch.

Here are the totals halfway through week 20 (with updates from previous listing):

31-47 record (1-0)
4.74 ERA (sadly, no change)
7.0 K/9 (same)
2.3 K/BB (same)
1.41 WHIP (-0.01)

Here’s a look at this week’s recs, with team wRC+ in parentheses. Y! ownership numbers usually pulled courtesy of twitter pal @PandapPete21 (but not this week) whom you should give a follow:

RHP Matt Shoemaker – 23.3% ESPN – v. LAD (107), v. HOU (100)

Shoemaker absolutely has the toughest matchups of the three this week — he’s facing two of baseball’s eight offenses at or above 100 team wRC+ — but he’s also the best bet to put a good foot forward. He hasn’t been able to replicate last year’s insane success, but in two starts after his temporary banishment to the minors, he’s allowed just one earned run (0.63 ERA) with a .371 OPS against and 10-3 K/BB ratio. We’re talking about impossibly small sample sizes here and I get that, but I believe he’s trending in the right direction. Those trends are a bit more evident in the longer term as well; his last 100 innings or so since his ERA peaked at 6.61 have been quite good: 3.59 ERA, .686 OPS against and 84-26 K/BB ratio in 18 appearances (17 starts). If he’s available, I’d take a shot. The Dodgers are still pretty good on the road (101 wRC+) but the Astros are considerably worse (middle of the road at 91). Read the rest of this entry »