We’re going to continue on reviewing fastball velocities as it’s one of the few metrics that actually mean something this early. Note that for whatever reason, velocity readings are all over the map for the same pitch by the same pitcher, depending on which source I’m looking at, so it makes it kind of impossible to know for sure how hard a pitcher is throwing. Hopefully, the relative numbers are correct, as in a 1.5 MPH increase from one source matches another source, even if the absolute velocities differ. With a second start under a bunch of pitchers’ belts, along with first starts by a number of pitchers, let’s review the increasers again. Any names that appeared in my first article will be skipped in the commentary.

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In deeper leagues, strong non-closer relievers can earn positive fantasy value. Every year, a slew of relievers seemingly pop up out of nowhere or take a giant step forward and become elite. Some of them eventually steal the closer role or record a couple of saves. So it pays to monitor their velocity readings as well. Today, I’ll share five relievers whose four-seam fastball velocity is up most compared to last year. Since we’re dealing with tiny samples here, I limited the search to just four-seamers and 10 pitches thrown during both 2022 and 2023.

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Yesterday, I reviewed and discussed seven starting pitchers who enjoyed significantly increased fastball velocity during their first start compared to full season 2022 velocity.

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While it’s far, far too early to evaluate the majority of statistics generated during the season so far, there are a few that already provide meaningful information. One of those data points is pitcher velocity. All else being equal, a faster fastball could work wonders for a pitcher’s performance, while a slower fastball could either signal an injury or a decline in results. It’s never too early to check in on starting pitcher fastball velocities, even after just one start. So let’s identify the starting pitchers with the biggest jumps in fastball velocity versus 2022.

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I always get excited when a hitter either signs with or gets traded to the Rockies. The latest such transaction occurred on Sunday when Jurickson Profar signed a one-year contract with the team. He’s expected to serve as the team’s starting left fielder and we have him slotted into the leadoff spot. Does the move suddenly make him worthy of rostering in shallower mixed leagues? Let’s consult the park factors.

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Yesterday, I compared starting pitcher projected dollar value as part of the 2023 projection showdown, pitting THE BAT/THE BAT X forecasts against Steamer projections in the various fantasy categories, identifying the pitchers THE BAT was more bullish on. Today, we finish this series by identifying and discussing which pitchers Steamer is a bigger fan of compared to THE BAT.

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I’m going to finish up the 2023 projection showdown, pitting THE BAT/THE BAT X forecasts against Steamer projections in the various fantasy categories, with starting pitcher dollar values. This sums up the forecasts in one tidy number and makes it easy to identify which pitchers each system likes better. Today, we’ll start with the starting pitchers that THE BAT is valuing significantly higher than Steamer.

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This past Saturday, I hopped on the F train in NYC for the quick trip to Hotel Edison to participate in the first Tout Wars live auctions since 2019. After several Covid-induced online auctions, it was great to enjoy one of the best days of the year in person once again.

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Yesterday, I continued my 2023 projection showdown, pitting THE BAT/THE BAT X forecasts against Steamer projections in the various fantasy categories, by comparing fantasy value projections and identifying the hitters THE BAT X valued more highly. Let’s now turn to the hitters that Steamer values significantly more than THE BAT X.

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Over the last couple of weeks, I debuted and published the 2023 projection showdown, pitting THE BAT/THE BAT X forecasts against Steamer projections in the various fantasy categories. Now let’s combine everything we have reviewed and compare projected dollar value. Really, that’s all we care about as fantasy leaguers! Does THE BAT X think the player is more valuable than Steamer, or not?! So let’s now find out which hitters THE BAT X is projecting to earn a higher value than Steamer. These are the hitters THE BAT X believes to be undervalued, at least compared to someone using Steamer forecasts to draft.

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