7:32	Jeff Zimmerman:

Read the rest of this entry »

In the article, I cover the players using CBS’s (about 40% or less initial roster rate) and Yahoo’s ADD/DROP rates. Both hosting sites have the option for daily and weekly waiver wire adds. CBS uses a weekly change while Yahoo looks at the last 24 hours. Yahoo is a great snapshot of right now while CBS ensures hot targets from early in the week aren’t missed. The players are ordered for redraft leagues by my rest-of-season preference grouped by starters, relievers, and hitters. Read the rest of this entry »

Note: I spent about two minutes looking over each team and writing notes. I’m sure I missed some things but something is better than nothing.

American League

Angels

• Kevin Pillar is starting against righties (three straight) while batting between third and fifth.

• Michael Stefanic has started in four of the last five games, two while leading off.

Astros

• With José Abreu gone, the first base job is up for grabs. It might be a platoon with Jon Singleton facing righties and Mauricio Dubón facing lefties.

Athletics

• Tyler Soderstrom has moved up to hitting third or fourth with nine straight starts.

Blue Jays

• It’s turned into a mess with Davis Schneider only starting in three of the last five games. Also, Ernie Clement has started two straight at third base.

• Isiah Kiner-Falefa has started in 25 straight games.

Guardians

• Kyle Manzardo has only started in five of the last ten games.

• Tyler Freeman is sitting more having started in only five of the last seven.

• Since being promoted, Daniel Schneemann has started in six of nine games.

Mariners

• Ryan Bliss (.500 OPS) has started nine straight at second base.

• Tyler Locklear has started in five of the last six games at first base. Ty France should be off the IL soon.

Orioles

• Austin Hays (vs LHP) and Colton Cowser (vs RHP) are in a left field platoon.

• Since returning from the IL, Jorge Mateo has started in four straight games.

Rangers

• Since coming off the IL, Wyatt Langford has started in 14 of 15 games and moved to hitting fifth. Since returning, he’s hitting .289/.327/.404 with 0 HR and 4 SB.

Rays

• Just a mess.

• The only player who seems to be getting more playing time is Jose Siri (five straight starts against lefties and righties). In June, he is posting a .781 OPS with a 37% K%.

Red Sox

• David Hamilton with six straight starts at shortstop.

• Masataka Yoshida is off the IL and batting fifth.

• Enmanuel Valdez (vs RHP) and Jamie Westbrook (vs LHP) are in a second base platoon.

Royals

• The bottom of the lineup is a mess with no one worth targeting besides maybe Freddy Fermin in deeper two-catcher leagues.

Tigers

• Colt Keith (vs RHP) and Andy Ibáñez (vs LHP) remain in a second base platoon.

• Ryan Kreidler has started in three of the last four games at shortstop with Javier Báez on the IL.

Twins

• While the normal platoons exist, the first base/third base/DH situation has cleared up with Alex Kirilloff getting demoted.

White Sox

• I’m unsure of the outfield with Tommy Pham and Andrew Benintendi coming off the IL.

• Lenyn Sosa (.590 OPS, 1 HR, 2 SB) has started 12 of 13 games at third base.

Yankees

• DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera are splitting time at third base rendering both useless in fantasy.

• Giancarlo Stanton is still only DHing and has sat some with Judge and Soto at the DH.

National League

Braves

• Steady but the outfield will be strained even more with Michael Harris II headed to the IL.

Brewers

• Jackson Chourio with six straight starts.

• The team has three different third basemen over the last three games (Joey Ortiz, Andruw Monasterio, and Oliver Dunn).

Cardinals

• Pedro Pagés (.481 OPS) with four starts at catcher in the last five games.

Cubs

• Nothing actionable.

Diamondbacks

• Geraldo Perdomo is off the IL and started in three of the last four games at shortstop while batting ninth.

Dodgers

• No changes.

Giants

• Heliot Ramos is now batting second.

Marlins

• Tim Anderson off the IL and playing shortstop.

Mets

• Tyrone Taylor (.649 OPS, 2 HR, 6 SB) is sneaking back into the outfield picture with four starts in the last seven games.

Nationals

• Joey Meneses with three straight starts at first base with Joey Gallo on the IL.

Padres

• No changes.

Phillies

• With J.T. Realmuto on the IL, Nick Castellanos is now hitting second with Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs splitting the catcher duties.

• David Dahl has started in four straight games but his playing time may end with Brandon Marsh about to come off the IL.

Pirates

• No major changes.

Reds

• No change with left and right field still in platoons.

Rockies

• Nolan Jones is off the IL and batting fifth.

• Adael Amador (.333 OPS) has started five straight and is batting ninth.

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even a larger entry fee ($2.5K to $15K). They were originally named “High Stakes Leagues” and there are ten of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues. Read the rest of this entry »

With two prominent players, Mike Trout and J.T. Realmuto, just needing meniscus surgery, I examined hitter production before and after surgery. With a limited sample, some struggles should be expected. Read the rest of this entry »

American League

Angels

• Mike Trout is not “running, hitting or throwing”.

Rendon is ahead of Trout in the rehab process. Trout has yet to progress to light baseball activities after he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee on May 3. Trout has utilized the Alter-G treadmill but hasn’t tested out running, hitting or throwing like Rendon has. Still, Washington said Trout remains on schedule and hasn’t suffered any setbacks.

Read the rest of this entry »

7:33	Jeff Zimmerman:

Read the rest of this entry »

In the article, I cover the players using CBS’s (about 40% or less initial roster rate) and Yahoo’s ADD/DROP rates. Both hosting sites have the option for daily and weekly waiver wire adds. CBS uses a weekly change while Yahoo looks at the last 24 hours. Yahoo is a great snapshot of right now while CBS ensures hot targets from early in the week aren’t missed. The players are ordered for redraft leagues by my rest-of-season preference grouped by starters, relievers, and hitters. Read the rest of this entry »

While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even a larger entry fee ($2.5K to $15K). They were originally named “High Stakes Leagues” and there are ten of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain any advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues. Read the rest of this entry »

American League

Angels

• Kyren Paris (.466 OPS) and Luis Guillorme (.728 OPS) are splitting time at second base.

• Kevin Pillar (1.039 OPS) and Mickey Moniak (.429 OPS) are splitting time in center field.

Astros

• Over the last two games, Jake Meyers (.777 OPS, 6 HR, 4 SB) has hit cleanup.

• Since returning to the team, José Abreu has not started three or more straight games. Over that time frame, he’s hitting .174/.208/.304 with 1 HR.

• In the 15 games since returning from the IL, Chas McCormick has only started in seven of them.

Athletics

• Tyler Soderstrom (.616 OPS), J.D. Davis (.642 OPS), and Aledmys Díaz (.182 OPS) are splitting time at first base.

Blue Jays

• No changes.

Guardians

• Kyle Manzardo (.608 OPS) is the DH unless one of the good regulars needs a break.

• Daniel Schneemann (1.000 OPS) has started three straight games since being promoted at three different positions (2B, SS, CF).

Mariners

• Josh Rojas (vs RHP) and Ryan Bliss (vs LHP) are in an infield platoon.

• Luke Raley (vs RHP) and Victor Robles (vs LHP) are in a left field platoon.

• Dominic Canzone (vs RHP) and Mitch Haniger (vs LHP) are in a right field platoon.

Orioles

• Cedric Mullins (.539 OPS) has only started in six of the last 10 games. The outfield is crowded with Mullins, Colton Cowser (.748 OPS), Austin Hays (.591 OPS), Ryan O’Hearn (.814 OPS), Kyle Stowers (.775 OPS), and Anthony Santander (.754 OPS).

• Connor Norby (.700 OPS) has started in three of four games since being promoted.

Rangers

• Nathaniel Lowe (vs RHP) and Ezequiel Duran (vs LHP) are still in a platoon.

• Robbie Grossman (.570 OPS) is only facing lefties.

Rays

• Besides Yandy Díaz, Randy Arozarena, and Isaac Paredes, everyone else is in some form of timeshare.

Red Sox

• Enmanual Valdez (.597 OPS) has played second base and hit second over the last two games vR, sitting the other two vL.

• Dominic Smith (.908 OPS over the last two weeks) has started six straight games at first base including one against a lefty.

• David Hamilton (.276/.339/.410, 2 HR, 9 SB) only starts against righties. Who starts against lefties has been rotating.

Royals

• Nick Loftin (.264/.328/.264) has started six of the last eight games at second base. Out of 14 Hits, 0 XBH. 0% Barrel%. 99.9 mph maxEV. With the complete lack of power, he’s trying to hit more flyballs (45%) than groundballs (34%).

Tigers

• Since being promoted, Justyn-Henry Malloy (.700 OPS) has started three games, all at DH.

• Mark Canha (.717 OPS) has started the last three games at first base after Tork’s demotion.

• Outfield and third base are getting crowded with Matt Vierling (.792 OPS), Gio Urshela (.668 OPS), Akil Baddoo (.761 OPS), Wenceel Pérez (.741 OPS), and Zach McKinstry (.561 OPS) fighting over three spots.

Twins

• It has been three games since Royce Lewis has returned from the IL. Alex Kirilloff and Carlos Santana both have started only two of three games during that stretch.

• Byron Buxton (.639 OPS) has started six of seven games in center field.

White Sox

• Corey Julks (.912 OPS) has started in 11 of 12 games.

• Nicky Lopez (vs RHP) and Danny Mendick (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Yankees

• Steady but the Juan Soto injury will shake things up going forward…. if he hits the IL. Early indications suggest he won’t, but stay tuned.

National League

Braves

• Brian Anderson (career .685 vs LHP, .757 OPS vs RHP) might be on the short side of the platoon with Jarred Kelenic.

Brewers

• Andruw Monasterio might be on the short side of a platoon with Brice Turang (career .505 OPS vs LHP, .664 vs RHP).

• Sal Frelick (vs RHP) and Jackson Chourio (vs LHP) are in right field platoon.

• Since Rhys Hoskins returned from the IL, Jake Bauers has started in three of six games, all against righties.

• Blake Perkins (.690 OPS) has started in 14 of 15 games.

Cardinals

• Masyn Winn has only started in four of the last six games. Wynn hasn’t slumped (.888 OPS over the last two weeks) while Brandon Crawford has been garbage (.495 OPS).

Cubs

• Since being recalled Pete Crow-Armstrong (.598 OPS) has started in five of seven games.

• The team is loaded with 1B/3B/DH types with at least one and sometimes all three of this group sitting.

Name: OPS
Michael Busch: .765 OPS
David Bote: .000 OPS (5 PA)
Patrick Wisdom: .780 OPS

• Mike Tauchman (career .708 OPS vs LHP, .732 OPS vs RHP) sits against lefties.

Diamondbacks

• Jake McCarthy (.732 OPS), Pavin Smith (.859 OPS), and Randal Grichuk (.732 OPS) are sharing one outfield spot.

Dodgers

• The lineup’s bottom third remains garbage with three different third basemen in the last three games. There isn’t anyone rosterable out of the group.

Giants

• Luis Matos is back in the minors. After the greatest weekend ever (11 RBI in two games), he’s hit .153/.190/.153 and earned his trip back to AAA. The center field position is in the air right now with Austin Slater and Mike Yastrzemski filling in.

• Another position up in the air is shortstop with Brett Wisely (.813 OPS), Casey Schmitt (.698 OPS), and Tyler Fitzgerald (.736 OPS) all playing there this past week.

• Heliot Ramos (.918 OPS) has started in 24 straight games.

Marlins

• Dane Myers (vs LHP) is now platooning with Jesús Sánchez (vs RHP).

• With some movement involving first base and the DH, Nick Gordon (vs RHP) and Emmanuel Rivera (vs LHP) are in a platoon.

Mets

• Jeff McNeil (vs RHP) and Jose Iglesias (vs LHP) are in a second base platoon.

Nationals

• Ildemaro Vargas (vs LHP) and Luis García Jr. (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

• One of Joey Meneses (.589 OPS), Eddie Rosario (.594 OPS), and Joey Gallo (.616 OPS) sits every game.

Padres

• Donovan Solanon (vs LHP) and David Peralta (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

Phillies

• It’s tough to know exactly what is going on with three straight lefties to start the week; Brandon Marsh to the IL, and the promotion of David Dahl (two starts in three games).

• Johan Rojas (.572 OPS) and Cristian Pache (.551 OPS) are sort of in a platoon. Pache only starts against lefties, but not every one.

Pirates

• Oneil Cruz (career .844 vs RHP, .487 vs LHP) is sitting against lefties. Nick Gonzales changes position and Jared Triolo faces those lefties.

• By moving around the DH, Edward Olivares (vs LHP) and Rowdy Tellez (vs RHP) are in a platoon.

Reds

• Two outfield spots and the DH are in platoons. Jake Fraley, Will Benson, and Jacob Hurtubise start against righties. Stuart Fairchild and Blake Dunn face lefties. The DH spot against lefties is a little random but Tyler Stevenson has hit there the last two times. Ed. note: Remember when they had “too much” offense and *haaad* to trade one?!

Rockies

• Besides Brenton Doyle, the other outfielders are in a timeshare and I’d rather be sold a timeshare than roster them.

• With Kris Bryant on the IL, Elehuris Montero (.570 OPS) has taken over the first base job.