This is really a two-pronged question – will he perform and when will the Dodgers allow him to play in the majors? In neither case is the answer entirely clear.
Using a format similar to the one Justin Mason recently posted for 2020 Roto player rankings, below is the 2020 ranking of the Top 100 Starting Pitchers for Ottoneu fantasy baseball. Ottoneu leagues are auction style, but with no salaries listed (league dependent), think of these lists as simplified “snake draft” rankings (“which player would I take before the next”), or a value ranking of players above replacement level for 2020. Players with multi-position eligibility may receive a slight bump in value (2020 positions listed). You can reference average Ottoneu player salaries here, but keep in mind these salaries fluctuate throughout the winter as rosters shape up towards today’s keeper deadline for all leagues.
Previous 2020 Ottoneu rankings:
Since a majority of Ottoneu leagues are points leagues (pitching based on linear weights), WHIP and Wins are less of a factor here than in traditional rotisserie rankings. Even if you don’t play Ottoneu, this list might be a good proxy for sabermetric leagues, so keep that context in mind as you review. “P/IP” represents the projected points per innings pitched from Steamer projections and their estimated innings total.
If I’ve missed an important player, or you believe I’ve wildly over or under-valued someone, please let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to update.
The Ottoneu keeper deadline is fast approaching (11:59 PM EST), but many leagues use this date to set rosters before the season really begins. I polled several owners of the Ottoneu community recently for their keeper deadline advice, so hopefully you’ll find some application for the thoughts below. Consider this a keeper Q&A for new players, but even if you don’t play Ottoneu, feel free to post your most difficult deadline decisions in the comments and I’ll do my best to weigh in.
Brad recently covered some specific Ottoneu keeper deadline advice here.
Q: What process do you use to determine the best number of players to keep on your Ottoneu roster?
Using a format similar to the one Paul Sporer recently posted for 2020 Roto player rankings, below is the 2020 ranking of the Top 75 Outfielders for Ottoneu fantasy baseball. Ottoneu leagues are auction style, but with no salaries listed (league dependent), think of these lists as simplified “snake draft” rankings (“which player would I take before the next”), or a value ranking of players above replacement level for 2020. Players with multi-position eligibility may receive a slight bump in value (2020 positions listed). You can reference average Ottoneu player salaries here, but keep in mind these salaries fluctuate throughout the winter as rosters shape up towards the January 31st keeper deadline for all leagues.
Previous 2020 Ottoneu rankings:
Using a format similar to the one Paul Sporer recently posted (2B, SS) for 2020 Roto player rankings, below is the 2020 ranking of the Top 50 Middle Infielders for Ottoneu fantasy baseball. Ottoneu leagues are auction style, but with no salaries listed (league dependent), think of these lists as simplified “snake draft” rankings (“which player would I take before the next”), or a value ranking of players above replacement level for 2020. Players with multi-position eligibility may receive a slight bump in value (2020 positions listed). You can reference average Ottoneu player salaries here, but keep in mind these salaries fluctuate throughout the winter as rosters shape up towards the January 31st keeper deadline for all leagues.
Previous 2020 Ottoneu rankings:
Over the years, I’ve been working on how to fine-tune my player evaluation process. The following are six datasets that I’ve found useful I’ll not go into detail on any of them since I provide a link to the original article. The following is basically a referenceable data dump.
Note: I know there is a lot of content and when questions arise, make sure the area in question is obvious in the comment. Also, I’ll only answer questions here and not in the original articles.
These are older AAA hitters who have shown signs of a breakout.
| Name | Position | Age | Team | PA | BB% | K% | GB% | ISO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Engel | OF | 27 | White Sox | 277 | 8% | 22% | 43% | .194 |
| Addison Russell | SS | 25 | Cubs | 119 | 12% | 21% | 38% | .281 |
| Andy Ibanez | 2B/3B | 26 | Rangers | 529 | 10% | 17% | 37% | .197 |
| Austin Dean | OF | 25 | Marlins | 282 | 10% | 18% | 39% | .298 |
| Billy McKinney | OF | 24 | Blue Jays | 154 | 14% | 16% | 35% | .217 |
| Breyvic Valera | 2B | 27 | Yankees | 348 | 10% | 10% | 34% | .200 |
| Bryan Reynolds | OF | 24 | Pirates | 57 | 12% | 19% | 38% | .367 |
| Cavan Biggio | 2B | 24 | Blue Jays | 174 | 20% | 16% | 30% | .203 |
| Chance Sisco | C | 24 | Orioles | 196 | 10% | 22% | 42% | .238 |
| Chas McCormick | OF | 24 | Astros | 225 | 12% | 15% | 37% | .204 |
| Cheslor Cuthbert | 3B | 26 | Royals | 219 | 8% | 21% | 39% | .218 |
| Connor Joe | 1B/3B | 26 | Dodgers | 446 | 16% | 18% | 42% | .203 |
| Cristhian Adames | SS | 27 | Giants | 165 | 12% | 19% | 42% | .234 |
| Daniel Pinero | 3B/SS | 25 | Tigers | 110 | 16% | 23% | 32% | .220 |
| DJ Stewart | OF | 25 | Orioles | 277 | 14% | 18% | 41% | .257 |
| Donnie Dewees | OF | 25 | Cubs | 419 | 10% | 15% | 41% | .207 |
| Esteban Quiroz | 2B/SS | 27 | Padres | 366 | 14% | 22% | 38% | .268 |
| Harrison Bader | OF | 25 | Cardinals | 75 | 11% | 21% | 26% | .381 |
| Jason Vosler | 3B | 25 | Padres | 426 | 11% | 24% | 37% | .232 |
| Jaylin Davis | OF | 24 | Giants | 117 | 12% | 24% | 40% | .353 |
| Jeimer Candelario | 3B | 25 | Tigers | 178 | 12% | 20% | 42% | .268 |
| Johan Camargo | SS | 25 | Braves | 64 | 8% | 19% | 35% | .207 |
| Jonah Heim | C | 24 | Athletics | 119 | 9% | 15% | 34% | .198 |
| Jose Rojas | 3B | 26 | Angels | 578 | 10% | 23% | 31% | .283 |
| Josh VanMeter | 2B/3B | 24 | Reds | 211 | 11% | 18% | 38% | .320 |
| Kevin Cron | 1B | 26 | Diamondbacks | 377 | 16% | 20% | 26% | .446 |
| Mark Payton | OF | 27 | Athletics | 447 | 10% | 17% | 35% | .319 |
| Matt Thaiss | 1B | 24 | Angels | 372 | 16% | 17% | 42% | .203 |
| Michael Brosseau | 3B | 25 | Rays | 315 | 11% | 18% | 40% | .263 |
| Michael Perez | C | 26 | Rays | 216 | 13% | 24% | 36% | .250 |
| Mike Ford | 1B | 26 | Yankees | 349 | 13% | 16% | 40% | .303 |
| Nick Dini | C | 25 | Royals | 213 | 10% | 14% | 33% | .269 |
| Nick Tanielu | 2B/3B | 26 | Astros | 503 | 9% | 17% | 36% | .225 |
| Oscar Mercado | SS/OF | 24 | Indians | 140 | 11% | 23% | 40% | .202 |
| P.J. Higgins | C | 26 | Cubs | 140 | 12% | 21% | 40% | .231 |
| Phillip Ervin | OF | 26 | Reds | 172 | 11% | 20% | 31% | .193 |
| Roberto Pena | C | 27 | Angels | 155 | 11% | 19% | 32% | .196 |
| Ronald Guzman | 1B | 24 | Rangers | 135 | 13% | 23% | 39% | .197 |
| Rowdy Tellez | 1B | 24 | Blue Jays | 109 | 13% | 23% | 34% | .323 |
| Ryan McBroom | 1B | 27 | Yankees | 482 | 12% | 21% | 38% | .259 |
| Ryan O’Hearn | 1B | 25 | Royals | 149 | 11% | 21% | 39% | .302 |
| Taylor Jones | 1B | 25 | Astros | 531 | 13% | 21% | 37% | .210 |
| Taylor Ward | C/3B | 25 | Angels | 512 | 16% | 20% | 38% | .278 |
| Ty France | 1B/3B | 24 | Padres | 348 | 9% | 15% | 31% | .372 |
| Will Smith | C | 24 | Dodgers | 270 | 15% | 18% | 28% | .335 |
| Willie Calhoun | 2B/OF | 24 | Rangers | 172 | 19% | 14% | 33% | .232 |
| Yermin Mercedes | C | 26 | White Sox | 220 | 11% | 19% | 28% | .337 |
Welcome to the inaugural and in all probability final episode of Slapdick Prospects, your source of all things Blake Snell might conceivably label “slapdick.” In the event this phrase means nothing to you in a 30-50 Feral Puigs kind of way, I refer you to the following brief PSA.
Prospect season is around the corner, and while various rankings, reports, and even trades will continue to influence the ebb and flow of prospect opinions, it’s helpful to lay the groundwork for establishing this year’s fantasy prospect values as early as possible. The list below represents a very early look at the top 101 prospects in the game for fantasy leagues tailored specifically towards traditional rotisserie scoring (where AVG, ERA, and SB are better indicators than OPS, FIP, and wOBA.). For example, this list could be a resource for evaluating the value of prospects in Ottoneu Old School 5 x 5 leagues. The top 101 prospects for sabermetrics leagues is here.
Years ago I introduced the Scorecard system, my custom prospect ranking process, and I’ve continued to use this method for scoring and ranking this crop of 2020 prospects. In ranking these prospects I take into account the following factors:
Scouting
“Scouting” is everything that goes into evaluating the true talent of an MLB prospect. Age, ability, stats, rankings, “makeup”, and scouting reports all play a role here. It’s the input of information that causes you to ask about the player’s ceiling, their floor, and what might be realistic in between. What are the risks, and how serious are they? Is this prospect regarded more for their defensive talents than offensive? What MLB players might they compare to? What is their future value expectation and how likely are they to reach it?
Taylor Trammell scouts like a tremendously athletic player, but scouting alone hasn’t yet materialized into an elite on-field player, so there are other elements to consider when ranking him among the other top prospects in the game in this context.
Scoring
“Scoring” is honestly assessing whether the prospect’s skills and talents effectively translate to the specific scoring format of your fantasy league. It seems obvious, but I continually see fantasy owners fail to make this connection in the way they draft and value their prospects each season. While Andrew Vaughn might be a top pick in sabermetic leagues, his value needs to be reassessed in the context of 5 x 5 leagues, for example. In order to be more successful in building our dynasty rosters, we need to always project value within the context of our specific league, which is what this rating is designed to consider.
Prospect season is around the corner, and while various rankings, reports, and even trades will continue to influence the ebb and flow of prospect opinions, it’s helpful to lay the groundwork for establishing this year’s fantasy prospect values as early as possible. The list below represents a very early look at the top 101 prospects in the game for fantasy leagues tailored specifically towards sabermetric scoring (where OPS, FIP, and wOBA are better indicators than AVG, ERA, and SB). For example, this list could be a resource for evaluating the value of prospects in Ottoneu points leagues (a separate post will follow ranking the top 101 prospects for traditional rotisserie leagues).
Years ago I introduced the Scorecard system, my custom prospect ranking process, and I’ve continued to use this method for scoring and ranking this crop of 2020 prospects. In ranking these prospects I take into account the following factors:
Scouting
“Scouting” is everything that goes into evaluating the true talent of an MLB prospect. Age, ability, stats, rankings, “makeup”, and scouting reports all play a role here. It’s the input of information that causes you to ask about the player’s ceiling, their floor, and what might be realistic in between. What are the risks, and how serious are they? Is this prospect regarded more for their defensive talents than offensive? What MLB players might they compare to? What is their future value expectation and how likely are they to reach it?
Royce Lewis scouts like a dream player (and #1 draft selection), but scouting alone hasn’t yet materialized into an elite on-field player, so there are other elements to consider when ranking him among the other top prospects in the game in this context.
Scoring
“Scoring” is honestly assessing whether the prospect’s skills and talents effectively translate to the specific scoring format of your fantasy league. It seems obvious, but I continually see fantasy owners fail to make this connection in the way they draft and value their prospects each season. While Drew Waters might be an exciting buy in a 5 x 5 auction, his value needs to be reassessed in the context of OPS leagues, for example. In order to be more successful in building our dynasty rosters, we need to always project value within the context of our specific league, which is what this rating is designed to consider.
Ottoneu arbitration begins today, and it is one of the highlights of the fantasy season. Much has been written about the various arbitration (usually via allocation) strategies available to owners over the past few winters, but if you’re entering your very first Ottoneu off season, or just researching how the game works before joining a new league, here is the official breakdown of how arbitration works:
In the interest of maintaining competitive balance, there are two distinct arbitration options:
Allocations
The allocation system gives a $25 budget to each team in the league.
The team must allocate this budget towards players on other teams.
Each team must allocate at least one dollar to every other team, and no team can allocate more than $3 to any other team.
At the end of the allocation period, all players have their salary increased by the amount allocated towards them.
Allocations take place after the initial offseason salary increase, so any allocations will be in addition to the $1 or $2 increase each player gets at the end of the season.
If a team does not allocate at least one dollar to every other team, none of their allocations will count and it will be as if they did not participate at all.
If a team does not allocate all $25, none of their allocations will count and it will be as if they did not participate at all.
Vote Off
The vote-off system gives each team in the league the ability to vote on a player on each other team.
The player that receives the most votes collectively on each team is turned into a restricted free agent that can be bid on by other teams during the auction draft.
In the case of a tie, the standings of all the relevant voting teams is examined. Whichever player has the team with the worst standings voting for them is the restricted free agent.
The team they were voted off from will get an automatic $5 discount towards that player, so if they get the player back, they will get the player for $5 under what they bid.
Players who have been voted into restricted free agency cannot be traded.
Players who have been voted into restricted free agency will not appear as free agents on the site.
The majority of Ottoneu leagues now use the Allocation system referenced above since it is the most engaging and usually the most disruptive.
As arbitration kicks off, I’ve provided links to a few strategic arbitration resources below. However, taking it one step further this year, I’m releasing a list of players I expect will receive the most arbitration allocations across Ottoneu leagues. Since player salaries are league-dependent, I’ve used average current salaries across all FGPTS leagues to estimate the attractiveness of these players and their likelihood to be hit with allocations from your league owners. As a practical application of the list, you could say I see a $31 Anthony Rendon as more valuable than an $8 Marcus Semien, for example. In this case, I think you should apply more of your allocations to Rendon instead of Semien.
If you own these players for salaries below the average salary listed, for example, expect their chances of receiving allocations to increase, moving them up the list compared to others. Roto values (particulary 5 x 5) would be reflected differently, and I would recommend posting those specific questions to the community here.
