MLB Seasonal Articles
Testimonials for the Fantasy Guru Product
Here are some of the responses we got last season. I wanted to say thanks to Ray, Vlad and the gang here for a great season. I had two firsts and a third this year including winning my first NFBC contest. I had long dominated my home leagues but really struggled with NFBC contests last year. So, I learned…
What Is Wrong With Fantasy Baseball?
I wrote this piece last season, but I wanted to reproduce it here. There have been a few slight modifications to the original work, but nothing substantive was changed. Fantasy Baseball is at a crossroads. Each year, interest in the game seems to wane. Take it from one of the few people who has been in this industry for…
Looking Back at 2019
In order to move forward effectively, one has to understand what has occurred. Makes sense, right? There might even be a famous statement along those lines, right? In what follows, we will take a look at some of the more fascinating statistical performances of 2019. For the second year in a row, the league had Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
What I Got Right in 2019
I’m never wrong. Just ask around. Here are some of the “hits” that came out of the 2019 Draft Guide. These are the player calls that we, and by that I mean me, got right last season. *Italics are direct quotes from the 2019 Draft Guide. ELVIS ANDRUS: … he’s not likely to produce more Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
What I Got Wrong in 2019
I’m never wrong. Just ask around. Some people out there claim I’m obnoxious and never admit any mistakes. Clearly those folks aren’t paying attention. Not only do I say on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and in podcasts all the time that I made/make mistakes, but I also write this piece every year admitting what I Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
The First Round: Why Not the 4th Pick?
People have a hard time accepting facts. Let me hit you square in the mouth with one. We suck at predicting who the best players will be in fantasy baseball. I know, I make that statement and you’re probably thinking two things. (1) If this is right, why am I paying you for your opinion? Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Rookies, The Sorted Tale
I’m not even gonna waste time with a prelude with this topic since I’ve literally been writing, and talking, about this topic for nearly two full decades. Yes, I’m that old, and yes, this is my 19th year full-time in the fantasy space which pretty much makes me an utter dinosaur. 1 – Rookies Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Fantasy Gold? Rookie Scouting Reports
Which youngster will flame out miserably this season (i.e. like Vlad Jr. did last season with the crazy high draft day cost)? Which youngster will be a solid waiver-wire add that helps you throughout the year (Oscar Mercado)? Which youngster will come out of nowhere to star at the big-league level (Bryan Reynolds)? The rookie Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
MLB Sabermetric Primer
SABERMETRICS DEFINED Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence focusing specifically on statistical information. The term itself is derived from the acronym SABR (Society for American Baseball Research), which comes from the group of baseball historians who were the originators of most of these “fancy math” equations (the term was coined by the most Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
New Rules in 2020
There are a few new rules that will be implanted in MLB this season. Here are a few words on how those changes may affect the fantasy game. Unlike the past, when rosters expand in September teams will only grow to 28 players rather than swelling to 40. This should be a help in the Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Embrace Tommy John Surgery
Tommy John won 288 games over a remarkable career that lasted 27 years. However, he’s more well known for the surgery that bears his name at this point. Let’s explore the surgery, the reasons for it, and the players who are dealing with it heading into the 2020 season. Here are some facts that should Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Workload Increases: Innings and Pitches
I kid you not. I write this on Thanksgiving with the Bears/Lions game on in the background. Before dashing off to eat copious amounts of turkey, gravy and homemade stuffing (my brother makes some excellent grub), I thought I would write about consumption. Not of food of course, but about the consumption of pitches and Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
I Changed My Pitching Style
Sometimes a hurler takes the next step in his development and it seems fairly obvious what happened. Other times, the changes might a bit more subtle. Perhaps the pitcher pulled back a bit on a pitch that he was getting his brains beat out on. Maybe, he picked up a new pitch that gave hitters Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Saves: Let’s Move On
The Braves gave Will Smith a 3-year, $39 million contract that includes a $1 million buy out or a fourth year at $13 million. So, they invested at least $40 million, if not $52, in Smith. They also had to forfeit a draft pick to the Giants since they had extended a qualifying offer to Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Can We Improve Wins?
Just as I write every year about how to improve the situation with relievers (Let Us Finally Move On From Saves), I’ve tossed my hat into the ring giving it a shot to improve the situation for starting pitchers as well. Whereas I take aim each year at saves for relievers, I’m looking right at Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
BABIP and What It Means
Batting Average on Ball in Play, or BABIP, is a term that didn’t even really exist two decades ago. Today, you will see the term mentioned even in casual conversation with folks at a bar. It’s really taken off and became a rather normal part of the baseball lexicon, at least for some. That said, Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
The Importance of Pitcher Strand Rates
We all know by now, hopefully, the fact that ERA is an imperfect measure. It kinda gets you where you want to be, but not really. There’s a lot of white-noise in ERA, you’ve read about it through all the articles in our preseason product, and another aspect about the volatility is the impact of Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Draft And Hold Strategies
Fantasy baseball is officially a year-round game. A few years ago, we’d call anyone drafting football teams right after the Super Bowl absolutely nuts. These days, drafting Best Ball football teams four months before the season starts has become more the norm. It’s a similar phenomenon with our beloved pastime. Though I personally like to Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Why Overall Rankings Are Useless
‘Ray, I can see the rankings but where is the overall rankings list, I can’t find it?’ You can look and look all you want but you will not find such a list. Why? This article explains why there is no need for the single most misleading piece of fantasy advice some offer to their Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
2020 FSGA MLB Experts Draft
The Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA) held their annual Experts Fantasy Baseball Draft in Las Vegas on January 14th, 2020. Yes, we just completed a fantasy baseball draft in January. There are still free agents looking for teams, games haven’t started yet either, but we drafted our teams in the first experts fantasy baseball draft of 2020. How did…
2020: MLB Free Agent Signings
The long offseason leading up to the start of the 2020 baseball season is upon us. With the free agency period upon us, we thought it would be wise to put up a tracker so you can see where all those free agents will be calling him moving forward. Players are listed by position, and…
Ray’s Ramblings: Some Final Thoughts, 2019
As we wrap things up in fantasy baseball, I thought I would just throw some things against the wall and see if they stick. I’m thinking about Halloween, fantasy football, what type of faucet to buy for my new house, why people are so angry and why my cat keeps bringing me home rats. On Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Ray’s Rundown – 9/28
(1) The Fantasy Awards will be given out. (A) Best Hitter. (B) Best Pitcher. (C) Best Reliever. (D) Best Bargains at C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF (3), SP (5), RP (3). (2) Talk about the preseason ADP. (3) Is Felix Hernandez a HOFamer? You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.
Hot/Cold – The Final Weekend
There’s not much point for me to review expected numbers this Friday cause we’ve only got three days left in the regular season (unless we get an extra game). So, I thought I would focus directly on hot/cold players, with the bat, the last week. It’s a tiny sample size, it may not be truly Read More! You need a subscription to access this content. Choose from the following: VIP Memberships – Seasonal Annual Season-long content, draft guide, rankings, podcasts, and Discord access. $109.99 VIP Memberships – VIP Monthly Includes all plans: Seasonal, Daily, and Betting, plus exclusive tools and Discord. $99.99 NFL Memberships – NFL (All-In) $499.99 Already a member? Sign in.