MLB Seasonal Articles
BURR: Bullpen Usage & Reliever Ratings
Bullpen Usage & Reliever Ratings, or BURR, is an idea that Flowers and Mans have been playing around with since the 2017 season. The reason for their focus is simply that bullpens are a more important part of the modern game than ever before. You know what we mean. Whereas at one time starting pitchers…
Ray’s Ramblings: Hot, Cold & Rockies
Ray Flowers takes a look at the ever changing bullpens around the league, young player performance and tries to get a handle on what the Rockies are doing with their lineup in Colorado. HITTING Kevin McGonigle has played 11 games for the Tigers – and looked tremendous slashing .302/.385/.465. He’s also rocking a 0.86 BB/K 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Wednesday’s Strike Zone
If you have followed me in the past, you know I identify the best plays of the day for DFS, seasonal, and now strikeout props based on who is working home plate that day. The article will be a little different this year, as Swish Analytics no longer provides the stats I once used. Instead, I’m focusing on umpire tendencies and team strikeout rates to find the best spots. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire working behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Tuesday’s Strike Zone
If you have followed me in the past, you know I identify the best plays of the day for DFS, seasonal, and now strikeout props based on who is working home plate that day. The article will be a little different this year, as Swish Analytics no longer provides the stats I once used. Instead, I’m focusing on umpire tendencies and team strikeout rates to find the best spots. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire working behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB Planner: Week 3
Here is a look at the week ahead for Major League Baseball to help you configure your lineups. Note that with the way teams handle their pitching staffs in the 21st century, that that data posted in this piece can change at any moment, so be aware that you should still do some checking 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Sunday’s Strike Zone
If you have followed me in the past, you know I’m identifying the best plays of the day for DFS, seasonal, and now strikeout props based on who is working home plate that day. The article will be a little different this year, as Swish Analytics no longer provides the stats I once used. Instead, I am using a combination of umpire tendencies, combined with a team’s strikeout tendencies, to identify the best plays. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire working behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Saturday’s Strike Zone
If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know the goal has always been the same — identifying how the home plate umpire can impact pitching matchups, strikeout props and MLB DFS plays. The article continues with the updated format this season. Instead of relying on the boost metrics from Swish Analytics, the focus is now on the combination of umpire tendencies, team strikeout rates versus handedness, and the posted strikeout props to identify pitching and hitting edges. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB FAAB Values: Week 2
Working the waiver-wire is one of the most important skills a fantasy player needs if they want to hoist the championship trophy at years end. To that end, we will do what we can to help you to navigate the pitfalls and dangers on a weekly basis. It is impossible to craft a list for 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 Ramblings: The Prodigal Son
Elite rookie prospect Konnor Griffin is being called up to the Pirates. That storylines leads this edition of Ramblings that also touches on topics like stolen bases and bullpen usage. KONNOR GRIFFIN IS COMING… In 127 games, Konnor Griffin has gone .336-21-95-121-68 with a .950 OPS. WOW. He is about to be super rich – 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.
2026: The Closer Grid, April 2nd
I believe all fantasy baseball leagues should move on to Solds (saves + holds). I know most don’t buy that line of thought, though for the life of me, I cannot understand the reluctance to go in this direction (I even went as far as suggesting it might be wise to use Team Bullpens at one point). Regardless, we 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 Ramblings: MLB First Week
Ray Flowers looks around the baseball diamond and discusses the players you have questions about in this edition of Ramblings. HITTING Please remember to check out, if you haven’t already, the Sample Size article. The Athletics changed their lineup up last night. Nick Kurtz went from leadoff to third while Jacob Wilson entered the leadoff 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Wednesday’s Strike Zone
If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know the goal has always been the same — identifying how the home plate umpire can impact pitching matchups, strikeout props and MLB DFS plays. The article continues with the updated format this season. Instead of relying on the boost metrics from Swish Analytics, the focus is now on the combination of umpire tendencies, team strikeout rates versus handedness, and the posted strikeout props to identify pitching and hitting edges. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Tuesday’s Strike Zone
If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know the goal has always been the same — identifying how the home plate umpire can impact pitching matchups, strikeout props and MLB DFS plays. The article continues with the new format this season. In the past, I relied heavily on the boost metrics from Swish Analytics to identify strikeout environments. With that data no longer available, the report now focuses more on the combination of umpire tendencies, team strikeout rates versus handedness, and the posted strikeout props to identify pitching and hitting edges. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB Planner: Week 2
Here is a look at the week ahead for Major League Baseball to help you configure your lineups. Note that with the way teams handle their pitching staffs in the 21st century, that that data posted in this piece can change at any moment, so be aware that you should still do some checking 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Sunday’s Strike Zone
If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know the goal has always been the same — identifying how the home plate umpire can impact pitching matchups, strikeout props and MLB DFS plays. The article will look a little different this season. In the past, I relied heavily on the boost metrics from Swish Analytics to identify strikeout environments. With that data no longer available, the report will shift to a more matchup-driven approach. We’ll focus on umpire tendencies, team strikeout rates vs. handedness, and the posted strikeout props to identify pitching and hitting edges. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB FAAB Values: Week 1
Working the waiver-wire is one of the most important skills a fantasy player needs if they want to hoist the championship trophy at years end. To that end, we will do what we can to help you to navigate the pitfalls and dangers on a weekly basis. It is impossible to craft a list for 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Saturday’s Strike Zone
If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know the goal has always been the same — identifying how the home plate umpire can impact pitching matchups, strikeout props and MLB DFS plays. The article will look a little different this season. In the past, I relied heavily on the boost metrics from Swish Analytics to identify strikeout environments. With that data no longer available, the report will shift to a more matchup-driven approach. We’ll focus on umpire tendencies, team strikeout rates vs. handedness, and the posted strikeout props to identify pitching and hitting edges. We will highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, there was no clear advantage created by the umpire behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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.
2026 MLB Umpire Report – Friday’s Strike Zone
If you’ve followed this column over the years, you know the goal has always been the same — breaking down how the home plate umpire can impact pitching matchups, strikeouts, MLB DFS plays, and even offenses that may benefit from the environment behind the plate. The article will look a little different this season. In previous years, I relied heavily on the boost metrics from Swish Analytics to identify favorable strikeout environments. With that data no longer available, the report will shift to a more matchup-driven approach. Instead of focusing on boost percentages, I’ll be looking at how the umpire’s strike zone, team strikeout tendencies against left- and right-handed pitching, and current strikeout prop lines come together to create potential edges. As always, the goal remains the same: highlight pitchers worth targeting in seasonal fantasy baseball formats, point out strong DFS plays, and identify strikeout props that may present value. If a game is not listed, it simply means there is no clear edge based on the matchup or the umpire working behind the plate… 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 – Gaming Monthly Top picks, tools, futures insights, and 24/7 access to the betting Discord. $59.99 VIP Memberships – DFS Monthly Daily projections, cheat sheets, rankings, optimizer, and full Discord access. $59.99 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 Ramblings: Early Season Sample Size
I’ve spent about half a year breaking down players for the 2026 fantasy baseball season. A cold/hot start should not dramatically alter what we planned for the past half year. Though completely logical, and in fact correct, the statement is often lost during the early hype news cycle. Before you rage drop a player, or 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 Ramblings: Batting Orders & Workloads
With the first full day of baseball games in the books, Ray Flowers points out some oddities when it comes to squads batting orders. He will then list the pitch counts for all the starting hurlers. TeamOrderLHP/RHPPITOneil Cruz 1RHPNYMBichette-Polanco-Robert 3-4-5RHPCWSVargas 3, Murakami 6RHPMILVaughn 4, David Hamilton 7RHPWASAbrams 6LHPCHCSwanson-Shaw 8-9RHPMINAustin Martin 1, Luke Keashall 3LHPBALWard-Henderson-Alonso-Rutschman-BasalloRHPCINStewart 4LHPLAAAdell-Lowe 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.
2026 MLB Opening Day
The start of the 2026 Major League Baseball is upon us. Ray Flowers shares some final thoughts as game action gets underway including a bunch of his final predictions for fantasy baseball. RAY’s RAMBLINGS The Astros staring pitching group is pretty wild. Hunter Brown is a star who has thrown more than 170-innings each 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.
2026 Player Profile: Brenton Doyle
Brenton Doyle was a darn impressive fantasy performer in 2024 going .260-23-72-82-30 from the waiver-wire. Unfortunately, personal tragedy struck the Doyle family and his exploits on the field tumbled. Can the 27 year old Rockie outfielder rekindle the production that led to so much success two years ago? 27 years old Bats/Throws: Right/Right Height/Weight: 6’3”, 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.
2026 Player Profile: Jonathan Aranda
Last season, Jonathan Aranda was a reserve round selection – if he was even drafted. The Rays’ first basemen ended up slashing a near elite .316/.393/.489 in what was a strong campaign. So why is it that no one seems stoked to add him to their rosters in 2026? 27 years old Bats/Throws: Right/Right Height/Weight: 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.
2026 Player Profile: Andrew Vaughn
It’s easy to forget, but Andrew Vaughn was a no-doubt, can’t miss kid coming out of college. Drafted 3rd overall in 2019, Vaughn was often given a hit-tool grade of 70 on the 20-80 grading scale, and talent evaluators were thinking that the kid would rip off .290-25-90 seasons year after year. Five years into 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.