Fantasy Baseball Today Podcast

Today on the show we're taking a closer look at xERA and analyzing some forgotten players but first, how do we feel about actual leftovers? Scott wrote an article recently about xERA so what is it (4:05)? Like other ERA estimators, xERA could be helpful for Fantasy Baseball but how? Why does Aaron Civale have a better outlook because of xERA? ... Who are some of the winners and losers using this new stat (11:42)? Scott tells us how Julio Urias, Tyler Glasnow and a pair of Twins pitchers benefit. ... Leftovers Part 1 (23:11)! These are the players we haven't talked enough about yet this offseason. ... What's the outlook for Max Muncy (24:15)? ... Why is Max Kepler so similar to Muncy (26:36)? ... Can Mallex Smith bounce-back (29:10)? ... Why aren't people more excited about Scott Kingery (32:15)? ... Does Jean Segura have anything left in the tank (35:18)? ... What is Starlin Castro's upside (39:00)? ... Can Jorge Alfaro ever take that next step (41:10)? ... Why is Adrian Houser such a popular sleeper (43:40)?

Today we're talking about sophomore slumps and whether or not they're real! Speaking of sophomores, what were the guys like back in high school? ... Which sophomores are we worried about most in Fantasy this season (5:20)? Is Bo Bichette's ADP too high? ... Our email of the day asks about risers and fallers in keeper leagues (14:37). Is it as simple as veteran players fall while younger players rise? ... What's the deal with the latest MLB proposal (21:36)? Max Scherzer isn't having any of it. Also, Byron Buxton is finally 100% and should be on your radar. ... Getting back to sophomore slumps (33:07), are they real in baseball? Frank shares some data from the past five years on the topic. ... Which sophomore is Adam targeting (40:40) plus what do we do with Fernando Tatis? ... Who are the three sophomore hitters Frank typically targets (46:40)? ... Plus, we have a prospect evaluation for Logan Gilbert, starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners (50:10)! ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseb

We've got rankings debates but first, which batting stances did you imitate most growing up? If your answer isn't Gary Sheffield, you're wrong. Alright, why the discrepancy in Bryce Harper ranking (4:07)? Frank is buying into the adjustments Harper made the final four months last season. Who should be drafted higher between Harper or Springer? ... Next up we have Hyun-Jin Ryu, whom Scott is higher on than Frank (13:50). How much should we worry about the change of scenery and Ryu's injury history? ... Why does Scott hate Raisel Iglesias (22:33)? Was Iglesias really as bad as his 2019? ... On Wednesdays we like to do some strategy discussion so is the buy-low/sell-high dead in Fantasy Baseball (30:34)? It's much easier said than done nowadays. Why is Adam starting to "buy-high" (34:40)? Should you be doing the same thing? Should we try and sell prospects as soon as they're called up (44:18)? Frank thinks it's a risky proposition. ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available

A few weeks ago, we had former Marlins President and host of Nothing Personal David Samson on the show to discuss the MLB proposal so we thought it was time to hear a former player's perspective! We start off asking Will Middlebrooks what the biggest hurdle is at this point (3:50) and what the concern level is for current players. ... What would Will do if he were the owners or head of the players union (7:16)? ... Will the shortened season be tougher on hitters or pitchers (11:05)? Will the pitchers have enough time to get ready for the season? ... What are Will's thoughts on the universal DH (13:09) plus why would they ban the high-five? ... Will stud players still play everyday in the shortened season or will they rest more (16:30)? How about if there are doubleheaders? ... With teams set to face just their division and the same geographic division in the opposite league, whom does that favor (21:06)? What would Will's approach be in a shortened season? ... What are his thoughts on the cheating scandals su

We're talking players who are expected platoon but first, how much do splits matter in Fantasy Baseball? Surprise, surprise, Aaron Judge is back in the news (4:00). Will he ever play again?? Also, Brent Honeywell suffered another setback. ... We transition into platoons and start off with Tommy La Stella (9:25). Will he actually be in a platoon? ... What should we expect with Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel and the rest of the Reds (12:15)? ... Why does Ozzie Albie struggle so much against right-handed pitching (20:08)? Is there any hope? ... Frank and Adam debate Rafael Devers and whether or not he can improve against lefties (24:55). Never forget that home run he hit off Aroldis Chapman as a rookie. ... Chris shares some thoughts on Carson Kelly and Austin Riley's splits (32:19). ... What's the deal with Kevin Cron on the Arizona Diamondbacks (35:46)? Can he ever make an impact? ... We're answering your questions and start with how much FAAB to spend on Rich Hill, Spencer Howard, and Alex Wood (40:17). ... What h

We're taking a closer look at National League pitchers and ADP but first, what is a Fat Boy? Which NL starting pitchers are affected most by DH (2:49)? Should it drastically affect our rankings? ... Can MacKenzie Gore really start the season with the Padres (10:52)? We've seen them be aggressive with Fernando Tatis and Chris Paddack just last season. ... Our email of the day asks if AL designated hitters like Nelson Cruz and Yordan Alvarez gain value playing in NL ballparks (16:15). ... Which players' ADP has changed the most since the pandemic started (21:39)? Why is Yordan Alvarez trending down? ... Jesus Luzardo is on the rise but should he really be SP24 (25:10)? Pitching prospects like Nate Pearson and Spencer Howard are also big movers (32:21). Can either or both start in the majors? ... Why are middling Fantasy starters like Madison Bumgarner and Zack Wheeler trending down (36:30)? ... We end with a prospect evaluation of Tetsuto Yamada and your emails (41:30)! ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com.

Today we're revealing our pitchers to avoid this season but first, how do we evaluate pitching for Fantasy Baseball? What stats do each of Scott, Adam, and Chris look at? ... How much has a pitcher's workload changed over the past few seasons (12:15)? Has 180 innings become the new 200 innings for starting pitchers? ... Our email of the day asks how we're handling injuries in the shortened season (16:27). Does it change how you look at Mike Clevinger or Carlos Correa? ... Finally, which pitchers are on our DO NOT DRAFT teams this season (28:30)? Why is Chris avoiding Mike Clevinger? ... Scott and Frank seem to be off of Blake Snell (36:15). Is it all injury related? ... Are the second-round pitchers overpriced this year (40:37)? ... Mike Soroka broke out in 2019 but Adam seems wary (43:43). Who's the most accurate long-term player comp for Soroka? ... Scott delivers a FANTASTIC Michael Caine impersonation (51:45). ... We end with the relievers we're avoiding for 2020 (53:49). ... Email us at fantasybaseball@c

Today on the show we're revealing the hitters we typically avoid in 2020 but first, Adam explains how to identify those hitters. Catcher is generally a lackluster position but who are we avoiding there (3:37)? Both players actually come from pretty potent offenses. ... At first base, we're mostly avoiding power bats (7:48). Adam isn't buying in on one of Frank's favorite hitters. ... Why should you avoid Whit Merrifield this season (17:19)? ... At third base, Scott and Frank agree on Kris Bryant (23:34). Adam is out on Rafael Devers as a third-round pick. ... Of course, Manny Machado is a popular answer at both third base and shortstop (27:14). Frank once again tries to defend Machado. Carlos Correa is somebody who's consistently dealt with injuries and that can hurt you more with a shortened season. ... Who are the outfielders you shouldn't draft in 2020 (38:57)? ... Why is Adam out on Victor Robles. The guys also seem split on what to do with Eloy Jimenez. ... We wrap up with a brief conversation on Joey Ga

Today on the show we're trying word association for random baseball teams but first, which shows made you happy or sad when they ended? ... Frank has some St. Louis Cardinals updates (3:37). What's the latest on Miles Mikolas and Matt Carpenter? ... Here's how MLB team word association is going to work. We spin a virtual wheel and whatever team it lands on, Scott or Chris have to think of a player for us to talk about! First up, we have the Oakland A's (9:23). Chris wanted to talk about Ricky Henderson but we opted for somebody a little more recent. Can said player bounce-back in 2020? ... Second, we have the Boston Red Sox (14:28)! Chris thinks this player is a decent breakout option. ... Third it's the Seattle Mariners (20:15)! No, we're not talking about Franklin Gutierrez. Instead, we have a deep sleeper at starting pitcher! ... Fourth, the Milwaukee Brewers are up (26:25). Is it starting to end for this veteran? ... Fifth, we're talking New York Mets baseball (32:16). This player was dreadful in 2019 but

We're talking about our favorite draft slots and starting pitchers but first, what's the one place you're ready to go to once restrictions are lifted? Where do we prefer to draft in both Roto and H2H points in 2020 (5:00)? How good can Alex Bregman be in H2H? Would you rather have Gerrit Cole and J.D Martinez or Cody Bellinger and Jack Flaherty? ... Adam finally gets to defend James Paxton (19:38)! Why was Paxton so much better down the stretch last season? Can new Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake help Paxton get to the next level? ... Along with Paxton, who are some other starting pitchers who benefited from a pitch-mix change in 2019 (32:03)? Frankie Montas introduced a new splitter last season. Is he a Top-25 starting pitcher in Fantasy? ... You've heard Frank mention Joe Musgrove before but has he ever really explained why he likes him so much (37:05)? Can he maintain his velocity spike from last September? How will new pitching coach Oscar Marin help Musgrove? ... Why are we so quick to write-off Justus

We're pleased to be joined by former Marlins President and host of Nothing Personal David Samson! First and foremost, how realistic is MLB's proposal for the 2020 season (4:30)? Who would benefit most in the shorter season? ... David published his own proposal on CBSsports.com. What were some of his rule changes (11:09)? He has an interesting take on extra innings. How would stats be accounted for? ... Does David expect sports back in July (18:36)? What do the economics look like? ... How would no minor-league season and the shorter draft affect the players long term (26:49)? Also, why are there so many minor-league teams? ... We also have some rapid-fire questions for David (34:30). What is Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s outlook this season? What can we expect from the Houston Astros? What's the deal with Marlins man? How would veteran starting pitchers be affected by all this?... We also answer some of your questions! ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcast

Today we're dedicating the show to the rotisserie format but first, Adam reveals our special guest for Thursday! We know Carlos Santana is Mr. H2H but which players gain the most value in the Roto format (4:00)? Stolen bases seem to be a common trait. ... Introducing Roto 101 (13:51). What are the categories? How does the scoring work? ... What do the rosters look like in a Roto league (17:15)? Should we play with two catchers? Do elite catchers like JT Realmuto and Gary Sanchez gain or lose value in this format? ... What is your typical Roto draft strategy and has it changed in 2020 (23:42)? Scott reveals what he's doing differently this season. How does Frank like to attack hitters in this format? ... Pocket Aces (Adam Aizer) is known for his world famous pitching strategy known as TAP-HAP-AMC (34:40). What is it? ... We've heard about punting in H2H category leagues but can you punt in Roto (42:36)? If you do punt, where do you need to finish in the other categories? ... What should you be targeting in eac

Yesterday we introduced the latest MLB proposal and today we're figuring out the biggest winners and losers! Who gains the most with the DH in the National League (2:03)? The Brewers, Reds, Dylan Carlson, and Austin Riley were some names that came to mind. ... Who are the biggest winners and losers based on the new schedule (18:05)? Teams would only face teams in their division and the same geographic division in the opposite league. Why did AL West pitchers and Kyle Schwarber stand out? ... Surprise, surprise, Frank thinks the Yankees and Rays come out as winners as well (28:31). Is it time to hop back on the Gleyber Torres bandwagon? ... Scott also found a few fly-ball pitchers who could benefit from this schedule (31:28). ... Who were some prospects that will gain the most (40:17)? Should players like Tim Tebow and Michael Jordan be allowed to take other players' spots!? ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, C

It seems as though we're getting closer to a baseball season with the latest proposal from Ken Rosenthal (4:08). We're looking at an 80-game season with 45-50 players on a given roster. How does that change your league? Should you play doubleheaders in H2H formats? How do you structure the Fantasy playoffs? ... Last week Javier Baez was left for dead and we need to get to the bottom of it (19:32). Where does he excel? Is he as risky as other shortstops being drafted in his range? ... Moving on to our Statcast stats, C.J. Cron is elite at barrelling up baseballs (32:35). Does it matter? ... Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had the hardest hit ball in 2019 (34:52). How can he reach his full potential? ... Justin Smoak and Danny Jansen seem like they're due for massive positive regression (41:15). Should they be targeted in deeper leagues? ... Lastly, how should keeper leagues handle big trades (56:55)? ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Go

We're talking rankings debates but first another bad music take from Adam! We know of Mike Clevinger and James Paxton but who are some of the peripheral players who also benefit from the season being delayed (4:18)? ... We've got an update on Jameson Taillon (18:32). Don't forget about him late in your keeper and dynasty drafts. ... Rankings debates! How do we break down Matt Chapman vs. Josh Donaldson vs. Eugenio Suarez (25:35)? Is Chapman just hoping to become Donaldson? ... Next up we have a trio of shortstops with Javier Baez vs. Xander Bogaerts vs. Gleyber Torres (32:30). Are the Red Sox being too discounted? ... Who wins among the trio of Brandon Woodruff, Jose Berrios, and Sonny Gray (40:20)? Which SP has the most upside/downside? ... We also have a quickie between Scott Kingery and Byron Buxton (47:50). Why no love for Buxton? ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Castbox and wherever else you listen to p

We're answering your questions and analyzing Lance Lynn but first, it sounds like the MLB is working on a concrete plan for the 2020 season. Will the real Lance Lynn please stand up (7:10)? How much of his 2020 was real? Can he maintain the gains in control? ... We're answering your questions starting with Rockies hitters without the Coors Field hangover (21:19). ... How come switch hitters are becoming extinct (25:20)? What's the deal with Ozzie Albies' splits? ... How good can Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio be in their spring sites (32:39)? Biggio reminds us a lot of Rhys Hoskins at second base. ... The regulators are called upon to remind people you shouldn't be drafting right now (36:18)! ... What's Kyle Tucker's outlook as a keeper (38:30)? ... Who are some players we reach on later in drafts (45:03)? ... Remember Michael Fulmer (57:35)? When should we expect him back? ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast

We're taking a closer look at H2H points leagues strategy but first, new nicknames! It seems like most Yankees are healing up during the quarantine... except one (4:40). What's going on with Aaron Judge? How does injury perception affect Fantasy Baseball? ... The Texas Rangers are moving into a new ballpark called Globe Life Field. How will it play (16:35). Joey Gallo isn't a fan. Also, Adam has some interesting Danny Santana splits. ... H2H points leagues are the best format (25:50)! What are some of the difference between H2H points and Roto? ... Is there a certain prototype to target in a H2H points league hitter (28:53)? What factors should you be looking at? ... Is there a certain type of starting pitcher you're looking for in a H2H points league (34:27)? Why is pitching so valuable in this format? ... SPARPS (43:00)! Why does everybody love them? Why is Frank against them? ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcas

Last week we had one-hit wonders, this week it's disappearing acts! Who are some players that could completely fall off in 2020 (5:35)? Paul Goldschmidt is a popular response but who joins him? ... Now presenting the All-Disappearing Act Team (since 2000), starting with the catcher position (11:30)! There is no shortage of catchers, especially in recent seasons. ... Between Prince Fielder, Justin Morneau, Joey Votto, and Chris Davis, who takes down the honors at first base (20:20)? ... Brian Dozier and Dan Uggla hit a wall at second base but somebody else stands above the rest at second base (29:30). ... At the hot corner, Frank is reminded of one of his favorite keepers over the past decade but he has some competition (37:40). ... Shortstop has actually seen some of the biggest names in the sport drop off rather quickly (44:00). ... We. can do a whole show on outfielders alone but we managed to narrow it down to three (50:30). ... Starting pitcher is another position filled with names we loved for Fantasy ov

We're reviewing a 12-team dynasty Roto mock draft we did but first, may the fourth be with you! Late last week we had some news that there might not be a minor-league season (5:15). How does that affect the timeline of players in 2020? ... Diving into our startup dynasty mock draft, what are the differences between Roto and H2H points (18:55). Taking a look at the first round, would you rather have Fernando Tatis or Alex Bregman? Did Gerrit Cole get drafted too early at six? ... What happened towards the end of the first round and the early second round (26:20)? How should you feel about Trea Turner in dynasty given speed is his biggest asset. Also, who does Scott prefer between Rafael Devers and Jose Ramirez? ... What else happened in the second round (33:00)? Can you make Gerrit Cole and Jacob deGrom work in dynasty? Will Yordan Alvarez ever play a position? Should Wander Franco be drafted this early? ... Who do you prefer between Jo Adell and Luis Robert (39:15)? Who would Scott take between Chris Paddack

We're taking a look at some deeper-league players plus deep diving Gary Sanchez and Chris Paddack but first, IT'S GONNA BE MAY! What are the pros and cons of Gary Sanchez in 2020 (3:23). Would you rather have J.T. Realmuto or Sanchez two rounds later? ... Taking a look at backup players who are interesting for one reason or another, Mike Ford really jumps off the page (14:10). What's his path to playing time? ... We were all so happy when Jose Martinez was traded to the Rays and then reality set in (21:10). Can he have a Yuli Gurriel-type breakout? ... Who are some players who stand out in the National League (26:15)? Tyler O'Neill has a ton of power potential plus people might be sleeping on Garrett Cooper. ... Does Nick Solak have a chance to contribute (36:43)? ... We're also taking a closer look at Chris Paddack (40:40). The guy just knows how to pitch! ... Email us at fantasybaseball@cbsi.com. 'Fantasy Baseball Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Castbox and wherev