Neil’s Weekly Fantasy Baseball Preview: May 27th – June 2nd

Well, isn’t baseball a wonderful game, I mean seriously, can you imagine the rush of watching Angel Pagan’s inside the park, game winning home run last night? You can see it here if you missed it. That was awesome and what a call!

In other news, I am getting destroyed this week, in one of my favorite leagues, actually, in 2 of my favorite leagues I’m getting destroyed. It happens and thankfully, I started hot in both.

This week I want to share two fantasy baseball resources that I’ve been using lately.

First, you’ve got to check out the MLB Beat Writers Twitter Feeds over at Fantasy Rundown. The Rundown has it all kids, rankings, all the links to free fantasy baseball and football articles, everything! Anyway, here are the links to their Twitter Feeds, which are full of valuable fake and real baseball information:

AL | NL

Secondly, have you signed up to The War Room yet? I am going to make an effort to visit and check it out more, because it connects your teams with information sources and makes roster management pretty easy. I like these War Room guys too, they’re good fellas!

So, make sure to add these two valuable resources to your fake baseball repertoire and how about we get to this week’s preview!

Weekly Fantasy Baseball Preview: On the Waiver Wire

I have decided to add some waiver wire columns to this weekly preview, here are the best from the past week.

Rotoworld: D.J. Short has some mixed leagues and low-owned options for fantasy owners to consider and also discusses Francisco Liriano, Jesus Montero and Mike Zunino.

Bretsky Ball: Wayne Bretsky lines the options up by position and also takes a look at deeper league options. Bretsky discusses Trevor Rosenthal, Freddy Glavis and Yonder Alonso.

My own Wasting Away Again on the Waiver Wire: This week, I looked at the reality that in order to add hot-shot prospects like Jurickson Profar and Kevin Gausman an owner has to drop someone. Perhaps, their drops will be potential impact players you can add!

Fantasy Pros: These guys asked me to contribute to their Waiver Wire article this week, it was fun, I like to be called a Pro. Especially, because I just like to have fun. I talked Jedd Gyorko, Dayan Viciedo and Chris Tillman!

Weekly Fantasy Baseball Preview: Bats

Catchers

Pick – Buster Posey: Get ready for some big production. His current 9 game hitting streak is a sign that runs and rabbits are coming in bunches soon.

Sleeper – Yan Gomes: He showed some spark last season and is dialed in right now, which is forcing Terry Francona to find ways to get him at bats.

Bust – Salvador Perez: He is on the bereavement list, so he could be out until midweek.

First Base

Pick – Joey Votto & Chris Davis: These guys are mashing right now, absolutely mashing. Both are slugging over 1.035, which is high. Man, these two are hot.

Sleeper – Yonder Alonso: 20 bombs and 90 RBIs are well within reach and his average is staying solid.

Bust – Adam Dunn: He was hot, but now he is not, I’m Dunn.

Second Base

Pick – Dustin Pedoria: 2nd week in a row, because he is HOT HOT.

Sleeper – Jedd Gyorko: Go for it, he is a good power source at the 2 bag!

Bust – Ben Zobrist: I have one share in my keeper league – 20 teams too – but, I’m just not down with what he is doing this year. You drafted for near 20/20 production, right now he is on pace for half that. Not cool Benny, not cool.

Third Base

Pick – Miguel Cabrera: Triple Crown repeat?

Sleeper – Alberto Callaspo: So, he isn’t that super secret sexy sleeper pick, but with the Halos putting up crocked numbers everywhere why not give him a chance. He likes to get involved too!

Bust – Will Middlebrooks: He is hurt and out for the next few weeks, but he wasn’t doing anything anyway.

Shortstop

Pick – Everth Cabrera: I don’t know if he can keep it up, but he is stealing all kinds of bases and hit a bomb Friday. Right now, he is currently the 2nd SS on the ESPN Player Rater and there is a chance he is available on your Waiver Wire. As I’m writing this, in tonight’s game he has a bomb, 4 RBIs, a swipe and is a triple shy of the cycle and it is only the 4th inning.

Sleeper – Jhonny Peralta: He is hitting over .320 on the season and is on pace for over 80 runs, 70 RBIs and 15 HRs. He is likely available too!

Bust – Stephen Drew: Hasn’t got a hit in his last 5 games, is banged up and sat out Saturday.

Outfield

Pick – Carlos Gonzalez: Homers in 3 straight, which means he likely is going to get cold or something, but still my PICK! The Rockies are really good, they don’t even need Josh Rutledge.

Pick – Mike Trout: Check out what I saw Friday. He is amazing, I didn’t get a single draft pick high enough to select him this year. Last year I added him and dropped him after his 2nd game or something and it was a Keeper League! Although, I think we made it a keeper this off-season. I think. Whatever, I won the whole thing and spent the 100+ dollars on beer!

Sleeper – Jason Heyward: Go get him if you can! Business is about to pick up.

Sleeper – Michael Brantley: He is fast enough to steal more bags and has enough pop to hit more bombs, but his plus .300 average and year long projections of 80 runs and RBIs is good fake baseball!

B(.J. Upton)ust – Ichiro Suzuki: He is on pace for 27 RBIs, you just cannot roster that.

B(.J. Upton)ust – Michael Saunders: Yes, second week in a row, I don’t like this guy.

Weekly Fantasy Baseball Preview: Arms

Two-Start Pitchers

I am a little bit of a Diamondbacks fan, I think it started when Mark Grace was in the booth and calling games. Man, that guy is a hell of a party! But, anyway, I was really high on Trevor Cahill this draft season and although, I don’t think I have any current shares – oddly – I’m really intrigued by his 2 starts.

Expect him to rattle off another 2 solid starts and solidify himself as a go to fantasy arm. Did you know that the Diamondbacks are absolutely amazing on defense? Seriously, they are like twice as good as any other team according to this Defensive Runs Saved stat.

Make sure to take a peek at these 2 excellent two-start pitcher previews:

Razzball: Scott Evans not only takes care of your two-start pitcher needs and tiers the options up, he also highlights which players may be readily available on your waiver wire.

Rotoworld: Nick Nelson’s look at the week ahead adds helpful notes, such as Lefty/Righty Breakdowns, Games Played Totals and even his own Streamer City picks. Nick’s preview is fantastic!

Streaming Options

It is a tricky game streaming pitchers and even more difficult when you’re trying to project for an entire week. If you’re a streamer, jot down these names and use a guy on a day when you need a start. I don’t recommend streaming every single day, unless you really love the rush!

My Colleague at The Fake Baseball, Brien Bonneville, has a daily list of streaming pitching options and his Streaming Pitchers Primer is a must-read if you’re looking to employ this strategy. Streaming is a risky business, but when used properly it can be an excellent fake baseball advantage.

I also want to share a video from my pal Pat Mayo, which briefly discusses streaming pitchers and an excellent article from Matthew Berry on the Wandy Line that is must read stuff. Taking the time to read and watch these resources will help you be a better fantasy baseballer and that is what we are all striving for in life, isn’t it?

Here are the guys I’m looking at for next week today:

May 27th – Jake Odorizzi vs Mia: With a start under his belt, why not give the kid a chance, it isn’t like the Fish can hit.

May 28th – Jorge De La Rosa @ HOU: He has found it this season and the spacious Minute Maid Park doesn’t hurt either. The Rockies can hit and he’ll be good enough to keep the ‘Stros off balance.

May 29th – Tyler Chatwood vs HOU: I’d roll with him as long as he is dealing, the run support is there and it isn’t blazing hot in Colorado yet.

May 30th – Vidal Nuno vs NYM: Never heard of him, never seen him pitch, but that is just how much I trust streaming against the Metropolitans right now!

May 31st – Jerome Williams vs HOU: The Halos’ bats have awoken and Williams has been solid! I’d grab him in advance, because he is on every savvy owner’s radar.

June 1st – Jose Fernandez vs NYM: If Ike Davis is sent down by the first of June, you may want to rethink this, but with Fernandez’s stuff, he could hit double digit strikeouts easily.

June 2nd – Trevor Cahill @ CHC: He should be owned in almost all leagues, but if he is available, this is a great matchup for him.

I’m a Loyal Leafs, Cubs, and Cowboys fan for decades. I wear the C for The Fake Hockey, in addition to contributing to The Fake Baseball and The Fake Football in more of a Timmy Try Hard role. You can also find my weekly fantasy baseball preview here at davidgonos.com and can reach me on Twitter @naparker77.