2023 Fantasy Baseball Roster Management
Roster management is a crucial tool in fantasy baseball. Unfortunately, one of my weaknesses is not churning my roster. Every year I’m holding a couple of young players that could make a difference later in the year. The longer I keep them and get no production from that roster slot, the more opportunities I miss when valuable players are on the waiver wire. My 2023 Fantasy Baseball Roster Management tips will keep your roster churning and burning. Before we look at 2023 Fantasy Baseball Roster Management tips, please familiarize yourself with my 2023 fade list. Also, my 2023 bounce-back players , deep sleepers, breakout hitter of the year, and extensive preview of all 30 squads are invaluable resources. Finally, our 2023 MLB breakout pitchers list digs deep to give you an edge on draft day. And, of course, read who I picked to be the American League Rookie of the Year. Churn, Baby Churn Some of the best fantasy managers in today’s games are excellent churners of their rosters. They don’t get emotionally tied to any player on their bench. They understand a player’s skill set and know the replacement value on the waiver wire. I’m sure there are times when they drop a player that later becomes a difference-maker. Sometimes they reacquire these players because they are so in tune with the player pool. The baseball season is a marathon. But maximizing your opportunities starting in week one is essential. I’m surprised how many teams take zeros from their pitchers over the first week of the season. This is because they didn’t think far enough ahead. Also, they didn’t take the time to look at the possible starting pitcher rotations before they draft their team. These leagues are often so close that an extra win or a handful of strikeouts can be the difference between winning and losing. In 12-team leagues, the free-agent pool is an extension of my bench if I have the proper roster structure. I can find many helpful outfielders and corner infielders. The backend pitching inventory is deep, but it comes with risk. The goal is to maximize at-bats while continually looking for possible pitching improvements. It is incredibly challenging to carry mediocre injured players. After the season starts, I must review my bench players to see if I need any help. My first goal is to look at the end of each week’s stats and see where I stand as far as at-bats and my pitching goals. Week 1 of the year is challenging to gauge, but I need to know if I have enough depth in my starting rotation. It’s too late to save some of the teams if I made mistakes during the draft. I must live with my draft-day decisions and hope my opinions are correct. There’s nothing worse than dropping the best available free agent for next week’s waiver period, so it is vital to take a deep breath when deciding to release certain players. A player will get hurt or lose playing time each week, opening up more at-bats or innings for other players most likely found on the waiver wire. There are many times during the year when players play well for short periods, while some even develop into substantial contributors to your fantasy team. In 2019, Danny Santana (.283 with 81 runs, 28 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 21 steals) turned into fantasy gold via the free agent pool, which came after four empty seasons. Dominic Smith fell into the category in the short Covid-19 year. In 2021, Adolis Garcia kicked the free agent door in early April to deliver impactful stats (.243 with 77 runs, 31 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases). Last season, Brandon Drury filled an infield void on fantasy teams (.263/87/28/87/2 over 518 at-bats) from the waiver pool. I’ve been a fantasy snob when looking for a player to upgrade my team in the past. Beggars can’t be choosy during the heat of the season-long battle in baseball. I remember not picking up Ryan Howard in 2005 because I thought his batting average had risk due to his high strikeout rate. He ended up hitting .288 with 22 home runs over 312 at-bats. I overlooked Howard as a difference-maker because of a possible weakness in one category. I can never dismiss talent, and I need to take every at-bat upgrade I can find. Over a short period, any player can hit for a higher average than expected, and sometimes those players stay locked in all year. A fantasy manager needs to evaluate every player and every situation. These decisions are so much easier when my team is playing well. When behind in the league standings, a fantasy manager can make mistakes trying to make things happen. Either they bench a star player that goes off after a slow start to the year, or they cut a player because he’s failed to perform up to expectations. When churning my roster, I’m looking for players with upside who are buy-and-hold candidates. Other times, I need to take a zero to protect a roster spot. I hate to fall further behind, but the player I pick up is not guaranteed to have a good week. Sometimes I have to weather the storm. I never know when a player starts to turn the corner or if a few players will get hot on my team. So I must keep my head down and continuously grind throughout the season. This season I’d like to keep one bench spot to rotate in possible double starting pitcher and another slot on my bench for the “hot hitter of the week.” Everyone plays in different formats with varying league sizes. One decision may work well for one league, and it may be a poor decision for another. Usually, the player pool will answer your questions. However, there is a fine line between patience and churning. Each fantasy manager must find a balance between the two in their quest to win a league championship.
2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Hitters
Opening Day is right around the corner. That means it is fantasy baseball draft season! The best way to prepare for your draft is with accurate and updated projections. Our 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Hitters previews all pitchers with insight from our exclusive FPGscore metric. FPGscore is a deep-diving exclusive metric that analyzes a player’s value relative to their production. It is just the kind of tool the well-prepared drafter needs in their arsenal. And, it can make all the difference on draft day. Here are FullTime Fantasy’s 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Hitters. Exclusive for FullTime Fantasy Members. To read all the MLB TeamOutlooks detailed and analyzed by a high-stakes fantasy baseball legend, become a member today! You can either buy all the Outlooks as a downloadable for a one-time discounted price of $30 or Join the FullTime fam with a Monthly, 6-Month, or Annual Membership which includes everything we do for ALL SPORTS! This week only, use PROMO: SHAWN23, for an additional 15% off any package! GET THE UPDATES! Turn on your email notifications for Breaking Fantasy news alerts & site updates.
National League Rookie of the Year
After walking through the player pool for the fantasy baseball season, it’s time to switch gears to the betting market. My first stop is the National League Rookie of the Year awards. I used DraftKings Sportsbook as my point of reference for each player’s odds. Before we look at my National League Rookie of the Year candidates, please familiarize yourself with my 2023 fade list. Also, my 2023 bounce-back players , deep sleepers, breakout hitter of the year, and extensive preview of all 30 squads are invaluable resources. Finally, our 2023 MLB breakout pitchers list digs deep to give you an edge on draft day. And, of course, read who I picked to be the American League Rookie of the Year. 3B Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals (+360) After making the Cardinals’ opening-day roster, Walker is the clear favorite to be the best rookie in the National League in 2023. He is a beast of a man who should have four-category success out of the gate. Walker smashes the ball, and many of his line drives will also league the park. I expect some early-season potholes, but his swing and stats should shine brightly after the season. Walker was also my breakout hitter of the year. OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks (+400) Diamondback fans should fall in love with Carroll this year. His speed is electric, and his power will be much better than most believe. If he shaves off a few strikeouts, his batting average will also become a massive edge. I expect him to play well in his rookie campaign, and I wish I had him on more teams. I consider him on a similar path as Bobby Witt in 2022 while needing to prove he can stay on the field for 150 games at the major league level. 1B Miguel Vargas, Los Angeles Dodgers (+700) There is a lot to like about the future of Vargas. He was well respected in the high-stake drafts in Vegas, and I expect him to hit in a favorable part of the Dodgers’ batting order. His challenge in winning this award is that Jordan Walker and Corbin Carroll have a chance to post eye-popping stats, while Vargas projects to be a high-floor five-category player. On his side of the equation, he may outlast play them in volume of at-bats. OF Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers (+3,000) Mitchell doesn’t get the attention of the top three players on this list, but he does have plenty of talent while offering elite speed and defense. In addition, his size (6’3” and 215 lbs.) screams much more power once he adds more loft. His first step in improvement at the major league is controlling the strike zone better. Mitchell needs to work his way up the Brewers’ batting order to increase his chance of winning. SP Kyle Harrison, San Francisco Giants (+6000) Harrison falls into the dark horse category for rookie of the year because he will start the season in the minors. If and when he makes the Giants’ starting rotation, his edge will be his ability to pile up massive strikeouts. His command wasn’t major league ready last year, inviting some up-and-down games once he reaches San Francisco. To read all the MLB TeamOutlooks detailed and analyzed by a high-stakes fantasy baseball legend, become a member today! You can either buy all the Outlooks as a downloadable for a one-time discounted price of $30 or Join the FullTime fam with a Monthly, 6-Month, or Annual Membership which includes everything we do for ALL SPORTS! This week only, use PROMO: SHAWN23 for an additional 15% off any package!3 GET THE UPDATES! Turn on your email notifications for Breaking Fantasy news alerts & site updates.
2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Pitchers
Opening Day is right around the corner. That means it is fantasy baseball draft season! The best way to prepare for your draft is with accurate and updated projections. Our 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Pitchers previews all pitchers with insight from our exclusive FPGscore metric. FPGscore is a deep-diving exclusive metric that analyzes a player’s value relative to their production. It is just the kind of tool the well-prepared drafter needs in their arsenal. And, it can make all the diference on drat day. Here are FullTime Fantasy’s 2023 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Pitchers. Exclusive for FullTime Fantasy Members. Starting Pitchers To read all the MLB TeamOutlooks detailed and analyzed by a high-stakes fantasy baseball legend, become a member today! You can either buy all the Outlooks as a downloadable for a one-time discounted price of $30 or Join the FullTime fam with a Monthly, 6-Month, or Annual Membership which includes everything we do for ALL SPORTS! This week only, use PROMO: SHAWN23, for an additional 15% off any package! GET THE UPDATES! Turn on your email notifications for Breaking Fantasy news alerts & site updates.
American League Rookie of the Year
After walking through the player pool for the fantasy baseball season, it’s time to switch gears to the betting market. My first stop is the American League Rookie of the Year awards. I used DraftKings Sportsbook as my point of reference for each player’s odds. Before we look at my American League Rookie of the Year candidates, please familiarize yourself with my 2023 fade list. Also, my 2023 bounce-back players , deep sleepers, breakout hitter of the year, and extensive preview of all 30 squads are invaluable resources. Finally, our 2023 MLB breakout pitchers list digs deep to give you an edge on draft day. 3B Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles (+225) Henderson is an enticing player this year while looking like he has a clear path to a starting job for the Orioles. He projects to have a 20/20 skill set out of the gate, but I question his ability to control the strike zone. I have him in the fade column in the fantasy market due to his draft cost, which also means I’m looking to beat him in this category based on his low odds. OF Masataka Yoshida, Boston Red Sox (+600) Yoshida has a proven floor in Japan and shined in the World Baseball Classic in March. I don’t see impact power with questionable upside in speed, requiring him to gain his edge by volume of at-bats in his rookie season in the United States. However, his approach grades well, indicating strength in his batting average. SS Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees (+750) A hot spring training and the New York fan base have pushed Volpe to the third betting chance over the last week or so. He looks poised to start the year with the Yankees, but Volpe must hit to keep the job. His glove and defense don’t have the edge over Oswaldo Peraza. Volpe brings a high upside in steals with a flyball swing path to the majors. There will be a learning curve in the majors, but I like his chances better than Gunnar Henderson if he sticks with New York all season. 1B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox (+800) After researching Casas, I took the stance that Boston would use him as a platoon hitter until he improves against left-handed pitching. I like his expected power, but this game isn’t ready to make an impact in 2023. Casas could hit more than 20 home runs with 450 at-bats, but the overall depth of his production probably won’t be high enough to beat the best first-time players in the American League. SP Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles (+1,000) I expect Rodriguez to hit the ground running in his rookie campaign, but the length of his innings pitched could lead to him pitching minimally in September while his top competition for this award gains momentum late in the season. His odds and potential ceiling pair up well in the betting market. Long Shot: DraftKings doesn’t have OF Esteury Ruiz of the Oakland A’s listed on the site, but I saw a +5,000 line at MGM Bet at the Mirage, and the Venetian’s sportsbook had Ruiz listed at +7,500 on their betting sheet (not sure of his actual odds at their location). Either way, Ruiz has impact speed, giving him a chance to lead the American League in stolen bases. In addition, he should handle the strike zone while also offering double-digit power. He is the player I’ll bet on in this category while I’m in Las Vegas to draft in the high-stakes market. To read all the MLB TeamOutlooks detailed and analyzed by a high-stakes fantasy baseball legend, become a member today! You can either buy all the Outlooks as a downloadable for a one-time discounted price of $30 or Join the FullTime fam with a Monthly, 6-Month, or Annual Membership which includes everything we do for ALL SPORTS! This week only, use PROMO: SHAWN23 for an additional 15% off any package!3 GET THE UPDATES! Turn on your email notifications for Breaking Fantasy news alerts & site updates.
Fantasy Baseball Saves Strategy
Wins may be the most challenging part of fantasy baseball, but closers are the most infuriating. I have difficulty using a high draft pick on a one-category player on draft day. Also, I prefer to avoid chasing closers and closers-in-waiting
To get an idea of what you’ll be diving into, you can read either of the two unlocked outlooks here:
BALTIMORE ORIOLES – BOSTON RED SOX
You can either buy all the Outlooks as a downloadable for a one-time discounted price of $30 or Join the FullTime fam with a Monthly, 6-Month, or Annual Membership which includes everything we do for ALL SPORTS!
This week only, use PROMO: SHAWN23, for an additional 15% off any package!