Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 NCAA Tournament Picks: East and Midwest Regions (plus Final Four and Championship Round)

The most exciting tournament in sports needs no introduction. But I’ll give it one anyway, not because it needs one, but because it deserves one … March Madness is here! And that means the national gross domestic product is about to grind to a halt as every man, woman, and child gives their undivided attention to college basketball. Leading up to the tournament, I’ll be going through each region with my final four pick, sleeper team, and bracket buster. Today we finish with the East and Midwest regions. The Final Four and Championship round predictions are included as well. Enjoy the mayhem, everyone!

East Region

Final Four Pick: West Virginia Mountaineers (#3 seed)

West Virginia is a defensive juggernaut, ranking 6th in the country in defensive efficiency and 1st in steals per game (9.9). Led by veteran coach Bob Huggins, they wear opponents down with their relentless full court pressure and deep rotation. The Mountaineers are battle tested, with signature wins against Oklahoma and #1 overall seed Kansas. They are a poor 3-point shooting team and can hit some offensive slumps, but their standout defense is enough to carry them past the other good, but not great teams in the East region.

Sleeper: Wisconsin Badgers (#7 seed)

No longer seeing longtime coach Bo Ryan stalk the sidelines for Wisconsin might look weird, but this is still the same old team. They play at a glacially slow pace, and play strong defense. After a rough start, the Badgers turned their season around by finishing 11-2, before losing in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. With wins against Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland, Wisconsin can beat anyone in the country.

Bracket Buster: None

The bracket buster in the East region will be that there is no bracket buster. In other words, picking a Cinderella team will bust your bracket.

Midwest Region

Final Four Pick: Michigan State Spartans (#2 seed)

Michigan State does everything well that you would want a team that is about to make a long NCAA tournament run to do well. They led the nation in 3-point shooting percentage (44.5%) and assists per game (20.7), ranked 2nd in opponents shooting percentage (37.7%), and ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency. They have a dominating player in Denzel Valentine, and one of the best coaches in the county in Tom Izzo. Bet against the Spartans at your own risk.

Sleeper: Purdue Boilermakers (#5 seed)

Purdue has a huge team, led by 7-foot center A.J. Hammons (15.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.5 bpg). They rebound very well, hit their free throws, and ranked 30th in the nation in opponents 3-point shooting percentage (31.1%). Victories against Wisconsin, Maryland, and Michigan State prove they can beat anybody. They don’t shoot the three well and can be prone to droughts, but if the outside shot is falling, Purdue has all the ingredients to make a surprise run.

Bracket Buster: Gonzaga Bulldogs (#11 seed)

Former Cinderella turned perennial powerhouse, Gonzaga finds themselves back in familiar position of being the underdog. But not really, because Vegas has them favored to beat Seton Hall in the first round. Nice job selection committee. But a #11 seed is in bracket buster territory, and you know what they say, if the shoe fits … no need to buy other shoes. The Bulldogs are led by senior Kyle Wiltjer (20.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and the emotional powder keg Domantas Sabonis (17.4 ppg, 11.6 rpg), son of legend Arvydas Sabonis. They don’t have any signature wins, and didn’t have a particularly great season, but their dominant frontcourt will be very hard to topple.

Final Four and Championship round

Kansas and Michigan State are the class of college basketball this season. They are both well rounded teams that can beat you in a variety of ways (inside scoring, outside scoring, defense). They have the perfect combination of talent, veteran leadership, and coaching that looks like it will lead straight to a collision course in the Championship round. And that should be one hell of a game. Michigan State beat Kansas 79-73 way back in November, and I’ll take them to win again, this time 76-74 in an instant classic.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 NCAA Tournament Picks: West Region

The most exciting tournament in sports needs no introduction. But I’ll give it one anyway, not because it needs one, but because it deserves one … March Madness is here! And that means the national gross domestic product is about to grind to a halt as every man, woman, and child gives their undivided attention to college basketball. Leading up to the tournament, I’ll be going through each region with my final four pick, sleeper team, and bracket buster. Today we focus on the West region.

Final Four Pick: Duke Blue Devils (#4 seed)

In a relatively weak West region, where every team is vulnerable, I’ll put my money on the best talent. And Duke is stacked, with possible future #1 overall pick in the NBA draft Brandon Ingram, stud guard Grayson Allen, and yet another Plumlee brother patrolling the paint. The talent is not only on the court, as they also have one of the best college basketball coaches in the history of the sport, in Mike Krzyzewski. They only go about 6 deep, and struggled at points this season, but the combination of top talent and top coaching is too much to ignore.

Sleeper: St. Joseph’s Hawks (#8 seed)

St. Joseph’s has a veteran laden team, led by senior forward Isaiah Miles (18.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and junior forward DeAndre Bembry (16.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.5 apg). They don’t turn the ball over, hold opponents to just 29.5% from three, and allow few second chance opportunities. In other words, they don’t beat themselves. And in a region where every top team has been prone to lapses this season, a veteran team that limits mistakes can be a problem.

Bracket Buster: VCU Rams (#10 seed)

VCU and St. Joseph’s are both on the border between “sleepers” and “bracket busters.” I’m really not sure what category to put them in. Maybe a new category, “sleeping busters,” would be more appropriate? Or maybe not. Either way, the Shaka Smart-less Rams still play their signature style of swarming defense, ranking 16th in the nation in defensive efficiency. They force turnovers, shoot 36% from three, and pound the offensive glass. Senior guard Melvin Johnson (17.8 ppg, 39.5% 3-pt) is their lone offensive standout, but this team feeds off their defense. We have seen VCU make a run before, and the opportunity is there for them to make some noise again.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 NCAA Tournament Picks: South Region

The most exciting tournament in sports needs no introduction. But I’ll give it one anyway, not because it needs one, but because it deserves one … March Madness is here! And that means the national gross domestic product is about to grind to a halt, as every man, woman, and child gives their undivided attention to college basketball. Leading up to the tournament, I’ll be going through each region with my final four pick, sleeper team, and bracket buster. We start with the South region.

Final Four Pick: Kansas Jayhawks (#1 seed)

Kansas enters the NCAA tournament on a 14-game winning streak, having won the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament championship. They can beat you from the inside with 6’8’’ senior forward Perry Ellis, or from the outside with any of their five 40%+ 3-point shooters. Their strength of schedule rated as the very toughest in the country, and they led the nation in wins vs. top 50 RPI opponents with 15. The selection committee deservedly rewarded Kansas with the #1 overall seed in the tournament.

Sleeper: Arizona Wildcats (#6 seed)

Everyone seems to be down on Arizona, but this is a deep team who ranks in the top 35 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. On the inside, they can attack you with talented senior forward Ryan Anderson, or seven-foot senior center Kaleb Tarczewski. As a team, they shot over 40% from three in the Pac-12. Many have Maryland as the team to watch in the South region, but I think Arizona is the real sleeper.

Bracket Buster: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (#13 seed)

Hawaii excels on the defensive end, holding opponents to just 31.3% shooting from 3-point range, and 43.8% from two. Offensively, they are most effective when attacking the interior of a defense. They jack up plenty of threes, as well, but do not hit a great percentage from there. The star of the team is 6’11’’ stretch four Stefan Jankovic, who led the team in points, rebounds, and blocks, while also shooting 39% from three. Hawaii is going to be a tough out even if the 3-point shot isn’t falling, but if the 3’s are dropping, watch out.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 250 and Complete Positional Rankings

The 2016 fantasy baseball rankings are now complete! Which means drafting season is right around the corner for most leagues. This post has the top 250 overall, and links to all the positional rankings. Good luck!

2016 Fantasy Baseball Positional Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/(Top 100)/Closers

1) Mike Trout LAA, OF – More like Mike Shark, amiright? Might not finish #1, but is the safest choice among the elites. 2016 Projection: 107/37/101/.294/13

2) Bryce Harper WASH, OF – New Kid on the Block, both at the top of these rankings, and his hair style. 2016 Projection: 112/39/96/.311/8

3) Paul Goldschmidt ARI, 1B – The gold standard. Wouldn’t argue if he was taken 1st overall. 2016 Projection: 101/31/115/.308/17

4) Carlos Correa HOU, SS – The dawn of the new power hitting SS era begins with Correa, and not a moment too soon, as SS production was getting brutal to watch. 2016 Projection: 88/28/96/.283/21 (Update: I wrote up The Argument for Carlos Correa at #4 Overall)

5) Manny Machado BAL, SS/3B – Every bit the phenom Correa is. 7 games played at SS in 2015. 2016 Projection: 94/31/89/.281/15

6) Andrew McCutchen PIT, OF – Holding on for dear life to the #6 spot, as there is large shadow looming, literally and figuratively, right behind him at #7. 2016 Projection: 93/22/90/.300/14

7) Giancarlo Stanton MIA, OF – If you were betting on the player most likely to break Barry Bonds home run record, Stanton would be your guy. 2016 Projection: 87/41/104/.269/7

8) Miguel Cabrera DET­, 1B – Many are worried about Cabrera’s health, but he is completely healthy coming into 2016. He feels good, strong, and like he can do anything. He told reporters earlier this off-season, “I feel good. I feel strong, like I can do anything.” 2016 Projection: 98/30/112/.324/3

9) Anthony Rizzo CHI-NL, 1B – Everyone’s favorite shiny new toy. But just can’t bump him over Cabrera quite yet. Still a 5-category beast. 2016 Projection: 99/33/108/.285/12

10) Josh Donaldson TOR, 3B – Billy Beane got robbed. 2016 Projection: 112/34/107/.285/5

11) Nolan Arenado COL, 3B – Jacked 42 homers in monster 2015. Expect more of the same in 2016. 2016 Projection: 92/35/116/.283/3

12) Clayton Kershaw LAD, SP – What can I say that hasn’t already been said? 2016 Projection: 19/2.23/0.91/249

13) Kris Bryant CHI-NL, 3B/OF – Has the talent to legitimately finish #1 overall. Strikeouts keep him at #13. 2016 Projection: 90/32/108/.273/11

14) Jose Altuve HOU, 2B – Added power to his already impressive hitting profile last season. 2016 Projection: 90/14/64/.309/36

15) Jose Bautista TOR, OF – Playing the role of the grumpy old man in the media recently, but he keeps puttting up young man numbers. 2016 Projection: 100/38/102/.260/5

16) Edwin Encarnacion TOR, 1B – Coin flip between Encarnacion and Chris Davis for this spot. Both are going to mash. Davis will give you a few more homers, Encarnacion a better AVG. 2016 Projection: 94/37/110/.271/3

17) Chris Davis BAL, 1B/OF – Look up one inch. 2016 Projection: 97/42/118/.258/2

18) Mookie Betts BOS, OF – Strong 5-category production with upside for even more. 2016 Projection: 96/16/74/.295/23

19) Starling Marte PIT, OF – Look up one inch. 2016 Projection: 86/17/79/.283/30

20) Charlie Blackmon COL, OF – Look up two inches. 2016 Projection: 91/16/63/.289/31

21) Max Scherzer WASH, SP – Will singlehandedly carry you in K’s. 2016 Projection: 16/2.88/0.99/263

22) Joey Votto CIN, 1B – The Reds are crumbling around him, but I’m not letting a guy who just put up a 1.000 OPS fall beyond this point. 2016 Projection: 95/28/85/.310/8

23) J.D. Martinez DET, OF – Joined the power elite after jacking 38 homers in 2015. 2016 Projection: 88/33/100/.280/4

24) Nelson Cruz SEA, OF – About that power decline we all expected to happen after his move to Seattle, yeah, it never happened. Crushed 84 bombs in his last two seasons combined. 2016 Projection: 86/36/97/.278/4

25) Jose Abreu CHI-AL, 1B – A bit of an unknown compared to the sluggers ranked ahead of him. Still provides elite upside. 2016 Projection: 89/33/108/.288/1

26) Jake Arrieta CHI-NL, SP – Was his 1.77 ERA low enough to convince you his 2014 breakout was for real? 2016 Projection: 18/2.69/1.02/210

27) Dee Gordon MIA, 2B – Established himself as the real deal in 2015, but don’t expect him to keep up that .333 AVG. 2016 Projection: 85/5/49/.301/52

28) Madison Bumgarner SFG, SP – Bumgarner gets a slight edge over Sale due to his far superior pitching conditions. 2016 Projection: 17/2.90/1.07/221

29) Chris Sale CHI-AL, SP – Ballpark and Chicago’s poor defense are the only things keeping him from ranking even higher on this list. 2016 Projection: 14/3.10/1.06/242

30) George Springer HOU, OF – Some injury and strikeout concerns, but has easy 20/20 potential. 2016 Projection: 90/27/78/.264/21

31) Todd Frazier CHI-AL, 3B – The trade to Chicago doesn’t move the needle much in either direction. 4-category player with a low AVG. 2016 Projection: 81/30/93/.260/11

32) Matt Harvey NYM, SP – After shaking off the rust coming back from Tommy John surgery, Harvey put up a pitching line of 2.19/0.92/79 in 78 IP after the all-star break. 2016 Projection: 16/2.79/1.05/208

33) Jacob deGrom NYM, SP – Like Arrieta, actually improved on his 2014 breakout. 2016 Projection: 14/2.96/1.08/202

34) Corey Kluber CLE, SP – Bad luck and poor defense might have been the reasons for his bloated 3.49 ERA vs. his 2.97 FIP. I’m betting that his FIP is the better indicator for next season. 2016 Projection: 13/3.00/1.09/227

35) Stephen Strasburg WASH, SP – Contract year. Injury plagued 2015, but his 1.90/0.75/92 pitching line in 66.1 IP post all-star break gives you an idea of his insane potential. 2016 Projection: 14/2.99/1.08/218

36) David Price BOS, SP – Price was right for Price this offseason, scoring a $217 million contract with Boston. Has already more than proven himself in the AL East and in hitter’s parks. 2016 Projection: 16/3.19/1.12/207

37) Noah Syndergaard NYM, SP – Thor laid the hammer down on the league in his rookie season. Expect more of the same in year two, if not better. 2016 Projection: 14/3.09/1.10/211

38) Jose Fernandez MIA, SP – Might be on a soft innings limit after pitching only 51.2 IP in 2014 and 64.2 IP in 2015. The fact he still ranks 39th shows how dominant he is. 2016 Projection: 11/2.76/1.08/193

39) Gerrit Cole PIT, SP – Made the jump last season into Ace status. I wouldn’t expect a 2.60 ERA again, though. 2016 Projection: 15/3.24/1.13/198

40) Chris Archer TB, SP – Second half collapse is worrisome, but those 252 strikeouts sure do look nice. 2016 Projection: 14/3.30/1.16/213

41) Carlos Carrasco CLE, SP – Another Cleveland pitcher with a bloated ERA (3.63) compared to his FIP (2.84). 2016 Projection: 13/3.29/1.08/210

42) Buster Posey SFG, C – Best catcher in baseball, in real life and fantasy. 2016 Projection: 73/21/90/.312/2

43) Ryan Braun MIL, OF – Bounce back season in 2015. Rebuilding Brewers will have him on the trade block all season. 2016 Projection: 81/26/80/.283/16

44) Adam Jones BAL, OF – Down-ish year in 2015 has dropped his stock a bit. It probably shouldn’t have. 2016 Projection: 87/28/94/.279/6

45) Carlos Gonzalez COL, OF – Won the Russian roulette game of which Colorado outfielders would not get traded (sorry Corey Dickerson, you are dead to me). 2016 Projection: 85/29/90/.281/5

46) Justin Upton DET, OF – His 2011 “breakout” season is looking more and more like a career year. Still a productive fantasy player. 2016 Projection: 88/26/83/.268/12

47) Carlos Gomez HOU, OF – Should bounce back after injury riddled 2015. 2016 Projection: 81/19/75/.265/26

48) Lorenzo Cain KC, OF – A.J. Pollock lite. And maybe not even all that lite. 2016 Projection: 84/14/67/.296/26

49) Jason Heyward CHI-NL, OF – Justin Upton’s career doppelganger, except with less power and more speed. People are still waiting for that 2012 “breakout” to stand up. 2016 Projection: 81/15/72/.282/22

50) Felix Hernandez SEA, SP – There are whispers his 2015 troubles were due to an ankle injury. Some think it was the 2,262.1 career IP catching up to him. Whatever it was, I’m not writing him off, but also not expecting a full bounce back. 2016 Projection: 15/3.25/1.16/204

51) Zack Greinke ARI, SP – Moving from a pitcher’s park to a hitter’s park. Not overpaying for his career year. 2016 Projection: 16/3.15/1.18/192

52) Dallas Keuchel HOU, SP – Doesn’t have the strikeout upside of the pitchers ranked above him, but should receive plenty of run support from the strong Houston lineup. 2016 Projection: 17/3.27/1.19/181

53) Troy Tulowitzki TOR, SS – A move away from Coors, advancing age, and a cracked shoulder blade in 2015 are all good reasons to stay away from Tulo. On the flip side, he will be hitting in the middle of a loaded Toronto lineup, and the Rogers Center is a good hitter’s ballpark as well. 2016 Projection: 81/23/90/.283/3

54) Robinson Cano SEA, 2B – Triple-slashed, .331/.387/.540, with 15 homers post all-star break. I’m smelling a bounce back season. 2016 Projection: 83/22/91/.293/4

55) Jon Lester CHI-NL, SP – Safe pick. Started 30+ games 8 years in a row. Should enjoy strong run support as well. 2016 Projection: 16/3.25/1.15/194

56) Xander Bogaerts BOS, SS – Expect more power and less AVG this season. 2016 Projection: 84/14/80/.293/8

57) Kyle Schwarber CHC, C/OF – Great ballpark. Great line-up. 16 homers in only 273 PA in 2015. 5 homers in 31 postseason PA. 2016 Projection: 71/27/89/.254/4

58) Miguel Sano MIN, 3B – Like Schwarber, the strikeouts create some risk, but the upside is elite. 9 games at 3B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 82/29/91/.255/5

59) Matt Carpenter STL, 2B/3B – Hit 28 homers last season, after hitting 25 total homers in his career up until that point. The power is for real, but don’t expect 28 again. Played 11 games at 2B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 97/21/79/.277/3

60) Eric Hosmer KC, 1B – Broke out (again) last season. I’m betting on it sticking this time. 2016 Projection: 93/20/92/.290/8

61) Corey Seager LAD, SS – The #1 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post. Players seem to be hitting their primes earlier and earlier these days, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Seager hits the ground running in his official rookie season. 2016 Projection: 82/19/82/.277/7

62) Francisco Lindor CLE, SS – Doesn’t have the offensive upside of the SS’s ranked above him, but he is no slouch. Hit .313, with 12 homers, and 12 steals in 99 MLB games last season. 2016 Projection: 82/14/68/.274/18

63) Brain Dozier MIN, 2B – Gives you everything but AVG. 2016 Projection: 92/23/79/.245/13

64) Anthony Rendon WASH, 2B,3B – Expected to be fully healthy coming into this season. Should bounce back from his injury riddled 2015. 2016 Projection: 87/19/77/.284/9

65) Rougned Odor TEX, 2B – Everyone’s favorite sleeper, and it is easy to see why. Hit 12 homers in only 68 post all-star break games as a 21-year-old. 2016 Projection: 80/20/76/.271/10

66) Yoenis Cespedes NYM, OF – Not completely buying into the Cespedes who absolutely mashed for the Mets in 2015. 2016 Projection: 78/26/88/.274/7

67) Matt Kemp SD, OF – I feel like I want to rank him lower, but the power numbers are still strong. There is something about being a San Diego Padres hitter that makes me want to forget about you. Maybe it’s just me. 2016 Projection: 74/24/87/.277/10

68) Hunter Pence SFG, OF – Underrated after playing in only 52 games last season. Across the board production. 2016 Projection: 76/23/81/.276/11

69) Yasiel Puig LAD, OF – High risk, high reward. Talent to legitimately finish top 10 overall. 2016 Projection: 83/22/74/.280/8

70) Tyson Ross SD, SP – Still has not overcome his control issues, but he racks up K’s and limits home runs. 2016 Projection: 11/3.32/1.23/201

71) Cole Hamels TEX, SP – The league switch and advancing age limits his upside. Still a safe pick to be a strong #2 fantasy starter. 2016 Projection: 13/3.43/1.17/192

72) Danny Salazar CLE, SP – Finally a Cleveland pitcher whose ERA (3.45) was better than his FIP (3.62). Has the strikeout upside fantasy owners love. 2016 Projection: 12/3.40/1.17/198

73) Gregory Polanco PIT, OF – Relatively high floor with a huge ceiling. I’m buying. 2016 Projection: 86/14/59/.275/25

74) Adrian Beltre TEX, 3B – Triple-slashed, .318/.376/.509, and hit 11 homers in 74 2nd half games. Don’t stick a fork in him just yet. 2016 Projection: 80/22/88/.290/1

75) Adrian Gonzalez LAD, 1B – Safe and unexciting. Consistently good hitter in the middle of a good lineup. 2016 Projection: 82/26/98/.280/1

76) Albert Pujols LAA, 1B – The elite all-time greats like Pujols can defy the typical aging curve. He is ahead of schedule coming back from off-season foot surgery, and might be ready for opening day. 2016 Projection: 79/32/93/.263/3

77) Prince Fielder TEX, 1B ­– Logged 18 games at 1B last year. The weirdest mix of upside, downside, and reliability, if that makes any sense. 2016 Projection: 80/26/100/.283/0

78) Jacoby Ellsbury NYY, OF ­– Betting on his health is a roll of the dice, but when healthy, he is a fantasy stud. 2016 Projection: 89/11/55/.273/31

79) Sonny Gray OAK, SP – 2.73 ERA. 3.45 FIP. Second year in a row he outperformed his FIP, so I wouldn’t expect him to fall off a cliff in 2016. 2016 Projection: 11/3.31/1.15/177

80) Adam Wainwright STL, SP – If you have any doubt about Wainwright’s ability to make a full comeback this season, you have to check out this quick radio interview (which I discovered on Reddit’s fantasy baseball forum). 2016 Projection: 14/3.27/1.15/169

81) Johnny Cueto SFG, SP – Fell off a cliff after the trade to Kansas City. The move back to the NL and a pitcher’s park somewhat revives his fantasy value. 2016 Projection: 13/3.30/1.12/173

82) Ian Desmond TEX, SS – Signed with Texas to be their starting LF. Presents an enticing power/speed combo. 2016 Projection: 71/21/77/.261/12

83) David Ortiz BOS, 1B – 9 GS at 1B in 2015. Age defying beast. Ride him into the sunset. 2016 Projection: 71/31/101/.271/0

84) Freddie Freeman ATL, 1B – Talented young hitter who would rank higher if he was hitting in the middle of a better lineup. 2016 Projection: 78/24/89/.287/3

85) Kyle Seager SEA – Set it and forget it. Model of consistency.  2016 Projection: 82/25/77/.267/7

86) Christian Yelich MIA, OF – Another youngster with a safe floor and high ceiling. Will most likely hit in front of Giancarlo Stanton and behind Dee Gordon. 2016 Projection: 82/12/63/.288/19

87) Kenley Jansen LAD, RP – Almost lost his job amidst the Aroldis Chapman circus this offseason, but was spared at the last moment. 2016 Projection: 3/2.42/0.93/40/92

88) Craig Kimbrel BOS, RP – Atlanta, San Diego, Boston … doesn’t matter. Elite closer anywhere. 2016 Projection: 3/2.29/0.97/37/90

89) Wade Davis KC, RP – K’s were down last season compared to his 2014 breakout, but it didn’t seem to affect him all that much. He actually improved. 2016 Projection: 4/2.35/0.99/37/83

90) Brett Gardner NYY, OF – Fell apart in the 2nd half after wrist injury. There is some sneaky upside here. 2016 Projection: 85/15/65/.263/23

91) Brandon Belt SFG, 1B/OF – Solid across the board production, but does not standout in any category. 2016 Projection: 78/20/80/.278/8

92) Kendrys Morales KC, 1B – Proved last season that his horrible 2014 was just a fluke. Hits in the middle of a strong KC lineup. 9 GS at 1B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 75/23/94/.280/0

93) Francisco Liriano PIT, SP – Inconsistent and injury prone, but those strikeouts are too enticing to pass up. 2016 Projection: 12/3.44/1.25/178

94) Masahiro Tanaka NYY, SP – Not going to let a little torn UCL scare me off. Willing to take the risk for his upside. 2016 Projection: 14/3.40/1.09/163

95) Michael Brantley CLE, OF – Rehab is ahead of schedule after off season shoulder surgery, but will still need a DL stint to start the season. There is concern the injury might sap some of his power. 2016 Projection: 68/14/74/.294/12

96) Michael Wacha STL, SP – Collapsed in September, pitching to a 7.88 ERA. Could have been due to fatigue after reaching a career high in IP. 2016 Projection: 13/3.41/1.18/162

97) Carlos Martinez STL, SP – Draws comparisons to Pedro Martinez, mostly because of his size, but his stuff isn’t too far off either. 2016 Projection: 12/3.40/1.27/179

98) Ian Kinsler DET, 2B – Just keeps on chugging, putting up another top 5 2B finish last season. Should continue to rack up strong counting stats hitting atop Detroit’s lineup. 2016 Projection: 95/14/72/.283/9

99) Maikel Franco PHI, 3B – Talented young slugger. Hitting in the weak Phillies lineup drops him a bit. 2016 Projection: 76/23/87/.274/3

100) Garrett Richards LAA, SP – Coming off a torn knee ligament, Richards didn’t have the season many were hoping for in 2015. The ingredients are still there for him to put it together in 2016. 2016 Projection: 13/3.52/1.22/175

101) Michael Pineda NYY, SP – FIP (3.34) was much better than his ERA (4.37). Still some injury risk stemming from his 2012 shoulder surgery. 2016 Projection: 12/3.48/1.14/168

102) Drew Smyly TB, SP – Injury plagued 2015, but showed enormous promise when he did pitch. 2016 Projection: 10/3.39/1.18/157

103) Jeff Samardzija SFG, SP – Had a complete meltdown in 2015. The stuff is the same, so I expect him to get it back together this season. 2016 Projection: 13/3.68/1.23/180

104) Steven Matz NYM, SP – Wrote about Matz in my Matz vs. Severino article. 2016 Projection: 12/3.49/1.23/156

105) Marcus Stroman TOR, SP – Didn’t seem any worse for the wear after returning from a torn ACL in September. Recommence the hype train. 2016 Projection: 13/3.57/1.20/160

106) Yordano Ventura KC, SP – Roller coaster 2015, but finished strongish with a 3.56/1.32/98 pitching line in 91 IP post all-star break. 2016 Projection: 13/3.56/1.28/166

107) Julio Teheran ATL, SP – After starting his career on fire his first two seasons, hit a small road block last year. Potential remains the same. 2016 Projection: 10/3.53/1.21/175

108) Trevor Rosenthal STL, RP – Saved 93 games in his last two seasons combined. It’s hard to predict saves, but Rosenthal is a good bet to lead the league. 2016 Projection: 2/2.59/1.23/43/89

109) Jeurys Familia NYM, RP – Breakout closer of 2015. K’s ticked up in the 2nd half too (43 K’s in 34.2 IP). 2016 Projection: 2/2.64/1.11/39/78

110) Zach Britton BAL, RP – Added more K’s last season to solidify his spot as one of the best closers in baseball. 2016 Projection: 3/2.68/1.07/35/71

111) Brian McCann NYY, C– Not a sexy name anymore, but still a lock to launch 20+ homers hitting in Yankee Stadium. 2016 Projection: 62/24/81/.240/0

112) Aroldis Chapman NYY, RP – Suspended for 30 games. Andrew Miller will close in his absence. Joe Girardi likes his relievers to have set roles, so I wouldn’t worry too much about Miller or Betances poaching too many saves upon his return. 2016 Projection: 2/2.24/1.05/30/92

113) Lance McCullers HOU, SP – (Update: Expected to begin the season on the DL after experiencing shoulder soreness. Return date is uncertain, but he is not expected to miss an extended period of time.) Strong rookie season, but I’m not expecting a full repeat. 2016 Projection: 12/3.62/1.27/159

114) Evan Longoria TB, 3B – At one point it looked like he was on his way to being one of the best players in baseball, but it was not to be. Still a good player. 2016 Projection: 73/24/84/.267/2

115) Mike Moustakas KC, 3B – Finally had the breakout everyone was waiting for. Launched 15 homers in 69 2nd half games. 2016 Projection: 71/23/85/.272/1

116) Jung-ho Kang PIT, SS/3B – Wrote a Jung-ho Kang, 2016 Fantasy Sleeper post. 2016 Projection: 70/20/70/.284/4

117) Addison Russell CHI-NL, SS/2B – Consensus top 10 prospect last year. Didn’t set the league on fire like some of his fellow rookies, but hit much better in the 2nd half. I’m buying his upside. 2016 Projection: 72/18/72/.268/10

118) Jason Kipnis CLE, 2B – Can’t count on him to really produce in any category except runs. I’m likely passing this year. 2016 Projection: 84/11/65/.272/14

119) Shin-soo Choo CLE – Bounced back to normal self last season except for the stolen bases. 2016 Projection: 86/19/72/.273/5

120) Hanley Ramirez BOS – Owning Ramirez is like a roller coaster ride, but his 5-category upside is worth it at this point in the rankings. 2016 Projection: 70/20/76/.270/10

121) Curtis Granderson NYM – Solid 4-category production with a low AVG. 2016 Projection: 84/22/69/.252/9

122) Raisel Iglesias CIN, SP – Everyone’s favorite sleeper that nobody is sleeping on. 2016 Projection: 10/3.63/1.23/175

123) Cody Allen CLE, RP – Has a legitimate chance of breaking into the elite closer tier this season. 2016 Projection: 3/2.79/1.13/34/90

124) David Robertson CHI-AL, RP – Safe pick with elite K upside. Had a bloated ERA the past two seasons compared to his FIP. 2016 Projection: 4/2.95/1.09/35/84

125) Mark Melancon PIT, RP – Everything but K’s. 2016 Projection: 3/2.71/1.02/42/66

126) Mark Teixeira NYY, 1B – Was enjoying a bounce back season in 2015 before fracturing his shin. Great source of affordable power if he can stay healthy. 2016 Projection: 76/30/95/.252/1

127) Ben Revere WASH, OF – Traditional leadoff hitter. 2016 Projection: 79/2/47/.297/33

128) Billy Hamilton CIN, OF – Nothing but steals. Lots and lots of steals. 2016 Projection: 66/7/38/.251/51

129) Joc Pederson LAD, OF – Dismal 2nd half last season, but he has too much upside to let fall beyond this point. 2016 Projection: 76/23/69/.246/12

130) Byron Buxton MIN, OF – The #2 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post. Starling Marte if everything goes right, back to the minors if it goes wrong. 2016 Projection: 79/13/60/.264/23

131) Dexter Fowler CHI-NL, OF – Moderate power/speed combo hitting atop Chicago’s stacked lineup. 2016 Projection: 87/14/46/.258/16

132) Adam Eaton CHI-AL, OF – Breakout season in 2015, but I’m not betting on a full repeat. 2016 Projection: 88/10/52/.286/14

133) Byung-ho Park MIN, 1B – Jung-ho Kang’s success last season has raised the expectations for Park coming into 2016. Park smashed 105 homers his last two seasons combined in Korea. 2016 Projection: 76/23/81/.269/5

134) Lucas Duda NYM, 1B – Homers and RBI’s. Not much else. 2016 Projection: 72/28/90/.247/1

135) Kole Calhoun LAA, OF – Low risk power bat. 2016 Projection: 77/21/74/.266/3

136) David Peralta ARI, OF – Safe across the board production. 2016 Projection: 74/15/68/.288/9

137) Gerardo Parra COL, OF – The move to Coors should give his AVG and power a slight bump. 2016 Projection: 73/13/64/.289/12

138) Alex Gordon KC, OF – Solid production, but the days of waiting for that true breakout are long over. 2016 Projection: 69/17/74/.269/6

139) Jose Quintana CHI-AL, SP – Safe and boring but he keeps getting the job done year after year. 2016 Projection: 11/3.51/1.25/172

140) Joe Ross WASH, SP – Tyson Ross’ little brother. Comes with the same nasty slider. 2016 Projections: 11/3.59/1.24/170

141) Hisashi Iwakuma SEA, SP – Age and injury concerns. Still put up a pitching line of 3.05/1.02/91 in 100.1 IP post all-star break. 2016 Projection: 12/3.45/1.11/155

142) Patrick Corbin ARI, SP – Came back strong from Tommy John surgery last season. Could take another step in 2016. 2016 Projection: 12/3.55/1.21/154

143) Justin Verlander DET, SP – Came back from the dead in 2015. Might have some juice left in him after all. 2016 Projection: 12/3.66/1.22/167

144) Jimmy Nelson MIL, SP – Wrote a Jimmy Nelson, 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper post. 2016 Projection: 10/3.51/1.25/178

145) Carlos Rodon CHI-AL, SP – Has serious control issues, but his strikeout potential is enormous. 2016 Projection: 11/3.69/1.30/182

146) Taijuan Walker SEA, SP – Another young starter with tons of upside. Had some issues with the long ball last season. 2016 Projection: 11/3.72/1.19/175

147) Luis Severino NYY, SP – Wrote about Severino in my Matz vs. Severino article. 2016 Projection: 12/3.68/1.26/158

148) Yu Darvish TEX, SP – Expected to miss the first two months of the season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. I’m betting on him to hit the ground running when he returns, but who really knows. 2016 Projection: 9/3.46/1.22/155

149) Salvador Perez KC, C – Perfect mix of upside and reliability. 2016 Projection: 60/20/75/.270/1

150) Travis D’Arnaud NYM, C – Don’t let the French name scare you off, D’Arnaud has elite power upside for a catcher. He hit 12 homers in 268 PA last season. With improved health, 2016 could be his coming out party. 2016 Projection: 59/23/70/.264/1

151) Starlin Castro NYY, SS – Hit .295 after making an adjustment to his batting stance in the 2nd half. Still only 26 years old, don’t write Castro off just yet. 2016 Projection: 74/14/71/.283/7

152) Elvis Andrus TEX, SS – I don’t see a late breakout coming, but still think he can be useful in fantasy. 2016 Projection: 71/8/66/.271/24

153) Jonathon Schoop BAL, 2B – Another popular sleeper pick. Smashed 15 homers in only 305 at-bats last season. 2016 Projection: 70/22/78/.255/4

154) Matt Duffy SFG, 2B/3B ­– Came out of nowhere to finish as a top 100 fantasy player. Should provide a little bit of everything. 9 games played at 2B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 70/11/67/.286/14

155) Daniel Murphy WASH, 2B/3B – Carried the Mets offense with his power explosion during the 2015 playoffs. He isn’t Babe Ruth, but there is a good chance he will set a career high in homers in 2016. 2016 Projection: 70/17/73/.287/5

156) David Wright NYM, 3B – 33 years old going on 40. Will be limited to 130 games this season. 2016 Projection: 77/18/73/.285/6

157) James Shields SD, SP – Had an extremely uncharacteristic 2015, seeing huge spikes in K’s and BB’s. Not exactly sure of what to expect in 2016. 2016 Projection: 12/3.70/1.26/184

158) John Lackey CHI-NL, SP – Put up a career best 2.77 ERA last season as a 36-year-old. Will now have the powerful Cubs offense for run support. 2016 Projection: 14/3.52/1.25/160

159) Scott Kazmir LAD, SP – Ride him in the first half, trade him at the deadline before the inevitable collapse. 2016 Projection: 12/3.43/1.20/164

160) Jaime Garcia STL, SP – Can’t stay healthy, but has a career pitching line of 3.31/1.26/573 in 724.1 IP. He isn’t going to strike many guys out, but the guy can pitch. 2016 Projection: 9/3.38/1.19/128

161) Jordan Zimmerman DET, SP – Was trending in the wrong direction even before the move out of the NL East. 2016 Projection: 13/3.62/1.24/155

162) Shelby Miller ARI, SP – The centerpiece in the trade heard round the world. Dave Stewart better hope he pitches better than my projection. 2016 Projection: 12/3.61/1.26/162

163) Wei-Yin Chen MIA, SP – Moving from a hitter’s park in the AL East to a pitcher’s park in the NL East. 2016 Projection: 11/3.43/1.20/158

164) Kenta Maeda LAD, SP – Total unknown. Wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up much better, or much worse than my projection. 2016 Projection: 12/3.55/1.23/157

165) Hector Rondon CHI-NL, RP – Joe Maddon rightfully doesn’t care about the “save” stat, but that doesn’t stop it from being annoying for fantasy owners. 2016 Projection: 4/2.91/1.12/31/67

166) Jonathon Papelbon WASH, RP – He choked Bryce Harper in the dugout on live television, and absolutely shattered team chemistry after joining Washington last season. Things could only go up from there. 2016 Projection: 2/3.00/1.15/34/58

167) Huston Street LAA, RP – 81 saves in his last two seasons combined. Good bet to be among the league leaders again this year. 2016 Projection: 2/3.20/1.17/37/55

168) A.J. Ramos MIA, RP – Carter Capps’ torn UCL secured the closers job for Ramos. He struggled a bit in the second half last season, but has the talent to finish much higher on this list. 2016 Projection: 4/3.09/1.19/33/81

169) Roberto Osuna TOR – Named the Blue Jays closer over Drew Storen in a semi surprise decision. Like Ramos, can easily finish much higher on this list. 2016 Projection: 2/3.09/1.10/32/72

170) Russell Martin TOR, C – Old reliable. Great ballpark. Great line-up. 2016 Projection: 70/18/72/.260/5

171) Ben Zobrist CHI-NL, 2B/OF – Will be hitting atop a stacked Cubs lineup in a good hitting ballpark. Joe Maddon loves to run too. 2016 Projection: 83/15/65/.273/8

172) Howie Kendrick LAD, 2B – You know what you are getting with Kendrick. He will hit for a high AVG and not hurt you too much in any other category. 2016 Projection: 79/10/67/.290/10

173) Justin Turner LAD, 3B – The high AVG is for real, but the 20+ homer power might not be. 2016 Projection: 71/15/73/.291/4

174) Brett Lawrie CHI-AL, 2B/3B– Hasn’t lived up to the potential of his rookie season, but is worth the shot at this point in the rankings. 2016 Projection: 69/18/74/.267/7

175) Matt Holliday STL, OF – I’m not quite ready to write off the 36-year-old Holliday after a down 2015, as he still managed to put up an .804 OPS. 2016 Projection: 70/16/80/.280/3

176) Jay Bruce CIN, OF – Likely to be traded at some point this season. 4-category production with a very low AVG. 2016 Projection: 68/24/80/.240/7

177) Collin McHugh HOU, SP – Came back down to earth last season after a fantastic rookie season in 2014. Gravity’s a bitch. 2016 Projection: 13/3.70/1.24/167

178) Gio Gonzalez WASH, SP – Tried to turn himself into a groundball pitcher in 2015 (with a terrible infield defense behind him), before scraping that plan in the 2nd half (86 K’s in 81 IP). 2016 Projection: 11/3.68/1.30/176

179) Jake Odorizzi TB, SP – The prototypical Tampa Bay starter. Don’t expect him to pitch deep in games. 2016 Projection: 10/3.69/1.22/167

180) Corey Dickerson TB, OF – Trade to Tampa Bay tanks his value. 2016 Projection: 68/18/64/.282/2

181) Khris Davis OAK, OF – Trade to Oakland dings his value. His power is big enough that it shouldn’t make that much of a difference. 2016 Projection: 63/24/74/.253/5

182) Wil Myers SD, OF/1B – Post hype sleeper. Might not have fantasy stud upside anymore, but can still be a reliable starter. 2016 Projection: 70/18/72/.255/9

183) Kevin Pillar TOR, OF – In the running to leadoff for Toronto’s powerhouse offense. Can provide Adam Eaton like production at a cheaper price. 2016 Projection: 71/10/50/.275/20

184) Marcus Semien OAK, SS – Underrated power/speed combo. A breakout is possible. 2016 Projection: 69/17/61/.264/10

185) Jean Segura ARI, SS – The trade to Arizona somewhat revived his fantasy hype. I guess it is nice to know somebody still believes in him. 2016 Projection: 67/8/53/.268/27

186) Ketel Marte SEA, SS – Doesn’t get the hype the other SS’s in the 2015 rookie class receive. There is some risk here, but should provide a solid AVG and speed. 2016 Projection: 73/5/58/.275/21

187) Kolten Wong STL, 2B – Decent power/speed combo with upside for more. Might sit vs. lefties at times, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. 2016 Projection: 73/13/64/.264/15

188) Logan Forsythe TB, 2B – Triple-slashed, .281/.359/.444, with 17 homers, and 9 steals in a break out season last year. Remarkably consistent the entire year. Might be for real, but I can’t completely buy into the AVG. 2016 Projection: 74/16/65/.264/8

189) Josh Reddick OAK, OF – Hasn’t been able to come close to repeating that 32 homer, 11 steal season in 2012, but still a relatively safe pick with some upside. 2016 Projection: 65/18/75/.260/6

190) Billy Burns OAK, OF – The name perfectly fits the skills, as Burns is a legitimate burner. 2016 Projection: 76/6/41/.274/28

191) Steven Souza TB, OF – Tantalizing 20/20 potential, but with some serious AVG risk. 2016 Projection: 70/19/60/.240/14

192) Ender Inciarte ATL, OF – The move into Atlanta’s weak lineup hurts, but it doesn’t completely kill his value. 2016 Projection: 68/6/44/.282/22

193) Delino DeShields Jr. TEX, OF – Billy Burns without the cool name. Has a name more suited for fencing. 2016 Projection: 76/8/45/.255/26

194) Randal Grichuk STL, OF – Might be getting a little overrated, but I understand falling in love with the power upside. 2016 Projection: 64/21/69/.258/5

195) Andrew Heaney LAA, SP – Had a strong rookie season in 2015. Doesn’t have the huge K upside, but has all the makings of a very solid pitcher. 2016 Projection: 11/3.66/1.23/152

196) Shawn Tolleson TEX, RP – Two straight seasons of a sub 3.00 ERA. Relatively safe pick with some upside. 2016 Projection: 4/3.28/1.18/36/72

197) Glen Perkins MIN, RP – Durability concerns, but claims he is completely healthy coming into this season. At least so far. 2016 Projection: 3/3.26/1.17/35/65

198) Francisco Rodriguez DET, RP – Only 34 years old, but feels like he has been around forever. Maybe that is because he made his MLB debut as a 20-year-old and set the league on fire. Still getting the job done 14 seasons later. 2016 Projection: 2/3.43/1.12/37/60

199) Sean Doolittle OAK, RP – Reports have been positive in Spring Training so far, after having shoulder issues in 2015. Struck out 89 batters in 62.2 IP in 2014. 2016 Projection: 3/3.08/1.10/33/72

200) Carlos Santana CLE, 1B – Down year in 2015, but not ready to jump completely off the bandwagon yet. Silver lining, he stole 11 bases last season. 2016 Projection: 73/23/84/.243/6

201) Alex Rodriguez NYY, DH – Rust? What rust? The year long suspension for PED’s seemed to actually recharge ARod. I think he can at least come close to a repeat of last year. 2016 Projection: 72/26/79/.253/2

202) Mark Trumbo BAL, OF/1B – Safe power bat with a low AVG. 2016 Projection: 64/24/75/.248/1

203) Evan Gattis HOU, OF – See, Mark Trumbo. 2016 Projection: 58/23/72/.253/0

204) A.J. Pollock ARI, OF – Backed up his injury shortened 2014 breakout with a monster 2015. Expect him to come back down to earth a bit. 2016 Projection: 52/7/31/.291/15 (Update: Fractured his elbow while sliding into home and will require surgery. Timetable is still uncertain.)

205) Devin Mesoraco CIN, C – After injury plagued 2015, expected to be fully healthy for next season. Prime bounce back candidate. 2016 Projection: 56/20/69/.255/1

206) Jonathon Lucroy MIL, C – Triple-slashed .289/.347/.461 post all-star break. Should be back to normal self for 2016. 2016 Projection: 54/14/64/.280/3

207) Matt Wieters BAL, C – Wrote a Matt Wieters, 2016 Fantasy Sleeper post for him. 2016 Projection: 62/21/75/.270/0 – (Update: Wieters is experiencing soreness in his elbow but is expected to be ready for opening day. Here we go again …)

208) Wellington Castillo ARI, C – Absolutely exploded once he was traded to Arizona in 2nd half of the season, hitting 17 homers in 80 games. 2016 Projection: 51/19/70/.250/0

209) Yan Gomes CLE, C – Hit 9 homers in 56 post all-star break games after healing from a sprained MCL. 2016 Projections: 51/20/70/.243/0

210) Jake McGee COL, RP – The trade to Colorado doesn’t kill his value, but it does probably cap his ceiling. 2016 Projection: 4/3.05/1.14/32/78

211) Nick Castellanos DET, 3B – In an era where top prospects produce immediately once reaching the majors, Castellanos has fallen short. There are some positive signs, though, as he put up an .800 OPS in the 2nd half last season. 2016 Projection: 70/18/80/.274/1

212) Josh Harrison PIT, 2B/3B/OF – Had a disappointing follow up season to his 2014 breakout. AVG might be the only category you can really bank on. 2016 Projection: 67/9/48/.286/12

213) Marcell Ozuna MIA, OF – High risk power bat. Hit 23 homers in 2014 and only 10 last season. 2016 Projection: 61/16/69/.267/3

214) Domingo Santana MIL, OF – There is no question the power will play at the major league level, the only question is how low of an average it will come with. 2016 Projection: 63/24/74/.239/4

215) Michael Conforto NYM, OF – Another power hitting youngster who I think is getting a little overrated for this season. 2016 Projection: 60/19/68/.264/2

216) Stephen Piscotty STL, OF – Very good hitter, but has yet to display big power or speed. The power could develop at any moment, though, a la Matt Carpenter. 2016 Projection: 65/14/61/.277/6

217) Santiago Casilla SFG, RP – Safe and boring. Won’t standout, but will likely get the job done. 2016 Projection: 3/3.20/1.25/36/53

218) Brad Ziegler ARI, RP – Submarine delivery has hitters pounding the dirt. 2016 Projection: 2/3.12/1.19/33/45

219) Luke Gregerson/Ken Giles HOU – (Last minute update: Astros name Luke Gregerson primary closer.) Houston gave up a minor haul to get Giles for a reason (and apparently that reason was to be the set up man). Gregerson 2016 Projection: 4/3.00/1.06/31/60 Giles 2016 Projection: 5/2.75/1.18/9/85

220) Eduardo Rodriguez BOS, SP – (Update: Will start the season on the DL with a right knee injury. He is expected to make his season debut sometime in late April.) Big, strong lefty with tons of potential. Fenway Park and the AL East do not provide the most hospitable pitching conditions, though. 2016 Projection: 10/3.78/1.26/165

221) Brad Boxberger TB, RP – (Update: Out for at least 8 weeks after abdominal muscle surgery. Alex Colome and/or Danny Farquhar could see save opportunities while he is out.) Should have the closers job to himself after Jake McGee was shipped to Colorado. Had a down year in 2015, but still has elite K upside. 2016 Projection: 2/3.37/1.22/29/70

222) Jason Hammel CHI-NL, SP – After stratospheric 1st half in 2015, absolutely imploded in the 2nd half. Still averaged over a K per inning. 2016 Projection: 10/3.71/1.19/165

223) Kyle Hendricks CHI-NL, SP – Struck out 88 batters in 81 IP post all-star break last season. Has a career 3.49 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 260.1 IP. There is a lot to like here. 2016 Projection: 10/3.72/1.22/160

224) Aaron Nola PHI, SP – Steady young starter without the big K upside. 2016 Projection: 9/3.69/1.23/148

225) Hector Santiago LAA, SP – Fully transitioned into a starter last season, and predictably tired out after reaching a career high in IP. Could be an intriguing sell high candidate if he gets off to another hot start. 2016 Projection: 10/3.69/1.29/158

226) Ian Kennedy KC, SP – The ratios might not look pretty, but he has struck out over a batter per inning the last two seasons. 2016 Projection: 10/3.90/1.28/178

227) Brandon Crawford SFG, SS – Power explosion in 2015. Don’t think he will fall all the way back down to earth, but not paying for the career year either. 2016 Projection: 64/17/78/.254/4

228) Ervin Santana MIN, SP – You know what to expect at this point. 2016 Projection: 12/3.88/1.28/156

229) Andrew Cashner SD, SP – Looked like a promising young pitcher on the rise coming into last season. Now he looks like an aging has-been. One year can sure change a lot. 2016 Projection: 9/3.71/1.29/161

230) Melky Cabrera CHI-AL, OF – Nothing flashy. Solid AVG and counting stats. 2016 Projection: 69/13/72/.280/4

231) Denard Span SFG, OF – Will hit leadoff for San Francisco. Plus AVG and speed. 2016 Projection: 74/4/39/.288/19

232) Nori Aoki SEA, OF – Low risk, low reward. Favorite to hit leadoff in front of Seattle’s sneaky strong middle of the order (Seager, Cruz, Cano, Lind). 2016 Projection: 68/7/40/.287/18

233) Neil Walker NYM, 2B – Won’t kill you but probably won’t help you all that much either. 2016 Projection: 68/17/67/.264/3

234) Stephen Vogt OAK, C – 14 homers pre all-star break. 4 homers post. Who is the real Stephen Vogt? 2016 Projections: 55/17/67/.253/0

235) Derek Norris SD, C – Hit .233 with 11 homers in 85 pre all-star break games. Then hit .278 with 3 homers after the break. 2016 Projection: 62/14/62/.260/3

236) Yasmani Grandal C – .927 OPS pre all-star break. .498 OPS post. His opening day status is in question after experiencing soreness in his forearm. 2016 Projection: 50/17/60/.244/1

237) Jake Peavy SFG, SP – 34 years old going on 40. 2016 Projection: 11/3.71/1.20/140

238) Clay Buchholz BOS, SP – 31 years old going on 25. Are we still waiting on his upside? 2016 Projection: 10/3.74/1.28/125

239) Phil Hughes MIN, SP – Seems to go through a dead arm period every other year of his career. This should be one of the live arm years if the trend holds. 2016 Projection: 11/3.92/1.27/153

240) Anibal Sanchez DET, SP – Still a major health risk, but if healthy, he is a much better pitcher than he showed last season. 2016 Projection: 9/3.75/1.26/150

241) Anthony DeSclafani CIN, SP – Relatively safe young starter with some upside. 2016 Projection: 10/3.89/1.30/161

242) Kevin Gausman BAL, SP – Baltimore’s recent history with developing pitching prospects has been brutal. He was the #4 overall pick in the 2012 draft, though, and has some K upside as well. 2016 Projection: 9/3.82/1.27/148

243) Jeremy Jeffress MIL, RP – With Will Smith tearing the LCL in his right knee, Jeffress is now the favorite for the closer’s job. 2016 Projection: 2/3.40/1.27/27/60

244) Steve Cishek SEA, RP – Completely imploded last season after 4 strong years in a row. Relievers have been to known to just lose it out of nowhere, but there is still some bounce back potential here. 2016 Projection: 4/3.46/1.28/29/64

245) Jason Grilli ATL, RP – Prime candidate to be traded to a contender (as a setup man) if he is pitching well. 2016 Projection: 1/3.30/1.18/20/65

246) J.J. Hoover CIN, RP – Can lose this job at any moment. 2016 Projection: 4/3.60/1.29/27/60

247) Fernando Rodney SD, RP – Trade risk. Implosion risk. Age risk. About as risky as they come. 2016 Projection: 3/3.62/1.33/25/66

248) David Hernandez PHI, RP – The Phillies closer competition is an absolute mess. It went from Hernandez to Andrew Bailey, and now it is looking like it is Hernandez’s job again. Stay away from this situation if you can. 2016 Projection: 2/3.75/1.26/20/69

249) Alexei Ramirez SD, SS – Ballpark and lineup downgrades going from CHI to SD. Age concerns as well. 2016 Projection: 60/10/63/.263/15

250) Alcides Escobar KC, SS – Speed and runs, nothing else. 2016 Projection: 75/4/49/.262/20

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 30 Closers

We finish our positional rankings with the top 30 closers. I wish I could drum up some more excitement for this list, but there really aren’t many new names, or anything out of the ordinary. As usual, expect this position to be extremely volatile throughout the year due to trades, injuries, and random implosions.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/(Top 100)/Top 250 Overall

1) Kenley Jansen LAD – Almost lost his job amidst the Aroldis Chapman circus this offseason, but was spared at the last moment. 2016 Projection: 3/2.42/0.93/40/92

2) Craig Kimbrel BOS – Atlanta, San Diego, Boston … doesn’t matter. Elite closer anywhere. 2016 Projection: 3/2.29/0.97/37/90

3) Wade Davis KC – K’s were down last season compared to his 2014 breakout, but it didn’t seem to affect him all that much. He actually improved. 2016 Projection: 4/2.35/0.99/37/83

4) Trevor Rosenthal STL – Saved 93 games in his last two seasons combined. It’s hard to predict saves, but Rosenthal is a good bet to lead the league. 2016 Projection: 2/2.59/1.23/43/89

5) Jeurys Familia NYM – Breakout closer of 2015. K’s ticked up in the 2nd half too (43 K’s in 34.2 IP). 2016 Projection: 2/2.64/1.11/39/78

6) Zach Britton BAL – Added more K’s last season to solidify his spot as one of the best closers in baseball. 2016 Projection: 3/2.68/1.07/35/71

7) Aroldis Chapman NYY – Suspended for 30 games. Andrew Miller will close in his absence. Joe Girardi likes his relievers to have set roles, so I wouldn’t worry too much about Miller or Betances poaching too many saves upon his return. 2016 Projection: 2/2.24/1.05/30/92

8) Cody Allen CLE – Has a legitimate chance of breaking into the elite tier this season. 2016 Projection: 3/2.79/1.13/34/90

9) David Robertson CHI-AL – Safe pick with elite K upside. Had a bloated ERA the past two seasons compared to his FIP. 2016 Projection: 4/2.95/1.09/35/84

10) Mark Melancon PIT – Everything but K’s. 2016 Projection: 3/2.71/1.02/42/66

11) Hector Rondon CHI-NL – Joe Maddon rightfully doesn’t care about the “save” stat, but that doesn’t stop it from being annoying for fantasy owners. 2016 Projection: 4/2.91/1.12/31/67

12) Jonathon Papelbon WASH – He choked Bryce Harper in the dugout on live television, and absolutely shattered team chemistry after joining Washington last season. Things could only go up from there. 2016 Projection: 2/3.00/1.15/34/58

13) Huston Street LAA – 81 saves in his last two seasons combined. Good bet to be among the league leaders again this year. 2016 Projection: 2/3.20/1.17/37/55

14) A.J. Ramos MIA – Carter Capps’ torn UCL secured the closers job for Ramos. He struggled a bit in the second half last season, but has the talent to finish much higher on this list. 2016 Projection: 4/3.09/1.19/33/81

15) Roberto Osuna TOR – Named the Blue Jays closer over Drew Storen in a semi surprise decision. Like Ramos, can easily finish much higher on this list. 2016 Projection: 2/3.09/1.10/32/72

16) Shawn Tolleson TEX – Two straight seasons of a sub 3.00 ERA. Relatively safe pick with some upside.  2016 Projection: 4/3.28/1.18/36/72

17) Glen Perkins MIN – Durability concerns, but claims he is completely healthy coming into this season. At least so far. 2016 Projection: 3/3.26/1.17/35/65

18) Francisco Rodriguez DET – Only 34 years old, but feels like he has been around forever. Maybe that is because he made his MLB debut as a 20-year-old and set the league on fire. Still getting the job done 14 seasons later. 2016 Projection: 2/3.43/1.12/37/60

19) Sean Doolittle OAK – Reports have been positive in Spring Training so far, after having shoulder issues in 2015. Struck out 89 batters in 62.2 IP in 2014. 2016 Projection: 3/3.08/1.10/33/72

20) Jake McGee COL – The trade to Colorado doesn’t kill his value, but it does probably cap his ceiling. 2016 Projection: 4/3.05/1.14/32/78

21) Santiago Casilla SFG – Safe and boring. Won’t standout, but will likely get the job done. 2016 Projection: 3/3.20/1.25/36/53

22) Brad Ziegler ARI – Submarine delivery has hitters pounding the dirt. 2016 Projection: 2/3.12/1.19/33/45

23) Luke Gregerson/Ken Giles HOU – (Last minute update: Astros name Luke Gregerson primary closer.) Houston gave up a minor haul to get Giles for a reason (and apparently that reason was to be the set up man). Gregerson 2016 Projection: 4/3.00/1.06/31/60 Giles 2016 Projection: 5/2.75/1.18/9/85

24) Brad Boxberger TB – (Update: Out for at least 8 weeks after abdominal muscle surgery. Alex Colome and/or Danny Farquhar could see save opportunities while he is out.) Should have the closer’s job to himself after Jake McGee was shipped to Colorado. Had a down year in 2015, but still has elite K upside. 2016 Projection: 2/3.37/1.22/29/70

25) Jeremy Jeffress MIL – With Will Smith tearing the LCL in his right knee, Jeffress is now the favorite for the closer’s job. 2016 Projection: 2/3.40/1.27/27/60

26) Steve Cishek SEA – Completely imploded last season after 4 strong years in a row. Relievers have been to known to just lose it out of nowhere, but there is still some bounce back potential here. 2016 Projection: 4/3.46/1.28/29/64

27) Jason Grilli ATL – Prime candidate to be traded to a contender (as a setup man) if he is pitching well. 2016 Projection: 1/3.30/1.18/20/65

28) J.J. Hoover CIN – Can lose this job at any moment. 2016 Projection: 4/3.60/1.29/27/60

29) Fernando Rodney SD – Trade risk. Implosion risk. Age risk. About as risky as they come. 2016 Projection: 3/3.62/1.33/25/66

30) David Hernandez PHI – The Phillies closer competition is an absolute mess. It went from Hernandez to Andrew Bailey, and now it is looking like it is Hernandez’s job again. Stay away from this situation if you can. 2016 Projection: 2/3.75/1.26/20/69

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 100 Starting Pitchers

We reach the end of our starting pitcher rankings with the top 100 starters. Most of these guys will likely be best used as streaming options.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Closer/Top 250 Overall

76) R.A. Dickey TOR – Put up a 2.80 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 99.2 IP post all-star break. 41 years old, but you don’t need much juice to effectively throw that knuckleball. 2016 Projection: 12/3.75/1.21/142

77) Nathan Eovaldi NYY – Became a much improved pitcher after trusting his new splitter more in the 2nd half of 2015. 2016 Projection: 10/3.96/1.32/152

78) Rick Porcello BOS – After a horrible 1st half, put up a pitching line of 3.53/1.29/70 in 71.1 IP post all-star break. 2016 Projection: 10/3.98/1.30/142

79) Edinson Volquez KC – Low risk, low reward. Serviceable back end starter. 2016 Projection: 11/3.78/1.33/146

80) Nate Karns SEA – Karns beat out James Paxton for Seattle’s 5th starter job. He has nice K upside for this late in the rankings. 2016 Projection: 9/3.80/1.29/150

81) John Lamb CIN – Kind of wrote a John Lamb, 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper post. 2016 Projection: 8/3.71/1.27/150

82) Robbie Ray ARI – High risk, high reward. K’s and BB’s. 2016 Projection: 9/3.90/1.35/157

83) Alex Wood LAD – A once promising young pitcher whose stock took a major hit last season. 2016 Projections: 8/3.83/1.29/137

84) Vincent Velasquez PHI – Won the Phillies 5th starter competition. He put up a 10.8 K/9 in his minor league career, and then struck out 58 batters in 55.2 IP in his first taste of the majors last season. Will probably be on a relatively low innings limit. 2016 Projection: 8/3.90/1.31/130

85) Mike Leake STL – If you looked up “safe and boring” on Wikipedia, you would see Mike Leake’s face. 2016 Projection: 9/3.81/1.24/125

86) Marco Estrada TOR – Pitched out of his mind last season for Toronto. Not expecting a repeat. 2016 Projection: 10/4.11/1.24/135

87) Jerad Eickhoff PHI – Not buying the Ace level performance in his 50.1 IP debut in 2015. Still showed enough that he is worth a late round flier. 2016 Projection: 8/4.00/1.29/121

88) Matt Moore TB – Struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery. It takes some guys a few years to fully recover, so not completely writing him off yet. 2016 Projection: 8/3.81/1.32/120

89) Daniel Norris DET, SP – (Update: Has been dealing with lower back tightness for the past week and it will likely prevent him from winning a rotation spot to start the season.) It’s hard not to like a young, hard throwing lefty with huge K upside. I’m buying. 2016 Projection: 6/3.72/1.27/125

90) Josh Tomlin CLE – Pitched well after returning from shoulder surgery in the 2nd half of 2015. There is legitimate late career breakout potential here. 2016 Projection: 7/3.86/1.18/100

91) Lucas Giolito WASH – At this point in the rankings, I prefer to stash the best pitching prospects who are knocking on the door of the majors. I’m not going to give them projections, because it is impossible to predict when they will be called up. Giolito is the #4 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post.

92) Tyler Glasnow PIT – #5 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post.

93) Jose Berrios MIN – #12 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post.

94) Blake Snell TB – #13 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post.

95) Julio Urias LAD – #7 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects post.

96) Jose De Leon LAD – #14 ranked prospect in my 2016 Top 100 Prospects post.

97) Wade Miley SEA – Moving into a pitcher’s park for the first time in his career. If you want to throw a dart and try to hit a career year, Miley is not a bad option to land on. 2016 Projection: 9/4.01/1.35/156

98) Juan Nicasio PIT – His great spring training won him a rotation spot in the Pirates rotation. Why not take a shot at this point? 2016 Projection: 8/3.81/1.29/138

99) Aaron Sanchez TOR – Won Toronto’s 5th starter job. He has a monster fastball that has mostly produced ground balls so far in his career. Will be on a very restrictive innings limit this season, but he is loaded with potential. 2016 Projection: 8/3.68/1.32/98

100) Rubby De La Rosa ARI – The results have yet to match the stuff. Decent upside play. 2016 Projection: 8/4.22/1.33/139

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 75 Starting Pitchers

The top 75 starters are a mix between boring mid rotation veterans, and the second tier of high risk, high reward youngsters. Picking the right player or two from this group can really make your draft.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 100)/Closer/Top 250 Overall

51) John Lackey CHI-NL – Put up a career best 2.77 ERA last season as a 36-year-old. Will now have the powerful Cubs offense for run support. 2016 Projection: 14/3.52/1.25/160

52) Scott Kazmir LAD – Ride him in the first half, trade him at the deadline before the inevitable collapse. 2016 Projection: 12/3.43/1.20/164

53) Jaime Garcia STL – Can’t stay healthy, but has a career pitching line of 3.31/1.26/573 in 724.1 IP. He isn’t going to strike many guys out, but the guy can pitch. 2016 Projection: 9/3.38/1.19/128

54) Jordan Zimmerman DET – Was trending in the wrong direction even before the move out of the NL East. Looks like he might get comfortable in this “safe and boring” tier for the next few years. 2016 Projection: 13/3.62/1.24/155

55) Shelby Miller ARI – The centerpiece in the trade heard round the world. Dave Stewart better hope he pitches better than my projection. 2016 Projection: 12/3.61/1.26/162

56) Wei-Yin Chen MIA – Moving from a hitter’s park in the AL East to a pitcher’s park in the NL East. I like. 2016 Projection: 11/3.43/1.20/158

57) Kenta Maeda LAD – Total unknown. Wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up much better, or much worse than my projection. 2016 Projection: 12/3.55/1.23/157

58) Collin McHugh HOU – Came back down to earth last season after a fantastic rookie season in 2014. Gravity’s a bitch. 2016 Projection: 13/3.70/1.24/167

59) Gio Gonzalez WASH – Tried to turn himself into a groundball pitcher in 2015 (with a terrible infield defense behind him), before scraping that plan in the 2nd half (86 K’s in 81 IP). 2016 Projection: 11/3.68/1.30/176

60) Jake Odorizzi TB – The prototypical Tampa Bay starter. Don’t expect him to pitch deep in games. 2016 Projection: 10/3.69/1.22/167

61) Andrew Heaney LAA – Had a strong rookie season in 2015. Doesn’t have the huge K upside, but has all the makings of a very solid pitcher. 2016 Projection: 11/3.66/1.23/152

62) Kyle Hendricks CHI-NL – Struck out 88 batters in 81 IP post all-star break last season. Has a career 3.49 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 260.1 IP. There is a lot to like here. 2016 Projection: 10/3.72/1.22/160

63) Aaron Nola PHI – Steady young starter without the big K upside. 2016 Projection: 9/3.69/1.23/148

64) Hector Santiago LAA – Fully transitioned into a starter last season, and predictably tired out after reaching a career high in IP. Could be an intriguing sell high candidate if he gets off to another hot start. 2016 Projection: 10/3.69/1.29/158

65) Ian Kennedy KC – The ratios might not look pretty, but he has struck out over a batter per inning the last two seasons. 2016 Projection: 10/3.90/1.28/178

66) Jason Hammel CHI-NL – After stratospheric 1st half in 2015, absolutely imploded in the 2nd half. Still averaged over a K per inning. 2016 Projection: 10/3.81/1.24/165

67) Ervin Santana MIN – You know what to expect at this point. 2016 Projection: 12/3.88/1.28/156

68) Andrew Cashner SD – Looked like a promising young pitcher on the rise coming into last season. Now he looks like an aging has-been. One year can sure change a lot. 2016 Projection: 9/3.71/1.29/161

69) Eduardo Rodriguez BOS, SP – (Update: Will start the season on the DL with a right knee injury. He is expected to make his season debut sometime in May.) Big, strong lefty with tons of potential. Fenway Park and the AL East do not provide the most hospitable pitching conditions, though. 2016 Projection: 9/3.78/1.26/155

70) Jake Peavy SFG – 34 years old going on 40. 2016 Projection: 11/3.71/1.20/140

71) Clay Buchholz BOS – 31 years old going on 25. Are we still waiting on his upside? 2016 Projection: 10/3.74/1.28/125

72) Phil Hughes MIN – Seems to go through a dead arm period every other year of his career. This should be one of the live arm years if the trend holds. 2016 Projection: 11/3.92/1.27/153

73) Anibal Sanchez DET – Still a major health risk, but if healthy, he is a much better pitcher than he showed last season. 2016 Projection: 9/3.75/1.26/150

74) Anthony DeSclafani CIN – Relatively safe young starter with some upside. 2016 Projection: 10/3.89/1.30/161

75) Kevin Gausman BAL – Baltimore’s recent history with developing pitching prospects has been brutal. He was the #4 overall pick in the 2012 draft, though, and has some K upside as well. 2016 Projection: 9/3.82/1.27/148

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 50 Starting Pitchers

The top 50 starters are jam packed with young, talented upside. That means risk as well. But I would rather try to strike gold, than pick a safe mid rotation starter.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 75)/(Top 100)/Closer/Top 250 Overall

26) Francisco Liriano PIT – Inconsistent and injury prone, but those strikeouts are too enticing to pass up. 2016 Projection: 12/3.44/1.25/178

27) Masahiro Tanaka NYY – Not going to let a little torn UCL scare me off. Willing to take the risk for his upside. 2016 Projection: 14/3.40/1.09/163

28) Michael Wacha STL – Collapsed in September, pitching to a 7.88 ERA. Could have been due to fatigue after reaching a career high in IP. 2016 Projection: 13/3.41/1.18/162

29) Carlos Martinez STL – Draws comparisons to Pedro Martinez, mostly because of his size, but his stuff isn’t too far off either. 2016 Projection: 12/3.40/1.27/179

30) Garrett Richards LAA – Coming off a torn knee ligament, Richards didn’t have the season many were hoping for in 2015. The ingredients are still there for him to put it together in 2016. 2016 Projection: 13/3.52/1.22/175

31) Michael Pineda NYY – FIP (3.34) was much better than his ERA (4.37). Still some injury risk stemming from his 2012 shoulder surgery. 2016 Projection: 12/3.48/1.14/168

32) Drew Smyly TB – Injury plagued 2015, but showed enormous promise when he did pitch. 2016 Projection: 10/3.39/1.18/157

33) Jeff Samardzija SFG – Had a complete meltdown in 2015. The stuff is the same, so I expect him to get it back together this season. 2016 Projection: 13/3.68/1.23/180

34) Steven Matz NYM – Wrote about Matz in my Matz vs. Severino article. 2016 Projection: 12/3.49/1.23/156

35) Marcus Stroman TOR – Didn’t seem any worse for the wear after returning from a torn ACL in September. Recommence the hype train. 2016 Projection: 13/3.57/1.20/160

36) Yordano Ventura KC – Roller coaster 2015, but finished strongish with a 3.56/1.32/98 pitching line in 91 IP post all-star break. 2016 Projection: 13/3.56/1.28/166

37) Julio Teheran ATL – After starting his career on fire his first two seasons, hit a small road block last year. Potential remains the same. 2016 Projection: 10/3.53/1.21/175

38) Lance McCullers HOU – (Update: Expected to begin the season on the DL after experiencing shoulder soreness. Return date is uncertain, but he is not expected to miss an extended period of time.) Strong rookie season, but I’m not expecting a full repeat. 2016 Projection: 12/3.62/1.27/159

39) Raisel Iglesias CIN – Everyone’s favorite sleeper that nobody is sleeping on. 2016 Projection: 10/3.63/1.23/175

40) Jose Quintana CHI-AL – Safe and boring but he keeps getting the job done year after year. 2016 Projection: 11/3.51/1.25/172

41) Joe Ross WASH – Tyson Ross’ little brother. Comes with the same nasty slider. 2016 Projections: 11/3.59/1.24/170

42) Hisashi Iwakuma SEA – Age and injury concerns. Still put up a pitching line of 3.05/1.02/91 in 100.1 IP post all-star break. 2016 Projection: 12/3.45/1.11/155

43) Patrick Corbin ARI – Came back strong from Tommy John surgery last season. Could take another step in 2016. 2016 Projection: 12/3.55/1.21/154

44) Justin Verlander DET – Came back from the dead in 2015. Might have some juice left in him after all. 2016 Projection: 12/3.66/1.22/167

45) Jimmy Nelson MIL – Wrote a Jimmy Nelson, 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper post. 2016 Projection: 10/3.51/1.25/178

46) Carlos Rodon CHI-AL – Has serious control issues, but his strikeout potential is enormous. 2016 Projection: 11/3.69/1.30/182

47) Taijuan Walker SEA – Another young starter with tons of upside. Had some issues with the long ball last season. 2016 Projection: 11/3.72/1.19/175

48) Luis Severino NYY – Wrote about Severino in my Matz vs. Severino article. 2016 Projection: 12/3.68/1.26/158

49) Yu Darvish TEX – Expected to miss the first two months of the season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. I’m betting on him to hit the ground running when he returns, but who really knows. 2016 Projection: 9/3.46/1.22/155

50) James Shields SD – Had an extremely uncharacteristic 2015, seeing huge spikes in K’s and BB’s. Not exactly sure of what to expect in 2016. 2016 Projection: 12/3.70/1.26/184

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 25 Starting Pitchers

Strikeouts have absolutely exploded around baseball. MLB averaged 7.8 K/9 in 2015, setting a new all-time record. That broke the previous record of 7.7 K/9 set in 2014, which broke the previous record of 7.6 K/9 set in 2013. In fact, MLB has broken its own all-time K/9 and total strikeout record every season since 2008. You can find those all-time stats here. It’s actually pretty cool to look at. And the 2016 top 25 starting pitchers have all contributed more than their fair share into ushering in this new era of the strikeout. Will we see 7.9 K/9 in 2016?

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 50)/(Top 75)/(Top 100)/Closer/Top 250 Overall

1) Clayton Kershaw LAD – What can I say that hasn’t already been said? 2016 Projection: 19/2.23/0.91/249

2) Max Scherzer WASH – Will singlehandedly carry you in K’s. 2016 Projection: 16/2.88/0.99/263

3) Jake Arrieta CHI-NL – Was his 1.77 ERA low enough to convince you his 2014 breakout was for real? 2016 Projection: 18/2.69/1.02/210

4) Madison Bumgarner SFG – Bumgarner gets a slight edge over Sale due to his far superior pitching conditions. 2016 Projection: 17/2.90/1.07/221

5) Chris Sale CHI-AL – Ballpark and Chicago’s poor defense are the only things keeping him from ranking even higher on this list. 2016 Projection: 14/3.10/1.06/242

6) Matt Harvey NYM – After shaking off the rust coming back from Tommy John surgery, Harvey put up a pitching line of 2.19/0.92/79 in 78 IP after the all-star break. 2016 Projection: 16/2.79/1.05/208

7) Jacob deGrom NYM – Like Arrieta, actually improved on his 2014 breakout. 2016 Projection: 14/2.96/1.08/202

8) Corey Kluber CLE – Bad luck and poor defense might have been the reasons for his bloated 3.49 ERA vs. his 2.97 FIP. I’m betting that his FIP is the better indicator for next season. 2016 Projection: 13/3.00/1.09/227

9) Stephen Strasburg WASH – Contract year. Injury plagued 2015, but his 1.90/0.75/92 pitching line in 66.1 IP post all-star break gives you an idea of his insane potential. 2016 Projection: 14/2.99/1.08/218

10) David Price BOS – Price was right for Price this offseason, scoring a $217 million contract with Boston. Has already more than proven himself in the AL East and in hitter’s parks.  2016 Projection: 16/3.19/1.12/207

11) Noah Syndergaard NYM – Thor laid the hammer down on the league in his rookie season. Expect more of the same in year two, if not better. 2016 Projection: 14/3.09/1.10/211

12) Jose Fernandez MIA – Might be on a soft innings limit after pitching only 51.2 IP in 2014 and 64.2 IP in 2015. The fact he still ranks 12th shows how dominant he is. 2016 Projection: 11/2.76/1.08/193

13) Gerrit Cole PIT – Made the jump last season into Ace status. I wouldn’t expect a 2.60 ERA again, though. 2016 Projection: 15/3.24/1.13/198

14) Chris Archer TB – Second half collapse is worrisome, but those 252 strikeouts sure do look nice. 2016 Projection: 14/3.30/1.16/213

15) Carlos Carrasco CLE – Another Cleveland pitcher with a bloated ERA (3.63) compared to his FIP (2.84). 2016 Projection: 13/3.29/1.08/210

16) Felix Hernandez SEA – There are whispers his 2015 troubles were due to an ankle injury. Some think it was the 2,262.1 career IP catching up to him. Whatever it was, I’m not writing him off, but also not expecting a full bounce back. 2016 Projection: 15/3.25/1.16/204

17) Zack Greinke ARI – Moving from a pitcher’s park to a hitter’s park. Not overpaying for his career year. 2016 Projection: 16/3.15/1.18/192

18) Dallas Keuchel HOU – Doesn’t have the strikeout upside of the players ranked above him, but should receive plenty of run support from the strong Houston lineup. 2016 Projection: 17/3.27/1.19/181

19) Jon Lester CHI-NL – Safe pick. Started 30+ games 8 years in a row. Should enjoy strong run support as well. 2016 Projection: 16/3.25/1.15/194

20) Tyson Ross SD – Still has not overcome his control issues, but he racks up K’s and limits home runs. 2016 Projection: 11/3.32/1.23/201

21) Cole Hamels TEX – The league switch and advancing age limits his upside. Still a safe pick to be a strong #2 fantasy starter. 2016 Projection: 13/3.43/1.17/192

22) Danny Salazar CLE – Finally a Cleveland pitcher whose ERA (3.45) was better than his FIP (3.62). Has the strikeout upside fantasy owners love. 2016 Projection: 12/3.40/1.17/198

23) Sonny Gray OAK – 2.73 ERA. 3.45 FIP. Second year in a row he outperformed his FIP, so I wouldn’t expect him to fall off a cliff in 2016. 2016 Projection: 11/3.31/1.15/177

24) Adam Wainwright STL – If you have any doubt about Wainwright’s ability to make a full comeback this season, you have to check out this quick radio interview (which I discovered on Reddit’s fantasy baseball forum). 2016 Projection: 14/3.27/1.15/169

25) Johnny Cueto SFG – Fell off a cliff after the trade to Kansas City. The move back to the NL and a pitcher’s park somewhat revives his fantasy value. 2016 Projection: 13/3.30/1.12/173

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)