Flags Fly Forever Fantasy Baseball

George Bissell, Mike Gianella and special guest J.J. Jansons of Baseball Prospectus discuss the dangers associated with drawing definitive conclusions already and why it’s essential to dig deeper when analyzing early season results. Mike also touches on how improved databases and increased access to that information is poised to improve fantasy analysis in the future, while J.J. outlines his process for balancing scouting and statistics when analyzing minor league prospects.In addition to recapping this week’s Expert FAAB bidding, Mike and J.J. tackle 20 current events questions regarding Manny Machado, Julio Urias, Ben Zobrist, Trea Turner, Jackie Bradley Jr., Justin Upton, Tyler Glasnow, A.J. Reed and more.

George Bissell, Bret Sayre and Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus discuss their recent acquisition of Sean Manaea in LABR Mixed, the impact of Manny Machado gaining shortstop eligibility and why failing to invest the majority of your FAAB budget early is a potential mistake this season. Finally, Bret and Mike evaluate the sustainability of scorching hot starts by Chris Carter, Aaron Nola, Dexter Fowler, Jose Altuve and more.

George Bissell and Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus discuss the importance of striking a balancing between overreacting to early season results and starting to seriously analyze player performance. They also provide a compelling reason for fantasy owners to target left-hander Rich Hill, touch on Byron Buxton’s recent demotion and George's affinity for Kyle Barraclough, and the latest round of FAAB acquisitions in the Tout Wars & LABR expert leagues.

George Bissell, Bret Sayre and Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus discuss how fantasy owners should react, if at all, to the early season struggles of starters like Chris Archer and Adam Wainwright. They also cover the latest round of FAAB acquisitions in the Tout Wars & LABR expert leagues and review their picks from the “Things We Believe” series at BP.

George Bissell and Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus discuss whether now is the right time to consider trading a player (like Trevor Story) who is off to an unexpected hot start, touch on the recent call-ups of Nomar Mazara and Mallex Smith, and break down the latest round of FAAB acquisitions in Tout Wars and LABR. Finally, special guest Meg Rowley joins the show to talk player name puns.

Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus delve into Trevor Story’s historic first week, the Diamondbacks outfield quagmire in the wake of A.J. Pollock’s elbow injury, and recap the first cycle of FAAB bidding in Tout Wars and LABR.

With the regular season less than a week away, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus break down their 2016 Model Portfolio roster selections using Mike’s latest auction bid limits.

Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus recap their Tout Wars Mixed and NL-only auctions.

George Bissell talks with special guest Jeff Quinton of Baseball Prospectus about draft strategy, process-driven decisions, value, reaching and trade strategy.

Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus discuss the recent AL and NL LABR auctions with Steve Gardner of USA TODAY Sports. After the break, Mike and George survey the closer landscape, breakdown their overall approach on draft day and reveal their favorite non-closing reliever sleepers.

Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus take a deep dive into the current fantasy baseball landscape. This week’s topics include:Tiered Rankings Discussion – Starting PitchersSince there are simply too many starting pitchers to list them all here, to view the complete tiered rankings, visit the Baseball Prospectus website. Starters discussed at length in this episode include:Clayton KershawMax ScherzerChris SaleZack GreinkeDavid PriceMatt HarveyStephen StrasburgCorey KluberCarlos CarrascoDallas KeuchelNoah SyndergaardFelix HernandezSonny GrayCole HamelsAdam WainwrightSteven MatzJeff SamardzijaRaisel IglesiasJose QuintanaJohn LackeyKyle HendricksJoe RossAnthony DeSclafaniand many more…

Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus take a deep dive into the current fantasy baseball landscape. This week’s topics include:Tiered Rankings Discussion – OutfieldersFive StarMike TroutBryce HarperGiancarlo StantonAndrew McCutchenA.J. PollockFour StarMookie BettsStarling MarteChris DavisJose BautistaGeorge SpringerJ.D. MartinezCharlie BlackmonRyan BraunJustin UptonNelson CruzLorenzo CainCarlos GomezAdam JonesYoenis CespedesCarlos GonzalezBilly HamiltonJason HeywardThree StarGregory PolancoJacoby EllsburyYasiel PuigCorey DickersonHanley RamirezAdam EatonMatt KempChristian YelichHunter PenceMichael BrantleyBrett GardnerDavid PeraltaKole CalhounBen RevereShin-Soo ChooBilly BurnsJorge SolerByron BuxtonKhris DavisAlex GordonJoc PedersonStephen PiscottyMichael ConfortoCurtis GrandersonKevin PillarTwo StarRandal GrichukDenard SpanWil MyersDelino DeShieldsEnder InciarteJay BruceMark TrumboMatt HollidayDexter FowlerGerardo ParraJosh ReddickMarcell OzunaSteven SouzaYasmany TomasCameron Ma

Defending champions Bret Sayre and Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus recap their 2016 LABR Mixed draft.

Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus take a deep dive into the current fantasy baseball landscape. This week’s topics include:BP Fantasy Staff Mock DraftTiered Rankings Discussion – ShortstopFive StarCarlos CorreaFour StarTroy TulowitzkiXander BogaertsCorey SeagerFrancisco LindorThree StarIan DesmondAddison RussellJhonny PeraltaBrandon CrawfordElvis AndrusJean SeguraJose ReyesTwo StarMarcus SemienStarlin CastroBrad MillerAlcides EscobarErick AybarAsdrubal CabreraJung-Ho KangKetel MarteOne StarAlexei RamirezJ.J. HardyEugenio SuarezJose IglesiasNick AhmedDidi GregoriousAndrelton SimmonsJonathan VillarAdeiny HechavarriaTrea Turner

Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell of Baseball Prospectus take a deep dive into the current fantasy baseball landscape. This week’s topics include:Tiered Rankings Discussion – Third BaseFive StarJosh DonaldsonManny MachadoNolan ArenadoKris BryantFour StarTodd FrazierMatt CarpenterKyle SeagerMaikel FrancoThree StarAdrian BeltreEvan LongoriaMike MoustakasMatt DuffyTwo StarDavid WrightJustin TurnerPablo SandovalDanny ValenciaNick CastellanosTrevor PlouffeYasmany TomasHector OliveraYangervis SolarteLuis ValbuenaJake LambOne StarChase HeadleyMartin PradoYunel EscobarLonnie ChisenhallDerek DietrichAdonis GarciaDavid Freese

Baseball Prospectus signature fantasy podcast, Flags Fly Forever covers the vast fantasy landscape in greater detail than a replacement-level podcast. Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell take a deep dive into current fantasy topics, combining traditional scouting with statistical analysis to provide fantasy owners with an unparalleled perspective.  This week’s topics include:Tiered Rankings Discussion – Second BaseFive StarJose AltuveDee GordonFour StarRobinson CanoBrian DozierAnthony RendonIan KinslerThree StarRougned OdorDustin PedroiaBrett LawrieD.J. LeMahieuNeil WalkerBrandon PhillipsKolten WongDaniel MurphyHowie KendrickBen ZobristJonathan SchoopTwo StarJosh HarrisonDevon TravisJoe PanikCorey SpangenbergLogan ForsytheOne StarJavier BaezJurickson ProfarChase UtleyScooter GennettJace PetersonAlen HansonCesar Hernandez

Baseball Prospectus signature fantasy podcast, Flags Fly Forever covers the vast fantasy landscape in greater detail than a replacement-level podcast. Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell take a deep dive into current fantasy topics, combining traditional scouting with statistical analysis to provide fantasy owners with an unparalleled perspective.  This week’s topics include:Tiered Rankings Discussion - First BaseFive StarPaul GoldschmidtAnthony RizzoMiguel CabreraFour StarJoey VottoEdwin EncarnacionJose AbreuThree StarAdrian GonzalezDavid OrtizMiguel SanoEric HosmerFreddie FreemanPrince FielderAlbert PujolsBrandon BeltTwo StarLucas DudaKendrys MoralesRyan ZimmermanCarlos SantanaMark TeixeiraAdam LindMitch MorelandEvan GattisAlex RodriguezByung-ho ParkOne StarChris CarterMatt AdamsJustin BourVictor MartinezAdam LaRocheJon SingletonZero StarA.J. ReedGreg BirdJoe Mauer

Baseball Prospectus signature fantasy podcast, Flags Fly Forever covers the vast fantasy landscape in greater detail than a replacement-level podcast. Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell take a deep dive into current fantasy topics, combining traditional scouting with statistical analysis to provide fantasy owners with an unparalleled perspective.  This week’s topics include:2015 Final AL & NL-only Valuations RecapCatcher Tiered Rankings DiscussionFive StarBuster PoseyFour StarKyle SchwarberThree StarBrian McCannSalvador PerezRussell MartinJonathan LucroyTravis d’ArnaudTwo StarNick HundleyStephen VogtWilson RamosBlake SwihartYan GomesMiguel MonteroDerek NorrisYasmani GrandalWelington CastilloMatt WietersDevin MesoracoJ.T. RealmutoFrancisco CervelliOne StarYadier MolinaJason CastroRobinson ChirinosJ.R. MurphyChris IannettaCameron RuppCurt CasaliA.J. PierzynskiCarlos PerezDioner Navarro

Baseball Prospectus signature fantasy podcast, Flags Fly Forever covers the vast fantasy landscape in greater detail than a replacement-level podcast. Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell take a deep dive into current fantasy topics, combining traditional scouting with statistical analysis to provide fantasy owners with an unparalleled perspective.  This week’s topics include:The Way Too Early 2016 SleepersAL EastBaltimore - J.J. HardyBoston - Clay BuchholzNew York - Brian McCannTampa Bay - Logan MorrisonToronto - Kevin PillarAL CentralChicago - Erik JohnsonCleveland - Abraham AlmonteDetroit - Nick CastellanosKansas City - Dillon GeeMinnesota - Danny SantanaAL WestHouston - Lance McCullersLos Angeles - Albert PujolsOakland - Sean DoolittleSeattle - Joaquin BenoitTexas - Shin-Soo ChooNL EastAtlanta - Adonis GarciaMiami - Marcell OzunaNew York - Curtis GrandersonPhiladelphia - Aaron AltherrWashington - Joe RossNL CentralChicago - Anthony RizzoCincinnati - Zack CozartMilwaukee - Jimmy NelsonPittsburgh -

Baseball Prospectus signature fantasy podcast, Flags Fly Forever covers the vast fantasy landscape in greater detail than a replacement-level podcast. Bret Sayre, Mike Gianella and George Bissell take a deep dive into current fantasy topics, combining traditional scouting with statistical analysis to provide fantasy owners with an unparalleled perspective.  This week’s topics include:Listener Emails- Jung-Ho Kang or Trea Turner in 2016?- What round should fantasy owners target Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor next season?Offseason Transaction Analysis- Zack Greinke- David Price- Jordan Zimmermann- Jeff Samardzija- John Lackey- Hisashi Iwakuma- J.A. Happ- Wade Miley- Rich Hill- Mark Trumbo- Cameron Maybin- Byung-ho ParkAmerican League - Retrospective Player ValuationsOur second installment, recapping Mike Gianella’s 2015 Retrospective Player Valuation series with an extensive look at the junior circuit’s top earning hitters and pitcher, highlighting a few of the biggest surprises and disappointments. A few o