RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Podcast

The early rounds are for building out a reliable core, and the late rounds are for taking shots on high-upside sleepers. But what happens in between? Erik Halterman and Todd Zola attempt to answer that question in both general and specific terms, looking at overall strategies and particular players to target in rounds 8-12.---00:00 Intro3:45 Headlines16:35 General Middle-Round Strategy31:45 Mid-Round Catchers37:00 Mid-Round First Basemen41:25 Mid-Round Second Basemen47:00 Mid-Round Third Basemen50:25 Mid-Round Shortstops56:40 Mid-Round Outfielders1:05:15 Mid-Round Starting Pitchers1:11:10 Mid-Round Closers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

Phil Dussault, a legendary fantasy baseball player renowned for his high-stakes NFBC success, joins the discussion to unveil strategies for dominating fantasy leagues. They dissect risky first-round picks and evaluate exciting young prospects like Jackson Merrill and James Wood. The conversation shifts to the Dodgers' potential six-man rotation and its impact on roster decisions. They also delve into the intricacies of reliever strategies and the effects of ballpark changes on player performances, rounding off with live auction advice for savvy players.

James Anderson answers dozens of listener questions about the updated RotoWire top 400 prospect rankings!00:00 Intro02:00 Sebastian Walcott03:45 Leodalis De Vries06:15 Zyhir Hope07:30 Walker Jenkins08:55 Jesus Made11:10 Jordan Lawlar11:55 Cam Collier14:10 Alejandro Rosario15:45 Travis Sykora16:16 Down Arrows18:35 Lazaro Montes20:15 Jett Williams22:05 Jackson Holliday24:30 Konnor Griffin25:20 Caleb Durbin28:00 Bubba Chandler29:15 Shotaro Morii30:55 Hayden Birdsong32:45 Felnin Celesten34:05 Injured Pitchers to Stashes36:00 Roman Anthony/Kristian Campbell37:40 Emmanuel Rodriguez38:30 Marcelo Mayer40:00 Brady House/Seaver King41:50 Josue Briceno43:50 Luis Pena/Eduardo Beltre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

In this discussion, Jenny Butler, a fantasy baseball expert from FTN Fantasy, shares her wisdom on drafting strategies. She emphasizes the critical importance of the first three rounds to kickstart a winning season. The conversation covers managing risks when selecting players, the nuances of drafting aces and closers, and the impact of market trends on player value. Jenny also explores balancing speed and power in team compositions, along with innovative bench-building techniques for a competitive edge.

00:00 Intro00:35 Roki Sasaki01:30 Travis Bazzana02:45 Nick Kurtz04:10 JJ Wetherholt05:15 Charlie Condon08:50 Jac Caglianone09:50 Christian Moore10:55 Chase Burns13:30 Braden Montgomery15:25 Konnor Griffin18:20 Cam Smith19:50 Hagen Smith21:15 Bryce Rainer22:25 Carson Benge23:25 Griffin Burkholder25:00 Slade Caldwell26:45 Braylon Payne29:45 Josuar Gonzalez33:30 Ryan Waldschmidt34:45 Seaver King35:50 Theo Gillen36:40 Kellon Lindsey37:50 Ryan Sloan40:10 PJ Morlando41:10 Cam Caminiti43:00 Trey Yesavage45:20 Jurrangelo Cijnte46:30 Vance Honeycutt48:45 James Gibbs49:55 Levi Sterling50:40 Tyson Lewis51:55 Elian Pena53:45 Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

AthleticsOsvaldo Bido will be in the rotation, right? Roster Resource has him at AAA for some reason…ArizonaNowhere for Jordan Lawlar to play? AtlantaWill they really go into the year with one of Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawver or Bryce Elder in the rotation?BaltimoreProbably nowhere for Heston Kjerstad or Coby Mayo to play as things stand, but they’re both seemingly a trade or an injury away. Any current interest?BostonMore PA, Kristian Campbell or David Hamilton?Chicago CubsDraft Ben Brown now and hope he wins the fifth starter’s spot? Chicago White SoxLikelihood Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery, Bryan Ramos make Opening Day roster?CincinnatiNoelvi Marte, Rhett Lowder ticketed for Triple-A?ClevelandHow much will Jhonkensy Noel play?ColoradoWhat will Jordan Beck’s role be?DetroitShould we expect Jackson Jobe to make the Opening Day rotation?HoustonWho intrigues us most as an OF flyer? Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers, Zach Dezenzo, Jacob Melton, Taylor Trammell…Kansas CityIntrigued by any of Kris Bubic, Alec Marsh, Kyle Wright, Michael Loreznen?Los Angeles AngelsSeems pretty straightforward. Are we tracking what Reid Detmers and/or Caden Dana do in spring training?Los Angeles DodgersWho plays more, Hyesong Kim or Andy Pages?MiamiDerek Hill is going to play more than people think – one of the rare Roster Resource mess-ups currentlyMilwaukeeWhat will Caleb Durbin’s role be to start the year?MinnesotaWho will be the fourth and fifth starters? Simeon Woods Richardson, Chris Paddack, David Festa, Zebby Matthews New York MetsMore playing time in 2025, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuna?New York YankeesHow confident are we in Jasson Dominguez playing every day?PhiladelphiaWorried about Bryson Stott’s lineup placement and platoon when the team is at full strength?PittsburghWhat will Nick Yorke’s role be?San DiegoTeam Top-Heavy, everybody who can play will be playingSan FranciscoWill Hayden Birdsong make the Opening Day rotation?SeattleTop-heavy depth chart, presumably not done adding. Any interest in their cheap guys, Ryan Bliss, Dominic Canzone, Tyler Locklear, Austin Shenton?St. LouisWill Michael McGreevy open the year at Triple-A?Tampa BayWill Richie Palacios or Jose Caballero play enough for us to use them?TexasWill Kumar Rocker be in the Opening Day rotation?TorontoAddison Barger, Ernie Clement, Orelvis Martinez or a player not currently on the roster as starting 3B?WashingtonIs Jacob Young really going to play every day in CF again? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

Erik Halterman and Ryan Boyer take a closer look at a handful of pitchers who divide opinion in 2025 draft rooms based on their unusual 2024 seasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

Erik Halterman and guest Michael Govier share their fantasy baseball-related New Year's resolutions.---00:00 Intro3:00 Gleyber Torres to Tigers8:10 Corbin Burnes to D-Backs13:15 Charlie Morton to Orioles14:05 Hye-Seong Kim to Dodgers19:00 Less league variety22:40 Don’t wait too long on closers25:40 Don’t sign this year’s Snell 29:50 Don’t chase the dragon31:35: Drop players faster34:15 More best ball37:50 Enjoy more, worry less39:30 Focus on WHIP43:10 Let go of ties to players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

James Anderson answers dozens of questions about prospects, dynasty and redraft on a special Christmas Eve mailbag episode!00:00 Intro02:00 Matt Shaw08:00 Coby Mayo09:35 Shohei Ohtani11:10 Buy-Low Targets13:10 Gavin Williams14:35 Valuing Oft-Injured Pitchers16:15 Evan Carter17:30 Sebastian Walcott18:25 Emmanuel Rodriguez19:40 Overhyped Prospects23:35 Prospects Who Could Hit 40 HR25:40 Sean Burke28:20 Andrew Painter30:35 Noah Schultz31:45 Kevin McGonigle Trade Grade35:20 FYPD Talk49:20 Undervalued Pitching Prospects52:40 Undervalued Pirates Prospects54:40 Cole Carrigg57:05 Jackson Holliday58:25 Colson Montgomery59:20 Second Base Trade Targets01:00:30 Guardians Hitting Prospects01:03:40 Carson Williams/Samuel Basallo/Jack Leiter01:06:00 Red Sox Prospects01:07:15 Johnathan Rodriguez01:08:30 AJ Smith-Shawver01:10:10 Rays Hitters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Get the latest fantasy sports insights, expert analysis, and premium tools at RotoWire.com—enter promo code ROTO15 at checkout to receive 15% off any product. 

Dave McDonald, a fantasy baseball expert known for his innovative approach to risk management, joins James Anderson to navigate the treacherous waters of draft day. They delve into the injury and durability concerns of top picks, discussing potential land mines in early rounds. Key players debated include Felix Bautista and Grayson Rodriguez, alongside insights on drafting recovering hitters like Ronald Acuna. McDonald emphasizes the balance between reliability and risk, providing listeners with essential strategies to build a resilient fantasy team.