Mlb.com Fantasy Baseball 411

MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down the can't miss players and the guys that haven't proven enough yet to trade for. The crew discuss the hot starts from Marcell Ozuna and Eric Thames (4:12), some slow starts from some of the best players in the league (18:23) and compare James Paxton and Jameson Taillon (20:28). The top closer from last season Zach Britton is on the DL. If you own him should you trade him away or hang tight? (31:06) The closer's job in Washington looks like it is up for grabs, find out who the leading candidate is to win the spot.

MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie take a look at the action from early April in an attempt to see who should play more and who should be avoided at all costs. They also discuss whether Nomar Mazara is going to continue on his early hot streak and if Byron Buxton can finally fulfill his immense potential. Starting pitching is so important to any fantasy league, the crew ranks the rotation guys two starts into the season.

Where your players bat in the lineup can be a huge factor in what kind of numbers they are going to produce. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie discuss why batting order is so important when determining which players to draft. Hitting at the top of the order in front of run-producers can mean more runs scored and higher batting average. The middle of the order should connect on home runs and runs batted in. A really deep lineup still has good hitters and speedy guys near the bottom that could be critical in the stolen bases category. They also break down recent performances from week one and who they are concerned about for the rest of the season.

Every team needs that pitcher that can come in and slam the door shut on the competition. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down the top closers in the game that can get you those valuable strikeouts and saves in your league. Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman lead the discussion as the best of the best stoppers in the game. They also recap the recent Tout Wars fantasy baseball draft and what strategy Zinkie used to pick his team.

Major League Baseball is full of young exciting shortstops, but who are the ones that threaten to lead the league in multiple categories? MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down the best in the game. Potential superstars Manny Machado, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor lead a deep and talented list of shortstops that could put up huge numbers this upcoming season. Later in the podcast, Fred Zinkie and Yahoo! Sports fantasy writer Scott Pianowski discuss the upcoming Tout Wars fantasy baseball draft as well as the shortstops that could be a steal later in the draft.

Who should you draft as your top third baseman? MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie discuss one of the most interesting positions in baseball. Some of the best players in the league like Kris Bryant, Nolan Arenado, Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado all reside at third base, but who should you draft first? The crew breaks down what third baseman should be the centerpiece of any top team in the league.

Jose Altuve is clearly the best second baseman in the league, so much so that he deserves his own category. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down the best second baseman in the league in search of the player that can give that perfect balance of power, speed and batting average. Matthew Leach also chats with Nationals beat writer Jamal Collier about where to draft Trea Turner, Max Scherzer's health and if Bryce Harper can have the kind of bounce back year he is looking for.

Which first basemen are going to provide the huge power numbers needed to win your league? MLB.com's Matthew Leach, fantasy expert Fred Zinkie and special guest Yahoo! Sports fantasy writer Andy Behrens break down all you need to know when drafting that slugging first baseman that could be the ultimate triple threat and be at the top of the league in average, homers and runs batted in. The crew also discusses recent injuries to big name stars David Price and David Wright and if you should drop them down in your draft order.

Spring Training is in full bloom and it's time to find that perfect backstop to round out your lineup. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down the best catchers in the league and what kind of production you can expect from them this season. They also discuss how the nagging injury that happened during the first week of camp is going to affect these veterans as they prepare for Opening Day and if they will miss any time to start the season.

Learn to draft like the experts do. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down the strategy that was used in the recent Leagues of Alternative Baseball Reality (LABR) mixed league draft that pits fifteen of the most knowledgeable in the art of fantasy baseball against each other. They also discuss what outfielders are going to get you the most production in your league and what last-minute signing before Spring Training should net the highest worth.

Who are the can't-miss players in your draft? What players should you avoid taking until the later rounds? Who is that one sleeper that no one else is talking about? MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie cover it all in their fantasy player preview. No surprise that Mike Trout leads the list of who to take with the No. 1 pick.

With just a few weeks away from pitcher and catchers reporting to Spring Training, MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie return to break down the latest list of signings. Topics range from Brandon Moss and Mark Trumbo's power numbers to where potential closers Greg Holland, Joe Nathan and Neftali Perez stack up against the competition.

The Hot Stove season continues to burn brightly as teams are making moves to add to their 2017 roster. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie examine the most recent transactions around the league and fill us in on who is going to post big numbers on their new clubs.

As the calendar turns to 2017, it's time to look at who could be ready to make a big splash this season. MLB.com's Matthew Leach, fantasy expert Fred Zinkie and special guest MLB.com columnist Mike Petriello break down five pitchers that are poised to have a breakout season and discuss how the transactions made during the holiday season can affect fantasy leagues.

The Winter Meetings have ended and there are a lot of new faces on new teams. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie take a look at the recent offseason transactions around the league and where those players should rank in upcoming fantasy drafts for the 2017 season.

Will the new stipulations in the CBA change the way fantasy owners strategically construct their rosters in 2017? Fantasy expert Fred Zinkie and special guest Al Melichior discuss the changes and why fans might have to be a little more alert to their rosters with the new DL rule. They also discuss the current free agents still available on the market and the value that Yoenis Cespedes has now that he's re-signed with the New York Mets.

Hot Stove season is upon us and players are on the move. Fantasy expert Fred Zinkie and MLB.com national editor Matthew Leach break down where the game's biggest free agents could land, how current trades will affect rosters in 2017 and what each trade means towards fantasy implications.

As the baseball world is on the verge of crowning a new World Series champion, MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down some of the players in the Series that could have serious impact on your fantasy team next season. Is Corey Kluber underrated and how does his performance rank with Madison Bumgarner's? Where does Jason Heyward's value stand for the 2017 season? Is there a cause for concern with Mike Napoli's production? Get the answers to these questions and more on the latest edition of the Fantasy 411 podcast.

The postseason is starting to wind down, but it's never too early to start looking towards the 2017 campaign. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie talk about whether or not players will repeat their success from this season or regress next year. They also discuss if the closer's role will be changing, based on what we've seen from Andrew Miller this postseason.

Only a few days remain in the regular season and a few teams are on the cusp of punching their postseason ticket. MLB.com's Matthew Leach and fantasy expert Fred Zinkie break down playoff bound teams and their rosters, must-have pick ups and what the guys learned this season as they look ahead to 2017.