2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep: "Did you know...?" facts

Over the next two months, fantasy pundits – present company included - will share dozens of fantasy baseball draft predictions and projections. Tea leaves will be read, magic eight balls shook and coins flipped. Not to worry, if the lines of baseball stats and information are published, the space between will be analyzed.

To help you prepare for your 2016 fantasy baseball draft, here are MLB player and team facts – they may be al dente, they may not – from the 2015 season. Also Read: National League MLB / Fantasy Baseball player and team facts.

New York Yankees

-          As a team, ranked second in runs scored per game (4.7) despite ranking 12th in base hits - Power game helped as the Yankees ranked fourth in homers and slugging

-          Alex Rodriguez only hit .216 in the second half of 2015. He also struck out 72 times (17th in MLB)

-          Brett Gardner is averaging 22 stolen bases over the last three seasons

-          Mark Teixeira hit 31 homers in 111 games

-          Michael Pineda 4.37 ERA, but 2.95 xFIP suggests greener pastures in 2016

Boston Red Sox

-          Only three players posted 18 or more homers, 90 or more runs scored and 21 or more steals: Mookie Betts, Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock

-          Xander Bogaerts 196 hits were the most by a shortstop since 2012 (Jeter) and 35 more than the next closest player (Eric Aybar – 161)

-          Hanley Ramirez will gain first base eligibility in 2016 after 10 games played

-          Eduardo Rodriguez picked up 13 quality starts in 21 opportunities (3.85 ERA / 7.25 K/9)

-          David Price career numbers at Fenway Park 6-1 (11 starts) with 1.95 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 74 IP

-          David Ortiz's consistency

Tampa Bay Rays

-          Average age of Rays starting rotation is 26.4

-          Rays scored 644 runs and allowed 642, while Brad Boxberger converted 41 of 47 save opportunities

-          Chris Archer ranked 4th in MLB in K/9 - 10.70

-          After smacking 32 homers in 2013, Evan Longoria averaging 21 dingers last two seasons

-          Brad Miller one of only seven shortstops with double digit HR and SB in 2015 (MI starting candidate)

Toronto Blue Jays

-          Home ERA 3.22 Away ERA 4.41

-          Tulowitzki, Donaldson, Bautista, Encarnacion top of the lineup muscle

-          Tulo played in 122 games in 2010, 143 games in 2011, 47 games in 2012, 126 in 2013, 91 games in 2014 and 128 games in 2015. Assume he will miss 20+ games, right?

-          Kevin Pillar 12 HR and 25 SB in 2015 (32nd Round Draft Pick)

-          Offense didn’t provide many save opps, but Robert Osuna and Brett Cecil combined for 25 saves (31 opps) and 16 holds with K/9’s north of 9.50, ERAs under 2.60 and WHIPs under 1.00

Baltimore Orioles

-          Manny Machado is 23 years old. He’s 23 years old. Wow.

-          Only third basemen with more than 13 stolen bases. Also, hit 35 homers if that matters.

-          Chris Davis healthy is a lock for 40+ homers in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the bigs

-          Hyun-Soo Kim raked overseas, but know that Pacific Rim stats mimic inflated Pacific Coast League stats. Stay grounded.

-          Zach Britton 36 saves in 40 opps with 1.92 ERA and 0.99 WHIP

Cleveland Indians

-          The Tribe’s core four SP’s – Kluber, Carrasco, Bauer, and Salazar posted 72 quality starts in 122 opportunities (59 percent QS-rate)

-          Closer Cody Allen’s 2.07 ERA in 2014 raised some eyebrows. His xFIP that season was 3.03. In 2015, Allen’s ERA jumped to 2.99 or more in line with xFIP.

-          Carlos Santana is maddening. Has hit .231 in back-to-back seasons, yet managed .365 and .357 OBP in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

-          This season’s Brandon Moss big move by Tribe was signing 34-year-old Mike Napoli .224 / .324 / .410 triple slash in 2015

-          In five seasons before joining the Tribe, Michael Bourn averaged 51 SB / season. He averaged 17 SB the past three seasons. Indians replaced him with 35-year-old Rajai Davis. He’s averaged 36 SB / season over past five years.

Chicago White Sox

-          Adam Eaton led all MLB outfielders with 95 hits in the second half of the 2015 season w/ 13 stolen bases

-          Jose Abreu only White Sox hitter to smack more than 13 homers and drive in more than 77 RBI

-          Chris Sale is a stud fantasy SP, right? He posted 23 quality starts in 31 chances, but Jose Quintana one-upped him with 25 QS in 32 starts. Sale’s 11.82 K/9 was best in baseball.

-          Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie join Adam LaRoche in a new-look infield constructed over the last few seasons

-          Frazier – the 2015 HR Derby Champ – hit 25 HR and posted .284 / .337 / .585 in first half of 2015. Now compare that to 10 HR and .220 / .274 / .390 after the break. Ouch.

Kansas City Royals

-          If Jarrod Dyson starts and/or gets quality playing time in 100+ games, he’s a lock for 30+ stolen bases

-          Alcides Escobar’s batting average dipped 30 points and OBP dipped 20 year-over-year and his SB totals took a hit. He swiped 31 in 2014 and 17 in 2015.

-          Yordano Ventura 1st Half 4.73 ERA and 4-6 record – 2nd Half 3.56 ERA and 9-2 record

-          Ian Kennedy joins the staff and brings with him a healthy K/9 rate of around 9.30 last two seasons and ERA range of 3.70-3.90.

-          Kendrys Morales drove in 100+ runs for only the second time in his career

Minnesota Twins

-          Imagine if Brian Dozier could hit a baseball consistently – career .240 BA / .314 OBP. His HR totals have climbed in each of the last three seasons and averaged 23 dingers during that stretch.

-          Pitching staff’s 2015 Home / Away ERA - 3.66 vs. 4.51

-          Miguel Sano 35 percent strikeout rate in 80 games. Fantasy owners need to eat the K-rate in exchange for third base power numbers

-          Phil Hughes K/9 rate hovered above 7.50 2012-2014 before dropping to 5.45 in 2015. His 3.52 ERA in 2014 jumped to 4.40 last season.

-          Keep tabs on Adam Walker in minor leagues. Very Adam Dunn, Mark Reynolds, but could work way to majors if Twins’ offense struggles.

Detroit Tigers

-          Wins are a funny, antiquated stat where Alfredo Simon can post a 5.05 ERA and lead team with 13 wins

-          Tigers pitching staff owned third-worst ERA 4.64 with bullpen woes complicating matters

-          Justin Verlander flipped his 2015 script with a 5.34 ERA in the first half before righting the ship to 2.80 after the All-Star break. His post-All-Star break ERA is nearly a run less over the past three seasons. Buy-low candidate?

-          Victor Martinez only played in 120 games last season and the .245 BA / .301 OBP left littled to be desired. However, his .253 BABIP was a career low and 60 points below career average. If healthy he’ll bounce back.

-          New closer, Francisco Rodriguez has converted 82 of 89 save opportunities last two seasons

Los Angeles Angels

-          Hector Santiago’s 5.00 xFIP compared to 3.59 ERA in 2015 suggests regression on the horizon. If undeterred, 8.00 K/9 rate is solid.

-          Albert Pujols hit 40 homers for the first time since 2010 (GOOD!). Pujols hit .244 BA / .307 OBP – both career lows (BAD!)

-          Mike Trout SB totals last four seasons: 49 – 33 – 16 – 11

-          Kole Calhoun won’t reach full fantasy relevancy unless he can improve BA vs. LHP - .220 in 2015 and .246 last three years

-          Yunel Escobar posted above-average batting average and on-base percentages for Nationals in 2015. However, his .347 BABIP was 40 points above career average. Assume regression in 2016.

Houston Astros

-          Evan Gattis loses catcher eligibility in 2016. Bummer.

-          John Halpin believes Ken Giles is a breakout candidate this season

-          Mike Fiers’ post All-Star opponent batting average was .203. He has a career 9.09 K/9 rate.

-          Jake Marisnick stole 24 bases with only 339 at bats in 2015. Hard to budge Colby Rasmus, Carlos Gomez and George Springer with a .236 batting average

-          Astros finished with second-most strikeouts – 8.6 K/Game – only behind Cubs. The theme being young bats, grip and rip approach.

Seattle Mariners

-          Felix Hernandez’s 3.53 ERA was his highest since 2007. His K/9 rate 8.52 ranked 27th and was lowest since 2010. Lotta miles on that flame-throwing arm.

-          Taijuan Walker pitched 6-or-more innings in 15 of 19 starts in June, July, August, and September

-          Safeco Park known as “pitcher friendly,” yet Hisashi Iwakuma owned 4.37 ERA at home and 2.56 on the road. After starting season late due to injury, Iwakuma finished 8-4 with 3.05 ERA after the All-Star break.

-          Nelson Cruz smacked a career-high 44 homers in his first season with the Mariners. However, let it be known that a five-year high in K%  (25%) in addition to .350 BABIP suggests regression is possible.

Oakland Athletics

-          If Billy Burns earned Billy Hamilton playing time, we would have more of a competition for stolen base crown. Burns swiped 26 bases in 125 games last season.

-          Stephen Vogt 2015 splits

-          Oakland’s bullpen finished dead last in saves (28)

-          Rich Hill, 35, signed a contract that guaranteed him a spot in starting rotation. He started four games for Red Sox in 2015 – he first MLB starts since 2009. Hill finished 2-1 with an 11.17 K/9

Texas Rangers

-          Elvis Andrus vs. Delino DeShields

-          When we last saw Yu Darvish (Tommy John in 2015), he was 10-7 in 22 starts with 11.35 K/9 rate and 3.06 ERA

-          Joey Gallo’s 46 percent K-rate in 36 games makes it a challenge to work him into starting role

-          D.J. Foster believes Adrian Beltre reign among elite fantasy baseball third basemen is over

-          Wouldn’t be shocked to see prospect Jurickson Profar traded (to Brewers for Lucroy?). 

Also Read: National League MLB / Fantasy Baseball player and team facts