We're in Week 17 now - the last week of July. It's amazing - seems just like yesterday that we were all excited about baseball starting up again. Now we're trying not to melt during this heat bubble that's engulfed much of the nation. Air conditioning has been our friend. Baseball has also been a refuge during the hot air that has been present at both the Republican and Democratic Conventions. The fantasy catching ranks haven't been that lucky, having melted into a big pile of non-hitting goo. We'll bravely sift through that goo to find you ones that can help.
As always, our cutoff is 70% ownership in Fleaflicker leagues.
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Week 17 Waiver Wire Catchers
Matt Wieters (C, BAL) 69% - Wow. Wieters fell below 70%. Well, the fact that he's hitting .244 with only nine homers in August has something to do with the fact that a lot of owners seem to be shedding him from their rosters. I think it's too hasty a move especially since he's coming back from a foot injury. If he gets hot in August, he could be a great pickup.
Yadier Molina (C, STL) 64% - Still no love for the catcher with the sixth-most hits among catchers this season, huh? Sure, he's not hitting for any power, but you could do a lot worse. He's also riding an 11-game hit streak, so you should pick up Yadi while he's still hot. You could be looking at someone who could help you tremendously in August.
Evan Gattis (C/OF, HOU) 63% - There should be more people taking advantage of Gattis' power. He's got 17 homers, most among all catchers. Yeah, he's not within striking distance of Mark Trumbo, but we've got to take what we can get from backstops this season. The man's hit four homers in his past seven games. You could have been reaping the benefits of those blasts if you had him on your roster.
Yasmani Grandal (C, LAD) 31% - Yes, he's very disappointing average-wise, but if you have one need in your two-catcher league, it's power. He's got that. When he makes contact, the ball will fly over the fences more often than not. To boot, he's even hit a fairly respectable .250 over the past week. You want homers. He's got some to spare. Pick him up.
Derek Norris (C/1B, SD) 33% - The Bearded One has slumped in July, seeing his average drop down below .200 again. No disputing that. He's still got the potential to do something, especially if the Padres continue trading off people before the deadline. He could do some damage in a hitter's park and that would be invaluable in a two-catcher league. There's always the potential that he erupts in another homer binge. You'd love to have him then, wouldn't you?
Sandy Leon (C, BOS) 27% - Leon's not challenging Ted Williams anymore, but he's still hitting a robust .388 this season. While he's showing signs of falling to Earth (c'mon, you really thought he'd stay at .400 all year?), he's gotten at least a hit in six of his last 10 games. That's still pretty impressive. If you need help at Catcher No. 2, he can help. There's a lot worse choices out there.
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