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Welcome to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire. Use this column to improve upon your neediest categories.
Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Monday, June 19th.
Let's get to it.
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Agenda
- Time To Start Playing the Standings
- Today's Weather and Updates
- Tomorrow's Picks
1. Time To Start Playing the Standings
Here's a reminder for all you roto owners. It's all well and good to have top players, but what really matters are the standings. Early in the season, it's usually best to make your decisions based on the best talent available. It's around this point on the calendar when you should start considering trades and waiver moves that maximize your ability to move up in the standings. Here's an example...
I have a narrow three point lead in this league. My weakest categories are home runs, wins, and - to a lesser extent - OPS. I've probably already addressed the home runs and OPS to the best of my ability by trading keepers for Nelson Cruz, Charlie Blackmon, and Joey Votto. There isn't much room to upgrade my offense. I have to just hope it clicks over the rest of the season. That said, I'm only seven home runs behind third place in that category. Power has to be a focus for me going forward. An extra 5.5 points would do a lot to pad my overall lead.
The second place team could really benefit from a strategic redeployment of resources. He has a ridiculous 35 home run lead. He's 49 homers up on third in the category - that's the owner I'm chasing. Meanwhile, he's falling into an ever deepening hole on the stolen base front. He could also gain up to eight points in saves by adding just one high volume closer. Dee Gordon's owner is languishing in ninth place and also has Greg Holland. Swapping Carlos Correa for the pair ($22 to keep) could secure him the victory. It would certainly force me to reach deeper into my keeper coffers.
2. Today's Weather and Updates
Cincinnati looks like a big postponement risk today, although it's increasingly likely to start. Storms could also interrupt and/or cancel the action in Atlanta, Baltimore, and Detroit. Chicago, Baltimore and Atlanta are the weather risks on Monday.
3. Tomorrow's Picks - Monday, June 19th
Pitchers to Use
There's no question Brad Peacock is a volatile starting pitcher. He's best suited to a multi-inning relief role, except the Astros already have Chris Devenski thriving in 'pen. Peacock sometimes falls apart when facing hitters a third time. He also has middling command - mostly due to leaning on his elite slider. As I quipped on Twitter earlier this week, Peacock is an example of what an elite closer would look like as a starter. You'll get strikeouts, but I can't promise anything else. In five starts, he's only once pitched past the fifth inning.
Edinson Volquez has a rough matchup versus the Nationals. Oakland touched him up last week, ending his streak of strong outings. If you need volume, Volquez is a fine gamble. If you're playing for rates, grab a reliever. The same advice holds true for Scott Feldman at Tropicana Field. The Rays have too many righty mashers.
Other Targets: Frowny Face
Pitchers to Exploit
Austin Bibens-Dirkx tossed a seven-inning gem against the Nationals a week ago. It was one of those magical BABIP games in which everything in play found a glove. Bibens-Dirkx pitches to contact and lacks swing-and-miss stuff. The Blue Jays should feast.
A cascade of injuries has forced Boston to recall Hector Velazquez. The former Mexican League star is great minor league inventory, but his stuff isn't well-suited to major league success. He throws a 89 mph fastball to set up a quality changeup. His breaking balls aren't anything exciting. He may survive an outing versus the Royals offense. Then again, Lorenzo Cain is doing his best Mike Trout impression.
Other Targets: R.A. Dickey, Matt Garza, Jason Hammel, Sam Gaviglio, Jordan Zimmermann, Daniel Gossett
Homers on the Wire
Logan Morrison is the 31st ranked player on Yahoo, and he's still just 44 percent owned. Colby Rasmus offers a wholly unowned alternative. They'll see Feldman.
On these stormy days, the wind tends to gust at Wrigley - usually to the benefit of hitters. While Jon Lester and Clayton Richard are both solid pitchers well-suited to deal with the wind, it makes sense to gamble on one or both of Hunter Renfroe or Ian Happ.
Other Targets: Chase Utley, Jed Lowrie, Mitch Moreland, Jorge Bonifacio, Carlos Gomez, Shin-Soo Choo, Josh Harrison, John Jaso, Josh Bell, Derek Dietrich
Steals on the Wire
Whit Merrifield is experiencing success atop the Royals lineup. On the season, he's slashing .288/.330/.455 with six home runs and seven stolen bases. He's cut his strikeout rate nearly in half by improving his plate discipline. Overall, he's a solid core asset for fantasy owners.
Eric Sogard and Lewis Brinson are opposed by Gerrit Cole. The Pirates ace is having an inconsistent season. Even if he's on top of his game tomorrow, Sogard or Brinson need only reach first base. Cole is one of the worst pitchers in the league at holding runners.
Other Targets: Ben Gamel, Jarrod Dyson, Taylor Motter, Jose Pirela, Kevin Pillar, Delino DeShields, Adam Frazier, Michael Taylor
Skill Positions
Tyler Flowers may be the catcher to add tomorrow. He'll face a scuffling Johnny Cueto at SunTrust Launch Yard. Cueto is supposedly pitching through some blisters.
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