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Welcome back to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming and waiver wire advice. Use this column to address your problem categories.
Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Wednesday, May 3rd.
Let's get to it.
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Agenda
- Pick on Pirates
- Today's Weather and Updates
- Tomorrow's Picks
1. Pick on Pirates
Any time you're looking for stolen bases on the wire, check who the Pittsburgh Pirates are playing - especially if Gerrit Cole or Tyler Glasnow are on the bump. Here's Billy Hamilton demonstrating with three steals against Cole.
2. Today's Weather and Updates
It's all clear tonight! St. Louis is scheduled for a soak tomorrow. C'est tout.
3. Tomorrow's Picks - Wednesday, May 3rd
Pitchers to Use
It's Charlie Morton day. The market is clearly going to take awhile before they recognize the genius of Morton. If you haven't watched him pitch lately, it's easy to recall his mediocre early-career production. Now he's throwing harder than ever and piling up strikeouts. He hasn't figured out how to piece together a full gem quite yet. Last week, he fanned 12 Athletics. He also allowed four runs on a couple homers. Morton tends to wear out in the middle innings. Pick him for strikeouts, a win, and a chance for more. Morton is opposed by the Rangers.
Blake Snell has the stuff to be a fantasy asset, but his minus command really hampers his ability. He should receive some run support against Adam Conley. The Marlins starter has equally poor command, but his pitches aren't as effective. Snell is a bad bet for a quality start.
If it's the QS you want, try CC Sabathia opposite a floundering Blue Jays offense. The few hitters who aren't on the disable list aren't going anything at all. Sabathia survives on his wiles. There's a decent chance he'll give you six or seven innings with three or fewer runs.
Hector Santiago will face a punchless Athletics offense. Most of their interesting bats are left-handed. They'll sit against Santiago. The fly ball pitcher is off to a hot start. He has a 2.43 ERA in 29.2 innings. Don't get too excited. The underlying peripherals are the same as the last six seasons. At least he has a history of outperforming his career 4.68 FIP (3.78 ERA).
Other Targets: Bartolo Colon
Pitchers to Exploit
Rookie Davis is making what will probably be his last major league start... at least for the next few weeks. He's managed just 9.2 innings in three starts to go with an 11.17 ERA. Davis has neither the stuff nor the command to survive in the majors. He looks the part physically - right up until he throws a pitch. The feast is served Pittsburgh.
I feel like everybody wants Kevin Gausman to be good, but he just can't manage more than a partial season. For the third straight year, Gausman has been an early-season disaster. His command is worse than ever, as evidenced by his 5.10 BB/9. He's managed only 6.00 K/9 to go with a 7.50 ERA. The hits and homers are flying too. The Red Sox won't let him off easy.
The Brewers volatile offense has a friendly matchup versus Adam Wainwright. The former ace still has a high quality curve ball. He just lacks anything to pair with the offering. Unlike the Red Sox, Milwaukee actually has waiver wire targets for us to add.
I know Antonio Senzatela has a shiny ERA. Get over it. The stuff simply doesn't support the results - especially out of the rotation. Maybe he'll improve. Regression (the bad kind) is much more likely. He's always been considered a future reliever by scouts, and I've seen nothing to the contrary.
Other Targets: Adam Conley, Nick Martinez, Mike Pelfrey, Nate Karns, Ricky Nolasco, Jered Weaver
Homers on the Wire
Since I can't recommend Michael Conforto anymore, I'll point out that Neil Walker bats cleanup for the Mets. Once regression kicks in on his .216 BABIP, his owners will be happy. He faces Colon.
Josh Harrison hit two home runs yesterday, proof that Great American Ballpark is ridiculous. He bats leadoff for the Pirates. Josh Bell will probably bat second with Jose Osuna occupying the fifth slot. Tiny park, big flies.
Dan Vogelbach isn't playing much despite stomping all over Triple-A pitching. The 24-year-old has yet to make his impression in the majors. He has a couple singles in 17 plate appearances despite hitting the ball hard. Nolasco makes for a low stress matchup.
Domingo Santana is batting third with Ryan Braun banged up. Take advantage of the run production versus Wainwright. Santana has improved in every way except one - a .220 BABIP. He's popped five home runs in 89 plate appearances while trimming his strikeout rate down to a tolerable 25 percent.
Other Targets: Hunter Renfroe, Ryan Schimpf, Yangervis Solarte, Cody Bellinger, Andrew Toles, Brandon Moss, Josh Reddick, Jed Lowrie, Max Kepler, Brandon Guyer
Steals on the Wire
Rajai Davis is supposed to return on Tuesday which means he'll bat leadoff with the platoon advantage tomorrow. And lest you worry he'll run less versus a southpaw, his past performance says he's an equal opportunity runner. The bigger concern is if he's confident in his health.
Now that Jose Reyes is alive again, he's a must-roster player in nearly all formats. He's only 22 percent owned for a start against his former Colon.
And suddenly Michael Taylor is a starting outfielder once again. He still can't make contact with anything. While his power can be the louder tool, he accesses it so infrequently in games. At least the speed is there every day. He'll probably win the golden sombrero against Robbie Ray.
Nori Aoki isn't much of a power or speed threat. His role as the Astros ninth hitter isn't desirable either. However, Aoki is batting a reliable .306/.353/.387. In this age of power, Aoki provides a high floor, low ceiling pick off the wire.
Other Targets: Manuel Margot, Ben Gamel, Hernan Perez, Keon Broxton, Alcides Escobar, Tyler Saladino, Tim Anderson, Delino DeShields, Brett Gardner
Skill Positions
If you need a catcher, you have options tomorrow. Tony Wolters gets to face Weaver. That's something, right? Austin Hedges lurks on the other side of the matchup. Whoever starts tonight of Jett Bandy or Manny Pina will probably sit tomorrow versus Waino. Josh Phegley starts against left-handed pitching.
