RADIO
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Kyle Braver analyzes the top 5 waiver wire hitters who should be picked up and owned for week 18. These sleeper hitters can provide a huge boost for your team.
I spent about 2.5 hours tonight watching my Giants get their faces beaten in by the Dodgers on Friday night. It was an 8-1 loss and an ugly one at that, with the Dodgers simply battering former Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. I bring this up both as an excuse to whine (alright mostly to whine), but also because it serves as a useful metaphor for the state some fantasy teams are finding themselves in right now. Maybe you're like the Giants, formerly the class of your division with a commanding lead over your rivals, now reduced to fighting it out for a playoff spot after injuries and cool bats wrecked your lead. Maybe you're a Troy Tulowitzki owner who just watched his best player drop to the DL. Or maybe you're that Wil Myers owner who's still waiting for his most promising young bat to return to his lineup. Either way you've got a game to win and holes in your lineup that need patching. That's where I come in.
As always my streamers article will highlight 5 players who I think could be impact waiver wire pickups over the next week. All of these players are owned in less than 50% of leagues (this week far less in fact) and I've tried to highlight a variety of different positions and skill-sets in order to cater to all owners' needs. If you're looking to pick up a bat these are the first guys I'd turn to.
Seth Smith, OF, San Diego Padres
2014 Stats: .293 BA, 41 Runs, 11 HR, 31 RBI, 1 SB
Ownership: 13% in Yahoo!, 15% in Fleaflicker
Schedule: (at) Braves, Cardinals, Braves; Games Scheduled: 7
I've shared this statistic on here before but it bares repeating: Seth Smith is a career .281/.362/.493 hitter against right handed pitchers, with all but 8 of his 84 career home runs coming against righties. This season he's hit .300/.392/.536 with 11 home runs against righties. Why does that matter? It matters because next week the only left handed pitcher Smith is currently slated to face is Alex Wood of the Braves. Six RHP means a must-start week for Seth Smith, its that simple.
Josh Rutledge, 2B / SS, Colorado Rockies
2014 Stats: .302 BA, 22 Runs, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 0 SB
Ownership: 16% in Yahoo!, 9% in Fleaflicker
Schedule: (at) Cubs, (at) Tigers; Games Scheduled: 7
With Troy Tulowitzki recovering on the DL through next week, Josh Rutledge figures to be a mainstay in the Rockies lineup. This makes him quite an interesting fantasy option as a power/speed threat. Last season he batted .235 with 7 home runs and 12 stolen bases in only 285 at-bats. This season his batting average is way up, and while I don't foresee that continuing long term, I also don't think he'll face an overwhelming challenge from a very weak Cubs rotation. It's difficult to find true power/speed threats on free agency at this point in the season, but Rutlege is just that. The fact that he also has dual 2nd/SS eligibility only sweetens the deal for me. I'd grab him if you need help up the middle in your league for next week.
Josh Willingham, OF, Minnesota Twins
2014 Stats: .207 BA, 27 Runs, 9 HR, 28 RBI, 0 SB
Ownership: 9% in Yahoo!, 15% in Fleaflicker
Schedule: (at) Royals, (at) Sox; Games Scheduled: 6
Just like last week, Willingham is the first guy I'd turn to if you've been adopting a punt batting average strategy. I recommended grabbing him last week and if you'd done so he'd have given you a .267 batting average, with 4 runs batted in, 2 home runs, and 2 RBIs by now.
Willingham is a core cog in the Twins lineup, and while you can't expect much of a batting average out of him, his high OBP (.352 this year and .359 for his career) and natural power swing guarantee that he'll be on base to get you those runs and RBIs that anyone executing a punt batting average strategy desperately needs.
Kendrys Morales, 1B / DH, Seattle Mariners
2014 Stats: .234 BA, 12 Run, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 0 SB
Ownership: 22% in Yahoo!, 27% in Fleaflicker
Schedule: (at) Indians, (at) Orioles; Games Scheduled: 6
Despite his lackluster performance so far this season, I think the change of scenery could do Morales some good. He figures to be batting cleanup in the Mariners' lineup as their regular DH, slotted between the Mariners' two best hitters: Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager.
In a prime hitters park like Camden Yards that could mean a lot of RBI and run opportunities for Morales next week. The batting average is going to be a concern so I'd be careful rostering him if you're not someone with much wiggle room in that regard, but if you can risk a .250 line, Morales is very cheap power threat in a good situation. If you need help at 1st base next week, I think its worth it to roll the dice with him.
Mike Moustakas, 3B, Kansas City Royals
2014 Stats: .199 BA, 28 Runs, 13 HR, 39 RBI, 0 SB
Ownership: 17% in Yahoo!, 55% in Fleaflicker
Schedule: Twins, (at) Athletics; Games Scheduled: 6
My Mike Moustakas selection here is a clear example of riding a hot bat. Over the last 7 games Moustakas has hit .280 with 3 home runs, 4 RBI, and 5 runs scored. It's not just the last week either. Moustakas has hit .259 with 4 homers, 10 RBI, and 8 Runs scored since in July, a marked improvement from his early season performance.
Simply put there isn't a lot of free agent talent out there in the 3rd base market, so if I'm going to go with someone I'd rather go with a guy like this who's coming off an impressive week. Sometimes when a player's locked in even a mediocre guy can do big things. Whether Moustakas is capable of delivering next week is a question that's still up in the air, but he certainly does look locked in to me.
