RADIO
I like to consider myself a pioneer of the streaming approach. I won a league about seven years ago completely ignoring saves and just stacking up the starts each week. While streaming is undoubtedly more directly associated with pitching, there's plenty of value in streaming for offense as well.
Maybe you have a stacked roster and you can't drop anyone. But for those of us with a couple of guys on the roster fringes, it's never too early to look into targeting a specific player or two to gain an edge in a particular category. This season, I will be making weekly recommendations for extreme short term category specialists every week in three offensive areas: speed, power, and average; and three pitching areas: strikeouts, wins, and ratios (ERA/WHIP).
Below are my Week 9 category streamers for fantasy baseball. All position eligibility and ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
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Head-to-Head Category Streamers to Consider
Speed
Jarrod Dyson (OF, ARI) - 3% Owned
This isn't an add/drop column, but you can drop Steven Souza everywhere. I get the fascination with a guy who has 30 home run upside, but his batting average is untenable and he rarely actually plays baseball. It's the latter issue that has given rise to Jarrod Dyson's reemergence into the fantasy world. Dyson stole 28 bases last year in just 390 plate appearances and 30 bases the year before in 337 plate appearances. He's really, really fast and now he's an every day outfielder again. You know what to do.
Mallex Smith (OF, TB) - 28% Owned
Alright, this might be the last week for Mallex Smith. I said he would be a mainstay on this list until he either faceplants or sees an uptick in ownership percentage. The latter is not going to happen, but the former might be. The batting average has dropped considerably over the past month. He still has elite speed, but he's typically hitting at the bottom of the order. When he gets on first with no one in front of him, he should take off. That's still worth the shot if you need steals.
Power
Mark Reynolds (1B, WAS) - 21% Owned
The Nationals brought in Mark Reynolds because of the medley of injuries they've dealt with. And Reynolds has done what he's always done - hit the ball far. He has four homers in his first 24 plate appearances. He's a long way removed from the guy who once hit 44 home runs in a season, but he's still got pop. As long as he's hot, ride the wave. Just know it will come crashing down at some point.
Jesus Aguilar (1B, MIL) - 49% Owned
This one is kind of on the border of stream and also pick up because he might be really good. Jesus Aguilar actually had a 30 home run season in AAA in 2016. He spent a lot of time in the minors, but is still only 27 years old and appears to be putting it all together. Aguilar has seven dingers on the season with five of them coming recently over a week's span. If he's still available, go get him and then probably keep him.
Average
Yuli Gurriel (1B, HOU) - 23% Owned
Yuli Gurriel apparently does not hit for power...at all. But he is a career .290 hitter and is hovering right around .280 this season. While facing the Yankees and Red Sox strong rotations is less than ideal, Gurriel should be just fine getting on base at a reasonable clip. His low strikeout rate will continue to bolster his ability to reach base.
Wilmer Difo (2B/3B/SS, WAS) - 7% Owned
While Wilmer Difo is only hitting .262 this season, he opens next week with a three game set against the Orioles. The Orioles' pitching staff ranks dead last in the league in batting average against. Difo is a decent enough hitter to take advantage of Baltimore pitchers' propensity for giving up base hits.
Strikeouts
Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - 28% Owned
Vince Velasquez projects to get two starts next week. I am interested in his second start - the one in San Francisco. Velasquez currently has a K/9 over 11.00 and the Giants strikeout the fourth most in the league. That's a combination ripe for tons of swings and misses.
Caleb Smith (SP, MIA) - 25% Owned
Caleb Smith also has a K/9 over 11.00. Next week, he projects to face the Diamondbacks, a team that ranks directly next to the Giants in team strikeouts. Strikeout pitchers against teams that love to strikeout is a recipe for success in the strikeout department. I've said strikeouts way too much. Go stream Smith.
Wins
Trevor Cahill (SP, OAK) - 24% Owned
The AL West is stacked. The Athletics are somehow over .500 and in fourth place. They will want to take full advantage of their series next week against the Royals, who are somehow 18 games under .500 and not in last place. Cahill has to be considered likely to secure a win in that contest.
Kyle Gibson (SP, MIN) - 22% Owned
The theme here is the same. The Royals are really bad and that is who Kyle Gibson projects to face early next week. The Twins are slightly under .500, which is still way better than the Royals. Gibson is by no means a superstar, but he's solid enough and should be able to take advantage of a weak opposing offense.
ERA/WHIP
Tyson Ross (SP, SD) - 46% Owned
Tyson Ross has a mid 3s ERA and gets a home start at the spacious PETCO Park against the Marlins on Monday. What more could you ask for? Sure, it would be nice if his ownership percentage were a little lower, but most of you will be able to utilize his services in this very favorable matchup.
Jordan Lyles (SP, SD) - 28% owned
I see you're sensing a theme here. I am not yet sure if Jordan Lyles will face the Marlins or the Reds next week, but either one is a fantastic spot. Lyles is experiencing a late breakout this season as his ERA currently sits lower than any full season he has in any professional level of baseball. Lyles has been around a while and now he is both pitching well and in a favorable situation with a weak opponent.
More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers
