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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 6

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 6

A fireballer and a slugger at a premium position. Those are the kinds of must adds I’ll be breaking down this week. In the Week 6 edition of the Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire, I’ll be breaking down the must adds, drops and two-start pitchers of the week.

Must Adds:

Zack Cozart – SS – Cincinnati Reds
22% Owned
OPP: 3 vs PIT, 3 @ PHI

If you’re in 12+ man mixed leagues, Zack Cozart needs to be rostered. The shortstop quietly has a lot of power with his .204 ISO and his 32.2% hard hit ball percentage. He’s batting .344 and his surgically repaired knee looks to be just fine. At one of the harder positions to fill in fantasy baseball, Zack Cozart could help a lot of owners out.

Nathan Eovaldi – RHP – New York Yankees
16% Owned
OPP: May 12 vs KC

It seems as if Nathan Eovaldi has finally found a payoff pitch to go along with his heater. All it took was Eovaldi to increase his velocity on his slider by 3MPH (85 to 88) and his K/9 is now 8.84, the highest of his career. His walk rate is just the icing on top, a career low 1.91 BB/9. Almost a full walk lower than last years mark of 2.86.

Drops:

Michael Saunders – OF – Toronto Blue Jays
23% Owned
OPP: 3 @ SF, 3 @ TEX

Now that Kevin Pillar has seemingly found his stroke in the leadoff position, Michael Saunders becomes expendable in all fantasy formats. Being moved down the lineup removes a plate appearance a game which hurts his fantasy stock in a big way. To make matters worse, manager John Gibbons has shown that he’s not afraid to rest the injury prone Canadian.

Aaron Blair – RHP – Atlanta Braves
8% Owned
OPP: May 12 vs PHI

Aaron Blair is one of the many prospects that were called up across the league in late April, early May. If you’re a Blair owner, unfortunately you picked the worst possible prospect. Across three starts (16.1 IP), Blair has racked up a very underwhelming 5 K’s. If names like Sean Manaea, Jose Berrios and Jesse Hahn are on the wire, take a shot at them before Blair.

Two Start Pitchers:

This week for two start pitchers, I’ll be doing it a little differently. No names really jump out to me but a pair of matchups do. With proper streaming, you’ll be able to take advantage of two starts against a certain team.

Chris Young vs Atlanta (May 14th) – 8% Owned
Kris Medlen vs Atlanta (May 15th) – 6% Owned

Chris Young and Kris Medlen are two guys who will likely not be owned in your leagues. When the 13th comes around, pick up Young. When the 14th rolls up, drop Young and pick up Medlen. Medlen has a 7.25 K/9 while Young has an 8.8 K/9. Atlanta is the worst team in baseball this year and they don’t hit the long ball at all. Streaming the duo should rack you up a pair of wins and about 15 strikeouts.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB season long or DFS questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 5

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 5

With Dee Gordon out for 80 games, you’ll most likely need a replacement if you own shares of him. When it comes to the middle infield, I’ve got the perfect solution for you. In this week’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire article, I’ll be breaking down the biggest must adds, players you can cut ties with, two-start pitchers and the latest trends going into Week 5’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire!

Must Adds:

Brandon Drury – 3B/MI/OF – Arizona Diamondbacks
17% Owned 
OPP: 3 @ MIA, 3 @ ATL

Although he’s not 2B eligible yet (he needs three more starts at 2nd base or seven more appearances at the position – so, he will be soon eligible), Brandon Drury is able to slide in as your middle infielder for now. Drury is one of MLB.com’s 100 top prospects and the Diamondbacks plan to keep sliding him into the lineup as long as he’s producing. His walk rate isn’t the greatest but he makes up for that with his .294 ISO. His hard hit ball percentage is 31.5% while his soft hit percentage is only 18.5%. While he continues to tear the cover off the ball, take advantage and get him on your team.

Hector Neris – RHP (RP) – Philadelphia Phillies
14% Owned
OPP: 4 @ STL, 3 @ MIA

If you’re in a deep league or need desperate help with your ERA, Hector Neris is your guy. He strikes everyone out that he faces with his 14.44 K/9. While Jeanmar Gomez is the closer, Neris is the set up guy and arguably the best reliever in baseball right now. A three pitch reliever, Neris’ split-fingered fastball has looked downright nasty leading him to his 0.63 ERA.

Drops:

Tyler White – 1B/3B – Houston Astros
44% Owned
OPP: 3 vs MIN, 4 vs SEA

I contemplated last week making Tyler White a droppable player. This week, there’s no doubt. After his scorching start, White has cooled down considerably. His high strikeout rate was a concern to begin with (25.6%) but now that he’s not hitting for power – it’s one of the main reasons you should drop him. The Astros also have White on a very short leash as they have top prospect A.J. Reed waiting in the minors.

Kolten Wong – 2B – St. Louis Cardinals
55% Owned
OPP: 4 vs PHI, 3 vs PIT

Kolten Wong is off to a miserable start this season. His .226 AVG to go with just two RBI isn’t going to cut it. With Wong sidelined on and off with the flu, Jedd Gyorko has been stealing his playing time. Aledmys Diaz has been a huge surprise for the Cards and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Kolten Wong was eventually the odd man out of the infield.

Two Start Pitchers:

Bartolo Colon – RHP – New York Mets
22% Owned
OPP: May 2 vs ATL, May 7 @ SD

Atlanta is not good. The Padres are not good. Need any more reason to start Bartolo Colon against them? Big Sexy’s K/9 (7.99) is the highest it’s been since 2001 when he played for the Indians. Bartolo isn’t afraid to pound the strike zone this year either. He’s hitting the strike zone at a 53.8% rate and truly trusting his pitches. Did I mention that Atlanta has five homeruns as a team to go with a .229 average? Go get Big Sexy.

Other Two Start Pitchers: Matt Moore (LAD/LAA), A.J. Griffin (TOR, DET)

Trends:

Dee Gordon – 2B – Miami Marlins
75% Owned

I could rant about how perplexing it is that Dee Gordon has been caught for the use of PED’s. That would most likely be 500+ words so I’ll digress. Dee Gordon shouldn’t be dropped. He’s gone for 80 games, not the whole season. He could still finish the season with 25+ stolen bases when he comes back around the All-Star break. If you have an extra slot on your roster and somebody has dropped Gordon, pick him up. This is a guy who swiped 122 bags in two years. Also a guy who had 205 hits last year. AKA a guy who can help you when fantasy playoffs come around.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding MLB DFS or season long leagues, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 3

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 3

In this week’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire article, I’ll be breaking down the biggest must adds, players you can cut ties with, two-start pitchers and the latest trends going into the Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 3!

Must Adds:

Yunel Escobar – 3B – Los Angeles Angels
18% Owned
Schedule: 4 @ CHW, 3 vs SEA

Yunel Escobar is doing an admirable job as the leadoff man for the Angels. His .426 wOBA, .357 BABIP and his high walk rate (11.8%) are numbers you want to see from the top of your lineup. What makes the Escobar pickup even more attractive is the fact that he has Mike Trout and Albert Pujols behind him. If you’re in need of walks, runs or raising your average – Escobar is the man.

Michael Saunders – LF – Toronto Blue Jays
7% Owned
Schedule: 1 @ BOS, 3 @ BAL, 3 vs OAK

Michael Saunders has worked his way up to the leadoff position for the Jays. We talked about having great security behind Yunel Escobar, but Saunders has arguably one of the best offences behind him. Although the Jays haven’t woken up this year, Saunders might be able to breathe some life into their batting order. In his career batting first, Saunders has a .321 OBP and a .712 OPS. Saunders is worth a look before he heats up.

Drops:

Devin Mesoraco – C – Cincinnati Reds
52% Owned
Schedule: 3 vs COL, 4 vs CHC

Many people drafted Devin Mesoraco hoping that he would find his raw power from the 2014 season. Unfortunately, he’s been a major dud to start the year. No homeruns, runs or RBI’s to go along with a .125 AVG isn’t good news.  He’s starting to lose time to Tucker Barnhart which really hurts his fantasy value as well. It’s time to stop hoping for Mesoraco to come around.

Khris Davis – LF – Oakland Athletics
47% Owned
Schedule: 3 @ NYY, 3 @ TOR

Khris Davis hasn’t had a multi-hit game this year. He also hasn’t left the park yet which is alarming since he swatted 27 a year ago. His high strikeout rate from last year (27.7%) has only gone up (37.5%) which means you need to immediately get him out of your lineup, especially if you’re in a league with strikeouts. 

Two Start Pitchers:

Chase Anderson – RHP – Milwaukee Brewers
12% Owned
Schedule: April 18 @ MIN, April 22 vs PHI

Chase Anderson’s 0.00 ERA through two starts isn’t even the best part about him this week. The best part is that he’s starting to find his control. Last years 2.36 BB/9 is down to 1.64 which is highly encouraging. Anderson’s matchups are attractive, too. Minnesota has been terrible this year while the Phillies look like they’re starting to come back down to earth.

Scott Feldman – RHP – Houston Astros
1% Owned
Schedule: April 19 @ TEX, April 24 vs BOS

Scott Feldman is pitching for his hypothetical life. When Lance McCullers comes back, the Astros are going to have to decide between Feldman and Mike Fiers. Ignore Feldman’s first start against Milwaukee and look at the gem he twirled against KC. His K/9 is up to 7.84 and with McCullers breathing down his back, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Feldman come away with 12 strikeouts and a sub 3.00 ERA once the week is over.

Trends:

Troy Tulowitzki – SS – Toronto Blue Jays
98% Owned
Schedule: 1 @ BOS, 3 @ BAL, 3 vs OAK

It’s not time to sell super low on Troy Tulowitzki. It’s also not time to bench him in favour of other batters. Tulo is a perennial slow starter. In the months of March and April combined, he has a lifetime .265 batting average (the lowest out of all months in his career). Let’s not forget he’s been trying out a new leg kick with his swing mechanics. Tulo’s value not only lies with his potential, but also with where he hits in the batting order. I’d say batting behind Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion & Josh Donaldson is a pretty nice spot. If someone is selling ridiculously low on Tulowitzki, buy buy buy.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding fantasy baseball or MLB DFS, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 2

With the baseball season underway, it’s all about recognizing trends. We’re already seeing players quickly trend upwards and players just not living up to expectations. A player like Trevor Story is producing in ways that many baseball fans have never seen before which is causing owners to have quite the dilemma. I look to help you figure these things out in my Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 2.

As the inaugural fantasy baseball article, this is what you can expect from this week forward!
Must Adds: Players who have great match ups who you can definitely pick up and add to your lineup.
Drops: Under performers or players who have little to no fantasy value for you this week
Two Start Pitchers: Pitchers who have to starts in a week that can help you maximize value.
Trends: Who should you be watching right now? Is it time to sell high or buy low?
Also, I will be basing all ownership off of Yahoo!.

Must Adds:

Zack Cozart – SS – Cincinnati Reds
5% Owned
Schedule: 3 @ CHC, 3 @ STL

Zack Cozart won the leadoff position right out of spring training. Billy Hamilton still can’t pull together a respectable batting average. Cozart is an interesting player to have in your lineup. He’s not a traditional leadoff man in terms of speed but he makes up for it with his power. Before going down to injury last year, his isolated slugging rate was .201. To put that into comparison, Troy Tulowitzki’s career ISO is .212. Until Hamilton can work his way up to the leadoff position, Cozart is a great option at generally one of the weakest fantasy positions available.

Wilson Ramos – C – Washington Nationals
34% Owned
Schedule: 4 vs ATL, 3 @ PHI

If you’re looking for a replacement behind the plate as a Kyle Schwarber owner, look no further. Wilson Ramos had a terrible year last year. You and I would also have a terrible season if your vision decreased so badly that you needed off-season Lasik eye surgery in order to fix it. Against two bottom feeding teams, Ramos will have a great opportunity to really show fantasy owners what he can do. It wouldn’t be surprising if he finished the year as a top 10 catcher.


Drops:

Byron Buxton – OF – Minnesota Twins
53% Owned
Schedule: 3 vs CHW, 3 vs LAA

If you’re in a keeper league – ignore this completely. If you’re in a redraft league, you don’t want to miss this. Byron Buxton was likely drafted because of his promise. He certainly wasn’t drafted because of his shoddy spring training performance. Up until April 9th, Buxton has struck out nine times in his first 14 at bats. Until he shows a glimpse of that so-called promise, you’re better off with just about anyone.

Brett Lawrie – 2B/3B – Chicago White Sox
47% Owned
Schedule: 3 @ MIN, 3 @ TB

Brett Lawrie looks like, well, Brett Lawrie – and that’s not a good thing for fantasy owners. Last year he finished with the highest strikeout rate of his career (23.9%) and this year he’s on pace to beat that. He’s also batting in the bottom half of an otherwise weak (outside of Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier) White Sox lineup. There are better streaming options out there.

Two Start Pitchers:

Matt Moore – LHP – Tampa Bay Rays
39% Owned
Schedule: April 12 vs CLE, April 17 vs CHW

It’s easy to forget that Matt Moore was an All-Star in 2013. His first start admittedly wasn’t the greatest, but he ran into a Blue Jays offence that was clicking (more specifically, the reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson’s bat). His velocity in spring training mixed with his first start look promising though. After seeing his velocity regress in 2014-2015 due to injury among other things, his velocity is actually higher now than it was in 2013.

Shane Greene – RHP – Detroit Tigers
7% Owned
Schedule: April 12 vs PIT, April 17 vs HOU

Shane Greene had a great spring, a good enough spring to get the chance to hold the fort down until Daniel Norris returns. Brad Ausmus has also even said that he might keep Greene in the rotation even when Norris comes back. Greene is an odd duck. From 2014 to 2015 his k/9 went down by 4 and his ERA balooned. He tried to rework a lot of his stuff in 2015 and ended up setting himself back even more. It looks like in the spring he figured a lot of his stuff out. He posted a very impressive line of 19.1 IP, 1.86 ERA and 23 SO to close out the spring.

Trends:

Trevor Story – SS – Colorado Rockies
92% Owned
Schedule: 3 vs SF, 3 @ CHC

Trevor Story is off to a start that nobody has seen in a long time. Let’s throw it back. 2004 Barry Bonds, 1.422 OPS. Current day Trevor Story, 1.417 OPS (Thanks to The Ace of MLB Stats on Twitter). Story has also homered in each of his team’s first four games to start a season. Other names on that list? Chris Davis, Nelson Cruz, Mark McGwire and Willie Mays. I think you get the point. Story is off to a start that is completely unsustainable by any means. As soon as Jose Reyes returns, he’ll immediately challenge Story for at bats. With all the hype around him, why wouldn’t you be willing to sell high? Let’s remember that his ADP was around 254, aka Adam Lind territory. I’ve seen deals such as Story + Verlander for Scherzer + Segura. If you can package Story in a deal to land a big fish, you need to pull the trigger. I can promise you, he’s not Carlos Correa 2.0.

 

Also, check out my appearance on The FNTSY Sports Network with Pat Mayo. We chat the curious case of Trevor Story, two start pitchers and more!

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB season long or DFS questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Episode 020: Fantasy Baseball Michael Clifford

The Fantasy Football Black Book

Episode 020: The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Fantasy Baseball Edition: August 18th to the 23rd

Featuring: Michael Clifford (@SlimCliffy) of XNSports.com

Michael Clifford @SlimCliffy About My Guest: Michael Clifford was born and raised in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and is a graduate of the Unviersity of New Brunswick. He writes about fantasy hockey and baseball for XNSports and ProjectRoto.com. He can be reached on Twitter @SlimCliffy.

Episode Summary: Cliffy and I talk about about the week that was in fantasy baseball and look forward to the the week of August 18th to the 24th to help everyone get ready for some late season battles in Fantasy Baseball.

Episode Rundown: 

1) Intro

2) Get to know our guest.

3) Fantasy Baseball News: Troy Tulowitzski, Carlos Gonzalez, Mike Fiers, Shane Green, Hanley Ramirez, Carlos Martinez, Bud Norris, Trevor Bauer, Ryan Vogelsong, Jason Vargas, Gerrit Cole.

4) Two Start Streaming Pitchers

5) Key Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pick Ups

6) The Coach’s Office (Sponsored by RevoLabels.com)

7) Outro

You can Download this episode as well as the previous three on Itunes and Stitcher Radio.

Thank Yous For Episode 020:  I want to thank Cliffy (@SlimCliffy) for coming on the podcast and talking to me about all the late season goings on in Fantasy Baseball.  I would also like to thank C-Quel for providing the intro music as well as the outro beat.  You can Find all of C-Quel’s current music available here.

RevoLabels.com

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Episode 013: Fantasy Baseball Joe Pisapia

Episode 013: The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Fantasy Baseball Edition: All Star Break Special

Featuring Joe Pisapia (@JoePisapia17) Fantasy Black Book

Joe Pisapia

About My Guest: Joe Pisapia is the author of the #1 Best Selling Fantasy Baseball book in the Kindle store three years running, and is launching his new Fantasy Football series this season called The Fantasy Football Black Book 2014 Edition. He is also the co-host, with Dan Strafford, of The Fantasy Black Book Show on SiriusXM Fantasy Channel from 10 PM to 1 AM every Saturday night.

Episode Summary:  Joe and I talk about some of the most important story lines in fantasy baseball at the All Star Break.  We cover everything from players we expect big second halves from to former Cy-Young winners we may want to stay away from.  This episode is loaded with excellent fantasy takes as well as examining why some players may be struggling this year because of things that happened last year.

 

 

 

 

 

Episode Breakdown:

  • Intro
  • We get to know Joe and talk about his show on Sirius XM as well get into some of the ways RPV can help fantasy sports players.
  • Players Discussed: Cliff Lee, Shelby Miller, Andrew McCutchen, Andrew Cashner, and many, many more.
  • The Coach’s Office:  Will Eric Hosmer be a top 10 first baseman in the second half?  Will Tim Lincecum keep up his recent form?  Can I drop Shelby Miller for Jake Odorizzi or Kevin Gausman?  Who should I trade away: Jared Weaver or Jake Shields?
  • Waiver Wire Adds for the second half of the fantasy baseball season
  • Outro

 

You can Download this episode as well as the previous three on Itunes and Stitcher Radio.

 

Thank Yous For Episode 013:  I want to thank my buddy, Joe Pisapia, for coming on the podcast and sharing his fantasy baseball knowledge with me, and especially with my audience.  I would also like to thank C-Quel for providing the intro music as well as the outro beat.  You can Find all of C-Quel’s current music available here.

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Episode 010: Fantasy Baseball with Seth Klein

Episode 010: The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Fantasy Baseball Edition for the week of July 7th

Featuring Seth Klein (@SethDaSportsMan)

 

Seth Klein of FakePigskin.com and Razzball.com

Seth Klein of FakePigskin.com and Razzball.com

About My Guest:  Seth has been playing fantasy sports for over 17 years.  He is the Editor-In-Chief of FakePigskin.com and also covers Fantasy Baseball, Football, and Basketball at Razzball.com.  You can find his rankings on FantasyPros.com.  He has been featured on many podcasts and radio show including the Dear Mr. fantasy Podcast and The Fantasy Black Book on Sirius XM.  He is currently featured in the 2014 Fantasy Football Preview issue of Lindy’s Sports Magazine.  You can purchase the FakePigskin.com 2014 Fantasy Football Draft Guide by going HERE.   Episode Summary:  Seth and I talk about the week that was and the upcoming week of fantasy baseball as well as answer some listeners’ questions in The Coach’s Office. Episode Breakdown:

  • Intro-Here I somehow forget the spelling of Seth’s Twitter handle as I see Ryan Braun get injured on my computer.  It gets better, I swear.
  • Get to know our guest Seth Klein a little.
  • News and Notes.  Fantasy analysis and reaction to these topics:  Big A’s and Cubs Trade.  Brandon Belt returns from the DL for the Giants.  Corey Hart comes off the DL for the Mariners.  Nolan Arenado came back Thursday for the Rockies.  Joey Votto looks hobbled and isn’t hitting for any power.  Chris Davis’s Batting Average almost dips below .200.  David Wright was supposed to return on Friday, but wasn’t able to.  Joe Smith has a decent week as the Angels closer.  Hanley Ramirez finally returns to the Dodgers lineup.  Solarte gets sent to the minors and Zelous Wheeler gets called up. Kike Hernandez and Domingo Santana get the call for the Astros.  Oscar Taveras returns to the Cards from the Minors.  Xander Bogaerts struggling offensively since the move to 3B.  
  • 2 Start Starting Pitcher Streaming Options
  • The Coach’s Office: Q1) Is Chris Davis a buy low or should I look elsewhere for upside?  Q2) Do we think Jason Grilli gets a shot to close? 16 Team 5 x 5 Roto.                Q3)  What’s your thoughts on cock blocking trades?  A listener feels like one guy in his league only gets involved in trades when he’s almost sealed a deal.
  • Outro

 

You can Download this episode as well as the previous three on Itunes and Stitcher Radio.

Thanks For Episode 010:  I want to thank Seth Klein (@SethDaSportsMan) for taking the time on a Saturday to come on the podcast and talk some Fantasy Baseball.  I look forward to having him on again real soon.   I would also like to thank C-Quel for providing the intro music as well as the outro beat.  You can Find all of C-Quel’s current music available here.

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Episode 004: The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Episode 004 of The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Talking Fantasy Baseball with all your news, notes and Waiver Wire Additions

Featuring: Jonathan Vandersluis Owner/ Editor of TopTeamFantasy.com

Jonathan Vandersluis Owner/Managing Editor TopTeamFantasy.com

Jonathan Vandersluis
Owner/Managing Editor TopTeamFantasy.com

About My Guest:  Jonathan Vanderluis (@Jonathan_TFF on Twitter)

Jonathan has been playing fantasy sports for almost a decade, first football and then quickly to baseball and basketball too, and founded TopTeamFantasy.com in 2013. He has always been a numbers guy, so fantasy sports provided the perfect place for him to combine his analytical skills with his passion for sports. Jonathan makes Toronto, Canada his home, but loves to travel every chance he gets and explore new places. Follow Jonathan on Twitter@Jonathan_TTF, he’d be glad to answer any of your questions and help you win your fantasy league.

 

Episode Summary:  Jonathan and I go over all the big news in Fantasy Baseball as well look for ways to help your teams win this coming week.  We cover everything from what to do at first base with Prince Fielder out for the year to if selling high on Johnny Cueto is a good idea.

You can Download this episode as well as the previous three on Itunes and Stitcher Radio.

I would like to thank my guest Jonathan Vandersluis for taking time from his busy schedule to come on the podcast and would also like to thank C-Quel for providing the intro music as well as the outro beat.  You can Find all of C-Quel’s current music available here.

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