With the first week of the season behind us and the regular season underway, the best way to improve your team, and possibly find that one player to help win your league, is on the waiver wire.
Whether it is a free-agent pool, a budget-budget based system or weekly waivers, playing the wire is a key element to winning your fantasy baseball leagues.
Each week, XN Sports will present an option at each position, and why to add them.
Without further ado, let’s play the waiver wire:
Catcher
Tyler Flowers, Chicago White Sox
White Sox fans will be happy to see this as Flowers has been off to a scorching start. So far in the young season, Flowers is hitting .500 with nine hits in 18 at-bats. Considering Flowers has started all but one game so far this season he looks to be the everyday catcher for the Sox. He’s a good option to replace Wilson Ramos if you lost him to injury. Last season Flowers hit 10 home runs in 256 at-bats, which bodes well for his projection going forward as the starter.
First Base
Chris Colabello, Minnesota Twins
So far this year, Colabello has been one of the bright spots in the Twin Cities. He has a hit in every game and has been on fire with a .391 average with 11 RBI. Now, 10 of them came in two games but Colabello is squaring the ball very well at the moment and would be a good replacement for Mark Teixeira if you lost him to the disabled list.
Second Base
Dan Uggla, Atlanta Braves
Now, everyone has the same reaction when they read this name. Uggla!? Yes, Dan Uggla. Despite his .217 batting average, he has been crushing the ball all week. Hard hit outs do not show on the stat sheet, but that means he is seeing the ball well. Expect a few extra base hits this week, and on the waiver wire you will not find more power from a middle infielder.
Third Base
Trevor Plouffe, Minnesota Twins
Last week, we suggested Plouffe be picked up, he still is only owned in 12 percent of leagues despite hitting .391 with seven RBI. Once again the Twin is our add at the hot corner this week.
Shortstop
Chris Owings, Arizona Diamondbacks
Despite being one of the few shortstops to contribute in multiple categories, Owings is still underrated and under-owned at just 12 percent of leagues. So far this season he is hitting .367 with four runs scored and three stolen bases. For a guy hitting in the same lineup as Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo, he seems like a steal. If you need a shortstop, Owings is your guy off the waiver wire.
Outfield
Michael Morse, San Francisco Giants
Morse always has been a power bat, but after a horrid 2013 campaign where he hit .215 with just 13 home runs he needs to prove that he can get back to what he once was (64 home runs from 2010-2012). So far this season Morse is hitting .350 with a home run and five RBI in for the Giants, and looks to be a regular for the time being. If you need some outfield help, you could do a lot worse than Michael Morse.
Starting Pitcher
Scott Feldman, Houston Astros
Everyone was skeptical after his first start, but after his second start? Feldman seems to be locked in, allowing just five hits in 13.2 innings so far and just one earned run. Can he keep it up? That remains to be seen, but for a pitcher owned by less than 10 percent of fantasy teams, he is worth an add after two dominating performances.
Relief Pitcher
Francisco Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers
The toughest thing in fantasy baseball is finding closers that will keep the job for the duration of the season, hence why many savvy fantasy baseball owners wait and add closers off the waiver wire. “K-Rod” is still a free agent in many leagues and already has two saves. Whether he keeps the job for the entire season remains to be seen, but with six strikeouts in three innings so far, he seems to have the closer’s role on lock for the foreseeable future.
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