MLB Waiver Wire What To Do's April 12th 2016
Riding the Waiver Wire
With more than a week’s worth of games in the books odds are the waiver wires are buzzing in most leagues. Not everyone could add Colorado’s Trevor Story but by now he is almost universally owned. Each week I will take a look at some players who are still available and can possibly help your fantasy team to the top of the standings. Soon these will be coming out on Wednesdays but with all the early moves being made it can’t hurt to get this out a day early.
Eugenio Suarez, SS/2B, Cincinnati Reds (68% owned standard ESPN leagues)
If it weren’t for Trevor Story all the buzz about a National League infielder would certainly be found around Mr. Suarez. Over his first six games he has clubbed four home runs, driven in nine, scored nine times and stole a base to boot. Not too shabby for someone who went largely undrafted. The dual position flexibility is always helpful but finding a power source from a middle infielder is the real prize here. He is playing on a Reds team that still has some quality veteran hitters such as Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce. The Reds have also played surprisingly well in the early going. He won’t flirt with a .400 batting average all year but Suarez certainly looks capable of being inserted into most fantasy lineups. Set it and forget it. Someone wise said that once. Right?
Luke Gregerson, RP, Houston Astros (67% owned)
When Houston acquired hard throwing Ken Giles from the Phillies during the offseason it was widely speculated he would handle the closing duties in Houston. While Giles was being drafted in most fantasy leagues Gregerson was left hanging. Turns out, after a rough spring, Giles was slated for a setup role and Gregerson was going to continue closing games out like he did last year. So far he is 2-for-2 when given the opportunity throwing two scoreless innings and picking up two strikeouts as well. People say it all the time. Don’t pay for saves in your draft. Closers will become available when you least expect it. For now it is Gregerson, not Giles, closing it out in Houston but both pitchers have value. Giles is more likely to pile up the strikeouts and should Gregerson falter, he should be next in line.
Nomar Mazara, OF, Texas Rangers (43% owned)
When Shin Soo-Choo went down with a leg injury up came Nomar Mazara from the minors. All he did in his debut was go 3-for-4 with a home run. He followed that up with another multi-hit game with a run scored and one more driven in. Mazara is one of the better prospects in the Texas system and should be given plenty of opportunity to play as Choo is expected to miss a month or more. If he plays well, he could stick and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he plays for a team with an explosive offense in Texas. If you are in a keeper or dynasty league he offers even more intrigue, but he is worthy of a roster spot on most fantasy teams as is.
Joe Mauer, 1B/DH, Minnesota Twins (34% owned)
It’s always a little weird to include such a household name in a blog like this. Most casual fans know who Joe Mauer is. Most may even know he is a former AL MVP. That said, most casual fans may not know his fantasy value plummeted when he was moved out of the catcher position. The former batting champ has shown some flashes of his former self to start the year ,however. With multiple hits in three of his first seven games Mauer is slashing .375/.484/.500. The runs scored and RBI’s aren’t there yet, but the Minnesota offense has struggled to score runs so far which has helped contribute to their 0-7 start. I wouldn’t recommend Mauer as your starting first baseman but if you have a corner infield spot you could do worse. The power isn’t what you’d want from a typical 1B/3B but he can make up for that in batting average and OBP. For now, he can be had for nothing. It’s not every day you can add a player with his resume from the scrap heap.
Jeanmar Gomez, RP, Philadelphia Phillies (13% owned)
One of the big question marks coming into the season was who would be given the opportunity to close out games in Philadelphia. A week after the season started that answer might be a little clearer. Gomez notched two saves over the weekend and has allowed just one hit in his first three innings. Manager Pete Mackanin did not anoint Gomez as the closer but odds are he will be given the chance should a save opportunity present itself. The Phillies are in the process of a rebuild so those chances might not come as often as they do for some contending teams but if Gomez is out there at the end of the game that is all you need to know for fantasy purposes. Odds are he’s available on your waiver wire but I expect to see his ownership climb dramatically over the next few days. Did I mention why you shouldn’t pay for saves in your draft?
Have questions about a player I didn’t mention? Feel free to leave comments or questions below and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Want to reach me in a more direct manner? Find me on Twitter @therichwhiteguy.
