RADIO
Hunting for values on the waiver wire is one of the most fun, and most challenging, parts of any fantasy season. This can be especially true at the infield corners, an area where the stars are readily scooped up and finding a low cost alternative can be often difficult.
With that aim in mind, here are RotoBaller's week 2 recommendations for first and third basemen who should be on your radar as you peruse the waiver wire. Let's get started.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for first base and third base, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Top First Base Waiver Wire Option
Adam Lind (1B, MIL)
ESPN: 46.4% owned; Yahoo: 51% owned
Lind's bat has been white hot over the first week of the season. He's batting .450 with four RBI and a home run to boot. This is something which has not escaped the attention of Brewers manager Ron Roenicke who has slotted Lind into the cleanup spot over the last several games. While the Brewers as a whole have been rather cold on offense thus far, it's hard not to like the idea of Lind hitting behind Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy, and Ryan Braun.
As many fantasy owners are well aware, Lind's biggest flaw over his career has been his sizable platoon splits. A career .215 hitter against lefties, Lind was often the first to take a seat on the bench when a southpaw took the mound. The good news is that over the short term the Pirates' Jeff Locke is the only lefty of note that the Brewers will be facing. A healthy swath of righties should give Lind plenty of opportunities to provide value for fantasy owners. If he can continue to establish himself as an offensive force in his new manager's eyes, it's possible that Lind might even manage to work his way into the lineup as an everyday hitter. The Brewers don't have much on the depth chart behind him after all.
Other 1B Notables
Kendrys Morales (1B, KC)
ESPN: 15.6% owned; Yahoo: 20% owned
Kendrys Morales entered 2015 looking to remind the baseball world of why people used to be so afraid of his bat. So far he's done so. Morales has been huge for the surging Royals, hitting over .400 with two home runs, nine runs scored, and five RBI. There's very little chance that he continues to hit for that kind of batting average long term, but Morales is a notable streak hitter so this might just be one of those months. The power is certainly legit enough. If Lind is already off the board in your league, I'd look no further than Morales to plug that 1B spot in your lineup.
Mark Teixeira (1B, NYY)
ESPN: 46.4% owned; Yahoo: 39% owned
Last week I said this of the Yankee's first baseman: “Mark Teixeira could offer a cheap source of power if you're looking to scoop up a new 1st baseman...Well into his decline years, you'll need to be certain you can stomach the batting average risk if you choose to roster Teixeira. He hasn't hit above .260 since 2009 and turned in a putrid .216 batting average last season. He does have power, however.”
Over the course of the first week of the fantasy season, this represents exactly what Teixeira has been. He's already logged two home runs, three RBI, and four runs scored for the Yankees, cementing himself as Joe Girardi's go-to cleanup bat. Yes, that production has come with a well below average batting average, but if you chose to roster Teixiera you knew that risk going into it. At this stage of his career, he's a flawed hitter. There are teams out there who need exactly Teixiera's type of bat, however.
Top Third Base Waiver Wire Option
Mike Moustakas, (3B, KC)
ESPN: 37.7% owned; Yahoo: 28% owned
It's no coincidence that two of the top players on this list are Royals. The Royals wouldn't have the win/loss percentage they do, if it wasn't for young players like Moustakas stepping up over the first week. Whether Moustakas can sustain this level of production going forward is a very open question, but there's no denying the skillset he brings to the plate. A former blue chip prospect, Moustakas has a blend of speed and power that's rather rare at the hot corner. He could be something special if his on-the-field play every lived up to his potential. Grab him now and ride out the hot streak while you sort out the rest. It'll give you the time you need to find out if Moustakas has it in him to be any more than what he's been so far.
Other 3B Notables
Chase Headley (1B/3B, NYY)
ESPN: 28.9% owned; Yahoo: 51% owned
Going into 2015 the big question surrounding Chase Headley was if he was ever going to be able to hit for power agan. So far he has. Through his first six games of the season, Headley has already delivered two home runs for his fantasy owners. The batting average hasn't been stellar, but his past performance suggests Headley is much more like a .250-.260 bat than the .222 one we've seen so far. If you've already missed out on the Moustakas hype train, Headley's model of steady production should tide you over until the next big thing rolls into the station.
Brock Holt, (1B/2B/SS/3B/OF, BOS)
ESPN: 1.6% owned; Yahoo: 18% owned
If Brock Holt had an everyday job, he'd be leading this list. The combination of speed, batting average, and positional flexibility he offers is hard to find in today's game. He's still useful even in his current role, however. As the Red Sox's main backup for pretty much every position on the diamond, Holt should find himself in the starting lineup more often than one might think for a utility player. As he's already done so far this season, I expect him to make the most of his at-bats. If one of the Sox starters go down, be prepared to grab him right away, or even earlier.
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