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Brian Polking analyzes week 8 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers at first base (1B) & third base (3B) for AL Only, NL Only & Mixed Leagues.
If you are looking for help off the waiver wire at either of the corner infield spots for your fantasy baseball team, you've come to the right place. Unless you are lucky enough to be in a league with a bunch of lazy owners, there probably aren't any sleepers or viable options still available in your league that are going to fix all your problems at once. However, there are still plenty of options widely available in many league formats including NL-Only and AL-Only that give you a much-needed boost in one or two categories, depending on where your team needs the most help. Here is a closer look at some of the top waiver wire pickups at the corner infield spots.
Third Base Waiver Wire Options
Juan Francisco (3B/1B, TOR)
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues
ANALYSIS: Thanks to his suspect defense, Francisco had trouble getting regular at-bats early in the season. However, it appears Toronto has made the decision to get him in the lineup against right-handed pitching on a routine basis going forward. It's tough to blame the Blue Jays. After all, Francisco is hitting .358 against righties this year to go along with a ridiculous 1.210 OPS. Meanwhile, he has 7 homers and 15 RBIs in just 67 at-bats against right-handers.
His ownership in Yahoo! leagues has already climbed to 50 percent since he started getting regular playing time so you need to act fast. If you are willing to take the time to adjust your lineup and deploy Francisco only against right-handed pitchers, the effort will be rewarded.
Matt Dominguez (3B, HOU)
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues
ANALYSIS: The former first-round pick has been enjoying one of the more consistent runs of his young career, picking up at least two hits in seven of his last 10 games. The hot stretch has raised his average to .264 for the year to go along with 7 home runs and 19 RBIs. Dominguez has been particularly deadly against left-handed pitching, batting .340 with a .918 OPS. In his first full season in the majors, he hit 21 home runs and drove in 77 runs but hit just .241. The power seems to be legit, but it remains to be seen if Dominguez is going to be able to keep his average at a respectable enough level to warrant a spot on fantasy rosters. If you happen to be in a position where you can pick him up and play him solely against left-handed pitching, he is owned in just 11 percent of Yahoo! leagues. However, most owners will be better suited keeping an eye on a Dominguez to see if his recent hot stretch is the start of something big. Those in deeper leagues or AL-Only leagues can take a flier off the waiver wire to see how this plays out.
D.J. LeMahieu (3B, COL)
BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting, Add in NL-Only Formats
ANALYSIS: He continues to get regular playing time in an explosive Colorado lineup, and LeMahieu continues to produce. In fact, he has pounded out seven hits in his last three games, raising his average to .303. LeMahieu has also been crossing the plate with regularity despite batting in the bottom half of the Rockies' lineup, and he is on pace to score almost 80 runs in 2014. While the steady average has been a part of his game since his rookie year, he has yet to show the speed he flashed in 2013 when he stole 18 bases in 109 games. LeMahieu is owned in just 10 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and for now, he is mainly an asset for owners in NL-Only leagues that could use a boost in their average and run totals. However, keep an eye on him in case he starts running more frequently.
First Base Waiver Wire Options
Casey McGehee (1B, MIA)
BALLER MOVE: Add in NL-Only Formats
ANALYSIS: His ownership in Yahoo! leagues is holding steady at 25 percent, but McGehee's production at the plate remains just as steady. With six hits in his last four games and three more RBIs during the stretch, his average is up to .294, and he is sitting at 28 RBIs on the year. With a cushy spot in the lineup behind Giancarlo Stanton, he has been getting pitches to hit all year, and he continues to take advantage. Granted, he has just one home run all year so his power is nonexistent and he doesn't have a lot of value in some formats. Still, if you are set in the home run department, consider picking up McGehee and enjoying his steady batting average and RBI totals.
Adam LaRoche (1B, WAS)
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Formats
![By dbking on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.rotoballer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Adam-Laroche-MLB-waiver-wire-fantasy-baseball-150x150.png)
ANALYSIS: The injured LaRoche has seen his ownership drop below 50 percent in Yahoo! leagues, but while some owners have chosen to cut ties with him, I'd recommend scooping him up in any league he's still available while his stock is about as low as it will go. After all, we are talking about a guy that was hitting .319 with 5 home runs, 21 RBIs and 18 runs scored in 32 before hurting his quad. Meanwhile, LaRoche has been good for 25-plus homers and 100 RBIs in his last two full seasons.
He has already begun fielding grounders, and he could ready to come off the DL as soon as May 25. Once he gets back on the field and starts hitting, he isn't going to be available in more than half of Yahoo! leagues for very long. LaRoche could be a borderline top-10 option at first base the rest of the way. Grab him if you have the chance.
Justin Smoak (1B, SEA)
BALLER MOVE: Add in AL-Only Leagues
ANALYSIS: Since his scorching first week of the season, Smoak hasn't been making a lot of noise. That being said, he is on pace to have his best season to date, and he is currently hitting .244 with 6 home runs, 27 RBIs and 20 runs scored. If Smoak can maintain his current pace, he is going to finish with around 20 home runs and 100 RBIs, which aren't terrible totals for a guy owned in just 20 percent of Yahoo! leagues. He isn't going to carry you in any particular category, but as long as Smoak can keep his average around the .250 mark, he does just enough of everything else to make a serviceable addition in AL-Only Leagues.
