Getting A Grip: Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds (Week 13)

June 21, 2014

Ryan Nakada analyzes some top MLB relief pitcher (RP) sleepers for holds that are available as waiver wire pickups in Week 13 for your fantasy baseball leagues.

This week, I will focus on a couple relief pitchers that have proven to be effective through a heavy body of work. Some are pitching to high strikeout numbers, while others get their role and do their job perfectly. A couple relievers have just started to collect their innings and will have time to prove if they can handle important roles.

While the holds statistic is hard to determine who will enter the game in the right situation, the players noted today feature some overlooked players and some looking to reclaim glory they once had. Some of these players may be available in your fantasy leagues, including AL-Only and NL-Only formats, depending on your league format and depth. The more likely the team is to win, the more likely these following players will be eligible to earn the holds that could be the difference between winning or losing in your fantasy league.

Editor's Note: This piece is part of a weekly series on relief pitcher targets for holds. You can follow the entire series of holds analysis and sleepers to stay ahead of your competition.

Vic Black, New York Mets

3 holds, 0.73 ERA, 12.1 innings, 14 strikeouts

The Mets acquired Vic Black to complete a trade they made with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was praised for his high velocity, and his time with the Mets so far has lived up to the billing.

With his fastball in the mid 90s and a low 80s curve, Vic Black could slowly be moving into higher leverage situations out of the Mets bullpen.

Through his brief time with the Mets this season, Black has a career-high K/9 at 10.2, but also has a career-high BB/9 of 5.8. The walks were an expected concern with the velocity he possesses. If he can find consistency, the Mets could rely on Black in more games with the lead.

Jake Diekman, Philadelphia Phillies

10 holds, 4.50 ERA, 34.0 innings, 46 strikeouts

In the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen, lefty Jake Diekman is the go-to guy with the lead. In half of his 34 appearances, Diekman has entered with the lead. Depending on a mid 90s fastball and a mid 80s slider, Diekman is not just a lefty specialist. He has shown he can get both lefties and righties out. Despite the Phillies being below .500, Diekman has successfully held onto 10 leads in the 17 appearances that he has had the lead. His 46 strikeouts in 34 innings currently give him a career-high 12.2 K/9 this season.

Ryan Webb, Baltimore Orioles

11 holds, 2.64 ERA, 30.2 innings, 24 strikeouts

The American League East is always going to be close-knit, well-fought, balanced battle. The Orioles have as much a chance as nearly all of the teams in the division this year. Relievers like Zach Britton have moved up in the bullpen, going from stellar setup reliever to very impressive closer. With Tommy Hunter just regaining his form, reliever Ryan Webb has gradually moved up to an important role. Webb enters the game in the seventh inning most often and his effectiveness with the lead is perfect. Of his 31 appearances, Webb has entered 11 games with the lead and he currently has held 11 leads. When Webb is given a job to do, he simply gets the job done.

Joe Beimel, Seattle Mariners

5 holds, 1.57 ERA, 23.0 innings, 13 strikeouts

The veteran of the Seattle Mariners bullpen, Joe Beimel took a few years to make it back to the majors - but he is making the most of his time. Velocity was never what Joe Beimel is about, but he uses his average velocity to generate nearly half of the batted balls on the ground. It is early in the season to say Oakland is a lock to win the West, but they have a sizable lead. The Wild Card is within striking distance for many teams, including the Seattle Mariners. If the Mariners can generate more consistent offense, and the strong starting pitching can keep it up, Beimel will see more winning games than losing games - even if he has started his season on the losing side of things (appearing in 9 games with the lead, 14 games trailing).

Darin Downs, Houston Astros

4 holds, 2.60 ERA, 17.1 innings, 13 innings

The Houston Astros’ reliever Darin Downs enters when they're ahead, and also enters when the Astros are behind. In 20 appearances, 10 of Downs’ appearances have been with the lead and 10 of his appearances have come with the Astros trailing. The Astros’ recent success is likely due to the recent call-ups, Springer and Singleton, but good starting pitching and effective relievers have also played a big role. Relievers like Darin Downs may be overlooked now, but if you need a quality reliever, Downs is a good option.