Top 4 Hitter Streamers For Week 17: Waiver Wire Targets

July 20, 2014

Kyle Braver analyzes the top 5 waiver wire hitters who should be picked up and owned for week 17. These sleeper hitters can provide a huge boost for your team.

Believe it or not the All Star Break is already over, and we're now well underway into the second half of the fantasy baseball season. I don't know about you, but personally I love the All Star game. That monster home run by Giancarlo Stanton in the home run derby, Derek Jeter's last at-bats as an All Star...it's a fun time to just appreciate the game without worrying too much about who wins or loses.

That said real baseball's back, which means I'm back to caring about the score. And that counts both for my real life team as well as my fantasy team. Hence my weekly streamers article. I'm sure you all know the drill by now, but just in case there are any new readers out there unfamiliar with the way this series works, each week I highlight five sleepers owned in less than 50% of leagues who I think could make an impact for fantasy owners in weekly leagues if they're picked up off the waiver wire. These players all carry risk of course, why else would they still be on free agency after all. That said their upside is great enough next week that I think they're worth the pickup. It's my hope that this list will help keep your team well stocked down the stretch.

Tommy La Stella, 2B, Atlanta Braves

2014 Stats: .292 BA, 12 Runs, 0 HR, 17 RBI

Ownership: 2.6% Yahoo!, 4% Fleaflicker

Schedule: Marlins, Padres; Games Scheduled: 7

Tommy La Stella might not have power, but there's a reason why he's made my streamer list almost a half dozen times since his call up this year. He's a true talent; a .290-.300 hitter who plays in the same lineup as Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman, and Jason Heyward, three guys who I'm expecting a big second half from and consequently a lot of time spent on base waiting to be driven in. In a weak second base market, having a guy post a top batting average with a good number of RBI thrown in has a lot of value.

I also love La Stella's schedule for next week. He plays a full seven games at home against the Marlins and Padres. Miami has allowed a 4.52 team ERA on the road so far this season, thrid worst in the major leagues. The Padres pitchers are better of course, but they're nothing to be afraid of outside of PETCO park.

Colby Rasmus, OF, Toronto Jays

2014 Stats: .212 BA, 27 Runs, 12 HR, 27 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 23.8% Yahoo!, 14% Fleaflicker

Schedule: Red Sox, (at) Yankees; Games Scheduled: 7

My vote of confidence in Colby Rasmus this week has much to do with the very favorable schedule he'll be enjoying for the next seven days. Rasmus will play in two very favorable parks for left handed power next week: his own Rogers Centre and Yankee Stadium. Even better, the Yankees will be without their ace, Masahiro Tanaka. For a hitter who has managed to club a home run every 18 plate appearances so far this season despite injuries, I think Rasmus is in an ideal spot to succeed in a big way for anyone looking to pick up some cheap power off of the free agent wire.

Josh Willingham, OF, Minnesota Twins **

2014 Stats: .212 BA, 25 Runs, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 12.4% Yahoo!; 15% Fleaflicker

Schedule: Indians, Sox; Games Scheduled: 7

I place Josh Willingham on this list with a big old asterisk by his name for a reason. Willingham is an ideal player for a certain type of fantasy owner, namely someone who's reached the point in their season where they've decided to punt batting average. By this point in the season, you should have a pretty good idea as an owner of what categories your team is capable of contending in, and if you are one of those owners that has seen their batting average die over the first half, then Willingham is the type of player you want to invest in.

One of the ideal player types for a punt batting average team has two things: a high OBP and a good amount of power. Willingham's eight home runs in 199 plate appearances show that he has the ability to hit the ball out of the park, and honestly I'd say that number so far is a little low compared to what he's capable of. Recall that this is a player that hit 35 home runs just two years ago. As for on-base skills Willingham owns a career .359 OBP, with this year's mark coming in a bit better at .362.With a seven game stretch at home, Willingham is the type of player that is a constant power threat, while also being on base enough to drive up his runs scored. Not bad for a player only owned in 12.4% of leagues.

Billy Butler, DH, Kansas City Royals

2014 Stats: .273 BA, 35 Runs, 3 HR, 36 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 40.4% Yahoo!; 51% Fleaflicker

Schedule: (at) White Sox, Indians; Games Scheduled: 7

If you've been reading these articles the last few weeks, you knew this was coming. I'm a Billy Butler believer and I think a stint at U.S. Cellular Field, a great hitters park for power guys, might be just what Butler needs to get those home run numbers up. Once again I have to reference his stats. Billy Butler's LD% is just about 3% higher this season than last season and his GB% is actually lower by a little over 1%. What did he do last season? He hit .289 with 15 home runs. Butler's problem is that his HR/FB rate has just plummeted this season from a career mark of 11% to 4.3% this season. I don't believe that's sustainable for a hitter with Billy Butler's pedigree.

There were even some signs going into the All-Star break that Butler was beginning to turn his game around. The week before the break, Butler hit .364 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored. I think it's worth taking a chance on a player capable of doing that, especially when it doesn't cost you anything.