May 20, 2016

Tony Peters analyzes some American League players to target as fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups & adds in Week 7. These AL-only targets can be sleepers.

This past weekend, I experienced my first taste of the Uncharted video game series with the newly released Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. My favorite element so far has been not only how varied the gameplay is but how well it all meshes together. I went in thinking I would spend a lot of timing running and shooting, and I found the exact opposite. I snuck out of an orphanage, pick-pocketed a waiter at a fancy party and scaled a dilapidated prison among other non-mindlessly killing moments.

AL-only owners can relate with U4's ability to mix sometimes disparate items into a successful blend as that is exactly what we as fantasy owners do when constructing and managing our rosters. From having to stretch player pools thin, to juggling bench players and making personnel changes, only by properly utilizing all of those can consistent victory be found. Here are some players to consider if you have any rotten elements on your roster. All players are owned in less than 25% of Flea Flicker leagues.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

American League Targets - Hitters

Ketel Marte (SS, SEA) - 14% Owned

Considering what second-year shortstop Ketel Marte has done since debuting in the Majors last year, it is somewhat surprising to find him owned in well under 25% of leagues. Sure, the counting stats are lacking, but a .282 career average for a middle infielder is always a welcome find. He may never reach double digit home runs any time soon (if ever), but Marte does possess significant speed. Not only could he steal around 20 bases over a full season, but his wheels allow him to stretch base hits further. An uncharacteristically low walk rate is his only real blemish on his season so far, and is holding back him back from even greater fantasy potential.

Brandon Guyer (OF, TB) - 3% Owned

Despite having never once owned outfielder Brandon Guyer in my long-standing AL-only league, my time spent combing the waiver wire every year has familiarized me with him. He is a streaky chap who shows up big for a couple weeks before finding himself back on the bench or in the minors, mostly due to roster crunch. This current streak has come at a great time as Desmond Jennings' literal freefall has led to Guyer receiving full-time at-bats the past week. He has taken full advantage, pushing his May slash to .325/.417/.650 with three home runs and eight RBI. The longer he can keep this up, the longer he's likely to keep Jennings on the bench and reward fantasy owners with a mix of average and modest power.

Steven Moya (OF, DET) - 2% Owned

Outfielder Steven Moya is being given an on-the-spot audition this week, as the team elected to keep him as their fourth outfielder over Anthony Gose. The slugging prospect comes with serious pop in his bat, having hit 58 home runs in the minors the past two seasons combined. Contact was his big question mark, but after opening up 2016 with a slash of .310/.341/.627 with nine home runs in Triple-A, he may have made the necessary adjustments. This is a long-term play more than anything, but after a successful weekend, Moya needs to be on fantasy owners' radars.

Chase Headley (3B, NYY) - 9% Owned

As a current owner of third baseman Chase Headley, I think I speak for everyone when I say passionately, FINALLY. Existing as a lineup black hole all season long, he has finally showed some life, hitting .275 with two home runs and six RBI in the month of May. While he will never live up to even the modest hopes fantasy owners had for him following his move to New York, Headley still appears likely to come close to his 2015 numbers of a .259 average, 11 home runs and 62 RBI. He's a desperation play, even in AL-only leagues, but at the end of the day, he's better than a zero.

Jason Castro (C, HOU) - 9% Owned

Look at who has become a fantasy zombie, catcher Jason Castro. Once a fantasy relevant catcher, it has been two seasons since he has been usable in basically anything short of an AL-only league. 2016 had opened the same, as evidenced by his season stats of a .209 average, two home runs and seven RBI. But Castro has picked up things sin May, hitting .306 with two home runs, five RBI and 11 runs scored. Recent history says this will fade, but for now, catcher-desperate owners could do worse than trying to ride this streak.

Flashback: Danny Valencia (3B/OF, OAK) - 13% Owned

Just a reminder that one of my picks from back in Week Two, infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia, has recently returned from the disabled list and is on fire. Since being activated May 5th, he is hitting .435 with five home runs and eight RBI. What I said then still stands, as Valencia remains a must-own player in all AL-only leagues.

American League Targets - Pitchers

Matt Andriese (SP, TB) - 10% Owned

Starting pitcher Matt Andriese was a late cut fom last week's list, but he made it on this week thanks in part to his complete game victory over Oakland in his last start. He is now 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and eight strikeouts on the season, entrenching him in the Rays' starting rotation while Alex Cobb continues working back from Tommy John surgery. Andriese is performing well above his ceiling now, as the finesse pitcher doesn't get enough strikeouts to maintain such baserunner thriftiness. But with a career minor league ERA of 3.27, he does have enough of a track record of success to warrant AL-only attention.

Trevor Bauer (SP, CLE) - 17% Owned

Starting pitcher Trevor Bauer has, at a quick glance of his stats, successfully returned to the Indians' starting rotation after beginning the season in the bullpen. For the month of May, he has a 2-1 record with a 2.79 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in three starts. Dig a little deeper, and the view loses some of its luster as Bauer also continues to struggle with the two things that have been holding his MLB career back: home runs and walks allowed. Bauer is a must-own in AL-only leagues while the overall results are still positive, but just keep in mind he is succeeding despite his lingering limitations.

R.A. Dickey (SP, TOR) - 15% Owned

After a disasterous April that saw him open the season 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, starting pitcher R.A. Dickey has been the exact opposite in May. In three starts this month, he is 1-1 with a 1.27 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 12 strikeouts. As a knuckleball pitcher, Dickey will always be prone to slumps due to the unpredictable nature of the pitch. Coming off two straight seasons with an ERA under 4.00, he looks to be fully capable of pushing it to three, making him a great waiver wire addition if his previous owner bailed early.

Will Harris (RP, HOU) - 3% Owned

What a difference cutting down on home runs allowed did for the already fantastic reliever Will Harris. After winning five games with a 1.90 ERA and 68 strikeouts last season, he is currently sporting a phenomenal 0.51 ERA with 16 strikeouts. The drop can be attributed to the simple fact that after allowing eight home runs last season, he has yet to allow one in 2016. With a track record of excellence, don't let Harris' staticular fortitude disappear into the waiver wire darkness any longer.

Tim Lincecum (SP, LAA?) - 6% Owned

The hot rumor right now is that the Angels and free agent Tim Lincecum are closing in on a deal that would see him return to the Majors as a starter. The fantasy implications are, unfortunately, fairly limited, even in AL-only leagues. Since losing his groove in 2012, he is 39-42 with a 4.68 ERA and 577 strikeouts in 615.2 innings. Other than the strikeouts and the wins, that's a lot of fantasy baggage, especially outside of head-to-head leagues. So why bother? There is the chance that Lincecum could find early success in his first season in the AL simply thanks to limited or zero exposure to many of its hitters. He did, after all, go 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in two interleague starts last season as a member of the Giants.

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