RADIO
Welcome back to my hitting streamers column for Week 12, taking a look at hitters to add or stream off the waiver wire for this week's scheduled games.
To keep things simple, I pick from players who are 50% owned or less and who play at least seven games in the week. If someone jumps off the page at me as a less than seven game player, I may make an exception, but otherwise the advantage in number of games dictates my choices.
Streaming can be a valuable tool, by allowing you to feast on favorable pitching matchups and simply have your hitters play more games than your opponents' hitters. If you have the roster space, streaming a hitter can be useful not only to fill a vacant lineup spot, but also to fill in for someone who has five games that week or faces tough matchups. In 5x5 leagues, four of the five hitting categories are counting stats, making the value of extra games significant. Streaming also can allow you to target a specific category of need. With that said, let’s dive right in.
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Bats to Stream and Start in Week 12
Aaron Hicks (OF, NYY) - 38% owned
Over the last two seasons, in just 139 games, Hicks has a line of .255/22/81/79/16. That is a 162-game average of .255/26/94/92/19. When viewed that way, Hicks is a top fantasy performer. While those numbers are somewhat skewed by a partial platoon last year, he still possesses real fantasy talent. Moreover, he will face at least four lefties this week, against whom he has historically hit better. With eight games, loads of fantasy talent, a spot in MLB's top-scoring offense, and matchups against a number of lefties, Hicks is this week's top streamer. He should be a source of power and run production, with the opportunity for a steal.
Todd Frazier (3B, NYM) - 40% owned
Todd Frazier started the year scorching hot, showing the abilities he had in previous seasons but with a good batting average. In early May, he went on the disabled list and fell off the fantasy radar a bit. Frazier's batting average has dropped back to his normal low levels, but he is back and provides value in other categories. On the season, he has a line of .221/7/21/25/4 in just 41 games. The Mets' offense has struggled lately without Cespedes in the lineup, and it is possible that may not change. Nonetheless, Frazier has power and speed and faces good matchups this week, including four games at Coors Field. If that thin air can get the Mets' offense going, he is a good bet to provide great production. As long as you can take the hit to your batting average, add him with confidence.
Josh Harrison (2B/3B/OF, PIT) - 38% owned
Since he started playing regularly in 2014, Harrison has a 162-game average of .290/12/82/60/18. As his career has progressed, I would expect a touch more power and a bit less speed. Nonetheless, he will help you in the batting average department while providing some power and speed without hurting you in run production. This year, he is batting .291/3/21/16/2 in just 35 games, on pace for another productive fantasy season. Despite not facing great pitching matchups this week, he is too much of a fantasy asset not to employ in your lineup.
Greg Bird (1B, NYY) - 50% owned
Most fantasy players have had Bird on their mind at one point in time, and it is likely that at that point he either was returning from injury or about to be injured. The injury bug certainly has liked what he has to offer and bitten him liberally. Nonetheless, he is back for now. What he provides is the latest trend these days - power with strikeouts and walks. However, he is better at that recent trend than many, with 23 homers in 109 career games. In an extremely strong Yankees lineup, his ability to hit for power will also lead to great run production. His strikeouts and batted ball profile will likely keep the average low, and I would not expect any steals, but he is likely to be a good three-category producer (HR, RBI, R) across the Yankees' eight games this week.
Addison Russell (SS, CHI) - 37% owned
Many will look at Russell's .281 average on the year and point to his .365 BABIP as proof that it is based on luck. After all, his strikeout rate is similar to prior seasons when his average hovered around .230. But, that surface look is not the full picture. Prior to this year, Russell had never pulled the ball less than 41% of the time; this year he is at 27%. Likewise, he is hitting the ball up the middle at a career-high rate. He also has a career-high line drive rate. When pieced together, these factors likely show why Russell is hitting for a higher average but is also hitting fewer homers. On the year, he has a line of .281/2/30/15/2. Facing good pitching matchups this week, I would expect more of the same.
Austin Meadows (OF, PIT) - 50% owned
After his call-up, Meadows came out of the gate scorching hot. In his 13 May games, he had a line of .409/4/9/7/3. He struck out just three times and hit everything in sight. Unfortunately, but expectedly, he has not been able to maintain that pace in June. In 11 June games, he has a line of .231/1/3/3/0. This prospect's true talent is somewhere in between the two extremes, but he should have the ability for moderate production across the board. His matchups this week are nothing to write home about, but they are enough to keep him in mind as a streaming option this week.
Dominic Smith (1B, NYM) - 2% owned -
Smith's status has flown all over the map. He went from an expected future building block, to the Mets signing an aging Adrian Gonzalez despite his presence. His power was not present in the minors this year, with just two homers at AAA in 56 games. However, he did have 16 doubles and has shown some extra-base power throughout his minor league career. Going to the thin air of Coors Field this week, he is my gamble play for leagues where the others are unavailable. Despite his high strikeout rate in his very-limited MLB sample, he has always been below 20% in the minors. That rate combined with his hit tool and power potential make me willing to take a chance on him this week.
Others to Consider
Amed Rosario (SS, NYM) - 8% owned - Rosario is a former top-prospect who has the ability to post double digit homers and double digit steals. Combine that with Coors Field and you have a recipe for success.
Michael Conforto (OF, NYM) - 37% owned - Conforto's struggles have continued and there are rumblings that he will be demoted when Cespedes is healthy. Nevertheless, he is worth taking a shot on in Coors Field if you have a little gamble in you.
