Week 5 Waiver Wire: Outfield

Welcome back to the Outfield Waiver Wire, where we look at the best outfielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Consider this column your recommendations for Week 5 outfield waiver wire pickups. It’s still early. Don't get carried away with making any major changes to your roster at this stage of the game. Tinkering […]

Week 5 Cut List: Players on the Chopping Block

Welcome back to the Cut List. Each weekend from now until the end of the season, I’ll be offering my thoughts on players who don’t deserve to keep drawing a nonexistent salary on your fake baseball teams. A column like this can be a tricky thing so early in the year. We’re looking at a […]

Week 4 Waiver Wire - Outfield

Welcome back to the Outfield Waiver Wire, where we take a look at the best outfielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Consider this column your recommendations for Week 4 outfield waiver wire pickups. Any and all advice at this point in the year carries the implicit caveat of "It's April." Don't get carried […]

Week 4 Cut List: Players on the Chopping Block

Welcome back to the Cut List. Each weekend from now until the end of the season, I’ll be offering my thoughts on players who don’t deserve to keep drawing a nonexistent salary on your fake baseball teams. A column like this can be a tricky thing so early in the year. We’re looking at a […]

Brandon Phillips (2B, ATL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 40% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Brandon Phillips has gotten his Braves career off to a solid start. The 35-year-old, who had spent his entire MLB career playing for teams based in Ohio before this season, is hitting .326/.371/.448 with a homer and four stolen bases. We've got a ways to go […]

Austin Hedges (C, SDP) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Austin Hedges got some sleeper buzz heading into 2017 after lighting up the minors last year. Even adjusting for the offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, Hedges' breakout was impressive. He hit .326/.353/.597 with 21 home runs, 20 doubles, and 82 RBI in just […]

Steven Souza (OF, TAM) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 42% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Steven Souza Jr. delivered some category juice in his first two big-league seasons, totaling 33 homers and 19 stolen bases despite only playing in 230 games due to myriad injuries. However, contact issues made him a significant liable in batting average. Thus far in 2017, he's hitting […]

Travis Shaw (1B/3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 55% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Eric Thames is getting a lot of attention in Milwaukee, and deservedly so - but he isn't the only Brewer swinging a hot bat. Travis Shaw has hit four home runs in his last five games, bringing his overall line to .254/.309/.635. His 16 RBI are tied […]

Week 3 Waiver Wire: Outfield

Welcome back to the Outfield Waiver Wire, where we take a look at the best outfielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Consider this column your recommendations for Week 3 outfield waiver wire pickups. Any and all advice at this point in the year carries the implicit caveat of "It's April." Don't get carried […]

Week 3 Cut List: Players on the Chopping Block

Welcome back to the Cut List. Each weekend from now until the end of the season, I’ll be offering my thoughts on players who don’t deserve to keep drawing a nonexistent salary on your fake baseball teams. A column like this can be a tricky thing so early in the year. We’re looking at a […]

Lance Lynn (SP, STL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 50% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Lance Lynn missed the entire 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he’s a full 18 months removed from the procedure. He certainly didn’t look rusty in his first start this year, pitching 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball against the defending […]

Chris Owings (SS/OF, ARI) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 58% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Chris Owings has been one of the best players in baseball through the first week of the season, and the sharp rise in his ownership rate over the last few days reflects that performance. Owings locked down the starting shortstop job with a strong showing […]

Travis Shaw (1B/3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 51% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Travis Shaw faded badly after a hot start with the Red Sox last season. Traded to Milwaukee over the winter, he's the starting third baseman and hitting in the middle of what figures to be a sneaky-good Brewers lineup. While Fenway Park has a well-deserved reputation […]

Yangervis Solarte (2B/3B, SDP) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 56% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Since the 2015 All-Star break, Yangervis Solarte has quietly been an excellent hitter. In 663 plate appearances – roughly the equivalent of a full season – he’s hit .297 with 21 home runs, 89 runs, and 89 RBI. He plays for a bad team in […]

Week 2 Waiver Wire - Outfield

First, a programming note: This feature will now be published on Mondays, rather than Wednesday as it was last week. The content, of course, remains unchanged. In this space, we'll take a look at the best outfielders available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Consider this column your recommendations for Week 2 outfields waiver wire pickups. […]

Week 2 Cut List: Players on the Chopping Block

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the 2017 Cut List. Each weekend from now until the end of the season, I’ll be offering my thoughts on players who don’t deserve to keep drawing a nonexistent salary on your fake baseball teams. A column like this can be a tricky thing so early in the year. […]

Week 1 Waiver Wire: Outfield

The 2017 season is finally upon us, which means it's time to start overreacting to insanely small samples. Well, no - don't actually do that. As a general rule, you shouldn't be making any drastic decisions at a time when Madison Bumgarner is tied for the league lead in home runs. But that doesn't mean you […]

Jason Grilli (RP, TOR) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Most Mixed Leagues OWNED IN: 37% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Jason Grilli had command issues last season that led to inflated walk and home run rates, but he logged a 12.0 K/9 for the second straight year and fourth time in five seasons. With Roberto Osuna on the disabled list to begin the […]

Hector Rondon (RP, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 15% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: By virtually any measure, Hector Rondon has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the last three seasons. He has served as the Cubs' closer for the bulk of that time, but the defending champs opted to bring in Wade […]

Daniel Norris (SP, DET) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, AL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 13% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Daniel Norris was one of just 19 starters who logged a strikeout per inning and walked fewer than three batters per nine. Most of the guys in that group are bona fide aces. Of course, Norris was the only player in the […]

Mike Foltynewicz (SP, ATL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 20% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The former first-round pick hasn't quite lived up to the hype, but Mike Foltynewicz has improved every season in the big leagues. He also seems to have developed his changeup into a viable third offering, which should allow him to stick in […]

Travis Jankowski (OF, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 8% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Travis Jankowski strikes out too much to hit for average despite his quickness and doesn't have much power, but he does the starting job in left field. He also swiped 30 bags as a part-timer in 2016. Jankowski does get on base […]

Steve Pearce (1B/2B/OF, TOR) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, AL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 13% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: The release of Melvin Upton Jr makes it clear that the Jays will give Steve Pearce every opportunity to run with the starting job in left field. He also carries eligibility at first and second base, and given that Devon Travis can't […]

Chris Owings (SS/OF, ARI) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 11% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Chris Owings will open the year as the starting shortstop in Arizona, and he's hitting second in their first game. There's not much pop here, but Owings swiped 21 bags in 23 attempts last year. With the current dearth of speed in […]

Tyler Saladino (2B/SS/3B, CHW) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, AL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 13% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Tyler Saladino has picked up some sleeper hype during a torrid spring, but he remains lightly owned. The versatile 27-year-old hit .282 with eight homers and 11 steals in just 319 plate appearances a year ago. Given his minor league track record […]

Travis Shaw (3B, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 27% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Travis Shaw faded badly after a hot start with the Red Sox in 2016. Traded to Milwaukee over the winter, he'll be the starting first baseman and likely hit fifth in a sneaky-good Brewers lineup. While Fenway Park has a well-deserved reputation […]

Cesar Hernandez (2B, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 8% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Cesar Hernandez looked like a utility man when he broke into the majors in 2014, but he’s developed into a player with relevance in many fantasy formats. His plate discipline, contact rate and contact quality have steadily trended up in the last three […]

Lucas Duda (1B, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 10% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Lucas Duda missed most of 2016 with a back injury, but over the prior two seasons, he was seventh among first basemen in home runs and 12th in both runs and RBI. While he's never going to hit for a high average […]

Cameron Rupp (C, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher, NL-only Leagues OWNED IN: 16% Fleaflicker ANALYSIS: Cameron Rupp is mainly keeping the seat warm for prospect Jorge Alfaro, but he did flash some pop last season. He hit 16 homers with a passable .252 batting average and 80 R+RBI. Rupp likely isn't a long-term solution for owners in single-catcher […]

Week 1 Waiver Wire: 0-25% Owned Pickups

Baseball is finally back. In light of this, let's give that free agent pool one last look over before the stats start flying. Here are the best players who are owned in 0-25% of Yahoo leagues. You can see our column on 25-50% owned players as well. These are your deeper Week 1 waiver wire pickups and […]