Rajai Davis (OF, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Davis is not now, nor he has ever been, all that great of a hitter. What he has always been is a great base stealer. Despite swiping only one bag in his first 21 games, Davis has 19 thefts on the year, more than […]

Nick Williams (OF, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 12% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Williams was your classic “great tools, bad approach” prospect. He regularly posted walk rates below five percent in the minors, and a promotion to Triple-A last year brought with it a spike in strikeouts. It was fair to wonder if Williams could succeed […]

Evaluating Rafael Devers' Fantasy Impact

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: On Aug. 9, 2013, Rafael Devers signed on with the Red Sox as a highly-regarded, 16-year-old international phenom. Less than four years later, at just 20 years old, Boston’s top prospect — and the No. 6 overall prospect in baseball according to Baseball America’s midseason Top […]

Ryan Madson (RP, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 56% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: It's doubtful whether Ryan Madson can be considered the solution to Washington's ninth-inning woes, but he will at least get the chance for the time being. Madson was acquired along with teammate Sean Doolittle from Oakland last week. So far, Doolittle has picked […]

Cory Spangenberg (2B/3B/OF, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: All Cory Spangenberg has done in the second half so far is start an eight-game hitting streak with five multi-hit games, three home runs, and 10 RBI. This could be dismissed as a good week for a mediocre hitter, but there may be […]

Charlie Morton (SP, HOU) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 41% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Charlie Morton was enjoying a nice season until an injury in late-May sidelined him for over a month. He has made three starts since his return in July, and while the results aren't fantastic, Morton's high strikeout numbers and the high-powered offense behind […]

Mike Napoli (1B, TEX) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Following up an unexpected career year in 2016, Mike Napoli has not lived up to the expectations Texas had when they brought him back for 2017. However, Napoli has looked better as of late and may be primed to have a strong second half […]

Danny Valencia (1B, 3B, OF, SEA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Danny Valencia has primarily served as a platoon bat in his career, hitting against left-handers and sitting on the bench against right-handers. This year was expected to be more of the same, but early season ineffectiveness from rookie first baseman Dan Vogelbach thrust […]

Whit Merrifield (2B/OF, KC) – Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 33% of Yahoo! Leagues   ANALYSIS: Whit Merrifield remains under-owned and underappreciated despite the distinct possibility that he ends the season as a 15 home run and 30 stolen base contributor. Merrifield has run wild on the basepaths in July as he has stolen eight bases in the […]

Sean Doolittle (RP, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 35% of Yahoo! Leagues   ANALYSIS: When Sean Doolittle was traded from the A’s to the Nationals along with teammate Ryan Madson immediately after the All-Star Break, it was assumed that Madson would assume the role as closer. However, Doolittle has closed each of the two save opportunities […]

Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 37% of Yahoo! Leagues   ANALYSIS: Josh Bell began the season with a troubling profile as he was striking out frequently, which greatly hindered his batting average. While he showed some power, it wasn’t enough to make him fantasy relevant at first base. However, since June began, Bell […]

Wilson Ramos (C, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 41% of Yahoo! Leagues   ANALYSIS: Wilson Ramos has gotten off to a relatively strong start in his return from a torn ACL. Lately, he has also battled a minor hamstring that sidelined him, though he now appears healthy given that he has started three consecutive games. Though […]

Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 49% of Yahoo! Leagues   ANALYSIS: Ian Happ got off to a slow start in his first month in the big leagues, posting just a .741 OPS over 56 at-bats in the month of May. However, that number has jumped to nearly .900 for both June and July, which […]

Martin Maldonado (C, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Catcher is and always will be the thinnest position in fantasy baseball. Because of that, two-catcher leagues present their own unique challenges. Trying to have elite offensive production from two different catchers on the same fantasy team is next to impossible, so the […]

Andrelton Simmons (SS, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 59% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Andrelton Simmons has swung a hot bat this season, and fantasy owners will be wise to capitalize on the career year by the shortstop. Simmons is slashing .338/.357/.550 with two home runs, nine RBI and a steal over his last 80 at-bats. […]

Wilson Ramos (C, TAM) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 41% Yahoo ANALYSIS: After years of injury issues, Wilson Ramos finally logged a full season in 2015 and was one of the worst hitters in baseball. Last year, he bounced back for the best performance of his career, hitting .307/.354/.496 with 22 home runs and 80 RBI. Naturally, just […]

Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 50% Yahoo ANALYSIS: It's been a challenging season for the Cubs as they look to defend their title, but Ian Happ's emergence has been a bright spot. The latest impressive rookie on the North Side, Happ has hit .259/.324/.527 with 13 home runs and 64 R+RBI in 57 games […]

Keon Broxton (OF, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 45% Yahoo ANALYSIS: Broxton is streaky, will bludgeon your batting average, and runs a strikeout rate within shouting distance of 40 percent. He's also one of just 14 players with more than 15 stolen bases. The only player in that group with more home runs than Broxton's 14 is Mookie […]

Sam Dyson (RP, SFG) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 49% Yahoo ANALYSIS: Dyson's abysmal start to the season is rapidly fading in the rearview mirror. Since the Giants picked him up off the scrap heap, the veteran has looked a lot more like the guy who thrived as the Rangers closer a year ago. Dyson has notched five […]

Week 16 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers

We’re wading into the second half here with the Midsummer Classic in the rearview mirror, and the waiver wire isn’t all that spectacular. That said, there are some big things occurring in the trade world that could shake some rotations up with the Trade Deadline approaching and prospect fever (aka the Super Two baloney) nearing […]

Paul DeJong (2B/3B/SS, STL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 44% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: The Cardinals have found a gem in rookie Paul DeJong. It wasn't expected that they would need a new shortstop, but the dismissal of Jhonny Peralta and disappointing season of Aledmys Diaz has resulted in regular playing time for DeJong. He is slashing […]

Mike Foltynewicz (SP, ATL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 35% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: While the Braves' starting rotation from the beginning of the year continues to change, one constant has been 25-year-old Mike Foltynewicz. Folty has managed to keep a winning record of 7-5 for a team playing .500 ball right now and has logged 10 […]

Carlos Rodon (SP, CHW) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 50% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: All due respect to Derek Holland, it would seem that Carlos Rodon is now the de facto ace of the White Sox staff. Rodon has been out of commission for the first three months of the season with a biceps injury, but has three […]

Tommy Pham (OF, STL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 33% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: It's time to give in. Pham is on pace for a 20/20 season and is batting .308 to boot. His .382 BABIP and 34.4% HR/FB are scaring away many a fantasy owner, which is the only way to explain his low ownership rate. That and the fact […]

Mallex Smith (OF, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of Yahoo! Leagues   ANALYSIS: The Tampa Bay Rays’ outfield looked crowded at one point this season, but with injuries to Kevin Kiermaier and the recent loss of Colby Rasmus, Mallex Smith is now locked in as the Rays everyday centerfielder. Smith’s fantasy appeal clearly comes from […]

Orlando Arcia (SS, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: Orlando Arcia was absolutely cooking at the plate over the last month, and will look to build on that momentum as the second half of the season gets underway. Over Arcia’s last 29 games (100 at-bats) he slashed .330/.368/.510 with four home […]

Nicholas Castellanos (3B, DET) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 34% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: By now many of you have heard about Nicholas Castellanos' hard-hit rate. For much of the season, Castellanos has been the leader (or second behind Miguel Sano) in hard contact %. The results were only so-so for Castellanos early on, but the hard-contact […]

Bruce Maxwell (C, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues OWNED IN: 2% of Yahoo! Leagues ANALYSIS: The youth movement is on in Oakland and it starts behind the dish with Bruce Maxwell, who has taken over the starting duties after the A’s DFA’d team leader Stephen Vogt last month. Maxwell, 26, was hitting very well down in Triple-A and […]

Week 15 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers

When this article goes live, it will be Wednesday of the All-Star break -- the first day since the dawning days of April without any baseball events. In these cold, dark times, many fantasy owners will have a bit of cabin fever with their teams and may be looking for a change. Either you’re a […]