Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Third Base (3B) & First Base (1B)

April 8, 2014

Brian Polking provides his fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for first base (1B) and third base (3B). Read his sleepers analysis and advice for Week 2 of the MLB season.

The first week of the 2014 MLB season is in the books, and whether your fantasy team is off to a strong start or has some work to do, there is nothing wrong with trying to find sleepers and upgrade your roster. With that in mind, here is a closer look at some corner infielders that have started the year strong and need to be on your waiver wire radar going forward. Some of these players may be available depending on your league size and format.

Don't forget to bookmark our daily updated waiver wire pickups list for all positions.

Third Base (3B) Waiver Wire Pickups

Emilio Bonifacio (3B/2B/OF, CHC)

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Formats

ANALYSIS: I know he is already widely owned, but Bonifacio has gotten off to a strong start with the Cubs, and after the first week of the season, he is hitting .500 to go along with 5 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. His average is obviously going to come back down, but after offseason surgery to improve his vision, I don’t think a .280 average is out of the question.

Meanwhile, his speed is legit, and he seems to have the green light to run. Bonifacio has stolen at least 28 bases in three straight seasons, and he should be good for 30-plus in 2014. Expect a solid average and quality run totals out of him the rest of the way, along with plenty of stolen bases. The fact that he is eligible at three positions doesn’t hurt either. Scoop him up.

Casey McGehee (3B, MIA)

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues

ANALYSIS: After playing in Japan last season, McGehee has returned to the majors with a bang, batting .375 with a 1.092 OPS in the first week of the season while piling up 10 RBIs. While his average has fluctuated wildly throughout his career, he has always been a decent RBI guy. His two best seasons came with the Brewers when he drove in 66 runs in 116 games in 2009 and had 104 RBIs in 157 games in 2010. Granted, Miami’s lineup isn’t exactly intimidating, but McGehee should continue to see some RBI opportunities as opponents inevitably pitch around Giancarlo Stanton. A modest home run total and an average that is likely to end up in the .250 range curb his value, but 70-80 RBIs could be doable.

Todd Frazier (3B, CIN)

BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting; Add in NL-Only Formats

ANALYSIS: He is off to a hot start in 2014, and Frazier finished the first week of the season with a .381 average and a 1.147 OPS to go along with a couple of home runs. Perhaps more importantly, he has had at least one hit in all six of Cincinnati’s game. Consistency has been the missing ingredient to Frazier’s game in his young career, and although he has hit 19 home runs in each of the past two seasons, a terrible average has killed his fantasy value. Still, he plays in a hitter-friendly park, and the fact that he is the main right-handed bat behind Cincinnati’s left-handed sluggers Joey Votto and Jay Bruce practically ensures he will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs during the year. If he can sustain a decent average, he will end up being an asset in most formats.

First Base (1B) Waiver Wire Pickups

Chris Colabello (1B/OF, MIN)

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues

ANALYSIS: Despite being 30 years old, Colabello is beginning his first full season in the majors, and he didn’t wait long to make an impact. He hit .391 during the first week, driving in an AL-best 11 runs. His production has landed him the cleanup spot in Minnesota’s lineup, and while the Twins aren’t an offensive juggernaut, batting behind Joe Mauer isn't the worst thing in the world. The sample size is small for Colabello, but he did hit .352 with 24 homers in 89 games in the minors last season. A .300 average might be asking a bit much, but 20 home runs and 80 RBIs might be obtainable. If you need a bit of a boost in the power categories, Colabello could be your man.

Michael Morse (1B/OF, SF)

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues

ANALYSIS: Morse provided almost no production for Seattle and Baltimore last year, but he has hit the ground running in San Francisco. He wrapped up the opening week of the season with a .350 average, 5 RBIs and 5 runs. After such a terrible 2013 campaign, it is easy to forget that he was strong offensive weapon for Washington from 2010 to 2012. Granted, he battled injuries, but hit .289 or better in all three seasons and averaged 28.5 home runs per 162 games.

Morse is going to be penciled into the middle of the Giants' lineup as long as he is healthy, and solid power numbers should be the result. His injury history isn't ideal, but there is no reason you can't enjoy his production until he inevitably hurts some body part.

Justin Smoak (1B, SEA)

BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting; Add in AL-Only Formats

ANALYSIS: He has exploded out of the gates in 2014, hitting .292 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs in the opening week. He is also slugging an impressive .625 so far. The problem with Smoak is that he has been an incredibly streaky hitter throughout his career, and while his home run total has increased every year, Smoak has never hit better than .238 over the course of a season. He also strikes out nearly twice as much as he walks. In all likelihood, Smoak is going to fall into a slump sooner rather than later, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy his hot streak while it lasts. He is also worth monitoring just in case he decides to put it all together, but if not, you can always cut him loose once his bat goes cold.