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Welcome back to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire. We are back at it again this year, publishing this article seven days a week. It's still just the first week of MLB games, but we are always ready to stream.
For those who are new - use this column on a daily basis to improve upon your neediest categories and target players who may be available on your waiver wire.
With that being said, below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Friday, April 6. Let's get to it.
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Agenda
- What Is Streaming
- Today's Weather and Updates
- Tomorrow's Picks
1. What Is Streaming?
Presumably, at least some of you are new to this column. And sometimes, it makes sense to define jargon for new people. "Streaming" is fantasy baseball speak for using fringy players to win your league. These are guys who can be readily found on your waiver wire. They're free. Sometimes they have very good matchups. Leaving them on the wire is like a real team not signing Melky Cabrera for roster depth. (Wait, you say nobody has signed Melky Cabrera?)
This column will do a few things. I could explain them, or I could just direct you to section 3. It's all super self-explanatory. Have fun out there.
One final note - most of the players we discuss will be under 50 percent owned on Yahoo.
2. Today's Weather and Updates
Notice: this section is for today. The next section is for tomorrow.
Cold weather influences power. Advantage pitcher. Nearly every outdoor venue will be under 50 degrees today. Watch out for rain/slush/snow in Chicago.
3. Tomorrow's Picks - Friday, April 6
Pitchers to Use
The Yankees offense is a tough matchup for any opponent. Especially at tiny Yankee Stadium. That's why I have my eye on CC Sabathia. He's in line to receive a heap of run support, and he's usually a little more polished early in the season before wearing down in the middle months. Old Man Sabathia will face a volatile Orioles offense. Don't yell at me if he flops - that's always a risk with these streaming types, and it's especially true of Sabathia at home.
Marco Estrada is a wily command and control guy coming off an injury-marred season. He worked through the pain and lost his changeup in the process. The slow ball is his best offering, and it appeared to be back in his 2018 debut. The Rangers offense, like the Orioles, is extremely volatile. They could hammer double digit runs, supply double digit strikeout totals, or both.
Other Targets: Trevor Williams
Pitchers to Exploit
I'm a big Brandon McCarthy fan. He's outright owned on six of my eight rosters. And he's firmly ensconced on my bench for a matchup at Coors Field.
Kevin Gausman teases us every year by finishing on a high note. Then he's terrible for the first three months of the season. Perhaps 2018 is the year he puts it all together? I have... doubts. In his first outing, he lost three mph from last season. Over four innings, he allowed three home runs and six runs total. A visit to Yankee Stadium is an auto-sit for just about any AL East pitcher aside from Chris Sale.
Other Targets: German Marquez, Kevin Gausman, Matt Moore, Luis Perdomo, Daniel Gossett, Parker Bridwell, Derek Holland
Homers on the Wire
Nick Markakis? Really? The boring veteran is among the early fly ball breakouts. It's still early days, meaning there's no reason to buy into him as the next Yonder Alonso. But he could be the next Yonder Alonso. A visit to Coors Field is a great moment to roster him even if he doesn't hit a home run. The spacious park is perfect for new or old Markakis. Freddie Freeman has like a 1.500 OBP. That's a lot of run producing opportunities for Markakis.
It's always wise to pick up role players in elite lineups. That's why you should snag Neil Walker and Brandon Drury when you need an infield patch - especially if they're playing at home. Yankee Stadium is sooooo homer friendly. Opposing pitchers may breathe a sigh of relief after navigating past Gary Sanchez only to be burned by these lesser-regarded veterans.
Other Targets: Preston Tucker, Brandon Guyer, Kendrys Morales, Shin-Soo Choo, Matt Joyce, Jed Lowrie, Matt Chapman, Luis Valbuena, Enrique Hernandez
Steals on the Wire
It's Rajai Davis day! Danny Duffy was a mess last week. We'll see if he can shake off a bad outing while solving a tough Cleveland lineup. Davis is basically a league average hitter versus left-handed pitching, and he's runs at a 40 steal pace. Salvador Perez is out, opening the door for Rajai to run wild.
Derek Fisher is a five category contributor. He's batting ninth most nights for the Astros, and he's only four percent owned. I'll keep going back to the well for him so long as he's playing.
Other Targets: Jose Peraza, Kevin Pillar
Skill Positions
If you're looking for a catcher, Russell Martin typically offers a high floor profile against mediocre southpaws like Moore.
Austin Barnes is likely to start opposite a shaky lefty.
