Top 5 Hitter Streamers For Week 7: Waiver Wire Targets

May 11, 2014

Kyler Braver analyzes the five best potential waiver wire hitters heading into week 7. These hitters can be considered waiver wire sleepers for the coming week.

Before you know it, it'll be mid-May-- just around the time you should start paying serious attention to your place in your league standings, and even more serious attention to the deficiencies of your lineup. While we're not out of small-sample-size woods yet by any means, with each passing game owners get a better idea of what overall forms of production their team lacks. If you're hurting for batting average now, that's a thing you'll need to work quickly to address before you dig too deep a hole. If you're lacking power, similarly using an empty spot in the lineup where a now-hurt hitter used to reside to fill the gap is hugely beneficial. It's my hope that this latest installment of my weekly position player streamer article should help you in this regard, showing you some hot players to add for next week's games to might help you address those holes and climb in the standings.

1) Colby Rasmus (OF)

2014 Stats: .234 BA, 19 Runs, 9 HR, 19 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 45.7%

Opponents: Angels, Indians, (at) Rangers

Games Scheduled: 7

That this list starts with the white-hot Colby Rasmus should surprise no one who's been following baseball the past few days. Over the last seven days, Rasmus has hit a sizzling .321 with four home runs, 11 RBI, and six runs scored. Next week, this locked-in outfielder will enjoy a seven-game stretch in two very friendly hitters parks: Toronto and Texas. These are among the best locations in the game for a left-handed power hitter, and the shallow right-field fence in Texas in particular was practically made for Rasmus's swing. It's the perfect time to scoop up Colby Rasmus while he's still available and to ride that hot streak for as long as he's willing to hit.

2) Adam Lind (1B/DH)

2014 Stats: .286 BA, 8 Runs, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 43.4%

Opponents: Angels, Indians, (at) Rangers

Games Scheduled: 7

Lind made his trip back from the DL this weekend, and he needed little time to adjust back to big-league play, smacking a three-run blast on Friday.  As a fellow Blue Jay, he'll enjoy the same scheduling benefits that his teammate Colby Rasmus will benefit from. Lind offers fantasy owners a very nice mix of power and batting average, and I expect him to pick right up with the very productive season he was having before being sidelined with the back injury that has kept him out of action to this point.

3) Wilson Ramos (C)

2014 Stats: .222 BA, 0 Runs, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 39.3%

Opponents: (at) Diamondbacks, Mets

Here's a fun fact about Wilson Ramos: in 2013, Ramos had an average fly-ball distance of 313.67 feet, good for fourth-highest in the major leagues, ahead of Miguel Cabrera, ahead of Chris Davis, and ahead of Giancarlo Stanton. In other words, when Wilson Ramos hits the ball, he hits it a very, very long way. I relish the idea of what he'll do against the meager Diamondbacks pitching staff, which ranks second-to-last in the majors in team ERA (4.94) and dead last in home runs allowed (40). Like Lind, Ramos should be back more than ready to go by Monday of next week. If you're in need of a upgrade in production from your backstop, Ramos is the guy I’d turn to.

4) Jedd Gyorko (2B)

2014 Stats: .165 BA, 10 Runs, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 2 SB

Ownership: 43.9%

Opponents: (at) Reds, (at) Rockies

Alright, before you accuse me of having a man crush on Jedd Gyorko that prevents me from seeing how bad he's been so far this year, let me just point to his schedule for this next week. That second series over there? That's Coors Field. Jedd Gyorko is a 2B who's biggest appreciable skill is his ability to hit for power, and next week he'll be walking into the greatest park in major league baseball for a power hitter like himself. Chances are Gyorko won't be the guy who you'd hoped he'd be on draft day, but there's no reason that he can;t be a valuable player next week if you need a fill in at second.

5) CJ Cron (1B)

2014 Stats: .400 BA, 0 Runs, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB

Ownership: 3.6%

Opponents: (at) Jays, (at) Phillies, Rays

Games Scheduled: 7

I've liked what I've seen from Cron so far this season. While he doesn't have much speed to speak of, he showed the ability to hit for both power and average in the minors, knocking out 27 home runs with a .293 batting average in A-ball (2012), and 25 home runs while hitting around .280 between AA and AAA (2013). In a very limited sample so far in the bigs, his approach has looked good for a rookie, and I love the power potential he'll flash playing at the great hitter's parks the Jays and Phillies will offer him during his road trip next week. In all honesty, Cron could end up being a poor man's Michael Cuddyer next week, and that is valuable on any team.