I don’t pay too much attention to fantasy baseball numbers in April. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be active on the waiver wire.
We all draft replaceable players, so if there’s a player who is hot, it’s worth the investment to take a look at him off the waiver wire. This doesn’t always work, but when it does, like it did for me a few years ago with Dee Gordon who single handily gave me an edge in stolen bases each week, then it’s worth it.
Here’s three players who should get a chance off the fantasy baseball waiver wire.
Matt Wieters, C, Washington Nationals
This is a no-brainer and he’s likely been grabbed on most waiver wires. But, according to ESPN’s fantasy baseball tracker, he’s still available in more than 30 percent of fantasy leagues.
Wieters hasn’t been the player lately that we saw earlier in his career. Much of that has to do with not getting on base. His batting average has suffered over the years and he’s not great a drawing walks. That limits other statistics important for fantasy owners.
So far this season, that batting average hasn’t been a problem. He’s batting .435 to open the season with .552 on-base average. Those numbers are sustainable, but maybe the new environment is working well for Wieters. He’s a catcher who’s producing, so he should get your attention now.
Chris Owings, SS/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Here’s another one of those players who was supposed to be able to put it all together, but hasn’t yet in his career.
Maybe this is the year.
He has speed and plays multiple positions so that makes him attractive off the bat. And so far this season he’s batting .333 with four stolen bases. In limited action last season, he did bat .277, which is encouraging that possibly he can be a hitter that can be near the .290 to .300 mark.
If he can do that and work some walks (his on-base percentage has been horrible in the past), then he can be a main contributor for fantasy teams with his ability to steal bases.
Go ahead and go after him on the waiver wire.
Avisail Garcia, OF, Chicago White Sox
I know that we have plenty of evidence on Garcia regarding his ability as a fantasy baseball player.
But the once promising prospect has shown the ability to hit in the past, as long as he’s going to the opposite field. So far this season, he’s doing that, hitting .435 with one homer and five RBIs.
Despite all the evidence, Garcia is still only 25 and could get better. He was a highly touted prospect at one time, but hasn’t taken off yet. The White Sox need him to develop into a better player, and sometimes players turn the corner when their team depends on them more.
Garcia’s value is limited, though, since he only plays one fantasy position. But if he can stick around the .300 mark and score runs, he can contribute to your roster.
