Every team in baseball is nearing the quarter-pole in mid-May and when it comes to the waiver wire, the passage of time is evident. In fact, we've reached a spot in the season where following injuries/DL stints is more worthy of your time than following what unknown is heating up.
Teams and players have settled into rhythms. All 30 MLB teams have a starting nine that they favor. After six weeks, they know who they want in their lineup and who they can trust in certain spots from day-to-day. The only thing that throws the grand plan asunder is usually an injury.
As I put the collection of players together for this week, it stood out that a vast majority of these guys were on the list because a regular had come up lame. In some cases, you may only get two-to-three weeks out of the pick-up, so make sure your bid is placed accordingly. But, in others, an injury has cracked the gap open and it's possible for the fill-in to steal at-bats long-term.
(Note: To make the list, I'll apply a loose definition that says you have to likely be unowned in a vast majority of 12-team mixed leagues. At the end of each player note, I'll also provide a suggested bid for those that use FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget) for their waiver process (based on a $100 budget). Understand that this is only a suggestion ... if you just lost you're a starting outfielder to injury and you have an immediate need or gaping hole in your lineup, you will find it necessary to bid more in order to get that week's top available outfielder.)
Hitters
Peter Bourjos, OF, St. Louis
Jon Jay (wrist/thumb) has been less than 100% all season and the 'Birds finally made the decision to DL him earlier this week. When you consider Jay's wrist was a problem last year and that offseason surgery hasn't solved the problem, you should expect him to be out for more than the mandatory 15 days. This gives Bourjos a great chance to, quite literally, run away with the job. Bourjos is most noted for his speed and defense, but don't shy away from his bat. In his one full season when he was given a long-term shot, he answered with a very solid .271/12/43/72/22 fantasy line. Of course, that was also way back in 2011. You should figure on Bourjos handling most of the lead-off duties and that should lead to plenty of opportunities on the stolen base and runs side. I think he gets a three-to-four week look-see here. And, again, if he does well, it could stretch out much longer.
Suggested FAAB bid - $8
Maikel Franco, 3B, Philadelphia
Philiadelphia has made their first 'official' white flag move for '15. Franco is the prized power prospect in their organization and he's been red-hot at Triple-A. Cody Asche has finally been removed from the big league roster and that gives Franco a wide-open shot at 3B for the remainder of the season. The power is certainly eye-catching, but nearly every write-up on him contains the word 'raw.' And, hey, so does this one! He's very Pedro Alvarez-like which is good every once in a while and then bad for a couple of weeks at a time. As long as you can stomach some ugly 20 at-bat stretches, the final counting numbers may be enough to keep him above-average come the end of the season.
Suggested FAAB bid - $9
Jose Pirela, 2B, NY Yankees
As of this writing, Yankees' head man, Joe Girardi, is claiming that Stephen Drew is thhhiiiisssss close to busting loose. Color me doubtful. After all, Drew is a .224 hitter over his last 1420 at-bats (dating all the way back to the conclusion of the 2010 season). First-place New York has surprised in the early going and production elsewhere in the lineup has allowed them to overlook Drew's shortcomings. Still, if this team is serious, they need to turn to Pirela. He's not a certain answer, but he's a better bet than Drew is at this point. In very limited opportunities, the right-handed hitter has come up with 13 hits in 41 career at-bats. He has a smidge of pop (see his 10 HRs at Triple-A last year), but he's mostly an AL-version of Joe Panik.
Suggested FAAB bid - $2
Jon Singleton, 1B, Houston
Houston's plan is to outslug opponents. Currently, they're doing enough of that to place some distance between themselves and the rest of the AL West. Still, one of the keys to that attack, Chris Carter, has been bad even according to their flimsy standards. Carter is stuck in a monumental rut, right now, with three times as many strikeouts as hits! Now, if he were hitting moonshots, the 'Stros could overlook it. But, he's not (just 5 balls over the wall). All of this leads to Singleton who is raking down in the bush leagues. Singleton has gone bonkers this week. The highlight was a two home run, 10 RBI showing on Wednesday. His OBP sits at .379 and his SLG is over .600. In 2014, he had a similar big league showing to what Carter has been this season, but with his confidence pumping, you would have to think Houston makes the call-up in the next week or so.
Suggested FAAB bid - $7
Cory Spangenberg, 2B, San Diego
Jedd Gyorko has been a miserable failure (yet again) and that's allowed the 24-year old to move in for some extra playing time. He's doing everything that Gyorko isn't ... average, on-base, steals, and runs. He's mostly been hitting right in front of both Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, too, which is prime real estate for any hitter. He's not a difference maker and he'll fail to truly standout in any one category, but in a deeper format, he gives you an everyday playing option who won't embarrass himself.
Suggested FAAB bid - $2
Pitchers
Yovani Gallardo, SP, Texas
First things first. This is a dangerous man to own. Gallardo is notorious over the past few seasons for turning in a gem that is bookended by ugliness on both sides. He's incredibly tough to figure. I wouldn't call him 'effective' this year, but he has held his own while putting up stream-able marks to begin his run in Texas. Looking ahead to the coming week, he has a pair of starts scheduled. Unfortunately, both are on the road in the AL East as the Rangers dial up visits to Boston and New York. You'll see his name on waiver lists and you'll notice the two start week. Don't take the risk unless you're desperate for starts.
Suggested FAAB bid - $2
Jaime Garcia, SP, St. Louis
Youngster Marco Gonzalez was mentioned in this space a week ago, but he has looked totally lost in his first pair of rehab starts at Triple-A Memphis. The door is now wide open for another Garcia call. He's been a tease throughout his career and every pitch could be his last, but it's worth noting that he has proven more than average when he's healthy enough to answer the bell. For his career, he sports a 42-26 record with an ERA of 3.50, a WHIP of 1.30, and a 7.2 K/9 rate. That plays on the back-end of fantasy rotations. St. Louis should make the call on him very soon, giving him yet another shot in their 5-man.
Suggested FAAB bid - $5
Jim Johnson, RP, Atlanta
Jason Grilli has wrapped up ten saves this year, but he hasn't done it with ease. As his balky back has begun to bark, his numbers have started to scuff. His ERA is finally under-5, but he's coughed up eight hits in his last 4.1 innings of work. Further struggles and Johnson will have to be put into the 9th. At the very least, he's been a better pitcher than Grilli this year. The former 50-save man will never be overpowering, but he does get results thanks to a massive ground ball rate. Strike this week before a possible change happens before June.
Suggested FAAB bid - $4
Wade Miley, SP, Boston
I was quite verbal about my dislike for the Red Sox rotation entering the season. Everything you should get from having a collection of five #3's and #4's has come home to roost in the early going. Miley's issues have been evident from the get-go. He's been clubbed around in three of his seven starts. His other four have been OK-to-solid, including 6.2 shutout innings his last time out at Oakland. Entering a fresh week, Miley is most noticeable because he has two starts lined up. Both are home, coming versus Oakland and the L-A Angels. It's tempting to dip your toe in, but Miley is much too inconsistent and a pair of rough outings could fuel a total weekly league disaster for you. Just look at his near 1:1 walk:strikeout ratio.
Suggested FAAB bid - $3
A.J. Ramos, RP, Miami
For the time being, Steve Cishek and his 10 ERA are out in Miami. Ramos is the man to get the first shot and there's a decent chance that he holds onto the gig. The Marlins have pinpointed him as the 'future closer' for some time and his career marks fit the profile. He punches guys out regularly (a career K/9 over 10) and he doesn't give up the long ball (just seven in 164 appearances). Walks can sting him, but in all reality, that's an issue for most any young tosser out of the bullpen. Bid as if you're getting a 20-save arm.
Suggested FAAB bid - $18
Tanner Roark, SP, Washington
If you were forced to put some coin down on which Washington National hurler would be placed on the DL this week, it would not have been Doug Fister. But, Friday, news came that Fister's forearm (uh-oh) was a bother and that he was going to be out for at least 15 days. Don't be surprised at all if it's much longer. That gives Roark a return trip to the starting five. He showed last season that he has a clue and can succeed (15 wins in 31 starts with a 2.60 ERA). He won't stack up K's, but he's an excellent streaming option depending on the opponent.
Suggested FAAB bid - $5
Brad Ziegler, RP, Arizona
Ziegler has landed in a similar spot as Ramos. The D'Backs made the announcement heading into the weekend that Addison Reed was just too ineffective to count on anymore. Instead of focusing on wrapping up wins, Reed is set to work on his 'mechanical issues.' So, Ziegler is assumed to be the next man up. His funky delivery throws off viewers and hitters, alike, but not enough to register any whiffs. He's a decent bet to rack up a few saves while Reed gets centered, but I have every expectation that Ziegler's back into his set-up role four weeks from now.
Suggested FAAB bid - $6
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