Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickup for Deep Leagues – Henderson Alvarez and More
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickup for Deep Leagues – Henderson Alvarez
Henderson Alvarez of the Toronto Blue Jays is an intriguing waiver pickup for those in a deep league. He induces a ton of groundballs but not a whole lot of strikeouts even with a fastball that is consistently in the mid-90s. Alvarez threw even faster in the minor leagues, touching 101 mph at one point in Double-A, but has since toned it down to be more effective with sinking action. The Venezuelan is only 22-years-old and threw his first career shutout against the Angels on May 4th while topping the six-inning mark in every start this season (8).
He took the loss in his last outing on May 15th, allowing two earned runs to the Rays in 6 2/3 innings pitched and didn’t walk any batters. Alvarez’s ERA currently sits in the mid-2’s and should be in the low-3’s by season’s end. He’s a pitcher that can give you quality starts more often than not, going deep into ball games because of all the ground balls he produces.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickup for Deep Leagues – Yonder Alonso
Yonder Alonso is also a player to pick up if your team is in need of a first baseman and he also has outfielder eligibility in most leagues. He is also a younger ballplayer at the age of 25 who was born in Havana, Cuba. The left-handed slugger came up in the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system before being shipped to San Diego in the offseason trade for starting pitcher Mat Latos.
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Fantasy Baseball Closers – Buy Low Sell High Relief Pitchers
The current market for closers in fantasy baseball 2012 … At the beginning of the year you would have seen guy’s like Drew Storen, Mariano Rivera, Brian Wilson and J.J Putz somewhere around the top of the closer rankings leading up to your draft. Currently, you can find each of those pitchers—whichever one or more you may have, or have had—filling up your DL spot(s) or off of your roster entirely.
Finding a replacement is easy, as most teams have named and renamed their closer as often as our prima donna athletes change their names. Some have stood firm with a guy that could later find himself with a new roll. Chances are you need a closer or are looking to improve in that area.
Relief pitching is something often overlooked come draft day. And in most leagues it makes sense to overlook closers. They are inconsistent. Closers can have a job one week and be out of one the next. Or like many of the pitchers I named, find themselves on the shelf. Here are a few guys you should buy and a few guys you should sell.
Buy
Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers – The Javy Guerra train is no more and the Kenley Jansen train is leaving the station. He was recently named the closer as Guerra failed to earn a save after starting off the year so well. If he can stay healthy Jansen may be the guy the Dodgers go with until the end of the year. If he’s available in your league pick him up and drop the guy you’ve been thinking about dropping.
Addison Reed, Chicago White Sox – Manager Robin Ventura announced that his team would be returning to a closer-by-committee situation Friday, but don’t let that fool you. Addison Reed earned two saves in his last two appearances. If he continues to put batters in their seats he’ll find himself closing games consistently for his ball club.
Ryan Cook, Oakland Athletics – With Grant Balfour struggling to closeout games, the Athletics currently yield a relief pitcher who has allowed just 3 hits and no earned runs in 15.2 innings this season. If you can afford to hold onto a prospect, Cook might be the guy you grab. If not, keep an eye on him and Balfour. Cook may finish the year closing in Oakland.
Sell
Rafael Dolis, Chicago White Sox – Dolis is a popular guy among waiver wire discount shoppers. But he isn’t the guy you want. If you’re in dyer straights when it comes to saves, pick him up and hope that he puts a few decent outings together. Once he does that pair him together with a player and make a deal for something else. Dolis is not a guy to put much stock in the rest of the season. Marmol will find his way back into the closing roll before the end of the summer.
David Robertson, New York Yankees – Before the Mariana Rivera’s knee injury, the Yankees had relied on him to close games for 16-straight seasons. The shoes Robertson just jumped into are waist-high. Expect Rafael Soriano and Robertson to switch off until they find the guy who messes up the least. Stay away from the Yankees closer situation until told to do otherwise.
Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics – Balfour has been on thin ice in Oakland for the last few days and it was reported Saturday night that Fuentes will be the Athletics’ new closer. Do yourself a favor and rid yourself of the guy. There are much better options available.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickups – Carlos Quentin, Kyle Seager, Jarrod Parker
The top fantasy baseball waiver pickups as of May 11, 2012 area as follows…
Carlos Quentin, OF, San Diego Padres – The veteran outfielder is coming back from the disabled list after having arthroscopic knee surgery during spring training. Quentin will assume the everyday role as left fielder and is a good source for home runs, but not a very good batting average.
The Padres don’t have high-powered offense and Quentin’s RBI total will be above average at best. He’s a good replacement for Jayson Werth who suffered a broken left wrist.
Kyle Seager, 3B, Seattle Mariners – It’s becoming apparent that the relatively unknown Seager has earned the starting third base job in Seattle. Chone Figgins was slated to play third before the season begun, but Mike Carp got injured which moved Figgins to left field. Seager has seized the opportunity and is currently the team leader in runs batted in to compliment a batting average around .300.
Expect the former North Carolina Tar Heel to continue to his good play while being a regular in the Mariners’ lineup going forward. The 24-year-old is a good long-term option and short-term replacement for owners who recently lost Pablo Sandoval.
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Fantasy Baseball – David Robertson for the Injured Mariano Rivera
David Robertson – No Savior
When Mariano Rivera went down with a freak batting practice injury, baseball took a hit losing a 42-year old legend with 608 career saves, for the season. With five full months left to play, the Yankees will likely turn to young David Robertson to fill the void created when Mo Rivera tore the ACL in his right knee. Robertson is 27-years-old and has recorded only 3 career saves over 216 career appearances out of the bullpen.
Robertson has electric stuff, his pitches move all over the strike zone and he had a breakout season last year, striking out 100 batters in just 66.2 innings. It is worth noting that the Yankees are turning to Robertson over Rafael Soriano who once saved 45 games in a season for Tampa Bay. The Yankee brass must have confidence in Robertson if they jumped him from a 7th inning guy to their closer.
Fantasy owners have taken note of the situation in New York and have reacted accordingly. In ESPN leagues, Robertson has jumped from being owned in 12.5% of leagues to 74.5% in just the last 7 days and 38% in Yahoo leagues. Robertson is worth keeping an eye but do not be overzealous in picking him up.
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Injury Report Hitters – Injured Hitters and Waiver Wire Replacements
If you have one or more of these injured hitters in fantasy baseball than you need to read this. Here is a breakdown of their injury reports along with what you should do in each player’s case.
Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays – Reports are saying that Longoria will be out 6-8 weeks with a partially torn hamstring. He was on a tear before suffering the crucial injury, which really hurts the Rays and also your fantasy team if you own him. Replacing a guy like Longoria will be impossible because he can hit for average and power while being one of the game’s top run producers. He’s definitely worth a roster spot and owners can only hope he can return to 100 percent in a couple months.
Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, OFs, Boston Red Sox – The news isn’t good for Crawford’s throwing elbow which is scheduled for three-months of rehab, meaning he could miss more than half the season. The injury often times requires Tommy John surgery, but instead will be treated with a relatively new type of treatment performed by Dr. James Andrews, who is the arm doctor of choice in the Big Leagues. The treatment has been successful in helping players recover without requiring surgery in the past. Crawford injured his elbow during extended spring training while rehabbing his wrist that required surgery in January.
The Crawford injury comes after Ellsbury went down earlier this month with a partially dislocated shoulder and is expected to miss at least another month. Owners will want to stash Ellsbury without a doubt, but may want to consider dropping Crawford if they desperately need the roster space because of other injuries. It’s still not a sure thing that Crawford will come back full strength and there is the possibility that he could suffer a setback and miss the entire season.
Outfielders Cody Ross and Ryan Sweeney will be expected to fill the void and both should be useful in fantasy leagues. Ross will be available only in shallow leagues while Sweeney in deeper leagues. The Red Sox also acquired Marlon Byrd but he hasn’t produced very much at all this season and won’t be fantasy relevant.
Kevin Youkilis, 3B, Boston Red Sox – The Red Sox third baseman has an irritated joint in his lower back which could turn out to be a nagging injury over the course of the season. Youkilis can come back as early as the second weekend of May, but it’s too early to tell if he will be healthy enough. The 33-year-old has gotten off to a slow start with a .219 batting average and only two home runs in April. Owners need to keep a close eye to this situation to see how it progresses in the next week.
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Injury Report Pitchers – Injured Pitchers and Waiver Wire Replacements
There are so many injured pitchers in MLB fantasy baseball right now. It can get frustrating if you have a relief pitcher or a starting pitcher that has an injury but this is not time to panic. Here is some insight on their injuries as well as some great waiver pickups if necessary.
Injury Report – Starting Pitchers
Cliff Lee, SP, and Philadelphia Phillies – The veteran southpaw should be ready to return to action when he’s eligible to be activated from the disabled list on May 4th. Lee strained an oblique muscle after throwing 10 scoreless innings against the Giants. Owners have little to worry about because Lee has already begun throwing and he’s been relatively durable in his career.
Daniel Hudson, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks – Hudson will likely be out beyond the 15 days he was designated to be on the disabled list with a shoulder impingement. He was off to a rough start this year with an earned run average at 6.00 after three starts. It is now estimated that the 25-year-old is likely to be back in the Diamondbacks’ rotation in late May. Owners will want to be patient with Hudson and wait for him to be activated because he can be a great contributor to your fantasy squad.
Tim Hudson, SP, Atlanta Braves – The grizzled vet is slated to make his 2012 debut this Sunday against the Pirates after having spine surgery last November. Hudson is definitely worth a roster spot might be available in shallow leagues if you’re lucky. If you own him already, feel free to start him but understand it could take a couple start before he gets into his groove.
Michael Pineda, SP, New York Yankees – The 2012 campaign is already over for the promising young arm acquired this past offseason from the Seattle Mariners, without having pitched at all. Pineda will require season-ending shoulder surgery after getting hurt in recent extended spring training start. The Yankees were counting on Pineda for big things like his fantasy owners as well, but it’s time to move on without him in both cases.
Injury Report – Reserve Pitchers
Drew Storen, RP, Washington Nationals – The young reliever had minor surgery in mid-April to remove a bone fragment from his elbow and could be back before the All-Star break. Before the season, Storen was only expected to miss the first couple weeks of the season but he experienced soreness in the elbow in early-April which led to a visit with the famous, Dr. James Andrews. It’s a major setback for Storen and his fantasy owners who have to look elsewhere for saves for the time being. He’s worth stashing on your bench and/or DL spot if you can.
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Fantasy Baseball Video – Bryce Harper – Mike Trout
In this short yet potent video, we discuss two rookie sensations that can be found on the waiver wire: Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. We also reveal when Albert Pujols will be back to his own self.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickups – April 24, 2012
Here are some new fantasy baseball waiver pickups as of April 24, 2012. It doesn’t matter wether your in first place or last place, you should always be looking to upgrade your team. Follow us on Twitter @fantasycouch and feel free to ask us any fantasy baseball questions especially if you are debating on a player to drop for one of these waiver wire gems.
Bartolo Colon, SP, Oakland Athletics – If you’re looking for some help in your rotation Bartolo Colon could be your answer. Although he picked up his second loss of the season Monday night, it shouldn’t affect the value he may have. In his five starts this year, Colon has had just one bad game. If you remove his one poor outing earlier in the year you’ve got a pitcher with a 3-1 record, less than five hits allowed per game and just five walks. At one point in his start last week against Anaheim, Colon threw 38 consecutive strikes. He may not have the best offense behind him but the command and the quality of his stuff is there. Everyone could use a Colon.
Nolan Reimold, OF, Baltimore Orioles – Yes, another Baltimore Oriole… Even though it may seem like the Baltimore Orioles get more pub here than they do in Baltimore, this guy is well worth the add. Reimold may have sat out of the starting lineup on Sunday but he is one injured player that should be picked up. He’s currently sitting on a 10-game hit-streak that included a stretch in which he had five homers in six games. There is no reason to let a guy like Reimold sit on your bench. He’s got power and the potential to steal a few bases. Pick him up now and reap the rewards when he returns.
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2012 Fantasy Baseball Buy Low Sell High – TRADES
While the season is a long one, the first few weeks provide the best indications of which players are set to breakout and which players will do the opposite. Let’s take a look at some of these early buy-low and sell-high candidates.
There are always players that start the season off in a way that they have never played before; some may last the length of the season, while others come back to reality. These players fall under the ladder:
2012 Fantasy Baseball – Sell High
Carlos Pena, 1B Tampa Bay Rays
He’s on pace for a 198 RBI season if he continues playing at the rate he’s going. You and I both know he won’t reach half that. He’s also on pace for 180 strikeouts this year; a number much more likely to be reached.
Josh Willingham, OF Minnesota Twins
Willingham is one of five players who are tied with four home runs this year. Yet Willingham is the only one with four homers and a plus-.400 average. Don’t expect this to continue. Take advantage of this early trade bait and see who’s interested. Go ahead and use that first sentence in your offer. No attribution is needed.
Omar Infante, Chris Young and Corey Hart are all players that fall under this category. If you own them do yourself a favor and get a feel for your leagues trade market. Take advantage of the desperate owners in your league and send out a few emails.
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Fantasy Baseball Pitchers Chad Billingsley and Jeff Samardzija Off to Fast Starts
Spring brings a new life and with it comes baseball optimism for many, but don’t be fooled. One start could be reason for optimism with a starting pitcher but it is no reason to shake up your fantasy squad this early in the season. Not to use a tired cliché, but the season is a marathon and not a sprint. Proceed with caution on these two pitchers who have started the season looking good.
Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher – Chad Billingsley
I always felt Billingsley could be a solid guy in anyone’s rotation. His main issue has been consistency. When Billingsley is “locked in”, there are not too many starters in the game who can mow down a lineup as efficiently as him. The fact that he has started the season so well should not make you go into a frenzy, consider yourself fortunate. Billingsley is now 2-0 on the young season with 15 K’s and 0.63 ERA and 0.63 WHIP. These numbers are remarkable, but were in starts against the light-hitting Padres and Pirates. His numbers are sure to return closer to his career averages of a 3.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP and his 15 strikeouts are right on line with his career average of 7.5 K’s/start.
In a nutshell, Billingsley can flash brilliance but is highly inconsistent. It could be that he goes on to have a career year but be sure that his ERA and WHIP have nowhere to go but up. He is owned in 100% of ESPN fantasy leagues. If you have Billingsley, keep him maybe consider selling him “high”. But don’t make a regrettable move trying to acquire a guy after two solid starts.
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