Fantasy baseball is all about making moves everyday and keeping up with the recent trends. Getting comfortable and lazy mid-season may result in you not making the playoffs. Take a look at the following fantasy baseball waivers as there’s sure to be a name or two that will help out your squad.
Michael Brantley, Cle OF
Michael Brantley began his Major League career after being traded by the Brewers to the Indians as a Minor Leaguer back in 2008. This four-player trade sent left-handed pitcher CC Sabathia to Milwaukee in return for Rob Bryson, Matt Laporta, and a player later to be named (Brantey). After spending his past four years with the tribe, the Florida native seems to be thriving as of late, giving manager Terry Francona a descent option for filling those unexpected holes that always seem to plague Cleveland’s lineup.
The 26-year-old outfielder is quietly putting together a solid 2013 campaign, hitting .274 with 8 home runs, 40 RBI and 38 runs scored so far. Brantley’s ability to hit the breaking ball with such authority is a great tool for any young player to have, allowing him to keep his strikeout numbers low (39) for having a total of 303 official at-bats. His eye-popping .391 average and .462 OBP over the past 7 days is starting to attract fantasy owners, and as long as slumping Mark Reynolds and an injury prone Nick Swisher continue to struggle, I’d expect a steady amount of playing time for Brantley.
Logan Morrison, Mia 1B
Off season knee surgery has kept Marlins first-baseman Logan Morrison off of a baseball field for the majority of 2013, so you can imagine how relieved he was to make his season debut last month. Since being activated from the DL, LoMo is batting .318 with 4 home runs and an impressive 10 RBI in just 19 games. These numbers seem to be quite promising, and even though Morrison hasn’t exactly panned out the way Miami had hoped for, they sure could use some left-handed pop these days.
Once considered the #2 prospect in the Marlins farm system, its obvious that the talent is there, but can he remain productive over long periods of time is yet to be seen? Since 2010, Morrison has hit .253 with 37 home runs, and 131 RBI as a big leaguer. Nothing too flashy, but hitting in the 3-hole in front of slugger Giancarlo Stanton has certainly been working in his favor lately. He has hit homers in his last two games to go along with a hand full of RBIs, so submit your waiver claim and ride with him while he’s hot.
Bronson Arroyo, Cin SP
Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo owns a respectable 131-121 record in his lengthy 14 year career, and still seems to be going strong. At 7-6 on the season, the 36-year-old has pitched much better than his record indicates, posting a 3.50 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 110.2 innings pitched. He has lost just 2 games out of his last 10 outings, and seems to be getting stronger as the season goes on. If the Reds can score runs the way that we all know they are capable of, Arroyo is bound to have a solid second half of the season.
This Cuban-American’s signature high leg kick and retro style delivery has to be pretty amusing to opposing batters, especially coming from his 6-4′ wirey frame, topped off with the occasional blonde cornrows. You can expect around 3 to 5 K’s out of him per game, but even though Arroyo doesn’t seem to be overpowering anyone these days, his method of retiring hitters still seems to work just fine. He is owned in just 34.9% of ESPN leagues, and makes for a safe emergency fantasy start if needed.
Miguel Gonzalez, Bal SP
Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez has rejoined the team after taking time off to witness the birth of his daughter. Since being back in Buck Showalter’s rotation, the Mexican born pitcher has thrown the ball well, and even after dealing with some control issues, Gonzalez has managed to win 4 out of his last 6 starts. He is 6-3 with a 3.63 ERA on the season, and will look to get back on track on Wednesday vs. the Rangers.
Gonzalez did undergo Tommy John surgery back in 2009, where he missed the entire season. After two seasons in the Red Sox Minor League system, he signed a Minor League deal with the Orioles in March of 2012. After making his first major league start last year, Gonzalez has gone 15-7 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in his brief career. It’s nice seeing a player bounce back after such a devastating surgery, and fantasy owners are beginning to take notice.
