During the Playoffs, some fantasy owners tend to follow in the footsteps of many successful Major League managers by going with their gut feelings instead of a player’s recent statistical output. Although that method might work on a real baseball field, fantasy baseball is obviously a numbers game. In a must-win matchup, owners put themselves in a much better position by picking up those striving but underrated players still circulating around on the waiver wire. Below is a list of a few handy players that should be easy, yet beneficial acquisitions to assist your pursuit of a 2013 championship.
Denard Span, Was OF
After what most Nationals fans would consider a disastrous season, the team finally seems to be playing up to the high expectations that surrounded them during the offseason. Ryan Zimmerman has been tearing the cover off of the ball lately, while the speedy Denard Span is receiving “National” attention for his impressive 24-game hitting streak. The 29-year-old outfielder owns the second best hit streak of 2013, trailing only Michael Cuddyer with 27 games. Span is having a solid September, hitting .373 to go along with his .389 OBP. in around 40 at-bats. He has scored a hefty 10 runs in that “Span”, making him a valuable option to consider plugging into any underachieving lineup.
Span certainly isn’t known for the long ball as he has just 4 on the season, but his .281 average and 154 hits spell productivity. Owned in less than 50% of ESPN fantasy leagues, there is still a large chance that this hot waiver wire pickup is available in your league. Look for his high level of play to continue as the Nats continue to fight in what has been an uphill NL Wild Card chase.
Yusmeiro Petit, SF SP
This Venezuelan right-hander continues to show flashes of brilliance each and every time he toes the rubber. Brought to the Giants on a minor league contract for the 2012 season, Yusmeiro Petit made his major league debut in an attempt to rest a tired Tim Lincecum before their legendary post season run. Beginning the 2013 season with Triple-A Fresno, Petit ended up being designated for assignment by late July, only to be re-claimed on waivers and sent back to Fresno after clearing waivers. The Giants recalled him on August 23, where he has been with the big league club ever since. He is 3-0 this season, with a 2.53 ERA and 37 Ks in 32 innings pitched.
Petit was a respectable minor league player, but nobody expected him to pitch as well as he did on the night of September 6, 2013. In just his third major league start of the year, the 29 year old came within one strike of pitching a perfect game against his former team the D-Backs. On a 3-2 count, Eric Chavez drove a single into right field, making Petit the 12th player in major league history to lose a perfect game with 2 outs in the 9th inning. Even though it was bittersweet, he retired the next batter collecting his first career 1 hit complete game shutout. With the way that Petit is throwing the ball lately, he may find himself as a permanent fixture in the Giants scuffling pitching rotation next year. At 30% owned, this up and coming pitcher makes for a great late season addition to your fantasy team.
Jonathan Villar, Hou SS
Shortstop has always been one of the toughest positions for a fantasy owner to fill, especially finding one that can help your squad in multiple ways. If you made the mistake that I did and drafted a middle infielder such as Jimmy Rollins, then you are quite aware of how tough it can be to stumble across a decent replacement. Astros young shortstop Jonathan Villar was promoted to the big leagues on July 21st after being named the club’s Minor League Hitter of the Month for June. The 22-year-old Dominican has been down-right menacing on the base paths lately, rapidly turning himself into an opposing catcher’s nightmare. Villar has improved his stolen base total to an impressive 17 in less than two months, while stealing up to 4 bases in a game against the Mariners this week.
The speedster is hitting a cool .281 on the season, and even though playing for Houston slightly hurts his fantasy value (28% owned), now isn’t the time for an owner to be picky over a player that can win you a base stealing category single handedly. Villar is hitting .306 in September, so I would continue to ride his hot bat as long as you can if your primary shortstop just isn’t cutting it.
Wilson Ramos, Was C
Another Washington National that has been generating some fantasy buzz lately is catcher Wilson Ramos. With the recent trade of Kurt Suzuki back to Oakland, Ramos has been thriving with his increased workload. The .272 career hitter spent most of 2012 recovering from a serious knee injury, but manager Davey Johnson obviously feels comfortable starting him this year after letting go of Suzuki. He now has 14 homeruns and 50 RBI this season, including 4 homers and 12 RBIs coming within the last week. Being as fresh and well rested as he is, the 26-year-old backstop should be a solid fantasy option from here on out.
Michael Wacha, StL SP
Why does it seem like the Cardinals pitching staff has an average height of around 6’6? The tall and lengthy Michael Wacha improved his record to 3-0 last Sunday, and will look to face an irrelevant Mariner team on Saturday in what appears to be a very favorable fantasy start. The 22-year-old has a 2.72 ERA in 2013, earning Mike Matheny’s trust to remain a Red Bird for the rest of the season. In 46.1 innings pitched, Wacha has generated 42 Ks while impressively walking just 13 batters.
Confidence is something that you can’t teach, and this right-hander seems to have boatloads of it. St. Louis drafted the Iowa native with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft. He flew through the minor leagues in a hurry, proving that he has the talent to take Chris Carpenter’s spot in the Cardinals mammoth rotation. Wacha makes for the perfect spot start, if you are looking to seal a victory in your fantasy matchup this weekend.
Danny Valencia, Bal 3B
Danny Valencia might be one of the hottest hitters you have never heard of. The 28-year-old third baseman hasn’t had much time to shine while sitting behind young superstar Manny Machado, but Buck Showalter continues to find nifty ways to include Valencia’s scorching bat into the lineup. He is hitting .330 in 2013, with 8 homeruns and 18 RBI in just 112 official at-bats. 3 of those homeruns have come in September, where Valencia has hit an eye popping .516 during that span. The Miami native won’t be a for sure every day start, but it’s difficult to ignore such merciless production as this month unfolds. Valencia owns a .253 career average in his three years of big league service, so it’s obvious that he has reached his ceiling. With that being said, anyone who is hitting over .500 in the AL East during September baseball deserves a spot on my roster.
Kole Calhoun, LAA OF
Angels right-fielder Kole Calhoun is having a superb month of September, hitting .417 with 15 RBI and a .455 OBP. Kole is enjoying a nice 6-game hitting streak, where he has gone 11 for 23 with 7 RBI over the past week. In 132 measly at-bats, the 25-year-old has hit .303 with 7 homeruns in 2013, and is looking to show manager Mike Scocia that he can be an impact player in this league. The Angels ended up drafting Calhoun in the eighth round of the 2010 MLB draft out of Arizona State. He made his major league debut on May 22, 2012, and appears to be making quite the name for himself these days. His fantasy stock continues to rise, so make sure to make your move while he is just 35% owned.
