Nate Springfield
Under the Radar - AL/NL Only Leagues
Wednesday July 18th, 2012
Anthony Gose should boost your team's stolen base total. (US Presswire)
This week's AL/NL-only waiver wire pickups features players who can provide some early season help to owners in need of stopgaps and youngsters with upside. Whether your fantasy team needs home runs, steals, or strikeouts, or even if you're just chasing wins, this mix of players has you covered.
* Owned percentages via Yahoo!
AL-Only Players
Anthony Gose - OF, Toronto Blue Jays (5% owned)
At only 21-years of age, Anthony Gose made his major league debut on Tuesday night. Gose received the opportunity because Jays' slugger Jose Bautista was placed on the disabled list after injuring his left wrist on a swing Monday night. Improving this season while at Triple-A, the center field prospect has focused less on trying to hit for power, which has decreased his strike out rate from last season. He also has concentrated at getting better on the base paths, and this season he has swiped 29 bags after reaching base 142 times - a solid follow up to his 69 stolen bases at the Double-A level last season. The rookie's .292 minor league batting average won't follow him to the big league level, but do expect consistent stolen base numbers from Gose until Bautista returns.
Pedro Ciriaco - 2B, Boston Red Sox (6% owned)
Pedro Ciriaco is another player seeing playing time at the big league level because of an injury. When Dustin Pedroia hit the disabled list, the Red Sox called up Ciriaco to fill in at second and he hit the ground running recording multi-hit games in four of his first eight, hitting .419 with three stolen bases over that time period. A lot of the 26-year-old's fantasy value will come in his batting average and stolen base numbers. This season at Triple-A Pawtucket, Ciriaco was carrying a .301 batting average and swiped three bases in 33 at-bats. He could turn into a long term option, even after the return of Pedroia from the DL, because of his ability to play second base and shortstop.
Darin Mastroianni - OF, Minnesota Twins (1% owned)
Darin Mastroianni is the definition of cheap speed for AL-only managers. Even though he has been with the big league club more than not this season, his name hardly is mentioned as an ownable option, but recently manager Ron Gardenhire
has been using him in situations that makes him valuable to fantasy owners. Over his last seven appearances, that were not defensive replacement situations, Mastroianni has swiped seven bags. If you are playing in an extremely deep league or are looking for some stolen base upside Mastroianni is great option.
NL-Only Players
Josh Rutledge - SS, Colorado Rockies (1% owned)
A National League youngster getting a chance to play everyday due to injury is Rockies rookie shortstop Josh Rutledge. Rutledge was ranked by Baseball America as the tenth best prospect in the franchise's system, and the seventh best offensive player. Rutledge is not outstanding at any one aspect of the game, but is very solid overall. Making the jump from Double-A to Colorado, Rutledge had a .306 batting average with 13 home runs and 14 stolen bases before the promotion. There is a chance that he could stay with the team as a utility infielder after Troy Tulowitzki comes off the disabled list, but look at Rutledge as only a short term option for the time being.
Ben Sheets - SP, Atlanta Braves (28% owned)
Former ace of the Milwaukee Brewers Ben Sheets is making another comeback attempt after undergoing the second major surgery on his pitching arm. In 2010 Sheets made 20 starts for the Oakland A's before suffering an injury to his elbow that led to Tommy John surgery. Now with the Braves Sheets has made one start against the New York Mets and looked very impressive, throwing 88 pitches - 57 for strikes - over six innings of shut-out ball with five strike outs. Command seems to be what hinders a pitcher's success when returning from Tommy John surgery the most, so being able to throw that high of a percentage of strikes is a positive sign for the soon-to-be 34 year old righthander. There is a lot of upside with Sheets, but it is highly unlikely for him this season to duplicate what he did when he was the ace for the Brewers.
Jeff Karstens - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (5% owned)
Jeff Karstens overall numbers in 2012 are underwhelming at best, but over his last three starts, since returning to the rotation, his numbers have been solid posting a 2.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched. Last season Karstens was tremendous for fantasy owners once he became a member of the Pirates starting rotation in June, and it appears that he maybe returning to that form after a rough start to the season. Another positive for Karsten owners is the Pirates as a team are playing real well right now, giving him a better chance to add to his win column than he had in 2011. Unless the team makes a trade for a starting pitcher look for Karstens to hold the rotation spot for the remainder of the season.
Josh Rutledge - SS, Colorado Rockies (1% owned)
A National League youngster getting a chance to play everyday due to injury is Rockies rookie shortstop Josh Rutledge. Rutledge was ranked by Baseball America as the tenth best prospect in the franchise's system, and the seventh best offensive player. Rutledge is not outstanding at any one aspect of the game, but is very solid overall. Making the jump from Double-A to Colorado, Rutledge had a .306 batting average with 13 home runs and 14 stolen bases before the promotion. There is a chance that he could stay with the team as a utility infielder after Troy Tulowitzki comes off the disabled list, but look at Rutledge as only a short term option for the time being.
Ben Sheets - SP, Atlanta Braves (28% owned)
Former ace of the Milwaukee Brewers Ben Sheets is making another comeback attempt after undergoing the second major surgery on his pitching arm. In 2010 Sheets made 20 starts for the Oakland A's before suffering an injury to his elbow that led to Tommy John surgery. Now with the Braves Sheets has made one start against the New York Mets and looked very impressive, throwing 88 pitches - 57 for strikes - over six innings of shut-out ball with five strike outs. Command seems to be what hinders a pitcher's success when returning from Tommy John surgery the most, so being able to throw that high of a percentage of strikes is a positive sign for the soon-to-be 34 year old righthander. There is a lot of upside with Sheets, but it is highly unlikely for him this season to duplicate what he did when he was the ace for the Brewers.
Jeff Karstens - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (5% owned)
Jeff Karstens overall numbers in 2012 are underwhelming at best, but over his last three starts, since returning to the rotation, his numbers have been solid posting a 2.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched. Last season Karstens was tremendous for fantasy owners once he became a member of the Pirates starting rotation in June, and it appears that he maybe returning to that form after a rough start to the season. Another positive for Karsten owners is the Pirates as a team are playing real well right now, giving him a better chance to add to his win column than he had in 2011. Unless the team makes a trade for a starting pitcher look for Karstens to hold the rotation spot for the remainder of the season.
Comments are closed.
RELATED ARTICLES