If you’re in a league that allows daily roster adjustments, whether it’s head to head or roto, then streaming is probably what you’re all about here at the end. With four more days of games, every little bit helps and picking up the right player could mean the difference between a win and a “if only I had another week to play.” While Mike Podhorzer covers the recommended streamer candidates for pitchers over the next two days, I’ll throw you a few hitters who could give you that one final push. Some may be available, some might not, but all are swinging a hot bat right now and if you can use them…use them. Read the rest of this entry »

The Reds are a playoff team with a pretty good outfield, but one man is lurking in the background, preparing to steal all your bags, and possibly your heart. The Reds have some decisions to make this offseason, and one question facing them is “what the heck do we do with Billy Hamilton?” In celebration of Hamilton’s spectacular and otherworldly speed, the present offer sought to present some possible outcomes to the most handsome reader.

What you will find below is a possible fantasy line for Hamilton, listed in the following format: AB/HR/R/RBI/SB/AVG. After each line is presented for your viewing pleasure, two numbers follow. The first is the value of that fantasy line in standard mixed leagues, and the second is the value of such a line in NL-only leagues, both of which are calculated by the intrepid author’s own special spreadsheet derived from 2013 Steamer player environment. While fantasy drafts deal in whole dollars, cents are presented to show the differences before rounding.

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Despite being 33 years old, Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp is putting together his best fantasy season since his time with Cleveland in 2004 and 2005. He swatted his 21st home run of the season last night and is one of only eight players who have stolen at least 19 bases and collected at least 20 home runs.

Interestingly, only one of those players, Ian Desmond, is not an outfielder. But Coco Crisp is probably the most unexpected name on that list. Sure, Will Venable is rather surprising, but he’s more fulfilling what many fantasy owners always hoped he would become. Crisp is wholly different. He’s never hit 20+ home runs in a single season. He’s never posted an ISO north of .165 — and even that came nine seasons ago in 2005.

It feels unsatisfying to argue a player cannot do something again because they’ve never previously accomplished that feat. Obviously, track record matters, and Crisp has 11 full seasons under his belt. That makes the lone 20+ HR season even more of an outlier. But there are some things to like about what Crisp is doing.

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Wow. You look at that calendar and it just hits you like a ton of bricks. With only about a dozen games to go for each team, this is it. We’ve basically got one more scoring period to go in roto leagues and this is likely it for most head to head championships. It’s crazy how quickly this season seems to have slipped by. But if you’re still looking for that quick fix, that body to fill that roster hole with a splash of productivity, well, we’ll just keep throwing stuff against the wall and see what sticks for you. For my final waiver wire piece of the 2013 regular season I give you a pair of dynamic superstars who could very well be available in your not-so-deep-leagues. Read the rest of this entry »

Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is in the middle of a resurgent season. It couldn’t come at a better time for Ellsbury, as he’s slated to be a free-agent once the playoffs end. Ellsbury may not add any more value to his regular season numbers, as a fractured foot threatens to keep him out until close to the playoffs. Even then, it’s tough to know whether he’ll be healthy enough to pad his free-agent case. Ellsbury should be an interesting case once he hits the market. The 29-year-old has flashed the ability to be one of the best players in the game, but injuries have limited his production over his career. Those issues make it difficult to determine how much Ellsbury will command on the market.

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Although most of the attention in Anaheim surrounds Mike Trout, there’s another young outfielder who is beginning to dot the fantasy radar.

Most scouts slapped a “fourth outfielder” label on Kole Calhoun since the Angels drafted him in the 8th round of the 2010 Draft. After all, he’s only 5-foot-10 and possesses a corner outfield defensive profile. That places a lot of pressure on his bat to carry that profile, and it’s understandably difficult for shorter players to hit for enough power to do so. However, his mature, well-rounded approach at the plate makes him an attractive bench outfielder who can handle both left and right field (and even a little first base).

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While it seems like time is rapidly running out, there are still roughly three weeks to go in the regular season and that’s still enough time to make a move in a few of the categories involving counting stats. Runs scored and stolen bases are still available on your waiver wire and while it might take the full three weeks to see some results, an impact can still be made…hopefully. With such little time left, you’ve got to pull out all the stops and every bit of help counts. Here are two guys who can probably help in those categories. Read the rest of this entry »

Only one more deep league wire piece this season after today’s! ::sad face:: We’re going with a Blue Jays theme as the team has been killed by injuries, allowing some of their younger players an opportunity to garner significant playing time.

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We still haven’t even completed the 2013 season yet, but there’s no doubt that some owners are already looking toward 2014 (or, this other sport called “football”). Whether your team has been torpedoed by injuries to Matt Kemp, Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter or you have considered jumping out your window as the owner of BJ Upton and Starlin Castro, it is never too early to start preparing for next year. Every season, there are breakouts and disappointments, some more surprising than others. Unfortunately, human nature is prone to recency bias, the tendency to weight recent events more than earlier events. This causes players coming off breakout/career years to typically become overvalued in drafts the following season. With that in mind, here are three hitters who will potentially be overvalued in your draft next year.

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As mentioned last week and around this time every year, with such little time left in the season, you’re simply looking for guys who are contributing now. Worrying about a guy’s ROS stats here on September 4 is a bit silly as few guys available are going to have numbers so enticing that they become a “must-have.” September call-ups are here and eating into a lot of veteran time, so the obvious trick is to find guys who will continue playing regardless of who the team brings up. Here are two guys you may want to consider… Read the rest of this entry »