Denard Span and Jonathan Villar: Late-Season Waiver Wire

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.

Denard Span, WAS |OF| Ownership:  ESPN – 39.4%  Yahoo – 21.0%

Given the fact that he’s sporting a .281/.330/.380 slash line as the leadoff hitter for the Nationals, it’s a little surprising to see his ownership rates so low at this point in the season. His stolen base total is a bit low and he probably will only net you a small handful the rest of the way, but he’s batting .404 with 10 runs scored and a pair of steals (one home run and three RBI too) over the last two weeks and should continue to start atop the Nats order for the duration of the season. He’s not some hidden gem that people are stumbling upon; he’s just a simple, everyday player who seems to be getting overlooked. He’s got a slightly below average walk rate, but he doesn’t strike out too often and is sustaininghis average right now with strong contact rates. Maybe his numbers throughout the year haven’t been something upon which fantasy dreams are built, but since the All Star break, he’s batting .319 with four home runs, 15 RBI and 23 runs scored. He’s also kicked in three stolen bases in that time frame. It’s better than a poke in the eye, right?

Jonathan Villar, HOU |SS| Ownership: ESPN – 10.9% Yahoo – 6.0%

If you’ve overlooked Villar on your waiver wire, then in just these last two weeks you’ve missed out on 51 at-bats of a .300 average with 10 runs scored and five stolen bases. It also doesn’t hurt that he kicked in one home run and four RBI too. Sitting atop the Houston lineup may not seem all that appealing but with a .350 OBP and a 9.8-percent walk rate, your chances of contributing in the runs scored category are pretty good. And if you’ve got some decent speed — as Villar has exhibited not just in these past two weeks, but throughout his time in the minors as well, swiping 30-plus bases in each year since 2010. Quality help at this time of year, particularly in the middle infield, can be tough to come by, so if you’re waiting on someone to turn it around, you should be waiting for him while he’s on your bench. Villar can help you right now. Don’t worry about his strikeout rate and don’t worry about his average right now; even in head to head play. The boost he’ll give you in runs and steals will easily outweigh and negatives in average.