Waiver Wire: April 7
Fantasy managers are no doubt already beginning to panic. Don’t fee bad, I’m currently 10th overall in a 10-team mixed (auction) league. If you’re already combing the waiver wire for help (mind you, it’s far too early to panic), there is some potential value to be found. Add these players to your watch lists if they’re not already there.
Edwin Encarnacion | 3B | Toronto (8% owned)
Thankfully in fantasy baseball we don’t have to put up with Encarnacion’s brutal glove, which has already seen him make two errors in as many games. Still just 27, the third baseman has 25+ home run power and the Jays offense around him should be pretty good (it’s the pitching we really have to worry about). His batting average hasn’t been anything special over the past two seasons, but he’s also posted low BABIPs of .264 and .245 so there is plenty of room for improvement in that area. An average walk rate of 10.6% over the past two seasons suggests that Encarnacion has a pretty good eye at the plate and he’s shown a reasonable rate of strikeout in his career (for his power output).
J.J. Hardy | SS | Minnesota (21%)
One bad season all is forgotten in fantasy baseball. Hardy slugged 24 or more home runs in both ’07 and ’08 but slipped to 11 last season and also spent time in the minors. That was still good for the 12th most homers by a shortstop in the Majors in ’09; he has a chance to be more valuable in 2010 than some other ’09 shortstops such as Alexei Ramirez (2.2), Miguel Tejada (2.6), and Jason Bartlett (4.8), all of whom are owned in most leagues. Just 27, he’s poised for a rebirth in 2010 as a member of the Twins. Despite his struggles, Hardy has seen his walk rate improve each of the past three seasons.
Nick Johnson | DH | New York (23%)
I have to admit a little shock at the fact that Johnson is only owned by 23% of fantasy managers. He’s a proven veteran who just happens to be hitting at the top of a potent lineup. It must be the injury thing. I understand that but, when he’s healthy, Johnson can be a real benefit to a fantasy team in teams of runs scored and batting average. He even has 15-20 home run potential. If you’re playing in an on-base league, then you really should have the Walking Man. Johnson’s walk rate was 17.2% last season, third highest in the Majors last year and just behind Adrian Gonzalez and Adam Dunn. Interestingly, Johnson had just four intentional walks, while Gonzalez had 22 and Dunn had 16.
Mat Latos | RHP | San Diego (14%)
Youth + Power arm + Cavernous Park = Potential Stud. The 22-year-old Latos appears to be one of the best kept secrets in baseball. Everyone is jumping up and down about the Stephen Strasburgs and the Tommy Hansons, but they’re overlooking this kid. The right-hander held his own in 10 big league starts for the Padres in ’09. His walk rate of 4.09 BB/9 in the Majors was a tad high but was solid in the minors… especially for his age. He also displayed positive values on three of his four pitches. If he can show a little better control and improve ground-ball rate (36.1) he will be an absolute beast.
Ownership numbers courtesy of Yahoo Fantasy Baseball.
Marc Hulet has been writing at FanGraphs since 2008. His work focuses on prospects and fantasy. Follow him on Twitter @marchulet.
In my 20 team 20 player(+5 bn) league I have both Latos and Hardy.
What do you think of Ohlendorf, Rasmus, and Bailey this year?
I own 3 of these 4 guys in multiple leagues. Highest on Hardy.
I’d take Encarnacion, except in my league we actually use errors and putouts. The latter is already killing me because I have Swisher starting at first.
It would be nice if someone on Fangraphs would post suggested pickups for deeper leagues — I’m in a 12-team A.L. league and Johnson, Hardy and Encarnacion were all picked in our auction as was every starter in the league and most backups (we have a 23-man roster and 17-man reserve)
Even in my 15-team mixed league with just 23 players per team, three of the four were taken and the one who wasn’t, Hardy, I would have taken myself, but I needed speed, not power, at that position.
If you’re looking for a pickup in a shallow league, though, one player to add to the list is Casey Kotchman, who is owned by 26% in CBS leagues. At the start of the season, manager Don Wakamatsu decided he’d bat Kotchman third against right-handers, placing him behind two great on-base guys in Ichiro and Figgins. That will give Kotchman a lot of rbi opportunities and since his placement in the order came as a surprise, now is the time to take advantage.
As for deeper leagues, I’m keeping my eye on bullpens whose closers have a tenuous hold because of injury, inexperience of performance. My league already has most of the setup men and top closer prospects for the Twins, Blue Jays, Orioles and A’s, but a few haven’t been picked up.
I ve had success using this lineups page. pretty accurate so far this year.
Hardy’s on my radar for a little MI depth. I’ll let Padilla throw his 2nd start of the week, hoping he’ll have better luck and then cut him for either Hardy or McGehee. I have a feeling one will be gone by the weekend, but who would you prefer? I’m pretty solid with power already. McGehee’s higher OBP, favorable spot in the lineup and 3B eligibility give him a solid edge in my mind.
No concerns about Encarnacion’s wrist injury sapping his power?