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Waiver Wire Pickups – Week 1

Those first several weeks are oh so crucial to your final results. Haste makes waste, and one can’t afford to be passing up those early opportunities to head to the well and acquire that first wave of waiver wire gems. With that in mind, here’s our Week One look at a great group of potential acquisitions. Remember, don’t snooze, you will lose.

Socrates Brito, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks (CBS: 10 per cent owned, ESPN: 8 per cent): Philosophically speaking, Brito, has to be one of the most sought after outfielders heading into the first week of the new season. The combination of power and especially speed for what could be the long-haul, will be hotly contested in this evening’s FAAB battles.

Alex Colome, RP, Tampa Bay Rays (CBS: 29 per cent owned,  ESPN: 19 per cent): The injury to incumbent Brad Boxberger, leaves the door open for some early save opportunities in Tampa Bay. Alex Colome is first-in-line, but far from carved in stone. Treat your bids accordingly.

Reymond Fuentes, OF, Kansas City Royals (CBS: 1 per cent owned, ESPN: unowned): It’s likely a very short gig until the return of Jarrod Dyson, but for those in AL-only Leagues it’s also an opportunity pad those stolen base numbers.

Shane Greene, SP, Detroit Tigers (CBS: 9 per cent owned, ESPN: 2 per cent): The spring numbers have been off-the-charts good. In 19 1/3 IP, he has allowed 16 hits, four walks, and only four earned runs while striking out 23. Greene was highly touted heading into 2015 and struggled mightily. It’s time to take a second look.

Cesar Hernandez, 2B, Philadelphia (CBS: 19 per cent owned, ESPN: 14 per cent): The Phillies leadoff bat swiped 19 bags in 405 at-bats last year. How many will he steal in a full season?

Jon Jay, OF, San Diego Padres (CBS: 3 per cent owned, ESPN: 2 per cent): Jay appears to own the leadoff gig for the Padres. My, how the times have changed in San Diego. In deeper Leagues, the runs scored potential shouldn’t be ignored.

Nate Karns, SP, Seattle Mariners (CBS: 32 per cent owned, ESPN: 15 per cent): Nate can find the plate, and as the fifth starter in the friendly confines of Safeco Field has the potential to be a sneaky early pickup.

Cameron Maybin, OF, Detroit Tigers (CBS: 17 per cent owned, ESPN, 4 per cent): He’s already back swinging a bat, after suffering a hairline fracture in his left wrist at the beginning of March. A 17 per cent ownership level for a player with Maybin’s skill set who will be returning in mid-April, is ridiculously low.

Ryan Madson, RP, Oakland Athletics (CBS: 7 per cent owned, ESPN: 16 per cent): Sean Doolittle could in fact do little. An early bid on Ryan Madson has the potential to reap solid rewards.

Tyler Naquin, OF, Cleveland Indians (CBS: 12 per cent owned, ESPN: 4 per cent): Abraham Almonte gets suspended for 80 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance and the centerfield door is wide open in Cleveland. A 23-for-58 spring with four homers and Tyler Naquin has closed that door.

Juan Nicasio, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates (CBS: 54 per cent owned, ESPN: 20 per cent): Two months ago he was the pitcher that was almost killed by a line drive. Today, he owns a spot in the Pirates rotation. Isn’t it absolutely amazing what a hot spring can do to revive a career?

Chris Owings, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks (CBS: 8 per cent owned, ESPN: 3 per cent): The injury to A.J. Pollock has opened the door for the short side of a platoon in centerfield, as well as spelling off both Jean Segura and Nick Ahmed in the middle-infield. He certainly was off and running this spring, amassing eight stolen bases in 68 at-bats.

Travis Shaw, 3B/1B, Boston Red Sox (CBS: 39 per cent owned, ESPN: 22 per cent): Round is a shape, but the Red Sox have apparently tired of Pablo Sandoval reporting to camp in that exact shape. They’ve handed the hot corner over to Travis Shaw. Whether a short or long-term stint, the power potential from Shaw is intriguing.

Corey Spangenberg, 2B, San Diego Padres (CBS: 15 per cent owned, ESPN: 7 per cent): A smattering of both homeruns and stolen bases hitting in most likely the two-hole, and you have one seriously undervalued middle-infielder.

Tyler White, 3B, Houston Astros (CBS: 21 per cent owned, ESPN: 9 per cent): The power could be questionable, but the on-base skills certainly aren’t, as illustrated by his career minor league .422 OBP in 1031 at-bats. The A.J. Reed insurance policy needs to be cashed in.

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3 comments on “Waiver Wire Pickups – Week 1

  1. Sadly, my FAAB bids are due on Saturday nights.

  2. I just invested $197 of my $1000 FAAB Budget in the first Waiver Wire run in Tout Wars Mixed Draft, believing it will be the over.

  3. 25.5 o/u for SB+HR for Brito?

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