The Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Week Seven

Week seven of the fantasy baseball season and their have been lots of changes made since week one, but what changes do you need to make this week? That's what I'm here to tell you.

Add Them Now:
Brett Cecil, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Anybody who's 2-0 has 15 strikeouts, a 1.80 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP deserves a pickup. Cecil is no exception to that especially since the Blue Jays are shocking the world this year.

Juan Pierre, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Pierre has 25 hits in 64 at bats, 11 runs scored, 9 RBI, five steals and a .390 batting average. Nothing to be stunned about but practically guaranteed a lineup spot with Manny on maternity leave means you've got to pick up the speedy veteran.

Drop Them Now:
Phil Hughes, SP, New York Yankees
He's 23 so what do you expect other than a rocky road to stardom. As of today Hughes has a 1-2 record, 10 strikeouts, 12 walks, 23 hits allowed, and a 7.56 ERA with a 2.10 WHIP. He'll kill your WHIP and ERA so drop him until he gets it back together as he's clearly not ready for the bright lights of New York.

Brad Ziegler, RP, Oakland Athletics
Ziegler was/is Oakland's closer and has four saves, 11 strikeouts, four walks, 20 hits, a 4.40 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. But all signs point to Andrew Bailey taking over the closer duties so drop Ziegler and get Bailey or one of the guys I mentioned above.

Monitor Their Status:
Andrew Bailey, RP, Oakland Athletics
Bailey has a 3-0 record, one save, 26 strikeouts, seven walks, seven hits allowed, a 1.61 ERA and a 0.63 WHIP. Pretty good but he's worthless as a reliever unless closing all signs point to him taking the job but watch to see what happens before pulling the trigger.

Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals (?)
Strasburg has even been drafted yet so stop picking him up, will you? He's already owned in 12% of CBS leagues and started in 1%! Just stop it will you, yeah I know he's the best thing since sliced bread but let him get drafted first. Don't pick him up until he gets a call-up if this season.

The Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Week Five

Okay here is my week five fantasy baseball waiver wire where I take a look at the world of baseball and suggest to the readers who to pick up, who to drop and who to watch.

Add Them Now
Dexter Fowler, OF, Colorado Rockies
Fowler's speed is amazing having stolen nine already. And not only is he speedy but he's touched the plate 12 times, has two home runs, seven RBI, and eight walks. His batting average is a solid .290. Adding to this he has 18 base hits. I suggest that you pick him up now and if he gets any hotter trade him away for a big need.

Phil Hughes, SP, New York Yankees
Hughes has an astounding first start throwing six solid innings ad giving up only two hits and striking out six. He has a great offensive attack to help give him run support which for fellow super rookie Jordan Zimmermann is not existent. Grab Hughes over Zimmermann.

Drop Them Now
Kenshin Kawakami, SP, Atlanta Braves
The Japanese import has had a rough go at it so far ending April with a 1-3 record. Along with that he's got 11 walks allowed and 24 hits against him tie that with a 7.06 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and an injured shoulder. It's time to drop him not that you should have ever picked him up in the first place.

Oliver Perez, SP, New York Mets
Perez has been told to get his pitching performance on track or he'll find himself on the bench. As a fantasy owner that's one of the last things you want to hear (next to that he's been demoted). His 9.31 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, 23 hits given up and 15 free passes coupled with a 1-2 record mean it's time to give up on him and hope he becomes the Oliver Perez we all know.

Monitor Their Status
Joe Beimel, RP, Washington Nationals
Beimel who's on the disabled list as of today has been named the closer for the Nationals when he comes back. He'll begin a Class-A rehab assignment on Wednesday.

Matt LaPorta, OF, Cleveland Indians
When Travis Hafner was placed on the disabled list it opened up a hole on the 25 man roster. LaPorta is tearing the cover off the ball in Columbus and now it's up to the Indians to decide between him and David Delluci.

The Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Week Four

Here is my week four waiver wire. Enjoy.



Add Them Now

John Baker, C, Florida Marlins

Baker is a quality catcher whom I have starting on two of my teams. So far in 39 at-bats, he has 12 hits, nine runs scored, nine RBI, one home run, five walks, and a .308 batting average. CBS calls him a No. 2 catcher but they're vastly underrating him. Pick him up now and make him your No. 1, especially you Ryan Doumit owners.



Nyjer Morgan, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

This is the second week in a row that I've advised you people to get him, and with good reason. He's tearing it up right now at the top of the Pirates lineup. Right now he has 21 hits in 65 at-bats, along with 10 runs, nine RBI, four walks, and six stolen bases amounting to a .323 average.



Drop Them Now

Lastings Milledge, OF, Washington Nationals

Milledge had four hits in 24 at-bats, scored one run, drove in one RBI, one walk, and one stolen base. He was hitting .167 before his demotion. If he gets called up, don't pick him up—just leave him on waivers.



Chien-Ming Wang, SP, New York Yankees

As we all know, "Wanger" has gotten off to an awful start and because of it, the Yankees will more than likely place him on the DL. After his latest start, he has a 0-3 record, 34.50 ERA, and has given up 23 hits and walked six—clearly not the best for fantasy purposes, or in real life for that matter. Drop him like he's burning your hands.



Monitor Their Status

Phil Hughes, SP, New York Yankees

He has no major league stats this season, but has the talent to be a major leaguer for 10-plus years. His pending call-up to fill in for Wang makes his value take a leap.



Jordan Zimmermann, SP, Washington Nationals

Zimmermann, aside from playing for the Nationals, has astounding talent. In one start he has 1-0 record, 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, three strikeouts, one walk, and six hits allowed. Zimmermann is a talent, but I'd like to see him make a couple more starts before I pull the trigger.

On the Farm: Minor Leaguer Who Could Make a Major Splash

If you're a talented fantasy player you are monitoring the minor leagues for the next Ryan Braun or Evan Longoria who pop up in May or June and become studs, then first round picks next season.

Well here are some guys who are in the minors who I believe can have a chance to become that guy.

Pitchers:

Jon Niese, Buffalo Bisons (NYM)

Niese has four minor league seasons under his belt, in which he has put together a 34-26 record, 3.72 ERA in 459.2 innings. He has given up 458 hits, 231 runs, and 190 earned runs. The best parts about Niese is his 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings over those four years, along with only 3.3 walks per game.

He also has only given up only 26 home runs over his four minor league years, the highest was at Triple-A, last season. In his only major league experiment, Niese compiled a 1-1 record, 7.07 ERA in 14 innings last season which is why he's starting this season in the minors.

David Price, Durham Bulls (TB)

We all know about Price and we know what he can do but let's take a look at the statistical side of the string armed lefty. In his only minor league season he had a 12-1 record, 2.31 ERA in 109.2 innings.

Price had only 92 hits against him, 30 runs, 28 of which were earned. Seven home runs finish off a talented minor league year. Now for his major league stats, and to put it mildly, it went better than it went for Niese.

He a 0-0 record, a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings. Only nine hits, four runs, three earned came from Price during his single stint with the Rays. Not only was he a staple for the Rays' postseason run but he can be the staple for your postseason run.

Phil Hughes, Scranton W/B (NYY)

Hughes who we all remember from his astounding rookie season in 2007, is in the minors once again. However in his five minor league seasons he has compiled a 28-8 record, 2.35 ERA in 310.2 innings pitched. He has also racked up, 348 strikeouts and 77 walks.

During his two major league stints, he has a 5-7 record, 5.15 ERA, 81 strikeouts and 44 walks in his 106.2 innings. Now he has some injury history, but I think that he's going to get over it.

Hitters:

Matt Wieters, Norfolk Tides (Bal)

Wieters has already been compared to fantasy stud Geovany Soto. Just like Price he only has one year of minor league stats under his belt. During the 130 games he played, he hit .355, had 155 hits, 27 home runs and 91 RBIs.

Oh and to top it off he had two stolen bases, which ties him for eighth in most steals from catchers, if he played in the majors last season. Wieters also had 76 strikeouts and 82 walks in his 437 at bats. Only negative is that he hasn't played above Double-A, which is probably why the Orioles opted to send him down.

Austin Jackson, Scranton W/B (NYY)

Jackson just like Jon Niese, has four years of minor league service. During those four years he has hit .284, had 481 hits, 26 home runs, 189 RBIs, and 98 stolen bases in 432 games and 1,696 at bats.

During his minor league career, Jackson has 398 strikeouts and 180 walks. He is currently ranked as the Yankees top prospect in a slowly rebuilding farm system, but the Yankees' have an extremely crowded outfield which might keep him in the minors.

Jose Tabata, Indianapolis (Pit)

Tabata who is a former Yankee farm hand was traded to the Pirates in the Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady trade. In four years in the minors he has hit .296, had 379 hits, 21 home runs, and 186 RBIs, with 70 steals. He also has only 217 strikeouts and had 114 walks in his 1,280 at bats.

Tabata who is only 20 looks to storm through to the Pirates since they have virtually no one else. His only minor league competition is fellow top prospect Andrew McCutchen but unlike McCutchen, Tabata is on the 40-man roster.

Stats are courtesy of the fine people at http://www.thebaseballcube.com/