It’s amazing how one day can create a few of the most memorable events in baseball history, but it does.
Obviously the most iconic is that of Lou Gehrig’s heroic speech after finding out he had ALS just two weeks prior. From Dave Righetti throwing a no-hitter against my beloved Red Sox in 1983 to the crazy Mets and Braves game that lasted until 4 a.m. the next morning in 1985, the fourth of July represents a great intersection of America’s pastime and America’s birthday.
The players I have chosen for this week’s waiver wire pickups are having some memorable moments in their careers too. As the unofficial midway point is right around the corner, some players are making a push to be on your radar and possibly should be on your team at this moment of the season.
2018 Fantasy Baseball Week 15 Waiver Wire
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Hitters
Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF, Chicago Cubs (25% owned in Yahoo)
Ever since he was “born,” I am sure Zobrist was a shoe-in for an OBP of .330 or over and scoring at least 70 runs in a season. These past few years we have seen some regression in Zobrist at the plate. He was always a serviceable and reliable player to be drafted in those middle rounds. He would never have thought about being dropped or even on the waiver wire for that matter.
These past few weeks Zobrist is making a statement to be picked up. In the last fourteen days, he is hitting .378 and has an OBP of .467. To go along with this, he scored nine runs, hit two home runs and had seven RBI. At this point in his career, Zobrist is not going to post 10+ stolen bases anymore, but the way he is hitting and getting on base right now he certainly is useful in many fantasy lineups.
Johan Camargo, 2B/3B/SS, Atlanta Braves (22% owned in Yahoo)
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As the Braves are having a “sparkling” start to the 2018 season, Camargo is implementing all that he has to be a contributor to the ballclub. Entering Thursday night, Camargo had a nine-game hitting streak. Over this time he has increased his average from .238 to .260. I feel confident, even with Acuna being back in the Braves lineup this past week that Camargo will still receive ample playing time.
Camargo is currently sitting in the 6th, 7th or 8th hole in the Braves lineup. While normally this deters people from selecting players like this, it seems that the Braves batting order is dangerously underrated which makes Camargo a strong play. He will not steal you bases, but his all-around play and versatility make him a strong pick up for me this week.
Pitching
Tyler Anderson, SP, Colorado Rockies (18% owned in Yahoo)
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First of all, a great name to have and deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, there seems to be a star that should “celebrate” the types of accomplishments he is having lately. Tyler Anderson is a starting pitcher from the Rockies that I am suggesting to pick up. Obviously, Denver offers more of a hitter’s type of ballpark, but Anderson seems to be changing this type of thinking.
In Anderson’s last two starts, he has given up a total of zero runs and has a total of 17 strikeouts. The lefty pitched a total of sixteen innings in both starts and seems to be very inspirational to watch at this time. Anderson will look to keep the ball rolling against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
Lou Trivino, RP, Oakland Athletics (19% owned in Yahoo)
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I am going a little unorthodox with this next pick, much like the United States did to break away from England in 1776. I want to make this clear right from the get-go: Lou Trivino is not the closer for the Oakland Athletics. This title still belongs to Blake Treinen, who is having a tremendous season. Trivino though should be owned in some leagues. I will explain.
As a Treinen owner, I have noticed that most of his saves have come out of the 1+ innings of work, which makes him not being to throw the next day. Insert Lou Trivino here. Trivino is the stable set up man but is going to get saves here or there. In the last two weeks, he has three saves, an “electrifying” 1.49 ERA and an outstanding WHIP of 0.99. Some actual closers in the majors don’t even get this amount of saves in that time.
My second main point is the amount of wins Trivino has been getting. If your league still has 'wins' as a category, here is a steal for you. In the last fourteen days, he has collected seven wins. It seems that Oakland likes to keep games close as of lately and Trivino has been reaping the benefits. We all know Treinen could go off the deep end any game, so Trivino is the next best guy to have in the Oakland bullpen while still gaining positive results right now.
Deep Dives
These are players who are better suited to be owned in 14-plus team leagues or deeper roster leagues.
Jose Bautista, 3B/OF, New York Mets (8% owned in Yahoo)
Come on. This guy was definitely not going to ride off in the sunset without popping up somewhere. Jose Bautista has always been a “passionate” player and seems to be playing a lot better in his new uniform than that of the Braves. The veteran outfielder is placed atop of the Mets lineup. Bautista has been getting on base at a rate of 38% in the last week and doesn’t seem like he wants to go away.
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[…] Now you know who to drop, let Tyler Gettmann tell you who to pick up in his 2018 Fantasy Baseball Week 15 Waiver Wire: 4th of July Edition. […]