Sun Aug 23 2:44pm ET
By CHARLIE WIEGERT
Contributing Writer
Another week, another team shut down because of the dreaded Chinese Bat Virus. This time it’s the New York Mets, and it meant no baseball in the Big Apple this weekend as their subway series with the Yankees was cancelled. Now we wonder when the Mets will play again. They were scheduled for three games with the Marlins and then a repeat subway series with the Yankees again next weekend. If there is no word on their playing before lineups lock in your league, you’ll have to decide the risk involved with getting a bunch of zeros from Mets players this week and limited playing time from your Marlin and Yankee players. The Yankees were only scheduled for five games this week, so it could be just two.
The other two teams with only five games this week are the Braves and White Sox. At the other end of the spectrum, playing eight games are the Cardinals and Reds. The Cardinals because of a double header against Pittsburgh, and the Reds playing a double header with the Cubs. Half of teams (15) are scheduled for seven games and nine are scheduled for six: Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Kansas City, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and San Francisco.
Colorado gets four games at Arizona (the team that gives the most stolen bases) then three at home against San Diego, so it’s a good week to play your a Rockies players. With David Dahl hitting the IL, the Rockies called up Brendan Rodgers to get some playing time. He may be worthy of a pickup this week.
Before I give you my list of other players worthy of consideration of adding this week, I’ll remind you of the risk and the inevitable with rookie players. Houston starter Brandon Bielak, who had been lights out up until yesterday, was torched by the Padres for seven earned runs on five hits. How fast we forget these are rookies, and the chances of a melt down are more than likely.
So, my two rookie starters worthy of your roster consideration for waivers this week are the Sixto Sanchez and Triston McKensie. The Indians keep providing dominating pitchers, and McKensie is the latest, going six innings of two-hit, one-run ball with 10 strikeouts in his debut. He draws his next start in St. Louis on Thursday. Sanchez was not quite as dominate, giving up six hits and three runs in five innings with four strikeouts, but his “stuff” was overpowering at times, hitting triple digits on the radar gun. Sanchez’s next start is Friday against Tampa, and I expect him to remain in the Marlins rotation for the rest of this season.
If your looking for other pitchers to claim this week, my top choice is the Brett Anderson. He appears to be getting stretched out, going six innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts against the Twins this past week. He should have two starts at home this week against the Reds and Pirates, and while “home field” doesn’t appear to be a big advantage this year, I still think for pitchers it is an advantage because they’ll be on a mound they are comfortable.
In the ever revolving closer role, a couple relievers look to have reclaimed their closer spot. In New York (if and when they play again), the Mets moved Seth Lugo to the starting rotation and Edwin Diaz, who has pitched well his last few times out, will go back to the role they gave him a large contract to do. The same looks to be true for Craig Kimbrel with the Cubs, who has dominated his last few times out, and the current group of Wick and Jeffress have been scuffling. In San Diego, where they lost Kirby Yates, Drew Pomeranz looked to be the incumbent until shoulder tightest came along. Look for Emilio Pagan to lead the closer by committee group till Pomeranz returns. The Phillies tried to fix the worst bullpen in baseball by trading for Brandon Workman, so he should get a chance to replace Hector Neris. In Boston, Matt Barnes will be the first to get a shot at their closer role, but I have doubts if he can hold it. In Tampa Bay, Nick Anderson has hit the IL, giving Diego Castillo a chance for some saves.
The world of catchers had some interesting changes this week as Yadier Molina, Jorge Alfaro and Travis d’Arnaud returned to steady duty behind the plate. In San Francisco, Joey Bart has gotten the call up. Ryan Jeffers looks to split playing time with Alex Avila in Minnesota with Garver out. All of these would probably be better than slumping Omar Narvaez and Wilson Ramos.
For discussion purposes, I’m always intrigued by players who got off to a bad start. If you believe they’ll rebound, a good argument could be made for buying low in a trade for them, perhaps sacrificing a player off to a hot start you don’t think will continue. It’s a tough thing to do, but at the end of the year, you’ll have a better chance to win for having done it. A couple players worth looking at acquiring by trade, or better yet off the waiver wire because a frustrated owner dropped them, are Eugenio Suarez, Cody Bellinger, Jose Altuve and Edwin Encarnacion.
A couple others that you might like to acquire and ride the hot streak they are on right now are Randal Grichuk, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe and Miguel Rojas. I also thought Houston rookie Kyle Tucker might get a chance of regular at bats with Yordan Alvarez out for the season. He was a 30 home run, 30 stolen base guy in the minors last year. But with Michael Brantley back from the IL, he’ ll probably share time with Myles Straw.
Have a great week!
Charlie Wiegert was the sixth person to be inducted in the Fantasy Sports Hall Of Fame in 2001. He is a founder of CDM Fantasy Sports and Fantasy Sports Trade Association. He has been playing and winning fantasy baseball leagues since 1984. If you have any questions for Charlie, email them to cwiegert@cdmsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GFFantasySports.