Well, here it is: The final Waiver Wire column of the 2015 fantasy baseball season.
In this space, we’ve hit on some waiver studs (Carlos Correa, Billy Burns, Hector Santiago, Randall Grichuk) and we’ve missed on some others (Daniel Norris, Rafael Soriano, Wade Miley, Will Middlebrooks) but hey, you win some, you lose some.
Keep in mind that of all the players I wrote about this year, each at the time were owned in fewer than 30 per cent of fantasy leagues. I’ll never understand articles that tell you to pick up a player that’s owned in 70 per cent of leagues (those actually exist).
Having said that, let’s take one more crack at unearthing some waiver gems, as we’re now sitting just a couple of weeks away from the fantasy playoffs.
Kevin Gausman, SP (17 percent owned)
Whether Gausman can ever live up to the billing as a frontline starter is one thing but as we deal with the present, the 24-year-old has finally been granted a secure spot in the rotation with Bud Norris long gone. Between trips to the minors, a shoulder injury and bullpen work, 2015 has been another whirlwind for the hard-throwing righty who’s now made seven straight starts for the O’s and posted a 3.83 ERA and a 3.53 xFIP to go along with 41 strikeouts in 46.1 innings pitched.
A lot has been written about Gausman’s elevated fastball and it’s clear that when the pitch rises, it’s extremely tough for hitters to make contact. Gausman has also made strides with throwing his split-finger more often late in the year, and it’s a pitch that’s producing 55 per cent groundballs and a near 34 per cent swing rate. Go ahead and spot start him where you see fit. He’s an excellent source of K’s.
Kris Medlen, SP (22 percent owned)
Coming off a second Tommy John surgery, Medlen made seven relief appearances for the Royals this summer before finally getting his shot in the rotation Monday night, taking the spot of Jeremy Guthrie. Medlen’s first start since October 2013 was impressive, needing just 69 pitches to allow three runs in six innings against the Orioles with no walks and six punch-outs. Most notably, the velocity was there – fastball was in the low 90’s most of the night – and he was getting some ridiculous swings and misses on his off-speed stuff.
Manager Ned Yost has said that Medlen’s pitch count will jump to about 85 his next start and potentially 100 after that, leaving the door open for Medlen to play a huge factor for the Royals and your fantasy rotation down the stretch. I don’t have to tell you just how good Medlen was when he was healthy with the Braves. This is your typical lottery ticket waiver play that could just work out in the end.
Derek Dietrich, 2B/3B/OF (7 percent owned)
Since being called up in the middle of June, Dietrich has quietly put together a .272/.374/.519 slash line with nine home runs, 20 RBIs and 29 runs scored in 187 plate appearances. Spelling Dee Gordon at second base and Martin Prado at third on occasion this year, Dietrich has been knocked for his infield defence. But with the Marlins now healthy, Dietrich has shifted to left field on a permanent basis where his defensive deficiencies aren’t as noticeable.
Based on his minor-league numbers, you’d have to say Dietrich’s power might be legit and although some questions surround whether he can maintain a decent enough batting average, Dietrich’s 17 walks – eight hit by pitches – have boosted his OBP. He’s a pull-heavy hitter who makes hard contact and for someone who offers up multi-eligibility, you might need a player like Dietrich on your roster to aid in your push for a fantasy title.
Gregor Blanco, OF (8 percent owned)
If you’ve just lost Billy Hamilton to the DL and you’re looking for speed, Blanco might be your best option. Blanco had lost playing time when Hunter Pence returned from injury but with Angel Pagan hitting the shelf with tendinitis in his knee, Blanco has the chance to see the field for a while. Sure, Blanco is benefiting from a .346 BABIP but he’s swiped eight bags over the last 30 days and his OBP is nearly .400 since Aug. 9.
Now that Nori Aoki has returned from concussion-like symptoms, Blanco is hitting near the bottom of the order but his career walk rate of 11.2 per cent should aid in getting opportunities to swipe a bag or two down the stretch and score some runs.
