Nate Springfield
Under the Radar - AL/NL Only Leagues
Wednesday September 26th, 2012
Make room for Andy Dirks on your roster for the final week. (US Presswire)
This week's AL/NL-only waiver wire pickups is the last of the season. The players below are focused on helping you in specific counting categories for the final week of the season. Whether your fantasy team needs home runs, steals, or strikeouts, or even if you're just chasing wins, this mix of players has you covered.
* Owned percentages via Yahoo!
AL-Only Players
Jose Molina - C, Tampa Bay Rays (1% owned)
Jose Molina has made a very productive surge at the plate late in the season this year, one that has been noticed and rewarded by manager Joe Maddon. Since the beginning of September, Molina has played in 21 of the Rays 22 games, posting a .325/.372/.600 triple-slash line, three home runs, and 10 RBI. Maddon is known to go with the hot hand in most situations, so look for Molina to get the majority of at-bats for the Rays behind the dish the rest of the way. Fantasy owners will have the opportunity to collect stats from a normally unproductive second catcher position.
Andy Dirks - OF, Detroit Tigers (8% owned)
Andy Dirks was mentioned in the Mixed League Under the Radar at the beginning of the season when he continued his 2011 rate of production into the early part of the 2012 season. Unfortunately, for him and the Tigers, the 26-year-old outfielder was placed on the disabled list for tendinitis in his Achilles at the beginning of June. He was activated from the DL in early August, and since then has seen plenty of at-bats against both right-handed and left-handed starters, while grabbing starts in both left and right field for the Tigers. With those at-bats over the last two weeks, he is carrying a .318 batting average and nine runs scored. If he is available in your league, he is a player that you have to make room for on your roster for the final week of the season.
NL-Only Players
Tyler Cloyd
- SP, Philadelphia Phillies (5% owned)AL-Only Players
Jose Molina - C, Tampa Bay Rays (1% owned)
Jose Molina has made a very productive surge at the plate late in the season this year, one that has been noticed and rewarded by manager Joe Maddon. Since the beginning of September, Molina has played in 21 of the Rays 22 games, posting a .325/.372/.600 triple-slash line, three home runs, and 10 RBI. Maddon is known to go with the hot hand in most situations, so look for Molina to get the majority of at-bats for the Rays behind the dish the rest of the way. Fantasy owners will have the opportunity to collect stats from a normally unproductive second catcher position.
Andy Dirks - OF, Detroit Tigers (8% owned)
Andy Dirks was mentioned in the Mixed League Under the Radar at the beginning of the season when he continued his 2011 rate of production into the early part of the 2012 season. Unfortunately, for him and the Tigers, the 26-year-old outfielder was placed on the disabled list for tendinitis in his Achilles at the beginning of June. He was activated from the DL in early August, and since then has seen plenty of at-bats against both right-handed and left-handed starters, while grabbing starts in both left and right field for the Tigers. With those at-bats over the last two weeks, he is carrying a .318 batting average and nine runs scored. If he is available in your league, he is a player that you have to make room for on your roster for the final week of the season.
NL-Only Players
Rookie right-hander Tyler Cloyd was a quiet addition to the Phillies rotation at the end of August. His overall minor league stats are respectable, but when looking at them season-by-season, some are very impressive. In three different stints at Double-A, he posted a 6.58 K/BB ratio, and over his last two seasons, he has posted a combined 2.50 ERA over 313 minor league innings. This year at Triple-A, he walked 2.4 batters per nine innings pitched. He is all but guaranteed a start in the last series of the season with the way the Phillies rotation is currently lined up, meaning he will face Washington, who could be resting a lot of regulars if they have clinched the NL East by that time.
Francisco Peguero - OF, San Francisco Giants (0% owned)
Francisco Peguero would be the definition of a reach when it comes to a speed pickup for the final three games of the season, but still worth the gamble. Once a very feared base runner at the lower minor league levels, Peguero battled multiple leg injuries, leaving him with only one stolen base over 476 Triple-A plate appearances this season. However, in the last seven days, he has swiped three bases in limited playing time for the Giants. If San Francisco needs a stolen base late in the game, it appears Peguero will be Bruce Bochy's man to get the job done. He would be an excellent upside addition to your team if you are neck-in-neck with another owner in the stolen base category.
by kbarr888 on Thursday September 27th @ 9:43PM
Cloyd has cooled-off considerably lately.....3 of his last 4 starts were "nothing to write home about".....only lasted 4.0 innings vs Colorado.......and 3.0 against the (pathetic) Houston Astros. Yea, his last turn vs the Mets was tight, but he lost again today....5.0IP, 6H, 6R, 2BB, only 4K. Looks like he needs more seasoning.....or something.