Each week Baseball Press will be providing some Under the Radar fantasy players for NL-Only Leagues, AL-Only Leagues and Mixed Leagues. These articles will be dedicated to finding those diamonds in the rough on the waiver wire that will either be a short term or long term replacement to an injury or struggling player on your fantasy team. All players listed are owned in less than 30% of Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball leagues.
I am going to bring some of my Only suggestions over into the Mixed world because they are definitely the best options, so this week will hold some repeats just reassure you to add these guys. If you were patient with some of last weeks picks - Justin Smoak and Tyler Clippard - they will have recently paid off for you. Also this week some injury fill-ins that will be getting at-bats are viable mix options.
Jason Varitek - C, Boston Red Sox (Yahoo! 7% / CBS 9%)
With Victor Martinez and David Ortiz struggling early on manager Terry Francona has finally started passing along more at-bats to Varitek who has taken full advantage of them so far. In 31 at-bats he has 4 homeruns, 8 RBI with a .323 average. He is definitely worthy of a second catcher slot in most 2 catcher leagues even if he is only going to get 20 or so plate appearances a week as long as he keeps on producing.
Adam LaRoche - 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks (Yahoo! 47% / CBS 65%)
47% is a little high in ownership compared to what number we usually look at here in the Under the Radar but in the last week he has hit 4 homeruns, plated 11 RBI and has a .299 average on the season. The usual slow start that zaps his stats year in and year out may not happen this year. You can't count on the average to hover around .300 for the rest of the year, but you could be looking at 30+ homeruns instead of the normal 25 he has put up the past few years.
Eric Young Jr. - 2B, Colorado Rockies (Yahoo! 5%, CBS 17%)
Discussed in depth on this week's Podcast EY has been tearing it up so far since this weekend's Major League call up. He is a speed demon, but also can put up a decent average and should be a source of Runs hitting atop the Rockies line-up. So far in 10 at-bats he is hitting .500 with a .583 OBP, swiped 2 bags and scored 4 runs. Clint Barmes your days are numbered.
Edgar Renteria - SS, San Francisco Giants (Yahoo! 21%/ CBS 28%)
After getting off to a very hot start and being plucked from waiver wires everywhere Renteria came back to earth and was dropped as quickly. He has bounced back a little and is putting respectable numbers for a MI on any team as of late. If you were bit by the Evereth Cabrera or possible Rafael Furcal and Yunel Escobar DL stints make sure you take a look at Renteria.
Pedro Feliz - 3B, Houston Astros (Yahoo! 4%, CBS 10%)
Ever since the return on Lance Berkman all the Astros besides Hunter Pence have had a little life breathed into their bats. Feliz is no exception. In his last 6 he is hitting .375 with a homerun and 5 RBI. The Astros will take a quick trip to Atlanta this weekend but they are starting a home stand next week with an inviting short porch for Pedro to take advantage of.
Dexter Fowler - OF, Colorado Rockies (Yahoo! 9%, CBS 36%)
The big knock at the beginning of the season on Fowler was the question of how many at-bats would he get. Well Troy Tulowitski is the only Rockies player to have more at-bats than Fowler this season. His overall batting average, .253, does not look too hot but in his last 6 he is 10 for 20 with 5 walks and 2 stolen bases. There are more steals to come as long as he keeps getting on base which he has been doing fine as of late.
Corey Hart - OF, Milwaukee Brewers (Yahoo! 31%/ CBS 47%)
Everyone is well aware of the struggles of Corey Hart. He had a terrible spring and then with Jim Edmonds making the team and starting on opening day it looked as if Hart had been shoved out of Milwaukee. In the past couple weeks though Hart is starting to produce and with the recent strain in Edmonds lower back he has a chance to play every day and win his job back. Over the last 6 games he is hitting .304 with a homerun and 3 RBI, it may be time to hop back on the potential 20/20 bandwagon.
Tyler Colvin - OF, Chicago Cubs (Yahoo! 4% / CBS 11%)
Similar to Dexter Fowler in Colorado, Colvin made the team in Chicago by putting up monster spring numbers. Manager Lou Piniella said he would get his at-bats and I would think most didn't believe him but he has. He is sporting a .404 OBP and has a Hunter Pence power/speed potential. He is a perfect fit for a 5th outfielder on a fantasy team and is an injury away from getting 20+ at-bats a week.
Brett Cecil - SP, Toronto Blue Jays (Yahoo! 1%, CBS 11%)
After recommending Cecil on Wednesday morning all he has done is hold the Red Sox to 1 earned run and 5 hits over six inning while striking out 3 and walking one. Next week he is actually a 2-start pitcher which makes him an even better pick-up in points leagues - I already did. First up next week he is going up against the Indians and Mitch Talbot and his second start is in the Windy City against the now struggling White Sox offense.
Brad Lidge - RP, Philadelphia Phillies (Yahoo! 54% / CBS 76%)
Lidge's ownership numbers are a little high - kind of like Adam LaRoche's - but since he is coming off the DL today and is a 2nd tier closer when he is healthy he should be owned in a lot more than 54% of Yahooo! Leagues. His rehab appearances weren't spotless, but with Ryan Madson hitting the DL and struggling to close out games this last week it will be Lidge's job to lose for a while...
Nate Springfield joined the Baseball Press crew for the 2010 season and hosts the site's podcast. His love for the game has grown thanks to fantasy baseball, with a specialty in NL-only auction leagues. You can contact him at