Another week down, another week of scintillating moves in order to make my fantasy squads better. How did the experts play the free agent wire this week? Let's find out.
TOUT WARS (15 team mixed): Oh Yasmani Grandal. Sometimes, no matter what you do, things just don't work out, right? That's how things have gone in this league. Luckily I have John Jaso to put in as my second catcher, not a great move but this is an OBP league so at least his .379 mark is very, very strong. Into Grandal's roster spot goes to Maicer Izturis ($1) who will be asked to replace the struggling Brandon Crawford in my lineup (he's had three hits in his last 35 at-bats). Izturis is batting .318 with a .356 OBP over his last 66 at-bats as he's scored 11 times and driven in 14 in 19 games played. I also dropped Yoervis Medina and added Aaron Harang ($1). Over his last four starts, before you start to sneer, Harang has a 3.38 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, and on the year his 5.33 K/9 mark is elite.Notable bids: Tyler Skaggs ($3), Carlos Villanueva ($2), Jose Tabata ($1), Allen Webster ($1), Emilio Bonifacio ($1), Daniel Descalso ($1)
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LABR (12 team, AL-only): I dropped Yoervis Medina and added Jake McGee ($4), a week after I dropped McGee to add Medina. Hey, it's an AL-only league and when you can potentially get saves you take a shot. I bid $3 on Hunter which would have rostered him, but I had McGee for a dollar more so he's who I got (someone else bid a $1 on Mcgee). I might rue the day I didn't get Hunter for a buck. Here are the other bids on Feldman who joined the AL last week: $17, 13, 12, 11 and five. Notable bids: Scott Feldman ($23), Josh Phegley ($12), Jake Elmore ($4), Tommy Hunter ($1)
FSTA (13 team mixed): I was outbid on Beckham by $3, so I got my second choice which was Juan Francisco ($11) who I will write more about in a moment below. I also added Roberto Hernandez for $11. He makes two starts this week, both at home, and the matchups look solid - HOU and MIN. David Hernandez was let go as was Matt Joyce. Letting go the Rays' outfielder wasn't easy, but I have B.J. Shuck to fill-in short-term (.354 over his last 65 at-bats) and hopefully B.J. Upton long-term.Notable bids: Heath Bell ($56), Ivan Nova ($39), Dan Straily ($39), Scott Feldman ($21), Gordon Beckham ($14), Tyler Skaggs ($3)
SIRIUSXM EXPERTS (12 team mixed): Don't you love it when you make a bid on a player, go out for the night, and then learn that the player has been placed on the DL right as he's added to your club (this league runs waivers Friday night). Ah, gotta love it David Phelps. At least it was a free add (I'm down to eight dollars in this league, so I've got to go waiver-wire diving in the refuse bin). I dropped Wade Davis so not a huge loss. I also dropped the injured Melky Cabrera, my team is so beat up I just can't keep all these injured guys, to add the suddenly hot Delmon Young. I know. We'll see. I also dropped Carlos Villanueva to add Tommy Hunter who just might get a shot at some save chances with Jim Johnson struggling in Baltimore. By the way, have you noticed that Hunter has a 2.09 ERA and 0.82 WHIP over 47.1 innings this season?Notable bids: Heath Bell ($3), Mike Aviles ($2), Wei-Yin Chen ($2), Bud Norris ($2)
SIRIUSXM LISTENER LG (11 team mixed): This is the only league with an open waiver-wire. I felt there was a need to make a few moves, so OUT (Corey Hart, Carlos Villanueva, Paul Konerko, Mike Carp, Yunel Escobar, John Axford, Yasmani Grandal) and IN (Tommy Hunter, Derek Jeter, Trevor Rosenthal, Nick Swisher, John Axford, Josh Phegley). Hey, it's a very shallow 11 team mixed league. Jeter replaces Hart in the DL spot. Swisher replaces the DL'd Konerko. Trying to get a closer with Hunter/Axford moves as Jim Johnson is struggling and K-Rod is likely to be dealt by Brewers. Taking a chance.
K-BAD (12 team mixed): Out with Yoervis Medina, I took a flier on him last week on the odd chance he ended up closing for the Mariners. Not gonna happen as Tom Wilhelmsen is back in the mix, dominating batters again. In with Juan Francisco ($23) who has been hot of late (five homers in his last 11 games), for the slumping as all awful Mark Reynolds – that average is down to .218.Notable bids: Francisco Rodriguez ($110), Jose Tabata ($101), Logan Morrison ($57), Will Middlebrooks ($43), Jeremy Hefner ($48), Chris Johnson ($31), Jarrod Dyson ($20), Bud Norris ($17)
FANBALL (13 team mixed): Martin Perez ($1) has a two start Week (@BAL, @DET). Not exactly two great matchups, but the young fella is pitching well right now. Plus, this is a keeper league, only three guys, but with round values attached it's possible I could hold on to Perez next season given that he's a waiver-wire add and a great value (I dropped Eric Stults who has really been slumping of late – nine earned runs with only two strikeouts in his last two starts).Notable bids: Wilson Ramos ($3), Chris Archer ($2), Felix Doubront ($2), Derek Jeter ($2), Darin Ruf ($2), Hector Santiago ($2), Brian Dozier ($2), Cody Ross ($2)
By Ray Flowers