RADIO
We'll be doing this roundup of point league happenings every week here at RotoBaller, with waiver wire targets and streaming pitchers being evaluated in terms of the different scoring systems of ESPN, Yahoo!, CBS, and Fantrax.
Player values can vary wildly from platform to platform, so we'll make sure to highlight where players are the best and worst fits. We know points league players get neglected and we're here to help.
These waiver-wire adds are for the week of May 31st - June 6th, looking at players below 50% ownership for ESPN and Yahoo!
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Know Your System
If you've read me even a little, you likely know what I'm going to say...You must account for, as precisely as possible, how a player performs under your particular scoring system. Don't be fooled into believing you can just make rough adjustments in your head, bumping up guys with high on-base percentages and low strikeout rates. Every point, in every category, counts.
For example, ESPN and Fantrax are virtually identical in their scoring for hitters and roster size. The only difference is that stolen bases are worth one more point on Fantrax and ESPN subtracts one point per strikeout. That's the difference between Ronald Acuna Jr. being a top-five hitter versus top-25.
If your league uses standard settings, then great! Turn to page 94 and you can skip ahead to the leaderboards. If you play with custom settings, it'll still be fine. Go back to page 43 and look below at the scoring systems of the four major platforms. I bet there's a chance that you'll find that your league's scoring is very similar to one of the four (well, not Yahoo!'s), even if it's not the platform you actually play on.
For example, my home league started on a now-defunct platform before moving first to ESPN and is now at Fantrax. But our scoring is basically ESPN standard only with two points for stolen bases and a handful of other minor adjustments.
If you look above, you'll likely find a suitable mirror to your own system. While every point counts, as long as they aren't seismic changes you can get away with some "close enough" calls. IE. If everything is the same except for HBP (or something similar), you're probably fine.
Waiver Wire Leaderboards
In addition to our overall waiver wire leaderboards, we're deep enough into the season that we'll also start doing a 14-day leaderboard, as well, giving us a window into recent production. The charts are updated prior to Saturday's games, on stats and ownerships. All leaderboards, overall and 14-day, are sorted according to the player's APR*, and clicking on a chart will open a new page with a magnified version.
Also, I'm out of town on vacation this weekend so the writeups will be light. And the stats on the charts are a day earlier than usual, covering up until May 27th.
*APR = Average Platform Ranking - the average platform ranking between ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Fantrax (standard point settings)
First Base
Must Adds
- Josh Fuentes, COL - Fuentes has a .188 wOBA and .422 OPS on the road, and a .398 wOBA and a .918 OPS at home. Guess where the Rockies play this week?
- Pavin Smith, ARI - First basemen continue to drop like flies and Smith plays every day, putting up a 98 APR over the last two weeks.
- Andrew Vaughn, CHW - Vaughn might not quite be a must-add going by current performance, with a 170 APR and 114 APR over the last two weeks. But Vaughn has the type of name cache that will make his Roster% rocket up just as soon as he has another hot streak. If you want him, don't wait.
Can Adds
- Garrett Cooper, MIA - Cooper now has a 137 APR on the year and a 21 APR over the last two weeks.
- Danny Santana, 1B - Sshhh...It's Danny Santana season...Maybe. Don't tell anybody. Unless your league penalizes strikeouts. Then, tell everyone. Because Santana has a +40% K% that is radioactive in those leagues.
- Ji-Man Choi, TB
- Bobby Dalbec, BOS
Desperate Adds
- The same part-timers as always (Seth Brown, Mitch Moreland, etc) but with the caveat that your desperation levels might really be pushed right now after yet another wave of IL destruction.
Notable IL
- Colin Moran, PIT
- Joey Votto, CIN
- Brandon Belt, SF
- Evan White, SEA
- Christian Walker, ARI
- Ronald Guzman, TEX
Second Base
There are actually a lot of usable second basemen right now, with some returning from injury and others getting playing time because of someone else's injury. Given the IL cluster we're currently dealing with, finding more than just a warm body on the wire calls for a celebration, I guess?
Must Adds
- Cesar Hernandez, CLE - I don't really understand his low ownership. He's a PA compiler (his 61 PA over the last two weeks are more than any other player under our ownership threshold) and has a 91 APR (78 APR over the last two weeks).
- Jurickson Profar, SD - With Trent Grisham going back to the IL, Profar has a steady job for now, with a 76 APR over the last two weeks. If you need a steady (boring) replacement for whomever just hit the IL on your team (pretty much talking to everyone), Profar's your guy.
- Ty France, SEA - France is back from the IL and even though he missed time, still has a 130 APR. Expect his ownership to jump right back up.
- Josh Harrison, WSH - Hi! I'm Josh Harrison and I'm still slashing .301/.376/.444, with a .362 wOBA and 128 wRC+. Also, I'm a point dream in K-penalty formats, as I have just a 12.8% K%. Over the last two weeks, I have an 86 APR (119 APR on the year). Why won't you love me?
- Kolten Wong, MIL - Milwaukee's offense still mostly stinks but Wong has started to hit since returning from the IL. He has 47 APR over the last two weeks (131 APR on the year).
Can Adds
- Kike Hernandez, BOS
- Starlin Castro, WSH
- Jonathan Schoop, DET
Desperate Adds
- David Bote, CHC - All Cub adds are desperate adds - he says as a St. Louis resident currently writing in a Chicago hotel ; )
Notable IL
- Luis Arraez, MIN
- Wilmer Flores, SF
- Christian Arroyo, BOS
- Tommy La Stella, SF
- Chris Owings, COL
- Scott Kingery, PHI
Third Base
Must Adds
- Jeimer Candelario, DET - You know the drill by now. Candelario has a 101 APR on the year but gets no respect playing in the Detroit wasteland.
- Evan Longoria, SF The "old" man just keeps hitting. 85 APR on the year, 72 APR over the last two weeks.
Can Adds
- Yandy Diaz, TB - Diaz moves to a Must Add if your league gives points for groundballs.
- Maikel Franco, BAL
- Brad Miller, PHI - He's really amazing versus LHP (222 wRC+) and mostly average versus RHP (111 wRC+). Use him judiciously.
Desperate Adds
- Travis Shaw, MIL - I think the actual definition of desperation is, "I might need to add Travis Shaw".
Notable IL
- Asdrubal Cabrera, ARI
- Phillip Evans, PIT
- Edwin Rios, LAD
- J.D. Davis, NYM
- Brian Anderson, MIA
- Matt Duffy, TB
Shortstop
Must Adds
- Taylor Walls, TB - An on-base machine, Walls is slashing .278/.409/.389 since getting called up following his rocking out in Triple-A. But really, I'm just going to go ahead and add any player the Rays call up instead of Wander Franco.
- Willy Adames, MIL - Traded to Milwaukee, Adames is playing every day and has a 35 APR over the last two weeks.
Can Adds
- Freddy Galvis, BAL - Listen, I don't know what's going on with Freddy Galvis and I don't know how long it will last. But he has a 117 wRC+ on the and clocks in at a 100 APR (84 APR over the last two weeks).
- Jorge Polanco, MIN - Polanco has slowed down (192 APR over the last two weeks) but still has a 100 APR on the year,
Desperate Adds
- Niko Goodrum, DET - I generally love me some Niko but you have to hit a lot to overcome a 37.5% K% in points.
- Amed Rosario, CLE
Notable IL
- Paul DeJong, STL
- Jose Iglesias, LAA
- Nico Hoerner, CHC
Outfielder
Must Adds
- Tyler O'Neill, STL - In his three games since returning from the IL, O'Neill has gone 6-for-14, with three home runs. O'Neill is breaking out. Fact. Grab him now.
- Avisail Garcia, MIL
- Manuel Margot, SD - Nothing jumps out about Margot's performance so far but at some point, we have to pay more attention given he has a 91 APR in 2021 and a 51 APR over the last two weeks.
- Justin Upton, LAA - He's still dubious in K-penalty leagues but as long as Upton is batting leadoff, he should be added in most formats.
- Joc Pederson, LAD
- Adam Duvall, MIA - He's more valuable in leagues without a K-penalty but Duvall has been around a top-100 hitter virtually all season.
Can Adds
- Trevor Larnach, MIN
- Willie Calhoun, TEX
- Odubel Herrera, PHI
- Akil Baddoo, DET
- Adam Eaton, CHW
- Josh Naylor, CLE
Desperate Adds
- Corey Dickerson, MIA
- Hunter Renfroe, BOS
- Gregory Polanco, PIT
- Taylor Ward, LAA
Notable IL
- Kole Calhoun, ARI
- Jason Heyward, CHC
- Nick Senzel, CIN
- Aaron Hicks, NYY
- Brandon Nimmo, NYM
- Kevin Pillar, NYM
- Austin Hays, BAL
- Darin Ruf, SF
- David Dahl, TEX
- Victor Robles, WSH
- Harrison Bader, STL
- Zach McKinstry, LAD
- Jordan Luplow, CLE
Catcher
Must Adds
- Mike Zunino, TB - He just keeps hitting/being under-owned. Zunino has a 143 APR on the year and a 97 APR over the last two weeks. Just be aware his value is significantly less if your league penalizes strikeouts (37.9% K%).
- William Contreras, ATL - As long as Travis d'Arnaud is out, Contreras should be added, with a 66 APR over the last two weeks. Once again, just be careful in K-penalty leagues (31.4% K%)
Can Adds
- Mitch Garver, MIN
- Omar Narvaez, MIL - Hopefully, pitchers start throwing him nothing but heaters.
Desperate Adds
- All catcher adds are desperate adds.
Notable IL
- Alejandro Kirk, TOR
- Roberto Perez, CLE
- Wilson Ramos, DET
- Travis d'Arnaud, ATL
- Max Stassi, LAA
Starting Pitchers
Must Add
- Yusei Kikuchi, SEA
- Mike Minor, KC - Minor has a 74 APR among all pitchers, with a 61 APR over the last three weeks. He a two-start week on tap, facing Pittsburgh and Minnesota at home.
- Casey Mize, DET - He's a must-add given how strong he's been in May, posting a 1.80 ERA and 0.87 WHIP over his five starts. Just be careful in Week 10, as he'll face the Chicago White Sox, who have a .323 wOBA vs RHP (7th-highest).
- Tyler Anderson, PIT - Anderson has a great matchup in Week 10, facing the Royals on the road. Kansas City has a .290 wOBA vs LHP, the fourth-lowest in baseball. Just don't count on a win because, you know, it's the Pirates.
- Merrill Kelly, ARI - Kelly's been better than you think since a brutal start to his season when he allowed a total of 18 runs in his first four starts. Since then, Kelly has allowed 13 runs over his last six starts, posting a 3.19 ERA and 26% K%. He gets two starts in Week 10, facing the Mets and their .296 wOBA vs RHP (22nd), followed by the Brewers, who have the third-lowest wOBA vs RHP.
- Shane McClanahan, TB - A matchup on the road against the Yankees isn't ideal but New York has been pretty mediocre vs LHP, with a .309 wOBA (15th). But the rookie leftie has a 3.29 ERA over his first six starts in the majors, with a 29.6% K%. The time to roster him is quickly running out.
- James Kaprielian, OAK - The first start of the week (@ SEA) is just as juicy as the next one in Colorado, isn't. So obviously, don't get cute and try for a twofer. But for those thinking Kaprielian has come out of nowhere, he hasn't; he was the Yankees top pitching prospect before having TJ surgery and being traded to Oakland in the Sonny Gray deal. And he'ss starting to show why he was such a great prospect, posting a 1.53 ERA and 27.1% K% over his first three starts.
Can Add
- Austin Gomber, COL
- Garrett Richards, BOS - Richards has already beat all of his expectations but has a difficult two-start week coming up, facing the Astros and Yankees on the road.
- Adam Wainwright, CIN - Be careful, the Reds are very good against right-handers. Their .331 wOBA vs RHP is the fourth-highest in baseball.
- Luis Garcia, HOU - Garcia has been good but it's a dicey two-week start coming up, playing Boston at home before going to Toronto.
- Spencer Turnbull, DET - Turnbull's next start against the White Sox isn't appealing but after that, he gets Seattle at home, who has the 4th-lowest wOBA vs RHP.
- Adbert Alzolay, CHC - His next two starts line up against the Padres, who have a .315 wOBA vs RHP that's the 10-highest.
- Brady Singer, KC
- Drew Smyly, ATL
Desperate Adds
- David Peterson, NYM
- Tarik Skubal, DET - His next two starts line up against the White Sox, who have the 7th-best wOBA and 6th-best wRC+ vs RHP.
- Martin Perez, BOS - He lines up to face the Houston Astros in his next two starts, who has a .337 wOBA (t-3rd-highest) and 121 wRC+ (2nd highest).
- Vince Velasquez, PHI - For those thinking that Martin Perez just doesn't offer enough risk. Dancing a two-step with a human gas can is the most dangerous of games.
Notable IL
- Huascar Ynoa, ATL
- Wade Miley, CIN
- Logan Webb, SF
- Marco Gonzales, SEA
- Kohei Arihara, TEX
Relief Pitchers
Keep in mind that with relievers, points scored can be deceiving. Most scoring systems make it pretty difficult for even the best non-closers to score elite points, making them very reliant on unpredictable wins. You simply need the save points to really do damage. AKA, when you see totally rando names hit the leaderboard (particularly the 14-Day one), it's probably because they happened to get a few wins and/or a lot of usage. If a reliever doesn't have an established role, tread carefully.
One note about ownership; because ESPN uses nine open pitching slots, as opposed to dedicated slots for RP/SP, relievers tend to be lighter owned than on other sites.
Notable IL
- Drew Pomeranz, SD
- Jordan Hicks, STL
- Julian Merryweather
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