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Welcome to Streaming Wars, your one-stop shop for streaming the waiver wire. Use this column to improve upon your neediest categories.
Below are your pitcher and hitter streaming targets for Friday, June 23rd.
Let's get to it.
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Agenda
- Phamtastic
- Today's Weather and Updates
- Tomorrow's Picks
1. Phamtastic
What's with baseball writers and bad puns? Anyway, Tommy Pham, frequent guest of this column, hammered two home runs on elevated middle-middle pitches. Pham is a dangerous bat when you make mistakes to him, and he has a hint of speed too. He's often one of the best all-around targets on the waiver wire.
2. Today's Weather and Updates
Minnesota and Atlanta are at risk of rain today. Friday may be stormy in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Washington D.C.
3. Tomorrow's Picks - Thursday, June 23rd
Pitchers to Use
Jharel Cotton has seemingly lost the plus command that allowed him to thrive during his 2016 debut. He's allowed too many baserunners and home runs to be a fantasy asset. Luckily, the A's are visiting the White Sox - one of the very worst teams versus right-handed pitching. I'm still worried about the effect of Formerly U.S. Cellular Field aka The G Spot. Cotton's a fly ball pitcher with a home run problem. Going to a smaller park is not ideal.
The Marlins traded Castillo for a mediocre pitcher last season, got him back after it was realized that the Padres scammed them, then traded him again for a mediocre pitcher. The righty has pitched well at Double-A with 9.07 K/9, 1.46 BB/9, and a 2.58 ERA. He's skipping Triple-A just in time to face a scary Nationals offense. Be careful if using him. He's better as a stash. Besides, he's unlikely to win opposite Stephen Strasburg.
Jose Urena throws hard and frequently uses a breaking ball. Unfortunately, his command is average at best, and he doesn't induce many whiffs. His 3.64 ERA is well below a 5.58 xFIP. You could try him against a merely decent Cubs lineup, but it seems like a losing play to me.
Other Targets: Seth Lugo
Pitchers to Exploit
Masahiro Tanaka has allowed 2.47 HR/9. I don't know specifically why it's happening - it's not just because of tiny Yankee Stadium. Tanaka still mixes in gems with his increasing flops. He's not an automatic disaster.
The unbalded one is back in the rotation. Ubaldo Jimenez survived a spot start last week, and he's making another tomorrow. The righty frequently struggles with too much movement which translates into poor command. Unfortunately, it's not the type of movement that prevents hits and homers. He's allowed 1.99 HR/9 this season.
Other Targets: Adalberto Mejia, Trevor Bauer, Mike Pelfrey, Jake Junis, Pat Corbin, Joe Musgrove, Luis Perdomo, Ty Blach
Homers on the Wire
Use any Twins you can find versus homer prone Bauer. Robbie Grossman and Max Kepler are my preferred targets, although Kennys Vargas and Joe Mauer work too. They'll all swing from the left side which is a good thing at Progressive Field. Lefty power is boosted and righty power is suppressed.
Enrique Hernandez is doing his usual power show versus southpaws Only three of his 16 hits against lefties have been singles.
Other Targets: Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Gomez, Mitch Moreland, Derek Dietrich, Colby Rasmus, Matt Adams, Jed Lowrie, Matt Joyce, Matt Chapman, Tommy Joseph, Aaron Altherr, Howie Kendrick, David Peralta
Steals on the Wire
Daniel Robertson seems to be the Indians second hitter against southpaws. He has a ludicrously high contact rate with middling power and 15 stolen base speed. The guy doesn't miss baseballs, but there isn't much thump in his bat.
Jimmy Nelson is one of the most stolen base prone pitchers in the league. Look to Brandon Phillips for a sneaky swipe.
Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt is one of the most targeted backstops for steals. Leury Garcia and Tim Anderson could do some damage opposite Cotton.
Jarrod Dyson is in prime position against the Astros. Both Brian McCann and Evan Gattis have struggled to hold runners.
Other Targets: Mallex Smith, Keon Broxton, Eric Sogard, Taylor Motter
Skill Positions
Austin Barnes usually starts for the Dodgers when facing a lefty.
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