All-Waiver Team: Players to Avoid

I've been playing fantasy baseball with pretty much the same group of guys since the good ol' days nearly ten years ago (when Sandbox was free) --and they have always been quite a smart group of guys and very tough competition. This season is the first year that I also joined a pay league--with visions of cash dancing in my head. Anyways, to make a long story short, I've noticed that you can tell how wise the owners are in a league by the names you find on their league's Waiver Wire.

During my near-ten-year-fantasy-participation span, I've been compiling a list of 'note-to-self's about certain players that I have learned to avoid AT ALL COSTS in the future! In other words, I love it when my fantasy opponents start these players. Now, obviously, no disrespect to these players because fantasy sports ignores certain 'little' parts of the game that are crucial to helping a team win, i.e., assists from the outfield, sacrifice bunts, Hit-by-pitches, etc. Unfortunately for these players, fantasy owners don't give a crap about those things, because they don't show up on the leaderboard. Most of these players can be considered good players by their hardcore fans, but on the contrary will be hated by their fantasy owners.

They will have a three-hit/four-RBI night, and after checking your Waiver Wire, you'll pick them up...fully hoping they'll get your slumping offense back up to your satisfaction, but I am here to tell you NOT TO DO IT....even if you're in a 12-team league!

C Paul LoDuca / Ronny Paulino / Ramon Hernandez
With catchers, you just want to find a guy that will give you around 140 games and can bat as close to .300 as possible. LoDuca hasn't had much to offer for a few years now. Unfortunately, I always miss out on Victor Martinez because I mistake him for Ramon Hernandez (I don't know why) during the very stressful draft process. There's a huge value difference there, I know, but I don't watch the Indians and Orioles very much these days.

1B Adam LaRoche / Richie Sexson / Carlos Delgado
When you're in the middle of the Mets lineup, you're bound to get some RsBI...as long as you can swing a bat. With Carlos Delgado, he can't help but give you some numbers, but AT WHAT COST??...much frustration, and a slew of blown opportunities Adam LaRoche will hit well for a week here and there, but you have to be quick to grab him right before that happens.

2B Orlando Hudson / Jose Vidro
Orlando Hudson seems to be the nicest guy in the league today--just watch him during his very first at-bat each night, exchanging XOXO's with the catcher and umpire. His hot streaks are longer than most other players, and also come with stolen bases, but is just no match for his cold streaks.

3B Bill Hall / Wilson Betemit / Aubrey Huff
Good luck on guessing when Bill Hall is gonna give you a multi-homer game. He'll give you five straight 0-4's before the 3-4, 4 RsBI. And Wilson Betemit never gets many straight days of being on the roster anyways.

SS Rafael Furcal / Jhonny Peralta / J.J. Hardy
Yeah, I know, and Furcal has MVP numbers at his April rate. Trust me, I am wondering when he's gonna cool off. This lengthy hot start is definitely his most impressive since his early days with the Braves. I'm still leaving him on my personal "Stay Away From" list, but don't worry, he's owned in most leagues already anyway. If you own him, see what kind of sweet trade you can get with him before he goes cold.

LF Gary Matthews Jr / Andre Ethier
Gary--it seems--has a lot to prove every year, and has a lot of Oh-fers between his big games. He'll get you most of his RsBI while he's on your bench. Don't waste the small amount of Bench-space that you have. Ethier has a great swing, but the Dodgers don't seem to have a whole lot of run production--especially when you are noticing.

CF Andruw Jones / Mike Cameron
Boy, Andruw just can't seem to get it going since his big homerun season long ago. Tons of fantasy owners hold on to those distant hopes...don't bother. He's a player that I LOVE to see my fantasy opponents pick up.

RF Shane Victorino / Jayson Werth
Victorino comes along with a few stolen bases, but just doesn't seem consistent, and just not very valuable overall. His teammate Jayson Werth just never had much consistent playing time....And I won't be surprised if they platoon in right field when Shane returns from the DL.

DH Jack Cust / Lyle Overbay
Yeah, I've owned Lyle Overbay a couple different times....never again. And man, is it frustrating when you're DH strikes out with no outs and the bases loaded.

P Gil Meche / Dontrelle Willis / Cliff Lee / Derek Lowe / Scott Baker / Braden Looper / Barry Zito / Tom Gorzelanny / Livan Hernandez
Even someone in my league gave Dontrelle Willis a chance this year! Isn't it weird to see him celebrating a big offensive inning in the dugout--when he himself contributes nothing? He's been bad for too long now. He's the next Jose Lima. And even though it seemed everyone had given up on Barry Zito by now, someone still picked up and started him in my pay league. None of these guys will give you more than two or three straight quality starts.

If any of these guys are on your starting roster, and there's no better option on the Waiver Wire, then find your strongest point, and make a trade with that.

Fantasy Box Score

This is the time of year when I like to make package trades. This is when I take a couple of guys and trade them for a star. It is my firm belief that the team that gets the best player in a trade, is the team that got the better end of the trade. Now is the time of year when owners are beginning to wonder if they have built a championship team, this means it is the time to exploit those owners. I find that traditionally super star players are what we think they are. Yet, owners panic when somebody gets out of the gate slowly. This is the time to package some late rounds picks for studs. I recently picked up Ryan Howard in one league and Alex Rodriguez in another. All I had to give up were the likes of Justin Morneau and Jimmy Rollins. This is also a good time to trade saves. Owners panic when they see themselves at the bottom of a category. In reality there are always closers to be had off of waivers so if you can get somebody to give you a contributor, definitely make the move. I am a big fan of improving my teams through trades, but it is also helpful to try and mess up another guy’s team in the process. I like to be a stickler for certain players from the other guy’s team to be included in any deals. This is because I want to throw a wrench in what the other guy is trying to do. In short, I love to trade, that is what makes fantasy sports fun.

Drag Bunts…

No matter what you get offered, don’t trade Jose Reyes. Chone Figgins playing second base. It happened the other night against the A’s, if it continues he becomes even more valuable.

You must get rid of Barry Zito.

Russell Martin playing third base, it could happen. Right now he is third on the team depth chart at the position.

Manny Corpas should be let go from your team. The guy has completely fallen apart. Brian Fuentes will be the Rockies closer for the rest of the season.

I see no need to keep Jorge Posada. It is hard to imagine he will keep the power he brings, so therefore he really can be dropped for somebody with more potential.

Chad Gaudin has been lights out. Pick him up if you can.

John Smoltz heads to the DL. The bummer here is that he was doing really well.

Francisco Liriano gets sent to the minors. I don’t know if it is time to cut bait with him just yet. He needs to get some innings in so I would wait and see how he does in the minors before I made any moves with the young pitcher.

Don’t sleep on Ryan Dempster.

Ditto with Jayson Werth.

I say it every time. Get Andre Ethier on your team if you can. He is playing great.