Major League Baseball waits for nobody, and you shouldn’t want for your fantasy baseball squad. As the first week hits its midway point, we check out the third basemen who may be worth a look on your waiver wire. This feature will help you out weekly. Every week we will go position-by-position, finding two players available in 50% or more of Yahoo! leagues, with one available in 90% or more. Thursday of opening week is not the time to panic, but these are some players to get onto your radar.[Jeff]
Travis Shaw, Milwaukee (41% owned)
I wrote yesterday that Shaw was off to a torrid pace, going 4/8 with four doubles in his first two games. He broke that trend in his third game, unfortunately. He only went a paltry 1/4, decimating his average. What once was .500 is now a pathetic .417. He also failed to hit two doubles; he hit a home run instead. Like I said yesterday, you may be missing out on Shaw’s rise if you sit around.
Ryan Schimpf, San Diego (34% owned)
After three games, Schimpf holds a respectable .300 average with a dinger and a couple ribbies. Not super thrilling, right? But he did that against one of the best 1-2-3s in baseball (Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda). He cracked 20 dingers last season but did it with a dismal average. That average is going to come down, especially considering he strikes out over 30% of the time. Still, he’s a good power option with positional versatility. He’s a good bench bat to have.
Chase Headley, Yankees (10% owned)
Headley already has a steal and a home run on his resume this season while starting off on a 7/11 tear in his first three games. He is batting seventh in the Yankees’ lineup, so RBI will be limited. However, Headley has shown great power in the past, so he could end up higher. New Yankees Stadium’s short right field porch makes lefties salivate. Headley’s a pinch hitter, so he can salivate away.
BONUS: Yoan Moncada, White Sox (36% owned)
Moncada is baseball’s top prospect, and it’s as much about his bat as anything else. If you’re looking to stash someone with fantasy baseball upside, Moncada is your man.