Fantasy Dr X: Strike Zone

Week 2 Waiver Wire.

By Lawrence Barreca. With the first week of the fantasy baseball season in the books, there are surely some players that have started on a hot streak that might still be available in your league's waiver wire. Let's see who they might be and if it's worth picking them up. Some of these players should only be picked up for later use or as nice back ups until they can prove some consistency.

Infielders:
•    Shawn Riggans (C) (TB) - With Dionne Navarro now on the 15-day DL, Riggans will get most if not all of the starts at catcher for the hot-hitting Rays.  Riggans has proved he can hit so far, hitting a 3-run double against the Yankees to help put them away.  Look to see how Riggans performs while Navarro is out, because if he does well, Navarro might have to forget catching in Tampa for awhile.

•    Jeff Keppinger (SS) (CIN) - Jeff is now playing shortstop for the Reds with Alex Gonzalez on the 15-day DL, and I think he plans to keep that position.  He is currently hitting .429 with 1 homerun, 1 RBI, and 1 stolen base.  As long as he's playing, he will be hitting at that pace.

•    Joe Crede (3B) (CHW) - Crede is doing well so far this year, hitting .294 with 1 homer, 2 RBI's, and 1 run scored.  Crede's spot on the team is locked, and fantasy owners might want to consider picking him up and starting him if their third baseman is struggling.

Outfielders:
•    Adam Jones (BAL) - So far in 3 games, Jones is hitting .273 with an RBI, a stolen base, and 1 run scored.  Jones is getting base hits when he needs to, plus he is getting to start everyday.  He can make a good #4 or #5 outfielder on any fantasy team, especially once he finds his power stroke.

•    Xavier Nady (PIT) - Nady has been one of the best hitters in baseball this year, and I believe that he will only get better as he goes along.  He is currently hitting .444, with 2 homers, 7 RBIs, and 5 runs scored.  If you haven't already picked him up, now is a good time to do it before someone else does.

•    Carlos Gomez (MIN) - Gomez hasn't been hitting for power this season; however, he is doing the little things to help lead his team to victory.  He is hitting .450, with 4 stolen bases and 4 runs scored.  If Gomez starts everyday, he may be the leader in stolen bases at year's end.  That leads to a ton of fantasy points

•    Cliff Floyd (TB) - Floyd is one of the main reasons why the Rays are hitting so well this season.  He is hitting .364 with 2 homers, 4 RBI's, and 4 runs scored.  Look for Floyd to continue his success as long as the Rays have injuries in the outfield or they need a DH.

Pitchers:
  •    Johnny Cueto (CIN) - After his MLB debut, people should have been rushing to grab him off of waivers.  Cueto is a future star in this league, as he proved in his 10-strikeout, one-hit performance against the Diamondbacks.  This guy was a no-brainer to be included on this list.

•    Zack Greinke (KAN) - In his win vs. the Tigers, Greinke went 7 innings with a 1.29 ERA and three strikeouts.  That was against a power hitting team with no holes in the lineup.  Look for Greinke to continue to do well, especially since the competition can only get easier.