It’s only three games into Joey Gallo’s MLB debut and it already looks like he is here to stay. In fact, maybe all it took was his first game, when he ended up a triple short of the cycle with 3 runs, 4 RBI and a walk.

In his second game he had an upper-deck homer that was absolutely crushed.

In his third game he managed another hit.

None of this should come as any kind of surprise. Gallo’s bat has been on fire in the Minors where he had 31 RBI in 34 games. That was with the Rangers’ AA affiliate – he’s one of those phenoms who skipped a grade (AAA) – and the 21 yr. old has shown nothing short of excellence throughout his Minor League career, with 113 HR and 277 RBI in just 330 games, with a 1.010 OPS since 2012. In case you’re like me, a little math-challenged, that’s a homer for every 3 games.

In the meantime, Adrian Beltre will resume his 3B position when he returns from the 15-day DL. So, it’s just a matter of where to put the hot-hitting phenom. This means he’ll probably do some DHing, because it’s hard to imagine him going back down.

BATS

Joey Gallo 3B (67% owned in Yahoo Leagues)  The hottest commodity going. Gallo is here to stay. 

Gallo stands alone amongst the hitters in Week 10’s Waiver Wire, so let’s leave him this way and focus on the available pitchers on the waiver wire.

ARMS

There’s many higher ranked starters available on the waiver wire right now, but Taijuan Walker is my must pickup of the week.

His last two starts were both quality outings and he looks to have two starts in Week 10.

There will probably be a few more hiccups along the way, but if you take his April starts out of the math, Walker has a more respectable line of 39.1 IP/38 H/35 K, and it’s trending upward. 

His totals through the Minors, which include 25 starts in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League are quite impressive: 454 IP/382 H/491 K. You gotta love the strikeouts here.

Eduardo Rodriguez SP (56% owned in Yahoo Leagues)  The Red Sox have been desperate for anything resembling an ace, or even a number two for that matter. Rodriguez is beginning to look like the top candidate for one of the jobs. He’s all the rage in Beantown right now after his two near mirror image starts: 

	IP	H	R	BB	K
@ TEXAS	7.2	3	0	2	7
vs MINNESOTA	7	2	1	2	7

The 22 yr. old had made some big steps in Triple A Pawtucket prior to his call-up. He walked just 7 batters over 48.1 innings, while striking out 44. It’s tough to see him maintaining his current pace at Fenway, but the southpaw seems to be for real.

C.J. Wilson SP (42% owned in Yahoo Leagues)  Never one of my favorites, Christopher John Wilson (always wondered what C. J. stood for) now seems like a decent streamer given his decent start: 3.55 ERA/.229 BAA/1.18 WHIP. In Week 10 the veteran gets two starts against teams that have been struggling against southpaws this year – the Rays (17th overall against lefties) and the A’s (27th overall against lefties) Shop and drop.

Lance McCullers SP (42% owned in Yahoo Leagues)  Yet another top prospect with high strikeout potential who has joined the ranks of Major Leaguers, McCullers is already proving himself in the show. His last game was brilliant – a 4-hit, 1-run complete game with no walks and 11 Ks – and it came against the hard-hitting Orioles. I do think new owners may have to temper themselves a little regarding his generally high walk rate and ergo WHIP (1.36 through the Minors), but it’s impossible not to get excited about 304 K in 256.2 Minor League games.

Taijuan Walker SP (35% owned in Yahoo Leagues)  As mentioned in last week’s Watch List, Walker may have already turned the corner. He has gone 8 innings in each of his last 2 games, allowing 2 hits and no runs at home to the Indians, and holding the Yanks to 5 hits and 3 runs in his latest start. For those of you who have managed to hold on, your patience should pay off soon.  

Watch List

Nathan Karns SP (25% owned in Yahoo Leagues) Like the combination of 56 K in 62 IP with a .202 BAA and a 1.16 WHIP here. The red flag seems to be his lack of ability to go deep into games, as he’s averaging just 5.5 IP over 11 starts. This explains the lack of decisions reflected in his 3-2 record. 

Kyle Hendricks SP (19% owned in Yahoo Leagues) The 25 yr. old appeared to be enjoying a bit of a breakout in his sophomore year, with a 5-hit complete game shutout against the Padres at Petco and a 7-inning 4-hit, 1-run performance against the Nats at Wrigley in his next start. Then he hit a bump in the road in Miami this past Tuesday, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs in 6 innings – not a total diaster, but a reminder maybe that he is still learning.

Brandon Morrow SP (16% owned in Yahoo Leagues)  Morrow seems likely to get re-injured given his history, but he may be a good streamer when he returns. 4 of his 5 starts, which all took place at Petco, were quality outings where he totaled 27 IP/23 H/5R. His poor outing came at Coors Field where he allowed the same number of runs (5) as he did in his other 4 starts combined. As soon as we find out his exact return date he should graduate from your Watch List. Don’t wait too long. He should have a higher ownership than the other two here.

 

DJ LeMahieu is one of the hottest hitting second baseman in the league right now and yet he is only owned in a third of Yahoo Leagues. For some understandable reasons he does not attract a big following, but it’s high time you let him take you for a ride, cause this particular DJ knows how to spin.

LeMahieu has average speed and probably below average pop, especially for a second baseman of his stature. On top of this, he often hits from the dreaded 8-spot, which is usually followed by the pitcher. These are the negatives. Now let’s get to the positives:

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For batters the waiver wire is for two things. Do you need a bandaid to get you though someone’s 15 day DL stint or are you looking to strike gold ? For bandaids I’d advise you to look to see who is hot right now or who finds themselves with an opportunity given someone else’s trip to the DL. But if you are looking for gold the best places to look are: kids getting the call, blocked talent getting an opportunity, or established vets getting healthy. By far the most exciting of those three propositions is kids getting the call.  

This weeks waiver train makes it first stop in Boston where Friday night saw Rusney Castillo and Blake Swihart batting 8 and 9 for Red Sox for the first time this season. If this goes to plan this could be the most fun you’ve ever had picking up your sox.

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Before the season began it was difficult to imagine Jung Ho Kang getting enough playing time with the Pirates to be deemed Fantasy relevant. Sure the Pirates were obviously Gung ho on Jung Ho, after the small market team spent 11 million to acquire his services for a 4-year term, but where was he going to fit in?

Well, what a difference six weeks make. Kang’s path has become as clear as a seabed in parted waters. It’s almost as if Moses himself played a role in his rise to becoming an everyday starter. All of the obstacles that stood in his way have now become a part of the razed swath to King Kang’s rightful throne.

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There are so many factors to consider in the Daily Fantasy Baseball game that you can begin to overanalyze things too much. There’s due diligence, but there’s also paralysis by analysis. Keep it simple. Go with your gut.

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