Minor Threat
Welcome to the 25th and final edition of Waiver Wired for the 2011 season. Has this year passed by in a flash or what? Anyway, like I said last week, if you are still reading this thing, that means you are likely still in the thick of things in your league. Good for you. I sincerely hope Rotoworld has made your season a little easier to navigate.
It has been a real privilege to write this column for a second straight season, but one of the best parts about this job is interacting with you, the reader. Please keep those e-mails and Tweets coming during the winter. I do my best to catch up on them throughout the week.
Just like I did last year, I'm handing out some Waiver Wired awards on the second page, so be sure to check those out after you take a gander at this week's recommendations. Farewell, good luck and most importantly, thanks for reading.
MIXED LEAGUES
Jason Bourgeois OF, Astros (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 13.9 percent)
Many assumed (your humble host included) that Bourgeois would get significant playing time following the trades of Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn. It hasn't exactly worked out that way due to the presence of J.D. Martinez, Jordan Schafer and Brian Bogusevic, but the 29-year-old outfielder continues to steal bases at a rapid rate. In fact, he has swiped seven bags in just 13 games this month. Be careful to watch Brad Mills' lineup card, but the speedy Bourgeois is legitimate weapon when given the opportunity.
Omar Infante 2B/3B/SS/OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 40 percent owned, ESPN: 47.9 percent)
Infante may not be tearing the cover off the ball like he did in late-July and August, but he does have three homers, five doubles, one triple, 10 RBI and 11 runs scored through 21 games this month. That's perfectly acceptable production for a second baseman or shortstop in deeper mixed leagues. Firmly entrenched as the primary No. 2 hitter in Jack McKeon's lineup, the impending free agent should have plenty of chances to deliver value the rest of the way.
Mike Aviles 2B/3B/SS, Red Sox (Yahoo: 20 percent owned, ESPN: 16.8 percent)
Kevin Youkilis continues to deal with a sports hernia and left hip soreness and while he hopes to hit before Friday's game against the Yankees, his status remains very much in doubt. Aviles, who was acquired from the Royals at the trade deadline, has at least stepped in admirably during his absence, hitting .375 (9-for-24) with two homers, three doubles and five runs scored over his last seven games. He even batted second in Thursday's loss to the Orioles. While his value may be fleeting, his multi-position eligibility should come in handy right now.
Mike Moustakas 3B, Royals (Yahoo: 19 percent owned, ESPN: 22.5 percent)
The late-season surge continues. After batting .283 last month, the rookie third baseman is hitting .318 (21-for-66) so far in September. He has homered three times in his last seven games after hitting just one home run over his first 73 games in the big leagues. The 23-year-old displayed immense power potential during his time in the minor leagues, so it's worth a shot in deeper leagues to see if he has finally figured things out.
Ben Revere OF, Twins (Yahoo: 9 percent owned, ESPN: 18.9 percent)
Revere is hitting .314 (22-for-70) this month, but that's not why I'm recommending him here. We're talking about someone whose fantasy value is directly tied to their speed. The rookie outfielder has 33 stolen bases in 42 attempts this season, including eight through 16 games this month. Denard Span returned to the lineup on Wednesday night, but Revere should see regular playing time in left field over the final week of the season. If you need steals, he is one of the best options available.
Santiago Casilla RP, Giants (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 11.7 percent)
Yes, Brian Wilson is back, but I'm not convinced that he'll handle a full workload the rest of the way. Casilla was the primary fill-in during his absence and would presumably get the nod if Bruce Bochy shies away from using him on back-to-back days. The Giants may even decide to shut Wilson down if or when they mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. With saves at a premium right now, I wouldn't give up on Casilla in deeper leagues.
Logan Morrison OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 29 percent owned, ESPN: 41.9 percent)
Morrison's sophomore campaign has been somewhat of a disappointment, but he has turned things on a bit in September. The 24-year-old is batting .291 (16-for-55) with four homers, eight RBI, a .945 OPS and an 8/9 K/BB ratio so far this month. Marlins manager Jack McKeon has batted him mostly fourth or fifth in recent days, so LoMo is in prime position to drive in some runs over the final week of the season.
Editor’s note: If you want to play Daily Salary Cap Fantasy Baseball for real money, check out SnapDraft here.
Suitable streamers:
Small sample size, but three out of our four streaming options from last week walked away with wins and all of them delivered quality starts. Not bad. Here are three options for this weekend. I don't want to leave you hanging for next week, but as you probably know, a lot of things are bound to change by then. With that in mind, look for two last-minute streaming options in Tuesday's edition of the Daily Dose.
Aaron Harang SP, Padres (Yahoo: 42 percent owned, ESPN: 26 percent)
vs. Dodgers on Saturday
Harang has four losses over his past six starts, but don't let that scare you away. The big right-hander has a nifty 2.92 ERA and 31/14 K/BB ratio over 37 innings during the same timespan. He has been one of my favorite spot-starters this season, especially at spacious PETCO Park, where he has a 3.29 ERA across 16 starts. The home run ball has hurt him a bit lately, but he's one of the better streaming options available this weekend.
Mike Minor SP, Braves (Yahoo: 21 percent owned, ESPN: 21 percent)
@ Washington on Sunday
Minor allowed four runs (including three home runs) over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Marlins on Monday, but the young left-hander has a 4.03 ERA and a terrific 46/13 ERA in 44 2/3 innings across eight starts since returning from the minors in early August. While he isn't pitching deep into games recently, completing six innings just once in his past five starts, he should continue to be an excellent source of strikeouts.
Cory Luebke RP/SP, Padres (Yahoo: 43 percent owned, ESPN: 43.8 percent)
vs. Dodgers on Sunday
It's stunning that Luebke is still so widely available, especially after he took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning in his last start Monday against the Rockies. The rookie left-hander has been a reliable fantasy option since moving to the starting rotation in late-June, posting a 3.23 ERA and 105/25 K/BB ratio over 94 2/3 innings. He'll face Clayton Kershaw on Sunday, which obviously isn't the easiest way to get a win, but I still like his chances of keeping the Dodgers' bats in check.
<!--RW-->AL ONLY
Francisco Liriano SP, Twins (Yahoo: 57 percent owned, ESPN: 40.2 percent)
First off, ignore the ownership numbers. At this point of the season, they are pretty worthless. The Twins floated the possibility of shutting Liriano down earlier this month, so there's at least a decent chance that he was dropped in most redraft leagues. Anyway, not only is Liriano back from the disabled list, but the Twins plan to give him a start during Saturday's doubleheader against the Indians. There's risk involved here, to be sure, but would six or seven solid innings really surprise you? Not me.
Chris Parmelee 1B, Twins (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.6 percent)
Since being called up from the minors on September 6, Parmelee is hitting .413 (19-for-46) with two homers, four doubles, nine RBI and a 6/7 K/BB ratio. This includes five straight multi-hit games. The 2006 first-round pick has coincidentally batted cleanup in each of his last five games, so he should continue to get plenty of chances to drive in runs. He could be a name to watch at first base next season if Justin Morneau continues to have difficulty with concussion issues and/or playing the field.
NL ONLY
Jerry Sands OF, Dodgers (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 3.2 percent)
Don't look now, but Sands is one of the hottest hitters in the majors at the moment. The 23-year-old scuffled in his first taste of the big leagues earlier this summer, but is batting .375 (18-for-48) with two homers, three doubles and nine RBI since returning on September. He's a no brainer add in NL-only leagues, but may also be worth a look in five-outfielder mixed formats.
Randall Delgado SP, Braves (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 4 percent)
Delgado continues to show plenty of promise. The 21-year-old right-hander has a 2.25 ERA over four starts in September and has allowed three earned runs or less in all of them. On the other hand, he has yet to go beyond five innings in a start and his 18/13 K/BB ratio over 30 innings this season is pretty underwhelming. I wouldn't touch him in mixed leagues quite yet, but he could make for a decent streaming option in NL-only leagues next Monday, especially if the Phillies field one of their B-lineups.
The 2011 Waiver Wired Awards:
A couple things before we get started. Last year I had each category named after an obscure Met from my lifetime. I didn't receive any complaints, so we're sticking with that this year.
Also, I admittedly whiffed on a few guys this season, so you won't see them below. This includes names like Emilio Bonifacio, Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera. But really, can you blame me? I did mention Brett Lawrie in a column earlier this season, but that was before he broke his left hand in early June. And yes, I did mention Desmond Jennings, but well before he was called up from the minors. Thanks Rays, for being so frustratingly unpredictable.
OK, let's get started.
The Phil Lombardi Award (best waiver wire catcher)
J.P. Arencibia is fourth among fantasy catchers in home runs and tied for third in RBI, but I'm going with Alex Avila since his strong season really came out of nowhere. After hitting .228 with seven homers and a .656 OPS last season, the 24-year-old backstop is batting .298/.390/.517 with 19 home runs, 77 RBI and a .907 OPS in 2011. He should be a top-five catcher on draft day next season.
The Roberto Petagine Award (best waiver wire first baseman)
Lance Berkman might be the biggest surprise among those who qualify at first base, but he was owned in most leagues even at the beginning of the season. That's why I'm giving this award to Mark Trumbo. The 25-year-old has filled in admirably for the injured Kendrys Morales, leading all major league rookies with 29 homers and 87 RBI.
The Jason Hardtke Award (best waiver wire second baseman)
Ryan Roberts was another one I missed out on, but I don't feel so bad since he's been pretty underwhelming in September. With that in mind, I'll give this award to Danny Espinosa. We knew he wouldn't post a high batting average, but the 24-year-old ranks fourth among fantasy second baseman with 21 homers and 10th with 64 RBI. He has also stolen 14 stolen bases and leads NL rookies in walks. Good enough for me. I think he'll be on the fringe of the top-10 options at second base on draft day next season.
The Al Pedrique Award (best waiver wire shortstop)
This was a pretty easy call. And no, I'm not talking about Asdrubal Cabrera, who was already owned in most leagues at the start of April. Two trips to the disabled list have limited him to just 123 games this season, but J.J. Hardy ranks second among major league shortstop with 28 homers and fourth with 75 RBI. He won't be able to shake the injure-prone tag, but should be in the 5-10 range among fantasy shortstops next season.
The Junior Noboa Award (best waiver wire third baseman)
We have seen awful production from third base this season, so I'll cheat here and use Alex Gordon. The 2005 first-round pick has enjoyed a breakout season in 2011, batting .303/.376/.502 with 23 homers, 45 doubles, 87 RBI, 17 stolen bases and an .879 OPS over 688 plate appearances. When people give examples of post-hype success stories from now on, Gordon's name should be mentioned prominently. He will lose his third base eligibility in 2012, which hurts somewhat, but he does enough to be a top 15-20 outfielder moving forward.
The Wayne Housie Award (best waiver wire outfielder)
Since I put Alex Gordon at third base, this was a pretty easy choice. Though he got off to a bit of a slow start, Mike Morse has been a revelation this season. After showing signs of a breakout in limited duty last year, the 29-year-old is batting .305/.362/.537 with 27 homers, 86 RBI and an .899 OPS. He'll likely play left field next season with Adam LaRoche slated to return from shoulder surgery, but he'll still have his eligibility at first base.
Some others that got my attention this season? Cameron Maybin (39 extra-base hits, 38 stolen bases, 80 runs scored), Josh Willingham (career-highs with 27 homers and 92 RBI), Dexter Fowler (34 extra-base hits, nine stolen bases and a .900 OPS since the All-Star break), Peter Bourjos (48 extra-base hits, 72 runs scored, 22 stolen bases) and Coco Crisp (third in majors with 42 stolen bases).
The Brett Hinchcliffe Award (best waiver wire SP)
Plenty to choose from here, but I'll give this one to Johnny Cueto. Though he only logged 156 innings this season, the 25-year-old right-hander posted a career-best 2.31 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He allowed more than three earned runs in just two of his 24 starts. That being said, if you rely on him as a fantasy ace in 2012, you will probably be disappointed.
Some others that were mentioned in this space (some of them more than once) include Doug Fister, John Danks, R.A. Dickey, Michael Pineda, Scott Baker and Brandon Beachy.
Javier Vazquez gets knocked down a few pegs due to a his poor first half, but he has posted a ridiculous 2.16 ERA and 87/16 K/BB ratio in 87 1/3 innings over 13 starts since I mentioned him here on July 14.
The Edwin Almonte Award (best waiver wire RP)
It wasn't too long ago that I thought I would have to choose between Sergio Santos and Fernando Salas, but it appears Jordan Walden is the last-man standing. The rookie right-hander took over the ninth-inning gig for the Angels in early-April and hasn't looked looked back, posting a 2.41 ERA, 31 saves and a 63/23 K/BB ratio over 56 innings.
Welcome to the 25th and final edition of Waiver Wired for the 2011 season. Has this year passed by in a flash or what? Anyway, like I said last week, if you are still reading this thing, that means you are likely still in the thick of things in your league. Good for you. I sincerely hope Rotoworld has made your season a little easier to navigate.
It has been a real privilege to write this column for a second straight season, but one of the best parts about this job is interacting with you, the reader. Please keep those e-mails and Tweets coming during the winter. I do my best to catch up on them throughout the week.
Just like I did last year, I'm handing out some Waiver Wired awards on the second page, so be sure to check those out after you take a gander at this week's recommendations. Farewell, good luck and most importantly, thanks for reading.
MIXED LEAGUES
Jason Bourgeois OF, Astros (Yahoo: 6 percent owned, ESPN: 13.9 percent)
Many assumed (your humble host included) that Bourgeois would get significant playing time following the trades of Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn. It hasn't exactly worked out that way due to the presence of J.D. Martinez, Jordan Schafer and Brian Bogusevic, but the 29-year-old outfielder continues to steal bases at a rapid rate. In fact, he has swiped seven bags in just 13 games this month. Be careful to watch Brad Mills' lineup card, but the speedy Bourgeois is legitimate weapon when given the opportunity.
Omar Infante 2B/3B/SS/OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 40 percent owned, ESPN: 47.9 percent)
Infante may not be tearing the cover off the ball like he did in late-July and August, but he does have three homers, five doubles, one triple, 10 RBI and 11 runs scored through 21 games this month. That's perfectly acceptable production for a second baseman or shortstop in deeper mixed leagues. Firmly entrenched as the primary No. 2 hitter in Jack McKeon's lineup, the impending free agent should have plenty of chances to deliver value the rest of the way.
Mike Aviles 2B/3B/SS, Red Sox (Yahoo: 20 percent owned, ESPN: 16.8 percent)
Kevin Youkilis continues to deal with a sports hernia and left hip soreness and while he hopes to hit before Friday's game against the Yankees, his status remains very much in doubt. Aviles, who was acquired from the Royals at the trade deadline, has at least stepped in admirably during his absence, hitting .375 (9-for-24) with two homers, three doubles and five runs scored over his last seven games. He even batted second in Thursday's loss to the Orioles. While his value may be fleeting, his multi-position eligibility should come in handy right now.
Mike Moustakas 3B, Royals (Yahoo: 19 percent owned, ESPN: 22.5 percent)
The late-season surge continues. After batting .283 last month, the rookie third baseman is hitting .318 (21-for-66) so far in September. He has homered three times in his last seven games after hitting just one home run over his first 73 games in the big leagues. The 23-year-old displayed immense power potential during his time in the minor leagues, so it's worth a shot in deeper leagues to see if he has finally figured things out.
Ben Revere OF, Twins (Yahoo: 9 percent owned, ESPN: 18.9 percent)
Revere is hitting .314 (22-for-70) this month, but that's not why I'm recommending him here. We're talking about someone whose fantasy value is directly tied to their speed. The rookie outfielder has 33 stolen bases in 42 attempts this season, including eight through 16 games this month. Denard Span returned to the lineup on Wednesday night, but Revere should see regular playing time in left field over the final week of the season. If you need steals, he is one of the best options available.
Santiago Casilla RP, Giants (Yahoo: 10 percent owned, ESPN: 11.7 percent)
Yes, Brian Wilson is back, but I'm not convinced that he'll handle a full workload the rest of the way. Casilla was the primary fill-in during his absence and would presumably get the nod if Bruce Bochy shies away from using him on back-to-back days. The Giants may even decide to shut Wilson down if or when they mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. With saves at a premium right now, I wouldn't give up on Casilla in deeper leagues.
Logan Morrison OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 29 percent owned, ESPN: 41.9 percent)
Morrison's sophomore campaign has been somewhat of a disappointment, but he has turned things on a bit in September. The 24-year-old is batting .291 (16-for-55) with four homers, eight RBI, a .945 OPS and an 8/9 K/BB ratio so far this month. Marlins manager Jack McKeon has batted him mostly fourth or fifth in recent days, so LoMo is in prime position to drive in some runs over the final week of the season.
Editor’s note: If you want to play Daily Salary Cap Fantasy Baseball for real money, check out SnapDraft here.
Suitable streamers:
Small sample size, but three out of our four streaming options from last week walked away with wins and all of them delivered quality starts. Not bad. Here are three options for this weekend. I don't want to leave you hanging for next week, but as you probably know, a lot of things are bound to change by then. With that in mind, look for two last-minute streaming options in Tuesday's edition of the Daily Dose.
Aaron Harang SP, Padres (Yahoo: 42 percent owned, ESPN: 26 percent)
vs. Dodgers on Saturday
Harang has four losses over his past six starts, but don't let that scare you away. The big right-hander has a nifty 2.92 ERA and 31/14 K/BB ratio over 37 innings during the same timespan. He has been one of my favorite spot-starters this season, especially at spacious PETCO Park, where he has a 3.29 ERA across 16 starts. The home run ball has hurt him a bit lately, but he's one of the better streaming options available this weekend.
Mike Minor SP, Braves (Yahoo: 21 percent owned, ESPN: 21 percent)
@ Washington on Sunday
Minor allowed four runs (including three home runs) over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Marlins on Monday, but the young left-hander has a 4.03 ERA and a terrific 46/13 ERA in 44 2/3 innings across eight starts since returning from the minors in early August. While he isn't pitching deep into games recently, completing six innings just once in his past five starts, he should continue to be an excellent source of strikeouts.
Cory Luebke RP/SP, Padres (Yahoo: 43 percent owned, ESPN: 43.8 percent)
vs. Dodgers on Sunday
It's stunning that Luebke is still so widely available, especially after he took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning in his last start Monday against the Rockies. The rookie left-hander has been a reliable fantasy option since moving to the starting rotation in late-June, posting a 3.23 ERA and 105/25 K/BB ratio over 94 2/3 innings. He'll face Clayton Kershaw on Sunday, which obviously isn't the easiest way to get a win, but I still like his chances of keeping the Dodgers' bats in check.
<!--RW-->AL ONLY
Francisco Liriano SP, Twins (Yahoo: 57 percent owned, ESPN: 40.2 percent)
First off, ignore the ownership numbers. At this point of the season, they are pretty worthless. The Twins floated the possibility of shutting Liriano down earlier this month, so there's at least a decent chance that he was dropped in most redraft leagues. Anyway, not only is Liriano back from the disabled list, but the Twins plan to give him a start during Saturday's doubleheader against the Indians. There's risk involved here, to be sure, but would six or seven solid innings really surprise you? Not me.
Chris Parmelee 1B, Twins (Yahoo: 1 percent owned, ESPN: 0.6 percent)
Since being called up from the minors on September 6, Parmelee is hitting .413 (19-for-46) with two homers, four doubles, nine RBI and a 6/7 K/BB ratio. This includes five straight multi-hit games. The 2006 first-round pick has coincidentally batted cleanup in each of his last five games, so he should continue to get plenty of chances to drive in runs. He could be a name to watch at first base next season if Justin Morneau continues to have difficulty with concussion issues and/or playing the field.
NL ONLY
Jerry Sands OF, Dodgers (Yahoo: 2 percent owned, ESPN: 3.2 percent)
Don't look now, but Sands is one of the hottest hitters in the majors at the moment. The 23-year-old scuffled in his first taste of the big leagues earlier this summer, but is batting .375 (18-for-48) with two homers, three doubles and nine RBI since returning on September. He's a no brainer add in NL-only leagues, but may also be worth a look in five-outfielder mixed formats.
Randall Delgado SP, Braves (Yahoo: 4 percent owned, ESPN: 4 percent)
Delgado continues to show plenty of promise. The 21-year-old right-hander has a 2.25 ERA over four starts in September and has allowed three earned runs or less in all of them. On the other hand, he has yet to go beyond five innings in a start and his 18/13 K/BB ratio over 30 innings this season is pretty underwhelming. I wouldn't touch him in mixed leagues quite yet, but he could make for a decent streaming option in NL-only leagues next Monday, especially if the Phillies field one of their B-lineups.
The 2011 Waiver Wired Awards:
A couple things before we get started. Last year I had each category named after an obscure Met from my lifetime. I didn't receive any complaints, so we're sticking with that this year.
Also, I admittedly whiffed on a few guys this season, so you won't see them below. This includes names like Emilio Bonifacio, Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera. But really, can you blame me? I did mention Brett Lawrie in a column earlier this season, but that was before he broke his left hand in early June. And yes, I did mention Desmond Jennings, but well before he was called up from the minors. Thanks Rays, for being so frustratingly unpredictable.
OK, let's get started.
The Phil Lombardi Award (best waiver wire catcher)
J.P. Arencibia is fourth among fantasy catchers in home runs and tied for third in RBI, but I'm going with Alex Avila since his strong season really came out of nowhere. After hitting .228 with seven homers and a .656 OPS last season, the 24-year-old backstop is batting .298/.390/.517 with 19 home runs, 77 RBI and a .907 OPS in 2011. He should be a top-five catcher on draft day next season.
The Roberto Petagine Award (best waiver wire first baseman)
Lance Berkman might be the biggest surprise among those who qualify at first base, but he was owned in most leagues even at the beginning of the season. That's why I'm giving this award to Mark Trumbo. The 25-year-old has filled in admirably for the injured Kendrys Morales, leading all major league rookies with 29 homers and 87 RBI.
The Jason Hardtke Award (best waiver wire second baseman)
Ryan Roberts was another one I missed out on, but I don't feel so bad since he's been pretty underwhelming in September. With that in mind, I'll give this award to Danny Espinosa. We knew he wouldn't post a high batting average, but the 24-year-old ranks fourth among fantasy second baseman with 21 homers and 10th with 64 RBI. He has also stolen 14 stolen bases and leads NL rookies in walks. Good enough for me. I think he'll be on the fringe of the top-10 options at second base on draft day next season.
The Al Pedrique Award (best waiver wire shortstop)
This was a pretty easy call. And no, I'm not talking about Asdrubal Cabrera, who was already owned in most leagues at the start of April. Two trips to the disabled list have limited him to just 123 games this season, but J.J. Hardy ranks second among major league shortstop with 28 homers and fourth with 75 RBI. He won't be able to shake the injure-prone tag, but should be in the 5-10 range among fantasy shortstops next season.
The Junior Noboa Award (best waiver wire third baseman)
We have seen awful production from third base this season, so I'll cheat here and use Alex Gordon. The 2005 first-round pick has enjoyed a breakout season in 2011, batting .303/.376/.502 with 23 homers, 45 doubles, 87 RBI, 17 stolen bases and an .879 OPS over 688 plate appearances. When people give examples of post-hype success stories from now on, Gordon's name should be mentioned prominently. He will lose his third base eligibility in 2012, which hurts somewhat, but he does enough to be a top 15-20 outfielder moving forward.
The Wayne Housie Award (best waiver wire outfielder)
Since I put Alex Gordon at third base, this was a pretty easy choice. Though he got off to a bit of a slow start, Mike Morse has been a revelation this season. After showing signs of a breakout in limited duty last year, the 29-year-old is batting .305/.362/.537 with 27 homers, 86 RBI and an .899 OPS. He'll likely play left field next season with Adam LaRoche slated to return from shoulder surgery, but he'll still have his eligibility at first base.
Some others that got my attention this season? Cameron Maybin (39 extra-base hits, 38 stolen bases, 80 runs scored), Josh Willingham (career-highs with 27 homers and 92 RBI), Dexter Fowler (34 extra-base hits, nine stolen bases and a .900 OPS since the All-Star break), Peter Bourjos (48 extra-base hits, 72 runs scored, 22 stolen bases) and Coco Crisp (third in majors with 42 stolen bases).
The Brett Hinchcliffe Award (best waiver wire SP)
Plenty to choose from here, but I'll give this one to Johnny Cueto. Though he only logged 156 innings this season, the 25-year-old right-hander posted a career-best 2.31 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He allowed more than three earned runs in just two of his 24 starts. That being said, if you rely on him as a fantasy ace in 2012, you will probably be disappointed.
Some others that were mentioned in this space (some of them more than once) include Doug Fister, John Danks, R.A. Dickey, Michael Pineda, Scott Baker and Brandon Beachy.
Javier Vazquez gets knocked down a few pegs due to a his poor first half, but he has posted a ridiculous 2.16 ERA and 87/16 K/BB ratio in 87 1/3 innings over 13 starts since I mentioned him here on July 14.
The Edwin Almonte Award (best waiver wire RP)
It wasn't too long ago that I thought I would have to choose between Sergio Santos and Fernando Salas, but it appears Jordan Walden is the last-man standing. The rookie right-hander took over the ninth-inning gig for the Angels in early-April and hasn't looked looked back, posting a 2.41 ERA, 31 saves and a 63/23 K/BB ratio over 56 innings.
