Waiver Saviors: 04/21/2010

Waiver Saviors will look at players available in a majority of leagues that are having a statistical impact over the last 7 days and could be worth owning, if you have the need. Waiver pickups are all about filling a need with a player(s) that is currently hot and beating your fellow owners to the punch. The stats in parenthesis are a summary of the past week's data.

HITTERS

• 2B Alberto Callaspo, KC (9/25, .360 BA, 4 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB) continues to perform and should see regular playing time while Chris Getz is on the DL. 3B eligibility in Yahoo! leagues. (9% E; 31% Y! owned)
• 1B/3B Ty Wigginton, BAL (7/23, .304 BA, 6 R, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB) is making the most of his playing time as a fill-in for Brian Roberts and Miguel Tejada. 2B eligibility in Yahoo! leagues. (15% E; 29% Y!)
• C Ivan Rodriguez, WAS (12/26, .462 BA, 7 R, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB) is hitting. Any catcher that is hitting should be owned! If you are hanging onto a guy like Ryan Doumit, why not bail on him and take a shot at where Rodriguez goes. Odds are no one is dying to pick up Doumit, at this point. (43% E; 53% Y!)
• 2B Mike McCoy, TOR (6/15, .400 BA, 4 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3 SB) is filling in for the injured Aaron Hill and making the most of his opportunities. If your team is decimated by injuries or you play in a very deep mixed league with large rosters and positions like INF, MI or 2B/SS, McCoy could be a nice temporary filler. (0.1% E; 0% Y!)
• OF Josh Willingham, WAS (5/22, .227 BA, 7 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB) has walked 9 times over his last 7 games and continues to produce. Definitely worth owning at this point. (61% E; 55% Y!)
• 3B/OF Jose Bautista, TOR (7/23, .304 BA, 4 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB) has been dropped to 6th in the Blue Jays lineup, leading to more RBI opportunities. (1% E; 4% Y!) 
• OF Jim Edmonds, MIL (7/18, .389 BA, 5 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB) keeps stealing at-bats from Corey Hart and making the most of those opportunities. Hopefully he finds his power stroke soon. (1% E; 2% Y!)
• SS Cristian Guzman, WAS (11/27, .407 BA, 5 R, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB) is getting playing time at SS and 2B and making it count. Either Ian Desmond or Adam Kennedy could be in danger of losing their starting job if Guzman continues to perform. Already 2B eligible in Yahoo! leagues. (2% E; 23% Y!)
• DH Andruw Jones, CHW (6/16, .375 BA, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB) is performing and could be a nice source of cheap power while he's hot. He's a little more versatile in Yahoo! leagues, having already become OF eligible. (3% E; 11% Y!)
• 1B Casey Kotchman, SEA (6/18, .333 BA, 4 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB) is the only Mariner hitting right now. He accounted for both of the teams only HRs this past week (let that settle in) and should be owned in deeper leagues with a CI position. (5% E; 8% Y!)

PITCHERS

• SP Jason Vargas, SEA (13 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 2.08 ERA, .204 OBA, 0.77 WHIP, 7.62 K/9) is doing his best to stay in the rotation once Cliff Lee is activated from the DL. (0.3% E; 1% Y!)
• RP Fernando Rodney, LAA (5 IP, 1 H, 5 SV, .063 OBA, 7.20 K/9) did an incredible job filling in for Fuentes as the closer and shouldn't be dropped until Fuentes proves he's healthy or if your league uses Holds. (31% E; 51% Y!)
• CL Matt Lindstrom, HOU (4 IP, 3 SV, 13.50 K/9) is raking up the saves quickly (3 in the last 3 games) and has a firm hold on the closer role, for now, ha. (44% E; 41% Y!)
• SP Mike Pelfrey, NYM (15 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 0 ER, .236 OBA, 0.87 WHIP, 7.20 K/9, 1 SV) has done it all this week and looks to be living up to fantasy expectations. Stream him if you are afraid to lock him up as a starter on your staff. (17% E; 43% Y!)
• SP Randy Wells, CHC (12.1 IP, 1 QS, 0-0, 3.65 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 8.76 K/9) has gone at least six innings in all three starts this season and has some nice potential. (11% E; 74% Y!)
• RP Kevin Jepsen, LAA (3 IP, 4 HLD, 15.00 K/9, 5.00 K/BB) is a must-own if your league uses Holds and worth keeping an eye on for your bullpen with a 10.29 K/9 this season. (0.1% E; 4% Y!)
• SP Brad Penny, STL (14 IP, 2 QS, 2-0, 1.29 ERA, .231 OBA, 0.86 WHIP, 5.79 K/9, 9.00 K/BB) is flourishing in St. Louis, having thrown 7 IP in each of his 3 starts this season with a 13:3 K:BB ratio. (49% E; 51% Y!)
• RP Burke Badenhop, FLA (3.2 IP, 0 H, 1 SV, 1 HLD, 9.82 K/9) is working his way into the bullpen mix for Holds and opportune Saves. Deeper, mixed leagues using Holds are made for guys like this. (0.4% E; 6% Y!)
• SP Jaime Garcia, STL (7 IP, 1 QS, 0-0, 1 H, 0 ER, 6.43 K/9) is proving he's legit with his 13:5 IP:H ratio. He's flying under the fantasy radar for most, so now is as good as time as ever to give him a start. (7% E; 21% Y!)
• RP Joba Chamberlain, NYY (4.2 IP, 2 HLD, .188 OBA, 0.64 WHIP, 13.50 K/9) is back to his old self as the Yankees' setup man and should be owned in leagues utilizing Holds. Would be next in line for Saves if Mariona Rivera can't go or suffers an injury. (30% E; 28% Y!)

Any other guys out there that you've picked up off waivers recently that are paying off dividends?