Waiver Wire Pick Up: 3B Jake Lamb
By Bill Pivetz
Apr 6, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jake Lamb hits a three RBI double in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
In just the first three games, there have been a lot of surprises. Adrian Gonzalez hitting three home runs in a game is a nice performance, Jason Grilli looks good in Atlanta and plenty of others. However, there is one player who made an even bigger impact. He would be Jake Lamb the third baseman of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In a deeper or NL-only league, Lamb should be picked up off the waiver wire.
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Despite not getting the start on Opening Day, Lamb drove in three RBI in just one at bat. He then got the start the next day. He went 1-for 3 with a home run and and four total RBI. He now had seven RBI in his first two games. Lamb went 0-for-3 in his third game on Wednesday.
Even though he didn’t get a hit on Wednesday, Lamb is still a player worth picking up. He has power and can get on base. In 2014, between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit 15 home runs, 84 RBI, 53 walks with a .327 average and .407 OBP.
As I mentioned, Lamb is not worth picking up in a standard league. There are far too many players you would pass up on to grab Lamb. Even in deeper leagues, the at bats might not always be there. Then again, with the waiver wire pretty thin, he might be your only option for power.
The Diamondbacks started Aaron Hill over him on Opening Day. A platoon at third base doesn’t help either man’s fantasy value. If Lamb can outplay Hill both at the plate and on the field, he could take the starting job.
I already picked him up in my 12-team league and will slot him in whenever my third baseman or corner infielder has an off day. He is a very risky waiver-wire pick this early in the season. However, because it’s so early, he may pan out to be a top-15 third baseman.
Right now, Lamb is owned in 11 percent of ESPN.com leagues. There has been a 10.7-percent uptick over the last few days. While he won’t drive in seven RBI every week, he should be a good source of power when called upon.