Whether you play in fantasy baseball leagues for money or for fun, you want to pay attention to the waiver wire in your league. Here are some tips to help you find some good hitting waiver wire picks for free fantasy baseball leagues, as well as for fantasy baseball leagues for money.

Jed Lowrie – SS, Oakland Athletics

Lowrie made his big-league debut with the Red Sox in 2008. Through five seasons, he has yet to play in 100 games, spending time on the disabled list for a range of issues including wrist surgery and mononucleosis. In 2012 with Houston, Lowrie had 14 HR at the break before missing much of the second half with leg injuries.  Through 15 games, Lowrie was hitting .412 with 3 HR, 13 RBI and 14 runs while batting second, third, fourth and fifth in the Oakland lineup.

Get four more waiver wire warrior picks for your team AFTER the jump… 

Coco Crisp – OF, Oakland Athletics

Crisp is typically a good source for steals – 120 over the last three seasons – but is frequently hurt (only 380 games played over the last four seasons) and his non-steal stats are usually uninspiring. But through 13 games in 2013, Crisp has four homers, eight RBI, 16 runs, four steals and a .333 BA.  Crisp has good career numbers in games at Oakland Coliseum. In 751 AB, Crisp has 76 steals, 114 runs, 18 HR, 90 RBI and a .286 BA.

Mark Reynolds – 1B-3B, Cleveland Indians

The all-or-nothing Reynolds hit 113 HR from 2009-11, though he also hit .198 in 2010 and .221 in 2011. In 2012, Reynolds had just 7 HR, 23 RBI and a .207 BA in the first half, but finished strong with 9 HR, 24 RBI and a .231 BA. In his first 13 games of 2013, Reynolds picked up where he left off, with 5 HR, 13 RBI and a .255 BA.

John Buck – C, New York Mets

Buck was a barely-noticed part of the Mets’ blockbuster trade of Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays, which brought back top catching prospect Travis D’Arnaud. Buck was supposed to be a placeholder at catcher until D’Arnaud reaches the majors, perhaps in June. Some placeholder – Buck had six homers, 19 RBI and a .300 BA through 14 games.  Mets catchers had five homers combined in all of 2012.

Evan Gattis – C, Atlanta Braves

Gattis, now 26, was out of baseball entirely from 2006 to 2010 as a result of substance abuse and depression issues. As with Buck, he was meant to be a placeholder at catcher – Brian McCann began the season on the DL. But with Gattis hitting .279 with five HR and 12 RBI in 12 games, the Braves are batting him cleanup, behind red-hot Justin Upton, suggesting that they could try to find some way to keep him in the lineup once McCann returns.

To learn more about fantasy baseball leagues for money, click here.

Ben Hargrove writes on fantasy sports for sites like DraftStreet.

Whether you play in daily fantasy sports sites for money, or longer leagues for fun, you might want to pay attention to the waiver wire. You may be able to find some good picks for your fantasy baseball team. Here are some picks to consider:

Paul Maholm, Atlanta Braves

Maholm was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA after winning his first three starts. He struck out 20 in 20 1/3 IP. Maholm, who turns 31 in June, has a career ERA of 4.20 with a record of 69-84. But he had a 2.84 ERA and 1.10 WHIP after the break in 2012 while playing for the Chicago Cubs and the Braves. Maholm has a career 2.54 ERA in ten starts at Turner Field.

To find four more waiver wire wonders for your pitching staff, get more AFTER the jump… 

Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians

Masterson won his first two starts, both on the road, against Toronto and Tampa Bay. Masterson won three of his first four starts. He had a 1.67 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, with 25 K in 27 IP. Masterson was acquired by the Indians when they dealt Victor Martinez to the Red Sox at the 2009 trading deadline.  He went 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 2011, but regressed to 11-15, 4.93 ERA and 1.45 WHIP last season. His K/9 was under 7 both years.

Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins

20-year-old Fernandez made his big-league debut against the Mets April 7, striking out eight in 5 IP and giving up 1 ER, 3 hits and 1 walk. Fernandez had a 3.60 ERA, 1.13 WHIP with 17 K in 15 IP in three starts. The fourteenth overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft finished 2012 with a 14-1 record, 1.75 ERA 0.925 WHIP and 10.6 K/9, but Fernandez did not pitch in any league higher than High-A.

Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants

Zito allowed no runs in 14 IP while winning his first two starts, which came at home against St. Louis and Colorado.  But he then had an ugly outing in Milwaukee, allowing nine ER in 2 2/3 IP. After struggling most of his time in San Francisco, he went 15-8 in 2012, though he still had a 4.15 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 5.6 K/9. But Zito excelled in the postseason, winning two of three starts with an ERA of 1.69.

Jhoulys Chacin, Colorado Rockies

After three starts, Chacin had a 1.96 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 11 K in 18 1/3 IP. Chacin had a good rookie year in 2010, particular for a Rockies pitcher, with a 3.28 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, while fanning 138 in 137 1/3. But his numbers were not quite as good in 2011 and they fell off 2012 to a 4.43 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 5.9 K/9 in 14 starts, as Chacin missed a lot of time with shoulder troubles. But the Rockies still signed Chacin to a two-year deal in the offseason worth $6.5M.

These picks for daily fantasy sports sites can help you. To learn more about daily fantasy sports sites, click here.

Ben Hargrove writes on fantasy sports for sites like DraftStreet.

If you play season-long, daily, or weekly fantasy baseball, you know how important sleeper picks are. Here are some top choices for sleeper picks that can help you in a variety of fantasy baseball leagues, including weekly fantasy baseball.

Starters

Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners

After four starts, Iwakuma had a 1.69 ERA, 0.53 WHIP and 18 strikeouts with two walks in 26 2/3 IP.  In his first season in MLB after coming over from Japan, Iwakuma had a 3.16 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, but his numbers improved after he moved from the bullpen to the rotation in July. As a starter, Iwakuma was 8-4 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. For the season, Iwakuma had a 2.49 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in Seattle vs. a 4.20 ERA and 1.42 WHIP on the road.

Get two more sleeper starters and two more sleeper relievers AFTER the jump… 

Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals

After a strong showing in his MLB debut late last season, Miller was named the Cardinals’ fifth starter this spring. In his first three starts, Miller had a 1.96 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and struck out 18 in 18 1/3 IP.  In 78 starts in the minors, Miller had a K/9 of 11/1. He was the 19^th overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft.

Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves

After a great spring, Teheran, now 22, appeared ready to fulfill the promise he showed when he went 15-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 2011 while in 2011 before regressing in 2012 when his ERA soared to 5.08. But after making the Braves rotation, Teheran struggled. In his first three starts, he had a 7.31 ERA.

Relievers

Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals

With closer Greg Holland struggling early, Herrera got a chance to pick up a save on April 7. In his next appearance, he earned a save on April 10. By mid-April, Holland was doing better, but if he runs into more trouble, Herrera, who had 12 K in his first 7 IP, would appear to be next in line to close.

Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals closer Jason Motte may be headed for Tommy John surgery. Interim closer Mitchell Boggs has struggled, so the Cardinals may be turning to journeyman Edward Mujica. While Rosenthal has also struggled early, he could still be next in line after Mujica.  Rosenthal looked good in limited action during the 2012 season, then dazzled during the postseason, fanning 15 in 8 2/3 IP and allowing no runs, two hits and two walks.

For more information on fantasy baseball, including weekly fantasy baseball leagues, click here.

Ben Hargrove writes on fantasy sports for sites like DraftStreet.

If you play season-long, weekly, or daily fantasy sports, it is important to find sleeper picks. Here are our top sleeper picks for hitting for fantasy baseball, including tips for daily fantasy sports. But act now, before somebody else picks these sleeper picks up.

Dexter Fowler – OF, Colorado Rockies  

Fowler had seven HR, 10 RBI and 13 runs in his first 14 games.  Fowler’s career high in HR is 13, set last season. He hit 11 of the 13 before the All-Star break.  While Fowler, now 27, stole 27 bases in 2009, he has not stolen more than 13 in a season since. Fowler hit .300 in 2012 (.332 at home and .262 on the road).

Get four more sleeper picks for hitting AFTER the jump… 

Matt Carpenter – 1B-2B-3B-OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Carpenter had 14 runs in his first 15 games and a .276 BA, not great for a corner infield spot, but with David Freese off the disabled list, he stopped filling in at third and moved over to second, where he now has eligibility in Yahoo! and should gain eligibility in other leagues soon.  Carpenter hit .294 with a .828 OPS in 296 AB in 2012. In Game 3 of the NLCS, Carpenter came in for an injured Carlos Beltran and homered off of Matt Cain to put the Cardinals ahead to stay.

Brandon Belt – 1B, San Francisco Giants

Belt was a trendy preseason pick after hitting eight homers in spring training. In 2012, he hit .275 with a .360 OBP and hit .304 in the NLCS. Belt saw his ownership drop in the first ten days of the season after getting off to a .148 start (4-for-27). Belt, who missed a couple of days with a stomach illness that required an IV, was still struggling in mid-April, but remained in the Giants lineup.

Starling Marte – OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

On April 10, Marte had two hits for the fifth straight game. In his first 15 games, Marte had 21 hits and a .333 BA. Marte made his MLB debut in late July 2012 and had five HR and 12 steals in 167 AB while hitting .257. As the Pirates’ leadoff hitter, he could put up some good runs scored totals if the Pirates’ offense picks up.

Stephen Drew – SS, Boston Red Sox

Drew had 15 HR, 10 steals and a .278 BA as recently as 2010, but an ankle injury in 2011 wrecked his next two seasons.  Drew signed a one-year, $9.5 million deal with Boston, then suffered a concussion in early March and did not make his Red Sox debut until April 10, going right into the starting lineup with previous Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias getting sent to the minors despite hitting .450 (9-for-20).

For more tips on daily fantasy sports, click here.

Ben Hargrove writes on fantasy sports for sites like DraftStreet.

If this sounds exciting, then you’re probably going to enjoy fantasy baseball. We know we have some beginners out there that would benefit greatly from a simple overview of what fantasy baseball is – and is not.  Here is a snapshot of how the game of fantasy baseball works.

1.    Start by joining a league- Begin by joining a free public league. Some leagues are invitation only, so if you were invited to play, start by entering the password or confirmation number for that league. Most of these league websites include social networking, free live scoring, auction drafts, fantasy casts, expert analysis, and mock or live draft lobby (also known as a chat room). There are some that play for fun and others that play for money. Choosing a league that fits your knowledge and time requirements is an important aspect of fantasy baseball. Some leagues have weekly updates, some allow you to adjust your time day-to-day. Fine one that you’re comfortable with and can devote some time to.

2.    Prepare the league draft by scouting—After joining the league, then comes the fun part, the draft. Before you choose your players, you must first know what players are available to play which positions, and their injury status. You don’t want to be “that guy” who drafts a guy in the first round that probably isn’t going to play until the All-Star Break.

3.    Start picking your team—Most leagues also offer auto-draft options that will pick the best player (based on projected stats) each round until your team is full. Try to avoid this and be on the lookout for “sleepers” or players that sneak under the radar that could contribute to your team. Big name players are who to draft in the first few rounds, and then it’s sleeper time. The difference between success and failure is often an unheralded guy that has a huge season.

4.    Let the games begin! —There are two different ways to play fantasy baseball; Rotisserie League or head-to-head format. The head-to-head format is when your team is matched to play a different team every week to acquire wins through total points scored that week. Teams at the end of the season that have the most points enter the playoffs.

Another version to play is the Rotisserie League that uses each player’s statistics to then be ranked by category, and the team with the highest stats is the winner. These stats are compiled from the total team batting average, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases, wins, saves, and earned run average.

5.    Manage your team—As the owner of the team you have the ability to trade players or add/remove them during the season. That highly touted young shortstop not living up to the hype? Cut him. Sign on the sly vet instead. Leading the league by a wide margin in stolen bases, but not hitting any home runs? Drop one of your speedsters and pick up a long ball threat.

6.    Take your team to the playoffs—Getting to the playoffs takes a great deal of strategy and research. If you enter a prize league, you can even win money at the end of the season. Of course, it generally takes money to enter these leagues, but some actually make a living off of it. I know a guy personally that quit a six-figure job to play fantasy baseball full time. You can imagine the looks he got explaining that one to his family. The thing is, he’s actually making more money playing in multiple money leagues than he did at his past job and last I heard, he had consulted an independent financial advisor about writing off fantasy funds… Talk about living the dream.

The different decisions you make throughout fantasy baseball can impact a number of different things you would have never thought of, such as how successful you are in the league, to even financial issues such as the cost of living. No matter what league you choose to play in fantasy baseball is an often frustrating, but very rewarding game for any hardcore baseball fan. Knowing the basics puts you ahead of most fantasy baseball rookies and gives you the fundamentals to succeed in this highly competitive arena.

Good luck, and play ball!

Intercontinental Hotels Group (or IHG), the hotels group behind Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, have been teamed up with Major League Baseball as the “Official Partner of MLB Road Trips” since 2009.

There are hundreds of these hotels throughout the US and Canada, so as you travel this season to every major league ballpark, Holiday Inn will likely offer you an ideal place to stay as you travel to an away game to see your favorite team.

We’ve scoured the internet to bring you video clips of the best Holiday Inn has to offer as the official sponsor of MLB Road Trips – courtesy of our friends at two Holiday Inn locations – this lovely Baton Rouge hotel and this lovely Holiday Inn hotel in Columbia, Missouri.

After the jump, check out 3 Holiday Inn videos featuring Major League Baseball… and let us know which one you like best. 

Check out the latest Holiday Inn commercial with our partners at Major League Baseball. At Holiday Inn, we’re not just changing one hotel. We’re completely refreshing all of them. That’s 3,296 hotels in 77 countries. You’ll notice big changes from the moment you set foot in a Holiday Inn hotel.

Ozzie “The Wizard” Smith, MLB Hall of Famer shares his thoughts on the Holiday Inn Pay it Forward” campaign. As MLB’s Official Partner of Road Trips, Holiday Inn has committed to donate 5,000 baseball tickets to MLB’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.

David “Big Papi” Ortiz, MLB All-Star shares his thoughts on the Holiday Inn Pay it Forward” campaign. As MLB’s Official Partner of Road Trips, Holiday Inn has committed to donate 5,000 baseball tickets to MLB’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.

There are some 1,400 Holiday Inn hotels worldwide and the brand is perhaps the most internationally recognisable in its sector.

The new deal represents a continuation of the largest relationship in US professional sports between a league property and a hotelier.

It was a busy and chaotic offseason for many Major League Baseball teams. There were some unexpected signings, while other teams didn’t experience much movement at all. 2013, promises to be an exciting season. The balance of power may finally be shifting in several divisions, giving hope to fans of teams who have not tasted success in a long time. Here are some teams to keep an eye on in 2013:

San Diego Padres

With manager Bud Black at the helm, the Padres have a leader that is one of the most respected men in baseball. Third baseman Chase Headley could have an MVP award in his future. The team is most likely going to have one of the better bullpens in the National League. The strength of the bullpen has been a tradition ever since Kevin Towers became the GM. Their 3.24 ERA ranked them fifth in the league last season. However, defense is another issue entirely. Only the Rockies had a worse fielding percentage in the NL. If they have any hope of making a run at the wild card, the defense must improve significantly. Some of the defensive miscues can be blamed on the youth and inexperience of the team.

Cleveland Indians

Rookie RHP Trevor Bauer will be in the spotlight in 2013. This will be his first full season anbd things are expected of the former first round draft pick. The Shin-Soo Choo era officially came to an end during the offseason. He was traded to the Reds along with Tony Sipp for Bauer and Drew Stubbs. This was inevitable because Choo had refused to sign a longterm contract. The Tribe was the biggest surprise of the offseason in terms of free agents. They signed two big name free agents and gave up two draft picks to do so. Nick Swisher signed a four-year, $56 million contract. The 24 homers he hit last year will be welcome in a lineup that only hit 136 homers last year, the second-lowest total in the league. The other big name was Michael Bourn, who signed a four-year $48 million contract. The deal includes a fifth year vesting option that is worth $12 million.

Boston Red Sox

It’s hard to call the Red Sox a sleeper team, considering their payroll is so high. However, that is exactly what they are. This is a result of last season’s debacle with Bobby Valentine at the helm. This is in addition to their September collapse of 2011. Most people don’t give them much of a shot to do anything in 2013. Their rotation of Doubront, Dempster, Lackey, Lester and Buchholz is better than people seem to think it, assuming they can stay healthy. Speaking of staying healthy, that will be a key for David Ortiz this year. There is no question he still has good bat speed. The issue will be keeping him on the field for 150 games.

Pittsburgh Pirates

If ever there was a team that needed a good season, it is the Pirates. They have endured 20 consecutive losing seasons, a Major League record. However, there is some light at the end of the long, dark tunnel. Andrew McCutchen has already established himself as a star player. The pitching staff of Karstens, Rodriguez, McDonald, Liriano and Burnett is the best they have had since some guy named Bonds was played left field for them. Sterling Marte will be tested in his first shot at playing full-time in he majors. The NL Central is a weak division. That should only help the Pirates this season.

Shane Ghoulson is a freelance sports blogger, currently residing in Mexico City, Mexico. He loves watching some of the young talent that plays in the coastal Mexico baseball leagues.

Then again, pretty sure Kershaw wouldn’t last three Mississippi’s in the pocket with Matthews lining up on the other side of the field.

From the press release…

CytoSport™, one of the largest sports nutrition companies in the U.S. and parent company to Muscle Milk®, announced today that it has signed an exclusive partnership with Cy Young Award winner and two-time All-Star Clayton Kershaw.   As part of the partnership, Muscle Milk has committed $100 for every strikeout he throws during the program period to Kershaw’s Challenge, a nonprofit organization founded by Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, to assist at-risk children and provide valuable resources for underserved communities in Zambia, Los Angeles and their hometown of Dallas.  

“Muscle Milk shares my vision and passion for making a difference, and I’m excited to join their team,” said Kershaw.  “I’m not only thankful for their part in my daily fitness and nutrition routine, but also that they’ve taken this partnership to the next level by supporting Kershaw’s Challenge, an initiative very important to me.”

Motivated by his desire to use the platform of baseball to make a difference in the lives of others, Kershaw himself will donate $500 per strikeout as part of his #PITCHING4PURPOSE social media campaign. Individuals who also want to contribute can go to his website, www.kershawschallenge.com, and make their own pledge.

Kershaw enters his sixth season in the big leagues with numerous accolades and honors to his credit, including the Cy Young, Gold Glove and Pitcher’s Triple Crownin 2011 and also was named the 2011 Sportsman of the Year by the Los Angeles Sports Council. He led the National League in ERA each of the last two seasons and was honored with the prestigious 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes his dedication to philanthropy.

“Clayton is one of the best pitchers in the league, which makes him a great fit for the Muscle Milk brand, but we’re equally interested in what he stands for off the field,” said CytoSport Senior Vice President of Marketing John Peirano.  “He is an amazing athlete, role model and philanthropist, and we’re proud to support his personal and professional goals.”

Kershaw will be featured in Los Angeles-specific marketing and advertising programs to coincide with Muscle Milk’s exclusive partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  He will also be highlighted as one of the brand’s marquee national athletes.

He joins an elite roster of Muscle Milk athletes including basketball big man Tyson Chandler, linebacker Clay Matthews, tight end Aaron Hernandez, second baseman Ian Kinsler, supercross champion Justin Barcia and snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler.

Major League Baseball and digital cable and telco providers around the country announce the 2013 season of the MLB EXTRA INNINGS package, distributed nationally by iN DEMAND. This season, a free preview will run for seven days, from April 1 through 7, pitching out an exciting inaugural week of about 80 games.  The full package delivers a total of well over 2,000 out-of-market baseball game telecasts during the regular season, including up to 80 games each week. The early bird offer for digital customers is $189, a $10 savings off of the full-season price if they order before April 8.  Systems will then offer the package at last year’s price of $199 (SRP)* for the regular season. Included enhancements are dual-broadcast feeds and the popular multi-screen mosaic.

This season iN DEMAND will distribute the MLB EXTRA INNINGS package to the following cable, telco and other video providers: Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Bright House Networks, FiOS TV, Charter Communications, Cablevision Systems, RCN, Midcontinent, Service Electric Cable TV, MetroCast Communications and many independent affiliates serving avid fans across the nation. 

This year’s enhancements include:

DUAL FEEDS: iN DEMAND delivers both the home and visiting team broadcasts of the same game whenever possible, so that fans can choose which telecast they want to watch.

MULTI-SCREEN MOSAIC: Fans can preview which game to watch with this popular rotating mosaic of multiple screens that shows all the available live action from games being played at the time, along with scores, inning and channel location. It can be found on the last channel of the MLB Extra Innings lineup.

HD: Many games are provided in HDTV, but carriage varies by system.

More information about MLB EXTRA INNINGS is available at www.getbaseball.com, where baseball fans can enter their zip code to find the package channel locations on their system and the current schedule.

Residential customers or commercial establishments can order by calling 1-888-SPORTS-iN or their local video provider directly.