Fantasy Baseball: Joe Nathan and Top 12 Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16

Considering the 2011 baseball season is reaching it's half way point, with injuries to top-notch players like Alex Rodriguez and Jose Reyes, there are many situations that are unfortunately going to effect fantasy owners for the next few months.

Playing your league's waiver wire and grabbing some well deserving free market options, could be the difference in winning in July, or not.

It's always important to know who's out there and what type of measurements you should take to get them.

Be careful and let the long break and short fantasy week play to your advantage, giving you time to gauge exactly what you'll need to make a successful run come playoff time.

With that said, taking into consideration their efforts thus far over the first half of the year, here are the top-12 waiver wire pickups heading into Week 16.

12. Zack Cozart, SS, Cincinnati Reds

Zack Cozart isn't going to eclipse 3,000 hits anytime soon, but he could be a serviceable option in these shortstop ridden fantasy days.

With Jose Reyes, Jason Bartlett, and Jed Lowrie all down with injuries, grabbing the rookie infielder may be a smart decision even in mixed leagues.

I recently wrote about Cozart and how he would stack up against big league pitching, and my assumptions haven't changed.

He's a shortstop version of Drew Stubbs.

With power, speed, and good extra-base hitting ability, Cozart is a dual-threat for 20 or more points a week.

However, with his high strikeout total and sub-par average, he's more or less a borderline starting option in deep mixed leagues.

With that said, he's currently hitting .313 through his first four games, so he's clearly adapting fairly well.

Once the power and speed assets kick in, Cozart could be atop this list.

11. Eric Thames, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

After being given the full-time job in the Toronto Blue Jays outfield, rookie Eric Thames has been absolutely killing the ball.

Following his three-hit, home run game on Sunday, Thames is currently hitting .308 through 104 at-bats.

That kind of production deserves recognition.

The 24-year-old is sitting on four home runs, 11 RBI, six doubles, and two triples through his first 28 games, making him a viable option in nearly all mixed leagues.

During his minor league career, Thames proved to be just a solid all-around bat, showing his .280 hitting ability and 20 home run potential.

Going forward into the second half, considering he's hitting in front of Adam Lind and Jose Bautista, Thames' runs and plate opportunities are only going to get better.

Consider him a nice addition to most rosters.

10. Eduardo Nunez, 3B, New York Yankees

Eduardo Nunez's value going forward is strictly on a one month basis.

Consider him as a fantasy loan.

His short-term ability over the next few weeks is going to be one to watch, taking over for the injured Alex Rodriguez at third base for the New York Yankees.

Nunez is a talented prospect, offering good pop and excellent run scoring ability in a lineup like New York.

Through roughly 110 at-bats this season, after filling in for the injured Derek Jeter for the majority of the month of June, Nunez is hitting .279 with three home runs and 10 stolen bases.

Even more impressive is his 9:7 K:BB ratio, making him a trustworthy option in many leagues.

Nunez has shown flashes of becoming a great all-around player when either Jeter retires or an injury like A-Rod's comes along, so count on the 25-year-old to offer your team some consistent scoring and potential for a serious power-speed combo.

9. Brett Cecil, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

Does anyone remember that Brett Cecil won 15 games for the Toronto Blue Jays and fantasy owners alike in 2010?

Well, consider that your reminder.

Cecil just turned in his best start of the season Sunday afternoon, throwing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts, out-dueling Carlos Carrasco for his second victory of the season.

His last start against Boston, Cecil pitched eight innings of three-run ball, but ended up losing a tight divisional showdown.

With all of that said, the 25-year-old lefty has to be considered a viable option in the majority of fantasy leagues.

He proved last year that he can be a successful pitcher even in an offensively heavy division like the AL East, going 15-7 in 28 starts.

Cecil's young, hungry to prove to the Jays that he's ready to reclaim his rotation spot, and could end up helping owners win some close weeks down the stretch.

It may be wise to wait one more start, but it looks like he's back to old form.

8. Rubby De La Rosa, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Yet another successful young pitcher to enter the MLB this season.

And another one that's been raising some eyebrows around a variety of fantasy leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Rubby De La Rosa has arguably been a perfect pitcher through his first seven games, considering the offense he plays for and raw ability he possesses.

Over his last three starts, spanning 20 innings, De La Rosa has struck out 17 while allowing only 18 base runners, which turns out to be a WHIP of less than 1.00.

During that stretch, the rookie has allowed only four runs, despite losing two of the three contests.

Going forward, De La Rosa should see action for the rest of the year considering he was recently called up a month and a half ago.

He's averaging nearly a strikeout-per-inning and could easily become a big-time fantasy option if the Dodgers offense and bullpen show some consistency.

Consider De La Rosa a borderline must-add in deeper mixed leagues.

7. Alex Presley, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Forget about Andrew McCutchen, there's a new outfielder in Pittsburgh.

His name is Alex Presley and he's arguably been the hottest hitter in baseball over the last few weeks.

Through only 13 games, Presley is batting .365 with a home run, three triples, two doubles, two stolen bases, six RBI and only nine strikeouts.

At this point, the 25-year-old should be considered a must-add in deep mixed leagues and a viable option in any fantasy format.

He simply continues to rake.

The only problem for Presley heading into the second half of the season is the fact that outfielder Jose Tabata is due back from the DL after the break, so it's going to be a toss-up as to whether or not the Pirates decide to start the rookie over Garrett Jones in right.

6. Javier Vazquez, SP, Florida Marlins

Don't look now, but Javier Vazquez is making a fantasy comeback.

Over his last five starts, the unpredictable veteran has allowed only four runs in 30.1 innings, creating a lot of speculation as to what owners should expect from the 34-year-old after the All-Star break.

Realistically, there's literally no chance Vazquez pitches like he did with Atlanta in 2009, but he's showed over the last month that he's ready to be considered a viable option once again.

His WHIP is going to be high, strikeouts above-average, and his winning ability should increase a little bit in the next few months considering the resurgence of Hanley Ramirez in Florida's offense.

He's worth a look in all mixed leagues.

5. Dontrelle Willis, SP, Cincinnati Reds

If you thought the last slide was a little rambunctious, this one takes the cake.

Dontrelle Willis, ladies and gentlemen, is back in full effect.

After his first start with the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, pitching six innings of two-run ball in a no-decision, Willis had one of his best outings in nearly three years.

Even if you're a part-time fantasy player, the history of Willis is no stranger.  So this shouldn't come as a surprise why he would be on this list after just one start.

With that said, his production in his first action in the majors this season doesn't even compare to his success this year in Triple-A, going 5-2 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP through 75 innings of work.

That screams redemption.

Heading into the second half, owners should consider Willis a viable option in deeper mixed leagues and a must-add in NL-only formats.

He's pitching for one of the best offenses in the NL and should be in line for consistent starts over the next three months.

4. Emilio Bonifacio, 3B/SS/OF, Florida Marlins

With top-notch shortstops, Jose Reyes and Jed Lowrie, sidelined for the next few weeks, players like Emilio Bonifacio have emerged as great spot starters.

However, over the last two weeks, Bonifacio has shown that he's nobody's fill-in.

His average has climbed nearly 30 points during that span, stealing 11 bases and scoring 13 runs.

Bonifacio has helped spark a sometimes stagnant Florida Marlins offense and has consistently produced out of the leadoff spot.

The 25-year-old isn't going to hit a lot of home runs or knock in sufficient runs atop the Marlins order, but his speed, extra-base potential, and overall savvy fantasy play has helped him become a solid option in all mixed leagues.

If you're looking to tag-in a shortstop replacement, forget about Hollywood Hogan, let Bonifacio put the stranglehold on your competition.

3. R.A. Dickey, SP, New York Mets

Before I get random comments about how R.A. Dickey has been a valuable fantasy player for the majority of the season and shouldn't be on this list, let me be the first to say that I agree with you.

Dickey should not be on this list.

He's proven over the first half of the year that he deserves to be owned in nearly double of the leagues that have him now and could even be a single-start option in many mixed leagues on a weekly basis.

With that said, my reasoning for putting the knuckle-baller on this list was to raise awareness that he deserves to be owned in nearly all formats.

Over his last seven starts, in the midst of battling an array of injuries, Dickey has pitched 47 innings with only 13 earned runs and 33 K.

Despite going 2-1 during that span, Dickey has lowered his season ERA to 3.61 and his WHIP to 1.32.

Considering the 32-year-old throws one of the most roller-coaster pitches in the league, his numbers are relatively impressive.

Dickey will look to regain his full health over the next week and should be in line for a huge second half.

Food for though, Dickey posted a 2.88 ERA after the All-Star break last year.

2. Matt Harrison, SP, Texas Rangers

This is a similar situation to R.A. Dickey's.

Fantasy owners have been dabbling with Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison for the majority of the season, using him in two-start scenarios and under-utilizing his RP eligibility.

However, following his near eight inning scoreless performance on Sunday, Harrison should no longer be a waiver-wire pickup.

The guy deserves a roster spot, no questions asked.

In a deadly American League, Harrison is currently 7-7 with a 3.04 ERA and has only surrendered 10 runs over his last six starts.

He plays for one of the best offenses around, sports a 2.15 ERA during the day and an impressive 3.74 at home in Arlington, and continues to show consistency even though owners refuse to accept his excellence.

Harrison should be added in nearly every fantasy league following his last outing. 

Heading into the second half of the season, if you're weak in the closer department, not starting the lefty as a RP would be irresponsible.

1. Joe Nathan, CL, Minnesota Twins

This is the only guy on this list that I don't need to spout out statistics for.

Everyone should know who and what Joe Nathan has done over the last eight years.

He was arguably the best closer in baseball from 2004-2009.

During that six-year span, Nathan showed that despite closing for a conglomerate offense and sometimes unpredictable pitching staff, he was an elite player.

Now, following the recent struggles of current Minnesota Twins closer Matt Capps, Nathan looks to be in line for a shot to redeem his job heading into the later months of the 2011 season.

He may not strike them out like he use to, or get ample save opportunities with a sub-par team, but Nathan could regain his elite status sooner rather than later.

Once he's named the closer or gets a chance to lock down games, he should be added in absolutely every fantasy league around.