Fantasy Baseball: Top-10 Waiver Wire Pick-Ups for Week 17

Following one of the shortest weeks of the fantasy baseball season, owners are preparing their lineups and rotations for a strenuous second half of action.

With Jose Reyes, Carl Crawford and John Danks all coming back in the upcoming scoring period, a lot of previous waiver wire fliers will be dropped and released back into the vast ocean of fantasy free agency.

Along with these players being discarded like a bad ham sandwich, others are prone to be quickly added and used as temporary or even long-term patch jobs.

With that said, as we approach fantasy crunch time where every week counts, here are the top-10 waiver wire pickups heading into Week 17.

10. Zack Cozart, SS, Cincinnati Reds

Rookie shortstop Zack Cozart has been great for any owners who've started him over his first six games.

Not to say I told you so, but I've listed Cozart on my past two waiver wire lists and rightfully so.

The 25-year-old is batting .400 with four runs, one home run, and only three strikeouts through 25 at-bats.

He's become an must-add at such a thin fantasy position in NL-only formats and stands as a solid option going forward in deeper mixed leagues.

Cozart has the ability to hit for extra-base power, limit his strikeouts, and make something happen night in and night out considering he's hitting atop one of the most productive lineups around.

9. Jason Isringhausen, CL, New York Mets

Bye bye K-Rod, hello Jason Isringhausen.

This upcoming scoring period will be the first time Isringhausen has a real chance to be an effective closer since he shutdown games in St. Louis back in 2007.

It's yet to be determined whether that long of a break is going to be good or bad for the 38-year-old and the New York Mets.

Izzy has pitched well thus far in 2011, posting a 3.14 ERA with 21 K's through 28.2 innings of work, so more success could be on the horizon.

If you're in search of a mixed league closer, and have missed out on adding either Joe Nathan, Fernando Salas or David Hernandez, Isringhausen is your guy.

Just remember, he's going to be on a very short leash and probably won't get more than three chances a week to score you some points.

8. Wilson Ramos, C, Washington Nationals

When Wilson Ramos gets at-bats, he's a borderline must-start option in deeper mixed leagues.

Through 226 plate appearances this year, Ramos has hit a catcher-respectable .257 with nine home runs and 33 RBI.

He's added 30 runs and 13 doubles which is better production than what Russell Martin, Yadier Molina, and J.P Arencibia have given their owners of late.

With Wednesday off in the upcoming scoring period, it's almost certain that Ramos will get five starts for his owners in Week 17.

Considering he's batting behind Ryan Zimmerman, Mike Morse, Laynce Nix, and Jayson Werth, don't think twice about not starting the 23-year-old if you need help at the catcher position.

7. Chris Heisey, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Chris Heisey is the outfield version of Wilson Ramos.

When Heisey gets playing time, he's arguably a must-start fantasy player in any league with 12 home runs and 33 RBI through only 175 at-bats.

Heisey has been platooning with Drew Stubbs, Jonny Gomes and Fred Lewis, so the sooner either one of those guys slump, the better.

Going forward, he could warrant some serious attention in any kind of fantasy format, considering he's hitting a home run every 14.5 at-bats..

NL-only owners need to start him immediately and mixed leagues player should think about grabbing him after just one more of his impressive power displays.

6. Nate Schierholtz, OF, San Francisco Giants

While the San Francisco Giants are still likely to trade for a big bat before the end of July, Nate Schierholtz has been their temporary solution for an awful offense.

Through his last 50 at-bats, Schierholtz has hit nearly .340 with three home runs, nine RBI, two stolen bases, and only seven whiffs.

The 27-year-old has been a big option for the Giants in right-field and should look to attract some needy fantasy owners.

He's starting to near a .300 average on the season and should only improve his extra-base hits and stolen bases production as the season goes on.

If you're looking for a quick spark to take over your outfield, Emilio Bonifacio or Schierholtz would be perfect fits.

5. Wade Davis, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

A lot of people, including myself, have written off Wade Davis for the rest of the year.

After being projected as a mixed league starter before the start of the 2011 season, Davis has been anything but reliable.

He's only posted a 47:38 K:BB ratio while carrying a below-average 4.25 ERA.

Davis' 7-6 record over 17 starts has helped owners hang onto something worthwhile, but it hasn't been enough to make him a fantasy baseball household name.

With that said, he's going to be an under the radar option for the rest of the season, so consider him a waiver wire pickup for the next two months.

In reality, the 25-year-old has excellent potential down the stretch, and considering he went 6-1 with a 3.28 ERA after the All-Star break last year, you might want to think about adding him when he comes off the DL late in Week 17.

4. Jemile Weeks, 2B, Oakland Athletics

The bottom line, Jemile Weeks should be an everyday fantasy starter in deeper mixed leagues by the end of week.

The rookie second baseman has filled in nicely for the recently traded Mark Ellis, and has done everything that owners could ask for.

He's hit for average with a .319 mark in nearly 140 at-bats.

He's hit for extra-bases with 11 hits including three triples.

He's stolen bases with 10, scored runs with 17, and has taken over the leadoff spot for the Oakland Athletics after only a handful of games.

With that said, given his run scoring and speed producing potential, as well as playing at a very scarce fantasy position, Weeks should be considered a must-start second baseman in 12 team mixed leagues.

3. David Hernandez, CL, Arizona Diamondbacks

David Hernandez has been one of the hottest closers in fantasy baseball over the past few weeks.

And he'll continue to do so as long as J.J. Putz stays on the DL.

If you were ever hesitant about adding or starting Hernandez in mixed leagues, now is not only the perfect time to do so amidst a blazing scoring streak, but it may also be your last chance.

The former Baltimore Oriole has recorded six saves in the month of July, surrendering zero runs and walking only one batter in 5.1 innings.

He's become a go to option for the Arizona Diamondbacks and should be considered that same type of player for fantasy owners heading into Week 17.

Hernandez is due to face Milwaukee and Colorado over the next seven games so he could be in line for some close scoring saves.

2. Jeff Nieman, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Don't look now, but Jeff Nieman could finally be tapping into his top level potential.

After his eight inning scoreless performance against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night, it's safe to say that the 28-year-old is currently one of the hottest pitchers around.

Nieman has surrendered only two runs over his last 23.1 innings of work, going 2-0 while issuing only six walks.

If you had any concerns about his potential going into the second half of the season for a contending team like the Tampa Bay Rays, his last outing should put them to rest.

Nieman could be considered a must-add in mixed formats if you're low on starting pitching or if you're still waiting for Jake Peavy or Carlos Carrasco to start producing.

1. Javier Vazquez, SP, Florida Marlins

I recently listed Javier Vazquez on my last waiver wire list, so considering he's now No. 1, it's easy to see that he's still producing at a very high level.

After a great outing against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, Vazquez has lowered his once-awful season ERA to 5.14, which is still borderline disgusting, and has improved to 6-8 on the year.

Despite his high ERA, the veteran righty has been amazing over his last five starts, surrendering a total of five runs in 32.1 innings of work.

Now while he'll more than likely surrender seven or eight base runners a game, Vazquez has superior strikeout potential that allows him to limit his opponent's scoring.

Going forward, along with the fact that Hanley Ramirez and Michael Stanton are starting to produce like high-level players, Vazquez could regain his 2009 form when he was one of the best pitchers in baseball with the Atlanta Braves.