(*) MARKET PULSE: Over Yonder

Market Pulse keeps your ear to the ground in order to give you a leg up on your competition. Using data from OnRoto.com, this column identifies the players who have been Most Added and Most Dropped in the previous week. For additional context, the column provides links to the prior week's PT Today or PT Tomorrow columns that mention that player, to give a holistic picture of their circumstances. Plus, a few of the important players are highlighted for your consideration as you allocate your FAAB dollars or waiver priority.

Our coverage is sorted into deep leagues (more than 12 teams or AL/NL only) and shallow leagues (12 teams or fewer). In each table, the top 10 most-added and top 10 most-dropped players from the week are sorted by percent ownership. The deep-league table represents players owned in 35 percent of leagues or less, while the shallow-league table indicates players owned in more than 35 percent of leagues. In addition, we provide each player's Mayberry Score for those seeking specific category help.

The players are color coded either green (buy), yellow (caution), or red (pass). A green “buy” is a comfortable recommendation based on skills, reliability, and price. A yellow “caution” is a mixed bag—perhaps a new skill has emerged and playing time has increased, but health and reliability remain in question. Depending on your league context and team needs, you may want to buy or pass. A red “pass” means that the combination of skills, reliability, or health precludes picking up the player at this time.

 

DEEP MIXED & NL/AL ONLY LEAGUES

PT Today/Tomorrow hits over the past 7 days: Bud Norris, Dan Vogelbach, Adam Frazier, Ronald Torreyes, Delino DeShields, Jr.

Highlights—Most Added
Yonder Alonso (1B, OAK): Alonso's current skill set is not wildly out of line with his career norms, save for two areas: 50% FB% and 161/199 PX/xPX. The 30-year-old lefty is sporting a new approach to hitting this year by hitting the ball with more authority (HctX 131, career 105), and hitting the ball in the air. He's sacrificed a little bit of contact, but most owners will take it. Slashing .288/.364/.559 with 4 HR in the early going is starting to get some notice, but his 30% ownership rate still leaves room for investment. He's not a bonafide green "buy" based on an extremely small sample size, but he certainly makes for an intriguing use of FAAB despite playing half his games in a terrible home park for lefties.

Chris Carter (1B, NYY): Carter owners are cutting bait as the hulking righty has only managed one HR early on this season with a .182 BA. Though his contact rate has increased marginally from 62% to 67%, his walk rate is half of his usual rate. It is probable that sporadic playing time is not helping his cause, but his 8% HR/FB rate is sure to regress to his career 21% mark. Incumbent Greg Bird (1B, NYY) hasn't fared much better, and it's rare to find a HR champion on the waiver wire this early in the season. Throwing a buck or two down for some cheap power with good reliability grades is a worthy use of FAAB dollars.

Highlight—Most Dropped
Andrew Toles (OF, LA): At first glance, one wonders how Toles gets the green light here. His .207/.258/.362 line does not inspire confidence and he does not have any stand out skill outside of Spd, which he has yet to flash (0 SB). Cody Bellinger's (1B/OF, LA) recent callup muddies the waters further regarding playing time but it remains to be seen how long top prospect will actually be up. However, Toles' 20% h% and 83% ct% along with his speed/power combination bodes well for future production. He's starting to be dropped, which creates a good buyers' market for Toles.

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SHALLOW LEAGUES

PT Today/Tomorrow hits over the past 7 days: Wade Miley, Cody Bellinger, Shawn Kelley, Aaron Altherr, Danny Valencia

Highlights—Most Added
Jett Bandy (C, MIL): To be clear, the offensive upside for catchers is markedly different for other position players. So, Bandy makes the cut due to his .349/.338 BA/xBA mark, his early season power (198/123 PX/xPX), and 79% ct%. He's not going to keep up the HR pace, he's got no speed (few catchers do), and his 37% h% will regress. Manny Piña (C, MIL) is also swinging a hot stick, so don't go crazy here, but if you need catching help there are much worse options behind the plate, especially in a two-catcher league.

Kevin Pillar (OF, TOR): Remember the 2015 version of Pillar (12 HR/ 25 SB in 548 AB). He seems to be back on the same track again this season, flashing a little more HctX (106) and a little more Spd (111). While he'll never walk a lot, he makes good contact and he has a clear shot at playing time. He has an outside shot at 15 HR and it's only a matter of time before he starts swiping bases. it's doubtful you'd be able to pry him away from an owner now, but if he is available it's a no-brainer to scoop him up.

Highlight—Most Dropped
Byron Buxton (OF, MIN): Buxton had a nice spring after a great September callup in 2016. Owners were salivating over the toolshed, and his aggressive promotion to the 3-hole to start the season had expectations even higher for the 23-year-old. Fast forward 129 AB and a demotion to the bottom of the order, and owners have begun to sour on the CF. It's true that he's hitting an unsightly .145/.243/.177 line, but his walk rate has increased to a respectable 10% and his ct% was an improved 69% last week (55% so far in 2017). He's a flawed hitter, but his glove will keep him in the lineup and if you can get him on the cheap there's still hope he can turn things around sooner rather than later. Enough, in fact, to consider throwing some FAAB dollars that way.

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