Henderson Alvarez of the Toronto Blue Jays is an intriguing waiver pickup for those in a deep league. He induces a ton of groundballs but not a whole lot of strikeouts even with a fastball that is consistently in the mid-90s. Alvarez threw even faster in the minor leagues, touching 101 mph at one point in Double-A, but has since toned it down to be more effective with sinking action. The Venezuelan is only 22-years-old and threw his first career shutout against the Angels on May 4th while topping the six-inning mark in every start this season (8).

He took the loss in his last outing on May 15th, allowing two earned runs to the Rays in 6 2/3 innings pitched and didn’t walk any batters. Alvarez’s ERA currently sits in the mid-2’s and should be in the low-3’s by season’s end. He’s a pitcher that can give you quality starts more often than not, going deep into ball games because of all the ground balls he produces.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickup for Deep Leagues – Yonder Alonso

Yonder Alonso is also a player to pick up if your team is in need of a first baseman and he also has outfielder eligibility in most leagues. He is also a younger ballplayer at the age of 25 who was born in Havana, Cuba. The left-handed slugger came up in the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system before being shipped to San Diego in the offseason trade for starting pitcher Mat Latos.

Alonso will hit cleanup for the Padres on most nights which will give him a chance to drive in runs. He’s going to have a pretty batting average this season, likely between .285 and .310 while his power numbers haven’t lived up to expectations yet. He’s only hit one homerun so far this season. Alonso will continue to develop at a good rate especially because he doesn’t have much competition on his own team at first base. He’s been given a golden opportunity in San Diego to play everyday, which he wasn’t going to get playing for the Reds with perennial All-Star, Joey Votto, playing ahead of him.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Pickup for Deep Leagues – J.P. Arencibia

Last but not least in this week’s waiver tap, is Toronto Blue Jays’ Catcher J.P. Arencibia who is known for his raw power at the plate. He’s hit four homeruns so far in May, five total on the campaign, and has the talent to be fantasy relevant in every format and league. The downfall is that he doesn’t hit for a good average and strikeouts out a lot. At age 26, Arencibia could be a star in the Big Leagues if he figures out how to hit for a decent to good average and that could very well happen this year. He’s a great replacement for those owners who lost Wilson Ramos to a season-ending knee injury.

See, we didn’t forget about you guys in deeper formats! We will be coming out with more names for you fantasy baseball owners who are in shallow leagues as well so make sure to check back with The Couch often!

Relief pitching is something often overlooked come draft day. And in most leagues it makes sense to overlook closers. They are inconsistent. Closers can have a job one week and be out of one the next. Or like many of the pitchers I named, find themselves on the shelf. Here are a few guys you should buy and a few guys you should sell.

Buy

Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers – The Javy Guerra train is no more and the Kenley Jansen train is leaving the station. He was recently named the closer as Guerra failed to earn a save after starting off the year so well. If he can stay healthy Jansen may be the guy the Dodgers go with until the end of the year. If he’s available in your league pick him up and drop the guy you’ve been thinking about dropping.
Addison Reed, Chicago White Sox – Manager Robin Ventura announced that his team would be returning to a closer-by-committee situation Friday, but don’t let that fool you. Addison Reed earned two saves in his last two appearances. If he continues to put batters in their seats he’ll find himself closing games consistently for his ball club.

Ryan Cook, Oakland Athletics – With Grant Balfour struggling to closeout games, the Athletics currently yield a relief pitcher who has allowed just 3 hits and no earned runs in 15.2 innings this season. If you can afford to hold onto a prospect, Cook might be the guy you grab. If not, keep an eye on him and Balfour. Cook may finish the year closing in Oakland.

Sell

Rafael Dolis, Chicago White Sox – Dolis is a popular guy among waiver wire discount shoppers. But he isn’t the guy you want. If you’re in dyer straights when it comes to saves, pick him up and hope that he puts a few decent outings together. Once he does that pair him together with a player and make a deal for something else. Dolis is not a guy to put much stock in the rest of the season. Marmol will find his way back into the closing roll before the end of the summer.

David Robertson, New York Yankees – Before the Mariana Rivera’s knee injury, the Yankees had relied on him to close games for 16-straight seasons. The shoes Robertson just jumped into are waist-high. Expect Rafael Soriano and Robertson to switch off until they find the guy who messes up the least. Stay away from the Yankees closer situation until told to do otherwise.

Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics – Balfour has been on thin ice in Oakland for the last few days and it was reported Saturday night that Fuentes will be the Athletics’ new closer. Do yourself a favor and rid yourself of the guy. There are much better options available.

Carlos Quentin, OF, San Diego Padres – The veteran outfielder is coming back from the disabled list after having arthroscopic knee surgery during spring training. Quentin will assume the everyday role as left fielder and is a good source for home runs, but not a very good batting average.

The Padres don’t have high-powered offense and Quentin’s RBI total will be above average at best. He’s a good replacement for Jayson Werth who suffered a broken left wrist.

Kyle Seager, 3B, Seattle Mariners – It’s becoming apparent that the relatively unknown Seager has earned the starting third base job in Seattle. Chone Figgins was slated to play third before the season begun, but Mike Carp got injured which moved Figgins to left field. Seager has seized the opportunity and is currently the team leader in runs batted in to compliment a batting average around .300.

Expect the former North Carolina Tar Heel to continue to his good play while being a regular in the Mariners’ lineup going forward. The 24-year-old is a good long-term option and short-term replacement for owners who recently lost Pablo Sandoval.

Jarrod Parker, SP, Oakland Athletics – Here’s a young sleeper that is hardly owned in fantasy leagues at this point. Parker, 23, is 1-0 with a 1.80 earned run average in his first three starts this season, making his season debut against the White Sox on April 25th. He was the main piece that the A’s got in the Trevor Cahill trade this past offseason and looks to be earning his spot in the rotation.

Expect him to have a few bumps in the road this year and a shortened workload in the back half of the season like many prospect pitchers in recent years. Parker is a good buy in deeper leagues and could prove to be relevant in shallower leagues by the All-Star break.

When Mariano Rivera went down with a freak batting practice injury, baseball took a hit losing a 42-year old legend with 608 career saves, for the season. With five full months left to play, the Yankees will likely turn to young David Robertson to fill the void created when Mo Rivera tore the ACL in his right knee. Robertson is 27-years-old and has recorded only 3 career saves over 216 career appearances out of the bullpen.

Robertson has electric stuff, his pitches move all over the strike zone and he had a breakout season last year, striking out 100 batters in just 66.2 innings. It is worth noting that the Yankees are turning to Robertson over Rafael Soriano who once saved 45 games in a season for Tampa Bay. The Yankee brass must have confidence in Robertson if they jumped him from a 7th inning guy to their closer.

Fantasy owners have taken note of the situation in New York and have reacted accordingly. In ESPN leagues, Robertson has jumped from being owned in 12.5% of leagues to 74.5% in just the last 7 days and 38% in Yahoo leagues. Robertson is worth keeping an eye but do not be overzealous in picking him up.

Closing games for the Yankees and the pressures of New York City is no easy task and Robertson will be under immense pressure to perform. The Yankees play an unbalanced schedule in the AL East with numerous battle-tested teams that won’t give up until the 27th out is recorded. Getting those last three outs will be Robertson’s new job. Good luck, kid.

While Robertson may succeed in his new role, he has an uphill battle to climb and Rafael Soriano waiting to take over the closer duties if he does not start off well. Rivera has handled nearly every save opportunity for the Yankees since 1997. There will be plenty of saves to be had for whoever closes games the rest of the way in 2012, which means Robertson may save 25-30 games, and if he does, that will be one great (and unlikely) accomplishment.

Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays – Reports are saying that Longoria will be out 6-8 weeks with a partially torn hamstring. He was on a tear before suffering the crucial injury, which really hurts the Rays and also your fantasy team if you own him. Replacing a guy like Longoria will be impossible because he can hit for average and power while being one of the game’s top run producers. He’s definitely worth a roster spot and owners can only hope he can return to 100 percent in a couple months.

Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, OFs, Boston Red Sox – The news isn’t good for Crawford’s throwing elbow which is scheduled for three-months of rehab, meaning he could miss more than half the season. The injury often times requires Tommy John surgery, but instead will be treated with a relatively new type of treatment performed by Dr. James Andrews, who is the arm doctor of choice in the Big Leagues. The treatment has been successful in helping players recover without requiring surgery in the past. Crawford injured his elbow during extended spring training while rehabbing his wrist that required surgery in January.

The Crawford injury comes after Ellsbury went down earlier this month with a partially dislocated shoulder and is expected to miss at least another month. Owners will want to stash Ellsbury without a doubt, but may want to consider dropping Crawford if they desperately need the roster space because of other injuries. It’s still not a sure thing that Crawford will come back full strength and there is the possibility that he could suffer a setback and miss the entire season.

Outfielders Cody Ross and Ryan Sweeney will be expected to fill the void and both should be useful in fantasy leagues. Ross will be available only in shallow leagues while Sweeney in deeper leagues. The Red Sox also acquired Marlon Byrd but he hasn’t produced very much at all this season and won’t be fantasy relevant.

Kevin Youkilis, 3B, Boston Red Sox – The Red Sox third baseman has an irritated joint in his lower back which could turn out to be a nagging injury over the course of the season. Youkilis can come back as early as the second weekend of May, but it’s too early to tell if he will be healthy enough. The 33-year-old has gotten off to a slow start with a .219 batting average and only two home runs in April. Owners need to keep a close eye to this situation to see how it progresses in the next week.

Lance Berkman, 1B/OF, St. Louis Cardinals – It’s not clear as to when Berkman will return to the Cardinals’ lineup after injuring his calf earlier this season. He is eligible to come off the DL this Friday but may need some rehab which hasn’t been decided by the organization. It would be safe to assume that he will be back in action by the middle of next week at the latest. The switch-hitting slugger was off to a hot start and should be a great source of batting average and runs batted in when healthy. Calf injuries can be tricky and can nag a player all season.

Ryan Howard, 1B, and Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies – Both Howard and Utley were key contributors to the Phillies’ success the past few seasons, but are now on the shelf with injuries. Howard is recovering from a torn Achilles that he had surgery on during the offseason and there is no timetable for his return. The organization is hopeful he will be able to return at some point this season as long as there are no more setbacks to the wound itself. Howard had surgery performed on February 27th to clean an infection from the original operation area. Keep him stashed on your bench if you can afford to and wait to hear any additional updates on the situation.

There is also no set timetable for Ultey’s return from a knee injury that is still experiencing pain. Manager Charlie Manuel reportedly said that Chase Utley could play some first base upon his return in place of Howard, to limit the ‘wear and tear’ on the knee. For now, owners should stash Utley on their roster (hopefully in a DL spot) until further notice.

Chris Young, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks – Before suffering a shoulder injury, Young was hitting over .400 with five homeruns and 13 RBIs in 39 at-bats. He won’t be ready when eligible to return from the DL in early May and will likely require an extended period of time to recover. It’s a tough break for the D-backs and Young’s owners because of his potential to have an outstanding year. At age 28, the center fielder’s ‘breakout’ year could be in jeopardy of being another average season in terms of his potential.

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, and Michael Morse, Washington Nationals – Zimmerman was recently placed on the DL with a bum shoulder with the world’s top prospect, Bryce Harper being called up to fill the roster spot. The Nationals are optimistic that Zimmerman will be ready to return when eligible on May 6th. It’s a big loss for Washington but the good news is he will only be out for a short amount of time.

Morse hasn’t played yet this season and will be fully shutdown from baseball activities for at least another month. He was on track to return to the Majors in mid-April, but felt soreness in his throwing shoulder that has dramatically set him back. He has been examined by Dr. Andrews already and won’t likely see action in a Nationals’ jersey until June. Fantasy owners who need to clear roster space should drop Morse and look for another option to get production and Harper could be an easy fix temporarily if he’s available in your league.

Brett Gardner, OF, New York Yankees – Elbow soreness landed Gardner on the DL in mid-April and is on track to be activated by next week after playing a couple minor league rehab games. Gardner was hitting .321 when the injury happened and he should be a good spark for his fantasy owners with lots of stolen bases and runs scored.

Waiver Pickups for Injured Hitters

• Chris Davis, 1B/3B, Baltimore Orioles
• Jed Lowrie, SS/3B, Houston Astros
• Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Allen Craig, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
• Dexter Fowler, OF, Colorado Rockies
• Vernon Wells, OF, Los Angels Angels
• Josh Reddick, OF, Oakland Athletics
• Chris Johnson, 3B, Houston Astros

Top 2012 NFL Draft Winners

Cincinnati Bengals GRADE: A

As a Ravens’ fan I was hoping the Bengals would go kicker in the 1st rd, punter in the 2nd, but instead Cincinnati messed around drafted potential starters with almost every pick. It started with Bama boy, CB Dre Kirkpatrick (17th pick) and Wisconsin grinder G Kevin Zeitler (27th pick), who will be in the lineup from day one. Then they went and got potential starters in the later rounds with…

2) Devon Still, DT, Penn State (6-5, 303)
3) Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers (6-2, 211)
4) Orson Charles, TE, Georgia (6-3, 251)
5) Marvin Jones, WR, California (6-2, 199)
5) George Iloka, S, Boise State (6-4, 225)
6) Dan Herron, RB, Ohio State (5-10, 213)

And surprise, surprise… There are reports that the Bengals also landed undrafted rookie free agent ASU Bad Boy (and a player i was hoping the RAVENS would get as an undrafted free agent) Vontaze Burfict, who can be a MONSTER for Cinci if he cleans his act up… Now of course I’m hoping all of these guys are busts. #RavenBIAS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers GRADE: A-

The Bucs immediately get better on offense and defense with this year’s draft class. Highly coveted monster safety Mark Barron (7th pick) fills the Bucs biggest need at DB. The consensus was that the Bucs would go with Claiborne but I’m sure Bucs fans are just fine getting the Bama boy Barron. The Bucs then went and got RB Doug Martin (31st pick) who has been compared to a Ray Rice style RB, and they picked LB Lavonte David (58th pick) to help add speed and pop to the LB corps. CB Keith Tandy (174th pick) was somewhat of a steal at a position that the Bucs need help at with an aging CB Barber and troubled CB Talib. With all the off-season acquisitions and these talented draft selections, the Bucs might be a problem for opponents in 2012.

Pittsburgh Steelers GRADE: A-

I can’t stand the fact that the Steelers got steals/starters for their first 4 picks in Stanford Guard David DeCastro (24th pick), Ohio State big man T Mike Adams (56th pick), Swag U aka Miami aka The U’s tackling machine LB Sean Spence (86th pick), and Casey Hampton Jr. in Washington’s double team killer NT Alameda Ta’amu (109th pick). Granted they seemed to all just fall in the lap of the Steelers, with the exception of the 10 spot trade up for Ta’amu, I still have to give kudos to Pittsburgh for pulling the trigger on these picks. Again, fingers crossed for all busts. #RavenBIAS

Honorable Mention – New England Patriots

I don’t have much to say except for “the rich get richer” must be the Patriots’ motto. The Patriots pull two swindling trade-ups in the first round. The first was for the third member of the Jones Brothers (UFC Champ Jon Jones and Baltimore Ravens DT Art Jones) Syracuse pass rusher DE Chandler Jones (21st pick), and then they go up to grab Bama boy, hard hitting LB Dont’a Hightower (25th pick). I see you Coach Belichick, I see you.

Now let’s look at a few steals and reaches in this year’s draft…

Top Steals of the 2012 NFL Draft

Indianapolis Colts

Coby Fleener TE STANFORD (34th pick) – A true pass catching TE, Fleener joins his college QG and #1 overall pick Andrew Luck in Indy. Fleener was by far the best TE in the draft, going past NYG with their TE situation was a surprise, but Lucky for Indy Fleener was still available.

Baltimore Ravens

Courtney Upshaw OLB/DE ALABAMA (35th pick) – Upshaw was a top 15 talent that slid down the board and into the second day due to teams uncertainty of where to play him. The Ravens get an instant impact player opposite T-Sizzle in the 2012 BCS National Championship game’s defensive MVP. #RAVENS

New York Jets

Stephen Hill WR Georgia Tech (43rd pick) – Hill was a first round consideration that slid into the second due to his production in college. To his defense, in GA Tech’s offense, not even Jerry Rice in his prime could put up big numbers, but the Jets get a big body speedster that can stretch the field opposite Santonio Holmes. Now the question remains in NY: Who will be throwing them the ball? Sanchez or Tebow? My guess, Tebow will be 3-4 weeks into the season.

Other Notable Steals

Dallas Cowboys – Morris Claiborne CB LSU (6th pick) – Not so much of a steal, but really more of a boss move by Jerry Jones trading up to snag this CB.
Atlanta Falcons – Peter Konz C Wisconsin (55th pick) – Immediate starter on the interior offensive line at C or G.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Adams OT Ohio State (56th pick) – 1st rd Talent that slid with character concerns.
San Francisco 49ers – LaMichael James RB Oregon (61st pick) – Home run hitter, good change of pace from Gore and Jacobs.
New York Giants – Rueben Randle WR LSU (63rd pick) – Big and physical WR to fill Manningham’s shoes.
Cincinatti Bengals – George Iloka S Boise State (167th pick) – 3rd rd projection nabbed in the 5th, Iloka is a rangy 6’4, 225-lb. safety, with a LB body and DB skills.

Top Reaches of the 2012 NFL Draft

Seattle Seahawks

Bruce Irvin OLB/DE West Virginia (15th pick) – I’m only going to call this a reach because Seattle had an opportunity here to trade back and acquire more picks. Most people have serious questions about this pick, but I am a fan of Bruce Irvin. An athletic freak and speed rusher. Irvin had questions on being an every down player in the NFL, partially to blame on WV’s awkward 3-3-5 defense. I like Irvin with the Seahawks, but with the character and position concerns, Pete Carrol could have got him later.

St. Louis Rams

Brian Quick WR Appalachian State (33rd pick) – A big body WR from a small school. Quick should end up starting for St.Louis but with other higher-rated WRs still on the board like Hill from GA Tech, Jefferey from S Carolina and Randle from LSU, I’m not sure why St. Louis didn’t pull the trigger on one of them.

Minnesota Vikings

Harrison Smith S Notre Dame (29th pick) – Big rangy safety and a smart player. The Vikings trade up with the Ravens to get the Golden Domer Harrison Smith. I would like to think that the Vikings could have gotten Smith with their early 2nd rd pick. I am also a fan of Harrison Smith, but to trade up into the 1st Rd for him was a stretch.

I can’t wait to see the impact some of these kids will have on their teams. I know who I’ll be targeting come Fantasy Football draft time. And that’s a wrap for the 2012 NFL Draft… Love it or hate it, feel free to debate it…

KB on Twitter @KayoBlock
Fantasy Couch on Twitter @FantasyCouch

Injury Report – Starting Pitchers

Cliff Lee, SP, and Philadelphia Phillies – The veteran southpaw should be ready to return to action when he’s eligible to be activated from the disabled list on May 4th. Lee strained an oblique muscle after throwing 10 scoreless innings against the Giants. Owners have little to worry about because Lee has already begun throwing and he’s been relatively durable in his career.

Daniel Hudson, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks – Hudson will likely be out beyond the 15 days he was designated to be on the disabled list with a shoulder impingement. He was off to a rough start this year with an earned run average at 6.00 after three starts. It is now estimated that the 25-year-old is likely to be back in the Diamondbacks’ rotation in late May. Owners will want to be patient with Hudson and wait for him to be activated because he can be a great contributor to your fantasy squad.

Tim Hudson, SP, Atlanta Braves – The grizzled vet is slated to make his 2012 debut this Sunday against the Pirates after having spine surgery last November. Hudson is definitely worth a roster spot might be available in shallow leagues if you’re lucky. If you own him already, feel free to start him but understand it could take a couple start before he gets into his groove.

Michael Pineda, SP, New York Yankees – The 2012 campaign is already over for the promising young arm acquired this past offseason from the Seattle Mariners, without having pitched at all. Pineda will require season-ending shoulder surgery after getting hurt in recent extended spring training start. The Yankees were counting on Pineda for big things like his fantasy owners as well, but it’s time to move on without him in both cases.

Injury Report – Reserve Pitchers

Drew Storen, RP, Washington Nationals – The young reliever had minor surgery in mid-April to remove a bone fragment from his elbow and could be back before the All-Star break. Before the season, Storen was only expected to miss the first couple weeks of the season but he experienced soreness in the elbow in early-April which led to a visit with the famous, Dr. James Andrews. It’s a major setback for Storen and his fantasy owners who have to look elsewhere for saves for the time being. He’s worth stashing on your bench and/or DL spot if you can.

Sergio Santos, RP, Toronto Blue Jays – Shoulder inflammation will sideline Santos until late-May or early-June, at the earliest. The Blue Jays won’t want to rush him back with Francisco Cordero performing well so far filling in as the team’s closer. Santos is a great talent and can be a very important piece to your fantasy down the stretch this season, just not in the near future.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP, Tampa Bay Rays – Fernando Rodney has assumed the closer responsibilities with Farnsworth out with a strained elbow. Farnsworth won’t be back until the first week of May at the earliest, and might need a handful of appearances to earn back his job since he hasn’t pitched at all this season. He had arguably the best season of his 13 year career last season when he posted a 2.18 ERA and notched. He will have good value once he returns and gets his job back.

Andrew Bailey, RP, Boston Red Sox – The young right-hander was slated to be the Red Sox’s closer this season after an offseason trade landed him from Oakland. Injuries have hindered his young career and this season will be no different as he recently had surgery to repair ligaments in his thumb. He won’t be back before the All-Star break and there’s a small chance he could miss the rest of the season. Tough break for all parties and as a fantasy owner you have to be disappointed. Alfredo Aceves will take over as the team’s closer and he is capable of doing well in the role.

Brian Wilson, RP, San Francisco Giants, Joakim Soria, RP, Kansas City Royals, and Ryan Madson, RP, Cincinnati Reds – All three closers will miss the entire 2012 season with elbow injuries in their throwing arms.

Waiver Pick-Ups – Pitchers

Make sure you check out our previous fantasy baseball waiver articles. More waiver pickup articles will be posted shortly. These waiver wire pitchers will make for great replacements.

Jonathan Niese, SP, NYM, Kyle Drabek, SP, TOR, A.J. Burnett, SP, PIT, Joe Saunders, SP, ARI, Jason Hammel, SP, BAL, Fernando Rodney, RP, TB, Jonathan Broxton, RP, KC, Henry Rodriguez, RP, WSH, Alfredo Aceves, RP, BOS, Hector Santiago, RP, CHW, Santiago Casilla, RP, SF

Questions from fellow fantasy baseball owners are answered in regards to Emilio Bonifacio stealing bases, Ricky Weeks, Jason Heyward, Dee Gordon, Lucas Duda and more. Watch the entire video so you don’t miss any of our surprises. More entertaining fantasy baseball videos to come!

Bartolo Colon, SP, Oakland Athletics – If you’re looking for some help in your rotation Bartolo Colon could be your answer. Although he picked up his second loss of the season Monday night, it shouldn’t affect the value he may have. In his five starts this year, Colon has had just one bad game. If you remove his one poor outing earlier in the year you’ve got a pitcher with a 3-1 record, less than five hits allowed per game and just five walks. At one point in his start last week against Anaheim, Colon threw 38 consecutive strikes. He may not have the best offense behind him but the command and the quality of his stuff is there. Everyone could use a Colon.

Nolan Reimold, OF, Baltimore Orioles – Yes, another Baltimore Oriole… Even though it may seem like the Baltimore Orioles get more pub here than they do in Baltimore, this guy is well worth the add. Reimold may have sat out of the starting lineup on Sunday but he is one injured player that should be picked up. He’s currently sitting on a 10-game hit-streak that included a stretch in which he had five homers in six games. There is no reason to let a guy like Reimold sit on your bench. He’s got power and the potential to steal a few bases. Pick him up now and reap the rewards when he returns.

Santiago Casilla, RP, San Francisco Giants – If you need a closer go pick up Casilla. He may not have the beard but he’s the new closer in San Francisco. Sure, Sergio Romo is next in line, but Bruce Bochy made it known that Casilla would get the closer role. If you’re one of those owners looking for some saves, Casilla is your guy right now.

Johnny Damon, OF, Cleveland Indians – Alright, stop laughing and hear me out. Cleveland signed him last week and he has recently become available for pick up. He hasn’t logged any time in the Majors this year but he will be up there in a few weeks after he regains his timing in extended spring baseball. Damon was a .261 hitter, with 16 homers, 73 RBI and 19 steals in 2011 for Tampa Bay. The average is a bit low but there are plenty of guys starting with an average close to and less than that of Damon’s. He’ll get you 15 homers and 55-60 RBI. He’s been batting second in his extended spring games and may see that same spot in Cleveland. If you’ve got a free spot on your bench and Reimold is already taken, go grab Damon.

Every week Fantasy Couch will have new fantasy baseball waiver pickups to help you dominate your league.

1. Andrew Luck – INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
QB, Stanford – This is the closest to a guarantee that you can get. Unless Irsay pulls a crazy move and goes for RG3, which is highly doubtful considering RG3 declined a workout with the Colts.

2. Robert Griffin III – WASHINGTON REDSKINS
QB, Baylor- Redskins take out a second mortgage and trade up to get RG3… despite what disgruntled ex-employee Donovan McNabb says, RG3 IS a good fit in WAS and will be a BALLER for years to come.

3. Matt Kalil – MINNESOTA VIKINGS
OT, USC- #1 overall pick if Luck and RG3 were never born. Since they were, Kalil goes #3 and the vikes get a Pro Bowl/ HOF talent at OT.

4. Trent Richardson – CLEVELAND BROWNS
RB, Alabama- Debates on whether they should get Blackmon are still going, but the WR class is deep in the early rounds. The RB pool is a little shallow after the 2nd day so the Browns get “the best RB prospect since AP” at #4.

5. Morris Claiborne – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
CB, LSU- Do the Math… Rhonde Barber + age x Aqib Talib + jail x LSU secondary coach Ron Cooper hired on as TB’s DB coach= MORRIS CLAIBORNE.

6. Justin Blackmon – ST. LOUIS RAMS
WR, Oklahoma State- Finally…… the Bradford… gets…. His #1 WR Target…. (In THE ROCKS voice)

7. Melvin Ingram – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
DE, South Carolina- With more holes then swiss, JAX fills one here. Pass Rush, Pass Rush, Pass Rush.

8. Ryan Tannehill – MIAMI DOLPHINS
QB, Texas A&M- Face it, Garrard is trash and Matt Moore is far from a franchise QB,. Tannehill is raw but has time to develop behind those two QB’s. MIA is feeling pressure to find a QB after the Manning, Flynn, A.Smith fall throughs, so they reach a little with this pick.

9. Dontari Poe – CAROLINA PANTHERS
DT, Memphis- Hype Beast! Potential is through the roof for Poe, who is drawing a lot of interest since his combine performance. CAR needs a lot of positions but DT is the biggest. (25th in the NFL against the run) I like Fletcher Cox or Michael Brockers here too, let’s see if CAR buys into the POE Buzz.

10. Riley Reiff – BUFFALO BILLS
OT, Iowa- Since signing SUPER MARIO and Mark Anderson, the Bills go Offensive. Reiff can start immediately at left tackle. I also like Notre Dame WR M.Floyd here too.

11. David DeCastro – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
OG, Stanford- Another immediate starter, DeCastro is being compared to a Steve Hutchinson type of player. Solid Pick up.

12. Luke Kuechly – SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
ILB, Boston College- SEA lost starting ILB Hawthorne in the FA period, so ILB is now wide open. Kuechly is the top ILB prospect in this draft and a tackling machine. I wont be surprised if Pete Carrol goes pass rush here and drafts N.Carolina DE Q.Coples.

13. Michael Floyd – ARIZONA CARDINALS
WR, Notre Dame- Fitz gets his Boldin back! Too bad he cant get his Kurt Warner back as well…

14. Mark Barron – DALLAS COWBOYS
S, Alabama- Jerry Jones stars in EXTREME MAKEOVER: DB EDITION. Dallas continues to build up the secondary with this pick. *DemarcusWareJOKERsmile*

15. Fletcher Cox – PHILIDELPHIA EAGLES
DT, Mississippi State- The safest bet at DT in this draft, if Carolina doesn’t buy the POE hype, Cox could be off the board at #9.

16. Courtney Upshaw – NEW YORK JETS
DE, Alabama- Rex needs an OLB/ pass rusher and Upshaw is the best avail at this point. Don’t be surprised if NY trades up for Alabama S M. Barron for 2 reasons= GRONKOWSKI and HERNANDEZ.

17. Dre Kirkpatrick – CINCINATTI BENGALS
CB, Alabama- Leon Hall tore his Achilles and Nate Clements is old and inconsistent. Dre Kirkpatrick makes too much sense here. Big Corner, physical tackler…

18. Whitney Mercilus – SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
DE, Illinois- SD needs to address the need for a pass rusher. Mercilus is the best avail here.

19. Quinton Coples – CHICAGO BEARS
DE, North Carolina- I previously had WR Floyd going here to add weapons to Cutty’s arsenal but Floyd has shot up draft boards after having a beastly pro day. Coples on the other hand has fallen due to his inconsistent tape. Peppers has been playing at a high level but still needs some rush from the other side, so look for CHI to add another North Carolina DE to get the job done.

20. Stephon Gilmore – TENNESSEE TITANS
CB, South Carolina- With the loss of Cortland –Innegan (no typo, the “F” is still gone from when Andre Johnson beat it out of him) TENN fills a big void with Gilmore. He has the size and ability to start immediately against top WR’s in the NFL. Again, no surprise to see a team take Gilmore higher on draft day.

21. Cordy Glenn – CINCINATTI BENGALS
OT, Georgia- Cinci fills a need on the O-line here to keep young Dalton upright.

22. Jonathan Martin – CLEVELAND BROWNS
OT, Stanford- The Browns add a big body to help their new RB T.Richardson find room. Martin is also a prospect that could be off the board a lot earlier then #22 so he is a steal here.

23. Mike Adams – DETROIT LIONS
OT, Ohio State- The Lions could use some help at corner but I’m not sure if they reach for a character concern guy like N. Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins. Keeping Stafford healthy and upright is another need and Mike Adams fits the bill.

24. Dont’a Hightower – PITTSBURGH STEELERS
ILB, Alabama- With old man James Farrior gone, that ILB spot is a def need. Hightower could be the long term fit next to Timmons in Tomlin’s defense. It pains me to say this, but Hightower was built to be a Steeler LB… or a RAVEN.

25. Michael Brockers – DENVER BRONCOS
DT, LSU- If Manning is making the picks, look for a WR like Kendall Wright or Stephen Hill. Denver needs to stop the run and if Brockers is still on the board he is a steal. Brockers is a big physical run defender that would definitely help their cause.

26. Kendall Wright – HOUSTON TEXANS
WR, Baylor- Andre Johnson needs another WR threat to get some the attention off of him. Wright has the HOMERUN ability to do just that.

27. Peter Konz – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
C, Wisconsin- Help the “Golden Boy”. Konz is NFL ready right now.

28. Chandler Jones – GREEN BAY PACKERS
DE, Syracuse- Jones provides that pass rush opposite Clay Matthews that GB has been missing. Also Look for Boise State OLB Shea Mcclelin as a possibility here.

29. Shea Mcclellin – BALTIMORE RAVENS
OLB, Boise State- Yes, it’s time for my RAVENS again, or not? I see a first day trade out here. Baltimore GM Ozzie Newsome was never one for reaching on players in the first round, and at #29 there really isn’t a player worth the pick that fills a need for the Ravens. Look for a trade out for an early second rd pick where the Ravens could go a few ways with 2 2nd Rd picks-
OLB Boise State- Shea Mcclellin- Ravens need a rusher opposite defensive MVP Terrell Suggs
FS Notre Dame- Harrison Smith- With previous backup safety and fellow “Golden Domer” Tom Zbikowski now with the Colts and Ed Reeds career winding down, Smith provides a big, smart, physical player that could fit the Ravens defense for years to come.
Look for the Ravens to address Guard in the 2nd rd as well.
Kevin Zeitler OG Wisconsin *if avail*
Kelechi Osemele OG Iowa State
Amini Silatolu OG Midwestern State
Brandon Washington OG Miami
Yes the RAVENS are my team so they get the longest write up!

30. Kevin Zeitler – SAN FRANCISCO 49ers
OG, Wisconsin- San Fran looks to add another grinder on the O-line to pave holes for Gore. Zeitler is a hard nosed kid that’s fits the 49ers run first mentality. I also like Stanford TE Coby Fleener here. No not because Vernon Davis isn’t a BALLER, so calm down. But it is because Fleener is Har-boy from Stanford and Delanie Walker is not a true pass catching TE. Before you dismiss a TE to SF… Think Gronkowski-Hernandez style. #BEASTLY

31. Nick Perry – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
DE, USC- After losing Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, NE needs to address that spot for a pass rusher. Nick Perry is a big physical rusher that would be hard to pass if he is still avail here. I wouldn’t be shocked if Belichick traded one of these 1st rd picks to a desperate team for more picks in later rounds.

32. Jerel Worthy – NEW YORK GIANTS
DT, Michigan State- NY needs a presence in the middle of that already good defensive line, and Worthy is a huge one. NY could also choose to fill another need at RB since Jacobs is now in SF and Bradshaw has durability issues. Look for Boise State RB Doug Martin as another possibility.