Fantasy Baseball : Waiver Wire: Week 5 : Fantasy Dr X: Strike Zone

We are finally beginning to see that hidden power and speed that many players have been holding back over the first 5 weeks of the season, and many fantasy owners are enjoying the output. Here are my "Hot" Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 5. By Lawrence Barreca.

Infielders:

    * Joey Votto (CIN) - Before the season, Votto was in competition for the starting first base spot in Cincinnati. Now, Votto has secured his spot and is producing like an All-Star. Joey is currently hitting .333, with 4 homeruns and 12 RBIs. Now that Votto is starting, look for him to make a nice starting fantasy first baseman in any fantasy format.
    * Brendan Ryan (STL) - Now with Cesar Izturis on the 15-day DL, Brendan will now get the opportunity to start while he is out. Ryan did pretty well last season, hitting .289 with 4 homers, 12 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. Watch Ryan's status for now, because he may turn out to be a nice sleeper in the upcoming weeks.
    * Mark Reynolds (ARZ) - Reynolds has been tearing it up so far this season, hitting .304 with 6 homers, 19 RBIs, and a stolen base. Reynolds is not a third baseman that comes to mind when you think of some of the best in the game, however, he sure is playing like one.
    * Ronny Cedeno (CHC) - Ever since Ryan Theriot went down with a back injury, Cedeno has been filling in nicely offensively. He is currently hitting .345, with 1 homer, 13 RBIs, and a stolen base. If Cedeno can keep this up, he may find himself starting in the Cubs' infield sometime soon.
Outfielders:

    * Raul Ibanez (SEA) - Ibanez is one of the best hitters on the Mariners, hitting .310, with 5 homers and 18 RBIs. Batting number 3 in the lineup, Ibanez has many opportunities for RBIs (mainly because of Ichiro). Look for Raul to be a nice fantasy pickup for the next few weeks.
    * Skip Schumaker (STL) - Schumaker is currently hitting .324 with 1 homer, 6 RBIs, and 3 stolen bases. Skip will only get better as the season progresses, so watch his progress during the next few days to see if you want to grab him in your fantasy league.
    * Fred Lewis (SF) - Lewis impressed many fantasy owners last season by hitting for the cycle and performing night-after-night. This season, he is doing the same. He is hitting .338, with 1 homer, 5 RBIs, 2 stolen bases, and 11 runs scored. Lewis has always been consistent, making him a nice fantasy pickup for Week 5.

Pitchers:

    * Mark Hendrickson (FLA) - Hendrickson didn't catch my attention early on; however, he is beginning to pitch as well as anyone out there. Surprisingly, Mark is 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA and 14 strikeouts. The current ace of the Marlins would make a nice pickup on any fantasy rotation.
    * Jonathan Broxton (LAD) - Broxton is currently one of the best young relievers in baseball, proving it with a 1-0 record and a 2.16 ERA. He also has 13 Ks and 2 walks, which can help any fantasy owner in head-to-head play.
    * Cliff Lee (CLE) - Lee has been dominating so far this season, going 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA and 20 Ks in 22.2 innings pitched. Lee is currently the number 5 starter for the Tribe, however, he is pitching like a number 2. Look for Lee to make a nice fantasy pickup for the time being.
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