With the calendar almost ready to flip to September, most fantasy baseball managers fighting for a championship are paying close attention to which minor leaguers are expected to be called up.
They are also focused on streaming starters and filling offensive holes in their lineups.
Every pitch and every at-bat counts to the highest degree right now, so everyone is 100 percent locked in to every position. Every position except catcher, that is.
Whether it is a one-catcher or two-catcher league, the position is often treated as a throwaway. Gone are the days of 40-homer catchers, such as Mike Piazza or Brian McCann. Right now, Sean Murphy leads the position with 20 home runs.
As such, most fantasy managers just accept whatever production they are getting from their backstops, as long as they have is a healthy body in the lineup.
But you don’t have to play that way, and if you aren’t getting the production you need from the position, help is on the way.
Returning from a multiweek stint on the injured list, Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno is likely available on your waiver wire.
The former top prospect had 10 hits over his previous six games heading into Friday and batted .417 with one double, two home runs and seven RBIs over that span.
The Diamondbacks had won 10 of their previous 12 games, are very much in the hunt for a wild-card spot in the playoffs, and Moreno is their primary catcher.
Adding him at this point of the season would be a big move.
You can also look at the Astros’ Yainer Diaz, who was riding an eight-game hitting streak heading into Friday.
During that span, he batted .371 with three doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs.
The Astros are comfortable with how he is handling the pitching staff, and his bat has put him into the middle of the batting order. Sliding him into your lineup could prove to be the difference you need in the power categories.
Winning a fantasy baseball championship takes a keen eye and strong dedication. It is easy to let the catcher position fall to the wayside, but at such a crucial time, every bit of help counts. Solidify yourself at catcher with players who are producing, and you’ll find yourself in the winner’s circle in no time.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to Fantasy-Alarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.