Rickey Henderson wore No. 24 because of Willie Mays. Barry Bonds did it in the Pittsburgh years. The passing of an all-time great — for many, Mays was the all-time greatest — is a reminder all ballplayers were baseball fans first when they were kids. They all had their “guy.”

So while the Say Hey Kid may no longer be with us, his memory and passion with which he played the game live on in us fans. It lives on in all those like Henderson and Bonds whom he inspired to pursue their dreams. He lives on in all the millions of fans who delighted in his exploits, some of which have never been matched.

Those like Willie Mays will always be remembered and celebrated. They are the reason baseball is so great. They’re why we watch. And they’re why in our game of fantasy baseball, we cherish those power-speed studs for their all-around prowess. None better than Willie Mays. RIP.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 14

Michael Conforto (OF -SF): 19%

Michael Conforto was slashing .324/.410/.588 in 10 games in May before a hamstring injury knocked him out for the remainder of the month. He returned to the lineup on June 3rd. He’s been shaking off the rust, as he’s hitting just .085 in 34 at-bats since his return.

When he does shake off the rust, this is a hitter who’s been positioned fourth or fifth in the Giants’ lineup, though mostly against right-handers. He should get back to where he was in May before he got hurt and could be an asset as a bench player who can slot in leagues setting daily lineups.

Zach Neto (SS – LAA): 17%

It’s amazing that with how hard injuries have hit the Angels, Zach Neto is still hitting primarily in the bottom half of the lineup even though he’s produced 10 home runs and nine stolen bases. His .254 average is on the rise. Since June 12, Neto has gone 10-for-29 (.345 average) and has three home runs and seven RBI in eight games. He’s scored six times and has a 1.079 OPS over that span. For teams that lost Mookie Betts, Neto could be a replacement.

Noelvi Marte (3B – CIN): 15%

Speaking of shaking off the rust, Noelvi Marte is doing that at Triple-A Louisville as he’s serving the final days of his 80-game suspension set down by MLB. As of this writing, the Reds have played 74 games thus far, so Marte is about a week away from rejoining this young roster that is four games under .500.

Marte was part of the class with Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain that graduated to the major leagues last year, as the third baseman hit .316 with an .822 OPS in 114 at-bats in 2023. He’s hitting just .226 at Triple-A but should become a regular in the Reds’ lineup upon his return.

Jose Siri (OF – TB): 9%

Last year in 101 games, Jose Siri hit 25 home runs and stole 12 bases, slugging .494 on the season. This year he’s hitting .198, but that average has been coming up after a recent hot streak. Since June 12, Siri has been hitting .292 with two home runs and a 1.013 OPS. He has multiple hits in four of eight games. He has seven steals on the season but hasn’t registered a theft since May 26.

Colten Brewer (RP – CHC): 0%

This pick is somewhat speculative, as Cubs regular closer Hector Neris has blown two saves and given up seven earned runs in his last three appearances. Colten Brewer came on in the ninth inning to shut the door on Chicago’s 6-5 victory over San Francisco on June 19. Was this Neris getting some rest or was Craig Counsell trying out a new closer? Brewer might just be worth a pickup on the waiver wire to find out.

Landon Knack (SP – LAD): 2%

Landon Knack got called up to pitch against the Angels tonight at Dodger Stadium, which is reason enough to rush to the waiver wire to pick up the young pitcher who has a 2.61 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 16 strikeouts in 20.2 major-league innings.

Knack has no dominant pitches — his fastball averages 92.8 miles per hour — but he has shown he can pitch and has walked just six hitters in his time with the Dodgers in 2024. With the Dodgers dealing with injuries to the rotation, Knack could stick in the bigs and take on the Giants in spacious Oracle Park after facing the Angels.

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