We’re officially in the dog days of summer, which means a few things of note: NFL is almost upon us; the fantasy baseball playoffs have begun for many; and finally, whether you’re in a roto league without playoffs or otherwise, you’re still looking to find value on your waiver wire.

I define value as something like: Players who produce counting stats (and/or average), who, for whatever reason, have low ownership rates and thus can be found on waivers for free, or in my case, for a few FAAB dollars (of which, I have zero remaining). The players I’m referring to are generally valuable in deeper mixed leagues or NL- or AL-only formats, but some, like Dexter Fowler, whom I’ve written about in the past, can offer solid numbers for leagues of any size/format.

I’ve recently written about guys like David Peralta, Fowler, and Jung-Ho Kang, and my advice on these players remains the same as it’s always been: pick them up ASAP. Their low ownership rates on ESPN continue to leave me flummoxed; E.g., David Peralta and his .294 average, 48 R, 13 HR, 66 RBI, and 5 SB is owned in just 70% of ESPN leagues. Go figure. Better yet: Go pick him up.

Here are a few more hitters I like who can help you down the stretch:

Yangervis Solarte: Solarte hit his tenth home run on August 21 and third in as many games. A switch-hitter, Solarte has multi-position eligibility (1B; 2B; 3B) and is owned in just 34% of ESPN leagues. With a triple-slash line of .269/.325/.425, Solarte has 47 R, 10 HR, and 49 RBI. Those stats play in most leagues, and while he is a bit streaky and on a power surge in August, his ambidexterity keeps him in the Friars’ lineup on a near-daily basis. Solarte has solid on-base skills (29:46 BB/K), hits for decent power, above league-average batting average, and the vast majority of his AB’s come in the leadoff or 2-holes in the lineup (110 and 142 AB, respectively).

That said, hitting in front of a hot Matt Kemp and a hopefully-getting-hot Justin Upton should help keep his run totals healthy, and he’s showing some nice HR power in August. His .283 BABIP is in line with career norms, so I don’t expect much regression in terms of batting average; if anything, that number seems somewhat low for a player who runs well, but ZiPS projects a BABIP of .280 the rest of the way. At any rate, you could certainly do a lot worse than Solarte, a player who might be finding his stride in the second half.

Colby Rasmus: In short, Rasmus is who he is: He hits for power and not much else. His power, particularly against righties, is the real deal: Rasmus owns a .451 slugging percentage and a solid .222 ISO in 2015 (with a career-norm .297 BABIP); his 17 HR and .750 OPS suggest he can help in AL-only or deeper mixed-leagues.

Owned in just 6.5% of ESPN leagues, Rasmus has 44 R, 17 HR, 44 RBI, and 2 SB to his credit (along with an unsightly .228 batting average), with the two most recent of his 17 Colby Jacks courtesy of Detroit lefty Matt Boyd. While he does sit against most LHP, Rasmus’ OPS against lefties in 2015 is a respectable .815 across 80 AB’s (compared to a .726 OPS vs. RHP over 244 AB). That said, you will see him in the lineup against a few soft-throwing lefties, but that will likely stop when Springer returns.

For perspective, consider Brandon Moss relative to Rasmus:

Moss is batting .211 with 38 R, 15 HR, and 51 RBI. He was recently ranked OF number 52 and 49 by two CBS analysts, whereas Rasmus is ranked 63 and 88. Although Rasmus’ power is less proven than that of Moss, Moss has been miserable since June and Rasmus has been steady, if unspectacular, effectively all season. But despite hitting more HR—and being projected to hit just 3 fewer HR than Moss (8 HR projected for Moss ROS seems totally absurd, incidentally)—Moss is owned in roughly 8 times more leagues than is Rasmus. In short: Colby is either massively under-owned, or Moss is hugely overvalued; or, I guess, both.

ZiPS has another 5 HR and 13 RBI projected for Rasmus rest of season, but those number seem a bit soft in the absence of Springer for a player hitting at Minute Maid Park. Rasmus won’t win a batting title anytime soon, but his solid OPS vs. lefties this year (an outlier, to be sure) and strong defense at all three OF positions keeps him in the lineup on a near-daily basis, especially given the recent, albeit short-term, demotion of Preston Tucker. Colby is a funk since his 2-HR game on 8/16, but like most power hitters, Rasmus is prone to streaks; my advice to you is exactly the same advice I took myself: pick him up and enjoy the HR power, but don’t expect him to suddenly become Bryce Harper.

Asdrubal Cabrera: Arguably the hottest hitter in baseball since he returned from the DL on July 28, Cabrera is hitting .404 with an OPS of 1.078 since the All-Star break. Those are not typos, though his numbers are propped up by a massively inflated BABIP. Also since the break, Cabby has 20 runs, 4 HR, 13 RBI, and 2 SB across 89 AB’s. He’s on fire, no two-ways about it.

What we’re seeing here, I think, are two things: 1) a player out-of-his-mind hot and 2) a veteran with proven, decent power and a solid hitter regressing to the mean. Currently batting .264 with 49 R, 9 HR, 35 RBI, and 5 SB (.730 OPS), Cabrera has hit at least 14 home runs every season since 2011 (career high of 25), and he’s on pace for roughly 12 this year. A career .267 hitter, Cabrera was miserable in April, May, and some of June, and while he’s hitting an unsustainable BABIP of .320, he was certainly due for a few bloopers to drop.

With dual 2B/SS eligibility, his ownership rate on ESPN has spiked from sub-20% in mid-August to 39% at the time of this writing. If you’re looking for help at a very weak SS position, or a possible Howie Kendrick replacement, Cabrera can certainly help you out; and as a switch-hitter, you’ll find him in the 5- or 6-hole in the Ray’s lineup on a daily basis.

I wish I knew why Jung-ho Kang and Ben Paulsen seem to get so little respect. It’s baffling. Regardless, people should be talking about these guys and their production — both have very legit numbers, yet few seem to have noticed. More to my point: fantasy baseball players should pick them up from the waiver wire ASAP. I mean, right this second.

Kang, recall, is the stud the Pirates signed from Korea. An unknown for the better part of the season, Kang is making his presence felt in the middle of the Pirates lineup, having just earned honors this July for NL Rookie of the Month. Kang, with dual SS/3B eligibility, is owned in just 57.9% of ESPN leagues and is slashing a highly productive .291/.365/.446 and, based on what he did in Korea, his .809 OPS could prove to be low in the long run.

Kang went through a bit of a power drought in June, but he caught fire in July. He’s now hitting .291 with 8 HR and 35 RBI. Consider that in the last week of July, Kang recorded multiple hits in five out of eight games with 6 R, 2 HR, and 3 RBI in that stretch. In his next game, on August 1, he hit his 8th home run of the season, a ball that traveled 412 feet. In 2014, Kang launched 40 home runs in 120 games in Korea, while also hitting .297. The kid can flat-out rake. With Jordy Mercer on the shelf (and not very good when healthy), Kang continues to occupy the 4–6 holes in Clint Hurdle’s lineup.

As many hitters have said before: As the summer heats up, so do they. I suspect we’re going to see Kang launch many more home runs before season’s end. If nothing else, even if the power is merely moderate, the fact that he hits for average, steals a few bases, and slots in the middle of a very potent Bucs lineup makes him worthy of a pickup in leagues of any size.

Ben Paulsen. What’s not to love about a guy who: 1) plays half his games at Coors Field; 2) made minor league pitching look like little league; 3) hits for both power and average; and 4) absolutely kills right-handed pitching? Answer: Nothing. His numbers aren’t dissimilar from those of Kang (in fact, they’re nearly identical), with a .300 average, 8 HR, and 34 RBI. His average is a bit buoyed by a .363 BABIP, though ZiPS projects a .333 BABIP the rest of the way. The only knocks against Paulsen are playing time and his ugly platoon splits, which are obviously related. But as with guys I’ve discussed before, who cares if he’s not an everyday starter; he’d just tank your average anyway. Instead, bench him against the few lefties he’s allowed to face, and you won’t be disappointed.

FanGraphs had this to say about him before the season started; it’s like these guys are clairvoyant or something. But they’re also very much wrong in the when they say that Paulsen’s game is made for just NL-only leagues. It’s much better than that (keep reading). Per FanGraphs:

The Quick Opinion: If Morneau starts the year on the disabled list as he recovers from knee surgery, Paulsen could be a sneaky short-term option in NL-only leagues, but that’s about it.

Paulsen, actually, is now effectively an everyday starter in the mercurial Walt Weiss’ lineup, thanks to the demotion of Wilin “Baby Bull” Rosario. Justin Morneau’s concussion symptoms are persisting, and he may have played his final game in the big leagues. Thus, the gig is Paulsen’s to lose, and with Corey Dickerson on the DL again, Paulsen has also been playing some corner outfield when called upon.

And when the 27-year old Paulsen is called upon, the numbers are a thing of beauty — against RHP, anyway, who he’s torturing to the tune of a .308/.361/.535 triple slash. Paulsen’s OPS of .896 isn’t just ‘productive,’ it’s downright fantastic. Frankly, it’s more than a little weird that just 19.7% of ESPN players own him. I’m happy to say I’m one of them, though I missed out on Kang, much to my dismay (and totally because of my stupidity).

There will be more blogs to follow, with similar themes in mind: finding value where there seemingly is none. There always is, you just have to look hard enough.

If Dexter Fowler or any of the other Dexter Fowler-type players mentioned below are sitting on your fantasy baseball waiver wire, then stop what you’re doing right now and snag them. What follows mainly applies to deeper mixed-leagues, but frankly, I’m a little tired of reading the musings of “experts” on how this or that guy is “viable only in NL-only” or “shallow-mixed” leagues. That’s all well and good, but let’s cut the crap: we want guys who produce counting stats, and Dexter Fowler and those like him do precisely that for leagues big and small. They score runs, steal bases, hit home runs, get on base, and more, but for some reason, people don’t give them the credit they deserve. For instance, Fowler, with his 10 HR, 66 R, and 16 SB, just finally cracked the ESPN Top-250 list this past week; but he’s still ranked behind the likes of Logan Morrison. See what I mean? But I digress.

Here’s my point: If you’re like me — and you probably are, to the extent that you love playing Rotisserie/fantasy baseball — then you’re looking to find value on the waiver wire or via trade; you’re looking for undervalued players who produce counting stats. Sounds easy enough, and if you look at the ownership rates of a few guys I’m particularly keen on, then it really is easy to find these guys free of charge; guys like Dexter Fowler (owned in 57% of ESPN leagues), David Peralta (27%), Preston Tucker (27%), or Marlon Byrd (34%). Are these names flashy? No, not really, but who cares; they produce.

There are plenty of other, similar players who all have a few things in common relevant to us baseball-minded folk: they produce in at least three categories and are probably on your waiver wire or sitting on someone’s bench ripe for a trade offer from you. Why these players — and those like them — are so under-owned is, in many cases, the result of playing time (i.e., platoons), but I also suspect the ownership percentages are skewed by 8-team leagues . In deeper leagues, however, like those I care about, Dexter Fowlers are must-haves.

Here’s at look at how the Dexter Fowlers I’ve identified (and there are many more) can help you. I’ve also provided some stats and thoughts on why so few people have grabbed these particular guys. In any case, these are guys you’ll want down the stretch.

Dexter Fowler: How many guys have double-digit home runs and stolen bases in MLB this year? Eighteen. 18! Fowler, recall, was once a highly touted prospect in the Rockies organization, and while he never quite turned into the superstar many had projected, he has had a fine career, and hitting in front of Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo (and lately, ahem, Chris Coghlan) is helping Fowler have one of his finest seasons to date. Currently on pace to destroy his single-season career high homer total of 13 set in 2012, Fowler is also on pace for his first 20 SB season since his rookie year, while remaining among the league leaders in runs scored (currently 4th in the NL at 66).

Let’s take a step back for a second: Fowler has 10 HR and 16 SB. That’s fantastic in its own right, but he gets zero love (or 57% love, as it were). The knock on Dexter, of course, is his low batting average. However, that argument is starting to fall apart, as the average is on the rise and it’s been dragged down by a career-low .297 BABIP (career BABIP of .342). Not to mention Fowler takes a ton of walks, thus helping buoy his run and stolen base totals in the absence of hits. And on top of the great counting stats and rising average, Fowler is a switch hitter, leaving him immune to benching in the face of tough lefty/righty matchups.

For perspective, consider this: Christian Yelich is ranked ESPN’s number 35 outfielder for Roto 5×5 leagues (117 player overall); Fowler is ranked OF #59 (230 overall). Here are their stats; I have no idea what drugs ESPN is taking, but I want some.

Yelich (owed in 67%): .263; 35 R; 6 HR; 25 RBI; 10 SB (note: he did spend roughly three weeks on the DL and is without the benefit of Stanton)

Fowler: .243; 66 R; 10 HR; 27 RBI; 16 SB.

Here’s more perspective: According to ZiPS projections, Yelich is on pace to finish the season with stats in all categories almost identical to what Fowler has achieved by July.

Why the disparity in rankings? You tell me — potential, I suspect, but you don’t need a PhD in statistics to tell you that Fowler is vastly outperforming Yelich this year, and we are well beyond the days where the small-sample size caveat holds water. Yelich, to his credit, is a fantastic hitter and has a bright career ahead of him, but he’s got nothing on Dexter Fowler in 2015.

Here are a few other Fowler-types to keep in mind:

David Peralta: The dude crushes right-handed pitching. Peralta, a converted pitcher, has an average batted-ball velocity of approximately 95 MPH according to baseballsavant.com (that’s really, really good). He currently owns a .281/.351/.493 triple slash with 9 HR and 48 RBI, though he rarely plays against lefties (which is perhaps stupid, but a topic for another time) despite a recent vote of confidence by Chip Hale for his improved ability to mash lefties as well.

Bottom line: Peralta flat-out hits. He’s been on a roll since Inciarte went on the DL, and thanks to the maddening way in which Hale manages his lineup, Peralta is not an everyday starter — but against righties, which make up the majority of National League pitching (by far), Peralta holds prime real estate in Arizona’s lineup and should be in your lineup as well, and ahead of guys like, for instance, Christian Yelich. And maybe even Dexter Fowler, depending on your particular needs. In addition to Peralta’s 9 HRs in 288 ABs, he’s also stolen five bases and regularly slots in the 2-hole when he’s not batting cleanup.

In a stacked Arizona lineup, opportunities to score and drive in runs are plentiful — as he’s shown over the past two months. If nothing else, just bench him against lefties and start him against righties, whom he absolutely destroys, which reminds me of Preston Tucker.

Preston Tucker: A highly regarded prospect in the Astros organization, Tucker was called up from Fresno in May. He got off to a hot start, cooled in June, but here in July/August, Tucker is again raking. Known as “Bam Bam” for his likeness to Fred Flintstone’s pal (or grandfather?), Tucker is 25 and has crushed 77 homers (minors & majors) since 2012, after being a 7th round pick in 2012. His platoon splits aren’t pretty; you won’t want to start him against the few lefties he’s allowed to face, but what he does to righties almost makes me feel bad for the pitchers: He’s slashing .296/.356/.568 against righties (OPS of .924 if you don’t like math), with 5 HR in 46 AB’s since the All-Star break.

Start Tucker with confidence; he bats second or cleanup against righties, and with Gomez in town, Jake Marisnick (a righty) is the odd man out more often than not — Tucker and his .924 OPS do too much damage to bench against RHP. Also note that Tucker gets more starts than does Colby Rasmus (until the return of Springer, when they both likely sit) another guy I like, incidentally, for his power vs. righties. Tucker’s power is real; his ISO is a lovely .204 and his .265 batting average aligns well with his minor league numbers, and his BABIP is a sustainable .299 given his hard-contact rate and minor league numbers.

Marlon Byrd: He’s hit 18 home runs and, in his last 60 games (roughly), is hitting over .290 with 15 home runs. He’s owned in 34% of ESPN leagues. Byrd has hit 25 and 24 homers the past two years, respectively. Enough said.

As I mentioned, there are plenty of other Fowlers out there, and I will cover those in my next post. Hint: Gerardo Parra (72%!); Colby Rasmus (5%); Jarrod Dyson (7%).