Extra Innings

Start & Sit for Week 2!!!!!!!

With the start of the season underway, there are already players playing themselves into lineups and others struggling to stay in. These are a few players that should excel and others to keep on the bench for week 2.

Start’em

1. Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays:

He pitched very well in his first start of 2008 by only allowing three runs over seven innings against a tough Yankee team. He will face the Texas Rangers on the road in his only start. He will face Vicente Padilla and will look to start the season off well. After the break last year, Halladay was 6-4 but had a 3.02 ERA in15 starts. Look for Halladay to dominant in Texas.

2. Brian Bannister, Kansas City Royals:

He allowed only two singles in seven innings in a victory over the Tigers in his first start of the year. Last year as a rookie, Bannister went 12-9 with a 3.87 ERA. He is a great sleeper candidate in all formats and will pitch two games in week 2. Both games will be on the road where he posted a 3.48 ERA versus at home where he had a 4.32 ERA. Grab him while you can and put him in for week 2.

3. Corey C. Hart, Milwaukee Brewers:

He will want to prove that 2007 was not a fluke and in week 2, he will face the Reds at home and the Mets on the road. Last year at home in 69 games he hit .315 with 15 homeruns and 43 RBI’s. The Reds pitching staff is one of the leagues worst, and he will also play six games this week making him a solid option for week 2.

4. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals:

He has started the season strong and will continue to produce all year long. Do not be hesitant to have this Royal in your starting lineup. He finished last year on a high note after struggling in the first half of the season. He finished with 15 homeruns and 60 RBI’s and had 14 steals. Look for him to continue that in week 2.

5. Hunter Pence, Houston Astros:

He had a remarkable season last year in his first season in the Major Leagues. He will face the Cardinals and Marlins pitching staff in week 2. Both pitching staffs are in rebuilding modes and look for Pence to capitalize. Against the Cardinals in 2007, he hit .362 with 3 home runs and 12 RBI in only 12 games. The Marlins have young pitching and should be in the bottom of baseball in pitching. Look for him to explode in week 2.

6. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: Fix number 4 OF

He has received the confidence in the organization to start and it could not have come any sooner. The rare 5-tool player, in limited playing time last year he hit .342 with 10 homeruns and 42 RBI’s. He will start the season as a number 4 OF with the potential to become a great fantasy star at season’s end. In 2008 he is doing well and look for him to continue in week 2.

7. Troy Tulowitzski, Colorado Rockies:

He is going to play seven games in week 2 and four of those are at Coors Field. At home last year, Tulowitzki hit .326 with 15 homeruns and 60 RBI’s. He had a remarkable .392 (On-Base Percentage) and a SLUG% of .568. He will face the Atlanta Braves pitching staff at home and the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road.

8. Delmon Young, Minnesota Twins:

Young comes into this season with huge expectations. Coming over from Tampa Bay, he will look to put up similar numbers of departed CF Torii Hunter who has moved on to the west coast. He will face the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals on the road. He hit 24 points higher, had more hits and had a higher OBP on the road. Look for him to continue his progression in week 2.

Sit’em

1. Joe Blanton, Oakland Athletics:

He did average in his debut against the Red Sox in Japan. He is scheduled to pitch against Cleveland Indians ace C.C. Sabathia. Last year against the Indians, Blanton was 1-1 but had a 4.26 ERA in three starts. He allowed a .280 average and gave up 21 hits in only 19 innings pitch. A key stat for fantasy owners was Blanton ERA on the road. He was 7-5, yet he had an ERA of 5.11 in 19 starts. Opposing hitters hit .304 on the road against him and in 119 2/3 innings he allowed 147 hits. Look for other options in week 2.

2. Mike Mussina, New York Yankees:

Mussina is scheduled to pitch two games in week 2. Despite having two starts do not start Mussina in week 2. He will face the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. Last year against the Rays, he was 0-1 and had a 7.59 ERA in two starts. The Rays hit .400 against him and he allowed 18 hits in only 10 2/3 innings pitched. Furthermore against Boston in two starts last year he had a 9.26 ERA. 

3. Kevin Millwood, Texas Rangers:

Millwood had a solid start in his season opener for the Texas Rangers. In week 2, he will face a team that he struggled against last year. Against the Blue Jays in two starts in 2007, he did not post a record but had an ERA of 7.45. The Jays hit .381 against him and he allowed 16 hits in only 9 2/3 innings. Look for another option in week 2.

4. Juan Pierre, Los Angeles Dodgers:

His active streak came to an end on opening day and his time in L.A. may be next. He lost his job in spring training to Andre Either and it does not look like Pierre will see any playing time soon. Once a fantasy star because of his steals and runs scored do not put Pierre in any fantasy lineup.

5. Raul Ibanez, Seattle Mariners:

In his first two games he is batting .125 against the Texas Rangers starting rotation. Last year, Ibanez finished the season strong in the second half. He hit .309 with 15 homeruns and 52 RBI’s. It seems he is off to another slow start and for that reason do not have him in your week 2 starting lineup.

6. Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati Reds:

He will face the Philadelphia Phillies in one of two starts in week 2. In his career against the Phillies, Arroyo in six starts is 1-3 with a 4.34 ERA. He does not do well against the Phillies and in daily fantasy lineups look for someone else to start.

7. Huston Street, Oakland Athletics:

I have read articles about Huston Street and I am not convinced that he will get back on track. I am telling all fantasy owners to worry and trade him while he has value left. In the last 3 years he has blown 21 saves. He started the season by blowing a save in Japan and in his next appearance gave up another homerun. With his recent history and playing on a rebuilding team do not expect Street to come back to his rookie form.

8. Daniel Cabrera, Baltimore Orioles:

He is a very erratic pitcher that has the potential to be very good if he could only be more consistent. He will take on the Seattle Mariners where he struggled. In three starts he was 1-1 with a 7.85 ERA. Seattle as a team hit .307 against him and he will be opposing Felix Hernandez, who did very well in his first start of the season. Look for him to be on your bench for week 2.

Keep Your Eye on…

1. DH, Billy Butler

2. OF, DH, Jack Cust

3. OF, Lastings Milledge

4. 1B, Nick Johnson

5. 3B, Kevin Kouzmanoff

Have a question or comment feel free to email me at jca112@yahoo.com or make a thread in our fantasy baseball forums at www.fantasyfootballmaniaxs.com