2011 Fantasy Baseball Week 4 Sit Em Start Em: Big Week Ahead for Adam Lind?
Start
Chris Narveson, Milwaukee Brewers (43.8%)
With all the moves the Brewers made to their rotation in the offseason Narveson has been lost in the shuffle. Truth be told, at this point in the season he has been the Brewers best and most consistent hurler.
This week Narveson is scheduled to face the Reds and the Astros. Against the Reds, Narveson holds a 2.93 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and 11 K’s in two starts. Narveson gets the Astros in his second start of the week. In his four starts against the Astros Narveson has compiled an ERA of 3.43 a 1.43 WHIP and a K/9 of 8.6.
With LaTroy Hawkins coming off the DL, hopefully the Brewers bullpen can settle itself and the bullpen can actually help the Brewers’ starters.
Jorge De La Rosa, Colorado Rockies (86.1%)
There isn’t a two-start pitcher this week who owns a team like De La Rosa owns the Cubs. In six career starts against the Cubs, De La Rosa is 3-0 with a stellar 1.74 ERA a 1.47 WHIP and a K/9 ratio of 11.3. Although the WHIP is a bit high it’s hard to ignore the other numbers De La Rosa has against the Cubs.
In his second start of the week De La Rosa is to face the Pirates. His numbers are not as good against the Bucs (3-2, 4.01 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 9.3 K/9) but the fact is the team as a whole is struggling at the plate right now and De La Rosa is in a good position to take advantage of that.
While his WHIP is always going to be a bit high, against these teams he’s a strikeout machine. Start De La Rosa with confidence, and if it doesn’t work out you can always just blame me.
Sit
Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves (77.4%)
Jurrjens has been very good this season since coming off the DL for the Braves, giving up just one earned run in 13 innings.
Heading to Petco Park this week having him as a pitcher to sit may have Jurrjens owners scratching their heads. In the 25-year olds young career, the Padres have owned Jurrjens at Petco. At Petco Park, Jurrjens has an inflated 21.60 ERA against the Padres with an incredibly low K/9 of 2.7.
Jurrjens second scheduled start of the week is again the Cardinals. In his career against the red birds, Jurrjens has a 1-4 record with an ERA over five and a WHIP of three. Combine that with the hot bats of Albert Pujols, Matt Holiday, Colby Rasmus and the reincarnation of Lance Berkman, I’d stay away from the young hurler from Curacao.
Ricky Nolasco, Florida Marlins (99.6%)
This may be a surprise to fantasy baseball player as Nolasco is on the fringe of pitchers you want to start every week. This week I’d say go against conventional wisdom.
Nolasco gets a duo of teams he hasn’t fared well against this week. First he faces baseball’s team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since the team was taken over from the McCourt family, the Dodgers are undefeated and have good numbers against Nolasco going into their series. In his career against the Dodgers, Nolasco has an ERA of 6.00 in two starts. On a bright side he does have a respectable 7.5 K/9.
His second start of the week is against the Reds. In five starts against the Reds, Nolasco is 1-1 with a 5.58 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP and has given up six home runs. Again the K/9 ration is good at 8.2 but it does not excuse the rest of his numbers.
BATTERS
Start
Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays (92.8%)
Lind, much like another one of the players on this week’s list, has been looking to regain the magic that he had in the 2009 season. However, with Lind, patient owners might finally get rewarded for their time.
First up for Lind this week is the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington. In 16 career games at the ballpark, Lind has an astonishing 7 home runs, hitting .313 and slugging .734. In 16 games at Yankee Stadium Lind has 4 home runs.
These two stadiums are also some of the top HR-friendly stadiums in baseball. Arlington ranks at #5 and Yankee Stadium ranks at #8. His strong power history in these shallow ballparks should make for a great week for Lind.
Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies (11.7%)
One of the greatest hitters of this generation is performing like his was 10 years younger without the power. Helton has been a DL magnet for the past few years. When he’s healthy though, he’s another hitter all together, much like he’s been this year.
For the past three years Helton has been hitting .357 in 28 at-bats. More than half of those hits were for extra bases and 3 were home runs. His next stop in Pittsburgh this week is statistically nearly as good. In his 14 at-bats there in the past three years, Helton has an OPS of .944 and OBP of .444.
He might not boost your team’s standings in the power categories like previous years, but Helton can still definitely be a positive influence on hitting for average and on-base percentage if your league values it.
Sit
Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays (97.8%)
Zobrist has yet to recapture the magic he had in his 2009 season. Surprisingly for a player that has had only one good year, over a year ago, Zobrist is still widely owned. If you are one of those managers reluctant to let him go you should at least let him see the bench this week.
Zobrist’s first opponent of the week comes at Target Field against the Twins. Target Field this year has been worse than last for home runs. For every one home run hit at Target Field, three are hit at the rest of MLB’s ballparks. Zobrist is only hitting .182 against the three starters for the Twins that he’ll be facing.
Zobrist’s next stop of the week is at home against the Angels. Against the entire Angles staff, Zobrist is hitting a meager .176 with a .226 OBP for his career (3 for 27 against Haren and Weaver combined).
Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers (100%)
Andrus faces a real challenge this week facing two teams of which he has little historical success against. In 45 career at-bats against the Blue Jays, Andrus is hitting the Mendoza line exactly coupled with a .280 OBP. His numbers against his next opponent are even worse. Playing in Oakland, Andrus is hitting only .194 in 67 career at-bats. Against the three Oakland A’s starting pitchers that Andrus will face, he sports a career .209 average in 43 at-bats with only 1 extra-base hit.
• Ownership percentages taken from ESPN.com
Written by James Bryce & JJ Omar exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com
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(April 3, 2011 – Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America)
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