StarFantasySports.com: 4/5/2007 - Sizemore May Enter The Level Of The Elite - 10:20, 2007-Apr-5 |
Every day I will be looking over the performances & trends from previous baseball games to help you make educated decisions about your fantasy baseball roster. Here are a few players from yesterday’s action:
Sizemore hits game winning shot. After starting off the 2007 season with a homerun on Monday, Grady Sizemore hit a two run game winning shot last night to give the Indians their second win on the season. Sizemore took a big step last year by not only hitting 28 HR, he also blasted 55 doubles, raising his slugging percentage from .484 to .533. Those doubles he hit last year are a great sign that the power he’s displaying early on is no fluke, and may very well hit 35+ HR’s. While he increased his walk rate last year, he also increased his strikeout rate as well. Early in his career in the minors, he didn’t strikeout nearly as much as he does now, so if he figures that out in the big leagues, a .300 average & much more await. Add that with his speed & he will be a first round pick for many years to come.
Jorge Julio off to a rocky start. The Florida Marlins were only 3 outs away from starting the year by sweeping the Nationals, but unfortunately that all came crashing down after a 9th inning meltdown by Jorge Julio. Julio was only able to record one out (on a sacrifice bunt) while giving up 5 hits, 3 runs and a walk. Julio started hot last year but cooled way down in the second half, due mainly to increased walks. There are a lot of question marks here. First off, he increased his strikeout rate last year to a level he’s never been before. Secondly, he’s always given out lots of free passes in his career. And last but not least, his homerun rate has always been high. These are not good signs for a closer. If you own Julio, you may want to pick up Kevin Gregg and/or Matt Lindstrom, who would be next in line for saves.
Macier Izturis steals quietly. When Chone Figgins went down for an extended period, many owners were wondering what to do about the absence of his stolen bases. Hopefully you realized that his replacement, Macier Izturis, is just the answer you were looking for. While the 70% success rate he had last year was nothing to get excited about, he was given 20 stolen base opportunities (successful 14 times) in 390 plate appearances. Already swiping 2 bags in 2 games, it appears as if he’s got the green light at all times. He also has all the qualities you look for in a base stealer as he makes solid contact & walks fairly often. Last check on ESPN.com shows that he is owned in less than 1% of the leagues out there. If you are looking for some speed, Izturis makes a great short term pick up until Figgins comes back.
Ted Lilly paying dividends early. Another pitcher who signed a rich contract with questionable stats was Ted Lilly. Based off of last night however, Lilly looked worth every penny. Lilly went 7 innings, striking out 9, while only giving up 3 hits, a walk & a run. Lilly’s biggest problem in the past was walks & homeruns, which as many of you know, is a deadly combo that will give you ERA’s north of 4. So far so good, but you can’t discount years of facts. He plays in a homerun friendly field, so limiting his walks will be key this year. If you decide to roster him, you must monitor his walk rate very carefully.
Harden out to rebound from injury plagued 2006. Rich Harden made his fantasy owners breath a sigh of relief after pitching a brilliant outing last night. Harden went 7 innings, striking out 7 while only giving up 3 hits & 2 walks. Last year Harden only pitched 46 innings and his injuries really hurt his performance. While his strikeout rate rose, so did his walk rate in a big way. The talent has always been there for Harden and his walk rate should come down this year, but last year was his second injuries plague season in a row, which makes him a huge health risk. On the flip side, due to his injuries, he has a fresh arm, meaning if he can go all season, then he may have the year we’ve been expecting for awhile. Harden owners, keep your fingers crossed.
Khalil Greene blasts first homerun of the season. After having high hopes for a breakout season last year, Khalil Greene fell short of expectations, most of it due to a finger injury. This year, a healthy Greene hit his first homerun of the season in |
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