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Brian McCann has picked up right where he left off in 2006 and enjoys hitting at Turner Field. Last year McCann's home numbers (.324-10-42 in 225 AB) were outstanding.
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National
League Hitter and Pitcher Report -- Week 2
Contributed By: Greg Pyron
With Week 2 now upon us, we return to take you on
a quick tour of the National League. The goal here is to provide you with some (hopefully)
helpful tips as you set your lineups this week.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Hitters: 2B Orlando Hudson should be a
strong play this week as the Diamondbacks play six games at home. Hudson hit .321 with 7 HR
and 35 RBI in 280 AB at home last season and he is scheduled to see some
favorable pitching matchups this week as well (Kyle Lohse, Matt
Belisle, and Josh Fogg, for example).
Pitchers: LHP Doug Davis is scheduled
to get two starts this week (vs. CIN on Monday and vs. COL on Sunday), but he probably isn’t worth
the gamble in mixed leagues as he could do more harm than good. As mentioned
here last week, Davis had a rough preseason and he was less than sharp in his
first start of 2007 (5 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 6 K at COL).
ATLANTA BRAVES  |
| Jeff Francoeur enjoyed the home cooking in 2006 batting .305 with 19 HR and 65 RBI in 315 AB at Turner Field |
Hitters: OF Jeff Francoeur has started
off rather slowly this season, but he could be in for a big week as the Braves
are scheduled to play six home games. The Atlanta
native really enjoyed the home cooking in 2006 batting .305 with 19 HR and 65
RBI in 315 AB at Turner Field. With his fast start in week one, C Brian McCann, another Atlanta native, has picked up right where he left off in 2006
and he too hit very well at Turner Field a year ago (.324-10-42 in 225 AB).
Pitchers: RHP Tim Hudson pitched
exceptionally well in his 2007 debut (7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K at PHI on
April 4) and is scheduled for two starts this week (vs. WSH on Tuesday and vs. FLA on Sunday). Look for
Huddy to have a big week.
CHICAGO CUBS
Hitters: INF/OF Mark Derosa had a fine
first week as a Cub (.412-2-6 in 17 AB). He and the Cubs regulars as a group
are scheduled for some favorable matchups this week, particularly in the first
half of the week when they face Woody Williams, Chris
Sampson and Wandy Rodriguez on consecutive days at Wrigley Field.
Pitchers: LHP Ted Lilly is set to
receive two starts this week (vs. HOU on Monday and vs. CIN on Sunday) after
pitching well in his Cubs debut (7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K in Milwaukee on April 4). Those two foes are
likely to be more of a challenge for Lilly than were the Brewers, but if he
throws the ball as well as he did on April 4, he should do pretty well.
CINCINNATI REDS  |
Dunn hit 3 homeruns in Week 1 and with 550 at bats this season should challenge 50 total dingers during the 2007 season.
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Hitters: Nearly the entire Reds offense is off to a slow start with the only real
exception being OF Adam Dunn (.353-3-6
with 2 SB in 17 AB). Look for the rest of the team to pick things up a bit early
this week against Arizona as the Reds are scheduled to face LHP Doug Davis, RHP
Edgar
Gonzalez and RHP Micah Owings at Chase Field.
Pitchers: RHP David
Weathers picked up his first save of the season by retiring the Cubs in order in the
ninth on Thursday. He figures to be the favorite for saves in Cincinnati until he runs into trouble, though
it is still possible that LHP Mike Stanton could be used depending on
matchups.
COLORADO ROCKIES
Hitters: OF Brad Hawpe went 5-for-16
with 3 RBI in week one (through Friday night’s game). OF/3B/1B Jeff Baker figures to platoon with Hawpe throughout the season, but has made only
three pinch-hit appearances thus far going 3-for-3 with a HR and 2 RBI (through
Friday’s game). Keep a close eye on Baker as his bat is simply too good to be
out of the lineup for long. He will likely work his way back into the expected
platoon situation soon.
Pitchers: LHP Jeff Francis was solid
against the Diamondbacks on April 3 (6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) and he scheduled
to get two starts this week (@ LAD on Monday and @ ARI Sunday). He was 1-0 with
a 2.63 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 11K/2BB in 13.2 IP at Chase Field in Arizona last season. He
also boasts a 3.12 ERA lifetime at Dodger Stadium in three starts.
FLORIDA MARLINS  |
Willingham was a single short of hitting for the cycle in Saturday's win over the Phillies.
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Hitters: 1B Mike Jacobs (.429-1-4) and Josh Willingham (.333-1-7) are just two of a few Marlins off to a fast start. 2B Dan Uggla has gotten off to the slow start we cautioned you about (.095-1-2 in 21
AB) last week.
Pitchers: CL Jorge Julio followed up a
shaky spring with an even shakier first week as the Marlins closer (0-1, 19.29
ERA, 4.29 WHIP and 0K/3BB in 2.1 IP). RHP Anibal Sanchez gets two starts this week (vs. MIL and @ ATL). He could be a fairly
risky start in mixed leagues depending on your options.
HOUSTON ASTROS
Hitters: As a team, the Astros are off to a slow start swinging the bats. They
have four regulars (3B Morgan Ensberg, 1B Lance Berkman, 2B Chris Burke and RF Luke Scott) batting at
.250 or less through Saturday’s games. OF Carlos Lee has enjoyed playing at Wrigley Field throughout his career (.333-12-29
in 123 AB) and could be in for a big week playing three games there followed by
three at Citizen Bank Park.
Pitchers: RHP Roy Oswalt has really hit
the ground running (1-0, 1.08 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 7K/2BB in 16.2 IP) and should
be a solid play, even at Philadelphia
this week. In 15.2 IP lifetime at Citizens
Bank Park,
Oswalt is 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 15K/5BB in 15.2 IP). Don’t
hesitate to use him in all formats this week. RHP Woody Williams is scheduled to get two starts this week (@ CHC and @ PHI), but he is a
very poor gamble in all formats.
