Let’s take a quick trip around the horn and look at other struggling stars, all the while trying to determine if it’s “just” a slump (all stats are through May 17):
No Worries
Mark Teixeira, 1B, Yankees: He’s batting only .231, but he does have eight homers. In his last 13 games, he has five homers and 14 RBI. Plus, he’s a powerful lefty playing half his games in a ballpark that allows more home runs to right field than a slow-pitch softball pitcher in a beer league.
Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies: He was awful in April (.207, one homer, six RBI, one steal and a .241 on-base percentage), but this top-15 pick is riding a seven-game hitting streak in which he has 10 hits, eight runs, a home run, four RBI and three of his four stolen bases on the season. I wouldn’t expect him to hit 30 home runs again, a la his 2007 National League MVP season, but he’s more than capable of providing a high batting average, hitting 15 homers, driving in 80-plus runs and stealing 30 bases.
Roy Oswalt, SP, Astros; CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees and Francisco Liriano, SP, Twins: All three had dreadful starts, and all three have shown signs of life. Sabathia has won his last two starts, allowing only two runs in 17 innings, and Liriano had won two consecutive starts before a no-decision May 15 in which he allowed only one run in six innings at Yankee Stadium. Oswalt has won only once, but he also hasn’t lost since his second start of the season.
Then there’s this: All three were awful at the start of 2008, and all three were very effective in the second half of the season. Last season, Sabathia was 1-4 with a 7.76 ERA in April, compared to a record of 13-6 with a 2.11 ERA the rest of the season. Oswalt was a combined 4-4 with a 5.48 ERA in April and May of 2008, then finished 13-6 with a 2.54 ERA. Liriano was 6-1 with a 2.74 ERA last August and September.
Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies: He’s not as much of a slam-dunk starter as the aforementioned trio because of elbow issues that hampered him at the start of the season, but the 2008 World Series MVP has been effective in his last two starts (1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings).
Cause For Concern
Geovany Soto, C, Cubs and Lance Berkman, 1B, Astros: Six of Soto’s 10 RBI, as well has his only homer, have come in the last four games. Berkman, meanwhile, has been bothered by a sore wrist, is batting .230 and has no stolen bases after swiping a career-high 18 last year. I would keep both in my lineup, but wouldn’t be surprised if Soto doesn’t live up to expectations and Berkman fails to reach his lofty averages from the previous three seasons. Berkman has been much more effective of late, going 8-for-15 with one homer, five RBI and five runs scored in his last four games.
Take A Seat
Garrett Atkins, 3B, Rockies: He’s batting .195 with three homers and 14 RBI, and he has driven in one run since May 4. His homer, RBI and batting averages have all dropped considerably in each of the last three seasons, especially his batting average (from .326 in 2006 to .301 in ’07 to .286 last season).
B.J. Upton, OF, Rays: Unless you’re desperate for steals, Upton isn’t the answer. He has 12 stolen bases, but has done almost nothing else – a .188 batting average, two homers and six RBI. If you continue to start him, you better hope his last five games (seven hits, five runs, his only two homers, three RBI and five steals) are a sign of things to come.
David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox: Are his days as a fantasy beast over? Big Papi hasn’t homered in his last 143 at-bats dating back to 2008, is batting .208 and is only eligible at a position that allows the use of anyone else on your roster. He was benched over the weekend to “clear his head,” but I wouldn’t pull a Terry Francona and put him back into my lineup this week.
Pick Three
Our look at three players who should help you in deeper leagues, with the caveat that each must be available in more than half of the leagues on ESPN.com:
Kendry Morales, 1B, Angels (owned in only 26.8 percent of ESPN leagues): He’s batting .275 with six homers and 23 RBI, putting Teixeira’s replacement in the Angels’ infield on pace for 27 homers and 104 RBI. His position is loaded with fantasy talent, but if you’re looking for an extra power bat, pick up this 25-year-old who hit .337 with a .939 OPS in his minor-league career.
Alberto Callaspo, 2B, Royals (19.9 percent): He’s proving to be an undrafted gem at a weak position. Callaspo, 26, is batting .341 with 16 RBI, 18 extra-base hits, one more walk (12) than strikeouts (11), and he has an OPS of .919. If you need power, Callaspo isn’t the answer – his two home runs this season are the only long balls he’s hit in 525 big-league at-bats. He batted .316 in the minors, with 84 more strikeouts than walks (229 to 145).
Juan Pierre, OF, Dodgers (48.8 percent): All it took was Manny Ramirez getting suspended for him to start earning his hefty paycheck (a $10 million salary this season). In the 10 games Ramirez has missed, Pierre is batting .465 (20-for-43) with 11 runs, nine RBI and six steals. If you need power from your third outfield spot, seek help elsewhere, but there’s no reason he shouldn’t find a spot somewhere in your lineup.
