Fantasy Baseball Start 'Em or Sit 'Em: Three Hitters Who Struggled in April 2010

Let’s take a look at a few hitters who started extremely slowly in 2010 as we decide whether to play them in the season’s opening week:

Mark Teixeira – New York Yankees – First Baseman

He may be the most notorious slow starter in the league.  In 2010, he hit just .136 with 2 HR and 9 RBI over 100 AB.  Just look at his numbers the previous three seasons:

• 2007 – .231, 2 HR, 6 RBI in 91 AB
• 2008 – .290, 4 HR, 17 RBI in 100 AB
• 2009 – .200, 3 HR, 10 RBI in 70 AB

Obviously, it’s not good, but would you ever really consider sitting him down?  If the answer is yes, you had no business drafting him in the first place (considering you likely used a first or second round pick to do so). 

Teixeira brings far too much potential upside to leave on your bench when healthy.  It may be the outlier, but look at what he did during April ’08. 

Would you really want to risk missing out on that type of production?  He is one of the best hitters in the game and you just have to stomach any potential struggles, because 95 percent of the time, the end results are going to be well worth it.

Things look even better when you realize he hit .294 over the spring and gets to play his first seven games in the comfy confines of the new Yankee Stadium.  It seems like an obvious statement, but clearly Teixeira should be active in all formats.

Aramis Ramirez – Chicago Cubs – Third Baseman

In 2010. he opened the season by hitting .152 with 3 HR and 13 RBI.  However, that is really not the norm for the Cubs’ slugger. 

In 2009, he hit .358.  In 2008, he was at .296.  Over the past four seasons, he has never had fewer than 13 RBI in the month of April.

The fact of the matter is that 2010 in general was a lost year for Ramirez.  He has a $16 million team option for 2012, so he clearly has a lot to prove.  Look for him to come out with a chip on his shoulder and prove that he is still a solid performer. 

It is obvious that he was trying to hit home runs in ’10 (56.8% fly ball rate).  He was also dealing with a thumb injury early, which could have played a role. 

This spring it appears that he was trying to correct the problem, hitting .346 without a home run (though he did have five doubles in 52 AB).  

He also is healthy, which should go a long way towards his production.  At a weak position, he’s a solid play in all formats.

Travis Snider – Toronto Blue Jays – Outfielder

The young Blue Jays outfielder never got his feet under him in ’10, hitting .155 with 3 HR and 5 RBI in 71 April AB. 

It’s very possible that the 22-year old (he’s now 23) simply put a lot of pressure on himself in an attempt to impress.  Or it was maybe just some terrible luck, as he sported a .157 BABIP.

Whatever it was, look no further than his September performance to give hope (.289, 6 HR, 9 RBI in 97 AB).  Snider has a bright future and opens the year as the Blue Jays starting left fielder (or designated hitter). 

He did leave Tuesday’s Spring Training game with a minor injury, though it is not expected to keep him out in the early going. 

In shallower formats, he is a bit of a gamble, but in deeper formats (i.e. five outfielder formats) there is no real reason to leave him on your bench. 

Considering what he showed in September (as well as this spring, where he hit .346 with 1 HR in 52 AB), I’d certainly roll the dice.

What are your thoughts on these three players?  Who would you start?  Who would you sit?

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Make sure to check out our 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Second Basemen
• Top 15 Third Basemen
• Top 15 Shortstops
• Top 30 Outfielders
• Top 30 Starting Pitchers
• Top 15 Closers

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