2011 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Jose Lopez Provides Versatility and Reliability to Your Lineup
2010 was not the best year for Jose Lopez.
He hit a pitiful .239 with 10 home runs and 58 RBI. But to his credit, it was on one of the worst offensive teams of all-time in the Seattle Mariners.
Lopez has hit as high as .297 and knocked in as many as 96 ribbies in five full seasons in the majors.
Need help in the doubles department?
He hit 41 and 42 in back-to-back seasons in ’08 and ’09.
Clearly the back of his baseball card suggests that his disastrous 2010 was simply a one-year fluke.
Profantasybaseball.com thinks the change of scenery will do wonders for Lopez:
“Seattle since traded Lopez to Colorado to make room for rookie Dustin Ackley. This couldn’t be better news for Jose Lopez, if he can win the starting job. It is likely he will battle the young Jonathan Herrera for the second base job.
If Lopez can beat him out he could be the bargain of the draft with the potential to hit .285 with 20 to 25 home runs and plenty of RBI’s and runs in the Colorado offense.”
Lopez will likely win out at second because of his big league experience. When he doesn’t play second base he will be relied upon to fill-in at third base.
Between the two positions you can expect well over 400 ABs for Lopez. Hitting in a lineup with Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki will allow him to see plenty of pitches—unlike the Mariners last year.
Combine that with the thin air and huge outfield of Coors Field and you got yourself one terrific fantasy sleeper.
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