May 2-9 Start and Sit

David Ferris and I do this for the Birmingham News:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Put 'em in
Jeremy Bonderman, P, Tigers. "But the 22-year-old's two starts this week are against the hot hitting Red Sox and Angels," you say. Matchups don't matter for 2005's pitching breakthrough story.

Luis Matos, OF, Orioles. His walk-to-strikeout ratio tells you his average is for real. So is the speed. The red-hot Matos is capable of double-digit homers, too, and gets to feast this week at home against the Blue Jays and Royals.

Bench 'em
Chan Ho Park, P, Rangers. He's not for real. He followed up his hot opener with nine walks in 11 innings and has a lone start this week against the A's, who reached base 12 times against Park in four innings earlier in '05.

Mark Bellhorn, 2B, Red Sox. The clock seems to have struck midnight for last year's Cinderella, who hasn't demonstrated any power while maintaining a 200-strikeout pace.


NATIONAL LEAGUE
Put 'em in
Andy Pettitte, P, Astros. He's yet to allow more than three runs in any start, and this week Pettitte gets to work against two particularly struggling offenses (Pirates, Braves).

Mark Grudzielanek, 2B, Cardinals. He gets a bad rap from the statheads now and again, but any career .287 hitter that's working in front of Albert Pujols is going to score a lot of runs – and see a bunch of fastballs. Grudz gets a full seven games against two weak staffs (Cincinnati, San Francisco).

Bench 'em
Aaron Miles, 2B, Rockies. Miles loses 119 batting points and 251 OPS points when he leaves Colorado this year and he travels this week to two yards that blunt offense (Petco Park, Dolphins Stadium).

Tom Glavine, SP, Mets. Okay, he's pitching twice and his strikeout rate is up, but other Glavine stats are ugly (.308 batting average against; 16 walks in 27 innings).

END