Jimmy Rollins set to lead off Dodgers' Cactus League opener
by Eric Westlund | Tue, Mar 3rd 1:17pm EST
Manager Don Mattingly announced that Jimmy Rollins will bat lead-off when the Dodgers face the White Sox on Wednesday. Mattingly also suggested that Rollins would fill that role all season long: "That’s the one guy that I think that we are pretty sure about. Jimmy’s really kind of that lead-off guy. We don’t truly have anyone else that really fits in that role. Jimmy, he’s hit a lot of one, he’s hit a lot of two, I’ve seen him hit three, but I think on our club, we look at Jimmy as that guy at the top." (LA Times)
Fantasy Impact:
There were rumblings earlier in spring training that Mattingly was not fully committed to Rollins as the lead-off hitter, which makes sense given his advancing age and his poor projected OBP (.305 per ZiPS and Steamer). However, the current lack of alternatives appears to have him entrenched in that role. Rollins's counting numbers were up in 2014 compared to 2013 despite playing in just 138 games, and he makes for a relatively safe, low-cost fantasy investment once the top shortstops are off the board. Even entering his age-36 season, there is still some 20/20 potential here.
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