Stream of the Week: Jorge De La Rosa

Every Monday one starter owned in less than 25% of ESPN standard leagues (if you don't know what that means, read this article) will be selected for you to start if you are in need of a spot start that week. Last week I selected Robbie Erlin and of course he landed on the disabled list before his start. Sorry! I'll try to do better this week with Jorge De La Rosa, the Colorado Rockies lefty. Tomorrow he faces off against the Philadelphia Phillies.

De La Rosa has put up pretty nice numbers, especially considering he pitches in the toughest park to pitch in, Coors Field. He's 5-3 with a 3.91 ERA and impressive 1.15 WHIP. He hasn't given up an earned run in his last 12 innings pitched. After winning five starts in a row, De La Rosa's last start was cut short due to a rain delay but through his first three innings against an impressive Giants offense he didn't give up a hit and only one walk.

Last year at Citizen's Bank Park, where the Phillies play, De La Rosa tossed 6.1 innings and only gave up two earned runs. He surrendered just three hits in the contest. Since April 11th, De La Rosa has only given up 3 earned runs once. In his other six starts since then, he hasn't given up more than two earned runs in a single outing. He is 5-1 since that date. De La Rosa is on fire.

Righties aren't hitting much better against De La Rosa with a .218 average, but lefties are hitting a pathetic .188 against him. Who on the Phillies are lefties? Well, I'm sure everyone reading this has heard of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Those two are lefties. Domonic Brown, a Phillies' outfielder, is having a down year after a hot first half to last year and it doesn't look like that will change tomorrow against De La Rosa as he is also a lefty. In addition, only three teams in all of the major leagues have scored less runs than the Phillies this season. Combine that with the fact that De La Rosa is pitching outstanding baseball recently and you have all the necessary ingredients for a great outing tomorrow.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/rockies/files/2013/06/Rockies_Jorge_De_La_Rosa-495x327.jpg

Why you shouldn't listen to me: Honestly, there are too many reasons! It just so happened that De La Rosa, I felt, had the best chance out of all of the other pitchers owned in less than 25% of ESPN standard leagues this week to give a quality outing. Let's examine why you possibly shouldn't listen to me...

Jorge De La Rosa's career record against the Phillies is 1-4 with an ERA over 6.00. In 33.2 career innings against them, he's surrendered 24 earned runs. Despite the aforementioned Utley being a lefty, he is a career 4 for 11 against De La Rosa. Catcher Carlos Ruiz and shortstop Jimmy Rollins are a combined 9 for 24 in their careers against De La Rosa.

Even though many starters find it very difficult to pitch in Coors, De La Rosa loves it this season. His ERA at home is 2.49. His ERA this season on the road, though (and tomorrow's game is on the road in Philly), is 5.20.

Clearly, even with a pitcher as hot as De La Rosa has been against an offense as bad as the Phillies' has been, there is reason to be concerned. De La Rosa certainly isn't a Clayton Kershaw, but out of pitchers currently owned in under 25% of ESPN standard leagues, he's your best bet at a quality outing this week.