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2010 Two Start Pitchers – Week 13

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 25th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 13. Obviously the top tier pitchers are going to be left in your line up, but here is a look at some of the more border line pitchers for mixed league starts and who they face in those starts.

Two-start pitchers week 13: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category.

American League:

Start them:

Fausto Carmona (CLE) ~ TOR (Morrow), OAK (Braden)
Jeremy Bonderman (DET) ~ @MIN (Liriano), SEA (Lee)
Francisco Liriano (MIN) ~ DET (Bonderman), TB (Davis)
Cliff Lee (SEA) ~ @NYY (Hughes), @DET (Bonderman)
James Shields (TB) ~ @BOS (Lackey), @MIN (Blackburn)
Ricky Romero (TOR) ~ @CLE (Westbrook), @NYY (Pettitte)

Roll the Dice:

Brian Matusz (BAL) ~ OAK (Braden), @BOS (Lester)
Joel Pineiro (LAA) ~ TEX (Feldman), KC (Lerew)
Dallas Braden (OAK) ~ @BAL (Matusz), @CLE (Carmona)
Brandon Morrow (TOR) ~ @CLE (Carmona), @NYY (Hughes)

Matusz had been on a good roll until his last in which he allowed six runs in 6 1/3 innings. In his previous four starts to that outing, he had allowed seven runs in 26 1/3 innings with 20 strikeouts. He has faced both Boston and
Oakland twice already this season, with a 3.86 ERA versus Boston and a 7.15 ERA against Oakland. Pineiro has ripped off four straight wins, posting a 2.08 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. He has yet to face Texas this season and allowed six runs in eight innings against Kansas City earlier in the year. Morrow has been one of the hotter pitchers in baseball since mid-May, with a 1.85 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 40 innings. He has shaved a full two runs off of his ERA during that time.

Sit Them:

Mark Buehrle (CHW) ~ @KC (Lerew), @TEX (Nippert)
Jake Westbrook (CLE) ~ TOR (Romero), OAK (Gonzalez)
Anthony Lerew (KC) ~ CWS (Buehrle), @LAA (Pineiro)
Nick Blackburn (MIN) ~ DET (Galarraga), TB (Shields)
Scott Feldman (TEX) ~ @LAA (Pineiro), CWS (Floyd)

Buehrle has been better in his last three starts with a 1.80 ERA and a surprising 17 strikeouts in 20 innings. He has been hammered in two starts against Texas with a 7.30 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP and allowed five runs in six innings in his lone start against Kansas City this season. After winning all five of his starts in his May, Blackburn has lost four of his five starts in June, while seeing his ERA rise almost a full two runs. In two of his starts this month, he failed to register any strikeouts. Feldman becomes a two-start pitcher in week 13 with Texas bypassing the fifth-starter spot. Feldman has pitched better in two of his last three starts, chalking up two wins and 19 strikeouts in 19 innings so he could be someone you roll the dice on depending on the makeup of your staff.

National League:

Start them:

Dan Haren (AZ) ~ @STL (Carpenter), LAD (Ely)
Tim Hudson (ATL) ~ WAS (Atilano), FLA (Nolasco)
Ubaldo Jimenez (COL) ~ @SD (Correia), SF (Zito)
Yovani Gallardo (MIL) ~ HOU (Rodriguez), @STL (Wainwright)
Barry Zito (SF) ~ LAD (Ely), @COL (Jimenez)
Matt Cain (SF) ~ LAD (Haeger), @COL (Hammel)
Chris Carpenter (STL) ~ ARI (Haren), MIL (Parra)
Adam Wainwright (STL) ~ ARI (Willis), MIL (Gallardo)
Stephen Strasburg (WAS) ~ @ATL (Lowe), NYM (Takahashi)

Roll the Dice:

Bronson Arroyo (CIN) ~ PHI (Kendrick), @CHC (Wells)
Johnny Cueto (CIN) ~ PHI (Blanton), @CHC (Lilly)
Jason Hammel (COL) ~ @SD (LeBlanc), SF (Cain)
Ricky Nolasco (FLA) ~ NYM (Dickey), @ATL (Hudson)
John Ely (LAD) ~ @SF (Zito), @ARI (Haren)
Manny Parra (MIL) ~ HOU (Norris), @STL (Carpenter)
R.A. Dickey (NYM) ~ @FLA (Nolasco), @WAS (Atilano)
Hisanori Takahashi (NYM) ~ @FLA (Robertson), @WAS (Strasburg)
Paul Maholm (PIT) ~ @CHC (Wells), PHI (Kendrick)
Kevin Correia (SD) ~ COL (Jimenez), HOU (Norris)
Wade LeBlanc (SD) ~ COL (Hammel), HOU (Rodriguez)

LeBlanc has been solid in his last five starts with a 2.37 ERA while picking up two wins. He allowed two runs in six innings against Colorado earlier this season and has yet to battle Houston this year. From an ERA standpoint, Parra has been decent and will rack up some strikeouts. If your team can afford to carry his 1.57 WHIP for two starts, then he is worth starting, although he will have a tough second start in St. Louis against Carpenter. Dickey has helped solidify a New York Mets rotation that was in shambles, winning six consecutive starts while allowing only two home runs in 46 1/3 innings so far this season. Maholm had been rolling until he ran into the Texas offense in his last start. Prior to that, he had a 3.00 ERA in his last seven starts, while giving up two runs or less in five of the. Hammel has not lost since May 21st, picking up four wins thanks to a 1.39 ERA that included three straight scoreless starts.

Sit Them:

Randy Wells (CHC) ~ PIT (Maholm), CIN (Arroyo)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) ~ @MIL (Gallardo), @SD (LeBlanc)
Bud Norris (HOU) ~ @MIL (Parra), @SD (Correia)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) ~ @CIN (Arroyo), @PIT (Maholm)
Joe Blanton (PHI) ~ @CIN (Leake), @PIT (Karstens)
Jeff Karstens (PIT) ~ @CHC (Lilly), PHI (Blanton)
Luis Atilano (WAS) ~ @ATL (Hudson), NYM (Dickey)

Wells has given up five or more runs in three of his last five starts and has not won since April 30th. Rodriguez has been too inconsistent this season, always following a win with two or three consecutive losses. Since he just
won on June 24th, the pattern would seem to be he will get shelled next week. Norris is just coming off of a stint on the disabled list and should be kept on reserve until he has several good starts in a row.

2010 Two Start Pitchers – week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 15th, 2010

Here is a complete look at the fantasy baseball two-start pitchers for week 7. Obviously the top tier pitchers are going to be left in your line up, but here is a look at some of the more border line pitchers for mixed league starts and who they face in those starts.

Two-start pitchers week 7: remember again that the list below is more focused on mixed leagues since in AL or NL only leagues in most cases you do not have the option to rotate too many starting pitchers with the smaller player pool. The pitchers below are listed in alphabetical order by team name per category. Unlike in week 6, there are a ton of two-start pitcher options in week 7.

American League:

Start them:

John Danks (CHW) – @ DET (Bonderman), FLA (Johnson)
Zack Greinke (KC) – @ BAL (Millwood), COL (Chacin)
Jered Weaver (LAA) – @ TEX (Wilson), @ STL (Carpenter)
Phil Hughes (NYY) - BOS (Matsuzaka), @ NYM (Santana)
Felix Hernandez (SEA) – @ OAK (Sheets), SD (Latos)
David Price (TB) - CLE (Huff), @ HOU (Norris)
Jeff Niemann (TB) - CLE (Carmona), @ HOU (Rodriguez)
C.J. Wilson (TEX) - ANA (Weaver), CHC (Silva)
Derek Holland (TEX) - ANA (Kazmir), CHC (Wells)
Shaun Marcum (TOR) – vs. MIN (Pavano), @ ARI (Valdez)

Roll the Dice:

Brad Bergesen (BAL) - KC (Davies), @ WAS (Stammen)
Fausto Carmona (CLE) – @ TB (Niemann), CIN (Cueto)
Rick Porcello (DET) - CHW (Garcia), @ LAD (Ely)
Carl Pavano (MIN) – @ TOR (Marcum), MIL (Gallardo)
Kevin Slowey (MIN) – @ TOR (Eveland), MIL (Bush)
Gio Gonzalez (OAK) - SEA (Rowland-Smith), SF (Cain)
Ben Sheets (OAK) - SEA (Hernandez), SF (Sanchez)

Bergesen’s overall stats do not look pretty, but he has been solid in his last two starts with one run allowed in 14 1/3 innings and will be facing two of the weaker teams in the major leagues. Even with two starts though he is not likely to rack up a lot of strikeouts, with just 10 in 29 2/3 innings on the year. Sheets has turned it around in his last two starts, striking out eight in each of them with three runs allowed in 12 1/3 innings.

Sit Them:

Kevin Millwood (BAL) - KC (Greinke), @ WAS (Lannan)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) – @ NYY (Hughes), @ PHI (Halladay)
Josh Beckett (BOS) – @ NYY (Vazquez), @ PHI (Kendrick)
Freddy Garcia (CHW) – @ DET (Porcello), FLA (Volstad)
David Huff (CLE) – @ TB (Price), CIN (Bailey)
Jeremy Bonderman (DET) - CHW (Danks), @ LAD (Kuroda)
Kyle Davies (KC) – @ BAL (Bergesen), COL (Cook)
Scott Kazmir (LAA) – @ TEX (Holland), @ STL (Lohse)
Javier Vazquez (NYY) - BOS (Beckett), @ NYM (Pelfrey)
Ryan Rowland-Smith (SEA) – @ OAK (Gonzalez), SD (Richard)
Dana Eveland (TOR) – vs. MIN (Slowey), @ ARI (Jackson)

Matsuzaka had a good start in his last outing with seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts, but faces the red-hot Phil Hughes and gets Halladay, so he not only faces two of the games top pitchers right now, but two heavy offenses as well. Beckett has been battered this season as he has battled through back problems. In his two starts against New York this season, Beckett has allowed 14 runs in 10 innings.

National League:

Start them:

Johnny Cueto (CIN) - MIL (Bush), @ CLE (Carmona)
Josh Johnson (FLA) - ARI (Valdez), @ CHW (Danks)
Hiroki Kuroda (LAD) - HOU (Norris), DET (Bonderman)
Yovani Gallardo (MIL) – @ CIN (Bailey), @ MIN (Pavano)
Johan Santana (NYM) – @ ATL (Medlen), NYY (Hughes)
Roy Halladay (PHI) - PIT (Duke), BOS (Matsuzaka)
Mat Latos (SD) - SF (Sanchez), @ SEA (Hernandez)
Jonathan Sanchez (SF) – @ SD (Latos), @ OAK (Sheets)
Matt Cain (SF) – @ SD (Richard), @ OAK (Gonzalez)
Chris Carpenter (STL) - WAS (Lannan), ANA (Weaver)

Roll the Dice:

Derek Lowe (ATL) - NYM (Pelfrey), @ PIT (Morton)
Randy Wells (CHC) - COL (Cook), @ TEX (Holland)
Carlos Silva (CHC) - COL (Chacin), @ TEX (Wilson)
Aaron Cook (COL) – @ CHC (Wells), @ KC (Davies)
Jhoulys Chacin (COL) – @ CHC (Silva), @ KC (Greinke)
Chris Volstad (FLA) - ARI (Jackson), @ CHW (Garcia)
Wandy Rodriguez (HOU) – @ LAD (Ely), TB (Niemann)
John Ely (LAD) - HOU (Rodriguez), DET (Porcello)
Dave Bush (MIL) – @ CIN (Cueto), @ MIN (Slowey)
Mike Pelfrey (NYM) – @ ATL (Lowe), NYY (Vazquez)
Clayton Richard (SD) - SF (Cain), @ SEA (Rowland-Smith)

Wandy Rodriguez has seen his overall ERA rise a full run in the month of May, allowing 11 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings. It goes to show you how hard he has been getting hit to allow that many runs with only four walks and one home run allowed in that time period. Chacin looks to bounce back from his bad start at home by getting two road starts, although one of them is against top American League pitcher Zack Greinke.

Sit Them:

Kris Medlen (ATL) - NYM (Santana), @ PIT (Duke)
Cesar Valdez (AZ) – @ FLA (Johnson), TOR (Marcum)
Edwin Jackson (AZ) – @ FLA (Volstad), TOR (Eveland)
Homer Bailey (CIN) - MIL (Gallardo), @ CLE (Huff)
Bud Norris (HOU) – @ LAD (Kuroda), TB (Price)
Kyle Kendrick (PHI) - PIT (Morton), BOS (Beckett)
Charlie Morton (PIT) – @ PHI (Kendrick), ATL (Lowe)
Zach Duke (PIT) – @ PHI (Halladay), ATL (Medlen)
Kyle Lohse (STL) - WAS (Stammen), ANA (Kazmir)
Craig Stammen (WAS) – @ STL (Lohse), BAL (Bergesen)
John Lannan (WAS) – @ STL (Carpenter), BAL (Millwood)

It is tempting to roll with Medlen and his two starts if you own him since you are only going to get three to four weeks of starts out of him before Jair Jurrjens is back. Facing Santana in his first start does not help, plus his numbers were much better last season as a reliever than a starter, although he did post great numbers in Triple-A last season in the rotation.

When it comes to two-start pitchers, you are usually going to plug in an average or lower average pitcher for two reasons, to either pick up extra wins or strikeouts. The majority on the pitchers above are soft-tossers that even in two starts will rack up k’s equivalent to a one-start pitcher. The only exception to that is Bud Norris or Homer Bailey. If you want to take a chance on two extremely inconsistent pitchers and are desperate for strikeouts, then you may be forced to try Norris or Bailey depending on the rest of your rotation and hope for the best.

2010 Houston Astros Team Preview

Posted by Todd Lammi on March 20th, 2010

This is the fifth part our series of 2010 fantasy baseball team previews looking at the National League Central. The team previews will include the projected batting order, projected rotation, rookies that could make an impact in 2010 as well as each players current ADP for a 15 team mixed fantasy baseball league.

2010 Houston Astros Projected Batting Order:

1. CF Michael Bourn (ADP 103)
2. 2B Kaz Matsui (ADP 351)
3. 1B Lance Berkman (ADP 63)
4. LF Carlos Lee (ADP 65)
5. RF Hunter Pence (ADP 83)
6. 3B Pedro Feliz (ADP ND)
7. SS Tommy Manzella (ADP ND)
8. C Jason Castro / J.R. Towles (ADP ND / ND)

2010 Houston Astros Projected Rotation & Bullpen:

1. Roy Oswalt (ADP 156)
2. Wandy Rodriguez (ADP 111)
3. Brett Myers (ADP 328)
4. Bud Norris (ADP 394)
5. Brian Moehler / Felipe Paulino (ADP ND / ND)

Closer – Matt Lindstrom (ADP 245)
Handcuff – Brandon Lyon (ADP 313)

2010 Houston Astros prospects with potential impact this year:

1. Jason Castro – C
2. Sammy Gervacio – RP

Minor League Report – week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 21st, 2009

by Todd Lammi

Here is a review of the top pitchers in Triple-A that could potentially have an impact in major league baseball the second half of the season, but more importantly impact your fantasy baseball league standings.

Franklin Morales (Rockies) has strung together two good starts after an eight-run shellacking on June 11th. Morales has allowed two runs in his last 12 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts as he continues to rehab from a strained shoulder that sidelined him back in April.

Bud Norris (Astros) has a 2.11 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 81 innings. He is holding hitters to a .222 average with only five home runs surrendered on the season. The Astros are only 5.5 games out of first place despite running Brian Moehler, Russ Ortiz and Brandon Backe out every fifth day. If the Astros don’t call him up after the All-Star break once they are able to reset their pitching rotation, he would most likely be in Triple-A until after September first when rosters expand.

The Baltimore Orioles have a plethora of starters to choose from in Triple-A if they need any help. Chris Tillman currently has a 2.55 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 60 innings, while holding hitters to a .229 batting average. In his last three starts, he has a 4.24 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Jake Arrieta was promoted to Triple-A and had an excellent first start with one run allowed in six innings and six strikeouts, but struggled in his second start. In start number two, Arrieta allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts. On the season, Arrieta has a 2.97 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings.

Troy Patton allowed one run in six innings with one strikeout in his second start since being promoted to Triple-A. On the season, Patton has a 2.39 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings.

David Hernandez is back in Triple-A after a cup of coffee in the big leagues. He has not fared as well in his two starts back in the minor leagues, with a 6.30 ERA, despite fanning 15 in 10 innings.

Carlos Torres (White Sox) is a bit older for Triple-A at 26, but he is putting up numbers worthy of a call up. Torres has a 2.38 ERA in 72 innings with 78 strikeouts.

Wade Davis (Rays) has a 3.00 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 78 innings. It does not look like the Rays will have an opening in their rotation unless one of their current starters goes down with an injury. The Rays also have Scott Kazmir on the disabled list, so at this point Davis is their seventh best starter.

Brad Lincoln has been promoted to Triple-A by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lincoln had a 2.28 ERA in Double-A with 65 strikeouts in 75 innings. With the Pirates not in the playoff race, he will most likely be called up September 1st when rosters expand.

Homer Baily (Reds) still has not been able to prove he is more than a Quadruple-A player; someone that is stuck between Triple-A and the major league level. He has turned it up a notch in his last four starts in Triple-A, allowing one run in 33 1/3 innings with 30 strikeouts. There doesn’t seem to be a spot in the Reds rotation for him with the way the other starters are pitching and Edison Volquez on the disabled list.

There is really nothing left for Clay Buchholz to do in Triple-A. Unfortunately for him, the Boston Red Sox rotation is stacked with the return of John Smoltz. The only way he appears before September 1st is if the Red Sox trade Brad Penny or one of the current starters get injured. Buchholz has a 1.90 ERA and is holding hitters to a .165 batting average. In 71 innings, he has struck out 65 hitters, while walking only 17. The one difference in regard to Buchholz compared to some of the other prospect pitchers in Triple-A is that Buchholz will turn 25 in August.

Michael Bowden (see Buchholz). Bowden is behind Buchholz in the Red Sox pecking order. He has gotten hit hard in two of his last four starts, allowing six runs twice. On the season, he has a 3.26 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings.

J.D. Martin in 2002 was the #5 prospect in the Cleveland Indians farm system. Several years later, now at age 26, he is in Triple-A pitching for the Washington Nationals. Martin has a 2.35 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 65 innings while allowing only six walks! With Scott Olsen due to return from the disabled list, the Nationals will be sending one of their current starters to the bullpen or to Triple-A so Martin seems to be looking at a September call up in a best case scenario.

Trevor Bell (Angels) was recently promoted to Triple-A after going 4-3 with a 2.23 ERA in Double-A. Bell has not been scored upon in two starts in Triple-A while striking out eight. With the iffy health statuses of John Lackey and Ervin Santana, Bell might be an option the second half of the season.

Kevin Pucetas (Giants) has a 3.59 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. He should be first in line if any of the current starters suffer an injury or Jonathan Sanchez gets traded.