Pitching Report: Fantasy Baseball Two Start Pitchers for Week 20

Guess who's got 27 Ks in his last 23 1/3 innings?

     Well, I have to say that, as I was just typing the title of this post, I was a little taken aback that this is already week 20.  Really?  Week 20?  So soon?  Yeesh!  The need for some decent two start pitchers for your fantasy baseball team is probably stronger now than it ever was before.  Let’s face it.  Time is running out and, before you know it, the season will be over.  6 weeks will zip by faster than you think  You’re going to need all the help you can get whether it’s a rotisserie league or head to head.  Points can likely be gained in wins and strikeouts and, if you play it smart, you can get help with your ratios as well, as long as you’re picking up the right guys.  Here’s how I see this week playing out…

News & Notes

     Since I was away on vacation and missed last week’s pitching report, I feel no need to go back and see how I fared two weeks ago.  I’ve been more right than wrong thi sseason, so if you’re coming here agin and again, well then I guess you’re picking up what I’m putting down.  So here’s the rest of it…

     There are some great names out there in the Green Light section and it was tough to decide who to make my Start of the Week.  Cliff Lee has been oustanding, CC Sabathia has been solid, and even Zack Greinke has been pullin a lot more of his weight.  But with matchups against bottom feeders like Pittsburgh (2-1, 1.88) and Houston (2-1, 2.52), I have to go with Johan Santana.  Since the beginning of August, Santana has started to look like his old self as he’s 2-1 in his last 3 starts with a 1.54 ERA and 27 Ks in just over 23 innings of work.  He’s notched 2 shutouts this season and looks like he could be a force down the stretch.

     My Bust of the Week is not only based on matchup numbers, but inconsistency throughout te season as well.  Normally, I am a big fan of Scott Baker, but while the current 4.76 ERA and 1.32 WHIP are major deterrents, the 5.79 ERA against Chicago and the fact that he is 0-5 with a 5.82 ERA against the Angels make it even harder to trust him.  I’d let him sit this week out.

     As for my Sleepers of the Week, I’ve decided to go with both Shaun Marcum and Jonathon Niese.  I actually like Niese a little better as he faces both the Pirates and the Astros, two perennial cellar dwellars that have already given up on this season.  He’s also faced both of them and has found great success against each.   But Marcum is no slouch himself as he’s got soli dnumbers against both the A’s and the Red Sox.  He’s 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA against Oakland and 5-3 with a 3.92 ERA against Boston.  Now I know the ratios aren’t the greatest we’ve seen, but the A’s haven’t been putting up too many runs lately, and the Sox aren’t the same as when they faced Marcum earlier in the season.  Maybe they’ll get Dustin Pedroia back, but the lineup isn’t nearly as intimidating as it once was.

     Now, I’d never tell you to sit any of the big boys, but just brace yourself for starts by David Price, Sabathia and Justin Verlander this week.  Price has had his difficulties with the Rangers, Sabathia with the Tigers, and actually Verlander has strugled against the Tribe, not to mention the Yankees will be looking to break out of teir recent offensive slump.

     That’s about it for today!  Good luck and I’ll see you all in the money this year!

Tagged as: bust of the week, CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, David Price, fantasy baseball, Fantasy Baseball Advice, fantasy baseball team, head to head leaues, Johan Santana, Jonathon Niese, justin verlander, rotisserie leagues, Scott Baker, Shaun Marcum, sleepers, sleepers of the week, start of the week, two start pitchers, two start pitchers for week 20, Zack Greinke