So before I get into how many great 2 start options there are this week, let me start with a very heartfelt apology. Wow, did I have a bad week last week. Just awful. Between Joba Chamberlain’s unraveling today, another beat down for Rick Porcello, and that first outing from Gavin Floyd, I pretty much went 0 for 3 last week. My apologies if you heeded my advice. I mean, it wasn’t the biggest fantasy disaster we’ve seen this season, so I suppose we can look on the bright side there. But it didn’t help and for that I bow my head in shame. I guess that’s just baseball and the law of averages. As long as I’m more right than wrong, right?
In any event, as I said before, there are plenty of great two start options this week. Here’s a look at how I see it…
Green Light Pitchers
- Matt Cain — vs FLA; vs SD
- Josh Johnson — @ SF; @ ARI **start of the week**
- Javier Vazquez — @ CHC; @ COL
- James Shields — vs TOR; vs OAK
- CC Sabathia — @ MIN; @ LAA
- Josh Beckett — vs OAK; vs KC
- Yovani Gallardo — vs STL; vs LAD
- Cole Hamels — vs CIN; vs PIT
- Adam Wainwright — @ MIL; @ CHC
- Jered Weaver — vs TEX; vs NYY
- J.A. Happ — vs CIN; vs PIT **sleeper of the week**
- Andy Pettitte — vs TOR; @ LAA
Yellow Light Pitchers
- Ricky Romero — @ NYY; @ BAL
- Gil Meche — @ DET; @ BOS
- Kevin Millwood — @ LAA; @ SEA
- Jair Jurrjens — @ CHC; @ COL
- Clayton Kershaw — @ NYM; @ MIL
- Mark Buehrle — vs CLE; @ MIN
- Scott Baker — vs NYY; @ CHW
- Jason Marquis — vs WAS; vs ATL
- John Smoltz — vs OAK; vs KC
- Doug Davis — vs SD; vs FLA
- Johnny Cueto — @ PHI; @ NYM
- Todd Wellemeyer — @ MIL; @ CHC
- Brad Bergesen — @ SEA; vs TOR
- Randy Wells — vs ATL; vs STL
- Mike Pelfrey — vs LAD; vs CIN
- Jordan Zimmerman — @ COL; @ HOU
- Jarrod Washburn — vs BAL; vs TEX
Red Light Pitchers
- Ryan Dempster — vs ATL; vs STL **bust of the week**
- Barry Zito — vs FLA; vs SD
- Aaron Harang — @ PHI; @ NYM
- Brett Anderson — @ BOS; @ TB
- Sean West — @ SF; @ ARI
- Kevin Correia — @ ARI; @ SF
- Armando Galarraga — vs KC; vs CLE
- Jason Hammel — vs WAS; vs ATL
- Jon Garland — vs SD; vs FLA **super sleeper of the week**
- Vicente Padilla — @ LAA; @ SEA
- Mike Hampton — vs PIT; vs WAS
- Virgil Vasquez — @ HOU; @ PHI
- Jeremy Sowers — @ CHW; @ DET
- Brad Mills — @ TB; @ BAL
- Craig Stammen — @ COL; @ HOU
- Walter Silva — @ ARI; @ SF
Side Notes:
So let’s try it again shall we? I’ll begin with my “Start of the Week”. Josh Johnson has been absolutely fantastic this season, continuing his amazing comeback from Tommy John surgery, and maintaining the torrid pace he started in the second half of last year. This season, so far, he’s 7-1 with a 2.76 ERA, a 1.13 ERA and 97 K’s in 114 innings and this coming week he’s facing two of the biggest whiffing teams around. Both the Giants and D-Backs have free-swinging mentalities and have trouble laying off any pitches in the dirt, so Johnson should have a great time with both. On a personal note, I just traded him to improve some offense in my primary league, so this will be his last week for me. Let’s just hope he rides off in style.
My “Sleeper of the Week” is riding pretty high right now, and while he’s most certainly due back on earth soon, I feel like this week he can continue his winning ways. J.A. Happ has never faced either the Reds nor the Astros which could work in his favor. The Cincy start might make me a bit nervous what with Joey Votto back and Edwin Encarnacion making his return, but I’m confident Happ will put up solid numbers. As for the Pirates, they run hot and cold and could be without Freddy Sanchez, arguably their best hitter these days. I like him enough to take a shot on him.
My “Bust of the Week” finds himself here for the second time this season, and with any luck, I’ll have the same success as I found by benching him the last time. Ryan Dempster might not have the worst ratios around against the Cardinals or the Braves, but his performance of late and his history against both clubs makes me concerned enough to keep him on the pine. He faced the Braves a couple of weeks ago and looked ok, but his WHIP was just a shade under 2 for that game. Against the Cards this year, he’s already had 3 starts and is sitting at 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA. I don;t see him maraculously turning things around, so if you have a better option, I’d go with that.
And well, since my “Super Sleeper” pick was about the only thing I was right on last week, I figured I’d continue the trend. This week, brace yourself! We’re going with good ol’ Jon Garland this week. Now I know I was high on him in the spring and I genuinely thought the move to the NL was going to be huge for him. But alas, he’s regressed even further these days and has not been looking especially good. But this week it changes! Garland has rock solid numbers against both the Padres and the Marlins and could really be in aposition to help you this week. Neither club is anything special on the offensive front, so if you want to take a shot, Garland’s the man to go with.
And finally, I really wanted to green light Clayton Kershaw this week, but between his overall numbers against the Mets coupled with the fact that he’s walking so many guys, he makes me nervous. I gave the warning for the first start of the week because of that. If he pitches well that day, then you’ll want him in for that starts against Milwaukee. I’m going to go with him this week, if that helps your decision making, but just don’t put your expectations at too lofty a level.
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