Pitching Report: Week 16

Where are all the good two start pitchers this week???

     This week is traditionally a tough week for two start pitchers, no doubt.  With all of the teams  re-setting their rotations after the All Star Break, the top starters are given the nod in those first few games afterwards, thus rendering the bottom-feeders of the pitching staffs to pick up the slack in the next week.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still some pretty good names out there and a few that I would be happy to have on my staff this week.  However, for the most part, this week is about carefully picking and choosing and playing the matchups as best as you can.  The Yellow Lighters have some tough matchups, and there’s really not too much you can say about the “no-names” at the bottom of the Red Light district.  But, nonetheless, decisions need to be made, so here goes…

Green Light Pitchers

1. Cliff Lee — @ TOR;  @ SEA
2. Derek Lowe — vs SF;  @ MIL  **start of the week**
3. Gavin Floyd — vs TB;  @ DET
4. Ervin Santana — @ KC;  vs MIN
5. Andy Pettitte — vs BAL;  vs OAK
6. Kevin Milwood — vs BOS;  @ KC
7. Tommy Hanson — vs SF;  @ MIL
8. Jorge De La Rosa — vs ARI;  vs SF  **sleeper of the week**
9. Joel Pineiro — @ HOU;  @ PHI 
10.  David Price — @ CHW;  @ TOR

Yellow Light Pitchers

1. Max Scherzer — @ COL;  vs PIT
2. Nick Blackburn — @ OAK;  @ LAA
3. Brett Cecil — vs CLE;  vs TB
4. Dallas Braden — vs MIN;  @ NYY
5. John Smoltz — @ TEX;  vs BAL
6. Todd Wellemeyer — @ HOU;  @ PHI
7. John Lannan — vs NYM;  vs SD
8. Chad Gaudin — vs FLA;  @ WAS
9. Armando Galarraga — vs SEA;  vs CHW
10. Jeff Niemann — @ CHW;  @ TOR
11. Livan Hernandez — @ WAS;  @ HOU
12. Rick Porcello — vs SEA;  vs CHW
13. Ross Ohlendorff — vs MIL;  @ ARI
14. Micah Owings — @ LAD:  @ CHC

Red Light Pitchers

1. Ted Lilly — @ PHI;  @ CIN  **bust of the week**
2. Doug Davis — @ COL;  vs PIT 
3. Ryan Sadowski — @ ATL;  @ COL
4. Jonathan Sanchez — @ ATL;  @ COL
5. Jason Schmidt — vs CIN;  vs FLA  **super sleeper of the week**
6. Brian Moehler — vs STL;  vs NYM
7. Sergio Mitre — vs BAL;  vs OAK 
8. Clayton Richard — vs TB;  @ DET
9. Mike Burns — @ PIT;  vs ATL
10. Sean O’Sullivan — @ KC;  vs MIN
11. Tim Stauffer — vs FLA;  @ WAS
12. Gio Gonzalez — vs MIN;  @ NYY
13. Garrett Olson — @ DET;  vs CLE
14. Virgil Vasquez — vs MIL;  @ ARI
15. David Hernandez — @ NYY;  @ BOS
16. Anthony Swarzak — @ OAK;  @ LAA
17. Rodrigo Lopez — vs CHC;  vs STL
18. Sidney Ponson — vs LAA;  vs TEX

Side Notes:

     Now I know Derek Lowe has had his ups and downs in the first half.  Believe me, I’ve suffered through some of those rough starts myself.  But I like his matchups this week which is why I’m putting him in as my Start of the Week.  As we’ve seen this week, the Giants haven’t gotten their usually anemic offense off to the best of starts on the current road trip, and the Brewers can be a pretty free-swinging team themselves.  Lowe doesn’t have the overpowering stuff to blow right by them, but his craftiness (code for old vet) can get them swinging in the dirt enough to make them look overmatched.

     Contrary, Ted Lilly has been fantastic thus far, but his matchups look pretty bad to me.  First off, he’s on the road in 2 of the worst pitchers ball parks and his road ERA currently sits at 4.66 (1.86 at home).  He’s also a career 1-3 against the Phillies with a 4.88 ERA and 1-6 vs the Reds with a 4.53 ERA.  Those numbers, plus the offensive firepower of both of those teams makes it look a little rough for the Cubbies lefty.

     I’m giving the Sleeper of the Week not to the Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa, partially because of his matchups, and partially because I really do believe that if you take this guy off of Colorado and put him somewhere like the Cubs or the Angels or some other potentially surging contender, he’s could do amazing things.  He’s tough to trust at times, especially at home with his 6.44 ERA (road ERA of 3.89), but with the strikeout prone D-Backs and the Giants coming to town, it may be a nice homestand for him.  Take a shot if you can afford to.

     And then there’s my Super Sleeper pick — come on now…..really?  Jason Schmidt?  The guy hasn’t pitched in the bigs in almost 2 years!  Well, he’s home in L.A. and I’m going to take a shot that the problems are all behind him and that he can be of some major help to the Dodgers and their ailing rotation.  He’ll probably be on a strict innings/pitch count, but hopefully he can go atleast 5 in each start to grab you a victory or two.  Be careful, but also be ready with your waiver trigger finger.  He could be a quality sleeper down the stretch for you.

     I almost gave the Super Sleeper tag to Yankees new 5th starter Sergio Mitre.  If anyone remembers, this kid had some serious potential back when he was being passed between the Cubs and the Marlins.  Injuries have hampered his career, but he’s getting a good shot here for a contender.  The home ballpark isn’t the best, but he could make a serious move here.  Keep watching.