Pitching Report: Week 5

Thanks to rain-outs, injuries and rotation adjustments, we’ve got a TON of 2 start pitchers for you this week.  If you’re in a league where you can make daily pick-ups, daily roster moves and you don’t have too constraining a limit to the number of roster moves you can make, this could be a fun week for you.  Normally I don’t condone such heavy waiver activity in such a short span, but as I look down my lists here, I see a lot of really good pitchers listed in the Yellow Light section.  To have the flexibility to move some of them in and out throughout the week could be very beneficial.  Here’s a look at how I see it this week:

Green Light Pitchers

1. Tim Lincecum — @ CHC;  @ LAD
2. Roy Oswalt — @ WAS;  vs SD **start of the week**
3. Yovani Gallardo — @ PIT; vs CHC
4. Matt Garza — vs BAL;  @ BOS
5. Joba Chamberlain — vs BOS;  @ BAL
6. Josh Johnson — vs CIN;  @ COL
7. Edinson Volquez — @ FLA;  vs STL
8. Scott Kazmir — vs BAL;  @ BOS
9. Jon Lester — @ NYY;  vs TB
10. Felix Hernandez — vs TEX;  @ MIN
11. Ryan Dempster — vs SF;  @ MIL
12. Javier Vazquez — vs NYM;  @ PHI
13. Joe Saunders — @ OAK;  vs KC
14. Fausto Carmona — @ TOR;  vs DET **sleeper of the week**
15. Doug Davis — @ LAD;  vs WAS

Yellow Light Pitchers

1. Zack Greinke — vs CHW;  @ LAA
2. Adam Wainwright — vs PHI;  @ CIN
3. Phil Hughes — vs BOS;  @ BAL
4. John Lannan — vs HOU;  @ ARI
5. Erik Bedard — vs TEX;  @ MIN
6. Chris Volstad — vs CIN;  @ COL
7. Edwin Jackson — vs MIN;  @ CLE
8. Kyle Lohse — vs PHI;  @ CIN
9. Kevin Millwood — @ SEA;  @ CHW
10. Francisco Liriano — @ DET;  vs SEA
11. Aaron Cook — @ SD;  vs FLA
12. Joe Blanton — @ STL;  vs ATL
13. Paul Maholm — vs MIL;  @ MYM
14. Kyle Davies — vs CHW;  @ LAA
15. John Maine — @ ATL;  vs PIT
16. Max Scherzer — @ LAD;  vs WAS
17. Dallas Braden — vs LAA;  vs TOR
18. Ian Snell — vs MIL;  @ NYM
19. Jonathan Sanchez — @ CHC;  @ LAD
20. Koji Uehara — @ TB;  vs NYY
21. Aaron Harang — @ FLA;  vs STL
22. Gavin Floyd — @ KC;  vs TEX
23. Bartolo Colon — @ KC;  vs TEX

Red Light Pitchers

1. Josh Beckett — @ NYY;  vs TB  **bust of the week**
2. Brett Myers — @ STL;  vs ATL
3. Jorge De La Rosa — @ SD;  vs FLA
4. Nick Blackburn — @ DET;  vs SEA
5. Vicente Padilla — @ SEA;  @ CHW
6. Anthony Reyes — @ TOR;  vs DET
7. Rick Porcello — vs MIN;  @ CLE
8. Scott Olsen — vs HOU;  @ ARI
9. Brian Tallet — vs CLE;  @ OAK
10. Eric Stults — vs ARI;  vs SF
11. Brett Anderson — vs LAA;  vs TOR
12. Brett Cecil — vs CLE;  @ OAK
13. Shane Loux — @ OAK;  vs KC
14. Kenshin Kawakami — vs NYM;  @ PHI
15. Sean Marshall — vs SF;  @ MIL
16. Jeff Suppan — @ PIT;  vs CHC
17. Livan Hernandez — @ ATL;  vs PIT
18. Kevin Correia — vs COL;  @ HOU
19. Josh Greer — vs COL;  @ HOU
20. Adam Eaton — vs TB;  @ NYY
21. Brian Moehler — @ WAS;  vs SD
22. Jeff Weaver — vs ARI;  vs SF

Side Notes:

     It seems that Justin Verlander opted to quiet all of his critics and pee on that Bust of the Week tag I saddled him with.  He threw 2 amazing games and really shut me up.  This week though, I’m pretty confident in my pick of Josh Beckett for the same dubious distinction.  Except he won’t shut me up.  I really think there’s something wrong there and I’m betting on a trip to the DL very soon. 15 2/3 IP with 26 hits, 18 earned runs and 11 walks in his last 3 starts?

     I’m giving the Start of the Week tag to Roy Oswalt again.  He had it last week, but an hour plus rain delay prevented him from getting more than one inning of work the second time around.  The Astros readjusted the rotation and now he’s got another 2 very favorabe starts ahead this week.  Look for him to post some quality numbers here.

     John Maine got rained out of his second start, but still earned his choice for Sleeper of the Week last week.  If you had him in for the first game, you got  six scoreless innings of one hit/3 BB ball and a win!  This week I’m taking a shot on Fausto Carmona.  It makes me a little nervous as I was burnt by him last year, but his matchups are good and I’ve just got a gut feeling.

     Speaking of gut feelings and sleepers, I’m so glad I didn’t endorse Yusmiero Petit.  I was debating whether to take a shot on him as my Sleeper pick, but I chose otherwise.  The good news was that for you, I was right in not endorsing.  The bad was that I took a shot on him in my nephew’s league.  Oops!  Never again.

     And finally, please allow me to laugh at the return of Jeff Weaver!  HAHAHAHAHA!!!!  I don’t care what he does in either start this week!  Do NOT pick him up!

     Good luck this week!!