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Eric Mack

Week 13 Fantasy Pitching Planner

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We go around baseball's rotations every Sunday of the season in our weekly Pitching Planner. We highlight every matchup, recommended two-start options, sleepers and busts and much more.

Arizona Diamondbacks

  1. Dan Haren at CIN Arroyo, at COL Jimenez
  2. Jon Garland at CIN Cueto
  3. Doug Davis at CIN Harang
  4. Max Scherzer at COL De La Rosa
  5. TBD, perhaps Yusmeiro Petit at COL Cook
This week's two-start pitchers
Must-start options TM Own% Start%
Tim Lincecum SF 98 92
Johan Santana NYM 98 90
Jon Lester BOS 97 90
Dan Haren ARI 97 88
Roy Halladay TOR 97 63
Roy Oswalt HOU 97 87
Ted Lilly CHC 97 85
Chris Carpenter STL 96 84
Gavin Floyd CHW 92 78
Rich Harden CHC 96 73
Ricky Nolasco FLA 89 73
Nick Blackburn MIN 78 63
Advisable options TM Own% Start%
Joba Chamberlain NYY 95 77
Ubaldo Jimenez COL 90 72
Joe Saunders ANA 94 72
Zach Duke PIT 87 68
Rick Porcello DET 82 64
Randy Wolf LA 84 60
Randy Johnson SF 75 52
Joe Blanton PHI 59 36
Questionable options TM Own% Start%
Bronson Arroyo CIN 64 37
Scott Richmond TOR 63 30
Fernando Nieve NYM 40 28
Brandon Morrow SEA 51 25
Kenshin Kawakami ATL 40 22
Brian Bannister KC 30 19
Vicente Padilla TEX 26 17
Carl Pavano CLE 36 15
Ross Ohlendorf PIT 23 14
Jeff Niemann TB 25 12
Luke Hochevar KC 22 12
Braden Looper MIL 20 11
Clayton Richard CHW 18 9
Brett Anderson OAK 16 5
Mike Hampton HOU 10 2
Brad Thompson STL 6 4
Sean O'Sullivan ANA 5 3
High-risk options TM Own% Start%
Rich J. Hill BAL 12 5
Scott Olsen WAS 9 2
Josh Geer SD 3 2
Mike Burns MIL 2 1
Jason Berken BAL 1 1
Josh Banks SD 2 1

Two-starter(s): Haren. He is a must-start in all leagues, despite the two road starts in two hitters parks.
Who is getting skipped: No. 5 spot. Billy Buckner was demoted to the minors, but Petit could be ready to return from the DL and his Triple-A rehab assignment before the next time the D-Backs need a No. 5 starter.
One-week sleeper: Scherzer. We are assuming he will slot Friday on regular rest, saving the No. 5 turn until Saturday. That gives him a matchup vs. a back-end starter.
One-week bust: Garland. He has been better of late, but he faces an ace and works in a hitter's park this week.

Atlanta Braves

  1. Derek Lowe vs PHI Hamels
  2. Jair Jurrjens vs PHI Carrasco
  3. Javier Vazquez at WAS Detwiler
  4. Tommy Hanson at WAS Lannan
  5. Kenshin Kawakami vs PHI Blanton, at WAS Olsen

Two-starter(s): Kawakami. He left his last start with a contusion, getting hit by a comebacker, so the Braves might go with Lowe on regular rest. Kawakami is a questionable two-starter for this reason. Lowe is a sleeper as a one-start who could move up. Track this news closely if you have these two guys.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Kawakami. His injury and a Monday day off would allow the Braves to slot every other starter on regular rest and use Kawakami the next time the No. 5 starter's spot is needed July 4.
One-week sleeper: Hanson. He is likely a must-start in all leagues in that matchup vs. the last-place Nationals.
One-week bust: Kawakami. He could be a two-starter, one-starter or a no-starter. You are best off avoiding him.

Baltimore Orioles

  1. Jeremy Guthrie at LAA Lackey
  2. Bradley Bergesen vs BOS Beckett
  3. Rich J. Hill vs BOS Smoltz, at LAA Saunders
  4. Jason Berken vs BOS Lester, at LAA O'Sullivan
  5. David Hernandez at LAA Palmer

Two-starter(s): Berken and Hill. They are questionable-to-risky options because they face top contenders in both starts and have been inconsistent this season.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. We don't like any of their matchups this week.
One-week bust: All. It is not a week to be relying on an Orioles starter in most formats.

Boston Red Sox

  1. Josh Beckett at BAL Bergesen
  2. Jon Lester at Berken, vs SEA Morrow
  3. John Smoltz at BAL Hill
  4. Tim Wakefield vs SEA Hernandez
  5. Brad Penny vs SEA Olson

Two-starter(s): Lester. He is a must-start ace in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Smoltz. He wasn't good in his return start, but he draws a favorable matchup.
One-week bust: Wakefield. He was awesome his last time out, but he faces a red-hot ace in King Felix. Wake is still useful, but he is just not advisable.

Chicago Cubs

  1. Carlos Zambrano vs MIL Suppan
  2. Ryan Dempster vs MIL McClung
  3. Rich Harden at PIT Duke, vs MIL Looper
  4. Ted Lilly at PIT Ohlendorf, vs MIL Burns
  5. Randy Wells at PIT Vasquez

Two-starter(s): Lilly and Harden. They are at least advisable in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wells. Their underrated No. 5 starter draws the Pirates.
One-week bust: None. All of the Cubs starters can be considered advisable options this week.

Chicago White Sox

  1. Mark Buehrle at KC Chen
  2. John Danks at KC Greinke
  3. Gavin Floyd at CLE Pavano, at KC Hochevar
  4. Clayton Richard at CLE Lee, at KC Bannister
  5. Jose Contreras at CLE Sowers

Two-starter(s): Floyd and Richard. Floyd is a must-start option, while Richard is a questionable option best left for the deepest of formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Buehrle. His matchup makes him a must-start option in all leagues.
One-week bust: Richard and Contreras. The top three starters are advisable and the last two likely should be avoided, if possible.

Cincinnati Reds

  1. Aaron Harang vs ARI Davis
  2. Bronson Arroyo vs ARI Haren, vs STL Carpenter
  3. Johnny Cueto vs ARI Garland
  4. Micah Owings vs STL Thompson
  5. Homer Bailey vs STL Pineiro

Two-starter(s): Arroyo. His hot-and-cold inconsistency makes him a questionable option, especially because he is opposing a pair of aces.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Bailey. He was wild in his return start, but if you are a risk-taker, he could have value in deeper formats this week.
One-week bust: Arroyo. His double starters are intriguing, but he is a difficult one to predict this season.

Cleveland Indians

  1. Cliff Lee vs CHW Richard
  2. Carl Pavano vs CHW Floyd
  3. Jeremy Sowers vs CHW Contreras
  4. David Huff vs OAK
  5. Tomo Ohka vs OAK Cahill

Two-starter(s): Pavano and perhaps Lee. The Indians have six games this week, but we expect Ohka or Huff to be skipped to keep Cliff Lee on regular rest. Pavano is a questionable option, while Lee is a must-start, with or without two starts.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Ohka or Huff. We wouldn't use Ohka in any leagues, while Huff is a risky option best left on the bench this week.
One-week sleeper: None. We would only consider trusting Lee in any formats at this point.
One-week bust: Pavano, Sowers, Huff and Ohka. See above comment.

Fantasy Baseball - Week 13 Fantasy Pitching Planner : FantasyNews.CBSSports.com

Colorado Rockies

  1. Aaron Cook vs ARI TBD
  2. Ubaldo Jimenez at LAD Wolf, vs ARI Haren
  3. Jason Marquis at LAD Billingsley
  4. Jason Hammel at LAD Kershaw
  5. Jorge De La Rosa vs ARI Scherzer

Two-starter(s): Jimenez. He is an advisable option in most formats, despite the tough matchups.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps De La Rosa. An off day Thursday could allow the Rockies to skip De La Rosa and keep their other starters on regular rest. Marquis would pick up a second start if De La Rosa is skipped. After De La Rosa's past solid outing, we don't see him getting skipped, though.
One-week sleeper: Cook. He has been outstanding of late and draws the most favorable matchup of the week among Rockies pitchers.
One-week bust: Marquis, Hammel and De La Rosa. We like the top two starters this week in most formats, but we don't like the bottom three even in NL-only leagues.

Detroit Tigers

  1. Justin Verlander at OAK Braden
  2. Edwin Jackson at MIN Liriano
  3. Rick Porcello at OAK Anderson, at MIN Blackburn
  4. Armando Galarraga at OAK Gonzalez
  5. Expected to be recalled Luke French at MIN Slowey

Two-starter(s): Porcello. He has been giving up more baserunners of late, but he remains an advisable option amid his AL ROY candidacy.
Who is getting skipped: None. Alfredo Figaro was sent to Triple-A and French will be called up because the Tigers want a left-hander in a key series against the Twins.
One-week sleeper: Porcello. The rookie is on pace for 17 victories. We say he tops out at 15, but the Tigers are a first-place team that can make him a winner in both starts.
One-week bust: French. He will be making his first career start against the Twins. We cannot advise him in any league.

Florida Marlins

  1. Ricky Nolasco vs WAS Olsen, vs PIT Ohlendorf
  2. Josh Johnson vs WAS Detwiler
  3. Chris Volstad vs PIT Morton
  4. Andrew Miller vs PIT Duke
  5. Sean West vs WAS Zimmermann

Two-starter(s): Nolasco. He is at least advisable in all leagues with those matchups, perhaps even a must-start.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Miller and West. They are useful in deeper mixed leagues in those matchups if you need replacement starters.
One-week bust: None. All five of the Marlins starters can be useful this week.

Houston Astros

  1. Roy Oswalt at SD Geer, at SF Lincecum
  2. Wandy Rodriguez at SD Correia
  3. Mike Hampton at SD Banks, at SF Johnson
  4. Felipe Paulino at SF Sadowski
  5. Brian Moehler at SD Silva
  6. Russ Ortiz TBD, perhaps at SF Sadowski or Lincecum

Two-starter(s): Oswalt and Hampton. Oswalt is a must-start, while Hampton is a questionable option off the DL.
Who is getting skipped: None. The return of Hampton, though, causes a six-man rotation, because the Astros are slated to pitch Moehler on Wednesday. They could remove him from the rotation if they choose to keep Paulino and Ortiz in it. If they start Moehler and choose to keep Paulino and Ortiz in the rotation, Hampton will lose his two-start week.
One-week sleeper: Hampton. He is useful in NL-only formats due to the potential two starts and the weak offensive teams he is facing.
One-week bust: Moehler. He might be removed from the rotation and has been pitching poorly. Don't trust him in any format.

Top 10 Pitchers Added
Player % Change
1. Fernando Nieve, SP, NYM 35
2. Homer Bailey, SP, CIN 17
3. Kevin Correia, SP, SD 14
4. Leo Nunez, RP, FLA 14
5. Ricky Romero, SP, TOR 13
6. Aaron Cook, SP, COL 12
7. J.P. Howell, RP, TB 10
8. Joel Pineiro, SP, STL 10
9. Vicente Padilla, SP, TEX 10
10. Ricky Nolasco, SP, FLA 9

Kansas City Royals

  1. Zack Greinke vs CHW Danks
  2. Gil Meche vs MIN Perkins
  3. Brian Bannister vs MIN Baker, vs CHW Richard
  4. Luke Hochevar vs MIN Blackburn, vs CHW Floyd
  5. Bruce Chen vs CHW Buehrle

Two-starter(s): Hochevar and Bannister. They are sleepers for deeper leagues this week.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Bannister. Their two-starters have been a bit inconsistent in their results, but they have been pitching fairly well overall. Bannister has the better numbers and better matchups of the two.
One-week bust: Hochevar. We don't like his matchups as much, considering he is facing the two hottest pitchers of his opponents.

Los Angeles Angels

  1. John Lackey vs BAL Guthrie
  2. Jered Weaver at TEX Millwood
  3. Joe Saunders at TEX Feldman, vs BAL Hill
  4. Matt Palmer vs BAL Hernandez
  5. Sean O'Sullivan at TEX Padilla, vs BAL Berken

Two-starter(s): O'Sullivan and Saunders. O'Sullivan is a questionable option, especially because of that first matchup, while Saunders is probably advisable in all leagues regardless of the matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: O'Sullivan. He is risky enough we might only advise using him in AL-only leagues, but he is a solid prospect off to a good start in the majors.
One-week bust: Palmer. His matchup looks as enticing as his record as a rookie, but the journeyman really isn't pitching well enough to trust outside of the deepest of AL-only leagues. He is not the prospect O'Sullivan is and was pitching over his head.

Los Angeles Dodgers

  1. Chad Billingsley vs COL Marquis
  2. Randy Wolf vs COL Jimenez, at SD Banks
  3. Clayton Kershaw vs COL Hammel
  4. Hiroki Kuroda at SD Geer
  5. Eric Milton at SD Gaudin

Two-starter(s): Wolf. He is coming off his worst start of the season but is likely still advisable in all leagues this week.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Milton. A Thursday day off and the following Monday might lead the Dodgers to skip their No. 5 starter Milton on Friday after the first off day, so their starters don't get too much extra rest.
One-week sleeper: Kuroda. Before struggling Sunday, he was coming off his best start of the season. He is facing the lowly Padres in their pitcher's park. He shouldn't be available in 24 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues.
One-week bust: Milton. He just returned from the DL, but the Dodgers can afford to skip him. If they had just one upcoming day off, we wouldn't think they would, but the second off day coming so soon makes us believe they could.

Milwaukee Brewers

  1. Yovani Gallardo vs NYM Pelfrey
  2. Jeff Suppan at CHC Zambrano
  3. Braden Looper vs NYM Nieve, at CHC Harden
  4. Mike Burns vs NYM Santana, at CHC Lilly
  5. Seth McClung at CHC Dempster

Two-starter(s): Looper and Burns. They are questionable-to-risky options better left for NL-only leagues at this point, especially with the tough second matchup.
Who is getting skipped: None. But Manny Parra belongs back in the rotation and could be a candidate to return late in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5). He could take Burns second start or return on short rest on McClung's turn after his third Triple-A start Sunday.
One-week sleeper: Looper. He hasn't won in June, but the woeful Mets offense could make him a sleeper to use in deeper mixed formats if you like taking a risk on a two-start guy.
One-week bust: Suppan, Burns and McClung. They draw tough matchups and the latter two might be candidates to be demoted if Parra stays hot in Triple-A. Don't trust the Brewers' back-end guys.

Minnesota Twins

  1. Kevin Slowey vs DET Figaro
  2. Scott Baker at KC Bannister
  3. Francisco Liriano vs DET Jackson
  4. Nick Blackburn at KC Hochevar, vs DET Porcello
  5. Glen Perkins at KC Meche

Two-starter(s): Blackburn. He is at least an advisable option in all leagues, likely a must-start.
Who is getting skipped: None. The Twins have off days Thursday and the following Monday and can go with a four-man rotation, but we don't see the weekend guys Slowey, Liriano and Blackburn getting skipped out of the crucial Tigers series. If one of them does, Baker would pick up a second start.
One-week sleeper: Blackburn. He has posted seven consecutive quality starts and should be owned in far more than 77 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues.
One-week bust: Liriano. He is still wild and draws a tough matchup. We like him for the second half, but we wouldn't necessarily advise him this week.

New York Mets

  1. Johan Santana at MIL Burns, vs PHI Blanton
  2. Mike Pelfrey at MIL Gallardo
  3. Livan Hernandez at PHI Happ
  4. Tim Redding at PIT Maholm
  5. Fernando Nieve at MIL Looper, at PHI Moyer

Two-starter(s): Nieve and Santana. Santana is a must-start regardless, but Nieve is hot and a nice sleeper in deeper leagues. Nieve, though, is being evaluated on a start-to-start basis and might be a candidate to be removed from his second start if he struggles.
Who is getting skipped: None. But Oliver Perez is making a Class A rehab start Sunday and could be a candidate to be used in the rotation against the lefty-leaning Phillies lineup. The Mets like using lefties against the Phillies and are currently slated to use right-handers Hernandez and Nieve at Philly on Friday and Saturday. Perez could take Nieve's second start.
One-week sleeper: Redding. He will be pitching for his rotation spot with Perez perhaps ready to return. Redding is assured a start against the Pirates, though.
One-week bust: Pelfrey. He has been pitching poorly of late and he faces the Brewers' ace on the road.

New York Yankees

  1. CC Sabathia vs SEA Vargas
  2. A.J. Burnett vs TOR Tallet
  3. Andy Pettitte vs SEA Washburn
  4. Joba Chamberlain vs SEA Morrow, vs TOR Richmond
  5. Chien-Ming Wang vs TOR Halladay

Two-starter(s): Chamberlain. He is an advisable option, despite his disappointing first half.
Who is getting skipped: None. But Wang is being evaluated on a start-to-start basis and could be a candidate to be removed in favor of Phil Hughes out of long relief.
One-week sleeper: Pettitte. He was awful last time out, but he is still 7-3 on the season and a candidate to win for you any time out.
One-week bust: Wang. Unless he shuts out the pitiful Mets on Sunday night, we cannot advise using him in any format. With a dominant outing, consider him a sleeper.

Oakland Athletics

  1. Dallas Braden vs DET Verlander
  2. Trevor Cahill at CLE Ohka
  3. Vin Mazzaro at CLE Huff
  4. Brett Anderson vs DET Porcello, at CLE Pavano
  5. Gio Gonzalez vs DET Galarraga

Week 13 Start 'em/Sit 'em
Start 'em TM
1 Tommy Hanson ATL
2 John Smoltz BOS
3 Nick Blackburn MIN
4 Aaron Cook COL
5 Hiroki Kuroda LAD
Sit 'em TM
1 Dallas Braden OAK
2 Francisco Liriano MIN
3 Mike Pelfrey NYM
4 Matt Palmer LAA
5 Eric Milton LAD

Two-starter(s): Anderson. He is a questionable option until he proves more consistent as a rookie.
Who is getting skipped: None. They have a Thursday off day, but we don't see Cahill, Mazzaro or Anderson getting skipped over the weekend to slot Gonzalez up a day.
One-week sleeper: Cahill and Mazzaro. They have shown flashes of brilliance and draft favorable matchups in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5).
One-week bust: Braden, Anderson and Gonzalez. The matchups and their recent performance shouldn't give you much confidence in them this week.

Philadelphia Phillies

  1. Cole Hamels at ATL Lowe
  2. Joe Blanton at ATL Kawakami, vs NYM Santana
  3. Jamie Moyer vs NYM Nieve
  4. J.A. Happ vs NYM Hernandez
  5. TBD, perhaps Carlos Carrasco vs ATL Jurrjens

Two-starter(s): Blanton. He is an advisable option amid his solid June (3.34 ERA and .252 batting-average against).
Who is getting skipped: No. 5 starter. Antonio Bastardo is likely headed to the 15-day DL, but the Phillies look like they will reslot their No. 5 spot Thursday at Atlanta. Elias Sports Bureau's Probable Pitchers like Carrasco as the starter. Carrasco has won his past three starts in Triple-A.
One-week sleeper: Blanton. There is some risk there, but Blanton has been solid after a slow start and the still first-place Phillies have a huge week ahead of them.
One-week bust: Carrasco. We don't like his matchup in his major league debut. Take that flier in deeper NL-only and long-term keeper leagues, though.

Pittsburgh Pirates

  1. Zach Duke vs CHC Duke, at FLA Miller
  2. Paul Maholm vs NYM Redding
  3. Ross Ohlendorf vs CHC Lilly, at FLA Nolasco
  4. Charlie Morton at FLA Volstad
  5. Virgil Vasquez vs CHC Wells

Two-starter(s): Duke and Ohlendorf. Duke is at least advisable, despite his tough first matchup. Ohlendorf is questionable at best.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Maholm. He snapped a two-start losing streak and gets a toss-up matchup vs. the pitiful Mets. He deserves to be owned in more than his 59 percent on CBSSports.com.
One-week bust: Ohlendorf, Morton and Vasquez. Ohlendorf is coming off a quality start and has a respectable 1.29 WHIP, but he is a potential two-start loser this week against those teams. Morton and Vasquez are risky even for the deepest of NL-only leagues at this point.

San Diego Padres

  1. Kevin Correia vs HOU Rodriguez
  2. Chad Gaudin vs LAD Milton
  3. Josh Geer vs HOU Oswalt, vs LAD Kuroda
  4. Walter Silva vs HOU Moehler
  5. Josh Banks vs HOU Hampton

Two-starter(s): Geer and Banks. They are high-risk options even in the deepest of NL-only leagues at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Correia. He is the only Padres starter we could trust at all right now -- and he is merely an NL-only option.
One-week bust: Everyone but Correia. Yes, the Padres are playing at home in their pitcher's park, but this patchwork rotation is hardly Triple-A worthy.

San Francisco Giants

  1. Tim Lincecum at STL Thompson, vs HOU Oswalt
  2. Matt Cain at STL Wainwright
  3. Randy Johnson at STL Carpenter, vs HOU Hampton
  4. Barry Zito at STL Wellemeyer
  5. Ryan Sadowski vs HOU Paulino

Two-starter(s): Lincecum and Johnson. Lincecum is a must-start, while Johnson could be an advisable option amid his productive June (3-1, 2.93).
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Johnson, Zito and Sadowski. Johnson is hot and available in 25 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues, while Zito has been decent and is drawing a struggling opposing starter in Wellemeyer. Sadowski tossed six shutout innings in his major league debut and draws a winnable matchup this week. Consider him in NL-only formats.
One-week bust: None. All of the Giants starters look viable in any formats this week.

Seattle Mariners

  1. Felix Hernandez at BOS Wakefield
  2. Jarrod Washburn at NYY Pettitte
  3. Brandon Morrow at NYY Chamberlain, at BOS Morrow
  4. Jason M. Vargas at NYY Sabathia
  5. Garrett Olson at BOS Penny

Two-starter(s): Morrow. His tough matchups make him a questionable option at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None. Even if they choose to skip Vargas or Olson this week, the No. 5 spot will be needed by Saturday, July 4. Erik Bedard was going to return in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5), but the Mariners have decided he will work a simulated game Tuesday. He could return in the final week before the All-Star break or be held out until late July at this point. Track his progress this week and don't trust him in your active lineup.
One-week sleeper: Morrow. His matchups look unwinnable, but he is talented enough to be decent through five innings in both outings against the AL Beast leaders. Consider him in AL-only formats.
One-week bust: Washburn, Vargas and Olson. We don't like their matchups this week. In fact, Hernandez is really the only truly advisable option among Mariners starters this week.

St. Louis Cardinals

  1. Chris Carpenter vs SF Johnson, at CIN Arroyo
  2. Adam Wainwright vs SF Cain
  3. Joel Pineiro at CIN Bailey
  4. Todd Wellemeyer vs SF Zito
  5. Brad Thompson vs SF Lincecum, at CIN Owings

Two-starter(s): Thompson and Carpenter. Carpenter is a must-start in all leagues, whhile Thompson is questionable and best left for the deepest of NL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Kyle Lohse isn't likely to return in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5), but Thompson and the struggling Wellemeyer will be pitching for their rotation spots.
One-week sleeper: Pineiro. He has remade himself and draws the Reds' young right-hander in a winnable matchup.
One-week bust: Thompson and Wellemeyer. We wouldn't trust these guys outside of the deepest of NL-only leagues at this point.

Tampa Bay Rays

  1. James Shields at TOR Romero
  2. Scott Kazmir at TEX Holland
  3. Matt Garza at TOR Richmond
  4. David Price at TEX Hunter
  5. Jeff Niemann at TOR Halladay, at TEX Padilla

Two-starter(s): Niemann. He faces a tough matchup Monday and could be a candidate to be skipped later in the week at Texas. Consider him a questionable option.
Who is getting skipped: None. But Niemann could be skipped to keep Garza from going on two extra day's rest, due to off days Thursday and the following Monday. Niemann's status will be determined after his Monday start. Garza is a must-start, with or without the second start.
One-week sleeper: Kazmir. He wasn't eye-popping in his DL return, but he is intriguing enough to trust in deeper formats even with that tough outing in that hitter's park in Texas.
One-week bust: Niemann. He faces Halladay and might be a candidate to skip at Texas. The tough matchups are reason enough to avoid him in mixed formats.

Texas Rangers

  1. Kevin Millwood vs LAA Weaver
  2. Vicente Padilla vs LAA O'Sullivan, vs TB Niemann
  3. Scott Feldman vs LAA Saunders
  4. Derek Holland vs TB Kazmir
  5. Tommy Hunter vs TB Price

Two-starter(s): Padilla. He is a sleeper for deeper leagues, despite facing a pair of top contenders.
Who is getting skipped: None. A day off Thursday would allow the Rangers to skip Holland or Hunter over the weekend to move Feldman and Millwood up on regular rest. We cannot project that move at this point, though. Consider that reason enough to avoid Holland and Hunter.
One-week sleeper: Padilla. He has been pitching well enough to trust in deeper mixed leagues even in those matchups.
One-week bust: Holland and Hunter. We don't like their matchups or the fact they could be skipped over the weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays

  1. Roy Halladay vs TB Niemann, at NYY Wang
  2. Ricky Romero vs TB Shields
  3. Scott Richmond vs TB Garza, at NYY Chamberlain
  4. Brian Tallet at NYY Burnett
  5. Brett Cecil skipped, perhaps for two turns

Two-starter(s): Halladay and likely Richmond. Halladay is a advisable two-start returnee in all leagues, while Richmond is a sleeper to pick up a second start if the Blue Jays choose to skip their No. 5 starter.
Who is getting skipped: Cecil. The Blue Jays have sent down Brad Mills and could go with a four-man rotation for a couple of turns. The No. 5 spot won't come up in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5), so Cecil could be held out until July 7 at Tampa Bay.
One-week sleeper: Romero. He has a tough matchup, but the right-hander has posted five consecutive quality starts and is dramatically underowned at just 56 percent.
One-week bust: Tallet. He has been a bit difficult to project week-to-week, but a one-start week at the Yankees is not a time to trust him outside of AL-only leagues.

Washington Nationals

  1. John Lannan vs ATL Hanson
  2. Scott Olsen at FLA Nolasco, vs ATL Kawakami
  3. Jordan Zimmermann at FLA Johnson
  4. Ross Detwiler vs ATL Vazquez
  5. Craig Stammen at FLA West

Two-starter(s): Olsen. Olsen is returning from the DL for a two-start week against two live NL East contenders. He is a risky option off the DL. The Nats were going to go with a four-man rotation, but the demotion of Shairon Martis slots Craig Stammen back in the rotation Tuesday and pushes Zimmermann off what could have been a two-start week.
Who is getting skipped: None. The Nationals were going to skip their No. 5 starter, but they decided to leave Stammen in the rotation and demote Martis instead.
One-week sleeper: Lannan. We are not excited by his matchup, but he has pitched very well of late.
One-week bust: Olsen. We wouldn't trust him off the DL, especially since his Triple-A rehab numbers were so bad: 5.68 ERA and a .345 BAA. Those are Triple-A hitters and not the Hanley Ramirez-led Marlins or Chipper Jones-led Braves.

You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball pitching questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Pitching Planner in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.

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Player News
Emilio Bonifacio
Bonifacio out 4-6 weeks
Emilio Bonifacio, CF, MIA
5/24/2012
News: Marlins outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, already on the 15-day DL, will miss an additional 4-6 weeks since he will have thumb surgery on Friday.
Analysis: This is a terrible development for the Marlins and Fantasy owners. Bonifacio was hitting .394 in his previous nine games before going on the DL and was a valuable source of steals for Fantasy owners. He is now out until late June at the earliest, so continue to stash him in Fantasy. Bryan Petersen will continue to start in center field in Bonifacio's absence.

Austin Kearns
Kearns placed on disabled list
Austin Kearns, LF, MIA
5/24/2012
News: The Marlins put outfielder Austin Kearns on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, retroactive to May 23. Kearns sustained a strained right hamstring while running the bases in Tuesday's game against the Rockies. He was replaced on the Marlins' active roster by outfielder Kevin Mattison, who was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans.
Analysis: Kearns had been on fire at the plate, and he was the main playing time beneficiary of Gaby Sanchez's demotion to Triple-A, as Logan Morrison vacated left field to play first base. When Kearns returns, it could be to a reserve role, so owners looking to clear a DL spot should monitor the Marlins' outfield situation over the coming weeks. It may not be worthwhile hanging on to Kearns while he recovers from his injury.

Freddie Freeman
Freeman still having eye trouble
Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL
5/24/2012
News: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is still dealing with a dry-eye issue that kept him out of a game last week. Freeman had a procedure to plug his tear ducts, but that, along with eye drops and contact lenses, have not completely eradicated the problem. Freeman was out of the Braves' starting lineup for Thursday's game at Cincinnati, though it has not been reported as to whether his absence was related to his eye problem. Eric Hinske got the start at first base in Freeman's place.
Analysis: It had appeared as if Freeman had put this medical issue behind him, so this latest report is something that should concern his Fantasy owners. Given that Freeman's absence from the lineup may not be related to his eye problem, there may not be any need for owners to take action, but it is certainly a situation worth following. When he is healthy enough to play, Freeman is worth starting in virtually all formats.

Addison Reed
Bad first impression for Reed
Addison Reed, RP, CHW
2:44 AM
News: Newly-named White Sox Closer Addison Reed was not pitching in a save situation on Thursday, however the team did turn to him to pitch the 10th inning of a five-run game against the Twins. Reed struck out two in the inning, however he was hit hard, giving up two runs on a home run off the bat of Justin Morneau. He finished with those two earned runs and strikeouts in one inning, as the White Sox won, 11-8.
Analysis: It was not a save situation, but that was not a good first impression for the Fantasy owners who picked him up today after hearing the news. Reed had four saves in his last six appearances before Thursday, and he has allowed runs in just two of his 18 appearances this season. He should still be added in many mixed Fantasy leagues, however this was certainly not a good outing for him.

Dan Haren
Haren masterful in complete game
Dan Haren, SP, LAA
1:11 AM
News: Angels starting pitcher Dan Haren had yet to find his way in the 2012 season prior to Thursday’s game against the Mariners, however he looked as good as he ever has in the game, picking up his sixth career complete-game shutout to lead the Angels to a 3-0 win. Haren allowed just four hits in the game while establishing a new career-high in strikeouts with 14, as he mowed through the Mariners offense with ease. Haren allowed just three runners to reach second base, two of them on stolen bases, but was never in any real trouble, as he picked up just his second win of the season. Haren needed 126 pitches to finish the game, tossing first pitch strikes to 22 of the 31 batters he faced, as he was in control all night.
Analysis: Haren has typically been a much stronger first-half player than a second-half player, so the fact that his ERA was standing at a fairly robust 4.37 before this game was something of a surprise. After just one start, Haren lowered that number to 3.76, while simultaneously putting to rest any doubts about a possible decline in skills in his age-31 season. With the exception of an ugly 2-5 record, Haren’s starts are largely where we expected them to be this season, as he has struckout more than four batters for every one he has walked through 64 2/3 innings. He is set to face a tough Yankees lineup in his next start, on Tuesday during Week 9 (May 28-June 3), however he has put up a 5-1 record with a 3.43 ERA against them in 10 career starts, so consider him a solid Fantasy option in all formats.

Yuniesky Betancourt
Betancourt begins rehab
Yuniesky Betancourt, SS, KC
1:43 AM
News: Royals shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt was back on the field on Thursday, as the designated hitter for Double-A Northwest Arkansas, as he began his rehab assignment while recovering from his ankle injury. Betancourt went 2 for 5 in the game, with a pair of strikeouts and RBI.
Analysis: Betancourt is getting closer and closer to getting back on the field for the Royals,but he will need at least a week of rehab, first in Double-A and then Triple-A, before he is ready to return to the majors. Betancourt's last game before the injury was back on May 1 at Detroit and the shortstop has a .280 batting average on the season with a homer and three RBI over 50 at-bats. When healthy, Betancourt should be considered merely an AL-only option.

Jimmy Rollins
Rollins returns from paternity leave
Jimmy Rollins, SS, PHI
1:39 AM
News: Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins returned from the paternity list on Thursday, after missing the team’s previous three games to be with his wife while she gave birth. Rollins went 2 for 6 in the game with a strikeout, as the Phillies defeated the Cardinals, 10-9. it was Reyes’ 11th multi-hit game of the season.
Analysis: Reyes has struggled to start the season, and unlike most of the other players on the Phillies’ roster, he has not begun to show signs that he is bouncing out of it, as he has been hitting just .222 in the month of May after a .235 April. He remains a solid bounce-back candidate given his past production, and should be kept active in most formats, despite his troubles.

Alex Rodriguez
Adjustment for A-Rod pays off
Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NYY
5/24/2012
News: The New York Post reports that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has made adjustments to his batting stance, and he credits his strong performance on Wednesday against the Royals to the changes. Rodriguez told reporters after Tuesday's win, "I feel like I’m about to go off.," after widening his stance and shortening his leg kick in his last at-bat in the game. He carried the changes over into batting practice on Wednesday and into the subsequent contest, in which he went 2 for 4 with a pair of homers and three RBI.
Analysis: Time will tell if Rodriguez's tweaked stance will translate into better production. He had been hitting flyballs at a much lower rate this season, which had led to fewer extra-base hits. It's a trend to watch in the coming days and weeks. Even if A-Rod's power spike is short-lived, he still has enough power that he is worth starting in nearly all formats.

Dan Jennings
Report: Jennings could get the call
Dan Jennings, RP, MIA
1:34 AM
News: The Marlins sent down relief pitcher Mike Dunn to Triple-A after Thursday's game against the Giants, leaving them with a need for a left-handed reliever that the Sun Sentinel reports will likely be Dan Jennings, currently pitching for Triple-A New Orleans.
Analysis: Jenings was previously with the team, making just two appearances before going back down again. If he gets the call, it will likely just be for middle relief and situational usage, so he is not worth adding in any Fantasy formats.

Carlos Ruiz
Ruiz rolls right through injury
Carlos Ruiz, C, PHI
1:29 AM
News: Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz took a pitch off his wrist on Wednesday but played through it on Thursday and continued his incredible start to the season, going 3 for 5 with a run scored as the Phillies defeated the Cardinals, 10-9. Ruiz is now hitting .366 for the season, good for fourth in the majors.
Analysis: Ruiz has been rolling all season long, and he is showing no signs of slowing down, with a .452 batting average over the course of the last 10 games, with six RBI. He is playing at an impressive level right now, and should be active in all formats.

 
 
 
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