Aug. 29, 2010

Week 22 Fantasy Pitching Planner

By Eric Mack | Senior Fantasy Writer
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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. The means we consider them a recommended start. The means we suggest you consider a replacement option. The teams have if we deem their week's matchups favorable and if their week's matchups are deemed unfavorable.

Arizona Diamondbacks

1. Joe Saunders vs SD LeBlanc, vs HOU Happ
2. Ian Kennedy vs SD Correia
3. Barry Enright vs SD Latos
4. Daniel Hudson vs HOU Myers
5. Rodrigo Lopez vs HOU Norris

Two-starter(s): Saunders. He is a high-risk option even for the deepest of NL-only leagues with his struggles lately.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Hudson. He finished a huge August, going 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA in his first six NL starts. He looks like a solid start in any format right now.
One-week bust: Saunders. He has a ghastly 7.77 ERA in his past four starts and looks to be too risky to trust in any Fantasy league right now.

Atlanta Braves

1. Tommy Hanson vs NYM Pelfrey
2. Tim Hudson vs NYM Santana
3. Derek Lowe at FLA Nolasco
4. Jair Jurrjens vs NYM Misch, at FLA Johnson
5. Mike Minor vs NYM Niese, at FLA Sanabia

Two-starter(s): Jurrjens and Minor. Although there is some level of risk with either of them, they are both promising enough to consider advisable in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Minor. He doesn't need to spend 10 days down on an option because the GCL season ended this weekend, so he can return to start the next time the Braves need a No. 5 starter.
One-week bust: None. All five Braves starters are viable options in any league.

Baltimore Orioles

1. Jeremy Guthrie vs TB Shields
2. Brian Matusz vs BOS Beckett, vs TB Davis
3. Jake Arrieta vs BOS Lester
4. Brad Bergesen vs BOS Matsuzaka
5. Kevin Millwood vs TB Garza

Two-starter(s): Matusz. He is a questionable option, but one you might want to take a chance on, despite the fact he is going to face a pair of contenders.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Matusz. He is 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA in his past five starts and, if you throw out his one loss, he is even more dominant with a 1.00 in four starts. Those are tough matchups that could make him a two-start loser, so be careful in Head-to-Head points leagues where you lose points for losses.
One-week bust: Guthrie. He has had two stinkers back-to-back after a long hot streak. We wouldn't trust him outside of the deepest of AL-only leagues.

Boston Red Sox

1. Jon Lester at BAL Arrieta
2. Josh Beckett at BAL Matusz, vs CHW Buehrle
3. John Lackey vs CHW Floyd
4. Clay Buchholz vs CHW Danks
5. Daisuke Matsuzaka at BAL Bergesen

Two-starter(s): Beckett. He is back to being an advisable option, if not a must-start, after his promising past outing.
Who is getting skipped: Dice-K (back). He is returning to the rotation in the Orioles series, a matchup that makes him intriguing even in mixed leagues.
One-week sleeper: Dice-K. The matchup is intriguing enough to consider him, especially since he is a respectable 2-1 with a 3.64 ERA and .222 batting-average against since the All-Star break.
One-week bust: None. All five of the Red Sox's starters are viable options in all leagues this week.

Chicago Cubs

1. Carlos Zambrano vs PIT Maholm, vs NYM Niese
2. Ryan Dempster vs PIT Karstens
3. Tom Gorzelanny vs PIT McDonald
4. Randy Wells vs NYM Dickey
5. Casey Coleman vs NYM Misch

Two-starter(s): Zambrano. He is back to being an advisable option in any Fantasy league again.
Who is getting skipped: None. Coleman could be skipped, though, if the Cubs want to keep Dempster on regular rest and slot Carlos Silva (heart) the next time the team needs a No. 5 starter. Silva is making a last rehab start Wednesday and could be ready by Sept. 6. Dempster is a more intriguing one-starter for the potential of picking up a second start.
One-week sleeper: Gorzelanny. He is not quite pitching as well as he was before, but the Pirates matchup makes him intriguing.
One-week bust: Coleman. The rookie could be skipped and we might not know his fate until after your roster deadline. Don't risk using him.

Chicago White Sox

1. John Danks at BOS Buchholz
2. Gavin Floyd at BOS Lackey
3. Mark Buehrle at CLE Talbot, at BOS Beckett
4. Edwin Jackson at CLE Masterson
5. Freddy Garcia at CLE Tomlin

Two-starter(s): Buehrle. He is an advisable option in most leagues, especially with that first favorable matchup.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Jackson. He is a must-start in that matchup the way he has pitched with the White Sox.
One-week bust: Danks and Floyd. They haven't been pitching consistently, so they are one-start sit candidates in mixed formats because they're at Boston.

Cincinnati Reds

1. Johnny Cueto vs MIL Narveson
2. Bronson Arroyo at STL Garcia
3. Travis Wood at STL Wainwright
4. Homer Bailey vs MIL Wolf, at STL Carpenter
5. Aaron Harang vs MIL Gallardo

Two-starter(s): Bailey. He is a questionable option we wouldn't trust in mixed leagues with those matchups.
Who is getting skipped: Edinson Volquez. He has been sent to the bullpen after his disasterous past start. Harang will return from the DL and his rehab assignment to start in Volquez's place Tuesday.
One-week sleeper: Arroyo. He is 7-4 with an ERA sub-3.00 since June and he is still active in just 51 percent of leagues. He is closer to a must-start than a 50-50 option.
One-week bust: Wood, Bailey and Harang. We wouldn't trust these options with those matchups this week. The Reds sure gave up quickly on Volquez and these guys should prove they shouldn't have.

Cleveland Indians

1. Fausto Carmona at SEA French
2. Mitch Talbot vs CHW Buehrle, at SEA Pauley
3. Justin Masterson vs CHW Jackson, at SEA Hernandez
4. Josh Tomlin vs CHW Garcia
5. Jeanmar Gomez at SEA Fister

Two-starter(s): Talbot and Masterson. They are questionable options best avoided in mixed leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Gomez. If you throw out his one bad start two starts ago, he has been dominant and viable for mixed leagues. A Seattle matchup certainly will help you trust him this week.
One-week bust: Masterson. He has been decent in August, but his Seattle start comes against one of the aces of Fantasy.

Colorado Rockies

1. Ubaldo Jimenez at SF Lincecum
2. Jhoulys Chacin at SD Garland
3. Jason Hammel at SD Richard
4. Jorge De La Rosa at SF Sanchez, at SD LeBlanc
5. Esmil Rogers at SF Bumgarner
6. Aaron Cook vs PHI Blanton

Two-starter(s): De La Rosa. He is an advisable option amid his solid August (2-1, 3.69).
Who is getting skipped: None. But we fully expect Rogers to head to the bullpen after his Tuesday start, stripping him of a potential two-start week. Cook is scheduled to return from the DL and a rehab stint Thursday.
One-week sleeper: Chacin. He has been dominant in back-to-back starts and gets to pitch in a pitcher's park this week. He is viable in mixed formats.
One-week bust: Rogers and Cook. They are risky one-start options best avoided in all leagues.

Detroit Tigers

1. Justin Verlander at MIN Baker
2. Max Scherzer at MIN Liriano
3. Armando Galarraga at MIN Duensing, at KC Davies
4. Rick Porcello at KC Chen
5. Jeremy Bonderman (questionable: side) at KC Greinke

Two-starter(s): Galarraga. He is an advisable option in mixed leagues, especially with that favorable second matchup.
Who is getting skipped: None. Bonderman is a question mark to make his start due to injury.
One-week sleeper: Galarraga. He has allowed one run in his past 13 1/3 innings. He has a sub-4.00 ERA since June, too, showing success over a longer timespan.
One-week bust: Bonderman. No one can be sure he will make that start this week.

Florida Marlins

1. Josh Johnson vs ATL Jurrjens
2. Ricky Nolasco vs ATL Lowe
3. Anibal Sanchez vs WAS Zimmermann
4. Alex Sanabia vs WAS Marquis, vs ATL Minor
5. Chris Volstad vs WAS Olsen

Two-starter(s): Sanabia. He is a questionable option who is pitching well enough to use as a sleeper in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Nolasco (knee). He was terrible in his return start, so we could see Andrew Miller in his place. Miller will at least start in the Labor Day doubleheader Sept. 6.
One-week sleeper: Sanabia and Volstad. They have been pitching much better of late and get that one favorable matchup against the Nationals at home.
One-week bust: Nolasco. Whether or not he is healthy, he was terrible last time out and is too risky to start.

Houston Astros

1. Wandy Rodriguez vs STL Carpenter
2. Brett Myers at ARI Hudson
3. Bud Norris at ARI Lopez
4. J.A. Happ vs STL Westbrook, at ARI Saunders
5. Nelson Figueroa vs STL Suppan

Two-starter(s): Happ. He is an advisable option in most formats with the way he has pitched since joining the Astros.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Happ. He is active in a mere 41 percent of leagues, despite a 2.92 ERA in his past four starts.
One-week bust: Figueroa. He has been great as a starter this season (1.96 ERA in four starts), but we still wouldn't trust him in a mixed league against the Cardinals.

Kansas City Royals

1. Zack Greinke vs DET Bonderman
2. Bruce Chen vs DET Porcello
3. Kyle Davies vs TEX Wilson, vs DET Galarraga
4. Sean O'Sullivan vs TEX Lee
5. Bryan Bullington vs TEX Hunter

Two-starter(s): Davies. He is a high-risk option even in the deepest of AL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. The Royals have just one viable starter for any formats this week.
One-week bust: Davies. He had made progress in August, but his last start was terrible and he faces the potent Rangers in his first matchup. Avoid him.

Los Angeles Angels

1. Jered Weaver at OAK Cahill
2. Scott Kazmir at OAK Gonzalez
3. Ervin Santana at SEA Pauley, at OAK Mazzaro
4. Dan Haren at SEA Hernandez
5. Trevor Bell at SEA Vargas

Two-starter(s): Santana. He remains an advisable option in all leagues, despite struggling in his past start, because of those matchups against punchless offenses.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Santana. He could have been dropped in leagues after his last start, but this should be a much better week for him and his Fantasy owners.
One-week bust: Kazmir and Bell. We cannot be sure what we will get out of these guys on a consistent basis. They are risky options even with the favorable matchups.

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Clayton Kershaw vs PHI Oswalt
2. Ted Lilly vs SF Cain
3. Chad Billingsley vs SF Zito
4. Hiroki Kuroda vs PHI Halladay, vs SF Sanchez
5. Carlos Monasterios vs PHI Kendrick

Two-starter(s): Kuroda. He remains an advisable option in all formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Billingsley. We cannot figure out why he is the fourth-most active Dodgers starter pitcher. He has a 3.04 ERA in his nine starts after the All-Star break. Keep him active.
One-week bust: Monasterios. He remains in the rotation for at least this one next turn before Vicente Padilla (neck) could return. We don't think you should risk the spot starter against the Phillies.

Milwaukee Brewers

1. Yovani Gallardo at CIN Harang
2. Randy Wolf at CIN Bailey, at PHI Kendrick
3. Chris Narveson at CIN Cueto
4. Dave Bush at PHI Halladay
5. Chris Capuano at PHI Hamels

Two-starter(s): Wolf. He hasn't been pitching consistent enough to trust on the road against those two top offenses.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. All five of the Brewers starters are risky options this week.
One-week bust: Gallardo. He has given up six runs in each of his past two starts and faces one of the best offenses in baseball at one of the best hitter's park in baseball. It is another good week to avoid him.

Minnesota Twins

1. Francisco Liriano vs DET Scherzer
2. Carl Pavano vs TEX Lewis
3. Brian Duensing vs DET Galarraga, vs TEX Wilson
4. Scott Baker vs DET Verlander
5. Nick Blackburn vs TEX Harden

Two-starter(s): Duensing. He is an advisable option in most leagues, despite that tough second matchup against the Rangers. It comes at home, though.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Duensing. He is 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA in his seven starts this season, dramatically underrated in Fantasy still.
One-week bust: Blackburn. He has posted back-to-back quality starts since his return from the minors (1.72 ERA), but we still wouldn't trust him in a one-start week against the potent Rangers.

New York Mets

1. Johan Santana at ATL Hudson
2. Mike Pelfrey at ATL Hanson
3. R.A. Dickey at CHC Wells
4. Jonathon Niese at ATL Minor, at CHC Zambrano
5. Pat Misch at ATL Jurrjens, at CHC Coleman

Two-starter(s): Niese and Misch. They are questionable options in most standard leagues. We would take the risk on Niese but not Misch, despite him having posted three quality starts in three tries since being called up from Triple-A.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Pelfrey. Many had given up on him in the second half -- his start percentage dropping to 28 percent -- but Pelfrey has posted a 1.82 ERA in his five August starts.
One-week bust: Misch. Three quality starts have meant three losses. Even if he pitches well for the Mets, it will be tough for him to be a winner.

New York Yankees

1. CC Sabathia vs OAK Braden
2. A.J. Burnett vs OAK Anderson
3. Phil Hughes vs OAK Mazzaro, vs TOR Cecil
4. Dustin Moseley vs OAK Cahill, vs TOR Rzepczynski
5. Ivan Nova vs TOR Morrow

Two-starter(s): Hughes and Moseley. They are advisable options in deeper leagues because of that favorable first start.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Nova and Moseley. The spot starters have pitched well enough to trust in mixed leagues. We would go with the two-start Moseley over the one-start Nova, but Nova looks real good right now, too -- despite drawing a much tougher matchup.
One-week bust: None. All five of the Yankees' starting five looks capable of helping Fantasy owners in all leagues right now.

Oakland Athletics

1. Trevor Cahill at NYY Moseley, vs LAA Weaver
2. Brett Anderson at NYY Burnett
3. Dallas Braden at NYY Sabathia
4. Gio Gonzalez vs LAA Kazmir
5. Vin Mazzaro at NYY Hughes, vs LAA Santana

Two-starter(s): Cahill and Mazzaro. Cahill is a must-start in all leagues, while Mazzaro remains an advisable option despite being 0-4 in his past six starts and drawing one unfavorable matchup against the Yankees.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Mazzaro. He is 0-3 in his past five starts, but all of them have been quality starts and he has a 2.56 ERA in August.
One-week bust: None. All five of the A's starters are useful options in all leagues, regardless of the matchups now.

Philadelphia Phillies

1. Roy Halladay at LAD Kuroda, vs MIL Bush
2. Roy Oswalt at LAD Kershaw
3. Cole Hamels vs MIL Capuano
4. Joe Blanton at COL Cook
5. Kyle Kendrick at LAD Monasterios, vs MIL Wolf

Two-starter(s): Halladay and Kendrick. One is a must-start and one is high-risk. We'll let you figure which is which.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Blanton. He 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in his past three starts and a viable option in all mixed leagues even as a one-starter at Coors Field, where he has yet to pitch, by the way.
One-week bust: Kendrick. He is too inconsistent to trust outside of the deepest of NL-only leagues, but perhaps you can try to catch lightning with him in those real deep formats.

Pittsburgh Pirates

1. Zach Duke vs WAS Hernandez
2. Paul Maholm at CHC Zambrano, vs WAS Marquis
3. Jeff Karstens at CHC Dempster
4. James McDonald at CHC Gorzelanny
5. Charlie Morton vs WAS Lannan

Two-starter(s): Maholm. He is a questionable option best avoided unless you're a risk-taker in deeper NL-only formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. We could say take a chance on Duke against the Nationals, but we figure that would just set us all up for failure.
One-week bust: All. None of the Pirates starters is a trustworthy option outside of the deepest of NL-only leagues.

San Diego Padres

1. Mat Latos at ARI Enright
2. Jon Garland vs COL Chacin
3. Clayton Richard vs COL Hammel
4. Wade LeBlanc at ARI Saunders, vs COL De La Rosa
5. Kevin Correia at ARI Kennedy

Two-starter(s): LeBlanc. He is a questionable option we would take a chance on in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Garland. He is active in just 42 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues currently, but he is pitching well in the second half (2.77), especially in August (2.39) and is a must-start at home (2.62). We feel he is one of the most underrated pitchers in Fantasy. His splits make him a must-start, one-start pitcher even in mixed formats.
One-week bust: Correia. He has gotten beaten up badly in his past two starts. Sit him in all leagues, and only own him in NL-only formats.

San Francisco Giants

1. Tim Lincecum vs COL Jimenez
2. Barry Zito at LAD Billingsley
3. Matt Cain at LAD Lilly
4. Jonathan Sanchez vs COL De La Rosa, at LAD Kuroda
5. Madison Bumgarner vs COL Rogers

Two-starter(s): Sanchez. He is a questionable option but one we would go with in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. Cain might be the only Giants starter we can truly trust this week.
One-week bust: Lincecum. We hate to say this -- and we're still not certain we would do it in all leagues -- but Lincecum is 0-5 with a 7.85 ERA in his past five starts this August. He is facing the Rockies and their ace, too. We would sit him if you have a decent alternative in any format right now.

Seattle Mariners

1. Felix Hernandez vs LAA Haren, vs CLE Masterson
2. Jason Vargas vs LAA Bell
3. Doug Fister vs CLE Gome
4. Luke French vs CLE Carmona
5. David Pauley vs LAA Santana, vs CLE Talbot

Two-starter(s): Hernandez and Pauley. One is a must-start, while the other is a questionable option that qualifies as a sleeper we would advise in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Vargas. He is facing the Angels' back-end starter and is 7-3 with a 2.48 ERA at home this season.
One-week bust: French. His matchup is appealing but you can never be sure which French is going to show up. He runs too hot and cold.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Chris Carpenter at HOU Rodriguez, vs CIN Bailey
2. Adam Wainwright vs CIN Wood
3. Jaime Garcia vs CIN Arroyo
4. Jake Westbrook at HOU Happ
5. Jeff Suppan at HOU Figueroa

Two-starter(s): Carpenter. He is a must-start ace in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: Kyle Lohse and then Westbrook off his second start. The Cardinals are loading their top three starters against the Reds in a weekend series, which makes Lohse a no-start pitcher and Westbrook a one-start pitcher. Don't use Lohse in any leagues.
One-week sleeper: Westbrook. He loses his two-start week, but his decent success with the Cardinals makes him useful as a one-starter at Houston.
One-week bust: Suppan. He gets a spot start to allow the Cardinals to stack their rotation for the Reds series. We wouldn't use Suppan in any format, but he could steal Lohse's rotation spot going forward perhaps with a quality start.

Tampa Bay Rays

1. David Price vs TOR Marcum
2. Matt Garza at BAL Millwood
3. James Shields at BAL Guthrie
4. Wade Davis vs TOR Cecil, vs BAL Matusz
5. Jeff Niemann vs TOR Romero

Two-starter(s): Davis. He is an advisable option in mixed leagues with those matchups and coming off his solid return start from the DL.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Davis. He is owned (60 percent) and active (28 percent) in a modestly low number of CBSSports.com's leagues. We think his matchups give him a chance to really help your Fantasy team this week.
One-week bust: Niemann. He was roughed up in his return start from the DL and is best reserved until he proves healthy and effective again.

Texas Rangers

1. Cliff Lee at KC O'Sullivan
2. C.J. Wilson at KC Davies, at MIN Duensing
3. Colby Lewis at MIN Pavano
4. Tommy Hunter at KC Bullington
5. Rich Harden at MIN Blackburn

Two-starter(s): Wilson. He is a must-start in all leagues now.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Harden. The Rangers could choose to skip Harden after Thursday's offday. He is a risky one-start option even if he does remain on turn.
One-week sleeper: Hunter. He has righted himself in his past two starts after some rough outings earlier in August.
One-week bust: Harden. He had a great return start from the DL and handed most of the mojo right back in his next outing. There is no word of him potentially getting skipped, especially with the Rangers on cruise control, but we wouldn't consider him outside of the deepest of AL-only leagues.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Ricky Romero at TB Niemann
2. Shaun Marcum at TB Price
3. Brandon Morrow at NYY Nova
4. Marc Rzepczynski at NYY Moseley
5. Brett Cecil at TB Davis, at NYY Hughes

Two-starter(s): Cecil. He is an advisable option in deeper leagues, despite the matchups against those elite contenders.
Who is getting skipped: None. Morrow is making his final start of the season Friday, though.
One-week sleeper: Cecil. He is 3-1 in his past four starts, but he beat the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox in those with a 2.08 ERA. He gets two of those opponents again, albeit on the road.
One-week bust: Rzepczynski. We would consider him a risky option even for AL-only formats in that matchup.

Washington Nationals

1. Livan Hernandez at PIT Duke
2. John Lannan at PIT Morton
3. Jason Marquis at FLA Sanabia, at PIT Maholm
4. Jordan Zimmermann at FLA Sanchez
5. Scott Olsen at FLA Volstad

Two-starter(s): Marquis. He has posted back-to-back solid starts, which makes him a sleeper in deeper leagues again, despite his awful numbers for the full season. Consider him more of a questionable to risky option in mixed formats, though.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Lannan. He draws the Pirates and came into Sunday 3-1 with a 3.81 ERA in five August starts.
One-week bust: Olsen and Zimmermann. They could be the Nationals' most talented starters, but they wouldn't be the ones we would try in Fantasy lineups this week.

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