Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
Yesterday, Jon Garland delivered us another quality start, but just barely, pitching six innings and allowing three runs for a no-decision. I did jinx his control, and now Garland becomes our first pitcher this month to give up more than two walks in a game. Tonight, Ryan Rowland-Smith faces Los Angeles in Anaheim, a scary draw no doubt, and one I avoided in my actual league, streaming a hitter instead (Johnny Gomes, who's 1 for 1 thus far).
It's a great pitching week for Chicago-based teams. All four of the starting pitchers (two from the White Sox and two from the Cubs) are "Must Start" options.
Lineups lock on Monday at 1:05 PM ET, so get those two-start pitchers into your lineup before then.
Must Start Jon Lester, Red Sox - Tuesday at TB (W. Davis) and Sunday at CWS (J. Danks) Rich Harden, Cubs - Monday vs HOU (R. Oswalt) and Saturday at NYM (N. Figueroa) Randy Wells, Cubs - Tuesday vs HOU (B. Moehler) and Sunday at NYM (M. Pelfrey) John Danks, White Sox - Tuesday at MIN (N. Blackburn) and Sunday vs BOS (J. Lester) Gavin Floyd, White Sox - Monday at MIN (A. Gabino) and Saturday vs BOS (T. Wakefield) Josh Johnson, Marlins - Monday vs ATL (T. Hudson) and Saturday at WAS (G. Mock) Roy Oswalt, Astros - Monday at CHC (R. Harden) and Sunday vs PHI (C. Hamels) Randy Wolf, Dodgers - Monday vs ARZ (D. Davis) and Saturday vs SD (M. Latos)
Pickin's are kind of slim this week for two-start pitchers. Only six hurlers are "must start" options and most of the risky pitchers aren't even close to being viable. Be careful when rushing some of the riskier pitchers into your lineup. Week 19 might be a week to bench some of these guys.
First pitch on Monday is at 7:05 PM ET, so you have plenty of time get your rosters set.
Must Start Rich Harden, Cubs - Tuesday vs PHI (J. Happ) and Sunday vs PIT (R. Ohlendorf) Tom Gorzelanny, Cubs - Monday at COL (J. De La Rosa) and Saturday vs PIT (Z. Duke) Gavin Floyd, White Sox - Monday at SEA (L. French) and Saturday at OAK (G. Gonzalez) Edwin Jackson, Tigers - Monday at BOS (B. Penny) and Saturday vs KC (L. Hochevar) Rick Porcello, Tigers - Tuesday at BOS (UNK) and Sunday vs KC (K. Davies) Joba Chamberlain, Yankees - Tuesday vs TOR (S. Richmond) and Sunday at SEA (D. Fister)
It's not a pretty week to be trolling the waiver wire for two-start pitchers. Forty-four in all throw twice in fantasy week 16 and 66% of those are risky picks. All 29 of the risky picks won't turn out bad. Guys like John Smoltz and Andy Pettitte could turns things around and excel. But, all in all, stick with the safer one-start pitchers this week and hedge your bets for next week.
First pitch tonight is at 7:05 PM ET. Make sure to get your rosters set prior to that.
Must Start Tommy Hanson, Braves - Monday vs SF (J. Sanchez) and Saturday at MLW (Y. Gallardo) Derek Lowe, Braves - Tuesday vs SF (R. Sadowski) and Sunday at MLW (M. Burns) Ted Lilly, Cubs - Monday at PHI (R. Lopez) and Sunday vs CIN (M. Owings) Cliff Lee, Indians - Tuesday at TOR (B. Cecil) and Sunday at SEA (G. Olson) Nick Blackburn, Twins - Monday at OAK (G. Gonzalez) and Saturday at LAA (S. O'Sullivan) Kevin Millwood, Rangers - Monday vs BOS (J. Smoltz) and Sunday at KC (S. Ponson)
Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.
The most remarkable thing about this season as we hit the not-halfway halfway point of the All-Star break isn't Albert Pujols' RBI total. Or Zack Greinke's ERA. Or the PED suspension of one of the game's biggest stars.
It's the standings. And they not only reflect the season so far, they give us a clue as to the weeks head leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline.
The Phillies and Dodgers are the only first-place team with a lead of more than 2 1/2 games. And 21 of the 30 teams are within 7 1/2 games of a playoff spot: nine of 14 in the AL and 12 of 16 in the NL.
There are 47 pitchers in fantasy Week 14 getting two starts. In an unusual turn of events, they are pretty evenly partitioned between "must starts," "solid starts" and "risky business".
I love Matt Cain this week. He gets two home starts and gets very, very favorable pitching matchups. If he doesn't get two wins and put up impressive strikeout totals and a low ERA, I'll answer questions every Friday afternoon from here on out in a live chat.
First pitch on Monday is at 1:05 PM ET. Make sure you get your rosters set early.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday. Ben Zobrist has transformed from a run-of-the-mill slap hitter into one of the most powerful middle infielders in baseball. Right when you thought he might be cooling off, SMASH! -- a grand slam against Kansas City for his 10th home run of the year. He's slugging .659 with a 1.073 OPS for crying out loud. And he's somehow still available in over 35 percent of mixed leagues. So the question becomes: Is it time for you to believe in the man Joe Maddon nicknamed "Zorilla" or will his power eventually fade just like Marco Scutaro's did?
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Oh what a difference a month makes. Josh Beckett's ERA in April stood at 7.22, including a two-game span where he was shellacked for 15 runs. Since then he's hurled five straight quality starts and posted a 2.38 ERA in May. His ERA is now 4.60 and his WHIP is 1.47, both of which fail to indicate his true current value. Often, like in Beckett's case, you can only get an accurate gauge by looking at what a player's done lately instead of viewing overall stats.
Maybe I'm being a bit hard on these guys, but almost 59 percent of the 41 pitchers who are starting twice this week are being placed in the "Risky Business" category.
There are a couple of touted rookies who make up the 59 percent like the Rays' David Price and Atlanta's Kris Medlen. There are also some big-named pitchers who should never be placed among the "Risky Business" pitchers who just are throwing well, or their teams aren't winning behind them. Jon Lester and Francisco Liriano come to mind immediately.
Like I said, in all there are 41 two-start pitchers this week. Make sure that you get your lineups locked early today as there are a bunch of afternoon games. The first is 1:10 PM ET when Houston plays Cincinnati.
There are a plethora of two-start pitchers hurling in week five (Monday, May 4th - Sunday May 10th) of the fantasy baseball season. There are 58 total this week and you late sleepers are luck that all of the Monday games are night games. You won't need to set you lineups until 7:05 PM ET.
[Update: 7:48 AM ET] : Two games were rained out yesterday. The Mets and Phillies did not play and the Angels and Yankees were rained out as well. Here is the fallout from those two postponed games as it relates to two-start pitchers.
Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.
It's a great pitching week for Chicago-based teams. All four of the starting pitchers (two from the White Sox and two from the Cubs) are "Must Start" options.
Pickin's are kind of slim this week for two-start pitchers. Only six hurlers are "must start" options and most of the risky pitchers aren't even close to being viable. Be careful when rushing some of the riskier pitchers into your lineup. Week 19 might be a week to bench some of these guys.
It's not a pretty week to be trolling the waiver wire for two-start pitchers. Forty-four in all throw twice in fantasy week 16 and 66% of those are risky picks. All 29 of the risky picks won't turn out bad. Guys like 
There are 47 pitchers in fantasy Week 14 getting two starts. In an unusual turn of events, they are pretty evenly partitioned between "must starts," "solid starts" and "risky business".
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
