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.
On Tuesday, Barry Zito gave us seven innings of two-run ball in a win; today, Hiroki Kuroda gave up one run in six innings while also getting a win. The two starters combined for 16 strikeouts and one walk over the past two days. Our quality-start streak is now up to 11 games, although it's in big jeopardy with tomorrow's limited action. In fact, I don't see anyone worth streaming, so I'd advise you to sit the day out. If you feel you must pick someone up, I'll try and figure out who will be the least bad.
MLB Power Rankings:Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.
It's a funny thing, sometimes, to see how Power Rankings shape up over the course of the season. Just like when we started the year, there are a number of teams from one particular division sitting atop the rankings. Of course, there are plenty of surprises -- WHERE DID THE FREAKING GIANTS AND ROCKIES COME FROM?? -- and some other interesting stuff, like the fact that the Mets and Cubs just haven't been that good, which we discussed on the inaugural BaseCast recently.
It's not a terribly glorious week for two-start pitchers in week six (Monday, May 11th - Sunday May 17th) of the fantasy baseball season. With the light day of action on Monday there are only 34 total this week, and most of this week's pitchers are risky picks.
You won't need to set you lineups until 7:05 PM ET on Monday as the only four games are night starts
Must Start Johan Santana, Mets - Monday vs ATL (D. Lowe) and Saturday at SF (R. Johnson) Matt Cain , Giants - Tuesday vs WAS (J. Zimmermann) and Sunday vs NYM (M. Pelfrey) Jered Weaver , Angels - Tuesday vs BOS (J. Masterson) and Sunday at TEX (S. Feldman) Roy Halladay, Blue Jays - Tuesday vs NYY (A. Burnett) and Sunday vs CWS (G. Floyd)
So far this year, Owings is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA as a pitcher and batting .400 as a hitter – including the game-winning double Sunday for the Reds. His pinch hit broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning, and Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News isn't alone in wondering if maybe a Cincinnati team batting .210 overall could use his bat more than a few times a week.
As we head into the third week of the fantasy baseball season we have 34 starting pitchers throwing twice. When setting your lineups, remember that tomorrow is Patriot's Day in Boston, so first pitch is at 11:05 AM Eastern Time.
Must Start Roy Halladay, Blue Jays - Tuesday vs TEX (B. McCarthy) and Sunday at CWS (J. Contreras) Derek Lowe, Braves - Monday at WAS (J. Zimmermann)and Saturday at CIN (B. Arroyo) C.C. Sabathia, Yankees - Tuesday vs OAK (B. Anderson) and Sunday at BOS (J. Beckett) Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers - Tuesday at HOU (R. Ortiz) and Sunday at COL (J. Marquis)
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through every major player on each team. Fantasy FanHouse is here to help with a quick once-over.
Meet the ... Team who just can't buy a break. They can't get any big names to sign with them (Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett), they are getting majorly outspent by the two big boys in the division, and the Rays skyrocketed past them last season due to an impressive franchise turnaround. I've seen people tout these guys as the "2009 version of the Rays." My reply? You have got to be kidding me. There's not near enough here for a run at .500, much less the World Series.
Baltimore entered the offseason with exactly one rotation spot filled, so to say it needs pitching help would be an understatement of epic proportions. The Orioles signed journeyman Mark Hendrickson last week. Now they've erased another of the question marks after Jeremy Guthrie by agreeing to two-year deal with Japanese pitcher Koji Uehara, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
Uehara, who will be 34 on Opening Day and who has an outstanding international resume, will be the first Japanese player in franchise history -- a strange thought considering the impact talent from the Far East that currently resides in the AL East.
The signing certainly could pay future dividends, as Peter Schmuck writes, but the question in the short-term is just how he'll fit in at Camden Yards and how he'll cope with pitching in the toughest division in baseball.
His agent thinks he'll be outstanding:
"I have a lot of confidence in this guy. He'll take the ball every fifth day and can be a No. 2 or 3 in a very difficult division," [Mark] Pieper said. "This will be a challenge for him but he is clearly up for it."
Of course, agents are paid to think and talk like that about their clients.
The Baltimore Orioles have a hole at first base, but plugging it with an albatross doesn't seem like the best choice. Apparently they disagree with that sentiment, because they've reportedly had some discussion with the agent of Richie Sexson. Hey, I can see that ... you just lost out on Mark Teixeira so you go out and please the fans by bringing in a guy the Mariners cut last season. That's really like the same player, no? The Orioles fans should be pumped.
After a promising beginning to his career -- where he was a stud for five seasons -- Sexson has virtually evaporated over the past two seasons. He even -- according to several reports -- became a bad clubhouse guy in his last days in Seattle. We're talking about a guy who went .221/.321/.382 last season in stints with the Mariners and Yankees. He was 33 years old. I guess I could see a lowly team like the O's signing him to a cheap, incredibly incentive-laden contract with the desperate hope that he returns to his 45-homer form.
Still, going into the season with Richie Sexson as your starting first baseman is like waving a white flag, especially when you are competing with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays.
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.
Florida Marlins (44-43) at Colorado Rockies (37-51) - 3:05 PM ET
As if 18-17 wasn't enough, the Rockies and Marlins played a 12-6 game proving once and for all that the humidor is dead Coors Field can still play host to some Nintendo games ... and that the Marlins pitching staff needs to step it up if they're going to hope to remain in contention for the N.L. East. The Marlins turn to Mark Hendrickson, who started out the season pitching like their ace but has been positively awful his last seven starts (37 earned runs in his last 34 innings). Not the guy you would expect to bounce you back from giving up 30 runs in two games. As for the Rockies, hey ... if they have another run in them, they're only six games back in the N.L. West so that division can still be had. Speaking of which ...
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
Los Angeles Angels (39-25) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (37-26) - 10:05PM Est.
It's pretty much a consensus that Tropicana Field is far and away the worst "baseball stadium" in the big leagues, but don't tell that to the Rays. They love the place, as they've gone 24-10 there this season. The road, on the other hand, has not been so kind.
Outside of the Trop, the Rays are only 13-16 and they find themselves in the midst of a nine-game road trip that has not been kind. After being swept by the Red Sox to start it off, they won two in Texas before losing yesterday. To make matters worse, the frustration is starting to show. The Rays are just an angry team.
After getting into a brawl with the Red Sox on Thursday, they were fighting themselves yesterday as Matt Garza and Dioner Navarro had a disagreement about, hell, I don't know, the best Doritos flavor?
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.
Starting Five
As we head into the third week of the fantasy baseball season we have 34 starting pitchers throwing twice. When setting your lineups, remember that tomorrow is Patriot's Day in Boston, so first pitch is at 11:05 AM Eastern Time.
Fantasy baseball draft season is coming, so you best be prepared by delving through 
Baltimore entered the offseason with exactly one rotation spot filled, so to say it needs pitching help would be an understatement of epic proportions. The Orioles signed journeyman 
The Baltimore Orioles have a hole at first base, but plugging it with an albatross doesn't seem like the best choice. Apparently they disagree with that sentiment, because they've 
