Rotoprofessor’s 2-Start Pitchers: Week 16

Written by Eric Stashin the Rotoprofessor It’s time to look at the potential two-start options for the upcoming fantasy week.  If I have someone rated as a three, four or five-star option, they are someone I would definitely use.  A two-star option is someone who is borderline, but I’d strongly lean against it unless I have no other options.  The one-star options are an absolutely not scenario. So, with that said, let’s take a look at the players available to you this week: 5-Star Options: None 4-Star Options: Cliff Lee – Cleveland Indians – @ Tor, @ Sea 3-Star Options: Derek Lowe – Atlanta Braves – vs. SF, @ Mil Dallas Braden – Oakland Athletics – vs. Min, @ NYY Gavin Floyd – Chicago White Sox – vs. TB, @ Dat Kevin Millwood – Texas Rangers – vs. Bos, @ KC Max Scherzer – Arizona Diamondbacks – @ Col, vs. Pit Nick Blackburn – Minnesota Twins – @ Oak, @ LAA Doug Davis – Arizona Diamondbacks – @ Col, vs. Pit Ted Lilly – Chicago Cubs – @ Phi, vs. Cin 2-Star Options: Ervin Santana – Los Angeles Angels – @ KC, vs. Min Andy Pettitte – New York Yankees – vs. Bal, vs. Oak David Price – Tampa Bay Rays – @ CWS, @ Tor Tommy Hanson – Atlanta Braves – vs. SF, @ Mil John Smoltz – Boston Red Sox – @ Tex, vs. Bal Gil Meche – Kansas City Royals – vs. LAA, vs. Tex John Lannan – Washington Nationals – vs. NYM, vs. SD Kyle Lohse – St. Louis Cardinals – @ Hou, @ Phi Armando Galarraga – Detroit Tigers – vs. Sea, vs. CWS Jorge De La Rosa – Colorado Rockies – vs. Ari, vs. SF Jonathan Sanchez – San Francisco Giants – @ Atl, @ Col Jeff Niemann – Tampa Bay Rays – @ CWS, @ Tor 1-Star Options: Jamie Moyer – Philadelphia Phillies – vs. CHC, vs. Stl Scott Olsen – Washington Nationals – vs. NYM, vs. SD Chad Gaudin – San Diego Padres – vs. Fla, @ Was Ross Ohlendorf – Pittsburgh Pirates – vs. Mil, @ Ari Todd Wellemeyer – St. Louis Cardinals – @ Hou, @ Phi Livan Hernandez – New York Mets – @ Was, @ Hou Ryan Sadowski – San Francisco Giants – @ Atl, @ Col Brian Moehler – Houston Astros – vs. Stl, vs. NYM Garrett Olson – Seattle Mariners – @ Det, vs. Cle Micah Owings – Cincinnati Reds – @ LAD, @ CHC Clayton Richard – Chicago White Sox – vs. TB, @ Det Gio Gonzalez – Oakland Athletics – vs. Min, @ NYY Virgil Vasquez – Pittsburgh Pirates – vs. Mil, @ Ari David Hernandez – Baltimore Orioles – @ NYY, @ Bos Jeff Weaver – Los Angeles Dodgers – vs. Cin, vs. Fla Anthony Swarzak – Minnesota Twins – @ Oak, @ LAA Sean O’Sullivan – Los Angeles Angels – @ KC, vs. Min Rodrigo Lopez – Philadelphia Phillies – vs. CHC, vs. Stl Josh Banks – San Diego Padres – vs. Fla, @ Was Mike Burns – Milwaukee Brewers – @ Pit, vs. Atl Sergio Mitre – New York Yankees – vs. Bal, vs. Oak Brett Cecil – Toronto Blue Jays – vs. Cle, vs. TB Scheduling Notes: The Marlins have yet to announce their Monday starter.  The first start comes in San Diego, but the second in Los Angeles.  With that second start, it’s not going to matter who it is.  I wouldn’t bother with him anyways. Thoughts: Does one strong start against the A’s return someone to being a must start option?  Given Ervin Santana’s 6.70 ERA and 1.70 WHIP, far from it.  While the Royals are a decent match-up for him (though, look at what they did to James Shields last night), the Twins pose a serious threat.  I know we all want to hope that he’s finally turned the corner, but that’s far from a guarantee.  He’s a serious risk, especially when you consider that last year was his one true top-notch MLB season.  I’m not suggesting that he’s not a good option long-term, but until he shows consistency in ‘09 (and that he can duplicate his 2008 success) I’m going to be weary. We can repeat the paragraph on Santana, with a few tweaks, and it applies just the same for Jonathan Sanchez.  While he was just one error short of a perfect game his last time out, what else has he done to make you think that he’s going to continue to pitch well?  I can’t bank on him being unhittable every time out especially since he has a 5.07 career ERA and 1.51 WHIP.  It’s going to take a lot more then this one start to convince me to use him.  David Price & Tommy Hanson can be put into a similar category.  They’ve been impressive (at least at times for Price), but they are both young pitchers, which means they are likely to be inconsistent.  Depending on your other options, they are usable, but you really need to be careful.  Price has struggled with his control and Hanson allowed 6 runs over 6 innings in a previous start against the Brewers. John Smoltz could be a 3-star option, but has only averaged five innings over his first four starts this season.  Even with the Red Sox line-up, that is a tough formula to score victories. I’m leaving Ted Lilly as a 3-star option, despite being pushed back to Monday because of knee problems (though, they haven’t stopped him from performing) and getting a tough match-up in Philadelphia.  He’s been too good to lower his ranking, but if you have tremendous other options, I certainly could see benching him because of the risk. Which 2-start pitchers do you like for next week?  Which ones are you trying to avoid? Picture courtesy of Icon Sports Media, Inc.

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