As always, probable pitchers are subject to change. For a look at all fantasy baseball streamers, click this link.
Up until now, Two-Startapoola 2014 has kind of resembled a post-taco feast fart party, where you’re trying in vain to wave away the pervasive stench cluttering up the lower tiers but that cloud of doom just won’t move.
But this week there is absolutely no shame in being down in the lower Second Tier or even the Third Tier.
Former aces who had fallen on hard times, like Yovani Gallardo and Josh Beckett, finally have their shtuff together, some of the pitchers who sucked earlier in the year (Brandon McCarthy, Jake Odorizzi) have gotten way better, and the Twins finally set their rotation so they don’t have the same guy pitching twice in the same week. Which means at least one less garbage starter in the system. You think Ron Gardenhire had us fantasy geeks in mind when he set up his real-life Twinkie pitching lineup this week? Me neither.
Anyways, have yourself a look-see at what the fantasy gods have sent down for us…
Must start
Masahiro Tanaka (@CHC, @CWS), Steven Strasburg (CIN, @PIT)
The Razzball tech guys sent me a ToS warning because I tried to submit this post with Hitomi Tanaka as a Must Start instead of Masahiro Tanaka. Whoops! Maybe I just had a few big, awesome things on my mind, like the pair of softie matchups Masahiro has this week, or the three double-digit strikeout games he has on the year, or his most recent start, a four-hit shutout of the crosstown New York Mess.
First Tier
Hisashi Iwakuma (@TEX, HOU), Adam Wainwright (ARI, @CIN), Justin Verlander (@CLE, TEX), Julio Teheran (MIL, COL), Wily Peralta (@ATL, @MIA), Corey Kluber (DET, @BAL)
It’s all about Japan this week baby! Iwakuma has been outstanding, and with a few more dominant outings he’ll be up at the top with his fellow countryman. The Texas start has me a little worried, but with two straight games throwing blanks for eight innings – including a start where he grounded the Royals, literally, by inducing 14 dribblers to five fly balls – he should be fine in Arlington. Peralta has been on a strikeout roll, so can you imagine the breeze coming out of Atlanta on Monday?
Second Tier
Madison Bumgarner (@COL, MIN), Josh Beckett (@NYM, @PHI), Mike Minor (MIL, COL), Drew Pomeranz (@TB, @TOR), Yovani Gallardo (@ATL, @MIA), Drew Smyly (@CLE, TEX), Garrett Richards (HOU, KC), A.J. Burnett (@MIA, LAD), Dallas Keuchel (@LAA, @SEA), Jake Odorizzi (OAK, BOS), Doug Fister (CIN, @PIT), Ian Kennedy (MIN, CHC), Jason Vargas (CWS, @LAA), Tony Cingrani (@WSH, STL)
Pomeranz and Kuechel have been waiver wire darlings over the past week, and rightfully so. Until we see Drew go deep in a game he’s going to feel like the guy who helps you in WHIP and ERA while Keuchel has a better chance for K’s. Neither will get many wins until Pomeranz is fully stretched out and can at least get to the Quality Start mark. If that happens this week, he will fly off shelves everywhere. Smyly has been a little up and down, and I’m just not feeling Cingrani in his first two starts back. We all know Trevor Bauer is starting Tuesday for the Tribe at home against Detroit, but it remains to be seen if he gets both of Danny Salazar’s starts and pitches in Baltimore for the two-start week.
Third Tier
Brandon McCarthy (@STL, @NYM), Francisco Liriano (BAL, WSH), Anthony DeSclafini (PHI, MIL), Rafael Montero (LAD, ARI), Felix Doubront (TOR, @TB), Miguel Gonzalez (@PIT, CLE), Andre Rienzo (@KC, NYY), Scott Feldman (@LAA, @SEA), J.A. Happ (@BOS, OAK), Jake Arrieta (NYY, @SD), Franklin Morales (SF, @ATL)
I know I said he’s improved, but I still don’t like McCarthy as much as most people. You could say the early starts where he got crushed by the Dodgers and Rockies were aberrations, or you could say his great starts against the Phillies and the Padres (in Petco) were the misleading games. Either way you slice it, we’re talking about a dude who is 1-6 with a 5.01 ERA. Who’s psyched about starting Brandon McCarthy this week? Not this guy. And as a long-time follower of the Phils, I find it amusing that Happ is getting some buzz for a few solid but typically short performances. The WHIP’s not scrapin’ 2.00 for nothin’.
Don’t start
Colby Lewis (SEA, @DET), Scott Carroll (@KC, NYY)
I don’t like one and I don’t know the other. I do know they both stink on ice at the moment.
