2013 Fantasy BaseballBrett TalleyFantasy Baseball

Two Start Pitchers and SP Streamers: Week 9

lackey land
John Lackey
Source: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images North America

With every team playing seven games this week, we have a full complement of 60 two-start pitchers, although we do not know who the Tuesday/Sunday starters for San Francisco and San Diego are just yet. Below I have broken this week’s two starters into four categories: must start in all leagues, must start in 14-team mixed leagues or deeper, options for deeper leagues if you’re desperate, and no effing way. After that I’ll discuss a few under-owned, one-start pitchers to stream.

Major hat tip to Tristan Cockcroft and his Fantasy Forecaster; he does all the leg work on this type of stuff each week in addition to everything else you need to know for the upcoming week.

Must Start in All Leagues

Adam Wainwright — Mon-@KC, Sat-SF

Chris Sale — Tue-CHC, Sun-@OAK

Cliff Lee — Tue-@BOS, Sun-MIL

Gio Gonzalez — Mon-BAL, Sat-@ATL

Hiroki Kuroda — Tue-@NYM, Sun-BOS

James Shields — Mon-STL, Sat-@TEX

Jeff Samardzija — Mon-@CWS, Sat-ARI

Jered Weaver — Tue-@LAD, Sun-HOU

Justin Verlander — Mon-PIT, Sat-@BAL

Madison Bumgarner — Mon-@OAK, Sat-@STL

Mat Latos — Tue-CLE, Sun-@PIT

Matt Harvey — Tue-NYY, Sun-@MIA

Yu Darvish — Mon-@ARI, Sat-KC

Must Start in 14-team Mixed Leagues or Deeper

C.J. Wilson — Mon-@LAD, Sat-HOU

Clay Buchholz — Mon-PHI, Sat-@NYY

Dan Straily — Mon-SF, Sat-CWS

Ervin Santana — Tue-STL, Sun-@TEX

Francisco Liriano — Mon-@DET, Sat-CIN

Hyun-Jin Ryu — Tue-LAA, Sun-@COL

Ian Kennedy — Mon-TEX, Sat-@CHC

Jarrod Parker — Tue-SF, Sun-CWS

Jeremy Hellickson — Tue-MIA, Sun-@CLE

Jorge De La Rosa — Tue-@HOU, Sun-LAD

Jose Fernandez — Mon-@TB, Sat-NYM

Jose Quintana — Mon-CHC, Sat-@OAK

Paul Maholm — Tue-@TOR, Sun-WSH

Ryan Dempster — Tue-PHI, Sun-@NYY

Tim Hudson  — Mon-@TOR, Sat-WSH

Trevor Cahill — Mon-TEX, Sun-@CHC

Zack Greinke — Mon-LAA, Sat-@COL

Only If You’re Desperate

Brandon Morrow — Tue-ATL, Sun-@SD

Edwin Jackson — Tue-@CWS, Sun-ARI

Jason Hammel — Mon-@WSH, Sat-DET

Jonathon Niese — Mon-NYY, Sat-@MIA

Kevin Gausman — Tue-@WSH, Sun-DET

Kevin Slowey — Tue-@TB, Sun-NYM

Mike Leake — Mon-CLE, Sat-@PIT

Ross Detwiler — Tue-BAL, Sun-@ATL

Scott Diamond — Tue-@MIL, Sun-SEA

Ubaldo Jimenez — Mon-@CIN, Sat-TB

Zach McAllister — Tue-@CIN, Sun-TB

No Effing Way

Aaron Harang — Mon-SD, Sat-@MIN

Brandon Maurer — Tue-SD, Sun-@MIN

Bud Norris — Mon-COL, Sat-@LAA

Edinson Volquez — Mon-@SEA, Sat-TOR

Hiram Burgos — Mon-MIN, Sat-@PHI

Jake Odorizzi — Mon-MIA, Sat-@CLE

Jeanmar Gomez — Tue-@DET, Sun-CIN

Jhoulys Chacin — Mon-@HOU, Sat-LAD

Jordan Lyles — Tue-COL, Sun-@LAA

Mark Buehrle — Mon-ATL, Sat-@SD

Mike Pelfrey — Mon-@MIL, Sat-SEA

Phil Hughes — Mon-@NYM, Sat-BOS

Rick Porcello — Tue-PIT, Sun-@BAL

Ross Wolf — Mon-@ARI, Sun-KC

Tyler Cloyd — Mon-@BOS, Sat-MIL

Tyler Lyons — Tue-@KC, Sun-SF

Wily Peralta — Tue-MIN, Sun-@PHI

Top Streaming Option Owned in Less Than 30% of ESPN.com Leagues

Andrew Cashner | San Diego Padres | 28% owned | Thursday vs. Seattle

Julio Teheran | Atlanta Braves | 24.4% owned | Friday vs. Washington

John Lackey | Boston Red Sox | 14.6% owned | Wednesday @ Philadelphia

Of this trio, Lackey is the only one I’m recommending based more on performance than on matchup, although he may have the best matchup in the group. Lackey is sporting a 2.72 ERA that is backed up by a 3.12 SIERA and 3.03 xFIP. He also has a walk rate below seven percent, which is where it was before he started sucking in 2010. His current K% of 24.2% probably isn’t sustainable given that his 8.5% swinging strike rate is indicative of something more like a 17-18% K%. But as long as the control hangs around, he will be serviceable.

As for his matchup, it’s a damn good one. The Phillies are currently 28th against right-handed pitching according to wRC+. The Nationals are 23rd, and the Mariners are 20th. That’s why Cashner and Teheran are decent streaming options as well despite the fact that they have xFIPs around 4.25. Both have failed to generate swinging strikes and strikeouts at the levels they were expected to do so. Until they develop a little more and start missing more bats, they are only going to be options in decent matchups like these.

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2 Comments

  1. madden_curser
    May 27, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    Looking for W’s (W = 10 pts). Need 7 SP’s thru Saturday, so must sit 4 of 11:

    1) CJ Wilson @ LAD (Greinke )
    2) Samardzija @ CWS (Quintana)
    3) Chris Sale vs Chc (Jackson)
    4) Harvey vs NYY (Kuroda)
    5) Hellickson vs MIA (Slowey)
    6) Zimmermann @ BAL (Tillman)
    7) Matt Moore @MIA (Nolasco)
    8) Minor vs TOR (Dickey)
    9) Cobb @ CLE (Kluber)
    10) CJ Wilson vs HOU (Norris)
    11) Samardzija vs ARI (Corbin)

    Thinking CJ Wilson @ LAD (Greinke ), Minor vs TOR (Dickey), Cobb @ CLE (Kluber), Samardzija vs ARI (Corbin), but looking for advise / open to suggestions… Thanks!

    • May 27, 2013 at 7:25 pm

      Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I woulda sat CJ @ LAD, Cobb @ CLE, and Samardzija vs ARI for sure. The last one is tougher. I’d say Hellickson but the matchup is so good. I might actually sit zimmerman at the orioles.