Pitching Forecaster: The race for more arms
We've already seen plenty of pitching promotions, but there is plenty more where they came from. Our Eric Mack provides you with 10 names to consider stashing and goes through all 30 rotations in his latest Pitching Forecaster.
The pitching market is all but dried up right now. Jake Peavy (ankle), Chris R. Young (shoulder) and Erik Bedard (shoulder) are on the DL -- not to mention Daisuke Matsuzaka (shoulder) needs a DL stint, keeping Brad Penny in Boston. Also, Tom Glavine announced he won't pitch this season, no one is biting on Ben Sheets (elbow) and Pedro Martinez is scaring off even the most desperate suitors with his slowball that is topping out at 90 mph.
It apparently is still time for teams to be focusing on their own.
Here is a list of the top 10 pitching prospects to immediately watch out for in Fantasy. If they are not the biggest names in the Futures Game, they could be up by the All-Star break. There is a nice wave of pitching talent on the cusp:
1. Clay Buchholz, Red Sox -- We already know plenty about him, but with John Smoltz returning Thursday and Dice-K down, Buchholz is a step closer to making a return to the majors. He still needs something to happen, but at least one less obstacle is out of his way. We are about to find out how effective Smoltz can be off shoulder surgery past the age of 40. A Penny trade or any Red Sox injury could make Buchholz the Red Sox No. 5 starter; therefore, a must-start in all leagues.
2. Madison Bumgarner, Giants -- A 19-year-old lefty dominating Double-A is nice and all, but it is even more important to note the Giants are an NL wild-card contender with a struggling No. 5 starter who was on the trade block. Bumgarner might not be a real consideration before he turns 20 in early August, but even the slight possibility makes him a candidate to stash.
3. Matt Latos, Padres -- The Padres rotation is held together with glue right now. And, no, we are not necessarily saying the pitchers the Padres are rotating right now need to be sent to the glue factory. Latos has been on fire and is rising the prospects charts quickly. You have to love his potential, even on a sub-.500 non-contender in San Diego. That is a great pitchers park for a young arm to get his feet beneath him in the major leagues.
4. Chris Tillman, Orioles -- Tillman leads a Triple-A Orioles rotation that might be better than the major league one right now. Tillman would be a lot more intriguing if the O's weren't projected to remain in the AL Beast cellar the rest of the season. Who knows, though, because they do have some interesting bats. Perhaps Tillman can overcome even the long odds.
5. Homer Bailey, Reds -- Yeah, we know. He has been cannon fodder at the major league level. Check out what he has done below. And realize the Reds need a No. 5 starter by Saturday, which is Bailey's next turn.
6. Bud Norris, Astros -- He is one of the unsung names in the minor leagues right now. He is also the one that deserves to be starting for the Astros any day now. If not for Bailey, we would consider Norris the most likely on this list to be starting and helping Fantasy owners before the All-Star break.
7. Neftali Feliz, Rangers -- After some struggles, Feliz has been solid in Triple-A. The Rangers are falling back to the pack in the AL West, so if they cannot pull off a deal for pitching -- apparently they have given up on Sheets -- they will be going to the well on an elite arm that could be the next Edinson Volquez. Nevermind that it took years, numerous demotions and a trade for Volquez to break through.
8. Franklin Morales, Rockies -- Morales had an awful rehab outing on the verge of being activated. He was then activated, but sent to the minors for more work. The surging Rockies are stalking the wild card now and could give Morales another look in the next couple of turns. Jorge De La Rosa and Jason Hammel are long relievers pitching for their rotation spots right now.
9. Gio Gonzalez, Athletics -- Strike our comment on Norris being the most immediate option -- Gonzalez got the call Tuesday night and will start in place of the injured Josh Outman (elbow) Wednesday night vs. the Giants. Gonzalez was scorching in Triple-A and could stick permanently with a couple of solid outings.
10. Jeff Samardzija, Cubs -- Remember this name? He has righted himself back in Triple-A and if the Cubs don't decide to give Pedro a contract, Samardzija will be the replacement option for Randy Wells as the No. 5 starter. We are often too quick to expect Wells to lose his rotation spot, but if the Cubs are considering Pedro, perhaps they aren't so thrilled with him either.
Most of these guys need circumstantial changes for them to get the call -- save for Latos or Norris because they will be rescuing damaged rotations. But all of them should be tracked start to start and day to day down on the farm.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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| Pitcher | TM | Own% | Start% |
| Tim Lincecum | SF | 98 | 97 |
| Dan Haren | ARI | 98 | 91 |
| Johan Santana | NYM | 98 | 90 |
| Roy Halladay | TOR | 98 | 34 |
| Jon Lester | BOS | 97 | 90 |
| Roy Oswalt | HOU | 97 | 84 |
| Chris Carpenter | STL | 96 | 84 |
| Ted Lilly | CHC | 97 | 84 |
| Joba Chamberlain | NYY | 95 | 72 |
| Ubaldo Jimenez | COL | 90 | 72 |
| Gavin Floyd | CHW | 92 | 71 |
| Matt Garza | TB | 96 | 69 |
| Rich Harden | CHC | 96 | 65 |
| Joe Saunders | ANA | 94 | 65 |
| Zach Duke | PIT | 87 | 58 |
| Ricky Nolasco | FLA | 84 | 58 |
| Rick Porcello | DET | 82 | 55 |
| Randy Wolf | LA | 86 | 55 |
| Nick Blackburn | MIN | 75 | 55 |
| Randy Johnson | SF | 73 | 45 |
| Bronson Arroyo | CIN | 67 | 36 |
| Vin Mazzaro | OAK | 46 | 30 |
| Joe Blanton | PHI | 56 | 27 |
| Brandon Morrow | SEA | 51 | 26 |
| Kenshin Kawakami | ATL | 39 | 19 |
| Brian Bannister | KC | 28 | 14 |
| Carl Pavano | CLE | 42 | 13 |
| Ross Ohlendorf | PIT | 22 | 10 |
| Braden Looper | MIL | 21 | 9 |
| Vicente Padilla | TEX | 18 | 8 |
| Fernando Nieve | NYM | 13 | 8 |
| Clayton Richard | CHW | 20 | 8 |
| Luke Hochevar | KC | 20 | 7 |
| Rich J. Hill | BAL | 15 | 5 |
| Brad Thompson | STL | 6 | 4 |
| Sean O'Sullivan | ANA | 3 | 2 |
| Brian Moehler | HOU | 2 | 1 |
| Josh Geer | SD | 2 | 1 |
| Craig Stammen | WAS | 1 | 1 |
| Wade LeBlanc | SD | 1 | 0 |
| Jason Berken | BAL | 1 | 0 |
Week 13 two-starter(s): Haren. June has been his best month. Had
the D-Backs been in contention, Haren would be an NL Cy Young award
favorite. Keep him active in all leagues.
Starters on the DL: Brandon Webb (shoulder) and Yusmeiro Petit
(shoulder). Webb's handlers are talking about the possibility of
season-ending surgery. Don't give up, but don't count on him either.
Petit has a 7.27 ERA on his Triple-A rehab assignment. Forget him.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Jarrod Parker
(7-day DL). Injury woes for a 20-year-old phenom is real bad news if you
were hoping for anything from him this year.
Atlanta Braves
- Derek Lowe
- Javier Vazquez
- Jair Jurrjens
- Tommy Hanson
- Kenshin Kawakami
Week 13 two-starter(s): Kawakami. He hasn't had a bad start since
April, when he was 1-3 with a 7.06 ERA. Consider him a nice flier in
deeper formats, especially if he can handle the Yankees on Wednesday.
Starters
on the DL: Tim Hudson (elbow). He is
targeting an August return and will have to start a rehab assignment in
early July if that is going to happen. It is an important next few weeks
for him.
Starters to watch in the minors: None. The depth will
come from a returning Hudson or relievers Kris Medlen, Jo-Jo Reyes and Jorge Campillo, if needed, later this season.
Baltimore Orioles
Week 13 two-starter(s): Berken and Hill. They are questionable
options even with solid starts Wednesday and Thursday at Florida.
Starters
on the DL: Alfredo Simon (elbow, out
for the season).
Starters to watch in the minors: Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta, David Hernandez, Brian Matusz, Troy Patton and Brandon Erbe. The
Triple-A rotation of Tillman, Arrieta, Patton and Hernandez might be
better than the major league one right now. Patton likely deserves his
shot next, considering his past major league experience, but Tillman,
Arrieta and Matusz are the ones with the highest ceilings long term.
Boston Red Sox
Week 13 two-starter(s): Lester. He hasn't gotten as hot as
Beckett, but he will. Consider him at least an advisable option after he
pitches Wednesday at Washington.
Starters on the DL: Daisuke Matsuzaka (shoulder). The return of Smoltz and the elite
prospects in Triple-A will afford him plenty of time to build up
shoulder strength again. There are reports the Red Sox might not need
Dice-K to start another game this season, but we figure they will lean
on the veteran again by September.
Starters to watch in the
minors: Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Junichi Tazawa.
Buchholz (5-1, 1.93, .171) has to be getting bored in Triple-A, losing
his past start. Bowden, too. He has a 7.50 ERA in June. That hurts his
potential trade value before the next month's deadline.
Chicago Cubs
Week 13 two-starter(s): Harden and Lilly. They figure to be
advisable options for all leagues after starts Wednesday and Thursday at
Detroit.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in
the minors: Jeff Samardzija. He
wins a start, loses a start, wins a start, loses a start. His last one
was eight shutout innings. Wells' leash won't be long if the top
prospect can sustain a hot streak through the All-Star break.
Chicago White Sox
Week 13 two-starter(s): Floyd and Richard. Floyd is expected to
be advisable, while Richard is questionable as he is pitching for his
rotation spot on a start-to-start basis. If the White Sox decide to go
to top prospect Aaron Poreda out of
long relief, look out. Take an early flier on Poreda now in deeper
formats.
Starters on the DL: Bartolo Colon
(knee). He won't be needed until after the All-Star break at this point.
He could start a rehab assignment before then.
Starters to watch
in the minors: John Ely. He is 6-1
with a 3.27 ERA in Double-A, but the White Sox depth will come from
Richard, Poreda, Colon or the trade market.
Cincinnati Reds
- Aaron Harang
- Johnny Cueto
- Bronson Arroyo
- Micah Owings
- TBD, likely Homer Bailey
Week 13 two-starter(s): Arroyo. He is more of a sleeper than an
advisable option right now, since he seems to have a blowup every other
start.
Starters on the DL: Edinson Volquez (elbow). Volquez wasn't supposed to need more than 15
days, but the Reds are likely to give him a rehab assignment before
activating him this time. Track his progress through the weekend before
considering him for Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5).
Starters to
watch in the minors: Homer Bailey.
After a slow start, Bailey has been lights out of late in Triple-A. He
is 6-3 with a 1.69 since April, when he started 2-2 with a 6.20 ERA. He
is especially great in June with the progress of his splitter, going 4-0
with a 0.47 ERA and .214 BAA. He has won five of his past six starts and
has had seven consecutive quality starts and nine of his past 10. The
best news is Bailey is on track to fill the vacant No. 5 starter's spot
Saturday. Best wishes for the long-time top prospect who has failed
miserably to date in the major leagues.
Cleveland Indians
- Cliff Lee
- Carl Pavano
- David Huff
- Jeremy Sowers
- Tomo Ohka
Week 13 two-starter(s): Pavano. After a hot streak, he has
struggled and was banged up. He starts Wednesday at Pittsburgh, but we
have to imagine he will be a questionable option in most leagues.
Starters
on the DL: Scott Lewis (elbow), Aaron Laffey (side), Jake Westbrook
(elbow), and Anthony Reyes (elbow, out
for the season). Lewis and Laffey are on rehab assignments and could be
ready soon. Westbrook had a setback in his recovery from Tommy John
elbow surgery and will need through the All-Star break at least.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Fausto Carmona,
Jeanmar Gomez, Hector Rondon and Charles Lofgren.
Carmona hasn't pitched yet and Rondon recently was hurt. Lofgren is
closer to the majors than Gomez right now, but the injury returnees are
the first options right now for the Indians.
Colorado Rockies
Week 13 two-starter(s): Jimenez. He hasn't had a bad start since
April and looks like a must-start in all leagues with the resurgent
Rockies.
Starters on the DL: Jeff Francis (shoulder, out for the season).
Starters to watch
in the minors: Franklin Morales, Jhoulys Chacin, Christian Friedrich, Greg Smith, Jason Hirsh, Greg Reynolds (7-day DL). Friedrich is the 2008 first-round pick who
is the hot topic right now, but Morales and perhaps Chacin are the ones
we expect will be the second-half call-up candidates to replace the
so-so De La Rosa and Hammel. This could be some rotation down the
stretch.
Detroit Tigers
Week 13 two-starter(s): Porcello. His matchups will make him an
advisable option in all leagues. His ownership has reached a season-high
81 percent and should still be climbing.
Starters on the DL: Dontrelle Willis (anxiety) and Jeremy Bonderman
(shoulder). They gave it a shot and proved not ready. They will get well
through the All-Star break before they consider giving it another try.
It will be tough to trust them before August, regardless.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Brooks Brown
and Chris Lambert. Brown was hot before
some recent struggles in Triple-A. Lambert is now the hot one, posting a
1.01 ERA and .183 BAA in June. He will be an option if Figaro falters or
Galarraga continues to sink.
Florida Marlins
- Josh Johnson
- Ricky Nolasco
- Chris Volstad
- Andrew Miller
- Sean West
Week 13 two-starter(s): Nolasco. A solid outing vs. the Orioles
on Wednesday figures to make him a must-start in all leagues. He will be
facing Washington and Pittsburgh at home. Giddy up!
Starters on
the DL: Anibal Sanchez (shoulder).
He won't return before late July at this point. Shoulder injuries are
notoriously damaging and this is not Sanchez's first dance with it.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Rick VandenHurk,
Ryan Tucker (7-day DL), Graham Taylor and Aaron Thompson.
VandenHurk (3-0, 1.82 ERA, .154 BAA) has been awesome in Triple-A and
could be insurance in the second half.
Houston Astros
- Roy Oswalt
- Wandy Rodriguez
- Russ Ortiz
- Brian Moehler
- Brandon Backe
Week 13 two-starter(s): Oswalt and Moehler. One will be a
must-start and one will be high-risk. We will leave it to you to figure
out which is which.
Starters on the DL: Mike Hampton (groin) and Felipe Paulino
(groin). They could be factors before the All-Star break, but will
likely need rehab assignments first. Don't consider them in Fantasy Week
13 (June 29-July 5).
Starters to watch in the minors: Bud Norris. The PCL is a hitter's league? Ask Norris' opponents.
The 24-year-old right-hander is 3-4 with a 2.11 ERA and a .222 BAA. He
also has a 0.41 ERA and .167 BAA in three June starts. Call him up right
now. Wait, take the Fantasy flier on him first.
Kansas City Royals
- Zack Greinke
- Gil Meche
- Brian Bannister
- Luke Hochevar
- TBD, perhaps Bruce Chen
Week 13 two-starter(s): Hochevar and Bannister. They figure to be
questionable options after they pitch Wednesday and Thursday at Houston.
Bannister is a bit more trustworthy because of his experience and recent
resurgence, though.
Starters on the DL: Sidney Ponson (elbow). Ponson is an option for the vacant No. 5 spot,
but Chen has been pitching much better.
Starters to watch in the
minors: Chen, Kyle Davies and Danny Cortes. Chen, coming off a three-hit shutout June 19, is 4-2
with a 3.38 ERA and a .197 BAA in Triple-A. The Tommy John survivor was
out of baseball last season, but he has gotten his health and command
back. Consider him the more likely of the Royals call-ups for the No. 5
spot vacated by the struggling Davies.
Los Angeles Angels
Week 13 two-starter(s): O'Sullivan and Saunders. They should be
watched closely Tuesday and Wednesday vs. the Rockies. They have the
chance to be advisable options with quality outings. We tend to think
O'Sullivan will be risky, though. Saunders, who has been up and down
this season, is likely to be questionable due to the first matchup at
Texas, but we would take the Angels in that important series between top
AL West contenders.
Starters on the DL: Ervin Santana (triceps), Shane Loux
(shoulder) and Dustin Moseley (elbow).
We likely won't see any of this trio until after the All-Star break.
Santana is the only one really worth stashing right now.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Jordan Walden,
Trevor Bell and Trevor Reckling. Walden is the Angels' best pitching prospect right
now, better than the recently recalled O'Sullivan. He is also on a tear
in Double-A, posting a 1.90 ERA and a .258 BAA in June after a
horrendous May (12.79). He is the next potential stopgap, but the Angels
have to hope they are done trying out their prospects. We have said this
before to no avail.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Week 13 two-starter(s): Wolf. He is probably not as good as he
has pitched, but the Dodgers are runaways and Wolf figures to be an
advisble option, barring a disaster in his next start Wednesday.
Starters
on the DL: Eric Stults (finger) and Jason Schmidt (shoulder). Stults likely will return in relief, while
Schmidt will need a full rehab assignment again. He is still no
certainty to ever make another start for the Dodgers.
Starters to
watch in the minors: Joshua Lindblom.
James McDonald is up in relief as
insurance, but he could be a spot start option in the second half. It is
more likely Lindblom is brought up in a relief role later this year.
Milwaukee Brewers
- Yovani Gallardo
- Jeff Suppan
- Braden Looper
- Mike Burns
- TBD
Week 13 two-starter(s): Looper and Burns. They figure to be
questionable options after they go Wednesday and Thursday vs. the Twins.
Starters
on the DL: Dave Bush (shoulder). He
just went on the DL on Tuesday and will be out at least through the
All-Star break.
Starters to watch in the minors: Manny Parra, Burns and Jeremy Jeffress.
Parra was solid in his first outing back in Triple-A, but he is
tentatively slated to start Tuesday night, which would eliminate him
from contention to be recalled as the No. 5 starter. Burns (7-2, 2.55
ERA, .238 BAA in Triple-A) was outstanding in his past start and will be
recalled to start Thursday. Jeffress is a long-term prospect and isn't
close right now.
Minnesota Twins
Week 13 two-starter(s): Blackburn. He has been the staff ace and
has posted six consecutive quality starts, going 4-0 in that span. He
starts Wednesday at Milwaukee, but it might take an injury to keep you
from starting him in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5).
Starters on
the DL: Boof Bonser (shoulder, out
for the season).
Starters to watch in the minors: Anthony Swarzak and Kevin Mulvey. Both
have been solid this season in Triple-A and were quality in their past
start. They are solid insurance for the Twins and fliers in deeper
AL-only and long-term keeper leagues.
New York Mets
- Johan Santana
- Mike Pelfrey
- Livan Hernandez
- Tim Redding
- Fernando Nieve
Week 13 two-starter(s): Perhaps Nieve and Santana. Nieve has been
a pleasant surprise, but he will be evaluated on a start-to-start basis,
especially with John Maine capable of
returning as soon as this weekend. If Maine doesn't return and pitch in
relief vs. the Yankees this weekend, he could get the call Monday, June
29, for a two-start week on Nieve's turn. Nieve's next start vs. the
Cardinals will decide the Mets' course of action. Santana is a
must-start, unless he gets bombed or injured again Thursday. With the
Mets luck, anything is possible.
Starters on the DL: John Maine (shoulder) and Oliver Perez
(knee). Maine was good in a rehab outing Monday, while Perez was not.
Maine might return in relief initially if Redding, Hernandez and Nieve
stay hot. Perez needs more rehab starts, unless the Mets decide they
want him in relief.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jon Niese, Brad Holt and Tobi Stoner. Niese has been outstanding in his past three starts.
Stoner has joined him in the Triple-A rotation and Holt was moved up to
Double-A. They at least are pitching well of late, but we don't see them
being more than trade bait right now.
New York Yankees
- CC Sabathia (biceps, questionable)
- A.J. Burnett
- Andy Pettitte
- Joba Chamberlain
- Chien-Ming Wang
Week 13 two-starter(s): Chamberlain. He hasn't lived up to the
hype -- there is a lot of it, who can? -- but he will be an advisable
option with a quality start at Atlanta on Wednesday.
Starters on
the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa. Phil Hughes is on call in case Sabathia cannot go. The hefty lefty
says he will pitch vs. the Mets, but there is some uncertainty there.
Kennedy is resuming throwing and could be a candidate by September, but
it is still a long shot.
Oakland Athletics
Week 13 two-starter(s): Mazzaro. The rookie has been outstanding
to date but lost his last start to Tim Lincecum
and the Giants. He remains a viable option, however.
Starters on
the DL: Justin Duchscherer (elbow).
Setbacks having him perhaps delayed until after the All-Star break and
likely returning in relief now.
Starters to watch in the minors: Dana Eveland, Gio Gonzalez
and James J. Simmons. Eveland (5-0,
3.74, .239 BAA) and Gonzalez (4-1, 2.51, .194) both warranted call-ups,
but Gonzalez will get the nod Wednesday night in place of the ailing
Outman (elbow). Gonzalez is a top pitching prospect, and both he and
Eveland can have value in deeper formats as rotation members again in
Oakland.
Philadelphia Phillies
- Cole Hamels
- Joe Blanton
- Jamie Moyer
- J.A. Happ
- Antonio Bastardo
Week 13 two-starter(s): Blanton. His overall numbers look bad,
but he is 4-1 since his bad April (0-2, 8.41). The Phillies are going to
get hot and Blanton could be an advisable option in all leagues.
Starters
on the DL: Brett Myers (hip, out for
the season). We don't see him returning during the Fantasy season,
although October is possible.
Starters to watch in the minors: Kyle Kendrick, Carlos Carrasco, Joe Savery and Kyle Drabek. This
depth will be used for trade bait right now, not major league help.
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Zach Duke
- Paul Maholm
- Ian Snell
- Ross Ohlendorf
- Charlie Morton
Week 13 two-starter(s): Duke and Ohlendorf. Duke has gone right
back to being a quality-start machine after a one-start blip. Consider
him advisable. Ohlendorf is a questionable option even with a quality
start vs. the Indians and Lee on Thursday.
Starters on the DL: Phil Dumatrait (shoulder). We don't see him returning in the
rotation this season. There is too much depth in the organization.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Tom Gorzelanny,
Brad Lincoln, Bryan Morris and Daniel McCutchen. Jeff Karstens is
working in long relief, but Gorzelanny could be the No. 6 starter right
now. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any start since
April.
San Diego Padres
Week 13 two-starter(s): Geer and LeBlanc. They figure to be no
better than questionable options even with quality starts Wednesday and
Thursday at Seattle.
Starters on the DL: Jake Peavy (ankle), Chris R. Young
(shoulder), Shawn Hill (elbow) and Cha Seung Baek (elbow). Peavy could need season-ending surgery,
Young needs rest through the All-Star break and Hill and Baek might need
a new line of work.
Starters to watch in the minors: Matt Latos, Cesar Carrillo, Nick Schmidt, Will Inman and
perhaps Mark Prior. Latos is one of the
quickest rising prospects in the minor leagues this season. The
21-year-old is looking too good for Double-A right now and is a combined
7-1 with a 1.39 ERA and .177 BAA in the minors. Consider him the elite
long-term pitching prospect flier to have now that Price and Hanson are
in the majors. If only he was coming up with a better team.
San Francisco Giants
Week 13 two-starter(s): Lincecum. He is a must-start in all
leagues regardless and we just wasted 17 words saying it. Lincecum could
be moved up to Sunday, slotting Johnson as the two-start pitcher if they
choose to skip the struggling Sanchez.
Starters on the DL: Noah Lowry (shoulder, out for the season).
Starters to watch
in the minors: Madison Bumgarner, Timothy Alderson and Kevin Pucetas.
The Giants are in contention for the NL wild card, which is great news
if you are hoping for a teenage arrival of Bumgarner. They might need to
limit the 19-year-old's innings, but Sanchez's struggles now make
Bumgarner even more intriguing than the previous trade rumors.
Seattle Mariners
- Felix Hernandez
- Jarrod Washburn
- Brandon Morrow
- Jason M. Vargas
- Garrett Olson
Week 13 two-starter(s): Morrow. He could be an advisable option
if he can stretch it out through five innings Wednesday vs. the Padres.
The elite prospect won't be taken out of the rotation if he pitches the
way he is capable.
Starters on the DL: Erik Bedard (shoulder), Ryan Rowland-Smith
(biceps), Carlos Silva (shoulder) and Ryan Feierabend (elbow, out for the season). Bedard could use a
couple more weeks, while Rowland-Smith has been getting hammered on his
Triple-A rehab stint.
Starters to watch in the minors: Michael
Pineda (7-day DL). Their organization is not real ripe with pitching
prospects now that Phillipe Aumont has
been moved to relief. Pineda is intriguing, but he is hurt right now.
St. Louis Cardinals
- Chris Carpenter
- Adam Wainwright
- Joel Pineiro
- Todd Wellemeyer
- Brad Thompson
Week 13 two-starter(s): Thompson and Carpenter. They pitch
Wednesday and Thursday at the Mets. Thompson is questionable, if not a
high risk, while Carpenter has been nothing short of an ace, when
healthy.
Starters on the DL: Kyle Lohse
(elbow) and Jaime Garcia (elbow, out
for the season). Lohse might not be back before the All-Star break at
this point. Keep him stashed.
Starters to watch in the minors: Mitchell Boggs, P.J. Walters and Clayton Mortensen. Boggs and Mortensen have pitched well enough to push
Thompson for the No. 5 spot if Thompson falters.
Tampa Bay Rays
- James Shields
- Matt Garza
- David Price
- Andy Sonnanstine
- Jeff Niemann
Week 13 two-starter(s): Garza. He will be a must-start in all
leagues with a quality start vs. the Phillies on Wednesday.
Starters
on the DL: Scott Kazmir
(quadriceps). Kazmir says he is ready, but the Rays have yet to make a
decision on whether it is Sonnanstine or Niemann heading to the bullpen.
Stay tuned. Kazmir would be more intriguing in Fantasy Week 13 (June
29-July 5) if he proves healthy and effective in a weekend start first.
He could be held out until Sonnanstine's turn next Tuesday.
Starters
to watch in the minors: Wade Davis.
Davis is a beast in Triple-A, going 6-4 with a 3.00 ERA and .230 BAA to
date. There is just no room for him right now. The Rays might leave him
in the minors for a full 175-inning season or deal him for stretch help.
Texas Rangers
Week 13 two-starter(s): Padilla. After being placed on revocable
waivers, Padilla has made three consecutive good starts (2-0, 2.50). He
is a sleeper for mixed formats with another quality start Wednesday at
Arizona.
Starters on the DL: Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) and Eric Hurley
(shoulder, out for the season). McCarthy could be ruled out for the
season at some point in the second half. Stash him merely in deeper
leagues.
Starters to watch in the minors: Neftali Feliz, Michael Main, Tommy Hunter, Thomas Diamond and Kasey Kiker. Feliz is the best of the bunch, but the 21-year-old
isn't going to be rushed just yet. He is 2-5 with a 3.51 ERA in his past
10 starts, though.
Toronto Blue Jays
- Ricky Romero
- Brian Tallet
- Scott Richmond
- Brett Cecil
- Brad Mills
Week 13 two-starter(s): Perhaps Halladay. He could have been
ready to return Sunday, but Tallet is listed as the starter. Halladay is
now lined up to go twice in Fantasy Week 13 (June 29-July 5) an
advisable option off the DL.
Starters on the DL: Roy Halladay (groin), Casey Janssen
(shoulder), Bobby Ray (shoulder), Dustin McGowan (shoulder), Shaun Marcum
(elbow) and Jesse Litsch (elbow, out
for the season). A Halladay bullpen session Tuesday reportedly went fine.
Starters
to watch in the minors: David Purcey
and Marc Rzepczynski. They have been
passed over for a slew of others at this point, so it is tough to expect
them to help in any Fantasy leagues in the near future, especially with
Halladay's return likely forcing another starter back to Triple-A.
Washington Nationals
Week 13 two-starter(s): Perhaps Stammen. A potential return of
Olsen from the DL soon could affect Stammen the most right now. He will
be pitching for his rotation spot Wednesday vs. the Red Sox, but we have
to figure he will be nothing more than a high-risk option even in the
deepest of NL-only leagues.
Starters on the DL: Scott Olsen (shoulder) and Matt Chico
(elbow). Olsen has a 7.24 ERA in his three rehab starts, which can't
instill much confidence in the Nats or his Fantasy owners. He might need
a few more rehab starts.
Starters to watch in the minors: Stephen Strasburg (still unsigned). As the days go by, it becomes less
and less likely we will see Strasburg in the major leagues this season.
We give it no better than a 25 percent chance at this point.
Coincidentally, that is his ownership currently on CBSSports.com.
You can e-mail us your Fantasy Baseball pitching questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Pitching Forecaster in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.














