(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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 you 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.
Five Star Options
Josh Beckett - Boston Red Sox - vs. Oak, vs. KC
Four Star Options
CC Sabathia - New York Yankees - @ Min, @ LAA
Javier Vazquez - Atlanta Braves - @ CHC, @ Col
Yovani Gallardo - Milwaukee Brewers - vs. Stl, vs. LAD
Josh Johnson - Florida Marlins - @ SF, @ Ari
Matt Cain - San Francisco Giants - vs. Fla, vs. SD
Adam Wainwright - St. Louis Cardinals - @ Mil, @ CHC
Matt Garza - Tampa Bay Rays - vs. Tor, vs. Oak
Three Star Options
Cole Hamels - Philadelphia Phillies - vs. Cin, vs. Pit
Johnny Cueto - Cincinnati Reds - @ Phi, @ NYM
Kevin Millwood - Texas Rangers - @ LAA, @ Sea
Jair Jurrjens - Atlanta Braves - @ CHC, @ Col
Aaron Harang - Cincinnati Reds - @ Phi, @ NYM
Jason Marquis - Colorado Rockies - vs. Was, vs. Atl
Scott Baker - Minnesota Twins - vs. NYY, vs. CWS
Jered Weaver - Los Angeles Angels - vs. Tex, vs. NYY
Two Star Options
Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles Dodgers - @ NYM, @ Mil
Andy Pettitte - New York Yankees - vs. Tor, @ LAA
Doug Davis - Arizona Diamondbacks - vs. SD, vs. Fla
J.A. Happ - Philadelphia Phillies - vs. Cin, vs. Pit
John Smoltz - Boston Red Sox - vs. Oak, vs. KC
Ricky Romero - Toronto Blue Jays - @ NYY, @ Bal
Gil Meche - Kansas City Royals - @ Det, @ Bos
Randy Wells - Chicago Cubs - vs. Atl, vs. Stl
Ryan Dempster - Chicago Cubs - vs. Atl, vs. Stl
Mike Pelfrey - New York Mets - vs. LAD, vs. Cin
Kevin Correia - San Diego Padres - @ Ari, @ SF
Jordan Zimmerman - Washington Nationals - @ Col, @ Hou
Wandy Rodriguez - Houston Astros - vs. Pit, vs. Was
Jarrod Washburn - Seattle Mariners - vs. Bal, vs. Tex
Brad Bergesen - Baltimore Orioles - @ Sea, vs. Tor
One Star Options
Barry Zito - San Francisco Giants - vs. Fla, vs. SD
Jim Garland - Arizona Diamondbacks - vs. SD, vs. Fla
Vicente Padilla - Texas Rangers - @ LAA, @ Sea
Jason Hammel - Colorado Rockies - vs. Was, vs. Atl
Armando Galarraga - Detroit Tigers - vs. KC, vs. Cle
Sean West - Florida Marlins - @ SF, @ Ari
Jose Contreras - Chicago White Sox - vs. Cle, @ Min
Mike Hampton - Houston Astros - vs. Pit, vs. Was
Jason Vargas - Seattle Mariners - vs. Bal, vs. Tex
Walter Silva - San Diego Padres - @ Ari, @ SF
Gio Gonzalez - Oakland Athletics - @ Bos, @ TB
Virgil Vasquez - Pittsburgh Pirates - @ Hou, @ Phi
Jeremy Sowers - Cleveland Indians - @ CWS, @ Det
Craig Stammen - Washington Nationals - @ Col, @ Hou
Bruce Chen - Kansas City Royals - @ Det, @ Bos
Brett Cecil - Toronto Blue Jays - @ TB, @ Bal
Notes
Vicente Padilla is currently scheduled to go Tuesday, but is currently suffering from soreness in his shoulder. He’s not a good option to begin with, but throw in some injury concerns and he becomes almost unusable.
Thoughts
I wasn’t go to have a five star option this week, but I decided that Josh Beckett was the best option available and therefore deserving of the ranking. I know he’s coming off a poor start, but there’s no denying how good he has been this season. You also have to factor in the match-ups, against two weaker offenses in Oakland and Kansas City, and I feel like it’s justified.
I know Jered Weaver has been terrible in two of his last three outings, as well as having tough matchups against a pair of high-powered offenses. If you are in a shallow format with significant other options, then I could see leaving him on the bench, but outside of that, you almost have to use him. You almost have to expect him to redeem himself against the Rangers, who got him for seven earned runs his last time out.
Should Clayton Kershaw be a two or three star option? Well, I can tell you that I am definitely going to be using him in my keeper league, though that’s not to say that I don’t have my concerns for him.
Walks have been a significant issue, with 52 over 87.2 innings. While that has not translated into a poor ERA (3.49) or WHIP (1.31), you have to think it’s going to catch up to him sooner or later. He does have a BABIP of .267, so a regression is likely coming.
The issue that the walks have caused is increased pitch counts, not allowing Kershaw to go deep into games and get victories, despite how well he’s pitching. When a pitcher barely goes past five innings, there certainly is an issue.
I’m sure my ranking of Ricky Romero as a two star option is going to draw some questions. I know how impressive he’s been, allowing three earned runs or less in each of his last six starts; going seven innings or more in all but one of those starts (he went 6.1 innings).
I also must admit that the fact that he faced the Phillies twice in that stretch and was able to pitch well against them both times is very promising. Still, I can’t get over the fact that just a year ago he posted a 4.98 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in Double-A. You also have to factor in that his first start comes in the homer haven known as the new Yankee Stadium.
The fact that he’s a ground ball pitcher is going to help, but still, he’s never shown this type of potential in the past. His career minor league ERA is 4.42 and WHIP is 1.47, does that sound like numbers of a pitcher who can keep up this type of streak? I’m not going to say he’s unusable, but I certainly don’t consider him a must use option quite yet.
Which 2-start pitchers do you like for next week? Which ones are you trying to avoid?
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