Fantasy Baseball 2012: 4 Start-or-Sit Matchups for July 16-22

The following slideshow touts four start-or-sit matchups to consider for fantasy Week 16 (July 16-22), featuring four hitters and four starting pitchers.

All four battles involve players at the same position or hitting slot, with similar circumstances heading into this week's action.

For example, the two hitting comparisons feature batters with identical six- and seven-game slates, and both pitching matchups include one-start assets during the current seven-day window.

Generally speaking, you'll want to play all of your two-start pitching assets in a particular week. (Otherwise, why roster 'em?)

Enjoy the show!

Starting Pitcher: Ricky Romero vs. Johan Santana

Reasons To Support Santana

1. Of his last 10 outings, Santana (6-6, 3.59 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 102 K's)  blanked the opposition four times.

2. On June 30, he stifled the Dodgers hitters, allowing zero runs while collecting one win and three strikeouts. Santana faces Los Angeles again on Friday night.

Reasons To Support Romero

1. After struggling mightily from May 23-July 2 (38 runs allowed over eight starts), Romero has posted solid numbers in the last two outings (three runs allowed, eight strikeouts).

2. The Yankees, Romero's opponent for the week, haven't faced the Blue Jays southpaw all season. Their image of Romero is the confident, occasionally dominant Toronto hurler of 2010/11 (29 combined wins, 352 strikeouts).

Verdict: Santana over Romero

Third Base: Alex Rodriguez vs. Kevin Youkilis

Reasons To Support A-Rod

1. Since July 1, Rodriguez (14 HR, 40 RBI, 44 runs, 10 steals, .270 BA) is hitting at a .308 clip, with one homer and four steals. During that span, he also has four games of multiple hits.

2. Assuming he starts every game, A-Rod will log at least 28 at-bats against an injury-ravaged rotation (Blue Jays) or pitching staff that ranks 29th in strikeouts.

Reasons To Support Youkilis

1. In 16 games with the White Sox, Youkilis is hitting .295 with three homers, 15 RBI and 11 runs. Of equal importance, he has a stellar on-base percentage of .397 in his short time with Chicago. As a point of comparison, Youkilis had a .233 batting average/.315 OBP with Boston earlier in the year.

2. Even if Youkilis was struggling with his new club, it would still be very hard to bench him before the Fenway Park homecoming (along with games at spacious Comerica Park this weekend). But Youkilis is a healthy bet for two homers, six RBI in this seven-day, seven-game window.

Verdict: Youkilis over Rodriguez

First Base: Freddie Freeman vs. Anthony Rizzo

Reasons To Support Freeman

1. Freeman's numbers have surged dramatically in the last 15 days (three homers, 10 RBI, .350 BA) and 30 days (four homers, 17 RBI, .342 BA). In fact, Freeman has boosted his seasonal batting average 27 points since June 24.

2. Against the Giants and Nationals this week, Freeman avoids clashes with All-Star pitchers Matt Cain (10-3, 2.56 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 124/25 K-BB) and Gio Gonzalez.

Reasons To Support Rizzo

1. In just 15 games, Rizzo is hitting a robust .356 with four homers, 10 RBI and nine runs; and from June 30-July 6, the Cubs first baseman notched a homer every other day.

2. Since July 2, Rizzo has registered multiple hits in four games, and with matchups against Marlins and Cardinals, that trend might continue this week.

Verdict: Freeman over Rizzo (barely)

Starting Pitcher: Gio Gonzalez vs. Yu Darvish

Reasons To Support Gonzalez

1. Of his last 10 outings, Gonzalez has allowed three runs or less eight times; and during that span, Gonzo has collected seven wins and 67 strikeouts (6.7 per game).

2. Gonzalez, on the heels of a nine-strikeout, zero-walk gem against Miami on July 14, faces the power-deficient Mets this week. New York currently ranks 11th in National League homers.

Reasons To Support Darvish

1. Since June 15, the All-Star Darvish (10-6 on the season) has three separate outings of double-digit strikeouts. Of his last 10 starts, Darvish surrendered three or less runs six times.

2. Against the Angels on June 2, Darvish fanned seven hitters and allowed only two runs. And while he didn't score a victory that day, it's enough to infuse confidence into fantasy owners regarding this week's rematch.

Verdict: Gonzalez over Darvish