Fantasy Baseball's Two-Star Options: Week 8

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 I 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:

5-Star Options:

• Justin Verlander - Detroit Tigers - @ KC, @ Bal

4-Star Options:

• Matt Garza - Tampa Bay Rays - @ Cle, vs. Min
• Yovani Gallardo - Milwaukee Brewers - vs. Stl, vs. Cin
• Javier Vazquez - Atlanta Braves - @ SF, @ Ari
• Wandy Rodriguez - Houston Astros - @ Cin, @ Pit

3-Star Options:

• Ryan Dempster - Chicago Cubs - vs. Pit, vs. LAD
• Aaron Harang - Cincinnati Reds - vs. Hou, @ Mil
• Ervin Santana - Los Angeles Angels - vs. CWS, vs. Sea
• Edwin Jackson - Detroit Tigers - @ KC, @ Bal
• John Danks - Chicago White Sox - @ LAA, @ KC
• John Maine - New York Mets - vs. Was, vs. Fla
• Jon Lester - Boston Red Sox - @ Min, @ Tor
• Chris Carpenter - St. Louis Cardinals - @ Mil, @ SF
• Chris Volstad - Florida Marlins - @ Phi, @ NYM
• Paul Maholm - Pittsburgh Pirates - @ CHC, vs. Hou

2-Star Options:

• Francisco Liriano - Minnesota Twins - vs. Bos, @ TB
• Scott Kazmir - Tampa Bay Rays - @ Cle, vs. Min
• John Lannan - Washington Nationals - @ NYM, @ Phi
• Kevin Millwood - Texas Rangers - vs. NYY, vs. Oak
• Gil Meche - Kansas City Royals - vs. Det, vs. CWS
• Brad Penny - Boston Red Sox - @ Min, @ Tor
• Fausto Carmona - Cleveland Indians - vs. TB, vs. NYY
• Jorge De La Rosa - Colorado Rockies - vs. LAD, vs. SD
• Matt Harrison - Texas Rangers - vs. NYY, vs. Oak
• Phil Hughes - New York Yankees - @ Tex, @ Cle
• Nick Blackburn - Minnesota Twins - vs. Bos, @ TB
• Dallas Braden - Oakland Athletics - vs. Sea, @ Tex
• Max Scherzer - Arizona Diamondbacks - vs. SD, vs. Ari
• Sean Marshall - Chicago Cubs - vs. Pit, vs. LAD
• Jonathan Sanchez - San Francisco Giants - vs. Atl, vs. Stl

1-Star Options:

• Doug Davis - Arizona Diamondbacks - vs. SD, vs. Ari
• Jeremy Guthrie - Baltimore Orioles - vs. Tor, vs. Det
• Brett Cecil - Toronto Blue Jays - @ Bal, vs. Bos
• Kris Medlen - Atlanta Braves - @ SF, @ Ari
• Jeff Weaver - Los Angeles Dodgers - @ Col, @ CHC
• Jamie Moyer - Philadelphia Phillies - vs. Fla, vs. Was
• Carl Pavano - Cleveland Indians - vs. TB, vs. NYY
• Brett Anderson - Oakland Athletics - vs. Sea, @ Tex
• Chad Gaudin - San Diego Padres - @ Ari, @ Col
• Chris Jakubauskas - Seattle Mariners - @ Oak, @ LAA
• Eric Milton - Los Angeles Dodgers - @ Col, @ CHC
• Adam Eaton - Baltimore Orioles - vs. Tor, vs. Det

Schedule Notes:

• Could Eric Stults take Weaver’s spot?  Yep, but who cares.  Neither is really usable. 
• Phil Hughes may or may not make two starts next week, depending on the progress of Chien-Ming Wang.  Even if he stays in the rotation, those are not the best match-ups at all.

Thoughts:

• All it took was one good start from Jon Lester to bring him back into the realm of respectability.  It is a little risky, but I think I would use him in all formats.  We know he’s in store for a hot streak, sooner or later, so why couldn’t now be the time?
• Francisco Liriano and Scott Kazmir as 2-star options?  With the way they’ve been pitching should they really be considered must start options?
• Has John Maine been the greatest pitcher this season?  Not even close, but with the week he has ahead of him he is a must use option.  Besides the Nationals, he will be facing the Florida Marlins, a team he always seems to dominate.  He’s 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings this season, after posting a 2.08 ERA over 4.1 innings last season and a 2.45 ERA over 25.2 innings in 2007. 
• Wandy Rodrgiuez as a must start option despite both of his starts being on the road?  That shows you how far he’s come.
• John Lannan has pitched well enough to be considered a 3-star option, but those match-ups are not favorable, despite the Mets recent injury woes.  Factor in that he pitches for the Nationals, meaning wins are far from a guarantee, and he has to be knocked down a peg.

Which 2-start pitchers do you like for next week?  Which ones are you trying to avoid?

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