Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Options: Week Nine

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:

Five-Star Options

• Johan Santana - New York Mets - @ Pit, @ Was
• Roy Halladay - Toronto Blue Jays - vs. LAA, vs. KC
• Tim Lincecum - San Francisco Giants - @ Was, @ Fla

Four-Star Options

• Adam Wainwright - St. Louis Cardinals - vs. Cin, vs. Col
• Roy Oswalt - Houston Astros - vs. Col, vs. Pit

Three-Star Options

• Joe Saunders - Los Angeles Angels - @ Tor, @ Det
• A.J. Burnett - New York Yankees - vs. Tex, vs. TB
• Joba Chamberlain - New York Yankees - @ Cle, vs. TB
• Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles Dodgers - vs. Ari, vs. Phi
• Randy Wolf - Los Angeles Dodgers - vs. Ari, vs. Phi
• Kevin Slowey - Minnesota Twins - vs. Cle, @ Sea
• Daisuke Matsuzaka - Boston Red Sox - @ Det, vs. Tex
• Gavin Floyd - Chicago White Sox - vs. Oak, vs. Cle
• Rick Porcello - Detroit Tigers - vs. Bos, vs. LAA
• Jarrod Washburn - Seattle Mariners - vs. Bal, vs. Min
• Zach Duke - Pittsburgh Pirates - vs. NYM, @ Hou 

Two-Star Options

• Brett Myers - Philadelphia Phillies - @ SD, @ LAD
• Ubaldo Jimenez - Colorado Rockies - @ Hou, @ Stl
• Bronson Arroyo - Cincinnati Reds - @ Stl, vs. CHC
• Edinson Volquez - Cincinnati Reds - @ Stl, vs. CHC
• Kenshin Kawakami - Atlanta Braves - vs. CHC, vs. Mil
• Livan Hernandez - New York Mets - @ Pit, @ Was

One-Star Options

• Andy Sonnanstine - Tampa Bay Rays - vs. KC, @ NYY
• Derek Holland - Texas Rangers - @ NYY, @ Bos
• Manny Parra - Milwaukee Brewers - @ Fla, @ Atl
• Joe Blanton - Philadelphia Phillies - @ SD, @ LAD
• Aaron Cook - Colorado Rockies - @ Hou, @ Stl
• Todd Wellemeyer - St. Louis Cardinals - vs. Cin, vs. Col
• Kyle Davies - Kansas City Royals - @ TB, @ Tor
• Rich Hill - Baltimore Orioles - @ Sea, @ Oak
• Trevor Cahill - Oakland Athletics - @ CWS, vs. Bal
• Ian Snell - Pittsburgh Pirates - vs. NYM, @ Hou
• Andrew Miller - Florida Marlins - vs. Mil, vs. SF
• Bartolo Colon - Chicago White Sox - vs. Oak, vs. Cle
• Jeff Suppan - Milwaukee Brewers - @ Fla, @ Atl
• Kevin Correia - San Diego Padres - vs. Phi, vs. Ari
• David Huff - Cleveland Indians - @ Min, @ CWS
• Zach Jackson - Cleveland Indians - vs. NYY, @ CWS
• Billy Buckner - Arizona Diamondbacks - @ LAD, @ SD
• Felipe Paulino - Houston Astros - vs. Col, vs. Pit
• Craig Stammen - Washington Nationals - vs. SF, vs. NYM
• Burke Badenhop - Florida Marlins - vs. Mil, vs. SF 

Scheduling Notes

• Neither Indians starter, David Huff or Zach Jackson, are guaranteed two-start options.  If it is them or Jeremy Sowers or someone else, none of them are particularly appealing options.
• Derek Holland may or may not be skipped.  If he’s the one who makes two starts he is not a usable option in any format.
• With Carlos Zambrano’s impending suspension I’m not really sure who is going to make two starts this week.  It could be Randy Wells who clearly would be an advisable option. 

Thoughts

• Two weeks ago did anyone think Gavin Floyd would be an advisable two-start option?  He’s been great over his last two starts, giving up just 3 earned runs over 16 innings (to go along with 16 Ks) and has a start in Oakland this week. Granted, the Cleveland start is a little tougher, but it’s against David Huff so he has a good chance at getting a win.  We all knew he had to turn things around sooner or later, didn’t we?
• Edinson Volquez is normally a much start option, but Monday will be his first start off the DL.  That’s always a risky proposition.
• Is Livan Hernandez really a potentially usable option?  With the Pirates and Nationals on the schedule that’s exactly what he is.  He’s a risky one, of course, because this is still Livan Hernandez we’re talking about, but he has been significantly better then his past two seasons.  Of course, his WHIP is still 1.41, so be careful and be prepared.
• Rick Porcello has been too good to ignore, though he does have terrible match-ups this week.  He’s won his last five starts, giving up a total of five earned runs.  How could you not use him?

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

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