Fantasy Baseball 2-Start Pitchers: Week 23

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:

• CC Sabathia - New York Yankees - vs. TB, vs. Bal
• Felix Hernandez - Seattle Mariners - @ LAA, @ Tex
• Chris Carpenter - St. Louis Cardinals - @ Mil, vs. Atl

Four-Star Options:

• Javier Vazquez - Atlanta Braves - @ Hou, @ Stl
• Ubaldo Jimenez - Colorado Rockies - vs. Cin, @ SD
• Ted Lilly - Chicago Cubs - @ Pit, vs. Cin

Three-Star Options:

• Josh Beckett - Boston Red Sox - @ CWS, vs. TB
• J.A. Happ - Philadelphia Phillies - @ Hou, vs. NYM
• Pedro Martinez - Philadelphia Phillies - @ Was, vs. NYM
• Ervin Santana - Los Angeles Angels - @ KC, vs. CWS
• Scott Kazmir - Los Angeles Angels - vs. Sea, vs. CWS
• Jason Marquis - Colorado Rockies - vs. Cin, @ SD
• Max Scherzer - Arizona Diamondbacks - vs. LAD, vs. Mil
• Matt Garza - Tampa Bay Rays - @ NYY, @ Bos
• Mark Buehrle - Chicago White Sox - vs. Bos, @ LAA
• Chad Billingsley - Los Angeles Dodgers - @ Ari, @ SF

Two-Star Options:

• Rick Porcello - Detroit Tigers - @ KC, vs. Tor
• Ricky Romero - Toronto Blue Jays - vs. Min, @ Det
• Brad Penny - San Francisco Giants - vs. SD, vs. LAD

One-Star Options:

• Homer Bailey - Cincinnati Reds - @ Col, @ CHC
• Justin Lehr - Cincinnati Reds - @ Col, @ CHC
• Scott Richmond - Toronto Blue Jays - vs. Min, @ Det
• Clayton Richard - San Diego Padres - @ SF, vs. Col
• Brian Duensing - Minnesota Twins - @ Tor, vs. Oak
• Jeff Manship - Minnesota Twins - @ Tor, vs. Oak
• Brian Bannister - Kansas City Royals - vs. Det, @ Cle
• Kyle Davies - Kansas City Royals - vs. LAA, @ Cle
• Dave Bush - Milwaukee Brewers - vs. Stl, @ Ari
• Rick VandenHurk - Florida Marlins - @ NYM, vs. Was
• Brian Moehler - Houston Astros - vs. Phi, vs. Pit
• Felipe Paulino - Houston Astros - vs. Atl, vs. Pit
• Brandon McCarthy - Texas Rangers - @ Cle, vs. Sea
• Tim Redding - New York Mets - vs. Fla, @ Phi

Scheduling Notes:

• Aaron Laffey could be a two-start option, but the Indians may also opt to go to a six-man rotation, adding Carlos Carrasco to the mix.  Laffey would be a two-star option if he did make two starts.
• Injuries have caused questions as to who will take the ball for the Nationals on Monday.  Does it really matter?  Whoever it is that is going to pitch is likely an unusable option anyways.

Thoughts:

• I know Ricky Romero has a decent (ERA), 11 wins and favorable match-ups, but it really is tough to trust him in your line-up right now.  His WHIP for the season is an ugly 1.48 and over the last 30 days he’s posted an ERA of 6.32.  Needless to say, he’s struggling right now, which really shouldn’t be surprising from a rookie starter.  If you have other options available to you, I’d keep Romero safely tucked on your bench.
• With the way they had pitched earlier in the season, there likely was some doubt that Ervin Santana & Scott Kazmir would return to advisable options.  Santana has a 3.00 ERA over his last 39 innings and Kazmir has posted a 1.46 ERA over his last two starts.  They’ve both seemed to rediscover their stuff, making them pitchers that need to be in your line-up.
• After out pitching Tim Lincecum, Pedro Martinez now has two favorable match-ups.  While I can’t expect that same type of performance, he’s proven to be usable.
• Mark Buerhle has finally gotten things back on track, allowing four earned runs over his last 12 innings against the Yankees and Twins.  They aren’t easy match-ups, but with as good as he’s been for the majority of the season he is still worth using.

What are your thoughts?  Which pitcher are you willing to gamble on?  Who are you trying to avoid?

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