Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Week 7 (May 17-23)

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:

• Chris Carpenter - St. Louis Cardinals - vs. Was, vs. LAA
• Roy Halladay - Philadelphia Phillies - vs. Pit, vs. Bos

Four-Star Options:

• Matt Cain - San Francisco Giants - @ SD, @ Oak
• Yovani Gallardo - Milwaukee Brewers - @ Cin, @ Min
• Zack Greinke - Kansas City Royals - @ Bal, vs. Col
• Felix Hernandez - Seattle Mariners - @ Oak, vs. SD
• Phil Hughes - New York Yankees - vs. Bos, @ NYM
• Josh Johnson - Florida Marlins - vs. Ari, @ CWS
• David Price - Tampa Bay Rays - vs. Cle, @ Hou
• CC Sabathia - New York Yankees - vs. Bos, @ NYM
• Johan Santana - New York Mets - @ Atl, vs. NYY
• Justin Verlander - Detroit Tigers - vs. CWS, @ LAD
• Jered Weaver - Los Angeles Angels - @ Tex, @ Stl

Three-Star Options:

• Johnny Cueto - Cincinnati Reds - vs. Mil, @ Cle
• John Danks - Chicago White Sox - @ Det, vs. Fla
• Hiroki Kuroda - Los Angeles Dodgers - vs. Hou, vs. Det
• Mat Latos - San Diego Padres - vs. SF, @ Sea
• Shaun Marcum - Toronto Blue Jays - vs. Min, @ Ari
• Jeff Niemann - Tampa Bay Rays - vs. Cle, @ Hou
• Carl Pavano - Minnesota Twins - @ Tor, vs. Mil
• Mike Pelfrey - New York Mets - @ Atl, vs. NYY
• Jonathan Sanchez - San Francisco Giants - @ SD, @ Oak
• C.J. Wilson - Texas Rangers - vs. LAA, vs. CHC

Two-Star Options:

• Josh Beckett - Boston Red Sox - @ NYY, @ Phi
• Dave Bush - Milwaukee Brewers - @ Cin, @ Min
• Fausto Carmona - Cleveland Indians - @ TB, vs. Cin
• Jhoulys Chacin - Colorado Rockies - @ CHC, @ KC
• John Ely - Los Angeles Dodgers - vs. Hou, vs. Det
• Gio Gonzalez - Oakland Athletics - vs. Sea, vs. SF
• Derek Holland - Texas Rangers - vs. LAA, vs. CHC
• Derek Lowe - Atlanta Braves - vs. NYM, @ Pit
• Daisuke Matsuzaka - Boston Red Sox - @ NYY, @ Phi
• Kevin Millwood - Baltimore Orioles - vs. KC, @ Was
• Rick Porcello - Detroit Tigers - vs. CWS, @ LAD
• Clayton Richard - San Diego Padres - vs. SF, @ Sea
• Wandy Rodriguez - Houston Astros - @ LAD, vs. TB
• Ryan Rowland-Smith - Seattle Mariners - @ Oak, vs. SD
• Ben Sheets - Oakland Athletics - vs. Sea, vs. SF
• Kevin Slowey - Minnesota Twins - @ Tor, vs. Mil
• Chris Volstad - Florida Marlins - vs. Ari, @ CWS
• Randy Wells - Chicago Cubs - vs. Col, @ Tex

One-Star Options:

• Homer Bailey - Cincinnati Reds - vs. Mil, @ Cle
• Brad Bergesen - Baltimore Orioles - vs. KC, @ Was
• Aaron Cook - Colorado Rockies - @ CHC, @ KC
• Kyle Davies - Kansas City Royals - @ Bal, vs. Col
• Zach Duke - Pittsburgh Pirates - @ Phi, vs. Atl
• Dana Eveland - Oakland Athletics - vs. Min, @ Ari
• Freddy Garcia - Chicago White Sox - @ Det, vs. Fla
• David Huff - Cleveland Indians - @ TB, vs. Cin
• Edwin Jackson - Arizona Diamondbacks - @ Fla, vs. Tor
• Scott Kazmir - Los Angeles Angels - @ Tex, @ Stl
• Kyle Kendrick - Philadelphia Phillies - vs. Pit, vs. Bos
• John Lannan - Washington Nationals - @ Stl, vs. Bal
• Kyle Lohse - St. Louis Cardinals - vs. Was, vs. LAA
• Kris Medlen - Atlanta Braves - vs. NYM, @ Pit
• Charlie Morton - Pittsburgh Pirates - @ Phi, vs. Atl
• Bud Norris - Houston Astros - @ LAD, vs. TB
• Carlos Silva - Chicago Cubs - vs. Col, @ Tex
• Craig Stammen - Washington Nationals - @ Stl, vs. Bal
• Cesar Valdez - Arizona Diamondbacks - @ Fla, vs. Tor

Thoughts:

• Should you be concerned about Justin Verlander, who has been moved up one day?  Absolutely not. He’s a bulldog on the mound and is a tremendous option in all formats, especially as a two-start option.
• Mat Latos was a star prospect heading into the season who has seemingly put things together.  He’s allowed just three hits over his past 17 innings and gets two of the worst offenses in the league in the Giants (21st) and Mariners (29th).   At this point, you could argue that he’s a borderline four-star option.
• Mike Pelfrey’s arm problems are concerning, so I would understand moving him to a two-star option, especially with the Yankees on the schedule.  Still, he’s been too good this season and I would be comfortable rolling the dice with him.
• We all want to use Kevin Slowey, but he hasn’t gone more than 5.2 innings over his last four starts while allowing a total of 15 ER.  He’s been hurt by the long ball and gets the Blue Jays and Brewers, two of the top five home run-hitting teams in the league.  That makes him an awfully risky option.
• One good start does not make Derek Lowe an advisable option, though the matchups certainly don’t hurt.  He’s a two-star option, but one who could be used if you are need.
• I know Derek Holland has made just one start in the major leagues this year, but he was great, just as he’s been all year at Triple-A.  He’s certainly not a must-use option (especially with those matchups), but if you are in need of a pitcher he certainly has the upside to be usable.
• Would anyone have expected Wandy Rodriguez to be anything less than a three-star option?  Well, he’s borderline this week, at best.  He’s been bad both at home and on the road and doesn’t have easy matchups with the Dodgers and Rays.  For now, I’m leaving him in the two-star category, just because of his recent struggles (9 ER over 9.2 IP) and matchups.

What are your thoughts?  Who have I ranked too high?  Who do you think will outperform my rankings?

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM