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Week 25 Two-Start Pitchers Update

Here is the latest update to Week 25 two-start pitchers. Again this list is subject to change going forward.

Pitchers not listed on last update

HOU – Rodriguez
DET – Jackson
CHC – Wells
TEX – Millwood
CIN – Cueto
ARI – Davis
BOS – Wakefield
MIL – Bush
TEX – McCarthy
CHW – Carrasco

Pitchers no longer scheduled for two starts

BOS – Beckett
CHC – Marquis
CHW – Floyd
CLE – Laffey
TEX – Nippert
ARI – Buckner

Rodriguez has two home starts against pitchers coming off injury/illness this week. Perhaps no elite pitcher has a bigger home/road split than Rodriguez. In Minute Maid Park, he is 8-2 with a 1.58 ERA and a 0.979 WHIP. In road starts Rodriguez is 5-8 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.440 WHIP.

Jackson has allowed five earned runs in back-to-back starts. In his last five games he has a 6.03 ERA yet has gone 2-2 in that stretch.

Wells has also given up five runs in back-to-back starts but in the former outing, four of those were unearned. In his last eight starts, Wells has allowed five-or-more runs four times. He is 2-5 in those eight outings but his ERA is a respectable 3.83 in that stretch.

Millwood is 10-10 this season. Since 2004, he is exactly 63-63. This year the average ERA in the American League is 4.45 and since 2004 Millwood checks in with a 4.38 mark. Despite that average-ness, Millwood is enjoying a fortunate season in 2009. His 4.91 FIP is a career high while his 78.5 percent strand rate is the second-highest of his career.

Cueto had his start last week pushed back due to the flu and is now scheduled to go Tuesday against the Pirates. He finally broke a six-game losing streak on the last day of August and in his last three games before getting ill, Cueto had a 2.76 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 16.1 innings.

Davis has received two runs or less of support in 12 of his 31 games, which helps explain his 7-13 record despite a 4.01 ERA. He has five Quality Starts in his last seven games, yet is 0-3 in that stretch.

Wakefield is scheduled for two starts this week in his first action since receiving a cortisone injection in his spine on September 10th. The veteran knuckleball pitcher had been experiencing weakness in both his back and legs the past few weeks.

Bush is tied with Cueto for the major league lead with 14 HBP. It is even more impressive when you consider that Bush missed over two months with a torn triceps muscle. He does not even have enough innings to show up on the FanGraphs leader boards. Five times this season, Bush has hit multiple batters in a game, including plunking three hitters in an April game versus Pittsburgh.

McCarthy has been unimpressive in three starts since recovering from a stress fracture in his right shoulder. He has limited batters to a .203 average in those three games but has a 5.17 ERA. Two starts ago it was the long ball which did McCarthy in, as he gave up two homers in 6.1 innings against Cleveland. In his last outing he allowed seven baserunners in three innings against Oakland.

Carrasco has just one start this season for the White Sox, but is 5-1 with a 3.24 ERA as a reliever. His primary pitch is a cutter, although he also throws a four-seam fastball and a slider. Carrasco is not a good pickup for his two starts, as he has not exceeded four innings nor 67 pitches in an outing this season.


Interesting Week 25 Two-Start Pitchers

Everyone is happy when one of their pitchers is scheduled for two starts in a week. But that is not always a good thing. Here are five pitchers you may be on the fence about (or should be on the fence) putting into your lineup for Week 25.

Joe Blanton – In the second of back-to-back starts versus the Nationals, Blanton rebounded from allowing eight runs to pitch six shutout innings. This week he faces two teams he has not seen recently, with both starts coming on the road. While the gopher ball has been a problem this season for Blanton, he has allowed them in bunches both home and away. If you have the depth to sit Blanton, consider giving him this week off.

David Purcey – This season has been a rough go for Purcey so far, but he has favorable matchups this week. He has two home starts and does not go up against a top pitcher in either outing. First up is the Orioles, who have struggled this year versus southpaws. Next are the Mariners, making the cross-country trek. I like his chances to post a win this week and Purcey is someone to consider picking up from the waiver wire, as he is owned in only six percent of CBS Sports leagues.

Ryan Rowland-Smith – The strikeouts may be inconsistent, but Rowland-Smith has otherwise been a reliable pitcher lately. He has authored a Quality Start in each of his last five outings, with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.098 WHIP. Yet during this hot streak, Rowland-Smith has two losses and a no-decision. On top of that, he has two starts this week in the Eastern time zone. Expect one really bad outing and put him on the bench this week.

Joe Saunders – On June 24th, Saunders was 8-4 and on top of the world, continuing to confound the experts who predicted a collapse due to weak peripherals. And then it all came crashing down. In his next eight starts, Saunders went 1-3 with a 9.63 ERA and the experts just nodded their heads, welcoming the regression they spent nearly two years predicting. But in his last five games, Saunders is back to his winning ways. He is 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA since returning from a trip to the disabled list due to tightness in his shoulder. I do not care if it goes against all statistical common sense, I make sure Saunders is active for his two home starts this week. Maybe he is the exception that proves the rule.

Barry Zito has 12 consecutive starts in which he’s allowed three earned runs or fewer, with a 2.36 ERA in that span. He lowered his overall ERA from 5.01 to 3.94. Zito is also picking up a few more strikeouts lately. In his last outing he fanned nine in seven innings. Earlier in the season Zito was pitching much better at home but he has closed the gap considerably. Start him this week with one home and one road game.

Other scheduled two-start pitchers in Week 25 are listed below. Please remember that these are projected pitchers and changes can and will happen between now and next week.

Greinke, Beckett, J. Johnson, Cain, Marquis, Pineiro, Floyd, Pettitte, Lowe, de la Rosa, Kuroda, Blackburn, Looper, Laffey, Tillman, L. Hernandez, LeBlanc, Tallet, Nippert, McCutchen, Gorzelanny, Misch, Buckner, Mujica, E. Gonzalez, DiNardo.

Check back Sunday for an update of two-start pitchers.

Now, I would like to take a step back and provide some accountability for previous picks. There needs to be a two-week time lag because last week’s pitchers have yet to complete their second start. So here are my selections for Week 23 and how they did.

Bailey – Advised to start. 3.27 ERA, 12 Ks, 1.91 WHIP (2 starts)
Mock – Advised to start. 7.20 ERA, 4 Ks, 1.80 WHIP (1)
Richard – Advised to start. 9.00 ERA, 11 Ks, 1.67 WHIP (2)
Romero – Advised to sit. W, 4.97 ERA, 8 Ks, 1.82 WHIP (2)
Sonnanstine – Advised to sit. 19.64 ERA, 2 Ks, 2.45 WHIP (1)


Waiver Wire Watch for Week 24

It is never too late to improve your team! Here are five players available on the waiver wire under certain thresholds, according to the numbers at CBS Sports, who could be assets for your squad for the remainder of the season.

Under 40 Percent Owned

Jason Frasor (36%) – Those hunting for saves should be thrilled to find a closer like Frasor on the waiver wire this late in the year. Yes, he blew a save last night but previously he had saves in four consecutive outings. Frasor has a good strikeout numbers with a 8.71 K/9 and his WHIP (1.03) is very good, too.

Under 30 Percent Owned

Brian Duensing (26%) – After 14 outings in relief, the Twins moved Duensing to the rotation, where he has enjoyed more success. In his six starts, Duensing is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.139 WHIP. He also has 28 Ks in 36 IP as a starter. The lefty topped out at 93.8 mph with his fastball in his last start. Pitch Type Values show both his fastball and slider being plus pitches.

Under 20 Percent Owned

Tim Stauffer (12%) – After starting the season 1-6, Stauffer has turned things around, going 3-0 in his last four starts and losing a win when Heath Bell blew the save in the ninth inning in Stauffer’s last start. In his last four games, Stauffer has a 2.22 ERA and a 1.397 WHIP. Stauffer is not overpowering and has not piled up strikeouts, but his changeup has proven to be a very effective pitch.

Under 10 Percent Owned

Eric Young Jr. (7%) – His father’s game was based on speed and the apple does not fall far from the tree. The elder Young notched 465 SB in his 15 year career in the majors. In four minor league seasons, the son stole 46 or more bases each time, topping out with 87 steals in 2006. Junior has three SB in his last four games with the Rockies. Playing time is going to be an issue, but if/when he gets in the game, the steals will follow.

Is This Guy Really on the Waiver Wire?

Nick Johnson (51%) – While it is true that Johnson does not have the power you would like to see from your first baseman, it is also true that he has been productive when he has been able to stay healthy. Since coming back from the DL, Johnson has a .361-1-11-9-0 line in 10 games.


Week 24 Two-Start Pitchers Update

Here is the latest update to Week 24 two-start pitchers. Again this list is subject to change going forward.

Pitchers not listed on last update

ANA – Lackey
COL – Jimenez
TEX – Feldman
NYY – Chamberlain
SD – Correia
BOS – Matsuzaka
WSX – Garcia
KAN – Tejada

Pitchers no longer scheduled for two starts

TAM – Niemann
STL – Smoltz
PIT – Duke
TEX – McCarthy
NYY – Gaudin
BOS – Byrd
NYM – Parnell
WSX – Torres
SD – LeBlanc
KAN – Chen

Lackey has gone 2-0 with a 0.35 ERA in his last three games. In that span he has 3 BB, 17 SO and 0 HR in 26 IP. He has road starts at Boston and at Texas. Lifetime, Lackey has ERAs above 6.00 in both places. In 15 games in Arlington his ERA is 6.12 while it is 6.34 in eight starts in Fenway.

Jimenez has a tweaked groin, which pushed back his scheduled start last Saturday to Monday. Prior to the injury, Jimenez has been on fire. In his last 11 games, all Quality Starts, he is 9-2 with a 2.60 ERA.

Feldman has won seven consecutive decisions. He is 16-4 overall and leads the American League in W. Feldman has two home starts this week, but he has been a better pitcher this year on the road. He is 4-3 with a 4.56 ERA at home, nearly two runs higher than his road ERA.

Chamberlain was cruising along with an 8-2 record before the latest version of the “Joba Rules” were unfurled. In his last six games, Chamberlain is 0-3 with a 7.88 ERA. He has pitched exactly three innings in each of his last three starts, which kills his chances to pick up any more wins.

Correia has won three of his last four decisions. In his last nine games, he is 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA with 3 HR allowed in 56.1 IP. Correia has a game both at home and on the road this week. In Petco Park, Correia has a .256 BABIP and a 3.68 ERA. On the road those numbers are .357 and 5.09, respectively.

Matsuzaka, who has been out since June 19th with a strained shoulder, is slated to be activated and start Tuesday. When healthy and active in the majors this season, Matsuzaka found things a lot tougher than he had in 2008. But few people expected him to repeat his 80.6 percent strand rate from last season.

Garcia was knocked around in his first start this season but has hurled Quality Starts in four straight outings since then, including two against the Red Sox and one against the Yankees. This week brings a road start in Seattle and a home game against the Royals.

Tejada has moved into the rotation for his last two games and has not allowed a run in 11.1 IP. He also has 14 strikeouts in that span. Tejada still has issues with command (5.74 BB/9) but a double-digit SO/9 rate will always get a fantasy player’s attention.


Interesting Week 24 Two-Start Pitchers

Everyone is happy when one of their pitchers is scheduled for two starts in a week. But that is not always a good thing. Here are five pitchers you may be on the fence about (or should be on the fence) putting into your lineup for Week 22.

Jon Garland – After some ugly starts at the beginning of the year in Chase Field, Garland has settled down and been a reliable starter wherever he pitches for the last two-plus months. Since the beginning of July, Garland is 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Get him active for his two home starts this week.

Wade LeBlanc – If you are looking for a waiver addition with two starts this week LeBlanc could be your guy. Owned in just four percent of CBS Sports leagues, LeBlanc has won back-to-back games on the road. He allowed just six hits and two runs in 13 IP. He gets one home start this week in Petco and faces two of the worst teams in the majors in the Diamondbacks and Pirates, neither of which do particularly well against lefties.

Carl Pavano – The overall numbers in 2009 are not great for Pavano but he has been solid in his starts for Minnesota and has hurled Quality Starts in five of his seven outings for the Twins. Since the trade, Pavano is averaging 7.11 K/9 and he has a 1.26 WHIP. He has favorable matchups this week, with a start against Cleveland, the team he began the season with, and a matchup against Jarrod Washburn and the Tigers. Pavano did lose a game against the Indians earlier this month, but he notched 6 Ks in 6 IP in the road outing.

Ian Snell – Since a disastrous start against the Yankees in mid-August, Snell has been a useful fantasy pitcher. He has posted four wins in his last five games, with a 3.33 ERA, although his WHIP (1.48) and Ks (12 in 27 IP) have left owners wanting more. Snell is capable of adding strikeouts, he averaged 7.39 K/9 last year and hit 96 in his last start, and he gets two home starts this week, although one of them is a rematch with New York. Overall, I like his chances this week of picking up a win.

Sean West – The rookie has been solid for the Marlins this season since his promotion in late May. But he has a huge home/road split and this week he has two away games. Five of his six wins have come at Dolphin Stadium. On the road he is 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. With starts this week in St. Louis (against Wainwright) and Cincinnati, leave West on the bench this week.

Other scheduled two-start pitchers in Week 24 are listed below. Please remember that these are projected pitchers and changes can and will happen between now and next week.

Verlander, Lincecum, Lee, Weaver, W. Rodriguez, Nolasco, Hanson, Dempster, Zambrano, Gallardo, Arroyo, Price, Niemann, Smoltz, Washburn, Duke, Hammel, McCarthy, Gaudin, Suppan, Sowers, Mock, Byrd, Parnell, Tomko, C. Torres, D. Hernandez, Purcey, Wells, Buckner, Berken, Chen.

Check back Sunday for an update of two-start pitchers.

Now, I would like to take a step back and provide some accountability for previous picks. There needs to be a two-week time lag because last week’s pitchers have yet to complete their second start. So here are my selections for Week 22 and how they did.

Cahill – Advised to start. 5.40 ERA, 3 Ks, 1.60 WHIP (1 start)
Richard – Advised to start. 1.35 ERA, 6 Ks, 0.90 WHIP (1)
Sanchez – Advised to sit. 1.50 ERA, 17 Ks, 1.00 WHIP (2)
Wakefield – Advised to sit. 6.00 ERA, 4 Ks, 1.50 WHIP (1)
Washburn – Advised to sit. 12.71 ERA, 2 Ks, 2.12 WHIP (1)


RoS ZiPS Nails Zach Duke, Can You?

Tuesday night Zach Duke tied a major league record by allowing hits to eight consecutive batters to start the game. The Cubs scored seven runs in the inning en route to a 9-4 laugher. In his last three starts, Duke has allowed 20 runs (18 earned) and watched his ERA climb 64 points.

Prior to this season, Duke had produced a FIP lower than his ERA three straight years. The most common explanation given for this was that the Pirates had a lousy defense. Then this season, Duke got off to a hot start and the improved Pittsburgh defense received a lot of credit.

After his June 2nd start against the Mets, when Duke allowed just one run in seven innings, his record stood at 6-4 with a 2.62 ERA and his name was trotted out as a potential All-Star candidate for the Pirates. He did not make the team initially, but was later selected as a replacement for the injured Matt Cain.

But even back in early June, there were signs that Duke was pitching over his head. Rest of Season ZiPS forecasted him to post a 5-9 record with a 5.11 ERA on June 4th. While there are still three weeks to go in the year, Duke’s record since the win over the Mets is 4-10 with a 5.05 ERA.

The Pirates still have an above-average defense. UZR/150 places them eighth with a 4.3 team mark, one closer to fifth place than ninth. And Duke’s ERA (4.02) still is lower than his FIP (4.38).

Even after his last three brutal starts, Duke has a BABIP 23 points below his career average. His LOB% of 74.3 percent is his best in the majors since his 14-game debut in 2005.

Some will point to the loss of good defensive players like Jack Wilson and Nyjer Morgan contributing to Duke’s slide since early June. Others will note that Duke appeared to take a step forward prior to his last three starts.

Duke has been a better pitcher in 2009. His K/BB ratio of 2.12 is his best mark since 2005. His O-Swing% of 29.9 percent is the seventh-best mark in the majors and a career best. Pitch Type Values shows both his fastball and curve being improved pitches, with his hook going from neutral/below-average offering to a plus pitch.

And with all of that, Duke is still essentially the same pitcher that he was in 2008. A season ago, his FIP was 4.40 and now it is 4.38. His tRA is 5.04 today and was 5.22 last year.

Going forward, can Duke maintain the gains made with his curve? Can he continue his pinpoint control (career-best 2.03 BB/9)? Can he continue to be one of the best pitchers in the game in getting batters chase pitches out of the strike zone? On the flip side, will Duke be able to stem a four-year trend of an increased flyball rate?

Duke has been both fortunate (BABIP, LOB%) and the beneficiary of improved defense. No matter which one you think has played a bigger role, how confident are you that it will be the same in 2010 for him? Just some thoughts to ponder for those of you in deep keeper leagues as you prepare your team for next season.


Waiver Wire Watch for Week 23

It is never too late to improve your team! Here are five players available on the waiver wire under certain thresholds, according to the numbers at CBS Sports, who could be assets for your squad for the remainder of the season.

Under 40 Percent Owned

Chris B. Young (33%) – It has been a brutal season for Young, who currently finds his average beneath the Mendoza line. But he has 4 HR in nine games since his recall from Triple-A, including a 3-HR game. Power like that is usually not sitting on the waiver wire and for those hoping to move up in HR, it is a gamble worth taking that he can hit a few more the rest of the month. Young had 32 HR in 2007.

Under 30 Percent Owned

Wade Davis (24%) – By now everyone is aware of Davis’ major league debut, when he allowed just three hits and one run in seven innings and struck out nine batters. He reached 94 on the radar gun and averaged 92.2 in his first start for Tampa Bay. In parts of two seasons in Triple-A, Davis was 14-10 with 195 strikeouts in 211.2 IP.

Under 20 Percent Owned

Chris Getz (17%) – Back from a strained right oblique, Getz is batting .333 with 4 SB in seven games after being out for nearly three weeks. The average probably will not be that good for the rest of the year but Getz does bring speed to the table. If you are looking for steals down the stretch, he can be a valuable addition.

Under 10 Percent Owned

Tim Redding (3%) – In his last three games, all against teams in the playoff hunt, Redding is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA with 15 SO in 18.1 IP. He spent a good deal of time this year in the bullpen but Redding should be in the rotation for the rest of the season. He is not as glamorous as a hot rookie like Davis, but he throws strikes and has a chance to pick up a few wins down the stretch.

Is This Guy Really on the Waiver Wire?

Alberto Callaspo (49%) – A second baseman with a good AVG and decent R totals, Callaspo is a starting quality player. Recently he has been on a hot streak with RBIs, too. In his last 15 games, Callaspo has .302-1-10-5-1 line, with eight of those RBIs coming in the past five games.


Week 23 Two-Start Pitchers Update

Here is the latest update to Week 23 two-start pitchers. Again this list is subject to change going forward.

Pitchers not listed on last update

NYY – Burnett
TAM – Price
STL – Smoltz
WAS – Lannan
TEX – McCarthy
PIT – McCutchen
CIN – Maloney
KC – Chen

Pitchers from Friday no longer scheduled for two starts

KC – Bannister
TEX – Nippert
WAS – Mock
TAM – Sonnanstine
CIN – Lehr
NYM – Misch

Burnett was 10-4 at the end of July but since then has gone 0-4 with a 6.54 ERA and a 1.594 WHIP in seven games. He has allowed six HR in his last three games, two of which were on the road. Burnett has two home starts this week, including a game against the Rays, who are third in the league in homers.

Price has gotten a decision in 13 of his last 14 starts and has gone 6-7 in that span. Five of his six wins have been Quality Starts and he has not allowed more than two runs in those six games. But in the seven losses Price has allowed 33 runs and has just one Quality Start. He has a huge home/road split, with a 6-3 record and a 3.32 ERA at Tropicana Field, compared to a 6.81 road ERA. Price has road games this week at New York and at Boston.

Smoltz has made three starts for the Cardinals and has 1 BB and 21 SO in 17 IP. And while he allowed 8 HR in 40 IP in the American League, Smoltz has surrendered just 1 HR in the National League. His first start this week is against the Brewers, the team that scored four runs in six innings against him, three on a HR by Casey McGehee.

Lannan is 2-5 with a 5.13 ERA in his last 11 games. Prior to that, he had won four straight decisions after altering his pitching style to reduce strikeouts and pitch to contact. In the last 11 games, Lannan has a 24/21 SO/BB ratio and has only topped three strikeouts in a game once, when he notched 6 Ks in a win against the Marlins.

McCarthy has made one start since being activated from the disabled list, where he spent nearly three months recovering from a stress fracture in his right shoulder. For the year, McCarthy has an average fastball velocity of 89.2 percent but in his first outing back, he averaged 86.6 and maxed out at 88.4, yet still picked up his sixth win of the season. McCarthy has a 5.91 road ERA this season and has one home and one road game this week.

McCutchen won his major league debut last week against the Reds and notched a Quality Start, going 6 IP with 3 ER. Acquired from the Yankees in the Xavier Nady deal, McCutchen throws in the low 90s and if he can keep the ball in the park, he has a chance. Last year in Triple-A, McCutchen allowed 22 HR in 118.1 IP and went 7-9. This year in Triple-A, he allowed 10 HR in 142.2 IP and went 13-6. McCutchen allowed a leadoff homer to Drew Stubbs in his major league debut.

Maloney has made four starts in the majors and given up two homers in each of them. He has a 0.53 GB/FB ratio and a 20 percent HR/FB mark. Maloney has road starts this week at Colorado and at Chicago. Clint Barmes and Troy Tulowitzki have combined to hit 17 HR versus LHP this year, although no one on the Cubs has more than 4 HR versus southpaws.

Chen is likely to remain in the rotation with injuries to Brian Bannister and Gil Meche. He is a decent strikeout pitcher, with a 6.87 K/9 mark but that is the only thing Chen has going for him fantasy-wise. Both his ERA and FIP are over 5.00 and his WHIP checks in at 1.49. Like Maloney, he is a flyball pitcher (0.57 GB/FB) and he has a 1.64 HR/9 mark. Since notching 13 W with the Orioles in 2005, Chen has just one victory in the majors since, although it did come this season.


Interesting Week 23 Two-Start Pitchers

Everyone is happy when one of their pitchers is scheduled for two starts in a week. But that is not always a good thing. Here are five pitchers you may be on the fence about (or should be on the fence) putting into your lineup for Week 23.

Homer Bailey – The overall numbers this year are underwhelming for Bailey but in his last three starts he is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 19 Ks in 21.1 IP. He is consistently in the mid-90s with his fastball and can dial it up to 98. The gopher ball is still a problem, he gave up two in his last start, and he does have a road start this week in Coors. Still, I like him this week as a two-start pitcher.

Garrett Mock – In the last 24 games of August, the Nationals were 8-16. In that same time span, Mock was 3-2 with a 3.14 ERA and 32 SO in 28.2 IP. Walks have been a problem for Mock, but his FIP is still nearly a run lower than his ERA. Get him into your lineup this week, even with a tough matchup against the Phillies.

Clayton Richard – Fantasy owners have really been hesitant to pick up Richard since his move to the NL, despite a 4-1 record with the Padres. He is 3-0 at home and gets one of his two starts this week at Petco. Since his road start is at San Francisco, I think he is a good two-start pitcher this week.

Ricky Romero – It has been a very successful rookie season for Romero, but the lefty has been hitting the wall lately. In his last six starts, Romero is 1-3 with a 6.32 ERA and a 1.851 WHIP. He catches a break by not going up against any AL East teams this week, still I think it is good to give him a break and not suffer two starts equal to what he has posted recently.

Andy Sonnanstine – One year after pitching in the World Series, it has been a disappointing season for Sonnanstine. He was unimpressive in the beginning of the season and was sent back to the minors. Sonnanstine posted a 4.40 ERA in nine games at Triple-A Durham and then made it back to Tampa Bay after the Kazmir deal. And his first start back was more of the same as he fell to 6-8. This week he has road starts at the New York and at Boston. Keep him on the bench.

Other scheduled two-start pitchers in Week 23 are listed below. Please remember that these are projected pitchers and changes can and will happen between now and next week.

Sabathia, F. Hernandez, Carpenter, Vazquez, Jimenez, Beckett, Happ, Lilly, Marquis, Kazmir, E. Santana, Garza, Scherzer, Buehrle, P. Martinez, Buchholz, Porcello, Penny, Richmond, Correia, Duensing, Bannister, Nippert, Lehr, Davies, Bush, Moehler, VandenHurk, Redding, Manship, Misch, Paulino.

Check back Sunday for an update of two-start pitchers
.

Now, I would like to take a step back and provide some accountability for previous picks. There needs to be a two-week time lag because last week’s pitchers have yet to complete their second start. So here are my selections for Week 21 and how they did.

Arroyo – Advised to start. 1.88 ERA, 7 Ks, 1.05 WHIP (2 starts)
Buchholz – Advised to start. W, 5.54 ERA, 12 Ks, 1.08 WHIP (2)
Millwood – Advised to sit. W, 5.40 ERA, 4 Ks, 1.71 WHIP (2)
Niemann – Advised to sit. W, 4.72 ERA, 6 Ks, 1.20 WHIP (2)
Rowland-Smith – Advised to start. 3.14 ERA, 8 Ks, 1.05 WHIP (2)


Waiver Wire Watch for Week 22

It is never too late to improve your team! Here are five players available on the waiver wire under certain thresholds, according to the numbers at CBS Sports, who could be assets for your squad for the remainder of the season.

Under 40 Percent Owned

Mike MacDougal (35%) – Released by the White Sox after five games and a 12.46 ERA, MacDougal has found new life with the Nationals and has ascended to the closer role. Ordinarily, this is not someone we would focus on, as he has a 4.48 FIP with Washington, compared to a 1.93 ERA, along with below-average K numbers. But with less than a month remaining in the season and the chance to pick up saves, he becomes an attractive add.

Under 30 Percent Owned

Homer Bailey (28%) – Coming off back-to-back starts in which he has allowed just one run in 15 innings, Bailey could still yet turn into the pitcher we have been waiting for the past few years. After averaging in the low 90s in his first two years in the majors, Bailey checks in this year at 94.5 and he was clocked at 98 in his August 23rd start.

Under 20 Percent Owned

Sean West (15%) – Has hurled a Quality Start in three of his last four outings, missing only in the second of back-to-back starts against the Astros. He tied a season high with 7 Ks in his last outing. West is 5-2 with a 3.26 ERA in nine home games this season.

Under 10 Percent Owned

Drew Stubbs (5%) – After starting the season 2-17, Stubbs has put up a .295-2-5-8-3 line in his last nine games. Stubbs is a “tools” guy, so he offers the chance for HR and SB for the final month of the season. His AVG may be his weakest tool, but that should not hurt fantasy teams too much this late in the season.

Is This Guy Really on the Waiver Wire?

Milton Bradley (53%) – Yes, he has some baggage. But he is also a productive hitter when in the lineup, which should be all that matters as you chase a money spot in your league. In his last 35 games, Bradley has a .319-5-15-27-2 line. And unlike last year, Bradley is doing it in 2009 with sustainable numbers in a .319 BABIP and a 12.9% HR/FB rate.