Interesting Week 13 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 13.

Brian Bannister gets two home starts this week, where he has an ERA over a full run lower than his road mark. The second start of the week also comes during a day game, where Bannister has performed better throughout his career. He has a lifetime 15-6 record in day games.

Kenshin Kawakami has a 3.59 BB/9 mark this season. But in his last seven games he has allowed just 12 walks in 40.2 innings and has thrown 62 percent of his pitches for strikes. In that span he has a 2.88 ERA. Kawakami is day-to-day after getting hit in the shoulder by a line drive in his last outing. Monitor his status and get him active if it looks like he will take the mound this week.

Brandon Morrow has had three starts to stretch out his arm. But this will be a good week to get him out of the lineup as he has to fly cross country to take on the Yankees and the Red Sox on the road. The lineups of those two teams are known for being patient and working the count, not a good sign for a pitcher with a 5.93 BB/9 ratio.

Fernando Nieve has helped keep the Mets alive with wins in each of his three starts. He has an unimpressive 1.44 K/BB ratio and a 91.8 percent strand rate. But his FIP is a solid 3.88 and Nieve has a 13.6 percent LD rate. This year in the minors, he had a 14 percent LD rate. So far, the Mets’ bats have come alive with Nieve on the mound, as they have scored five, six and 11 runs in his three starts. He squares off this week versus Braden Looper and Jamie Moyer, two pitchers with an ERA above five for the season, so his teammates should keep the runs coming for him.

Randy Wolf started the season strong but has had a June swoon. This month he is 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA and only 13 Ks in 26.2 innings. Wolf takes on the red-hot Rockies and the Padres this week. Normally a road start in Petco is a good thing for a pitcher’s numbers, but Wolf is 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.348 WHIP in 13 lifetime games in Petco after he was undefeated in four starts in Qualcomm Stadium.

Other scheduled two-start pitchers in Week 13 are listed below. Please remember that these are projected pitchers and changes can and will happen between now and next week.

J. Santana, Lincecum, Haren, Lester, Carpenter, Lilly, Oswalt, Chamberlain, Floyd, Garza, Harden, Saunders, Jimenez, Nolasco, Duke, Porcello, Blackburn, Wolf, R. Johnson, Halladay (set to be activated from the DL on Monday – get him in the lineup), Arroyo, Blanton, Pavano, Ohlendorf, Padilla, Looper, Richard, Hochevar, Hill, Thompson, Moehler, G. Gonzalez, Geer, Burns, O’Sullivan, Stammen, LeBlanc, Berken.

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 11 and how they did.

Correia – Advised to start. W, 12 K, 1.84 ERA, 0.34 WHIP (2 starts)
Meche – Advised to start. W, 7 K, 6.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP (2)
W. Rodriguez – Advised to sit. W, 12 K, 5.73 ERA, 1.45 WHIP (2)
Wakefield – Advised to start. W, 6 K, 4.26 ERA, 1.26 WHIP (2)
Zito – Advised to start. W, 11 K, 7.59 ERA, 1.50 WHIP (2)