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Today I am previewing the 10X2 Daily Ticket.

MY PICK: Don’t mess with the Johan; I am taking Santana.

MY PICK: Tim Hudson has been outstanding this season; I like him here.

MY PICK: He has been an offensive surprise for Atlanta and I am taking Martin Prado.

MY PICK: Shin-Soo Choo is my choice here.

MY PICK: He has made up for Carlos Beltran’s disappointing season; I am taking Angel Pagan.

MY PICK: I am going with David Wright here.

MY PICK: Denard Span is my choice, with Boesch slumping in the second half.

MY PICK: I don’t ever trust J.D. Drew, so I am taking Jason Kubel.

MY PICK: HIs power never developed this season, but I am taking Nick Markakis.

As the calendar has finally struck September, the most exciting time of the baseball season is upon us.  With about 30 games left for each team, pennant races will heat up in most of the six divisions.  In addition to the wonderful pitching and hitting that will need to happen for teams to reach the playoffs, stolen bases will become important down the stretch as well, as that extra run can truly make a difference. Let’s take a look at who needs to be picked up during this crucial time.

He doesn't look the part but Venable has plenty of steals this year.

This first player may come as a shocker but with the way he is running, he should no longer be considered a surprise.  Padres outfielder Will Venable has been unbelievable this year, swiping 26 bags out of 30 attempts.  What’s more impressive is that he had just six steals in about the same amount of games last year, so his stock is definitely on the rise.  He has amassed only three steals in his last eight games, but his steals tend to come in bunches, so that’s nothing to be upset about.  More importantly, Venable routinely finds himself on base, so expect him to run when he’s on that first base bag.  Venable’s .227 batting average won’t help Rotisserie owners, but his respectable power and speed make him a very worthy pick this season and for the future.

Less of a trendy pick again but one who will become more known because of the great season he is having is Reds center fielder Drew Stubbs.  The last 14 games for him have been very kind, as he has stolen six bases, giving him 24 on the year.  Combined with his rookie campaign last season, Stubbs has stolen 34 bases out of 42 attempts.  It’s great to see a young player using his speed to his advantage, but he has also made strides at the dish, knocking out 15 homers.  The bottom feeders of the league in Pittsburgh and Houston loom around the corner for the Reds and half of Stubbs’ career steals total have been against teams in the division so look for him to run, especially against these teams.  Last September, Stubbs also had seven of his 10 steals so if he is available, now would be the time to nab him.

If he can get on base, Pennington has the wheels to steal.

Assuming all the big dogs are taken, Cliff Pennington of the Athletics would be another solid sleeper to make room for.  The A’s are not typically defined as a team that steals bases, but they have been doing a lot of that this year with Rajai Davis, Coco Crisp and Pennington.  Pennington himself has never been much of a runner, but his 23 steals give him a great chance to reach 30 this year and make him a guy to watch out for on the base paths.  He has gone through some slumps in August, so he is happy to put that month behind him, although he has achieved three steals at the end of the month.  The A’s will also play 16 of their next 22 games at home after their current series with the Yankees concludes and that is where Pennington has done most of his running, so he will definitely be on the move in the next three weeks.  His offense has not been there this year which could help his availability, so with that being said, pick him up immediately.

Of course, not everyone has had an easy go at stealing bases recently.  Carlos Gomez of the Brewers knows this feeling very well, as he is finding it increasingly difficult to swipe bags.  Once regarded as the fastest man in baseball, Gomez has not lived up to his hype this year, managed just 11 thefts including just one since the middle of July.  Part of the reason for his low steals total is because of his stints on the disabled list for various injuries as well as the many times he has been benched for his inconsistencies.  Since his return last week, Gomez has had just eight at-bats in five games, which is not nearly enough in that time span for a guy who likes to run.  Gomez’ hitting is suspect and he has not used his speed the way he should when healthy, so there is not really much to be happy about with the way he has performed this season.  He finds most of his value in NL-only Rotisserie leagues but that is only when he is stealing bases, so don’t bother making a play for him.

A once prominent base stealer, Carlos Beltran of the Mets has not done much of anything, including running, since his injury last season.  The problems with his knee have kept him out until the middle of July this year which is why he only has one steal, but the same thing occurred last year which explains why he only had 11 steals.  Beltran is one of the most successful base stealers in the history of the game with a success rate of 88%, but it’s clear his surgically repaired knee has hindered his running game.  With just four hits in his last 27 at-bats, his inability to get on base is becoming a serious problem.  Needless to say, there is no room for him on any roster in need of thefts.  The best thing to hope for with Beltran is that he will be able to recover nicely over the offseason to solidify his position next season.

Finally, another Mets outfielder – Angel Pagan this time – has recently experienced difficulties making his way around the bases via the steal.  On the year, Pagan has successfully stolen 32 bags which is good for second best in the league and a personal high for him.  In his last 10 games, he has swiped two bases and his playing time will be limited because of his battles with tendinitis.  Pagan’s production has decreased lately, as has his batting average and on-base percentage since the beginning of last month, so that is not an encouraging sign for Pagan owners or for those who have drawn recent interest in him.  The Mets will be facing a lot of good teams in the coming weeks so even if he does return soon, don’t look for him to run wild.  Because of his injuries and slumps, he should be dropped in most Rotisserie leagues.

That’ll do it for this week.  Tune in again next week.

The week is half-way done, which means we are closer to the weekend. It also means that we are moving closer to the end of the MLB season, especially since the calendar has turned to September. Have no fear, since youstill have a full month of Big Ticket Games to play! Today you can win up to $5,000, so check out all of the Big Ticket Games right HERE!!!

Today I will be previewing the 4X3 Day Games Ticket.

MY PICK: He is one of the only Indians worthy of consideration in fantasy baseball and I have liked him all season; I am taking Shin-Soo Choo.

MY PICK: I like Alex Rios in this slot.

MY PICK: The Pirates have some intriguing fantasy players for the end of this season and beyond and Andrew McCutchen is one of them.

MY PICK: I am going with Juston Upton in this spot.

Many people are talking about Jose Bautista (as I did last week) and how unforeseeable his crazy 40+ home run season has been. None of his numbers really suggested this journeyman outfielder who hadn’t hit more than 16 home runs in a season could possibly put up these kinds of power numbers. However his story doesn’t stand alone this season, as many are ignoring the pitching version of this phenomenon: J.A. Happ.

The Houston Astros’ hurler who came over in the Roy Oswalt trade had missed most of the year with forearm problems and only started three games for the Phils before the move south. He hasn’t missed a beat, going 4-2 and minus one major blow up (one inning, seven runs against the Cardinals) has sported an ERA below two. He did a lot of the same last season, finishing 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA, good for 8^th in the majors.

So why isn’t he considered as one of the top pitchers in the majors? Because when you look at the numbers, things don’t look pretty. The most glaring warning sign are his FIP and xFIP, which are both at least a run (and his xFIP is actually two) above his current ERA. The situation was similar in 2009, with a FIP and xFIP at 4.33 and 4.49, respectively. Moving on we see a generous BABIP (.230), a high Left On-Base percentage (77.5% in 2010, a whooping 85.2% in ’09) and an alarming K/BB ratio of 1.28. His fastball velocity doesn’t even average 90 MPH. All of these things suggest a major downfall at any moment.

Yet there he is, avenging that atrocious Cardinals loss with a two-hit shut out Monday night, looking fantastic in the victory. Hitters say he’s hard to get a read on because he’s tall and comes over the top, making it easier for him to hide his pitches. He is also extremely accurate which makes up for the lack of pitch velocity. He may have an occasional major blow up like the twice aforementioned outing against the Cards, but his stuff is for real and he needs to be recognized.

It’s a reminder for fans of this article (Right fans? Fans? Hello?) and of Sabermetrics (myself included) that numbers can tell you an awful lot, but sometimes you just have to do it the old fashioned way: by watching them play.

Baltimore is winning plenty of games right now and Uehara is getting all the saves.

1 – Runs allowed by Koji Uehara since taking over the closer’s role. Welcome to fantasy relevance, Koji. He has rattled off four straight saves in consecutive appearances and is clearly Buck Showalter’s finisher of choice despite Michael Gonzalez’s return from the DL some time ago, especially after the one out save he recorded in his last outing.

This is only Uehara’s second season in the majors and he actually started 12 games last season so it’s tough to gauge how successful he will be in this role. While his low 27% groundball rate scares me a bit, he boasts an impressive 6.2 strike out to ball ratio and his 1.47 FIP is even lower than his already impressive 1.93 ERA. The fact that he has only pitched 28.1 innings this season makes this a bit of a small sample size, but he was an effective closer in Japan before making the trip to the states, and so far there’s no reason to think he won’t be effective the rest of the way.

4.40 – Fernando Rodney’s ERA as the closer for the Detroit Tigers last season. Welcome back to fantasy relevance, Fernando. Brian Fuentes is the latest closer acquired by the Twins as they bolster their bullpen for a playoff run, making eighth inning man Rodney the guy in Anaheim.

He had 37 saves last season with the Tigers, but he was the definition of a roller coaster ride. As pointed out his ERA was atrocious for a reliever, and not even great for a starter. His WHIP (1.467) was nerve-wreaking, and his 1.49 K/BB ratio didn’t help matters. Yet magically, he only ended up with one blown save the entire year, so he’s clearly doing something right.

Considering his career track record, expect more of the same from Rodney as he closes out 2010 for the Halos.

A happy Manny is a productive Manny and he seems happy with the move to Chicago.

1.049 – OPS for Manny Ramirez at U.S. Cellular Field, his new home with the Chicago White Sox He was picked up off waivers last week and figures to start his first game as a good guy in black tonight. In the AL he will only have to be the designated hitter, perfect for him and his notoriously bad defensive play. He will also play in a much friendlier hitter’s park.

All of this is huge for his fantasy value. However the best part is this: after he was traded midseason from Boston to Los Angeles in 2008, he went off, batting .396 and clubbing 17 home runs in only 229 plate appearances. With his perchance for revenge and improved situation, look for Manny to have a huge second half.

6 – Home runs for Marcus Thames last week, good for a top three ranking in Yahoo leagues. In the absence of Alex Rodriguez, Thames has become an everyday DH and is flourishing. He has a .368 batting average for the month of August which in that line up always translates to big RBI numbers, 14 over 18 games.

Is it for real? The home runs definitely could be (well at least as real as six home runs in seven days can be), as he has two seasons of 25+ home runs, but the .318 season batting average is totally unprecedented for him. He has a .249 career batting average and never posted a higher average than .252. The reason is pretty clear: his current .380 BaBIP is a whooping 103 points higher than his career average. Unless Yankee stadium is really having that big of an effect on his BaBIP, this can’t be for real. In case you were thinking about picking him up for the playoff stretch, I would seriously look elsewhere.

Get used to seeing Gonzalez in the first round of fantasy baseball drafts.

2 – Number of home runs for Carlos Gonzalez Sunday against the Dodgers, his second multi-home run game of the month. He has been an absolute draft steal, emerging this season as a legit five-tool player. He is currently on pace for an unfathomable line of 122/41/128/28/.326. The batting average actually leads the NL for those who qualify, complicating the triple crown race headlined by Albert Pujols and Joey Votto. To think his preseason rank wasn’t even in the top 100 is mindboggling.

Drafters won’t make that mistake next year, however. He’s already being projected as a first round pick in all formats, which may seem like a huge jump for a guy who hasn’t done this before but watching him play you can clearly see he’s for real. Maybe the batting average will slip a bit, but that kind of across the board production cannot be a fluke. First round is not overpaying for talent like this.

2011 – Season Stephen Strasburg will miss due to impending Tommy John’s surgery on his throwing elbow, ending his season and eliminating him from any sort of fantasy value till 2012. It feels so sudden; we waited so long for his arrival, yet we barely got any time with the phenom before he was taken from us.

It’s a sad story for all baseball lovers and sports fans in general. His 2.91 ERA and 12.18 K/9 ratio don’t even tell the whole story. He boasts four masterful pitches that he is able to mix and match seamlessly, downing even the most elite pitchers. There are simply no holes to poke here, he’s the real deal and we’re just going to have to turn away his picture sitting at our bedsides and hope he comes back into our arms the same way he left. To lose a guy like that is devastating, but we must carry on. Leave your flowers, say your prayers, and let’s get geared up for the fantasy playoffs.

200 – Strike outs for Jered Weaver. Raise your hand if you thought he would be the first to that mark this season. He’s been an underrated stud this year, currently ranked 28^th overall in standard Yahoo! leagues after being pre-ranked out of the top 100.

We could have seen this coming. He has shown consistent improvement in all major pitching statistics every season he’s been in the majors. This is especially apparent in his command, as his strike out totals have risen gradually from 105 over 123 innings his rookie year to 200 over 182 innings so far this year.

His 3.12 ERA is excellent, his walk ratio (2.37) is too, and he’s not even getting lucky (.295 BaBIP). When drafting next year remember, this isn’t washed up brother Jeff, this is a legit talent entering the prime of his career. Don’t be fooled.

2 – Runs allowed by Cincinnati reliever Nick Masset over the past two months. After a horrible first three months in which he posted a 5.88 ERA and basically got run out of the park. However his luck suddenly took a turn for the better at the start of July and now he looks unhittable.

I say luck because that definitely has something to do with it. His BaBIP the first three months of the season was a tough .387, which plummeted to .203 as the temperature rose. While an improved groundball rate has aided in this somewhat, that’s an unbelievable change in fortune. His 10.02 strike outs per nine innings ratio makes him useful in holds leagues, but he is bound to give up some runs soon so don’t expect a sub-one ERA like he’s currently posting.

.255 – Batting average for newly acquired Tampa Bay DH Brad Hawpe, 25 points lower than his career average. He’s had an awful year but helps strengthen the Rays’ bench for the playoff run. Unfortunately it does nothing for your fantasy team, and he’s really only being talked about here to keep you from going to get him thinking he’ll take off with his new team.

He’s bad, and not even getting unlucky with a .314 BaBIP. He is just plain not getting the bat on the ball, which has also sapped his home run power (.432 slugging percentage). Perhaps the hitting coaches in Tampa can help him adjust, but if he hasn’t done it yet I have a hard time believing he can fix things this late in the year. Plus the bench is crowded in Tampa and he has no guarantee of consistent playing time. Barring some sort of radical explosion he can be forgotten the rest of the season.

.70 – WHIP for Brewers pitching prospect Jeremy Jeffress over 11 relief appearances in Double-A since returning from a 100-game suspension for a second positive marijuana test. He’s supposed to be the minor leaguer focus of the week but he literally got called up as I was writing this last night. We’re still going to talk about him anyway, because he has been nasty since getting off the ganja.

A first round pick in the 2006 draft, Jeffress boasts a fastball in the mid-to-high 90’s, a nasty curveball and solid command, exhibited by his sub-one WHIP and 15/2 K/BB ratio. His change up is reportedly a bit lacking at this point, making him better suited for late-inning relief work. His call up probably won’t garner much fantasy value this season, but he should be given a hard look in holds leagues next year and kept in the back of all manager’s minds as a possible source of saves in the near future.

Lane Rizzardini has been playing fantasy sports for over 10 years. His earliest memory was drafting Fred Lane in 2003, only to find out Fred’s wife had shot him in the offseason. You can find more of Lane’s writing over at BrunoBoys.net.

You can contact him at Lanerizz@gmail.com or through his Twitter page.

While you are checking out the action for today’s MLB games you should also check out the Big Ticket. Play the Big Ticket today for a chance to win up to$5,000! All of the Big Ticket Games can be found HERE!!!

Today I am previewing the 4X3 Late Games Ticket.

MY PICK: He is battling through some quad soreness but he has been hot since his trade; I like Jose Guillen.

MY PICK: I am going with Ichiro.

MY PICK: I like how he has been producing lately, so I am going with Howie Kendrick.

This is the time of the year when teams and players have to think long and hard about injuries. Teams have to look where they are in the standings and determine whether it is better to shut a player down and in some cases have their players undergo surgery so they could return sooner next season. Players have to consider the same but also with incentives in their contracts, do they play though the injuries or if they are playing for next years contract do they take a risk in order to put up better numbers and a bigger contract?  Tough questions for sure.

Keeper league owners are almost as crushed as Nats' fans right now.

Stephen Stasburg it appears is off to the operating room and this is not good for anyone. Strasburg landed on the D.L. after only eight starts earlier in the season and know he is having surgery after four more starts. There has always been a question about his pitching motion and the possibility of injury but even those folks never thought it would happen this soon. You have to wonder what the future holds. The success rate on TJS is very high so it is not out of the question that he will return to meet original expectations. You have to wonder since he was being watched so closely and this injury occurred under a tight watch, will the Nationals ever be able to count on him for 200 plus innings. Strasburg is such a talent that you have to be rooting for him.

Manny Corpas will be getting a second opinion from Dr. Andrews but fully expects to under go Tommy John Surgery. Corpas was put on the 15- day D.L with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and he is certainly done for the season and with surgery he will miss the entire 2011 season.

Danys Baez was put on the 15-day D.L. with back spasms. If you remember last week I mentioned that if a player is on the D.L. on August 31 he is eligible to be placed on that teams playoff roster. That’s what happened here. The Phillies put him on the D.L. so they could call up another lefty for the bullpen and keep Baez in the mix should the team make the playoffs.

Mike Leake was placed on the D.L. with what is being called arm fatigue. This is a good move for him. On June 5 he had an ERA of 2.22 in his next 11 appearances he had an ERA of 6.47. Something is wrong here and giving him rest makes sense. If the Reds find themselves in the playoffs he can come back rested and if not he could be done for the season.

Nolasco could be shut down soon.

Ricky Nolasco has a torn meniscus in his right knee. Last week I was dead wrong when I said he would be having surgery and miss the rest of the season. I still say he will have surgery but for some reason (see first paragraph of this article to see possible explanation) he was given the OK to start on Saturday. He lasted two innings, gave up six runs on seven hits. I still think he doesn’t last season even though he says he feels fine and is scheduled to start again on Friday.

QUICK THOUGHTS: Derek Lee was pulled from Saturday’s game with a mild strain on his right side. Jeff Francis is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Tuesday and if that goes well look for him to throw a minor league rehab game by the weekend. Lance Berkman is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment today, look for him to be back by the end of the week. Jeff Suppan will be activated and start Wednesday’s game. Chris Carter has seen his September call up go up in smoke after being placed on the minor league disabled list with a left thumb strain. Jose Reyes injured his oblique on Thursday and has been out since then and hopes to be back by mid-week. Jamie Garcia will miss his next start as the Cardinal’s are being very careful with him. Mariner minor league pitching prospect Michael Pineda has been shut down for the season but look for him to take a spot in the Mariners rotation in the spring. Chris Young will throw a rehab start tomorrow and hopes to be back with the Padres by mid-September. Chris Denorfia was scratched from Sunday’s game with a sore back. Something strange going on with Colby Rasmus and the Cards, he missed his 13^th straight start on Sunday. Brandon Morrow will make one more start before being shut down for the season because of the amount of innings he has already pitched this season and the Blue Jays wanting to protect him. Look for Jason Motte to return to the Cardinals today. Brad Penny is trying to return this season after an encouraging MRI and being given the OK to resume throwing. Mark Teixeira is day-to-day with a thumb injury and was unable to play on Sunday. Andy Pettitte threw 35 pitches on Sunday and it went well. He thinks he could be back in two weeks. Edwin Encarnacion is on the D.L. with a wrist injury but the good news it is not in the same spot where he had surgery. Damaso Marte has had a setback and this puts in jeopardy his returning this season, surgery a possibility. Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to begin hitting today. Vincente Padilla is expected to begin a rehab assignment later this week. Luke Hochevar is scheduled for two more rehab starts and if all goes well look for him to be back in late September.

Another exciting weekend of baseball is in the books and it is almost time for the calendar to turn to September. Luckily, that means that you still have over a month of Big Ticket Games left to play! Take a look at the Games for today, where you could win up to $5,000! You can look at all of the Big Ticket Games right HERE!!!

There is a full slate of games today, both in MLB and for the Bog Ticket, and I will be previewing the 4X3 Late Games Ticket.

• Slot 1
  • Torii Hunter
    Ana vs Sea
  • Troy Tulowitzki
    Col vs SF
  • Chase Utley
    Phi vs LA

MY PICK: He wouldn’t be the name fantasy owners call at first at a draft from these three, but I like Torii Hunter in this slot.

• Slot 2
  • Jose Guillen
    SF vs Col
  • Raul Ibanez
    Phi vs LA
  • Howie Kendrick
    Ana vs Sea

MY PICK: He has been hitting the ball well lately; I am taking Howie Kendrick.

• Slot 3
  • Casey Blake
    LA vs Phi
  • Pablo Sandoval
    SF vs Col
  • Ichiro Suzuki
    Sea vs Ana

MY PICK: I am taking Ichiro Suzuki here.

• Slot 4
  • Alberto Callaspo
    Ana vs Sea
  • Scott Podsednik
    LA vs Phi
  • Ian Stewart
    Col vs SF

MY PICK: With Manny Ramirez headed out of town, he will get more playing time…I like Scott Podsednik.

Tomorrow starts another work week, so take the time today to watch some extra baseball. While you are at it, take some time to look at the Big Ticket. Be rewarded for your baseball passion by winning up to $5,000! Take a look at all of the Big Ticket Games right HERE!!!

Today I will be previewing the Sunday 6X4 Pitchers Only Ticket.

• Slot 1
  • Cole Hamels
    Phi vs SD
  • Josh Johnson
    Fla vs Atl
  • Bud Norris
    Hou vs NYM
  • Adam Wainwright
    Stl vs Was

MY PICK: I am taking Adam Wainwright in this group. I think he is the best pitcher of the bunch and he has the best match-up.

• Slot 2
  • Gio Gonzalez
    Oak vs Tex
  • Jason Hammel
    Col vs LA
  • Clayton Richard
    SD vs Phi
  • James Shields
    TB vs Bos

MY PICK: He can be brilliant one game and wild the next, but I am going to roll the dice on James Shields here.

• Slot 3
  • Matt Cain
    SF vs Ari
  • Gavin Floyd
    ChiWS vs NYY
  • Colby Lewis
    Tex vs Oak
  • Jered Weaver
    Ana vs Bal

MY PICK: I am taking Matt Cain in this spot.

• Slot 4
  • R.A. Dickey
    NYM vs Hou
  • John Lackey
    Bos vs TB
  • Derek Lowe
    Atl vs Fla
  • Carl Pavano
    Min vs Sea

MY PICK: He might be one of the few Mets with any fantasy value; I am taking R.A. Dickey.

• Slot 5
  • Dave Bush
    Mil vs Pit
  • Fausto Carmona
    Cle vs KC
  • Jeremy Guthrie
    Bal vs Ana
  • Edinson Volquez
    Cin vs ChiCub

MY PICK: I like Jeremy Guthrie in this slot.

• Slot 6
  • Bruce Chen
    KC vs Cle
  • Luke French
    Sea vs Min
  • John Lannan
    Was vs Stl
  • Marc Rzepczynski
    Tor vs Det

MY PICK: I am going to take a shot and go with Luke French.

Well I have drafted 2 football teams and a couple of hockey drafts are coming soon, the kids are going back to school soon.  The seasons are a changing. Even the leaves are starting to slowly change color. Here in the Northwest, it seemed like we had only 2 weeks of good weather. The playoffs are starting in some of the head to head leagues and it’s another week until rosters expand. So it’s slow week.

I am reading a book about the Braves GM John Schuerholz. One amazing little tidbit. The Braves had a signed and sealed trade, well a verbal agreement with the Pirates to trade for Barry Bonds in 1992. When the Pirates GM told then manager Jim Leyland, he went nuts and the trade was off. For 16 hours, Barry Bonds was a Brave, and he didn’t know it. The Braves had the budget to sign Bonds to a long term deal too. It just begs the question, what would have happened? Would the Braves become an uber dynasty and win even more world series trophies? Would Bonds still become the player he became in San Francisco? What would happen if the Braves didn’t resign Maddux?

Not too much action on the add / drop area. But here are a couple of movers and shakers.

Fernando Rodney  RP LAA – How the Angels got the Twins to pay the rest of Fuentes $9 million dollar contract to become a set up guy?  Fuentes becomes a set up guy, practically guaranteeing that his option won’t be picked up next year, since he needed 55 games finished to activate an option for next year. So Rodney steps into the closing role officially and raises his value, while Fuentes value dies.

Ryan Rayburn 2b DET – Got some extra playing time, and has been using it well. .311 6HR 17RBI in 25 August games.

Daniel Hudson SP ARI – I liked this kid from the MLB Network show “the club.” He was one of the last cuts to the pitching staff, out of spring training. But since he had more options left, he was sent down. A 4-2 record with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.15 Whip is not bad for the rook.

Most of the add / drop action has been on the dropped side. Other than injuries or losing of closing duties, here are a couple of players whose value has dropped, but still are salvageable.

Jeremy Hellickson SP TB – I know he was sent down, but he will be back next week, so don’t fret. He will either get some long relief or spot start here or there.

Chris Johnson 3B HOU – His big hot streak is over, but question is, can he make adjustments and stay in the bigs, or will he fall victim to the book.

Mike Stanton OF FLA – He goes on a homer tear and is the most added player for a few weeks, umm, the power hasn’t gone anywhere and will probably be made in bunches when the rosters expand and more AAA pitchers are playing.

Pedro Alverez 3B PIT – Like most Pirates, starts out hot, then cools. A hot streak is probably coming.

A quick look at the schedule of two-start pitchers for the next scoring period shows that there is just a small number of fantasy “aces” that have two starts.  You have Halladay, Hernandez, and maybe Hughes…and that is it. It is especially challenging for owners since they are pushing to make the playoffs or may have started the playoffs; with limited options there are not many easy decisions to make about starting pitching. Owners need to make sure they research pitchers’ recent performances to find out who is performing the best right now, no matter how “sexy” their name is.  Trevor Cahill, for example is not often considered as one of the fantasy elite starting pitchers.  However, did you know that he has allowed just 6 earned runs over his last seven starts?  Phil Hughes has allowed 19 earned runs over his last seven; most owners would think to start Hughes over Cahill.

Trevor Cahill has outpitched more well-known pitchers over his last seven starts.

So after doing your research, who starts for your team next week? Take a look at the breakdown below. All of the projected starts are current as of the morning of the games scheduled for 8/27/10.

Recommended Two-Start Pitchers

My Ace of the Week for Week #22 is Felix Hernandez. There are not many top-level, “true ace” fantasy two-start pitchers this week but King Felix certainly fits that bill.  He has allowed one total earned run in his last four starts.  He has 40 K’s over those last four starts. Neither Anaheim nor Cleveland is offensive juggernauts.  All hail, King Felix!

Matusz has pitched much better lately and is a sleeper for next week.

My Sleeper of the Week for Week #22 is Brian Matusz. His season totals are not pretty but, in four of his last five starts, he has allowed one earned run or fewer.  He does have two tough match-ups this week but, if you are desperate for a two-start pitcher, he could pay big dividends for your team.

Risky Two-Start Pitchers

Beckett has not pitched like a top-tier fantasy starting pitcher.

My Name Player to Avoid for Week #22 is Josh Beckett. Beckett had a solid outing against Seattle last time, but still allowed 3 runs over 6 innings.  In the three starts prior to that one he allowed 19 earned runs in 16 innings.  It is tough to bench Beckett this week since he has the potential to be one of the best pitchers in baseball when he is throwing well and there are also not that many top-tier fantasy pitchers with two starts this week. Just don’t be surprised if Beckett pitches poorly this week.

For Week #22, the Bust of the Week is Jonathan Sanchez. In three of his last four starts, Sanchez has not lasted past 5 1/3 innings. In those three starts he has posted a WHIP of 1.76. I am avoiding him until he stops putting so many runners on base.

Two-Start Pitchers to Avoid