Two-Start Pitchers for Week One
Maximizing pitchers that make 2 starts in a week is a strategy used by some fantasy owners, especially in H2H leagues. The owners cycle through less desirable starters each week and get a new set the next week in order to win the counting stats. The first week of the season offers a unique situation because most of the 2-start pitchers are #1 and #2 starters for a team. Most of these pitchers are already owned. Today I am going to look at some of the few 2-start “aces” that may be available in a league
(Owned % are ESPN and Yahoo)
Erik Bedard (7%, 39%) – Erik is by far the best option among the pitchers I will look at today. His main issue in the past has been staying healthy. While he has a lower chance of getting a Win than a starter on a better team, he will supply a decent number of strikeouts (ZiPS projection is 8.15 K/9). Since an owner is looking to have him around a only a week, they might as well take the chance on him stating healthy that long. In a deep league, owners should actually look to keep him until he eventually goes on the DL.
Kyle Lohse (6%, 26%) – Depending on a league’s rules, there is a chance that Kyle will get 3 starts in the first “week” of the season. Kyle had a career season in 2011 while posting a career bests in ERA (3.39) and WHIP (1.17). These low numbers were aided by a 0.269 BABIP (0.302 career). While he won’t produce a ton of K’s (5.5 ZiPS K/9 projection), he may give an owner the chance of getting 3 starts.
Carl Pavano (4%, 2%) – Carl is pitch to contact pitcher. He rarely walks a batter (1.51 and 1.62 BB/9 in 2010 and 2011) or strikes one out (4.76 and 4.14 K/9 in 2010 and 2011). He will give an owner a chance for a win and not hurt a fantasy team’s rate stats too bad.
Jeremy Guthrie (1%, 3%) – It may be worth taking a chance on Jeremy this week. I am not too sure if I am sold on Colorado using pitchers with extreme fly ball tendencies, but this week he seems relatively safe. He will face Houston in Houston on opening day. The second game he starts will probably be in Colorado, but against an average to below-average hitting San Francisco offense.
Bruce Chen (0%, 2%) – Bruce, an extreme fly ball finesse pitcher, is against the Angels on opening day (vs Oakland for second game). If an owner is desperate for a 2-start pitcher, feel free to roll the dice and pick him up. Otherwise stay away.
Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness is starting pitching, and that obviously doesn’t affect Bedard’s win capacity. I think he can get his share of wins while healthy and if effective. he doesn’t go deep into games, but they have a solid bullpen and a decent enough offense in a relatively soft division.
Would be helpful if you listed what teams these guys pitch for (for those of us in AL or NL only leagues).
watch more baseball
I’d prefer to see what teams these pitchers are facing and the opposing pitcher if possible.
Pitt., St.Louis, Minn., Colorado, KC respectively.
If I’m reading correctly, Bedard and Lohse are owned in a lot more Yahoo! leagues than espn. Anyone know why? Initial rankings in the two systems were far apart on these two?
probably because yahoo has 12 teams and espn 10? Yahoo leagues require you to reach down into the Bedard/Lohse level of pitchers
Pre-ranks.
The only two start pitchers in week one would be anyone the Mariners or A’s start again the weekend of April 6-8. Yahoo’s week one goes from March 28-April 6. There won’t be any two-starters other than (hopefully for me) Felix Hernandez, Brandon Mccarthy, and possibly the #2 guys, Jason Vargas and Bartolo Colon.
sorry March 28-April 8:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/sports/fantasysports/baseball/signup/basedrlate.html
For future posts can you post who they face in their two starts? It would be very helpful. Thank you.
Ya like Dustin says, how in the world are any pitchers, other than A’s/Mariners opening day starters, going to get 2 starts?
All MLB teams play only 3 or 4 games in Week 1, and nobody is pitching on short rest the first week of the season. (this is in Yahoo, no idea how other sites do week 1)
Some leagues I am in it is a 10 day first week. All depends on the league’s settings
“Some leagues I am in it is a 10 day first week. All depends on the league’s settings”
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Yahoo’s Week 1 is technically 12 days. (March 28-April 8)
But every team still only plays a max of 4 games, which is the point I ws trying to make.
Im not sure how any league would have 10 day first week. Would be very strange settings… what dates does your leagues first week begin/end?
Even if you dont count the A’s/Sea series in Japan, and start with the Cards/Pit game on Weds April 4th, and have that entire first weekend combined with the following week to end on Sun April 15th, you still have a 12 day week.
And in that case all teams will play 9-10 games, and every single fantasy relevant starter is going to pitch twice, so Im not sure where things are getting confused.
Am i missing something?
Most leagues these guys aren’t starting twice in week 1 and if you play in a league that as an extended week 1 then pretty much every non 5th starter is going twice.
DOUBLE THE MEDIOCRITY!