It's the last week before rosters can expand and things start to get a bit more complicated, so let's just relax and take a look at what's happening in the week ahead:
Two-Start PitchersMust Start
John Lackey - OAK (Greg Smith), TEX (Kevin Millwood)
James Shields - TOR (Roy Halladay), BAL (Chris Waters)
Armando Galarraga -CLE (Zach Jackson), KC (Gil Meche)
Francisco Liriano - @SEA (R.A. Dickey), @OAK (Dallas Braden)
Roy Halladay - @TB (James Shields), @NYY (Andy Pettitte)
Other Options
Tim Wakefield - @NYY (Andy Pettitte), CHW (Clayton Richard)
Andy Pettitte - BOS (Tim Wakefield), TOR (Roy Halladay)
Jered Weaver - OAK (Dallas Braden), TEX (Scott Feldman)
Gil Meche - TEX (Scott Feldman), @DET (Armando Galarraga)
Kevin Millwood - @KC (Zack Greinke), @LAA (John Lackey)
Scott Baker - @SEA (Ryan Rowland-Smith), @OAK (Greg Smith)
If You Must
Chris Waters - CHW (Clayton Richard), @TB (James Shields)
Clayton Richard - @BAL (Chris Waters), @BOS (Tim Wakefield)
Zach Jackson - @DET (Armando Galarraga), SEA (R.A. Dickey)
Dallas Braden - @LAA (Jered Weaver), MIN (Francisco Liriano)
Greg Smith - @LAA (John Lackey), MIN (Scott Baker)
R.A. Dickey - MIN (Francisco Liriano), @CLE (Zach Jackson)
Scott Feldman - @KC (Gil Meche), @LAA (Jered Weaver)
Sports
Must Start
Dan Haren - @SD (Jake Peavy), LAD (Derek Lowe)
Jake Peavy - ARI (Dan Haren), COL (Jeff Francis)
Carlos Zambrano - @PIT (Ian Snell), PHI (Jamie Moyer)
Chad Billingsley - @PHI (Brett Myers), @ARI (Doug Davis)
Matt Cain - COL (Jeff Francis), @CIN (Bronson Arroyo)
Ted Lilly - @PIT (Jeff Karstens), PHI (Brett Myers)
Brett Myers - LAD (Chad Billingsley), @CHC (Ted Lilly)
Other Options
Jeff Francis - @SF (Matt Cain), @SD (Jake Peavy)
Derek Lowe - @WAS (Collin Balester), @ARI (Dan Haren)
Jair Jurrjens - FLA (Scott Olsen), @WAS (Collin Balester)
Bronson Arroyo - @HOU (Wandy Rodriguez), SF (Matt Cain)
Wandy Rodriguez - CIN (Bronson Arroyo), STL (Kyle Lohse)
Scott Olsen - @ATL (Jair Jurrjens), NYM (Brian Stokes)
Jamie Moyer - NYM (Pedro Martinez), @CHC (Carlos Zambrano)
If You Must
Brian Moehler - @NYM (Mike Pelfrey), STL (Joel Pineiro)
Jeff Karstens - CHC (Ted Lilly), MIL (CC Sabathia)
Collin Balester - LAD (Derek Lowe), ATL (Jair Jurrjens)
The following pitchers are available in more than 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have match-ups that should make the fine starters this week.
American League
Friday: Kevin Slowey @ OAK - Slowey also faced the Athletics last week and dominated, striking out 12 in seven innings. This time he goes to Oakland, but fortunately the walls will still be covered with giant garbage bags, so Slowey should feel right at home. He has a 3.78 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.
Thursday: Nick Blackburn @ OAK - Blackburn pitched against the A's last week, allowing three runs in eight innings while allowing only six hits. He has a 3.78 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP on the season.
National League
Wednesday: Greg Maddux @ WAS - The Nationals have the worst offense in baseball, which should help Maddux bounce back from a disappointing debut as a Dodger. He currently has a 4.25 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.
Thursday: Clayton Kershaw @ WAS - Kershaw is coming off a tough outing in Philly, but the first time he faced Washington he held them scoreless while allowing just four hits in six innings. He picked up the win while striking out five.
Saturday: Ubaldo Jimenez @ SD - Jimenez has started three games against the Padres this season, and while he's 1-2, he's posted a very solid 3.06 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Total GamesAmerican League
7: LAA, MIN, OAK, TEX
6: BAL, BOS, CHW, CLE, DET, KC, NYY, SEA, TB, TOR
National League
7: CHC, HOU, LAD, PHI,
6: ARI, ATL, CIN, COL, FLA, NYM, PIT, SD, SF, WAS
5: STL, MIL
American League
Baltimore - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Boston - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Chicago White Sox - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Cleveland - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Detroit - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Kansas City - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Los Angeles Angels - 3 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
Minnesota - 1 vs. Righties, 6 vs. Lefties
New York Yankees - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Oakland - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Seattle - 2 vs. Righties, 4 vs. Lefties
Tampa Bay - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Texas - 6 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Toronto - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Notes:
Los Angeles faces lefties in four of its seven games this week.
Good For:Erick Aybar (.299 vs. LHP),
Bad For:Howie Kendrick (.279), Vladimir Guerrero (.256)
Minnesota faces lefties in six of its seven games this week.
Good For:Adam Everett (.280 vs. LHP), Carlos Gomez (.294), Joe Mauer (.375), Nick Punto (.326), Mike Redmond (.309), Denard Span (.339)
Bad For:Alexi Casilla (.272), Jason Kubel (.203), Delmon Young (.266)
Seattle faces lefties in four of its six games this week.
Good For:Adrian Beltre (.356 vs. LHP), Willie Bloomquist (.351), Jamie Burke (.387), Jeff Clement (.240), Raul Ibanez (.318), Jose Lopez (.350)
Bad For:Kenji Johjima (.181), Ichiro Suzuki (.262)
National League:
Arizona - 6 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Atlanta - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Chicago Cubs - 4 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties
Cincinnati - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Colorado - 5 vs. Righties, 1 vs. Lefties
Florida - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Houston - 7 vs. Righties, 0 vs. Lefties
Los Angeles Dodgers - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Milwaukee - 3 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
New York Mets - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Philadelphia - 5 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Pittsburgh - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
San Diego - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
San Francisco - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
St. Louis - 2 vs. Righties, 3 vs. Lefties
Washington - 4 vs. Righties, 2 vs. Lefties
Notes:
St. Louis faces lefties in three of its five games this week.
Good For:Cesar Izturis (.322), Felipe Lopez (.262), Albert Pujols (.405)
Bad For:Rick Ankiel (.226), Troy Glaus (.234), Ryan Ludwick (.270), Skip Schumaker (.171)
For the latest on injuries, check out Rotoworld's handy Injury Page. Here is the most vital in injury news:
Justin Duchscherer - SP - Hip - Out Indefinitely
Sean Gallagher - SP - Shoulder - Out indefinitely
Casey Kotchman - 1B - Bereavement - Day-to-day
Derek Lee - 1B - Ribs - Day-to-day
Justin Upton - OF - Ribs - Return this week
Victor Martinez - C - Elbow - Return this week?
Travis Hafner - DH - Shoulder - Return this week?
Billy Wagner - RP - Arm - Return mid-September
George Sherrill - RP - Shoulder - Return next week
Adam Jones - OF - Foot - Return by end of week?
Ian Kinsler - 2B - Groin - Return September?
Troy Percival - RP - Knee - Return for next week
Evan Longoria - 3B - Wrist - Out indefinitely
Carl Crawford - OF - Hand - Out indefinitely
J.D. Drew - OF - Back - Day-to-day
Tim Wakefield - SP -Shoulder - Return Tuesday
Alex Gordon - 3B - Quad - Out indefinitely
For this week's top waiver adds, read my opinion in this week's Waiver Wired.
AL
1. Dana Eveland
2. Travis Hafner
3. Jim Johnson
4. Jed Lowrie
5. Zach Miner
NL
1. Jon Rauch
2. Adam LaRoche
3. Yusmeiro Petit
4. Jody Gerut
5. Jeff Francis
