Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Sunday 7/31/11

Saturday's Starter Recommendation One - Alex Cobb - 6.1 Innings Pitched - 9 Strikeouts - Loss - 4.27 ERA - 1.11 WHIP
Saturday's Starter Recommendation Two - Bartolo Colon - 5.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - Win - 3.60 ERA - 1.40 WHIP
ESPN Week 16 Starter Stats - 31.2 Innings Pitched - 34 Strikeouts - 9.66 K/9 - 3 Wins in 5 Starts - 2.84 ERA - 1.23 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Stats - 658.2 Innings Pitched - 480 Strikeouts - 6.56 K/9 - 44 Wins in 105 Starts - 3.40 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Saturday wasn't a great day for the spot starters here, but it wasn't bad either.  The ERA and WHIP weren't great, but they were definitely survivable when they also picked up 15 strikeouts and a win.

It's pretty late here on Saturday night, so I'm just going to get right to the recommendations...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Saturday 7/30/11

Friday's Starter Recommendation - Jeff Niemann - 6.2 Innings Pitched - 11 Strikeouts - Win - 0.00 ERA - 0.90 WHIP
ESPN Week 16 Starter Stats - 20.1 Innings Pitched - 19 Strikeouts - 8.41 K/9 - 2 Wins in 3 Starts - 2.21 ERA - 1.23 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Stats - 647.1 Innings Pitched - 465 Strikeouts - 6.46 K/9 - 43 Wins in 103 Starts - 3.39 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

I said yesterday that there was shutout potential on Friday night, and I was right.  I had hoped it would have been a complete game, but 6.2 innings of shutout ball is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you throw in the eleven strikeouts and the win.  It was an amazing all around start that cost you nothing but a free agent pick up to throw out there.  Niemann should be held onto if you picked him up, as he's on a streak of five great starts.

It's Saturday, and that means two recommendations as we reach the end of head-to-head match-ups for the week.  As always, all recommendations are available in more than 50% of ESPN leagues...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Monday 7/25/11

Sunday Starter One's Stats - Bartolo Colon - 7.0 Innings Pitched - 4 Strikeouts - Win - 2.57 ERA - 1.29 WHIP
Sunday Starter Two's Stats - Rick Porcello - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 4 Strikeouts - Win - 3.00 ERA - 1.17 WHIP
ESPN "Week 15" Final Starters' Stats - 44.1 Innings Pitched - 33 Strikeouts - 6.70 K/9 - 5 Wins in 7 Starts - 3.86 ERA - 1.22 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 627 Innings Pitched - 446 Strikeouts - 6.40 K/9 - 42 Wins in 100 Starts - 3.43 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Pair of starts on Sunday and a pair of solid wins.  They were essentially the same start, just Colon went an inning further into his game than Porcello.  Boh guys picked up a win and four strikeouts while letting up just two runs.  It was as advertised here on Sunday, as both guys were picked for their win chances and delivered.

Monday starts a new week here and hopefully a new streak will continue here.  I may seem like a homer here, but the schedule says what the schedule says...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Sunday 7/24/11

Friday's Starter's Stats - Phil Hughes - 4.1 Innings Pitched - 3 Strikeouts - Loss - 14.55 ERA -3.00 WHIP
"Week 15" Starters' Stats - 31.1 Innings Pitched - 25 Strikeouts - 7.18 K/9 - 3 Wins in 5 Starts - 4.31 ERA - 1.21 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 614 Innings Pitched - 438 Strikeouts - 6.42 K/9 - 40 Wins in 98 Starts - 3.44 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

A second total dud in the row made me just duck and hide from picking starters on Saturday.  Trusting Javy and Phil on back to back days was a bad idea in retrospect.  Luckily it's still not that bad of a week in ERA and WHIP considering those last two horrible starts.

Sunday we have a pair of starters coming in who probably aren't going to make the ERA and WHIP much better, but will rack up some strikeouts and have the best shots at the wins you need on Sundays...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Sunday 7/3/11

Saturday's Starter One - Bartolo Colon - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - Win - 0.00 ERA - 0.83 WHIP
Saturday's Starter Two - Doug Fister - 9.0 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - Loss - 1.00 ERA - 0.78 WHIP
Week 13 Starter Stats - 35.1 Innings Pitched - 23 Strikeouts - 5.86 K/9 - 3 Wins in 6 Starts - 2.80 ERA - 1.25 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Stats - 533 Innings Pitched - 377 Strikeouts - 6.37 K/9 - 34 Wins in 87 Starts - 3.56 ERA - 1.23 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Here

Another solid day to help clean up a week that started off poorly.  Fifteen innings of one run ball will help out any ERA or WHIP.

Colon came out in his first start off the DL and turned in a strong six innings against a decent Mets lineup before being taken out after 80 pitches.  He's picked right back up where he left off before he went on  the DL and should be allowed to go deeper into his next start.  Pick him up if he's available in whatever league you are in.

Fister was robbed by his offense of a win, as the complete game of one run ball should have gotten the job done.  That's the drawback with a Mariners pitcher, can't rely on any sort of run support.  Even when Fister is great like Saturday night, he still will lose more than he wins.

Onto Sunday's starters.  Two recommendations coming right up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Saturday 7/2/11

Thursday's Starter Stats - Carlos Zambrano - 1.0 Innings Pitched - 1 Strikeout - No Decision- 9.00 ERA - 4.00 WHIP

Friday's Starter Stats - Jason Vargas - 9.0 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - Win - 0.00 ERA - 0.67 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 518 Innings Pitched - 364 Strikeouts - 6.32 K/9 - 33 Wins in 85 Starts - 3.65 ERA - 1.24 WHIP

Starter Stats Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Sorry this post is so late, but better late then never.  Should still have an hour to get your moves in here on Saturday.

Thursday night didn't go well, with Carlos Zambrano lasting an inning before being removed with a back injury and placed on the disabled list.  As always, can't predict injuries here... So just forced to take the bad inning of stats and move on.

Luckily Friday night went amazing to make up for Thursday.  Jason Vargas went the distance for his third complete game shut out of the year.  I alluded to the possibility in yesterday's column, and I turned out to be right.  Doesn't get any better really.  Nine innings of shut out ball off the waiver wire is as good as it gets, especially with a solid seven strikeouts.

Onto Saturday's starters.  It's the weekend, so that means a pair of starter recommendations for you all...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Monday 5/23/11

Sunday Starter One's Stats - Rick Porcello - 8.0 Innings Pitched - 3 Strikeouts - Win - 0.00 ERA - 0.38 WHIP
Sunday Starter Two's Stats - Edwin Jackson - 5.2 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - Win - 1.59 ERA - 1.23 WHIP
Week Seven Final Stats - 53.0 Innings Pitched - 25 Strikeouts - 4.25 K/9 - 3 Wins in 8 Starts - 2.21 ERA - 1.02 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 396 Innings Pitched - 291 Strikeouts - 6.61 K/9 - 25 Wins in 63 Starts - 3.61 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

At the end of a strong week seven, Porcello and Jackson were the Sunday cherry on top.  Porcello started a little earlier and turned in eight great innings of one hit ball.  You'd love more strikeouts, but there is no way to complain about eight innings of spotless ERA and near spotless WHIP and a win.  Porcello needs to be owned in more leagues than he is owned in right now.  Pick him up if you have the roster spot or need the pitcher. Jackson also went out there and turned in a very acceptable start. His ERA and WHIP weren't as great, but were still sparkling and he gave you seven strikeouts.

Week seven delivered great ERA and WHIP numbers with a decent number of wins even though the strikeouts weren't there.   However, I'm not going to change anything with my selection process.  The ERA and WHIP have been there, and just got unlucky with decent strikeout pitchers not picking up strikeouts.  Monday's spot starter is coming up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Tuesday 5/3/11

Monday's Starter's Stats - Bartolo Colon - 7.0 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - No Decision - 3.86 ERA - 1.00 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 240 Innings Pitched - 195 Strikeouts - 7.31 K/9 - 15 Wins in 39 Starts - 3.56 ERA - 1.16 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Here

On the first day of week five, Bartolo gave us seven very workable innings.  The 3.86 ERA isn't great, but it's coverable, and you have to be excited to pick up seven strikeouts and a solid seven innings of 1.00 WHIP.  Bartolo is going to eat a lot of innings for the Yankees this year with stats very similar to this, except with a good chance at plenty of wins.  As a note for the starters today, Kyle McClellan and Anibal Sanchez are both under the 50% owned line as i write this on Monday night, but will both likely elevate over the 50% line by Tuesday proper.  As such I'm not ranking either of them...Both should be owned but I'm not really excited about starting either of them  If you want the guy I am excited about, Tuesday's spot starter is coming up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Monday 5/2/11

Sunday's Spot Starter Recommendation One - Jon Garland - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 8 Strikeouts - Loss - 4.50 ERA - 1.17 WHIP

Satruday's Spot Starter Recommendation Two - Bud Norris - 7.2 Innings Pitched - 11 Strikeouts - Win - 0.00 ERA - 0.78 WHIP

Week Four's Starters' Stats - 56.1 Innings Pitched - 48 Strikeouts - 7.67 K/9 - 3 Wins in 9 Starts - 3.99 ERA - 1.17 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 233 Innings Pitched - 188 Strikeouts - 7.26 K/9 - 15 Wins in 38 Starts - 3.55 ERA - 1.16 WHIP

Spot Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Great four starts this weekend to make the week four stats solid.  First Brandon Beachy and Tim Stauffer killed it on Saturday, and then we got 19 strikeouts and great ERA and WHIP from the Bud Norris and Jon Garland combo on Sunday.  That made the week four line solid.  Sub-4.00 ERA and 48 strikeouts is nothing to sneeze at.  As we head into week five, I'm looking to keep the mojo going.  Monday's starter recommendation coming up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Thursday 4/28/11

Wednesday's Recommendations' Stats - Bartolo Colon - 8.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - Win - 1.13 ERA - 1.00 WHIP
Week Four Cumulative Stats - 19.1 Innings Pitched - 11 Strikeouts - 5.12 K/9 - 1 Win in 3 Starts - 5.12 ERA - 1.40 WHIP
Cumulative Total Stats - 196 Innings Pitched - 151 Strikeouts - 6.93 K/9 - 13 Wins in 32 Starts - 3.58 ERA - 1.18 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Bartolo Colon goes out there and gives us eight great innings a day after Brandon McCarthy ruined everything for us.  Stick with me and I'll churn out more good days than bad, as my cumulative stats show through almost 200 innings.  Bartolo gave us six strikeouts and just one run over the eight innings, and Robinson Cano had a three run homer in the first to give him plenty of cushion for the win.  Going with another great starter today, coming up right now...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Wednesday 4/27/11

Tuesday's Recommended Starter's Stats -  Brandon McCarthy  - 5.1 Innings Pitched - 3 Strikeouts - Loss - 11.81 ERA - 2.81 WHIP

Cumulative Starter Stats - 188 Innings Pitched - 145 Strikeouts - 6.94 K/9 - 12 Wins in 31 Starts - 3.69 ERA - 1.19 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

First off, I'd like to apologize for the worst recommendation I've given so far. McCarthy has looked sharp on the year so far, but the Angels beat him up and did it for 5.1 innings.  I went down with you here, with McCarthy damaging my WHIP and ERA.  Hopefully can make it up by Sunday.  Secondly want to say sorry everyone, but got back extremely late here after the horrible Yankee loss.  Don't have time before bed for the full write up today... just going to post my recommendation with an explanation.