Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickup For Sunday 5/1/11

Saturday's Spot Starter Recommendation One - Tim Stauffer - 6.2 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - No Decision - 2.70 - 0.75
Satruday's Spot Starter Recommendation Two - Brandon Beachy - 7.0 Innings Pitched - 5 Strikeouts - No Decision - 2.57 ERA - 0.57 WHIP
Week Four's Starters' Stats - 42.2 Innings Pitched - 29 Strikeouts - 6.12 K/9 - 2 Wins in 7 Starts - 4.64 ERA - 1.24 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 219.1 Innings Pitched - 169 Strikeouts - 6.93 K/9 - 14 Wins in 36 Starts - 3.65 ERA - 1.18 WHIP
Spot Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

It was a very solid Saturday.  First, in the afternoon, Beachy gave us seven solid innings with five strikeouts and was in line for a win when they left him in to start the eighth and he let two men on base, who both ended up scoring.  It still amounted to a very good spot start, and 0.57 WHIP is amazing.  He's down to 0.99 WHIP on the season and shouldn't be dropped now that you own him, he won't be around to pick up next time through.  Later, in a Saturday night game, Tim Stauffer was just as good.  He had two more strikeouts than Beachy, but didn't go quite as long and gave up an extra hit.  Neither guy picked up a win, but both pitched well enough to pick one up.  As always these are guys available in more than 50% of leagues, and there are two more coming up now to help those trying to catch up on the last day of the match-up...

Fantasy Baseball Player Musings and Pickups For Week Five

It's week five in Fantasy Baseball, and April is finally over.  With a full month in the books, it's time to reevaluate some of the things we thought were true at the beginning of the year.  First, I'm going to go back to draft day for a minute and go over the first few rounds for players who have been underperforming so far and let you know whether or not it's time to panic.  Then I'm going to go through some mid level players, and let you know who to cut.

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Saturday 4/30/11

Friday's Recommendations' Stats - Daisuke Matsuzaka - 4.0 Innings Pitched - 4 Strikeouts - No Decision - 4.50 ERA - 1.75 WHIP

Week Four Cumulative Stats - 29 Innings Pitched - 17 Strikeouts - 5.28 K/9 - 2 Win in 5 Starts - 5.59 ERA - 1.52 WHIP

Cumulative Total Stats - 205.2 Innings Pitched - 157 Strikeouts - 6.87 K/9 - 14 Wins in 34 Starts - 3.72 ERA - 1.21 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Daisuke had a short fairly poor day because of an elbow injury.  His fastball fell from 93 at the start of the game down to 87 when they pulled him with elbow tightness.  As always, while I count the stats, I don't take responsibility if the starter gets hurt.  I'm happy to take the four strikeouts here and just move on.  As we roll into Saturday, the pitchers are looking better as the match-ups look rockier.  It's a two-starter day as we move to the end of head to head match-ups....

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickup For Sunday 4/24/11

Saturday Recommendation One's Stats - Fausto Carmona - 5.0 Innings Pitched - 1 Strikeout - Loss - 7.20 ERA - 1.60 WHIP
Saturday Recommendations Two's Stats - Dillon Gee - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 5 Strikeouts - Win - 3.00 ERA - 1.00 WHIP
Week Three's Recommended Starters' Stats - 43.1 Innings Pitched - 35 Strikeouts - 7.27 K/9 - 2 Wins in 7 Starts - 2.70 ERA - 1.06 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 167.2 Innings Pitched - 132 Strikeouts - 7.09 K/9 - 12 Wins in 27 Starts - 3.38 ERA - 1.16 WHIP
Starter Stats Spreadsheet Online Here

One good one bad on Saturday.  Sorry that I didn't help your ERA and WHIP if you were chasing, but Gee gave us a decent amount of strikeouts and the win, so that'll help.  Still it's been a good week, and it's going into Easter Sunday and ESPN.com is down, combining for a very short pickup column today.  Pair of catchup pickups coming up....

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Wednesday 4/20/11

Tuesday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Brandon Beachy - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - Win - 0.00 ERA - 0.67 WHIP
Week 3 Starters' Stats - 14.0 Innings Pitched - 17 Strikeouts - 10.93 K/9- 1 Win in 2 Starts - 0.00 ERA - 0.57 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 138.1 Innings Pitched - 114 Strikeouts - 7.42 K/9 - 11 Wins in 22 Starts - 3.25 ERA - 1.13 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Week Three is off to a great start so far.  First Carlos Zambrano came through huge on Monday, and now Brandon Beachy does the job today.  I didn't expect him to be this good, but he does have the stuff to strike guys out like this on a regular basis, and to be nearly unhittable when he's on like he was tonight   14 innings of no run ball with more than a strikeout per inning is more than you can really ask for from spot starters, but hopefully I can keep the streak going on Wednesday...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Tuesday 4/19/11

Monday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Carlos Zambrano - 8.0 Innings Pitched - 10 Strikeouts - No Decision - 0.00 ERA - 0.50 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 132.1 Inning Pitched - 107 Strikeouts - 7.28 K/9 - 10 Wins in 21 Starts - 3.40 ERA - 1.15 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Week three started off amazingly here, as Big Z did everything you could ask of him in a Cubs win over San Diego.  He didn't get the win, but he went eight innings and didn't allow any runs while striking out ten.  He did everything in his power to deliver you a strong fantasy day. So who do I like as a spot start for Tuesday?  Find out right here....

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Thursday 4/14/11

Wednesday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Carlos Zambrano - 5.2 Innings Pitched - 4 Strikeouts - Win - 7.94 ERA - 1.73 WHIP

Cumulative Recommended Starters' Stats - 94 IP - 78 Strikeouts - 9 Wins in 15 Starts - 3.06 ERA - 1.13 WHIP - 7.47 K/9

Week Two Starts' Stats - 19.2 IP - 13 Strikeouts - 2 Wins in 3 Starts - 3.66 ERA - 1.12 WHIP - 5.95 K/9

Cumulative Starter Stats Spreadsheet Online Here

I have nothing to apologize for with Carlos Zambrano's stats here.  I can't believe the Cubs let them rack up 5 runs on him without taking him out in the sixth inning. Just go look at the play by play. He lets up a walk, a single, then gets a guy to ground out.  Then lets up two more RBI singles and a fielder's choice RBI.  He should have been pulled there, if you didn't get him out of there before that. Instead, he then let up a home run to Matt Downs, the number seven hitter.  They even let him give up a walk after that to further hurt his WHIP.  Big Z still managed to pick up the win because in the top of the sixth he jacked a solo home run.  Hopefully this doesn't happen again with todays starter....

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Tuesday 4/5/11

Monday's Starter Stats - Brandon Beachy - 6.0 IP - 7 Strikeouts - No Decision - 1.50 ERA - 0.83 WHIP

Cumulative Starter Stats - 29.2 IP - 23 Strikeouts - 3 Wins - 2.73 ERA - 1.11 WHIP

Got another great spot start yesterday out of Beachy.  He let up just one run over six innings and kept the WHIP down while racking up over a strikeout per inning.   He is someone who should be owned in way more leagues than he currently is.  The Brewers are a solid hitting team and he just made them look goofy.  Of his 88 pitches 61 were strikes and he threw first pitch strikes to 18 of the 24 batters he faced.  He's going to have a very solid overall year and can be having it for you if you scoop him up between now and his next start.  Click through the jump to find out who is available in more than 50% of standard ESPN leagues that I like tomorrow...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Monday 4/4/11

Sunday's Starter's Stats - Zachary Britton - 6.0 IP - 6 Strike Outs - 1 Win - 1.50 ERA - 1.00 WHIP

Cumulative Starter Recommendation Stats - 23.2 IP - 16 Strike Outs - 3 Wins - 3.04 ERA - 1.18 WHIP

As you can see, Zach Britton worked out wonderfully as a spot start yesterday and through four days worth of recommendations the total stats are very workable. Obviously could use a few more strike outs, but that total is being brought down by Mark Buehrle's 0 strike outs the other day. Going to be looking to grab more strikeouts in the future but not going to sacrifice ERA and WHIP in order to do it. Find out my recommendation for today right after you click through the jump...