Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Tuesday 8/2/11

Sunday's Starter Recommendation One - Freddy Garcia - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - Win - 3.00 ERA - 1.17 WHIP
Sunday's Starter Recommendation Two - Brandon McCarthy - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 9 Strikeouts - Win - 4.50 ERA - 1.33 WHIP
ESPN Week 16 Final Starter Stats - 43.2 Innings Pitched - 49 Strikeouts - 10.10 K/9 - 5 Wins in 7 Starts - 3.09 ERA - 1.24 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Stats - 670.2 Innings Pitched - 495 Strikeouts - 6.64 K/9 - 46 Wins in 107 Starts - 3.41 ERA - 1.20 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Sunday capped off a nearly perfect week on Sunday night.  Both starters picked up wins and plenty of strike outs in the process.  The ERA and WHIP on the week were both very good, and five wins in seven starts is a great rate, especially when you are throwing for more than a strikeout per inning.

Unfortunately, I have to try and follow up that amazing week here in Week 17 as i start on Tuesday.  As always, the recommendation is available in more than 50% of ESPN leagues....

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 Thursday 5/19/11

Wednesday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Brandon McCarthy - 7.0 Innings Pitched - 1 Strikeout - No Decision - 3.86 ERA - 1.29 WHIP

Week Seven Starters' Stats - 14 Innings Pitched - 3 Strikeouts - 1.93 K/9 - 0 Wins in 2 Starts - 3.86 ERA - 1.29 WHIP

Cumulative Starter's Stats - 357 Innings Pitched - 269 Strikeouts - 6.78 K/9 - 22 Wins in 57 Starts - 3.83 ERA - 1.23 WHIP

Starters' Stats Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

McCarthy basically gave us an identical start to what I got from Joel Pineiro on Monday, just with one strikeout instead of two.  They gave you identically average ERA and WHIP, but no strikeouts to speak of through two days.  It hasn't been any bad starts, but the starts haven't been great.  He was better than Ryan Dempster, the alternate choice, who got blown up for 9.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP.  I told you Dempster was a bigger risk even with the higher strikeout potential, and he didn't even give you the strikeouts in this outing.  Deep league players got four innings of poor ball out of Julio Teheran, but it wasn't enough innings to really hurt your counting stats.  Another starter coming up here on Thursday, looking to deliver a great start option...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Wednesday 5/18/11

Tuesday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Rick Porcello - Rained Out
Cumulative Starter's Stats - 350 Innings Pitched - 268 Strikeouts - 6.89 K/9 - 22 Wins in 56 Starts - 3.83 ERA - 1.23 WHIP
Starters' Stats Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Porcello got rained out Tuesday night, and I didn't offer up an alternative on an otherwise poor night for starter choices.  Sorry about that, but I didn't trust anyone else.  Wednesday we have a good starter and a solid alternate, so if you need two, feel free to take both and expect good results.  Wednesday's gem candidate 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 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.

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Tuesday 4/26/11

Monday Recommended Starter's Stats - Dustin Moseley - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 2 Strikeouts - No Decision - 4.50 ERA - .67 WHIP
Cumulative Starter Stats - 182.2 Innings Pitched - 142 Strikeouts - 7.00 K/9 - 12 Wins in 30 Starts - 3.45 ERA - 1.14 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Moseley's day wasn't great, but it wasn't an awful start.  The WHIP and the ERA don't match.  He only allowed four hits and didn't walk anyone, but those four hits happened to turn into three runs. Knew going into it that we weren't getting too many strikeouts, and the great WHIP offsets the subpar ERA on the day. Tuesday's starter coming up right now...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Friday 4/22/11

Thursday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Brandon McCarthy - 8.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - Loss - 1.13 ERA - 0.63 WHIP
Week 3 Starters' Stats - 28.0 Innings Pitched - 29 Strikeouts - 9.32 K/9- 1 Win in 4 Starts - 1.29 ERA - 0.86 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 152.1 Innings Pitched - 126 Strikeouts - 7.44 K/9 - 11 Wins in 24 Starts - 3.19 ERA - 1.13 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Can't complain about the game McCarthy had on Thursday night.  He was great except for the one home run.  Complete eight inning game, six strikeouts and just the solo home run that lead to him getting a loss.  Sometimes you run up against Felix Hernandez and don't get a win in a one run game.  Regardless, he gave you eight solid innings of great ERA and WHIP and the strikeouts with it. Still have a great week going so far, in spite of my lack of wins.  You can ride my hot streak with my Friday recommendation coming up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Thursday 4/21/11

Wednesday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Bud Norris - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - No Decision - 4.50 ERA - 1.83 WHIP

Week 3 Starters' Stats - 20.0 Innings Pitched - 23 Strikeouts - 10.35 K/9- 1 Win in 3 Starts - 1.35 ERA - 0.95 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 144.1 Innings Pitched - 120 Strikeouts - 7.48 K/9 - 11 Wins in 23 Starts - 3.30 ERA - 1.16 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

So Bud Norris didn't end up being quite the start that Beachy or Zambrano were, but it wasn't too offensive for a spot start.  The ERA and WHIP were bad, but with just six innings pitched, it will only take one solid start to bring it down to an acceptable level.  Balancing the ERA and WHIP are the six solid strikeouts.  I'll take six strikeouts from a guy who was owned in just 2.6% percent of standard leagues.  The week three stats are still great, and going to follow that up with my Thursday pick coming up....

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starting Pitcher Pickups For Friday 4/15/11

Thursday's Recommended Starter's Stats - Brandon Beachy - 5.1 Innings Pitched - 8 Strikeouts - No Decision -  8.44 ERA - 2.06 WHIP

Cumulative Recommended Starters' Stats - 99.1 IP - 86 Strikeouts - 9 Wins in 16 Starts - 3.35 ERA - 1.18 WHIP - 7.79 K/9

Week Two Starts' Stats - 25 IP - 21 Strikeouts - 2 Wins in 4 Starts - 4.68 ERA - 1.32 WHIP - 7.56 K/9

Cumulative Starter Stats Spreadsheet Online Here

While I felt I had nothing to apologize for Thursday with Zambrano, I do feel bad about what happened with Beachy today.  He just got off to a rough start, and even though he picked up in later innings, the three earned runs in the first inning really hurt his day.  Somewhat salvaging the start was his eight strikeouts, which you can't really complain about.  In todays starter pickups, I offer a good candidate to bring the ERA and WHIP down while still giving you more strikeouts coming up right now....