Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Tuesday 5/24/11

Monday Starter's Stats - Jason Vargas - 4.2 Innings Pitched - 2 Strikeouts - No Decision - 9.64 ERA - 2.36 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 400.2 Innings Pitched - 293 Strikeouts - 6.58 K/9 - 25 Wins in 64 Starts - 3.68 ERA - 1.21 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

I finally believed Vargas turned it around, and he went out on Monday an started week eight off in a horrible way.  He couldn't make it five innings, and had an absolutely horrible ERA and WHIP.  Vargas' biggest problem was he got blasted for two home runs in spacious Target Field.  He should be a solid starter for Seattle, but he's been inconsistent so far on the year.  It wasn't much better if you went with Bartolo Colon as an alternate it wasn't much better, as he let up six runs over six innings but at least helped you out with eight strikeouts.

I'm sorry about Vargas, but I can't do anything about Monday, just look on towards Tuesday.  A good starter with hopefully better results here Tuesday night...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Saturday 5/21/11

Thursday's Spot Starter's Stats - Chris Narveson -7.1 Innings Pitched - 4 Strikeouts - No Decision - 0.00 ERA - 0.68 WHIP

Fridays's Spot Starter's Stats - Ryan Vogelsong - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 5 Strikeouts - No Decision - 1.50 ERA - 1.00 WHIP

Week Seven Starters' Stats - 27.1 Innings Pitched - 12 Strikeouts - 3.95 K/9 - 0 Wins in 4 Starts - 2.31 ERA - 1.06 WHIP

Cumulative Starers' Stats - 370.1 Innings Pitched - 278 Strikeouts - 6.76 K/9 - 22 Wins in 59 Starts - 3.72 ERA - 1.22 WHIP

Starter Stats Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

First, I'd like to apologize for Friday's lack of a column.  Didn't get it done before work, and couldn't gut it out after work.  I'd understand if you weren't confidant in the prediction, even though it worked out.  But first lets talk about Thursday's spot starter, Narveson, who delivered a gem.  7.1 innings of no run ball with a 0.68 WHIP is great for a free agent pickup.   The four strikeouts weren't anything to write home about, but nothing to complain about either, and he just didn't luck into the win.  The same thing happened with Friday's starter, Vogelsong, who went six innings but let up a single earned run leading to him not earning a decision.  The early spot starts in the week by Joel Pineiro and Brandon McCarthy weren't great, but they were good enough for Vogelsong and Narveson to bring the ERA and WHIP to great numbers.  You'd like more strikeouts, but there's always the new day.  As always, the recommended starters are available in more than fifty percent of ESPN leagues.  Saturday means the weekend, and the weekend means a pair of spot starters....

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 Sunday 5/15/11

Saturday's Recommended Starter One's Stats - Chris Narveson - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 5 Strikeouts - Win - 1.50 ERA - 1.33 WHIP

Saturday's Recommended Starter Two's Stats - Tyson Ross - 7.1 Innings Pitched - 8 Strikeout - Win - 2.46 ERA - 0.95 WHIP

Week 5 Starters' Stats - 48.1 Innings Pitched - 33 Strikeouts - 6.15 K/9 - 4 Wins in 8 Starts - 4.47 ERA - 1.43 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 336.2 Innings Pitched - 260 Strikeouts - 6.95 K/9 - 21 Wins in 54 Starts - 3.82 ERA - 1.22 WHIP

Starters' Stats Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

The two best start since Travis Wood on Monday, here on Saturday night.  Took a pair of solid spot pitcher choices here, and both paid off with great pitching perfomances and were lucky enough to pick up a win.  Narveson just gave up just one run that the Pirates sacrificed two batters to get across the plate, and Ross rolled with eight strikeouts and just let up a two run home run to the red hot Paul Konerko.   If you went with Alex White in your deep league, he caught a rain delay, and I can't be held responsible for the weather.  Going for another pair of strong starters on Sunday for all those chasing in head to head leagues...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Saturday 5/14/11

Friday's Recommended Starter One's Stats - Fausto Carmona - 7.2 Innings Pitched - 2 Strikeouts - No Decision - 4.69 ERA - 1.04 WHIP
Friday's Recommended Starter Two's Stats - Philip Humber 6.0 Innings Pitched - 1 Strikeout - Win - 4.50 ERA - 1.00 WHIP
Week 5 Starters' Stats - 35 Innings Pitched - 20 Strikeouts - 5.14 K/9 - 2 Wins in 6 Starts - 5.40 ERA - 1.54 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 323.1 Innings Pitched - 247 Strikeouts - 6.88 K/9 - 19 Wins in 52 Starts - 3.90 ERA - 1.22 WHIP
Starters' Stats Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

First a quick note for those looking... The regular pickup column is just going to run Monday to Friday.  The Spot Starter column would be on the same schedule, but they are actually most important for those players chasing stats on the weekends.  Also, Blogger going down messed up the 5/12/11 entries' posting and their tagging so I've deleted them.  The spot starter information is available on the spreadsheet and the pickup column said to drop Jorge Posada and had Chris Iannetta as a pickup

It was a decent double start day today. Carmona didn't help your ERA, but you can see by his WHIP that he didn't pitch poorly. He just gave up a pair of bad home runs. Humber delivered six innings of no run ball, but then was left in to start the seventh inning and taking credit for three earned runs and taking four extra hits to spoil a .33 WHIP. For those in the deep leagues, Gee gave you the strikeouts and should have had one earned over five innings, but they also got greedy and left him in to start the sixth inning. A pair of better starters coming up here for Saturday to help those chasing in head to head leagues...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Monday 4/25/11

Saturday Recommendation One's Stats -  Brandon Beachy  - 6.0 Innings Pitched - 7 Strikeouts - No Decision - 3.00 ERA - 0.50 WHIP

Saturday Recommendations Two's Stats -  Carlos Carrasco  - 3.0 Innings Pitched - 1 Strikeout - No Decision - 6.00 ERA - 2.67 WHIP

Week Three's Recommended Starters' Final Stats - 52.1 Innings Pitched - 43 Strikeouts - 7.40 K/9 - 2 Wins in 9 Starts - 2.92 ERA - 1.09 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 176.2 Innings Pitched - 140 Strikeouts - 7.13 K/9 - 12 Wins in 29 Starts - 3.41 ERA - 1.16 WHIP

Starter Stats Spreadsheet Online Here

Carrasco was taken out of the game after three innings with elbow tightness.  It adds to my totals, but I take no responsibility for any of his three inning mess.  No injury guarantees here folks.  On the other hand, Beachy gave another six solid innings of three hit no walk ball, showing off his excellent control.  The run support didn't come in time to get him a win, but you'll never be too mad at your starter for six innings of two run ball.  The numbers overall on the week were very solid.  Sub-3.00 ERA and Sub-1.10 WHIP will win you most of your match-ups.  The two wins in nine starts was a bit fluky, but that's the nature of wins even when you are trying to chase them.  Monday's spot starter recommendation.....

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 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....