Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Saturday 5/28/11

Friday Starter's Stats - Scott Baker - 7.0 Innings Pitched - 6 Strikeouts - No Decision - 0.00 ERA - 0.83 WHIP
Week Eight Starters' Stats - 31.2 Innings Pitched - 19 Strikeouts - 5.40 K/9 - 1 Win in 5 Starts - 1.71 ERA - 1.11 WHIP
Cumulative Starters' Stats - 4.27.2 Innings Pitched - 310 Strikeouts - 6.52 K/9 - 26 Wins in 67 Starts - 3.47 ERA - 1.19 WHIP
Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

On a great roll right now with four straight great starts, including three of four scoreless.  Baker was one of those scoreless starts today, striking out six over seven without letting up a run.  He would have picked up the win too, as he exited with a five run lead after seven, but three relievers each let up two runs a pop over the eighth and ninth innings and the Twins ended up losing the game.  Wins are crazy. If you went with my alternate recommendation, Rick Porcello, you ended up getting beat up by the super hot Boston offense.  Tyler Chatwood didn't take advantage of his matchup with the Twins either, for those in deep leagues.  Hopefully, you got Baker in and added the seven scoreless to your numbers.

Saturday means it's the weekend, and that means two starters for those of you trying to catch up in your head to head matchups.  Hopefully can keep up the sparkling ERA and WHIP.  Saturday's guys coming up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Friday 5/27/11

Thursday Starter's Stats - Ryan Vogelsong - 8.0 Innings Pitched - 3 Strikeouts - Loss - 1.13 ERA - 1.13 WHIP

Week Eight Starter Stats - 24.2 Innings Pitched - 13 Strikeouts - 4.74 K/9 - 1 Win in 3 Starts - 2.19 ERA - 1.18 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 420.2 Innings Pitched - 304 Strikeouts - 6.50 K/9 - 26 Wins in 66 Starts - 3.53 ERA - 1.20 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Vogelsong makes three straight days of very good starts.  Kyle McClellan and Erik Bedard each went six innings with no earned runs over the last two days, and Vogelsong went eight innings here on Thursday and let up just one earned run.  The strikeout numbers haven't been there this week, but the ERA and WHIP have been great, and sometimes you have to be careful with the spot starters to avoid getting beat up chasing strikeouts.  The deep league players WHIP didn't get hurt too bad by Dickey's 2.2 scoreless innings before he left the game with a heel injury covering first base, but it wasn't a great use of a start for those in start limit leagues.

Friday's recommendations coming up right here...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Friday 5/6/11

Thursday's Recommended Starter's Stats - John Lackey - 4.0 Innings Pitched - 1 Strikeout - Loss - 1.50 ERA - 0.67 WHIP

Week Five Starters' Stats - 23 Innings Pitched - 16 Strikeouts - 6.26 K/9 - 1 Win in 4 Starts - 7.04 ERA - 1.39 WHIP

Cumulative Starters' Stats - 256 Innings Pitched - 204 Strikeouts - 7.17 K/9 - 16 Wins in 42 Starts - 3.87 ERA - 1.18 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Viewable Online Here

Just takes one awful start to ruin all your stats, and that's what Lackey gave us right here.  I could mention that four of the runs came with two outs in the third inning, but that would excuse the prior four runs.  All I can do here is promise to go with my gut and not my brain and to never ever start John Lackey again.  Hopefully can make up for it here on Friday.  I'm going to offer up two starter recommendations today for those of you chasing after Lackey yesterday.  Normally only offer two on Fridays and Saturdays, but playing catchup early here...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Friday 4/29/11

Thursday's Recommendations' Stats - Kyle McClellan - 5.2 Innings Pitched - 2 Strikeouts - Win - 7.94 ERA - 1.77 WHIP

Week Four Cumulative Stats - 25 Innings Pitched - 13 Strikeouts - 4.68 K/9 - 2 Win in 4 Starts - 5.76 ERA - 1.48 WHIP

Cumulative Total Stats - 201.2 Innings Pitched - 153 Strikeouts - 6.83 K/9 - 14 Wins in 33 Starts - 3.70 ERA - 1.20 WHIP

Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

It was a weak starting pitcher day Thursday and McClellan was just one example of that.  My second recommendation, Baker, ended up being pushed back to Friday, and the only good starts that came from anyone were Jeff Niemann and Carlos Carrasco.  McClellan didn't do much else, but he did squeak out a win because of the amazing Cardinal offense.  It's been a rough week, but as we get into the weekend we have a few solid spot choices coming up Saturday and Sunday, and we'll make up this bad week yet.  Fridays starter 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 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 Starter Pickup For Saturday 4/16/11

Friday's Recomended Starter's Stats - Chris Narveson - 5.2 Innings Pitches - 5 Strikeouts - No Decision - 4.76 ERA - 1.59 WHIP
Week 2 Starter Stats - 30.2 Innings Pitched - 26 Strikeouts - 2 Wins in 5 Starts - 4.70 ERA - 1.37 WHIP - 7.63 K/9
Cumulative Starter Stats - 105 Innings Pitched - 91 Strikeouts - 9 Wins in 17 Starts - 3.43 ERA - 1.20 WHIP - 7.8 K/9
Starter Spreadsheet Online Here

Narveson didn't perform as well as expected against the Nationals.  He gave the strikeouts that were expected of him, but giving up three runs over 5.2 innings is too many when you are going up against the Washington lineup.  And it was all on Narveson too.  He loaded up the bases and then proceeded to issue two free passes, walking a pair of runs home.  The control was there in his previous start when he walked just one, but this time he walked four including three in the second.  The ERA is a little high, but we've still pitched few enough innings this week that we can bring it down over the weekend.  Spot starters for Saturday coming up...

Fantasy Baseball Spot Starter Pickups For Sunday 4/10/11

Friday Starter Stats - R.A. Dickey - 5.0 Innings Pitched - 3 Strikeouts - Loss -  5.40 ERA - 2.20 WHIP
Saturday Starter - Justin Masterson - 6.1 Innings Pitched - 9 Strikeouts - Win - 1.42 ERA - 0.79 WHIP

Cumulative Starter Stats - 60.1 IP - 55 Strikeouts - 8.20 K/9 - 5 Wins In 10 Starts - 3.43 ERA - 1.23 WHIP
Starter Stats Spreadsheet here

I had a feeling that Dickey would be solid again at home, but he split a nail during the first inning and had problems gripping his knuckleball all day.  He toughed it out and gave the overworked Mets the five innings keeping the team in the game,  but it didn't amount to great fantasy stats.  Injuries are out of my control folks. Luckily Masterson cruised to a Saturday night victory.  One earned run that sorta came on an error and 9 strikeouts I'll take every day of the week. My Sunday recommendations (yes plural) are right after the jump break...

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...