The NBA season is over, thank god. The Heat won it all, so it played out exactly how we all thought it would when the season started last October. Sure, the Finals was an entertaining series, and I tuned in, but I’m truly glad I don’t have any more hoops distracting my attention from baseball. Most of you can now devote yourselves completely to your fantasy teams. Those of us in Chicago or Boston, however, still have two, possibly three, hockey games standing between us and full-time baseball season. I won’t complain about that though, because I’m a full-on bandwagon Blackhawks fan at the moment, and I look forward to drunkenly screaming “Kaaaaner!” at my television for a few more games. Anyway, two-starters…
As always, probable pitchers are subject to change. For a look at all fantasy baseball streamers, click that link.
MUST START
Hiroki Kuroda (TEX, @BAL); Cliff Lee (@SD, @LAD); Madison Bumgarner (@LAD, @COL); Gio Gonzalez (ARI, @NYM); Chris Sale (NYM, CLE); Yu Darvish (@NYY, CIN)
- Start these dudes.
FIRST TIER
Clay Buchholz (COL, TOR); Ervin Santana (ATL, @MIN); Jeff Locke (@SEA, MIL); Justin Masterson (@BAL, @CWS); Kevin Correia (@MIA, KC); Hyun-Jin Ryu (SF, PHI); Eric Stults (PHI, @MIA)
- It’s a shallow week for two-starters, but there’s still some value to be plucked from waivers if you’re scrounging. Kevin Correia (8% owned in Y! leagues) is the most widely available guy from this group. Correia has strung together three straight quality outings, a stretch during which he’s posted a 19/1 K/BB. He also gets a couple juicy match-ups in week 13. Speaking of guys in the midst of good stretches, Eric Stults (33%) hasn’t allowed more than 2 runs in a game since May 24, proving himself a reliable option. Stults, too, faces a cupcake schedule in the week ahead. In shallow formats, you might be able to get your hands on Jeff Locke (71%) or Ervin Santana (74%), but the rest of this first tier is likely owned. As usual, everyone from this group is a solid option.
SECOND TIER
Rick Porcello (LAA, TB); Chris Tillman (CLE, NYY); Matt Moore (TOR, DET); Esmil Rogers (@TB, @BOS); Trevor Cahill (@WAS, @ATL); Kyle Kendrick (@SD, @LAD); Kyle Lohse (CHC, @PIT); Edwin Jackson (@MIL, @SEA)
- Rick Porcello (29%) was on the brink of making himself a first tier guy, but a rough start last time out — a rough inning, really — kinda derailed that thought. Still, I’m not ready to quit on Porcello’s upward run based on one bad inning. Feel free to use him in week 13. Edwin Jackson (26%) has been pitching better of late. Starts against Milwaukee and Seattle could help continue that trend. Esmil Rogers (3%), Chris Tillman (47%), Kyle Kendrick (48%), Kyle Lohse (48%), and Trevor Cahill (55%) are the last of the usable, waiver-available options.
THIRD TIER
Ubaldo Jimenez (@BAL, @CWS); Mark Buehrle (@TB, @BOS); Chris Capuano (SF, PHI)
- Given the shallow week, it might be necessary for a few of you to dip into this group, looking for upside. Mark Buehrle has been chucking it much better recently, allowing only 3 runs through his last 3 starts. He’d be safely entrenched in tier two if it weren’t for the worrisome match-ups. Chris Capuano was great in his first start back from injury, blanking the Yankees for six frames on Wednesday. Still, he’ll need to string together a few more solid outings before I trust him.
DON’T START
Jeremy Hellickson (TOR, DET); Juan Nicasio (@BOS, SF)
- Pretty self-explanatory.
