Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you
pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and
their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The
concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive
starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent
wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of
“PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens
last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411

Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

Carmona @
Hughes – risky start for
Carmona, I don’t mind if anyone ditches here

Sheets
@
Willis – reasonable gamble on Dontrelle in deep and non-mixed
leagues

Millwood @
Marcum

F.Garcia @
Price

Davies @ Wakefield -
Wakefield worth using in deeper and non-mixed leagues

Lewis
@
Slowey – cover up the W-L and Slowey has just been “ehh”

Lee @
Kazmir – Kazmir pitched
well last time out and the M’s are sooooft

Carpenter @
Wells – Wells’ improved K
and ground ball rates say he’s legit

Wandy @ TBD – still
not trusting Wandy, although Reds could get him well

Kendrick @
Volstad

Duke @
Medlen – Medlen shouldn’t get spoiled, it gets harder from
here!

Johan @
Gallardo

Monasterios @
Francis – willing to risk Francis at home based on his first 2
starts

Lannan @
Richard

Jackson @
Cain
- great matchup for Mr. PoD, E-Jax

***Siano says:

I’m
ditching Carmona. Yankees should be getting Granderson back and start hitting
again.

Ditch
on Millwood against big bats of Tor.

I get it, Sheets is red hot, but if I won’t pick him up why should I
tell you to?

Sorry,
ignore me all you want but I’m not pitching Kazmir.

Agree
on rest.

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you
pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and
their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The
concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive
starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent
wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of
“PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens
last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411

Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you
pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and
their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The
concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive
starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent
wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of
“PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens
last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411

Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

Peavy @
Talbot

Braden @
Guthrie – Guthrie’s been solid this year and the A’s can’t
hit

Lester @ Shields

Burnett @
Baker – not losing faith in Baker but he’s struggled against top
offenses

Harden @ Meche – if you’re gonna start Harden again, this
would be the time

Romero @ Big
Erv – Erv either throws a 2-hitter or gives up 7
homers

Verlander @
Fister

Kawakami @ A.Sanchez

Moyer @ Dickey

Maholm @ Leake

Kershaw @ Dempster

Paulino @ Wolf

Kennedy @
Chacin – Kennedy is hot enough to use in Coors

Wainwright @
Garland

L.Hernandez @ Wellemeyer

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you
pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and
their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The
concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive
starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent
wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of
“PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens
last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411

Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

Hudson @
Ohlendorf

Arroyo @ Westbrook – don’t
trust Arroyo much, but a great matchup vs. the depleted Indians
lineup

Lilly @
Lewis

Nolasco @ Buehrle

Hammel @ Bannister – Hammel
was sharp in his last outing and he gets the erratic
Royals

Bush @
Blackburn

Zito @
Cahill

LeBlanc @
Lee
- like a home game for LeBlanc!

D. Hernandez @
Olsen - Olsen should handle the Orioles

Lackey @
Hamels

Vazquez @ Takahashi -
let’s see if Vazquez can build on his last outing before we put him back in
there

Garza @ Myers – Myers has
been very solid this year but he has some brutal matchups coming
up

Pineiro @
Penny

Morrow @ Haren
- Morrow could throw a no-hitter or get knocked out in the 3^rd. Do
you feel lucky?

Willis @
Billingsley

 

***Siano says:

-I’d pass on Lilly going into Texas and Lackey going into Philly. I say bench
don’t cut unless it’s a 10 teamer, then you can cut Lilly.

 -Blackburn
is an interesting ditch. He’s been hot but it seems like a stretch to pitch him
here.

          

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you
pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and
their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The
concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive
starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent
wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of
“PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens
last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411
Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

W.Davis @ Burnett - I still like Wade but this is
dangerous territory

Meche @
Masterson

Baker @
Buchholz -
not giving up on Baker

Guthrie @ Harden - great matchup for
Harden but can't trust him

Saunders @ Danks

Verlander @
Braden -
how can you NOT start Braden?

Cecil @ Fister - I think Cecil bounces
back, M's stink

Dickey @
L.Hernandez

Gorzelanny @ Moyer - Gorzo cooling
off... Phils not so much

Wolf @
Burres - Liked Wolf vs. the Reds and REALLY like him vs. the
Pirates

Harang @ Kawakami - Harang heating
up, so are the Braves... pass

G. Smith @
Paulino

A.Sanchez @
J.Garcia -
Anibal improving each time out

Wellemeyer @ Kennedy

Garland @ Ortiz

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of “PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411 Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

Beckett @
Sabathia – Beckett returns
after missing a start
Pavano @
Marcum - two great examples of why PoD
works
Danks @
Verlander - Danks having the breakout year I thought Floyd
would have
Huff @ Price
Greinke @ Millwood - M’s handled
Millwood, doubt Royals will too
Weaver @ Wilson - keep riding
the CJ Express!
King Felix @
Sheets - Sheets on a tear right now, should stay hot vs.
M’s
Wolf @ Bailey – don’t trust Bailey to do it
again vs. a strong offense
TBD @ Johnson
Duke @ Halladay
Johan @ Medlen - Medlen
is solid and should be stretched out now
Chacin @ Silva
Lannan @ Carpenter
J.Sanchez
@ Latos

Norris @ Kuroda – don’t trust Norris
to do it again vs. a strong offense, even without Ethier

***Siano says:

-I
don’t know what to think of Beckett. I know you can’t cut him but I am going to
say ditch/bench.

 -Ditch
on Medlen. He only has one start and I’m not sure he can go long enough for the win. Mets have to wake up again, right?

-Ditch
on Millwood too.

 -Very
risky but pitch on Chacin. He’s been sick on the road.

Agree
on rest.

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of “PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411 Valuable Resources**

***Below you’ll find the picks for this weekend. Cory did Saturday and the Sunday-Monday picks are mine.

-Zach

SATURDAY

Liriano @
Pettitte

Feldman @ Romero -
Romero may be fading but I’ll ride out one more.

J. Vargas @
Shields

Talbot @ Matusz -
good matchup for Matusz to get on a roll again.

Lester @
Willis

Peavy @
Hochevar

Duchscherer @ Big
Erv – Big Erv the prototype PoD guy now, start at home vs. weak
A’s.

Maholm @
Dempster

Hamels @
Narveson

Oswalt @ Lincecum -
awesome.

R. Lopez @
Hanson

Wainwright @
Leake

Maine @ Robertson
- Maine getting locked in now?

Atilano @ G. Smith

Kershaw @
Correia

SUNDAY

Lackey @ TBD  

Blackburn @
Mitre

Lewis @
Morrow

Westbrook @ D.
Hernandez

Lee @
Garza – nice

Floyd @
Bannister – Floyd’s last stand…can he really get shelled by KC twice in two weeks?

Cahill @
Pineiro – Pineiro solid in last two starts, and it’s the A’s.

Penny @
Arroyo – Wheels will fall off for Penny at some point but can’t ignore the results.

Niese @
Nolasco – Niese beginning to fall apart.

Haren @ Hudson

Ohlendorf @
Lilly

Olsen @
Cook

Billingsley @
LeBlanc – LeBlanc on a roll and at home…why not?

Myers @
Zito

Hamels @ D. Davis

 
MONDAY

 
Dice-K @
Hughes  – Dice-K back on track? Not vs. Yanks.

Davies @
Bergesen

F. Garcia @
Porcello

Slowey @
Eveland – Slowey shaky lately but still gotta trot him out there.

Carmona @
Niemann

Kazmir @ Holland – Kazmir erratic this year and in Texas…let’s sit this one out.

Rowland-Smith @ G.
Gonzalez – losing faith in Rowland-Smith but good matchup.

Morton @
Kendrick

Pelfrey @
Lowe – Lowe too unpredictable.

Bush @
Cueto

Jackson @
Volstad – Volstad effective lately but tough matchup.

Hammel @
Wells – Wells bounced back nicely last time out.

Stammen @
Lohse

Cain @
Richard – Rematch!

Wandy @
Ely – Wandy a wreck right now.

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of “PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411 Valuable Resources**

SIANO’S PICKS

King
Felix @ Millwood  *Felix struggles here what do we
do?

Sabathia @
Verlander  *Purty

Sheets @
Wilson  *CJ like
twitter

Huff @
Greinke

Norris @
Carpenter

Latos @ J.
Sanchez  *Latos pitching well, could end here but
worth a roll.

Johan @
Johnson

Lannan @ J.
Chacin  *Anyone notice this guy has pitched 15.1
scoreless with 16 Ks?

***Cory says pitch Millwood. Agrees on rest.

Pitch
or Ditch is a strategy for (ideally) daily mixed leagues in which you pick up
starters on a day-to-day basis based on how well they are pitching and their
upcoming matchups, then cut them in favor of new guys the next guy. The concept
is that the shallower the league, the more quality starting pitching is
available on the free agent wire, so rather than drafting expensive starters,
it’s better to build a strong offense and bullpen and let the free agent wire
populate your starting staff during the season. As a bonus, a handful of “PoD”
guys emerge each year as worth keeping all year long, like Jair Jurrjens last
year or Cliff Lee in ’08.
________________________________________________________________________________

**411 Valuable Resources**

CORY’S PICKS

Vazquez @
Porcello – Can you trust
either right now? Not me.

Lee @ D.
Hernandez

Eveland @ Dice-K – Don’t trust either of these guys right now either

Cahill @
Lewis

F.Garcia @
Slowey

Westbrook @
Bannister

Niemann @ Kazmir – Rays
don’t hit lefties but Kazmir is struggling too much right
now

Cueto @ Morton
- Morton getting into a groove and Reds don’t hit on the
road

Olsen @
Niese

Nolasco @ Wells -
Wells has been hit hard lately but I’ll give him one more
chance

Hudson @
Bush

Myers @ Penny
 - Myers has been solid lately but this is a tough
matchup

Halladay @
Cook

TBD @
Haren

LeBlanc @ Zito
- Soft-tossing NL West lefty doppelgangers!

 

Apologies for missing Sunday’s Pitch or Ditch. Here’s Monday:

SIANO’S PICKS

Mitre
@ Willis *Javy moved to Tuesday

Morrow
@ Lackey *Morrow has been good but he was
mediocre in Clv last start so this is too risky.

Garza @
Pineiro *Pineiro feast or famine lately, Rays may be
angry.

Arroyo
@ Ohlendorf

Atilano
@ Maine *Maine looking for third straight strong
shot.

Robertson
@ Lilly

Hanson @
D. Davis

Kendrick
@ G. Smith *Oh my God. Watch this be 1-0, nah
16-14.

Billingsley @ Lopez

***Cory says “I agree with Mike’s picks
except Lilly, who should start against erratic Marlins, and Billingsley,
who needs to be on the bench against the powerhouse D-Backs.”