CORY’S PICKS

W. Davis @ Minor

Norris @ Colon – Norris pitching well but not a good road start (yet)

Miley @ Sabathia

Aceves @ Masterson – gotta roll with Masterson while he’s hot

S. Miller @ Burnett

Moore @ Tillman

Quintana @ Happ

Lannan @ Leake

Detwiler @ Nolasco – taking a shot on Nolasco while he’s hot

Grimm @ Villanueva

Hanson @ Worley – taking a shot on Hanson in the favorable matchup

Vogelsong @ Lohse

TBD (NYM) @ Garland

Scherzer @ King Felix – FWIW, The King’s velocity continues to drop…

Ross @ Kershaw

CORY’S PICKS

McCarthy @ Nova – bench but don’t cut McCarthy… stuff is there, results will come

Doubront @ Jimenez

R. Hernandez @ Arrieta

Axelrod @ Johnson

Vargas @ Pelfrey

Peacock @ Griffin

Fister @ Harang

Westbrook @ J. Sanchez – Westbrook not “this good”, but on a roll, and great matchup

Kendrick @ Bailey – reverse the home/away and I’d start both

Haren @ Sanabia – if you can’t start Haren vs. the Marlins you shouldn’t have him on your roster

Zito @ W. Peralta – Zito has earned it, no?

Gee @ Nicasio  (Gm 1 of doubleheader)

Laffey @ Francis  (Gm 2 of doubleheader)

Marquis @ Capuano

Guthrie @ Medlen – Guthrie pitching well with Royals, but awful matchup

Holland @ Wood

***ZACH SAYS “I’d take a chance on Capuano for the K potential and favorable matchup. Agree on rest.”

CORY’S PICKS

                                                                                                                                         SATURDAY

Harvey @ Diamond – Harvey has all the marks of a top-10 starter, right now!

Price @ Lester – impressive turnaround for Lester in the early going

Sale @ McAllister

Hammel @ Kuroda

Verlander @ Anderson

Dickey @ Shields – only two starts, hang with ‘em

Harrell @ Richards

Ogando @ Saunders

Bumgarner @ Samardzija

Hudson @ Strasburg

Gallardo @ Wainwright – Gallardo a slow starter who struggles vs. STL so OK to bench if you have a better option

Cueto @ Locke

Hamels @ Fernandez – let’s see what Fernandez does against a better offense…

Ryu @ Kennedy – let’s see what Ryu does against a better offense…

Chacin @ Volquez – Padres may be missing their three best hitters (Headley, Grandal, Quentin)

SUNDAY

Gee @ Correia – bench Gee on the road for now

Peavy @ Myers

Hellickson @ Buchholz

Morrow @ Big Erv

Humber @ Wilson

An. Sanchez @ Parker – Parker’s stuff was fine last time out, but command has been awful… monitor this closely…

Tepesch @ Maurer

W. Chen @ Pettitte

Halladay @ Slowey

Maholm @ G. Gonzalez – play it safe with Maholm on the road vs. a top offense

Latos @ Wandy – Wandy might not start due to a sore hammy

Estrada @ J. Garcia

Lincecum @ Jackson – your call on Lincecum

De La Rosa @ Richard – always start Richard at home

Beckett @ Cahill

MONDAY

R. Hernandez @ Dempster – your call on Dempster; I’ll pass

Floyd @ Buehrle

Blanton @ Pelfrey

Bedard @ Milone

Lee @ Arroyo – your call on Arroyo; I’ll pass

Lynn @ McDonald

Zimmermann @ LeBlanc

Hefner @ Nicasio

Stults @ Billingsley

Hey everyone,

Here’s the second installment of my two-start pitcher notes. Keep in mind that I’ve chosen only the pitchers who I consider to be tough calls. And be sure to listen to today’s podcast, as Cory and Joe will share their thoughts on many of these guys.

-Zach

                                                                                                                                                     James McDonald  (vs. STL, vs. ATL)

We’ve seen one outstanding performance and one mediocre outing from McDonald so far, and while I do like him as a bounce back candidate this year after a brutal second half last season, this is not the week to take a gamble. Both the Cardinals and Braves boast top-notch lineups, and although McDonald will be at home, where he pitched to a 2.73 ERA last year, this is just too dangerous until we see more consistency from him. Ditch.

Homer Bailey  (vs. PHI, vs. MIA)

Despite enjoying a breakthrough 2012 campaign, Bailey continued to struggle at Great American Ballpark (4-8, 5.16 ERA). The vs. MIA matchup is tempting but the vs. PHI one has disaster written all over it, especially considering that he’s coming off a 5 IP, 7 ER performance vs. the Cards…and that was on the road! Ditch.

Kyle Kendrick  (@CIN, vs. STL)

Cory’s a Kendrick believer and even he says to ditch him for next week. I’m not as high on him in general, so you know where I stand. These are both brutal matchups. No thanks.

Brandon McCarthy  (@NYY, @COL)

Another Cory favorite, B-Mac has gotten off to a shaky start this season. He’s simply giving up way too many hits and doesn’t possess the strikeout ability to escape jams, although he does sort of make up for this by inducing a ton of ground balls. The bottom line is that you can’t feel comfortable trotting him out there next week, particularly in mixed leagues. But definitely monitor him over the next month or so, as he could emerge as a viable option once his schedule lightens up a bit.

Gavin Floyd  (@TOR, vs. MIN)

Over the past few years, I’ve had a hard time figuring this guy out. Matchups just don’t seem to matter to him. He could just as easily get lit up by a light-hitting offense as he could dominate a strong lineup. I view Floyd as someone who you should just start regardless of the matchup or avoid entirely on draft day. He’s so frustrating to own. That said, I like the vs. MIN matchup so much that I’d be willing to gamble on the possibility of at least a QS @TOR. Pitch, but don’t be surprised if he throws a shutout at Toronto and then gets roughed up by the Twins!

Chad Billingsley  (vs. SD, @BAL)

A quality season debut has me back on the Billingsley bandwagon. Gotta love the vs. SD matchup and while the Orioles can hit, I see Billingsley’s upside as being the highest of any other pitcher on this list. If you own him, start him.

Mark Buehrle  (vs. CWS, vs. NYY)

While I appreciate Buehrle’s consistency and believe him to be a vastly underrated pitcher, he’s now thrown two stinkers to kick off the season and this pair of matchups is far from favorable, especially at the homer-friendly Rogers Centre. I haven’t given up on Buehrle, but like McCarthy, let’s be patient.

Wily Peralta  (vs. SF, vs. CHC)

Two intriguing matchups here and I do like how Peralta rebounded his second time out after a shaky season debut. In deeper mixed leagues, I’d take a shot on the former top prospect. You know he’ll give you some strikeouts and I doubt that either of these outings will be of the disaster variety.

CORY’S PICKS

M.Gonzalez @ Sabathia

Quintana @ Masterson – Masterson has pitched well his first two times, roll with it… Quintana is a strikeout-upside pick

Cobb @ Doubront

Happ @ Mendoza

Scherzer @ Colon

Norris @ Hanson – take a shot on Hanson at home vs. weak (recent games notwithstanding) Astros offense

Darvish @ Iwakuma

Cain @ Villanueva

Teheran @ Detwiler – one bad start has me not trusting Teheran all over again

Leake @ Burnett – Leake is much better on the road and Pirates scuffling offensively

Lannan @ Nolasco

Lohse @ S.Miller

Kershaw @ Corbin

Garland @ Ross

Niese @ Worley

CORY’S PICKS

CORY’S PICKS

Buehrle @ Porcello

Moore @ Holland

Nova @ Myers

Arrieta @ Dempster – I could take or leave either of ‘em

Hendriks @ W. Davis – gamble on Davis vs. weak Twins lineup

Milone @ Blanton – Milone was terrible on the road last year

Peacock @ Beavan – gamble on Beavan a) at home and b) vs. weak Astros

Bailey @ Westbrook

J. Sanchez @ Miley

Francis @ Zito

Hefner @ Kendrick – trying Kendrick again at home

Minor @ Sanabia

Lohse @ Feldman

Billingsley @ Stults

Floyd @ Zimmermann

CORY’S PICKS

Morrow @ An. Sanchez

Pettitte @ Carrasco – Carrasco one to watch but not to use just yet

R. Hernandez @ Tepesch

Pelfrey @ Guthrie – Guthrie keeps getting it done since coming to KC

Parker @ Wilson

Bedard @ Maurer – wait and see on Bedard… Seattle not the automatic “pitch” of last year

Beckett @ Richard – always use Richard at home

Gee @ Lee – Gee a nice sleeper this year but poor home/away splits

Medlen @ LeBlanc

W. Peralta @ Wood

Arroyo @ Lynn

McDonald @ McCarthy – McDonald was lights out in his season debut

Nicasio @ Lincecum

Peavy @ G. Gonzalez

CORY’S PICKS

SATURDAY

Lackey @ Happ

King Felix @ Axelrod

Hanson @ Harrison – keep an eye on Hanson, but ditch for now

Phelps @ Scherzer

Worley @ Tillman – risk/reward on both

Bauer @ Cobb – not going for Bauer yet in vanilla leagues

Colon @ Bedard – Colon was awesome last year, take a shot

Nolasco @ Niese

Detwiler @ Leake – Detwiler worth watching but tough matchup/ballpark

S.Miller @ Vogelsong

Corbin @ Fiers

Villanueva @ Teheran – Villanueva worth watching, but bad matchup

Ross @ Garland – play the over

Burnett @ Kershaw

Mendoza @ Lannan

                                                                                                                                               SUNDAY

Lester @ Dickey

Sabathia @ Verlander

De Vries @ Hammel

Masterson @ Price

Anderson @ Norris

Iwakuma @ Sale

Weaver @ Darvish

J. Fernandez @ Laffey – Fernandez is an elite prospect and not a bad debut matchup

Strasburg @ Cueto

Samardzija @ Hudson

Kennedy @ Gallardo

Wainwright @ Cain

Locke @ Ryu – Ryu showed some promise in his debut, give him a shot

Volquez @ Chacin

Shields @ Hamels

                                                                                                                                             MONDAY

W.Chen @ Buchholz – risk/reward on both, I’m not a fan

Kuroda @ Jimenez

Correia @ Big Erv

Hellickson @ Ogando

Harrell @ Saunders – Harrell not as enticing on the road

Estrada @ Jackson

Latos @ J. Garcia – Garcia has tremendous home splits in his career

Harvey @ Halladay

Maholm @ Slowey –

Wandy @ Cahill

De La Rosa @ Bumgarner

Zach here,

Time for my inaugural two-start pitcher post for 2013. Every Friday, I’ll run through some of the more interesting two-start pitcher options for the following week and come to a decision as to whether I’d pitch ‘em or ditch ‘em. Keep in mind that I’ll only be covering the tougher calls. You don’t need me to tell you that you should start Mat Latos or Madison Bumgarner!

OK, let’s get started.

                                                                                                                                                 Wei-Yin Chen  (@BOS, @NYY)

The way the Yankees are hitting right now, the @NYY matchup actually seems like a favorable one, and while going into Fenway is always scary, note that Chen went 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts vs. the Red Sox last year and was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his two Fenway Park outings. Chen pitched well enough in his 2013 debut for me to trust him next week. Pitch.

Paul Maholm  (@MIA, @WAS)

Fresh off a strong performance versus a solid Phillies’ lineup, Maholm has one ultra-favorable matchup and one risky matchup next week. The fact that he wasn’t nearly as effective away from Turner Field last year makes this a somewhat tough decision. But much like Milone, at this point in the season I’ll roll the dice and say pitch.

Ubaldo Jimenez  (vs. NYY, vs. CHW)

Kudos to Ubaldo for handling the Blue Jays on the road, but it’s going to take more than just one start to convince me that he’s back to his old form. He’s the kind of guy who can blow up at any moment, and it’s not like this pair of matchups is ideal. Jimenez is someone to keep a close eye on, but I’m still skeptical. Ditch.

Ervin Santana  (vs. MIN, vs. TOR)

Big Erv’s 2013 debut was a mediocre one as he struck out eight but also served up three homers. The vs. MIN matchup is intriguing, and I might take a chance on him there in a daily league, but the vs. TOR start could be a disaster. In a weekly format, I’ll take the conservative route and ditch.

Clayton Richard  (vs. LAD, vs. COL)

I actually started Richard in Tout Wars for his road matchup against the Mets, thinking that the Amazins’ lineup was weak enough to warrant pitching Clayton, even though he was on the road. Apparently not. He’s back to being a strict home play, but the good news is that he’ll be at Petco for both of next week’s starts. The bad news is that both the Dodgers and Rockies have dangerous lineups. I’ll lean towards giving Richard another chance since he’s at home, but if you’re scared off by his awful showing against the Mets, I totally understand. He’s a real toss-up.

Lucas Harrell  (@SEA, @LAA)

The fact that Harrell pitched well versus a high-powered Rangers’ lineup is encouraging, and I did like him as an under the radar pick going into the season. But his ERA on the road last year was nearly two and a half runs higher than his ERA at home. The Angels’ lineup is no slouch and I expect the Mariners’ offense to be much improved from last year. I’d be wary of Harrell next week. But if you want to take a chance on him, that’s fine. Another toss-up but this time I’ll lean in the ditch direction.

Jorge De La Rosa  (@SF, @SD)

De La Rosa has been a 411 favorite for awhile now and you’ve got to like this set of matchups. That said, he got roughed up by the Brewers on Tuesday and it might take him some time to get back in the groove since he’s coming back from a major injury. I’d take a wait and see approach with him until he strings together a few strong performances. But he should get a lot better as the season rolls along.

Brett Myers  (vs. NYY, vs. CHW)

He got bombed in his season debut at Toronto, so it’s simply too hard to trust him right now unless it’s an especially favorable matchup. These aren’t favorable matchups. Ditch. However, Myers could work his way up to being an intriguing PoD/two-start pitcher option at some point in the near future.