Week 4 Fantasy Pitching Planner

We go around baseball's rotations every Sunday of the season in our weekly Pitching Planner. We highlight every matchup, recommended two-start options, sleepers and busts and much more.

Arizona Diamondbacks

1. Dan Haren vs CHC Lilly, at HIL Looper
2. Jon Garland at MIL Parra
3. Doug Davis vs CHC Demspter
4. Max Scherzer at MIL Suppan
5. Yusmeiro Petit vs CHC Zambrano, at MIL Bush

Two-starter(s): Haren and Petit. One must-start and one must-avoid. Petit will get a month-plus more in the rotation, if he can prove capable.
Who is getting skipped: None. They don't have a day off.
One-week sleeper: Scherzer.
One-week bust: Petit. Those matchups are bad and he is high-risk even with favorable matchups.

Atlanta Braves

1. Derek Lowe vs HOU Hampton
2. Jair Jurrjens vs STL Pineiro
3. Javier Vazquez vs STL Wainwright
4. Kenshin Kawakami vs HOU Ortiz
5. Jo-Jo Reyes vs STL Lohse

Two-starter(s): Jurrjens. He is an advisable option in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Lowe, Kawakami and Jurrjens will stay on turn after Thursday's offday.
One-week sleeper: Kawakami. He is coming off a terrible start but he has a favorable matchup.
One-week bust: Reyes. He is pitching off a skipping and draws a tough matchup. He could pitch his way back to Triple-A or the bullpen. Tommy Hanson is 0-3, but that is a real heavy 0-3 due to a 2.18 ERA, .205 BAA and 29 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings. He could take Reyes' spot May 4 vs. the Mets, a team he did well against in spring training.

Baltimore Orioles

1. Jeremy Guthrie vs TEX Harrison
2. Koji Uehara vs LAA Palmer
3. Adam Eaton vs LAA Saunders
4. Mark Hendrickson at TOR Halladay
5. Bradley Bergesen at TOR Purcey

Two-starter(s): Guthrie. His matchups make him a questionable option this week.
Who is getting skipped: None. There is a slight chance Hendrickson or Bergesen are skipped after Thursday's offday, but Hendrickson is already listed as Friday's starter on the Orioles game notes and Bergesen was great in his first start and unlikely to be skipped. If either is, Eaton would pick up a second start. He is a risky option regardless.
One-week sleeper: Uehara. The Angels are struggling and Uehara is available in more than 50 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues.
One-week bust: Guthrie. He has given up five earned in each of his past two starts and that trend could continue through his next two.

Boston Red Sox

1. Josh Beckett at TB Garza
2. Jon Lester at CLE Carmona
3. Tim Wakefield at CLE Lee, at TB Niemann
4. Brad Penny at CLE Reyes, at TB Shields
5. Justin Masterson at TB Sonnanstine

Two-starter(s): Wakefield and Penny. They are advisable options in all leagues after their solid past outings.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wakefield. He is ridiculously underowned as usual and he gets two starts.
One-week bust: None. All Red Sox starters are advisable options in any formats this week.

Chicago Cubs

1. Carlos Zambrano at ARI Petit, vs FLA Nolasco
2. Ryan Dempster at ARI Davis
3. Ted Lilly at ARI Haren, vs FLA Sanchez
4. Rich Harden vs FLA TBD
5. Sean Marshall vs FLA Volstad

Two-starter(s): Lilly and Zambrano. They are advisable options in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Marshall. His one start is against a potentially potent Marlins team, but it comes at home. He should be more in more than 38 percent of leagues.
One-week bust: None. All Cubs starters are advisable options in any formats this week.

Chicago White Sox

1. Mark Buehrle at TEX McCarthy
2. Gavin Floyd vs SEA Bedard
3. John Danks vs SEA Jakubauskas, at TEX Millwood
4. Bartolo Colon vs SEA Hernandez
5. Jose Contreras at TEX Harrison

Two-starter(s): Danks. He is a third-year starting pitcher breakout and a must-start in all leagues now.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Contreras. They are not removing him from the rotation right now, but they could move him off his Saturday start after Thursday's offday. If Contreras is skipped, Colon could pick up a second start.
One-week sleeper: Buehrle. He faces the potent Rangers, but he has won his past three starts.
One-week bust: Colon and Contreras. They are not pitching well and Colon draws a tough opposing ace and Contreras could be skipped.

Cincinnati Reds

1. Aaron Harang vs HOU Rodriguez
2. Edinson Volquez vs HOU Paulino
3. Bronson Arroyo at PIT Duke
4. Johnny Cueto vs HOU Oswalt, at PIT Karstens
5. Micah Owings at PIT Ohlendorf

Two-starter(s): Cueto. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Owings could be skipped off his Saturday start after a Thursday offday, but there is no indication that is being considered at this point. Harang would pick up a second start if Owings was skipped. Harang is a must-start, one-start pitcher regardless.
One-week sleeper: Arroyo. His past start was a bad one, but he draws the Pirates in a winnable matchup.
One-week bust: Owings. He draws the Pirates, but he hasn't gotten deep into a game and could be an option to be skipped.

Cleveland Indians

1. Cliff Lee vs BOS Wakefield, at DET Jackson
2. Fausto Carmona vs Lester
3. Carl Pavano at DET Galarraga
4. Anthony Reyes vs BOS Penny
5. Aaron Laffey at DET Verlander

Two-starter(s): Lee. His past two starts have been good, so consider him a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Pavano. He has struggled and could be skipped Friday after Thursday's offday. Reyes would pick up a second start, which makes him a slightly more intriguing option in deeper leagues.
One-week sleeper: Laffey. He has been outstanding and he draws a struggling former ace that has been prone to give up six runs per start.
One-week bust: Carmona. He has been bad to date and draws a tough Red Sox lineup and one of their aces.

Colorado Rockies

1. Aaron Cook vs SD Correia
2. Ubaldo Jimenez at SF Johnson
3. Jason Marquis at SF Cain
4. Jorge De La Rosa vs SD TBD
5. Jason Hammel vs SD Young, vs SF Zito

Two-starter(s): Maybe Hammel, if not him then De La Rosa. Neither is anything more than a high-risk option.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Hammel. He makes his first start Monday, but he could be moved back off his Sunday start if he pitches poorly.
One-week sleeper: Cook. He draws the Padres and could turn his season around.
One-week bust: Hammel and De La Rosa. One start or two, we cannot see anyone trusting these guys in any matchup right now.

Detroit Tigers

1. Justin Verlander vs NYY Sabathia, vs CLE Laffey
2. Edwin Jackson vs NYY Hughes, vs CLE Lee
3. Armando Galarraga vs CLE Pavano
4. Rick Porcello vs NYY Chamberlain
5. Zach Miner skipped

Two-starter(s): Verlander and Jackson. Verlander's struggles make him a questionable option, while Jackson could be an advisable one in deeper leagues. Those are tough matchups, though.
Who is getting skipped: Miner. The Tigers figure to go with a four-man rotation until the No. 5 spot is needed again May 5 vs. Minnesota.
One-week sleeper: Porcello. He draws the Yankees, but the talented rookie has been pretty consistent through his three starts.
One-week bust: Verlander. He has been brutally bad, so start him as a two-start pitcher at your own risk. If you own him, you're well aware of it. We have no idea when he might start pitching to his potential.

Florida Marlins

1. Ricky Nolasco at NYM Hernandez, at CHC Zambrano
2. Josh Johnson at NYM Santana
3. Chris Volstad at CHC Marshall
4. Anibal Sanchez at NYM Maine, at CHC Lilly
5. Graham Taylor or TB at CHC Harden

Two-starter(s): Sanchez and Nolasco. They are advisable options in most leagues, despite their tough matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None. Taylor might not get another start. The Marlins could make a change at the fifth-starter's spot May 1 at Chicago. They had chosen the lefty to face the lefty-leaning Phillies. The Cubs are just the opposite.
One-week sleeper: Sanchez. He is off to a great start and is only owned in 50 percent of leagues.
One-week bust: Taylor or TBD No. 5 starter. That turn will be facing the Cubs and Harden.

Houston Astros

1. Roy Oswalt at CIN Cueto, at ATL Jurrjens
2. Wandy Rodriguez at CIN Harang
3. Mike Hampton at ATL Lowe
4. Felipe Paulino at CIN Volquez
5. Russ Ortiz at ATL Kawakami?

Two-starter(s): Oswalt. He is a must-start in all leagues, despite his so-so start.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Ortiz. He could be moved off his Saturday start after a Thursday offday. Rodriguez, an advisable one-start pitcher, would be picking up a second start.
One-week sleeper: Hampton. He is off to a healthy start and draws his former team, so there is plenty of motivation to show them what they might be missing.
One-week bust: Ortiz and Paulino. Ortiz could be skipped, while Paulino starts at the Great American Bandbox and against one of their aces.

Kansas City Royals

1. Gil Meche vs TOR Richmond, at MIN Baker
2. Zack Greinke vs TOR Tallet
3. Kyle Davies vs TOR Burres
4. Brian Bannister vs TOR Purcey, at MIN Perkins
5. Sidney Ponson at MIN Slowey

Two-starter(s): Bannister and Meche. Bannister is a sleeper for deeper leagues, while Meche might be a must-start option.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Bannister and Davies. Bannister was great in his return, while Davies draws the Blue Jays' back-end starter at home.
One-week bust: Ponson. We don't care even if he is pitching well. We still could not recommend you trusting him.

Los Angeles Angels

1. Joe Saunders at BAL Eaton, at NYY Hughes
2. Jered Weaver at NYY Pettitte
3. Shane Loux at NYY Burnett
4. Matt Palmer at BAL Uehara
5. Anthony Ortega at NYY Sabathia

Two-starter(s): Saunders. He is a must-start option in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Ortega, if he stays in the rotation, will likely slot fifth in the rotation this week, keeping Weaver on regular rest.
One-week sleeper: Palmer. The career journeyman won his first start and draws the Orioles instead of the Yankees at least.
One-week bust: Loux and Ortega. They draw the potent Yankees and are risky even in favorable matchups.

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Chad Billingsley at SF Sanchez, vs SD TBD
2. Randy Wolf at SF Zito, vs SD Young
3. Clayton Kershaw vs SD Peavy
4. Eric Stults at SF Lincecum
5. James McDonald vs SD Geer

Two-starter(s): Wolf and Billingsley. Wolf is an advisable option, while Billingsley is a must-start in all leagues, regardless of the matchup(s).
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wolf. He gets two favorable starts and has been decent of late.
One-week bust: Stults. He faces one of the aces of baseball in his one start.

Milwaukee Brewers

1. Yovani Gallardo vs PIT Snell
2. Manny Parra vs ARI Garland
3. Jeff Suppan vs ARI Scherzer
4. Braden Looper vs PIT Karstens, vs ARI Haren
5. Dave Bush vs PIT Maholm, vs ARI Petit

Two-starter(s): Looper and Bush. They are sleepers for deeper leagues, especially with those winnable matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Looper and Bush. They get both starts at home and they have been decent of late.
One-week bust: Suppan. He has been better of late, but wouldn't favor him vs. the D-Backs this week.

Minnesota Twins

1. Scott Baker vs TB Niemann, vs KC Meche
2. Francisco Liriano vs TB Shields
3. Glen Perkins vs KC Bannister
4. Kevin Slowey vs KC Ponson
5. Nick Blackburn vs TB Kazmir

Two-starter(s): Baker. He has gotten off to a terrible start this season, so consider him a questionable option.
Who is getting skipped: None. Baker could lose his second start Sunday after Thursday's offday, but Liriano would be the one picking up the second start and he has been just as disappointing out of the gate.
One-week sleeper: Slowey and Perkins. Slowey gets a home start vs. the Royals and Ponson, while Perkins has been a breakout thus far.
One-week bust: Liriano and Baker. They have been struggling and are not must-starts -- heck, perhaps even risky options right now.

New York Mets

1. Johan Santana vs FLA Johnson
2. Mike Pelfrey at PHI Park
3. Oliver Perez at PHI Moyer
4. John Maine vs FLA Sanchez, at PHI Blanton
5. Livan Hernandez vs FLA Nolasco

Two-starter(s): Maine. He draws the Marlins at home and the Phillies on the road. Consider him a questionable option amid his early season struggles.
Who is getting skipped: None. The Mets might have considered skipping the struggling Perez, but he is a lefty they likely want to start against the left-leaning Phillies.
One-week sleeper: Maine. This sleeper should only be trusted in deeper leagues, though. He has been real bad to start the season and those matchups are tough.
One-week bust: Hernandez, Pelfrey and Perez. They have been mostly terrible and they have tough matchups. All of the Mets starters not named Santana are risky starts in all Fantasy formats right now.

New York Yankees

1. CC Sabathia at DET Verlander, vs LAA Ortega
2. A.J. Burnett vs LAA Loux
3. Andy Pettitte vs LAA Weaver
4. Joba Chamberlain at DET Porcello
5. Phil Hughes at DET Jackson, vs LAA Saunders

Two-starter(s): Sabathia and Hughes. They are must-start options in all leagues, especially in those matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Hughes. We think he should be starting in all leagues, so pick him up immediately.
One-week bust: None. All of the Yankees five starters are advisable options in all leagues still.

Oakland Athletics

1. Dallas Braden at TEX Feldman
2. Trevor Cahill at TEX Padilla
3. Dana Eveland at SEA Silva
4. Brett Anderson at TEX Millwood, vs SEA Jakubauskas
5. Josh Outman at SEA Washburn

Two-starter(s): Anderson. His first matchup is a bear, while the second one is favorable. Use him in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: Outman. He will return to the rotation after a skipping April 2, so he still gets a start this week.
One-week sleeper: Anderson. If you're willing to overlook his slow start and his tough matchup in Texas, he could be a sleeper for you.
One-week bust: Cahill and Braden. They start at Texas but, unlike Anderson, don't get the favorable second start to make up for it.

Philadelphia Phillies

1. Cole Hamels vs WAS Lannan
2. Brett Myers vs WAS Olsen
3. Jamie Moyer vs NYM Perez
4. Joe Blanton vs WAS Martis, vs NYM Maine
5. Chan Ho Park vs NYM Pelfrey

Two-starter(s): Blanton and perhaps Hamels. Blanton is a sleeper in deeper leagues, while Hamels could pick up a second start if the Phillies choose to skip No. 5 starter Park against the Mets on Friday.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Park. There is no official word, but Park could be skipped out of the Mets series, which would move Hamels up into it. The Phillies haven't tended to skip their No. 5 starter, but Park hasn't been great.
One-week sleeper: Blanton. We would trust him in deeper leagues, especially since that first start is so favorable.
One-week bust: Park. He might not start and, if he does, it will be against the potent Mets in a pitcher's park.

Pittsburgh Pirates

1. Paul Maholm at MIL Bush
2. Zach Duke vs CIN Arroyo
3. Ian Snell at MIL Gallardo
4. Ross Ohlendorf vs CIN Owings
5. Jeff Karstens at MIL Looper, vs CIN Cueto

Two-starter(s): Karstens. He has been off to a good start, but he is still a questionable option in our eyes regardless of the matchup(s).
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Duke. We trust him more than the other upstart Pirates starters this week. He gets a home start.
One-week bust: Karstens and Ohlendorf. We still cannot find it within ourselves to trust them at this point.

San Diego Padres

1. Jake Peavy at LAD Kershaw
2. Chris R. Young at COL Hammel, at LAD Wolf
3. Kevin Correia at COL Cook
4. Josh Geer at LAD McDonald
5. TBD at COL De La Rosa, at LAD Billingsley

Two-starter(s): Young and TBD. We consider Young an advisable option, while Geer is a riskier option who might not take that turn after going four ineffective innings in relief Saturday of an injured Hill.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: The No. 5 spot on Tuesday, which might not be Geer.
One-week bust: Hill. He is hurt again and too risky to use in any league.

San Francisco Giants

1. Tim Lincecum vs LAD Stults
2. Randy Johnson vs COL Jimenez
3. Matt Cain vs COL Cain
4. Barry Zito vs LAD Wolf, vs COL Hammel
5. Jonathan Sanchez vs LAD Billingsley

Two-starter(s): Zito. He is a risky option, but he could be a nice sleeper in deeper formats if you buy that personal catcher Pablo Sandoval helps make him effective. Sandoval really helped last year and last week.
Who is getting skipped: None. Sanchez returns to the rotation Tuesday after being skipped over the weekend.
One-week sleeper: Zito. Proceed with extreme caution, but the Sandoval effect might help you trust him in deeper formats.
One-week bust: Sanchez. He returns to the rotation against the Dodgers' ace. It's tough to use him in that matchup.

Seattle Mariners

1. Felix Hernandez at CHW Colon
2. Erik Bedard at CHW Floyd
3. Jarrod Washburn vs OAK Outman
4. Carlos Silva vs OAK Eveland
5. Chris Jakubauskas at CHW Danks, vs OAK Anderson

Two-starter(s): Perhaps Jakubauskas. He starts Monday at Chicago, but he could be skipped over the weekend to make King Felix a two-start pitcher. Hernandez is a must-start ace in all leagues regardless of the matchup(s) at this point.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Jakubauskas. He still gets at least one start Monday, though.
One-week sleeper: Washburn. He has been outstanding and has a winnable matchup vs. a back-end A's starter.
One-week bust: Jakubauskas and Silva. They are all-week busts and shouldn't be trusted in any formats.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Adam Wainwright at ATL Vazquez
2. Kyle Lohse at ATL Reyes, at WAS Lannan
3. Todd Wellemeyer at WAS Zimmermann
4. Joel Pineiro at ATL Jurrjens, at WAS Martis
5. Mitchell Boggs at WAS Cabrera

Two-starter(s): Pineiro and Lohse. They are nice options in most formats for the potent Cardinals.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Pineiro. He gets two starts and is off to a great start this season.
One-week bust: None. All of the Cardinals starters are viable options in most formats this week.

Tampa Bay Rays

1. James Shields at MIN Liriano, vs BOS Penny
2. Scott Kazmir at MIN Blackburn
3. Matt Garza vs BOS Beckett
4. Andy Sonnanstine vs BOS Masterson
5. Jeff Niemann at MIN Baker, vs BOS Wakefield

Two-starter(s): Niemann and Shields. Niemann is a sleeper for deeper formats, while Shields is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Niemann. He gets two starts, but that second one vs. the rival Red Sox is a tough one.
One-week bust: None. All of the Rays remain viable options in most formats still.

Texas Rangers

1. Kevin Millwood vs OAK Anderson, vs CHW Danks
2. Vicente Padilla vs OAK Cahill
3. Brandon McCarthy vs CHW Buehrle
4. Matt Harrison at BAL Guthrie, vs CHW Contreras
5. Scott Feldman vs OAK Braden

Two-starter(s): Harrison and Millwood. They are risky options even in deeper leagues at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Millwood. He is a risky two-start pitcher we would trust in deeper leagues amid his hot start.
One-week bust: Harrison. He might be more likely to lose his rotation spot than win either of his starts.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Roy Halladay vs BAL Hendrickson
2. David Purcey at KC Bannister, vs BAL Bergesen
3. Scott Richmond at KC Meche, vs BAL Guthrie
4. Brian Tallet at KC Greinke
5. Brian Burres at KC Davies

Two-starter(s): Purcey and Richmond. They are nice sleepers in deeper leagues, especially with those matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Purcey and Richmond. We would trust them in mixed leagues.
One-week bust: Tallet and Burres. We wouldn't trust them in AL-only leagues, although Tallet was great in his first start.

Washington Nationals

1. John Lannan at PHI Hamels, vs STL Lohse
2. Scott Olsen at PHI Myers
3. Daniel Cabrera vs STL Boggs
4. Shairon Martis at PHI Blanton, vs STL Pineiro
5. Jordan Zimmermann vs STL Wellemeyer

Two-starter(s): Martis and Lannon. They might have been sleepers, but those are tough matchups that make them difficult to trust in mixed leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Zimmermann. His career is off to a great start, which makes him viable in mixed leagues even against the potent Cardinals.
One-week bust: Martis and Lannon. They are only busts because of their matchups. The two starts here are tempting but should be avoided.

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