Week 5 Fantasy Pitching Planner

Fantasy Week 5 (May 4-10)

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 at SD Young
2. Jon Garland at SD Peavy
3. Doug Davis at LAD Stults, vs WAS Lannan
4. Max Scherzer at LAD Weaver, vs WAS Olsen
5. Yusmeiro Petit vs WAS Martis

Two-starter(s): Davis and Scherzer. Both are advisable options in deeper leagues. The second matchup is especially intriguing.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Davis. He has been hot of late and is getting some decent matchups.
One-week bust: Petit. A start against the Nationals looks enticing, but he is not someone we can recommend even with the most favorable matchup possible. Petit is closer to losing his rotation spot than helping Fantasy owners in any league.

Atlanta Braves

1. Derek Lowe at FLA Taylor
2. Jair Jurrjens at FLA Sanchez
3. Javier Vazquez vs NYM Maine at PHI Blanton
4. Kenshin Kawakami vs NYM Hernandez, at PHI Myers
5. Jo-Jo Reyes at PHI Hamels

Two-starter(s): Vazquez and Kawakami. Vazquez is a must-start, despite the tough matchups, while Kawakami is high-risk amid his struggles.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. Vazquez, Lowe and Jurrjens are must-starts, while Kawakami and Reyes are risky.
One-week bust: Reyes. We think Kawakami will get turned around, but we don't like Reyes against the Phillies, even if they are lefty-leaning and Hamels has been struggling.

Baltimore Orioles

1. Jeremy Guthrie vs NYY Hughes
2. Koji Uehara at TB Garza, vs NYY Chamberlain
3. Adam Eaton at TB Kazmir, vs NYY Hughes
4. Mark Hendrickson vs MIN Slowey
5. Bradley Bergesen vs MIN Perkins

Two-starter(s): Eaton and Uehara. Their matchups make them risky options for any format.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Bergesen. We would only consider him viable in the deepest of AL-only leagues still, though.
One-week bust: Uehara. The two starts are intriguing, but those matchups are real tough.

Boston Red Sox

1. Josh Beckett at NYY Chamberlain, vs TB Garza
2. Jon Lester at NYY Hughes, vs TB Kazmir
3. Tim Wakefield vs CLE Laffey
4. Brad Penny vs TB Shields
5. Justin Masterson vs CLE Pavano

Two-starter(s): Lester and Beckett. Lester is a must-start in all leagues still, while Beckett is struggling and far less advisable than usual, especially in those tough matchups. He likely has to sit in smaller mixed leagues. It is rare we would say that for someone of his stature.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wakefield and Masterson. They weren't great over the weekend, but they get the more favorable matchups among the Red Sox starter's this week.
One-week bust: Beckett. He has been awful of late and is getting tough matchups. Look elsewhere, if possible, in mixed leagues.

Chicago Cubs

1. Carlos Zambrano at MIL Bush (questionable to doubtful)
2. Ryan Dempster vs SF Sanchez, at MIL Gallardo
3. Ted Lilly vs HOU Ortiz
4. Rich Harden at HOU Hampton
5. Sean Marshall vs SF Lincecum, at MIL Suppan

Two-starter(s): Dempster and Marshall. They are advisable options in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Marshall. He is underowned, getting two starts and will get decent run support this week. Start him with confidence even in mixed formats.
One-week bust: Zambrano. He left his past start early and might need to be skipped or even sent to the DL. Jeff Samardzija is a more intriguing middle reliever for his potential to spot start, but we don't see him going long enough to get a victory.

Chicago White Sox

1. Mark Buehrle vs DET Galarraga
2. John Danks vs TEX Harrison
3. Gavin Floyd at KC Davies, vs TEX Padilla
4. Bartolo Colon at KC Greinke, vs TEX Millwood
5. Jose Contreras vs DET Miner

Two-starter(s): Colon and Floyd. Despite the tough second matchups, they can be used in deeper leagues. Colon is more questionable, though.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Colon. He is getting two starts, albeit tough matchups, and has been pitching better than you might think.
One-week bust: Danks. He is coming off a couple of bad starts and draws a potent Rangers offense again. He was hot, but we can see you sitting him in smaller mixed leagues this week.

Cincinnati Reds

1. Aaron Harang at FLA Johnson, vs STL Harang
2. Edinson Volquez at FLA Volstad, vs STL Wainwright
3. Bronson Arroyo vs MIL Parra
4. Johnny Cueto vs STL Pineiro
5. Micah Owings vs MIL Looper

Two-starter(s): Harang and Volquez. They are likely must-starts in all leagues. They face first-place teams, but you need some real nice replacements to consider sitting them this week.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Arroyo. He has the highest ERA on the staff, but he leads the Reds in innings and victories.
One-week bust: Owings. We still think he will prove useful in NL-only leagues, but we wouldn't advise using him in mixed formats.

Cleveland Indians

1. Cliff Lee vs DET Verlander
2. Fausto Carmona at TOR Tallet, vs DET Jackson
3. Carl Pavano at BOS Masterson
4. Anthony Reyes at TOR Cecil, vs DET Porcello
5. Aaron Laffey at BOS Wakefield

Two-starter(s): Carmona and Reyes. They are useful in deeper leagues, especially AL-only formats, despite their ugly ERAs.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Carmona. He has been better of late and could be ready to turn the corner.
One-week bust: Pavano. He was decent his last time out, but don't be sucked in -- with the emphasis on the transitive verb.

Colorado Rockies

1. Aaron Cook at SD Geer, vs FLA Volstad
2. Ubaldo Jimenez vs SF Johnson
3. Jason Marquis vs SF Cain
4. Jason Hammel vs FLA Nolasco
5. Jorge De La Rosa at SD Correia, vs FLA Johnson

Two-starter(s): De La Rosa and Cook. They are questionable options in any format.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Jimenez. Don't give up on him. He is much better than he has pitched to date. Blame it on the WBC, but we would still trust him in most leagues, especially NL-only formats.
One-week bust: Cook. He has been brutal, so don't be lured by his two starts.

Detroit Tigers

1. Justin Verlander at CLE Lee
2. Edwin Jackson vs MIN Liriano, at CLE Carmona
3. Armando Galarraga at CHW Buehrle
4. Rick Porcello vs MIN Blackburn, at CLE Reyes
5. Zach Miner at CHW Contreras

Two-starter(s): Jackson and Porcello. Jackson is a must-start in all leagues now, while the rookie Porcello is a questionable option amid his recent struggles.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Jackson. He should not be available in 22 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues still. He is an ace now.
One-week bust: Miner. He is an all-week bust and Dontrelle Willis might be just one more rehab start (Wednesday) from replacing him in the rotation.

Florida Marlins

1. Ricky Nolasco at COL Hammel
2. Josh Johnson vs CIN Harang, at COL De La Rosa
3. Chris Volstad vs CIN Volquez, at COL Cook
4. Anibal Sanchez vs ATL Jurrjens
5. Graham Taylor vs ATL Lowe

Two-starter(s): Johnson and Volstad. They are at least advisable, likely must-starts, in all leagues at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. The top three likely should be active, while the last two likely should not be.
One-week bust: Sanchez and Taylor. They have tough matchups and are not all that trustworthy right now. Taylor could make that one last start before being demoted.

Houston Astros

1. Roy Oswalt at WAS Olsen, vs SD Geer
2. Wandy Rodriguez vs SD Gaudin
3. Mike Hampton vs CHC Harden
4. Russ Ortiz vs CHC Lilly
5. Brian Moehler at WAS Lanna, vs SD Correia

Two-starter(s): Moehler and Oswalt. Moehler is a must-avoid, a category all its own, while Oswalt is a must-start.
Who is getting skipped: None. We expect Moehler to keep struggling and perhaps lose his rotation spot in his return from the DL. Felipe Paulino was pitching too well not to start again. He has been moved into the bullpen to make room for Moehler -- at least for now.
One-week sleeper: Rodriguez. He shouldn't be available in 15 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues right now.
One-week bust: Moehler, Ortiz and Hampton. They are risky starts even in deeper NL-only formats at this point.

Kansas City Royals

1. Zack Greinke vs CHW Colon, at LAA Saunders
2. Gil Meche at LAA Palmer
3. Kyle Davies vs CHW Floyd, at LAA Loux
4. Brian Bannister vs SEA Washburn
5. Sidney Ponson vs SEA Silva

Two-starter(s): Greinke and Davies. Greinke is the ace of baseball right now, so don't dare sit him. Davies is a nice sleeper.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Davies. He has only been bad in one of his starts, so consider him a decent option in deeper mixed leagues.
One-week bust: Ponson. After his best start of the season you didn't trust him last week, did you? You shouldn't have.

Los Angeles Angels

1. Joe Saunders at OAK Anderson, vs KC Greinke
2. Jered Weaver vs TOR Ray
3. Shane Loux at OAK Braden, vs KC Davies
4. Anthony Ortega vs TOR Halladay
5. Matt Palmer vs KC Meche

Two-starter(s): Saunders and Loux. Saunders is a must-start, while the journeyman Loux is more of a questionable option.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Loux. The two starts might make him intriguing enough to use in deeper AL-only formats.
One-week bust: Ortega. He is well enough to trust, regardless of the matchup, and that is a doozy vs. Halladay.

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Chad Billingsley vs SF Zito
2. Randy Wolf vs WAS Zimmermann
3. Clayton Kershaw vs WAS Cabrera
4. Eric Stults vs ARI Davis, vs SF Sanchez
5. Jeff Weaver vs ARI Scherzer, vs SF Lincecum

Two-starter(s): Stults and Weaver. They are high-risk even for the deepest of NL-only leagues at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wolf and Kershaw. He has been decent and is drawing a favorable matchup. Kershaw has been terrible, but he draws an even better matchup.
One-week bust: Stults and Weaver. We cannot advise them regardless of the matchup(s) or a two-start week.

Milwaukee Brewers

1. Yovani Gallardo at PIT, vs CHC Dempster
2. Jeff Suppan at PIT Snell, vs CHC Marshall
3. Manny Parra at CIN Arroyo
4. Braden Looper at CIN Owings
5. Dave Bush vs CHC Zambrano?

Two-starter(s): Gallardo and Suppan. Gallardo is a must-start, while Suppan is a more questionable option.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Suppan. He has posted three consecutive quality starts and gets a two-start week that opens with a favorable matchup at Pittsburgh.
One-week bust: Bush. He gets the toughest matchup of the week and is perhaps the Brewers' worst option among the five.

Minnesota Twins

1. Scott Baker vs SEA Jakubauskas
2. Francisco Liriano at DET Jackson, vs SEA Hernandez
3. Glen Perkins at BAL Bergesen
4. Kevin Slowey at BAL Hendrickson
5. Nick Blackburn at DET Porcello, vs SEA Bedard

Two-starter(s): Liriano and Blackburn. Liriano is still advisable, despite his slow start and these tough matchups. Blackburn is more of a questionable option.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Baker, Perkins and Slowey. Baker has been awful (0-3, 9.82), but he has a matchup that can turn him around. Perkains and Slowey have nice matchups.
One-week bust: None. All of the Twins' five starters are decent options in most formats this week.

New York Mets

1. Johan Santana vs PHI Park
2. Mike Pelfrey vs PHI Moyer
3. Oliver Perez vs PIT Karstens?
4. John Maine at ATL Vazquez, vs PIT Maholm
5. Livan Hernandez at ATL Kawakami, vs PIT Snell

Two-starter(s): Maine and Hernandez. Maine is advisable in most formats, while Hernandez is high-risk in any.
Who is getting skipped: Likely Perez, who will be sent to the DL or the bullpen. The Mets could move Perez back a day or out of the rotation altogether. The problem remains the Mets really don't have an alternative. The fact Perez will draw the beatable Pirates helps his chances to keep his rotation spot for one more week, but don't trust him in any formats right now.
One-week sleeper: Maine. After his promising last start, he is a "buy" candidate in the 22 percent of CBSSports.com leagues he is unowned.
One-week bust: Hernandez, Perez and Pelfrey. Santana and Maine are the only Mets starters who can be trusted in any format this week.

New York Yankees

1. CC Sabathia at BAL Guthrie
2. A.J. Burnett vs TB Sonnanstine
3. Andy Pettitte vs TB Niemann
4. Joba Chamberlain vs BOS Beckett, at BAL Uehara
5. Phil Hughes vs BOS Lester, at BAL Eaton

Two-starter(s): Hughes and Chamberlain. They are at least advisable options in all leagues, despite the tough first matchup. The weekend start at Baltimore makes up for it and might make them must-start options.
Who is getting skipped: None. A Sunday rainout didn't push back Hughes, a telling sign they like him in the rotation long term.
One-week sleeper: Hughes. He is still underowned, being available in 22 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues.
One-week bust: None. All five of the Yankees starters are decent options in all leagues right now.

Oakland Athletics

1. Dallas Braden vs LAA Loux, vs TOR Cecil
2. Trevor Cahill vs TEX McCarthy
3. Dana Eveland vs TEX Feldman
4. Brett Anderson vs LAA Saunders, vs TOR Tallet
5. Josh Outman vs TOR Richmond

Two-starter(s): Anderson and Braden. They have rotation-best batting-averages against at .264 and .250, respectively, and don't have to start against the potent Rangers. Consider them viable in deeper formats, mostly AL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Braden. He has been remarkably effective to date and has winnable matchups.
One-week bust: Cahill and Eveland. We don't like their matchups and Eveland has been very hittable to date. Consider Cahill in deeper AL-only formats, but sit or dump Eveland in all leagues right now.

Philadelphia Phillies

1. Cole Hamels vs ATL Reyes
2. Brett Myers at STL Wainwright, vs ATL Kawakami
3. Jamie Moyer at NYM Pelfrey
4. Joe Blanton at STL Lohse, vs ATL Vazquez
5. Chan Ho Park at NYM Santana

Two-starter(s): Blanton and Myers. Myers is advisable and the struggling Blanton has to be considered risky at this point. Blanton has been terrible, getting off to another notorious slow start.
Who is getting skipped: Hamels. Amid his slew of injury woes, he is being moved back to start Friday now. He might even prove questionable for that turn.
One-week sleeper: None. Myers is available in 6 percent of CBSSports.com leagues and not active in 28 percent, so we could say him, we suppose, though.
One-week bust: Park, Blanton, Moyer and Hamels. Myers is the only Phillies starter we can suggest starting in any format this week. With health, Hamels wouldn't be considered a bust, but there is a chance he might not make his start.

Pittsburgh Pirates

1. Paul Maholm vs MIL Gallardo, at NYM Maine
2. Zach Duke at STL Boggs
3. Ian Snell vs MIL Suppan, at NYM Hernandez
4. Ross Ohlendorf at STL Wellemeyer
5. Jeff Karstens at NYM Perez

Two-starter(s): Maholm and Snell. They are better left for deeper leagues because of the difficulty of their matchups, even though their season stats suggest otherwise.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Snell. He is owned in only 39 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues and looks like a better play this week than staff leader Maholm (79 percent).
One-week bust: Maholm. He wasn't great his last start and is a bit overrated amid his hot start (3-0, 3.09).

San Diego Padres

1. Jake Peavy vs ARI Garland
2. Chris R. Young vs ARI Haren
3. Chad Gaudin at HOU Rodriguez
4. Kevin Correia vs COL De La Rosa, at HOU Moehler
5. Josh Geer vs COL Cook, at HOU Oswalt

Two-starter(s): Correia and Geer. They have to be considered risky options best left for deeper leagues as back-end starters for the Padres.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Correia. He hasn't been great, but he hasn't been terrible either. He also has two of the best matchups of all of the Padres pitchers this week.
One-week bust: Geer. The two starts might be tempting, but those two teams can score runs in bunches and those are their aces opposing him.

San Francisco Giants

1. Tim Lincecum at CHC Marshall, vs LAD Weaver
2. Randy Johnson at COL Jimenez
3. Matt Cain at COL Marquis
4. Barry Zito at LAD Billingsley
5. Jonathan Sanchez at CHC Dempster, at LAD Stults

Two-starter(s): Sanchez and Lincecum. Sanchez is a sleeper, while Lincecum is a must-start ace in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Sanchez. Available in 37 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues, he has been unhittable this season with a .159 batting-average against. This is a knockout pitcher, albeit one with a couple of potent offenses to face.
One-week bust: Zito. He had been better of late, but he cannot be trusted against Billingsley this week.

Seattle Mariners

1. Felix Hernandez vs TEX Millwood, at MIN Liriano
2. Erik Bedard vs TEX Padilla, at MIN Blackburn
3. Jarrod Washburn at KC Bannister
4. Carlos Silva at KC Ponson
5. Chris Jakubauskas at MIN Baker

Two-starter(s): Hernandez and Bedard. They are must-start options in all leagues regardless of the matchup(s).
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Washburn. He should have thought about retirement years ago. In what could have been his last season in the majors, he is off to a great start. He draws a favorable matchup this week, too.
One-week bust: Silva and Jakubauskas. They could be pitching for their rotation spot(s), but you should not concern yourself with them in any formats at this point.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Adam Wainwright vs PHI Myers, at CIN Volquez
2. Kyle Lohse vs PHI Blanton, at CIN Harang
3. Todd Wellemeyer vs PIT Ohlendorf
4. Joel Pineiro at CIN Cueto
5. Mitchell Boggs vs PIT Duke

Two-starter(s): Lohse and Wainwright. They are advisable options in all leagues at this point regardless of the matchup(s).
Who is getting skipped: None. Boggs could be moved back a few days to keep the top four on regular rest, but he will still get a start before the end of the week.
One-week sleeper: Wellemeyer. He was much better in his last start and he draws a winnable matchup.
One-week bust: Pineiro. He is popular on the waiver wire right now, but could be due for a market correction. That is a tough matchup, too. He wary of him in mixed leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays

1. James Shields at BOS Penny
2. Scott Kazmir vs BAL Eaton, at BOS Lester
3. Matt Garza vs BAL Uehara, at BOS Beckett
4. Andy Sonnanstine at NYY Burnett
5. Jeff Niemann at NYY Pettitte

Two-starter(s): Kazmir and Garza. They are at least advisable in all leagues, likely must-start in most formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. The top three are must-starts, while the bottom two are risky options.
One-week bust: Sonnanstine and Niemann. They are too hittable to trust against the potent Yankees in the launching pad of a new park.

Texas Rangers

1. Kevin Millwood at SEA Hernandez, at CHW Colon
2. Vicente Padilla at SEA Bedard, at CHW Floyd
3. Brandon McCarthy at OAK Cahill
4. Matt Harrison at CHW Danks
5. Scott Feldman at OAK Eveland

Two-starter(s): Millwood and Padilla. Millwood is advisable, while Padilla is a questionable option best left for AL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: McCarthy. He is grossly underrated, being available in 75 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues. At 3-0, 4.67, he is a nice pick-up even in mixed formats as a one-start pitcher. We know he has the potential for great run support.
One-week bust: Feldman, Harrison and perhaps Padilla. We cannot advise these guys in most formats, although Padilla could be a sleeper in deeper AL-only leagues because of the two starts.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Roy Halladay at LAA Ortega
2. Scott Richmond at OAK Outman
3. Brian Tallet vs CLE Carmona, at OAK Anderson
4. Robert Ray at LAA Weaver
5. Brett Cecil vs CLE Reyes, at OAK Braden

Two-starter(s): Tallet and Cecil. They are risky options even for the deepest of AL-only leagues at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Richmond. He is 3-0, 2.70 and has a very favorable matchup. Trust him even in mixed leagues as a one-start pitcher.
One-week bust: Tallet and Ray. We wouldn't trust these guys in any format right now -- at least Cecil is a well-regarded prospect.

Washington Nationals

1. John Lannan vs HOU Moehler, at ARI Davis
2. Scott Olsen vs HOU Oswalt, at ARI Scherzer
3. Shairon Martis at ARI Petit
4. Jordan Zimmermann at LAD Wolf
5. Daniel Cabrera at LAD Kershaw

Two-starter(s): Lannan and Olsen. They are a combined 1-6, making them risky options even in NL-only formats at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Martis. The 61 percent gap in ownership between Zimmermann (70 percent) and Martis (9) is a bit too wide. Martis is a lot closer to the caliber of his fellow Nationals rookie starter than that. His matchup is favorable, too.
One-week bust: Lannan, Olsen and Cabrera. At least we have found a couple of starters we like a little. These three, not so much, right now.

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