Week 5 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. The means we consider them a recommended start. The means we suggest you consider a replacement option.

Arizona Diamondbacks

1. Dan Haren at HOU Rodriguez
2. Edwin Jackson vs MIL Gallardo
3. Cesar Valdez at HOU Paulino, vs MIL Wolf
4. Ian Kennedy at HOU Oswalt, vs MIL Narveson
5. Rodrigo Lopez at HOU Myers

Two-starter(s): Valdez and Kennedy. The 25-year-old Valdez, 1-1, 3.80 in Triple-A, is a high-risk option that is best avoided, while Kennedy is a nice sleeper for mixed formats. We consider him a questionable option because of the matchups but he could be useful in mixed leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Kennedy. Owned in just 50 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, he is a risk worth taking in any format right now. Going eight innings in each of his past two starts, Kennedy is establishing himself nicely.
One-week bust: Jackson. It shouldn't matter that his matchup is tough, because he is just too erratic to trust in most leagues at this point.

Atlanta Braves

1. Tommy Hanson at WAS Atilano
2. Tim Hudson at WAS Olsen
3. Derek Lowe at PHI Moyer
4. Jair Jurrjens at PHI Hamels
5. Kenshin Kawakami at WAS Hernandez, at PHI Blanton

Two-starter(s): Kawakami. He is a questionable option who is a risk worth taking in deeper leagues, mostly due to the favorable first matchup.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Kawakami. He is coming off his worst start of the season, but the hunch here is Kawakami and the Braves are due.
One-week bust: Jurrjens. He is dealing with the hammy issue and isn't pitching well anyway. Keep him reserved. Kris Medlen could make the start for him.

Baltimore Orioles

1. Kevin Millwood at MIN Liriano
2. Jeremy Guthrie at NYY Sabathia, at MIN Baker
3. Brian Matusz at NYY Burnett, at MIN Blackburn
4. David Hernandez at NYY Pettitte
5. Brad Bergesen at MIN Pavano

Two-starter(s): Guthrie and Matusz. Guthrie is a high-risk option best avoided in all formats, while Matusz is a questionable option worth using in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Matusz. He has posted three consecutive quality starts and is capable of handling those difficult matchups.
One-week bust: Millwood. His results are good to date with the O's, but his velocity is down and he is facing a solid Twins team.

Boston Red Sox

1. Josh Beckett vs NYY Hughes
2. Jon Lester vs LAA Santana, vs NYY Burnett
3. John Lackey vs LAA Pineiro
4. Clay Buchholz vs LAA Saunders, vs NYY Sabathia
5. Daisuke Matsuzaka vs LAA Kazmir

Two-starter(s): Lester and Buchholz. They are advisable options in most leagues, despite the difficult matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Buchholz. The Red Sox's top four starters are good to go in any formats and Buchholz is a part of that group.
One-week bust: Dice-K. His awful return start against a beatable opponent makes us call him a sit this week.

Chicago Cubs

1. Ryan Dempster at PIT Maholm, at CIN Leake
2. Ted Lilly at PIT Morton
3. Randy Wells at PIT TBD
4. Carlos Silva at CIN Bailey
5. Tom Gorzelanny at CIN Harang

Two-starter(s): Dempster. He is a must-start in all leagues. He might even be that in all weeks and matchups right now.
Who is getting skipped: Carlos Zambrano. He remains in the Pitch-22.
One-week sleeper: Gorzelanny. He has been solid (2.45), despite his 0-3 record.
One-week bust: Silva. Perhaps the pixie dust wore off in his last outing and he will reveal himself as a fraud we suspect he is.

Chicago White Sox

1. Mark Buehrle vs TOR Marcum
2. Jake Peavy vs KC Meche, vs TOR Cecil
3. Gavin Floyd vs KC Hochevar, vs TOR Romero
4. John Danks vs TOR Eveland
5. Freddy An. Garcia vs KC Bannister

Two-starter(s): Peavy and Floyd. Their struggles make them questionable options, but their matchups compel us to advise using them in deeper leagues anyway.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Peavy. He has been dropped in some leagues, but he probably shouldn't have been. He made progress in his past start after a rough first inning.
One-week bust: Garcia. He keeps his rotation spot for now, especially since Daniel Hudson (9.37) is struggling in Triple-A, but we cannot advise using Garcia in any format.

Cincinnati Reds

1. Aaron Harang vs CHC Gorzelanny
2. Mike Leake vs NYM Perez, vs CHC Dempster
3. Bronson Arroyo vs NYM Maine
4. Johnny Cueto vs NYM Niese
5. Homer Bailey vs CHC Silva

Two-starter(s): Leake. He is an advisable option in all leagues amid the hot start to his career.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Arroyo. He was better his last time out and has been good against the Mets in his career (6-2, 3.38), including 2-0, 3.00 last season.
One-week bust: Bailey. He made progress Saturday, but we still cannot trust him in mixed leagues right now.

Cleveland Indians

1. Fausto Carmona vs TOR Morrow
2. Justin Masterson vs DET Bonderman
3. David Huff vs DET Verlander
4. Mitch Talbot vs TOR Cecil, vs DET Scherzer
5. Jake Westbrook vs TOR Romero

Two-starter(s): Talbot. He is a questionable option, but his hot start (3-1, 2.05) makes him a sleeper to use in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Talbot. He is owned in only 30 percent of leagues, but he has dominated his past three outings and is worth a flier this week.
One-week bust: Huff. His past few starts have been poor, which makes him a high-risk option even for AL-only leagues.

Colorado Rockies

1. Ubaldo Jimenez at SD Correia, at LAD Kershaw
2. Greg Smith at SD LeBlanc
3. Aaron Cook at SD Richard
4. Jhoulys Chacin at LAD Monasterios
5. Esmil Rogers at LAD Kuroda

Two-starter(s): Jimenez. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Rogers. The Rockies could skip him after Thursday's offday, which would hand a second start to Smith, who is risky right now.
One-week sleeper: Cook. He had a great start that was followed by a bad one, but his matchup makes him useful in deeper formats.
One-week bust: Rogers. He might not make a start as the Rockies could go with a four-man rotation for a turn.

Detroit Tigers

1. Justin Verlander at CLE Huff
2. Max Scherzer at MIN Baker, at CLE Talbot
3. Dontrelle Willis at MIN Blackburn
4. Rick Porcello at MIN Slowey
5. Jeremy Bonderman at CLE Masterson

Two-starter(s): Scherzer. He remains an advisable option, despite his tough past start.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Willis. He has been pitching well and his velocity is back up into the low-90s, making him a sleeper for mixed leagues.
One-week bust: Porcello. He likely has to sit amid his sophomore struggles. We still believe he will be a 12- to 15-game winner when it is all said and done, though.

Florida Marlins

1. Josh Johnson at WAS Lannan
2. Anibal Sanchez vs SF Lincecum, at WAS Hernandez
3. Nate Robertson vs SF Zito
4. Ricky Nolasco vs SF Cain
5. Chris Volstad at WAS Stammen

Two-starter(s): Sanchez. He is a questionable option that qualifies as a risk worth taking in deeper leagues with those matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Sanchez. He is facing a tough Giants team with their ace on the mound, but he has been great in his career against the Nationals (3-0, 2.87).
One-week bust: Robertson. He hasn't gotten past four innings in either of his past two starts, albeit the last one on short rest.

Houston Astros

1. Roy Oswalt vs ARI Kennedy, vs SD Correia
2. Brett Myers vs ARI Lopez
3. Wandy Rodriguez vs ARI Haren
4. Bud Norris vs SD Latos
5. Felipe Paulino vs ARI Valdez, vs SD Garland

Two-starter(s): Oswalt and Paulino. Oswalt is a must-start, while Paulino is a high-risk option best avoided outside of the deepest of NL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Myers. He has been pretty good to date and is a viable starter in mixed leagues right now.
One-week bust: Paulino. Even if his matchups look favorable, we wouldn't trust him.

Kansas City Royals

1. Zack Greinke at TEX Wilson
2. Gil Meche at CHW Peavy, at TEX Harden
3. Luke Hochevar at CHW Floyd, at TEX Feldman
4. Brian Bannister at CHW Garcia
5. Kyle Davies at TEX Harrison

Two-starter(s): Meche and Hochevar. They are high-risk options for any league at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. We wouldn't trust any Royals starter not name Greinke this week.
One-week bust: Bannister. He was great last time out, but we still do not trust him in mixed leagues.

Los Angeles Angels

1. Jered Weaver at SEA Hernandez
2. Joe Saunders at BOS Buchholz, at SEA Fister
3. Ervin Santana at BOS Lester, at SEA Vargas
4. Joel Pineiro at BOS Lackey
5. Scott Kazmir at BOS Matsuzaka

Two-starter(s): Saunders and Santana. They are questionable options. We would advise using Santana, but Saunders cannot be trusted in mixed leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Santana. He has been better of late after a slow start to the season.
One-week bust: Saunders. He is struggling and is best left for deeper AL-only leagues this week.

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Clayton Kershaw vs MIL Narveson, vs COL Jimenez
2. Chad Billingsley vs MIL Davis
3. John Ely vs MIL Bush
4. Hiroki Kuroda vs COL Rogers
5. Charlie Haeger or Carlos Monasterios vs COL Chacin

Two-starter(s): Kershaw. He is a must-start in all leagues, despite his still-high walks totals.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Haeger or Monasterios. The uncertainty makes the sits right now.
One-week sleeper: Kuroda. He is one of the most undderrated starters in Fantasy, but the ownership is climbing steadily.
One-week bust: Monasterios and Haeger. We cannot be sure which one will start. Even if they do, they are high-risk options. We do know Ely is getting another start.

Milwaukee Brewers

1. Yovani Gallardo at ARI Jackson
2. Randy Wolf at ARI Valdez
3. Chris Narveson at LAD Kershaw, at ARI Kennedy
4. Doug Davis at LAD Billingsley
5. Dave Bush at LAD Ely

Two-starter(s): Narveson. He is a high-risk option even in the deepest of NL-only formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wolf. He warrants being started in more than 72 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues.
One-week bust: Davis. He has been awful and is a candidate to cut even in NL-only formats.

Minnesota Twins

1. Francisco Liriano vs BAL Millwood
2. Scott Baker vs DET Scherzer, vs BAL Guthrie
3. Nick Blackburn vs DET Willis
4. Kevin Slowey vs DET Porcello
5. Carl Pavano vs BAL Bergesen

Two-starter(s): Baker. He is a questionable option amid his struggles, but he should remain active in most formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Pavano. He is having a solid season and draws a favorable matchup against a team he has handled well in his career.
One-week bust: Blackburn. He has struggled, giving up five runs in each of his past three starts. He hasn't pitched since April 24 either.

New York Mets

1. Johan Santana vs SF Wellemeyer
2. Mike Pelfrey vs SF Sanchez
3. Jonathon Niese at CIN Cueto
4. Oliver Perez at CIN Leake, vs SF Lincecum
5. John Maine at CIN Arroyo

Two-starter(s): Perez. He is a questionable option that is not trustworthy enough in a standard mixed league.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Maine. He was better his last time out and could be on his way back to respectability.
One-week bust: Perez. He is a tough start at Cincy's bandbox and against the Giants and their ace.

New York Yankees

1. CC Sabathia vs BAL Guthrie, at BOS Buchholz
2. A.J. Burnett vs BAL Matusz, at BOS Lester
3. Andy Pettitte vs BAL Hernandez
4. Javier Vazquez skipped
5. Phil Hughes at BOS Beckett

Two-starter(s): Sabathia and Burnett. They are must-starts in all leagues regardless of the matchups.
Who is getting skipped: Vazquez. It was impossible for the Yankees to trust Vazquez at Boston, especially since they can skip his turn after Thursday's offday.
One-week sleeper: Pettitte. He has been performing like a must-start in all leagues this season and his ownership and active percentages are steadily climbing.
One-week bust: Vazquez. He has been terrible and won't start until Monday against the Tigers. Sit him in all leagues this week, and likely next, too.

Oakland Athletics

1. Ben Sheets vs TB Davis
2. Dallas Braden vs TEX Harden, vs TB Shields
3. Justin Duchscherer vs TEX Feldman
4. Trevor Cahill vs TEX Lewis
5. Gio Gonzalez vs TB Price

Two-starter(s): Braden. He is coming off his worst start of the season, but he has been good otherwise and remains an advisable start.
Who is getting skipped: None. Duchscherer is a risk due to his hip issue and could miss his start.
One-week sleeper: Braden. He struggled in his last start as his ownership reached a season high, but you should trot him out there in most formats.
One-week bust: Sheets. He has been bad and shouldn't be active in any format. The A's could choose to skip his turn if Duchscherer proves healthy.

Philadelphia Phillies

1. Roy Halladay vs STL Lohse
2. Joe Blanton vs STL Garcia, vs ATL Jurrjens
3. Cole Hamels vs STL Wainwright, vs ATL Kawakami
4. Jamie Moyer vs ATL Lowe
5. Kyle Kendrick vs STL Penny

Two-starter(s): Blanton and Hamels. Blanton is a questionable option, while Hamels is advisable.
Who is getting skipped: None. Kendrick is in danger of losing his rotation spot, though.
One-week sleeper: None. Hamels and Halladay should be active, while the others should not be.
One-week bust: Moyer. He is 5-9 with a 5.18 ERA against the Braves in his career. You shouldn't use him outside of deeper NL-only leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates

1. Paul Maholm vs CHC Dempster, vs STL Wainwright
2. Zach Duke vs STL Carpenter
3. Jeff Karstens vs STL Garcia
4. Charlie Morton vs CHC Lilly
5. Perhaps Ross Ohlendorf vs CHC Wells

Two-starter(s): Maholm. He is too risky to trust outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Brian Burres is out of the rotation is Ohlendorf can make his return Wednesday or Thursday.
One-week sleeper: None.
One-week bust: Duke. He was hot early and cold currently. You cannot use him in that matchup.

San Diego Padres

1. Jon Garland at HOU Paulino
2. Kevin Correia vs COL Jimenez, at HOU Oswalt
3. Wade LeBlanc vs COL Smith
4. Clayton Richard vs. COL Cook
5. Mat Latos at HOU Norris

Two-starter(s): Correia. He is a questionable option who will be active in many mixed leagues this week.
Who is getting skipped: Perhaps Latos. He is struggling and could be out of the rotation once Chris R. Young returns. If Latos is skipped, red-hot LeBlanc will pick up another start.
One-week sleeper: Garland. He has been outstanding thus far and is a nice stopgap in mixed leagues.
One-week bust: Latos. He is the one at risk of heading back to the minor leagues as the rest of the rotation has been dominant of late.

San Francisco Giants

1. Tim Lincecum at FLA Sanchez, at NYM Perez
2. Barry Zito at FLA Robertson
3. Matt Cain at FLA Nolasco
4. Jonathan O. Sanchezat NYM Pelfrey
5. Todd Wellemeyer at NYM Santana

Two-starter(s): Lincecum. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Zito. He clearly is a must-start in all formats amid his career resurgence.
One-week bust: Wellemeyer. He has been better of late, but he is opposing Santana and the Mets have hit him hard in his career (6.67 ERA).

Seattle Mariners

1. Felix Hernandez vs LAA Weaver
2. Cliff Lee vs TB Garza
3. Doug W. Fister vs LAA Saunders
4. Jason M. Vargas vs TB Shields, vs LAA Santana
5. Ryan Rowland-Smith vs TB Niemann

Two-starter(s): Vargas. He is a questionable option, but one that some will run with because he has been pitching so well. Those are tough matchups, though.
Who is getting skipped: None. Ian Snell is out of the rotation, though.
One-week sleeper: Fister. He has been awesome so consider him a solid option in mixed leagues now.
One-week bust: Rowland-Smith. He could be a candidate to move to the bullpen if his struggles last.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Chris Carpenter at PIT Duke
2. Adam Wainwright at PHI Hamels, at PIT Maholm
3. Jaime Garcia at PHI Blanton, at PIT Karstens
4. Brad Penny at PHI Kendrick
5. Kyle Lohse at PHI Halladay

Two-starter(s): Wainwright and Garcia. Wainwright is a must-start, while Garcia is an advisable option in any format right now.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Garcia. He has earned must-start status and his ownership and starting percentages should continue to rise to the max.
One-week bust: Lohse. He has been struggling and has a tough matchup against a potent contenders' ace.

Tampa Bay Rays

1. James Shields at SEA Vargas, at OAK Braden
2. Matt Garza at SEA Lee
3. Jeff Niemann at SEA Rowland-Smith
4. David Price at OAK Gonzalez
5. Wade Davis at OAK Sheets

Two-starter(s): Shields. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. All five Rays starters are must-starts at this point.
One-week bust: None. There is not one good reason to sit a Rays starting pitcher.

Texas Rangers

1. C.J. Wilson vs KC Greinke
2. Rich Harden at OAK Braden, vs KC Meche
3. Scott Feldman at OAK Duchscherer, vs KC Hochevar
4. Colby Lewis at OAK Cahill
5. Matt Harrison vs KC Davies

Two-starter(s): Harden and Feldman. They are advisable options despite some rough starts this season.
Who is getting skipped: None
One-week sleeper: Lewis. Japan served him well. He is off to a great start and is a solid option in all leagues. This is a real favorable matchup, too.
One-week bust: None. All five Rangers starters are useful in any formats this week.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Shaun Marcum at CHW Buehrle
2. Ricky Romero at CLE Westbrook, at CHW Floyd
3. Brett Cecil at CLE Talbot, at CHW Peavy
4. Brandon Morrow at CLE Carmona
5. Dana Eveland at CHW Danks

Two-starter(s): Romero and Cecil. Romero is advisable, while Cecil is a questionable option that can be used in deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Marcum. He is pitching like a top 40 Fantasy starter again, which makes him a solid option in mixed formats on a regular basis.
One-week bust: Eveland. He got hammered his last time out and has to be considered a risk in mixed leagues.

Washington Nationals

1. John Lannan vs FLA Johnson
2. Livan Hernandez vs ATL Kawakami, vs FLA Sanchez
3. Luis Atilano vs ATL Hanson
4. Scott Olsen vs ATL Hudson
5. Craig Stammen vs FLA Volstad

Two-starter(s): Hernandez. He is a questionable option, but his hot start will make him get used in many mixed leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Atilano. He has been strong since joining the rotation and faces the struggling Braves.
One-week bust: Lannan. He was hammered by those Marlins on Sunday, which makes it difficult to trust him.

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