Week 6 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 CIN Owings
2. Jon Garland vs CIN Arroyo, at ATL Lowe
3. Doug Davis at ATL Vazquez
4. Max Scherzer at ATL Kawakami
5. Bryan Augenstein (5-0, 0.78 in Double-A) will be called up to start Wednesday vs CIN Cueto

Two-starter(s): Garland. He is a decent sleeper in deeper formats, especially after his recent quality starts.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Garland. He can be a nice flier in the 39 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues he is available.
One-week bust: Davis. He went bust (0-2) in his two-start week and will be dropped in many leagues.

Atlanta Braves

1. Derek Lowe at NYM Santana, vs ARI Garland
2. Jair Jurrjens at NYM Pelfrey
3. Javier Vazquez vs ARI Davis
4. Kenshin Kawakami vs ARI Scherzer
5. Jo-Jo Reyes at NYM Niese

Two-starter(s): Lowe. He is a must-start option in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. But Kawakami needs to start pitching more consistently. We don't see him getting moved off his start next Saturday at this point, especially after his victory on Mother's Day.
One-week sleeper: None. The top three are solid options, while the bottom two are risky ones.
One-week bust: Kawakami and Reyes. They are pitching for their rotation spots with Tommy Hanson cruising in Triple-A. Hanson starts Sunday and won't be ready for Reyes' next turn.

Baltimore Orioles

1. Jeremy Guthrie at KC Meche
2. Koji Uehara at KC Davies
3. Adam Eaton at KC Greinke
4. Mark Hendrickson vs TB Sonnanstine, at KC Ponson
5. Bradley Bergesen vs TB Niemann

Two-starter(s): Hendrickson. At 1-4, 5.13, he cannot be anyone to trust even in AL-only formats.
Who is getting skipped: None. Eaton (2-3, 7.18) is pitching for his rotation spot every time out.
One-week sleeper: Uehara. That is not a daunting matchup, especially since he took four consecutive quality starts into his Mother's Day matchup vs. the Yankees.
One-week bust: Hendrickson. Don't be lured by his three shutout innings in his past start.

Boston Red Sox

1. Josh Beckett at SEA Bedard
2. Jon Lester at SEA Jakubauskas
3. Tim Wakefield at LAA Palmer
4. Brad Penny at LAA Saunders
5. Justin Masterson at LAA Weaver, at SEA Vargas

Two-starter(s): Masterson, perhaps. Masterson makes a start Tuesday, but Daisuke Matsuzaka (shoulder) could take the second turn next weekend in Seattle after his makes a Mother's Day rehab start.
Who is getting skipped: None. But Masterson could lose his second start to Dice-K.
One-week sleeper: Penny. He has posted back-to-back quality starts, so trust him in deeper leagues, despite his 6.90 ERA on the season. His velocity is good, so we expect his shoulder to get stronger and his results to improve as the season wears on.
One-week bust: Masterson. He has allowed six runs in each of his past two starts and could lose his rotation spot.

Chicago Cubs

1. Ryan Dempster vs HOU Moehler
2. Ted Lilly vs SD Young
3. Rich Harden vs SD Peavy, vs HOU Paulino
4. Sean Marshall vs HOU Oswalt
5. Randy Wells vs SD Gaudin

Two-starter(s): Harden. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. The Cubs could consider a different option in Wells' No. 5 spot, but coming off his effective season debut, we have to assume he gets another chance.
One-week sleeper: Dempster. He hasn't been his 2008 version, but he remains too promising to sit in any format, especially that matchup.
One-week bust: Wells. We couldn't trust him outside of the deepest of NL-only leagues, especially since his rotation spot is being re-evaluated daily.

Chicago White Sox

1. Mark Buehrle at CLE Sowers
2. John Danks at TOR Ray
3. Gavin Floyd at CLE Pavano, at TOR Halladay
4. Bartolo Colon at TOR Cecil
5. Clayton Richard because Jose Contreras is expected to be sent to the minors at CLE Lee

Two-starter(s): Floyd. He is likely still advisable in most formats, despite his recent struggles.
Who is getting skipped: None. Contreras is going to the minors.
One-week sleeper: Colon. He had been fairly decent before Sunday's struggles, so consider him viable in AL-only formats still this week.
One-week bust: Richard. He is coming out of the bullpen and isn't likely to go long enough to earn a victory. Consider him a sleeper in AL-only leagues going forward, though.

Cincinnati Reds

1. Aaron Harang at SD Correia
2. Edinson Volquez at SD Geer
3. Johnny Cueto at ARI Augenstein
4. Bronson Arroyo at ARI Garland, at SD Peavy
5. Micah Owings at ARI Haren

Two-starter(s): Arroyo. He is a questionable option coming off the worst start of his career. He is a dangerous guy to trust.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. The top three are must-starts, while the bottom two are too risky.
One-week bust: Arroyo. Despite a decent start to the season, Arroyo was too terrible the last time out to trust in any format for Fantasy Week 6 (May 11-17).

Cleveland Indians

1. Cliff Lee vs CHW Richard
2. Fausto Carmona at TB Shields
3. Carl Pavano vs CHW Floyd, at TB Garza
4. Anthony Reyes at TB Kazmir
5. Jeremy Sowers vs CHW Buehrle, at TB Sonnanstine

Two-starter(s): Pavano and Sowers. They are at best questionable options. We would consider them high-risk for mixed formats.
Who is getting skipped: None. Aaron Laffey has been sent to the bullpen, but Sowers will likely be on a start-to-start evaluation period.
One-week sleeper: Lee. Despite his disappointing start, we see him having a solid outing in Fantasy Week 6 (May 11-17).
One-week bust: Sowers. We liked him as a sleeper -- and still do long term -- but his first outing makes him too high risk to trust.

Colorado Rockies

1. Aaron Cook at PIT Snell
2. Ubaldo Jimenez vs HOU Paulino, at PIT Duke
3. Jason Marquis vs HOU Hampton
4. Jason Hammel vs HOU Rodriguez
5. Jorge De La Rosa at PIT Maholm

Two-starter(s): Jimenez. He is an advisable option after his last start that proved his potential.
Who is getting skipped: None. De La Rosa and Hammel will be pitching for their rotation spot with Franklin Morales potentially returning before June.
One-week sleeper: Cook. He has turned his season around and he draws a winnable start against the struggling and listless Pirates.
One-week bust: De La Rosa. He is tempting because of his ERA and batting-average againt, but we still cannot advise you trusting him.

Detroit Tigers

1. Justin Verlander at MIN Baker
2. Edwin Jackson vs OAK Anderson
3. Armando Galarraga at MIN Slowey, vs OAK Gallagher
4. Rick Porcello vs OAK Braden
5. Dontrelle Willis at MIN Perkins

Two-starter(s): Galarraga. He is at least advisable, perhaps a must-start in all leagues at this point.
Who is getting skipped: None. Zach Miner is out of the rotation for Willis on Wednesday.
One-week sleeper: Porcello and Willis. They are useful in AL-only leagues right now, but they could prove advisable in mixed formats over the long haul.
One-week bust: Willis. While we advise trying to catch lightning in a bottle with him, we cannot advise you trust him in his first start off the DL at this point. Stash him one more week. He could be a nice two-start sleeper in Fantasy Week 7 (May 18-24).

Florida Marlins

1. Ricky Nolasco at MIL Looper
2. Josh Johnson at MIL Bush
3. Chris Volstad vs LAD Stults
4. TBD, likely Andrew Miller (oblique) off the DL vs LAD Weaver
5. TBD, perhaps John Koronka at MIL Parra, vs LAD Kershaw

Two-starter(s): Likely Koronka. He was doing well in Triple-A, but the journeyman is a high-risk option best left for the deepest of NL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: None. The first three are advisable one-starters, while the last two are risky options as rotation replacements.
One-week bust: Koronka. We have no confirmation he will get the two start week and it might not come before your roster deadline passes.

Houston Astros

1. Roy Oswalt vs CHC Marshall
2. Wandy Rodriguez at COL Hammel
3. Mike Hampton at COL Marquis
4. Felipe Paulino at COL Jimenez, at CHC Harden
5. Brian Moehler at CHC Dempster

Two-starter(s): Paulino. He is at best a questionable option even in NL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Russ Ortiz has been demoted to the bullpen, so Paulino and Moehler will hold down regular starts for now.
One-week sleeper: Hampton. He makes a return to Colorado, which could make him interesting in deeper NL-only leagues if you don't have viable alternatives.
One-week bust: Paulino. He has potential, but we cannot advise trusting him in any format as a two-start pitcher in his return to the rotation.

Kansas City Royals

1. Zack Greinke vs BAL Eaton
2. Gil Meche vs BAL Guthrie
3. Kyle Davies vs BAL Uehara
4. Brian Bannister at OAK Outman
5. Sidney Ponson at OAK Cahill, vs BAL Hendrickson

Two-starter(s): Ponson. Despite some solid starts, you are trusting him at your own peril, err, risk in all formats.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Bannister. He has been dynamite since his recall. That is a favorable matchup, too.
One-week bust: Ponson and Davies. We wouldn't trust these guys outside of the deepest of AL-only leagues right now.

Los Angeles Angels

1. John Lackey (elbow) likely to return from the DL on May 15 at TEX Millwood
2. Joe Saunders vs BOS Penny
3. Jered Weaver vs BOS Masterson, at TEX Feldman
4. Shane Loux or Ervin Santana (shoulder) at TEX Padilla
5. Matt Palmer vs BOS Wakefield

Two-starter(s): Likely Weaver. He moves up to Tuesday with Anthony Ortega out of the rotation. Barring keeping of Palmer and Loux both in the rotation before weekend returns of both Lackey (triceps) and Santana (elbow), Weaver will get two starts. He is a must-start regardless or the matchups right now.
Who is getting skipped: Ortega and perhaps Loux. Ortega is definitely out of the rotation. Also, Palmer is certain to get a start Wednesday, but if Santana proves healthy in the next couple of days, Santana will return over the weeked and likely push Loux out of the rotation.
One-week sleeper: None, although Santana might be someone to give a look to. The top three above are advisable, while the bottom two are risky.
One-week bust: Palmer and Loux or Santana. We would not trust Palmer vs. the Red Sox and we are not sure if Santana is returning or Loux is getting another start at this point.

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Chad Billingsley at PHI Hamels
2. Randy Wolf at PHI Moyer
3. Clayton Kershaw at PHI Park, at FLA Koronka?
4. Eric Stults at FLA Volstad
5. Jeff Weaver at FLA Miller?

Two-starter(s): Kershaw. He is advisable in all deeper leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Stults. He was awesome his last time out and draws a winnable matchup.
One-week bust: Weaver. We still don't trust the journeyman in any leagues.

Milwaukee Brewers

1. Yovani Gallardo at STL Lohse
2. Jeff Suppan at STL Wainwright
3. Manny Parra vs FLA Koronka, at STL Wainwright
4. Braden Looper vs FLA Nolasco
5. Dave Bush vs FLA Johnson

Two-starter(s): Parra. He is a sleeper for deeper leagues. He is much better than 1-4, 4.88 suggests.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Parra. The double starts help, although those are two streaky offenses he has to face.
One-week bust: Suppan. He draws a potent Cardinals team with their ace on the hill.

Minnesota Twins

1. Francisco Liriano at NYY Hughes?
2. Scott Baker vs DET Verlander
3. Kevin Slowey vs DET Galarraga, at NYY Burnett
4. Glen Perkins vs DET Willis
5. Nick Blackburn at NYY Chamberlain

Two-starter(s): Slowey. He has a 5.50 ERA and two potentially potent offenses to face, but he is useful in most formats this week.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Slowey and Perkins. Slowey gets the double starts, while Perkins is not as good of late, but he draws the most favorable of the matchups the Twins get this week.
One-week bust: Baker. He is struggling and Verlander looks rejuvenated of late.

New York Mets

1. Johan Santana vs ATL Lowe, at SF Johnson
2. Mike Pelfrey vs ATL Jurrjens, at SF Cain
3. John Maine at SF Sanchez
4. Livan Hernandez at SF Lincecum
5. Jonathon Niese vs ATL Reyes

Two-starter(s): Santana and Pelfrey. Santana invented the "must-start in all leagues," while Pelfrey is advisable in most formats with his double starts for the resurgent Mets.
Who is getting skipped: None. Niese earned one more start after this season debut, but Tim Redding is still lurking on his Triple-A rehab assignment.
One-week sleeper: Pelfrey. Somehow the Mets' No. 2 starter is still available in 25 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues.
One-week bust: Hernandez. He is still risky, despite his recent success, and draws one of the aces of Fantasy in that matchup.

New York Yankees

1. CC Sabathia at TOR Tallet
2. A.J. Burnett at TOR Halladay, vs MIN Slowey
3. Andy Pettitte at TOR Richmond
4. Joba Chamberlain vs MIN Blackburn
5. Phil Hughes vs MIN Liriano

Two-starter(s): Burnett. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Pettitte. More than the mere 47 percent of CBSSports.com's leagues should have him active in Fantasy Week 6 (May 11-17).
One-week bust: Hughes. He is pitching for his rotation spot after a disastrous outing last time out.

Oakland Athletics

1. Dallas Braden at DET Porcello
2. Trevor Cahill vs KC Ponson
3. Josh Outman vs KC Bannister
4. Brett Anderson (blister) at DET Jackson
5. Sean Gallagher at DET Galarraga

Two-starter(s): None. The A's play just five games and won't have a two-start pitcher unless someone is skipped.
Who is getting skipped: None, but Gallagher or Anderson could be skipped due to days off Monday and Thursday. With Anderson likely to get a start Friday or Saturday after a prior skipping, we think Gallagher will go Sunday, May 17 at Detroit, while Cahill will be held back to be a two-start pitcher in Fantasy Week 7 (May 18-24).
One-week sleeper: Cahill. He is pitching better and getting a favorable matchup -- and he might even pick up a second start if someone is skipped.
One-week bust: Gallagher. He might not start and is not trustworthy even if he does.

Philadelphia Phillies

1. Cole Hamels vs LAD Billingsley
2. Brett Myers at WAS Olsen
3. Jamie Moyer vs LAD Wolf
4. Joe Blanton at WAS Lannan
5. Chan Ho Park vs LAD Kershaw, at WAS Zimmermann
6. Likely J.A. Happ in a doubleheader Saturday at WAS Cabrera

Two-starter(s): Park. He is a risky option best left for the deepest of NL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Park could pitch his way back to the bullpen, but nothing is imminent on that front.
One-week sleeper: Blanton and Happ. Blanton was good last time out after a mechanics tweak and he draws a favorable matchup. Happ does, too (we are assuming he draws the spot start in the six-man rotation necessitated by a doubleheader Saturday, May 16).
One-week bust: Park. Despite the decent past outing against the Mets, we cannot advise you trusting him in this two-start week.

Pittsburgh Pirates

1. Paul Maholm vs COL De La Rosa
2. Zach Duke vs STL Wellemeyer, vs COL Jimenez
3. Ian Snell vs COL Cook
4. Ross Ohlendorf vs STL Pineiro
5. Jeff Karstens vs STL Boggs

Two-starter(s): Duke. He is best left for deeper leagues still.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Duke and Maholm. Duke is pitching the best, while Maholm was pitching better early, but he draws the most favorable option.
One-week bust: Snell, Ohlendorf and Karstens. The Pirates aren't playing well enough of late to support their middle- to back-end starters.

San Diego Padres

1. Jake Peavy at CHC Harden, vs CIN Arroyo
2. Chris R. Young at CHC Lilly
3. Kevin Correia vs CIN Harang
4. Josh Geer vs CIN Volquez
5. Chad Gaudin at CHC Wells

Two-starter(s): Peavy. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Gaudin. He hasn't been that bad in the rotation and has plenty to prove against the team that gave up on him. That also happens to be against a starter who is merely a fill-in. Consider Gaudin in deeper formats as a one-start pitcher.
One-week bust: Correia and Geer. We cannot trust them outside of deeper NL-only formats in good matchups, much less those unfavorable ones.

San Francisco Giants

1. Tim Lincecum vs NYM Hernandez
2. Randy Johnson vs WAS Cabrera, vs NYM Santana
3. Matt Cain vs WAS Zimmermann, vs NYM Pelfrey
4. Barry Zito vs WAS Martis
5. Jonathan Sanchez vs NYM Maine

Two-starter(s): Johnson and Cain. Cain is a must-start in all leagues, while Johnson is likely advisable despite his up-and-down start to the season.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Zito. He is off to a great start and draws a favorable matchup in Fantasy Week 6 (May 11-17). Trust him in mixed leagues right now, believe it or not.
One-week bust: Sanchez. He was not great in his past start and draws the red-hot Mets and a resurgent Maine.

Seattle Mariners

1. Felix Hernandez at TEX Harrison
2. Erik Bedard vs BOS Beckett
3. Jarrod Washburn at TEX McCarthy
4. Jason M. Vargas at TEX Feldman, vs BOS Masterson?
5. Chris Jakubauskas vs BOS Lester

Two-starter(s): Vargas. The journeyman is a high-risk option even in the deepest of AL-only leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None. Carlos Silva (shoulder) has been ushered to the DL, though.
One-week sleeper: Washburn. Their first two starters are must-starts, while their back two are high-risk. Washburn falls in the middle, although that is a potent Rangers offense he will face in a hitter's park.
One-week bust: Vargas and Jakubauskas. We wouldn't trust them even with favorable matchups. It will be an ugly week for them in those matchups.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Adam Wainwright vs MIL Suppan
2. Kyle Lohse vs MIL Gallardo
3. Todd Wellemeyer at PIT Duke, vs MIL Parra
4. Joel Pineiro at PIT Ohlendorf
5. Mitchell Boggs at PIT Karstens

Two-starter(s): Wellemeyer. He is advisable in most formats this week.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Wellemeyer, Pineiro and Boggs. It is time to kick the Pirates while they are down (again, or as always).
One-week bust: None. The final three starters are sleepers, while the first two are advisable options.

Tampa Bay Rays

1. James Shields vs CLE Carmona
2. Scott Kazmir vs CLE Reyes
3. Matt Garza vs CLE Pavano
4. Andy Sonnanstine at BAL Hendrickson, vs CLE Sowers
5. Jeff Niemann at BAL Bergesen

Two-starter(s): Sonnanstine. He is a solid sleeper in all formats this week, despite his slow start. He has been resurgent of late.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Sonnanstine. Those are decent matchups for someone pitching better of late.
One-week bust: Niemann. We haven't seen him get deep enough in a game of late to trust him in any format right now.

Texas Rangers

1. Kevin Millwood vs LAA Lackey
2. Vicente Padilla vs LAA Saunders or Santana
3. Brandon McCarthy vs SEA Washburn
4. Matt Harrison vs SEA Hernandez
5. Scott Feldman vs SEA Vargas, vs LAA Weaver

Two-starter(s): Feldman. He is at best a questionable option, be we tend to consider him high-risk regardless of the matchups.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: McCarthy. His last start was a real bad one, but he hadn't pitched terrible otherwise. Consider him in deeper formats if you need a stopgap.
One-week bust: Feldman. His three starts have been solid, but we still cannot advise you trusting this guy in any leagues. Use him at your own risk.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Roy Halladay vs NYY Burnett. vs CHW Floyd
2. Scott Richmond vs NYY Pettitte
3. Brett Cecil vs CHW Colon
4. Brian Tallet vs NYY Sabathia
5. Robert Ray vs CHW Ray

Two-starter(s): Halladay. He is a must-start in all leagues and we just wasted 16 words saying this.
Who is getting skipped: Ray. He still figures to make a start in Fantasy Week 6 (May 11-17), but it won't come in turn, since the Blue Jays game notes listed Tallet as the probable starter in the final game of the Yankees series Thursday.
One-week sleeper: Cecil. He has been outstanding in his first two professional starts. Consider him viable in mixed leagues right now.
One-week bust: Richmond. His hot start had to come crashing. We wouldn't trust him against the Yankees.

Washington Nationals

1. Shairon Martis at SF Zito
2. Jordan Zimmermann at SF Cain, vs PHI Park
3. John Lannan vs PHI Blanton
4. Scott Olsen vs PHI Myers
5. Daniel Cabrera at SF Johnson, vs PHI Happ

Two-starter(s): Zimmerman and Cabrera. Zimmermann is an elite pitching prospect worth considering in deeper leagues, although he is coming off a bad start. Cabrera is a high-risk option in all leagues.
Who is getting skipped: None.
One-week sleeper: Martis and Zimmermann. They have been the Nationals best pitchers and you could always hope the Zito or the past few years comes back this week against Martis.
One-week bust: Everyone else. Zimmerman might be the only other Nationals pitcher worth owning, but even he wasn't very good last time out.

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