Yankees losing the arms race

We take our look at Fantasy pitchers every Friday. All stats and notes are through games of Thursday, July 14.

Who could've possibly imagined Chien-Ming Wang being placed on the DL with an inflamed shoulder would throw the Yankees and their legion of followers into a tizzy? That's right, a tizzy.

Overheard on the subways on Manhattan Thursday afternoon ...

Will the Yankees be able to overcome the loss of Wang? Can Tim Redding and Darrell May offset Wang's extended absence? Can Tanyon Sturtze be a savior? Maybe we can get Leiter from Florida?

It's hard to believe those are legitimate questions as the Yankees embark on the second half of their tumultuous 2005 season.

The bottom line? Follow the rumors involving the Yankees closely. A bad weekend in Boston might mean big changes as early as next week. Don't waste a waiver claim on a marginal player only to watch Jason Schmidt or A.J. Burnett come over to the AL.

With Wang now out of the picture and Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright all still on the crowded DL, it's not a matter of if the Yankees add a front-line starter but when, and how many.

Names like Schmidt and Burnett immediately come to mind, but whether general manager Brian Cashman can orchestrate a deal for either will be tricky. Colorado's Shawn Chacon is also being mentioned -- as is Al Leiter, who was designated for assignment by the Marlins Thursday.

So what does all of this mean for Fantasy owners? With so many different scenarios to sift through, it's hard to discern. Two things are certain: Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina will need to perform unlike they have to this point in 2005, and Redding and May still have limited Fantasy value.

Expect a big second half from The Unit for two reasons:

1. He knows he underperformed in the first half and ...
2. He now realizes the team will likely miss the playoffs if he doesn't turn in a spectacular second half.

If you believe Sturtze can serve as a capable stop-gap option for Joe Torre, pick him up. He hasn't officially been inserted into the rotation, but it seems to be only a matter of time. He might actually get a start this weekend in Fenway Park.

What value would Leiter have if the Yankees go ahead and work something out with the Marlins? Hard to say. He was completely unspectacular in his second stint in Florida and eventually lost his spot in the rotation, but maybe a return to New York would re-energize him.

As the Yankees turn ...

Pitchouts ...

• Those owners hoping for 15-20 saves from Curt Schilling in the second half must have had nightmares Thursday night after the veteran gave up a game-winning two-run homer to Alex Rodriguez. Projecting what to expect from Schilling over the second half is futile when you consider the Red Sox aren't even sure what they'll get. Was Thursday night just a blip on the radar? Will he setup instead of close? Is he on the fast track back to the rotation? You might as well keep him because it's unlikely you'll get fair value. However, there's a decent chance you'll look at his numbers at year's end and be disappointed. Don't trade him on the potential he brings to your staff.
• Speaking of frustrated owners, the beneficiaries of Kenny Rogers' All-Star first half are now scrambling for help. Rogers appealed his original 20-game suspension and will hear back from the commissioner's office on Thursday, meaning he'll make his next two scheduled starts. Who are the candidates to replace Rogers in the Texas rotation? Joaquin Benoit, John Wasdin, Juan Dominguez or prospect Thomas Diamond should get the nod, according to manager Buck Showalter. Who is the best Fantasy prospect? Benoit has posted great numbers out of the bullpen this season, recording 22 Ks in 21 IP. At this point, he's the only pitcher worth picking up in AL-only leagues out of the bunch.

• Good news for Braves fans and Fantasy owners holding onto Tim Hudson and/or Mike Hampton. Hudson, out with a strained oblique muscle, is scheduled to come off the disabled list to start Saturday's game against the Mets. Hampton, meanwhile, is expected to be activated for Sunday's start at Shea Stadium. Barring setbacks or poor outings, both should be fine for the next scoring period.

Bleacher Banter

Anonymous: I have four relief pitchers: Huston Street, Troy Percival, Eddie Guardado and Derrick Turnbow. I can only start two of them in my league. Which two should I start?

P.M.: Well, with Percival back on the DL and struggling when he was on the mound, that leaves three candidates. Street is a must start since the A's are streaking right now and he has proven to be a dependable closer in the absence of Octavio Dotel. Turnbow gets the slight edge over Guardado due to higher strikeouts totals.

Anonymous: I'm having a tough time choosing starters in my head-to-head league for next week. Pick seven out of Chris Carpenter, Roger Clemens, Chad Cordero, Livan Hernandez, Dontrelle Willis, Doug Davis, Kenny Rogers, Kevin Brown, Daniel Cabrera and Orlando Hernandez. I can't start Rogers unless the suspension is held off for another week so he's out of the question.

P.M.: Carpenter, Clemens, Cordero, Livan, Willis, Cabrera and Davis. El Duque and Brown are too risky and Rogers' status is uncertain, although he is expected to get a start Wednesday against the Yankees if you'd rather go that route.

You can e-mail your Fantasy Baseball Pitchers questions to us at bleacher@commissioner.com. Be sure to put Attn: Pitchers in the subject field. Please be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.