Week 2 Pitching Planner

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We go around baseball's staffs and rotations every Sunday in our Fantasy Baseball Pitching Planner.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The D-Backs have just one two-start pitcher, Doug Davis, and won't be skipping anyone despite a day off Thursday. Randy Johnson (back) will make a couple of rehab starts, April 8 and April 13, so he cannot be used in Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15). Micah Owings will remain the No. 5 starter at this point, but either he or Edgar Gonzalez will lose their spot to the Big Unit in late April.

Atlanta Braves: The Braves are hoping Lance Cormier (triceps) can return April 14 vs. Florida, which would bump Kyle Davies back to the minor leagues. Mark Redman might move back a day to keep John Smoltz on regular rest, but both veterans will get just one start this week regardless. The Braves' lone two-start pitcher is Tim Hudson, who is advisable in all leagues, especially with those matchups.

Baltimore Orioles: The O's have a full week and will stay in rotation, barring injury. Daniel Cabrera and Jaret Wright are two-start pitchers, but there are always risks with using those two. Cabrera is a solid option because of the strikeouts.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox have Monday off and could elect to keep Curt Schilling on regular rest, but Julian Tavarez will get a start this week regardless. The lone two-start pitcher is Josh Beckett, a must-start in all leagues.

Chicago Cubs: The Cubs have a day off Thursday and could elect to move Wade Miller back in the rotation later in the week, which could give a second start to Jason Marquis. It's doubtful, though. The lone two-start pitcher for the Cubs this week is Ted Lilly, who is a decent option.

Chicago White Sox: The White Sox have days off Thursday and the following Monday, so they could elect to skip No. 5 starter John Danks in Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15). Consider him a risky start in the deepest of AL-only leagues for that reason. We currently list him in the rotation, but we would not be surprised to see the White Sox elect to keep Jose Contreras and Jon Garland on regular rest. Garland would be getting a second start later in the week, while Contreras will be a two-start pitcher regardless. Also, by the way, Mark Buehrle (forearm) is listed in the White Sox's team notes as the probable starter April 10. He left his first start after getting hit by a line drive. Usually, if a pitcher was questionable, the team notes would list a TBD for that day. Consider Buehrle in deeper leagues.

Cincinnati Reds: They have a day off Thursday and could elect to move back Eric Milton to keep Bronson Arroyo on regular rest. Arroyo is a two-start pitcher regardless, while Kyle Lohse could also be moved up to see a surprise second start. Consider this possibility a very good reason to avoid using Milton in all leagues. You should be avoiding him if at all possible anyway.

Cleveland Indians: The Indians' snowy weekend makes for an eight-game week, started by a C.C. Sabathia-Fausto Carmona doubleheader Monday. Both those pitchers will be two-start options for Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15), while a No. 6 starter will be needed Friday. Cliff Lee (Double-A rehab start April 9) won't be ready yet, so the options include long reliever Jason Davis or a call-up from the minors, perhaps Adam Miller? Miller has yet to make a Triple-A start because of similar snow problems in Buffalo. There is a Triple-A doubleheader Monday, so if Miller pitches in that (if it's played), then he would be ruled out for making his big-league debut Friday. Consider the Indians No. 6 slot one to avoid at this point, because even if Miller does arrive for it, it would be a one-shot deal.

Colorado Rockies: The Rockies have a day off Thursday and could elect to move back Josh Fogg to keep the front end of their rotation on regular rest. Rodrigo Lopez would pick up a second start if that happens, but consider him only in deeper leagues anyway. Fogg should be avoided, especially because he might lose his start. Jeff Francis is a must-start two-starter, but his suspension is still in the appeal process. He could elect to serve it after his start Monday, which would cost him two starts this week but make him a two-starter next week.

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers have a full week ahead with Chad Durbin and Nate Robertson as their two-start pitchers. Robertson is useful in all leagues, while Durbin is far more risky.

Florida Marlins: The Marlins have Thursday off, but they won't be skipping anyone in their rotation this week. Ricky Nolasco had been skipped last week, but he returns for a start and will be a two-start option next week. The Marlins' lone two-starter is Anibal Sanchez, who is a must-start in all leagues.

Houston Astros: The Astros have Thursday off but won't be skipping anyone in their rotation. Woody Williams is the lone two-starter and is intriguing as a stopgap in deeper leagues. The matchups are fairly tough, though.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals have a full seven-game week and all five will go in succession, including two-starters Odalis Perez and Zack Greinke. Perez is a high risk in the deepest of AL-only leagues, while Greinke is a big-time talent who performed big time in Week 1. Consider him someone to grab in any league where you can take his flier, especially with this two-start week.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Jered Weaver (expected to make rehab start April 11) won't return until April 16, so keep him reserved this week. Bartolo Colon (shoulder) is further behind. With Monday off, the Angels' lone two-start pitcher will be Ervin Santana, a must-start in all leagues. Dustin Moseley's next start Thursday will likely be his last before Weaver returns. Consider him in AL-only leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers have a day off Thursday, but it doesn't appear likely they will skip anyone in their rotation. Jason Schmidt is their lone two-start pitcher and a must-start in all Fantasy leagues.

Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers have a day off Thursday, but they won't be skipping anyone in the rotation. Jeff Suppan is the lone two-starter and a viable one for deeper leagues.

Minnesota Twins: With no days off, the Twins will go in succession, including two-starters Sidney Ponson and Boof Bonser. Bonser is useful in all leagues, while Ponson is high-risk for deeper AL-only formats. We say use him only in leagues where you don't lose points for losses.

New York Mets: The Mets have a day off Tuesday and will finally slot No. 5 starter Mike Pelfrey in the rotation Friday, April 13 vs. Washington. Use Pelfrey in any Fantasy league you need a starter, because that's a great matchup for his season debut. The Mets' lone two-starter will be John Maine, who is a solid option in all leagues.

New York Yankees: The Yankees have Thursday and the following Monday off, so they could elect to skip No. 5 man Darrell Rasner this week. Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) won't be coming back in Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15), so keep him reserved. We suggest keeping Rasner reserved as well, especially since Jeff Karstens could return in the No. 5 spot before Rasner is needed again. Andy Pettitte will be picking up a second start when Rasner is officially skipped, which hasn't been announced, but is something we have anticipated in our Probable Pitchers report. Pettitte is a must-start in all leagues regardless of a second start.

Oakland Athletics: Esteban Loaiza won't throw again until next Tuesday, April 17, so keep him reserved in all leagues. Chad Gaudin will remain in the rotation and get a start this week. There is a day off Thursday, but there will be no skipping. Rich Harden is the lone two-start pitcher and a must-start in all leagues.

Philadelphia Phillies: Freddy Garcia (biceps) will make a Class A rehab start Tuesday and is expecting to return to the rotation Sunday, April 15 vs. Houston. Zach Segovia will head to the minor leagues, while Cole Hamels will start Saturday on his regular fifth day. Hamels is a must-start two-starter in all Fantasy leagues. Garcia is more of a risk for deeper leagues at this point. Segovia might not get the start if Garcia has a setback, because Jon Lieber (oblique) will likely be off the DL and able to be the emergency starter.

Pittsburgh Pirates: With a day off Thursday, the Pirates could elect to move No. 5 starter Tony Armas back in the rotation, which means he wouldn't get a start this week. Armas is a high risk option for the deepest of NL-only leagues regardless. Tom Gorzelanny would pick up a second start if Armas is moved back, so consider him a slightly more intriguing option in deeper leagues. Our Probable Pitchers report doesn't list the Armas skipping at this point, but you should anticipate it.

San Diego Padres: There is a day off Thursday, so No. 5 starter David Wells could be skipped or moved back to keep the front end of the Padres staff on regular rest. Consider Wells a riskier option for this week and Clay Hensley could get a second start late in the week if Wells was indeed skipped. We don't anticipate this, though. Chris Young is a must-start two-starter in all leagues.

San Francisco Giants: Russ Ortiz could be conveniently skipped in the rotation this week because of a Thursday day off. That would keep Barry Zito, Matt Cain and Matt Morris on regular rest. Morris could pick up a second start this week if Ortiz is skipped, so consider Morris slightly more intriguing in deeper leagues. We don't anticipate it happening, but we would skip Ortiz if we were running the Giants. Ortiz should be avoided in all leagues for Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15).

Seattle Mariners: The weekend snowouts in Cleveland forced a doubleheader for Monday, which gives the Mariners an eight-game week. Jeff Weaver and Felix Hernandez will start that double-dip and get two starts for the M's this week. A No. 6 starter will be needed Friday, which could be Brandon Morrow out of the bullpen or a starter from Triple-A, like Cha Seung Baek or Ryan Feierabend. We say avoid Baek or Feierabend, but Morrow could be an intriguing middle reliever to use in the deepest of AL-only leagues for his potential to get a spot start.

St. Louis Cardinals: Chris Carpenter returned to St. Louis to be examined after his elbow had swelled again. "No way he pitches Tuesday," manager Tony La Russa said. The Cardinals had tabbed top prospect Blake Hawksworth as their No. 6 starter and he has yet to pitch in Triple-A. He could be called upon if they don't choose to do a bullpen game started by Brad Thompson or Ryan Franklin. Also, like Hawksworth, Randy Keisler is on the 40-man roster and started on Triple-A opening day. Keisler would be on his regular rest Tuesday. Carpenter likely won't be going on the DL before your roster deadline Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15), so you won't be able to place him there on your roster. You definitely have to reserve him, though. If you're looking for a flier to take if something serious is wrong, it would be Hawksworth. He was once more highly regarded as a prospect (by Baseball America) than Adam Wainwright. Thompson and Franklin are mildly more intriguing middle relievers for deeper NL-only leagues, while the journeyman Keisler would be a stopgap option if he gets the call. The Cardinals' lone two-starter is Braden Looper, who is actually a decent option in deeper leagues. His transition to the rotation hasn't gone that poorly.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Edwin Jackson will finally make his first start for the Devil Rays on Monday, which is in time for a two-start week that makes him intriguing in deeper AL-only leagues. Jae Seo is also a two-starter, but he's equally risky. With no days off, the other three Devil Rays will each get one start in Fantasy Week 2 (April 9-15).

Texas Rangers: The Rangers have a day off Thursday, but there is no way they consider skipping Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla or Brandon McCarthy on the front end of their rotation. McCarthy will be the Rangers' lone two-start pitcher and No. 5 man Jamey Wright will get a start Tuesday against the Devil Rays (Jae Seo). Consider Wright only in the deepest of AL Fantasy leagues, even with that decent matchup.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays don't have a day off, so A.J. Burnett and Josh Towers will both be two-starters. Burnett is a must-start in all leagues, despite his bad season debut. Towers is risky for even the deepest of AL-only leagues until he proves closer to his 2005 version than the 2006 one.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals have a day off Monday, but they won't be skipping nor moving back Matt Chico, Jerome Williams or Jason Bergmann. This means Chico will be a two-starter for deeper NL-only Fantasy managers who want to take a chance on a risky young arm.

Week 2 (April 9-15) matchups

This week's matchups
AL early	NL early	AL late	NL late
DET@BAL	PHI@NYM	DET@TOR	HOU@PHI
NYY@MIN	STL@PIT	NYY@OAK	SD@LAD
KC@TOR	HOU@CHC	KC@BAL	CIN@CHC
TB@TEX	COL@LAD	TB@MIN	COL@ARI
CHW@OAK	MIL@FLA	TEX@SEA	MIL@STL
SEA@BOS	CIN@ARI	LAA@BOS	FLA@ATL
LAA@CLE	SF@SD	CHW@CLE	SF@PIT
	WAS@ATL		WAS@NYM
Seattle and Cleveland wrap up a snow-hit series with a Monday doubleheader (maybe).
Bold denotes a four-game series.
The following teams play eight games this week: Cleveland and Seattle.
The following teams play seven games this week: Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Toronto.

Taking into account all games with at least a 50 percent chance of precipitation according to the Weather.com, the following might be threatened by poor weather: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (2) (60 percent), Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs (60), Milwaukee at St. Louis (60), Florida at Atlanta (60) on Saturday; Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (60 percent), Washington at N.Y. Mets (60), Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs (60), Houston at Philadelphia (60), Kansas City at Baltimore (60), San Francisco at Pittsburgh (60) on Sunday.

Two-start pitchers

This week's two-start pitchers
Must-start options
Pitcher	Start No. 1	Start No. 2
Felix Hernandez	at CLE Carmona	vs. TEX McCarthy
Rich Harden	vs. CHW Contreras	vs. NYY Pettitte
C.C. Sabathia	vs. SEA Weaver	vs. CHW Danks
Jason Schmidt	vs. COL Francis	vs. SD Young
Josh Beckett	vs. SEA Washburn	vs. LAA Santana
Bronson Arroyo	at ARI Davis	at CHC Lilly
Matt Cain	at SD Young	at PIT Snell
Chris Young	vs. SF Cain	at LAD Schmidt
Cole Hamels	at NYM Maine	vs. HOU Jennings
Andy Pettitte	at MIN Bonser	at OAK Harden
Ervin Santana	at CLE Westbrook	at BOS Beckett
John Maine	vs. PHI Hamels	vs. WAS Chico
Anibal Sanchez	vs. MIL Suppan	at ATL Hudson
A.J. Burnett	vs. KC Perez	vs. DET Durbin
Tim Hudson	vs. WAS Chico	vs. FLA Sanchez
Advisable options
Pitcher	Start No. 1	Start No. 2
Ted Lilly	vs. HOU Williams	vs. CIN Arroyo
Daniel Cabrera	vs. DET Durbin	vs. KC Perez
Ian Snell	vs. STL Looper	vs. SF Cain
Nate Robertson	at BAL Wright	at TOR Towers
Boof Bonser	vs. NYY Pettitte	vs. TB Seo
Jose A. Contreras	at OAK Harden	at CLE Carmona
Brandon McCarthy	vs. TB Jackson	at SEA Hernandez
Jeff Francis	at LAD Schmidt	at ARI Davis
Questionable options
Pitcher	Start No. 1	Start No. 2
Carl Pavano	at MIN Ponson	at OAK Blanton
Jeff Suppan	at FLA Sanchez	at STL Looper
Zack Greinke	at TOR Towers	at BAL Wright
Fausto Carmona	vs. SEA Hernandez	vs. CHW Contreras
Doug Davis	vs. CIN Arroyo	vs. COL Francis
Braden Looper	at PIT Snell	vs. MIL Suppan
Woody Williams	at CHC Lilly	at PHI Garcia
Jeff Weaver	at CLE Sabathia	vs. TEX Padilla
High-risk options
Pitcher	Start No. 1	Start No. 2
Chad Durbin	at BAL Cabrera	at TOR Burnett
Jaret Wright	vs. DET Robertson	vs. KC Greinke
Josh Towers	vs. KC Greinke	vs. DET Robertson
Jae Seo	at TEX Wright	at MIN Bonser
Edwin Jackson	at TEX McCarthy	at MIN Ponson
Odalis Perez	at TOR Burnett	at BAL Cabrera
Matt Chico	at ATL Hudson	at NYM Maine
Sidney Ponson	vs. NYY Pavano	vs. TB Jackson

Pitch a question

Jon: For Week 2, do you pitch Carl Pavano to get his two starts, or do you start John Smoltz?

Emack: We are not averse to starting Pavano, especially with two starts, but not over Smoltz. You have to have another starter in your rotation who is less intriguing than Smoltz.

Quiros: I have three good closers in Francisco Rodriguez, Chris Ray and Huston Street and my league offers 10 points for every save, but (last week) Ted Lilly got a 30-point game and I don't know if he will be consistent. I am not sure whether to put him in or not.

Emack: We suggest starting Lilly for his two-start week over Ray. Ray is a solid closer -- despite the Alex Rodriguez slam -- but he's a closer on a bad team and you will want to reserve him from time to time. Closers on bad teams can still pile up saves, but they will be streaky because of inconsistent save chances. Lilly might not be consistent either, but we like his two starts over Ray's potential to get saves for a struggling team.

Ken Lockwood, San Diego: I have a problem, a pleasant one, but a problem all the same. I am in a standard Head-to-Head league with seven pitcher slots. For Fantasy Week 2, I have Bronson Arroyo, Matt Cain and Chris Young with two starts. Then I have Johan Santana, Ben Sheets, Felix Hernandez, Brett Myers, Chris Capuano and Erik Bedard with one start and Jason Isringhausen and Bobby Jenks for closers. I usually start my two closers and fill the rest with the best options for starters. Which five starters do I use, or do I go with six and bench a closer? I am leaning toward the two-start starters with Santana, Sheets and Hernandez and keeping only Jenks as a closer. Help!?

Emack: Well, Hernandez is getting two starts now, too, with the weekend snowouts. Santana, Hernandez, Arroyo, Cain, Young, Sheets and Myers are all must-start options. We say leave the closers on the bench. Your pitching staff is sick, bro.