There were quite a number of pitchers that got rocked hard in their 2005 debut start.

From superstars like John Smoltz and Javier Vazquez being unable to escape the second inning to lesser starters like Daniel Cabrera and Jose Lima burning the owners that gambled on them, the first week presented a ton of questions, to say the least.

The main question, though, is what can you expect from these shell-shocked starters entering Week 2?

Smoltz is obviously a quality starter that just happened to walk into the buzz saw known as the Marlins' new offense. Smoltz's first start since 2001 was as short as some of the 240-plus relief appearances. He went only 1 2/3 innings before manager Bobby Cox felt that six earned runs was enough for the Tommy John surgery survivor.

Don't be too quick to judge Smoltz a failure as a closer-turned-starter. Since his ERA was damaged so early, one can assume that he would have been in similar trouble even if he came on in relief. If he would have been rocked hard in the fourth or fifth inning, then you could begin to worry that he can't go the distance of a normal starter.

In a nutshell, Fantasy owners should offer up an average outfielder to Smoltz's Fantasy owners, in hopes of getting a bite.

Vazquez, on the other hand, has to go to video to find an answer to his problems. He allowed seven earned runs in only 1 2/3 innings against the Cubs' depleted offense in the Diamondbacks' season opener. He told the Arizona Republic that the Cubs were hitting everything he threw hard, which makes him believe he might have been tipping his pitches. "They hit everything hard, and when you're throwing 94 (mph) and you have good off-speed pitches, it's tough to figure out," he said.

It might take a while for Vazquez to come around -- he's still trying to overcome his post All-Star break ERA of 6.92 from last season in New York -- but it's way to early to think about sitting a pitcher you likely tabbed as your No. 2 starter in mixed leagues.

Top 90 Starting pitchers
Player TM
1 Randy Johnson NYY
2 Johan Santana MIN
3 Jason Schmidt SF
4 Ben Sheets MIL
5 Jake Peavy SD
6 Curt Schilling- BOS
7 Oliver Perez PIT
8 Roy Halladay TOR
9 Josh Beckett FLA
10 Pedro Martinez+ NYM
11 Roy Oswalt HOU
12 Tim Hudson ATL
13 Carlos Zambrano CHC
14 Mark Mulder STL
15 Carl Pavano+ NYY
16 Bartolo Colon ANA
17 Kerry Wood CHC
18 Jeremy Bonderman+ DET
19 Rich Harden OAK
20 Mark Prior- CHC
21 Roger Clemens HOU
22 Mark Buehrle+ CHW
23 Matt Clement BOS
24 Livan Hernandez WAS
25 Brad Radke MIN
26 Barry Zito- OAK
36 A.J. Burnett FLA
27 Chris Carpenter STL
28 Javier Vazquez- ARI
30 Freddy Garcia CHW
31 Odalis Perez LA
32 Greg Maddux CHC
33 Andy Pettitte HOU
34 Kelvim Escobar ANA
35 Jon Lieber PHI
36 Jason Marquis STL
37 C.C. Sabathia CLE
38 Jaret Wright NYY
39 Zack Greinke KC
40 Mike Hampton+ ATL
41 Jeff Weaver LA
42 Adam Eaton SD
43 Jerome Williams SF
44 Matt Morris STL
45 Jake Westbrook CLE
46 Eric Milton+ CIN
47 Al Leiter+ FLA
48 Derek Lowe LA
49 David Wells BOS
50 Dontrelle Willis FLA
51 Dan Haren+ OAK
52 Cliff Lee- CLE
53 Paul Wilson CIN
54 Ryan Drese TEX
55 Brad Penny LA
56 Rodrigo Lopez BAL
57 Gustavo Chacin+ TOR
58 Jarrod Washburn ANA
59 Randy Wolf PHI
60 Kevin Millwood CLE
61 Kris Benson NYM
62 Doug Davis+ MIL
63 Vicente Padilla PHI
64 Brian Lawrence SD
65 Jose Contreras CHW
66 Jeff Suppan STL
67 Kazuhisa Ishii NM
68 Zach Day WAS
69 Mark Redman PIT
70 Kevin Brown NYY
71 Kip Wells PIT
72 Brandon Webb ARI
73 Erik Bedard+ BAL
74 Tom Glavine NYM
75 Jason Johnson+ DET
76 Brett Tomko SF
77 Wade Miller BOS
78 Noah Lowry SF
79 John Lackey- ANA
80 John Thomson ATL
81 Dewon Brazelton+ TB
82 Runelvys Hernandez+ KC
83 Esteban Loaiza WAS
84 Scott Kazmir TB
85 Kirk Saarloos+ OAK
86 Russ Ortiz ARI
87 Joel Pineiro SEA
88 Kenny Rogers TEX
89 Orlando Hernandez CHW
90 Sidney Ponson BAL
+/- denotes movement
Next week: Top 50 Relievers

Vazquez goes up against a weakened Dodgers lineup and the bad-to-mediocre Nationals in his next two starts.

Cabrera pitched like a 23-year-old sophomore when he spotted the A's five runs by the third inning on Wednesday. He faced 20 batters and threw 85 pitches before getting the hook. He has a much easier opponent in Week 2 when he starts at Tampa Bay, although he's also lined up for a date with the Yankees next weekend.

Considering he is entering a two-start period, giving Cabrera a chance to redeem himself for your club makes sense.

Just like spring training, don't put too much emphasis on a pitcher's first start of the season. Pirates ace Oliver Perez gave up six earned runs in only five innings, but no one should be thinking about reserving him this early. Remember that some pitchers, like Perez, got a late start to their spring and were unable to get enough exhibition innings in before the games counted for real.

The windup

  • Brewers' No. 2 starter Doug Davis looked solid Wednesday against the Pirates when he allowed only two earned runs on four hits. In Head-to-Head leagues that give an extra penalty for allowing a home run, Davis has extra value as he has allowed only 15 homers since the beginning of last season.
  • Cleveland closer Bob Wickman showed why he was one of the last regular closers selected in most drafts this spring when he allowed four earned runs in only 1/3 of an inning against the White Sox. Manager Eric Wedge has remained in support, but really, the Indians don't have much to turn to. David Riske is just that, while Rafael Betancourt did little last season to make anyone believe he can step in and produce as a last-inning stopper. Last season, only two pitchers had more blown saves than Betancourt's seven. Arthur Rhodes might be an option, but it definitely isn't a pretty one.
  • The Devil Rays are watching Scott Kazmir's early-season performances closely, trying to keep his pitch count under 100. His success in April could turn into a longer leash in May. It's good to see a team holding a young pitcher back rather than allowing him to abuse his arm.
  • Both Eric DuBose and Sydney Ponson need Minister's permits to allow them to work in Canada, after both have had to deal with legal troubles recently.
  • The Reds will start Eric Milton on three days' rest at Houston Sunday. While it might be too late to do anything about it in leagues that use weekly lineups, this could be a dangerous outing for Milton. Consider that it's awfully early in the season to ask a pitcher to extend himself. Milton went 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday against the Mets.
  • Ryan Franklin could start in place of Bobby Madritsch (shoulder) next week, according to the Seattle Times. Franklin's dying to get out of the bullpen, but Fantasy owners should steer clear if he gets the starting nod, at least initially. He finished last season with a 4-16 record.

Eligibity issues

  • Smoltz will need four more starts in most Head-to-Head leagues before he is eligible to be used as a Fantasy starting pitcher. Actually, his relief pitcher eligibility is more valuable in most formats since starters usually garner more points.
  • Jeremy Affeldt had eight starts in 2004 which could give him eligibility as a starter in many leagues.
  • Rodrigo Lopez came on in relief for 14 games last season, which might push him into reliever eligibility in many leagues this year.

Injury report

  • Zack Greinke was hit in the forearm by a Carlos Guillen line drive Thursday. He was taken for X-rays that came back negative, and he is not expected to miss his next start.
  • Joel Pineiro (shoulder) threw 81 pitches in a Class A game in Seattle's extended spring camp, according to the Seattle Times. "The really good part is I feel awesome," he said. "If they want me to pitch one more time before I'm back, that's fine." With Madritsch battling shoulder problems, the team could look to Pineiro sooner than later.
  • Ted Lilly (shoulder) will start against the Red Sox on Sunday. "My bullpen throwing was good," he said. Lilly's numbers against Boston when healthy: 1-3 in 10 starts, 4.45 ERA, 1.350 WHIP and 59 strikeouts.
  • Kevin Brown's back looks fine according to an MRI taken Wednesday. The New York Daily News notes that Brown is hopeful with the injury. "Status quo is good for me, I guess," he said. "When it's something chronic like this, there's always something that hurts. The question is whether I can pitch or not." Brown's absence means more starts for Jaret Wright with Tanyon Sturtze ready to fill the fifth spot in the rotation when they need it on April 15.
  • Andy Pettitte pitched well against St. Louis in his first game of the season. While his elbow kept his speed down, the crafty veteran kept the vaunted Cardinals lineup from doing much damage: one run on four hits in six innings. Keep him in your lineup for good, but if you get a nice trade offer for him, don't be shy about trading the banged-up lefty.
  • Brad Penny (biceps) is set to start at Milwaukee on April 19. Watch this situation over the next week before blindly starting the hard-throwing Dodger. One interesting note on Penny was that last year, when he was with the Marlins, a rumor circulated that the team would turn off the stadium display on the radar gun to keep him from being distracted by how hard he threw. Manager Jack McKeon dispelled the rumor, but that doesn't make it less fun to mention.
  • Curt Schilling (ankle) gave up seven runs on 11 hits in six innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday. But that didn't seem to discourage the hard-thrower. "I felt great," he said. "Going into (Thursday), I wanted to get mentally ready." While he should be considered a risky start because of the injury, give him the benefit of the doubt and start the superstar for his April 13 season opener against the Yankees in Boston.
  • At Double-A Akron on Thursday, C.C. Sabathia (oblique) threw four innings, allowing one earned run and two hits. He is still on schedule for an April 17 return to the Indians' rotation.
  • Vicente Padilla (triceps) is expected to return to the Philadelphia rotation after one more minor-league start. He gave up one run on four hits in five innings of a Class A Clearwater outing Thursday. Two weeks away sounds about right for Padilla.
  • Kirk Saarloos will start for the A's in Monday's home opener against Toronto. In his first game this season, he impressed the team by allowing one hit in six innings at Baltimore Wednesday.
  • Despite Mark Prior's sketchy first inning of his Triple-A Iowa rehab start Thursday, he settled down for the next six innings. While Prior is scheduled to start April 12 against the Padres, it might be wise to keep him reserved at least through next week.