Pitching Forecaster: Come out and pitch!

All the talk this time of the year is about the potential trade targets: Jake Peavy, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, Brad Penny and Jonathan O. Sanchez. Heck, even newly drafted National Stephen Strasburg has been a hotter topic in Fantasy leagues for the past month-plus.

But let's stir up some different talk -- a where are they now.

Ben Sheets, with the draft underway and no longer costing teams a pick, are you ready to sign an incentive-laden deal?

Pedro Martinez, with the season nearing its halfway point, are you ready to accept half or even a portion of your $5 million asking price now?

And then, on the geriatric fronts, Tom Glavine, are you willing to pitch for a team other than the one that just unceremoniously dumped you?

And, almost as old, Paul Byrd (what in the world was he thinking this winter) are you ready to come "out of retirement" to pitch for a contender as you planned?

You might not see a whole lot of potential in these arms, but when they come back -- if they come back -- they will likely be doing it only with top contenders. That makes them interesting at least.

Sheets has to be the most intriguing of them, although he is the one coming off elbow surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon. Glavine made a successful return from that surgery.

Sheets required surgery after the Rangers discovered it during a physical in the signing process. He was reportedly working out with the Rangers earlier this season, so they could bring talks back up.

If Sheets is healthy, he will attract a lot of interest. He is a potential front-line starter you don't have to trade for. You merely need to assume risk and be willing to lay out some incentives -- perhaps over the course of the rest of this year and next.

Sheets could be ready to help in August, but a signing now could help him be assigned to the minors or perhaps even to the DL. That is a significant point for Fantasy owners. Stashing him there is a lot easier than burning a reserve spot.

We could see Sheets sign soon, because teams would have been required to give up a premium June 9 draft pick to sign damaged goods. Now the goods might not be as damaged and the pick will no longer have to be forfeited.

Martinez is interesting, too, because he would have cost teams a pick, too, albeit a lesser one. Now, he won't.

There were reports he was throwing in the Dominican, perhaps in the Mets-run camp there. He could sign, take a month of rehab starts to build up stamina and be ready to help a team as a back-end starter after the All-Star break -- and right before the trade deadline.

Now, we dealt last week with the ain't-what-he-used-to-be velocity phenomenon with Jeremy Bonderman -- who returned to awful results -- but this is Pedro. He was throwing 90-91 in the WBC and looked healthy, if not a shell of his former self. If he can sustain low-90s, his offspeed stuff can be effective enough.

Glavine and Byrd are longshots at this point and more likely to be retirees than returnees, but their experience could make them a factor in the right situation and on the right contender.

We mention these guys only to take your rumor mill thoughts off the biggest prizes in the trade market. We think it is more likely one or more of these guys get signed before a Peavy, Oswalt or Lee is traded.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Scout these Week 11 two-start SPs
Pitcher	TM	Start%	Own%
Felix Hernandez	SEA	97	90
Cole Hamels	PHI	97	90
Adam Wainwright	STL	97	85
Carlos Zambrano	CHC	97	83
Jair Jurrjens	ATL	95	80
Aaron Harang	CIN	95	76
John Lackey	ANA	96	76
Clayton Kershaw	LA	92	68
Chris Volstad	FLA	87	56
Kevin Millwood	TEX	83	55
Francisco Liriano	MIN	88	50
Carl Pavano	CLE	66	49
Wandy Rodriguez	HOU	89	47
John Danks	CHW	88	46
Gil Meche	KC	77	42
Hiroki Kuroda	LA	73	37
Mike Pelfrey	NYM	73	37
Tim Wakefield	BOS	64	34
Chien-Ming Wang	NYY	77	28
Dallas Braden	OAK	44	27
Doug Davis	ARI	42	27
Barry Zito	SF	44	24
Jeff Niemann	TB	37	23
Dave Bush	MIL	53	21
Ricky Romero	TOR	30	13
Jeremy Guthrie	BAL	37	12
Jorge De La Rosa	COL	15	7
Chad Gaudin	SD	4	2
Kevin Correia	SD	4	2
Charlie Morton	PIT	1	0

Week 11 two-starter(s): Davis. He is a sleeper for deeper leagues with a solid outing Wednesday vs. San Francisco.
Starters on the DL: Brandon Webb (shoulder) and Yusmeiro Petit (shoulder). Webb is hoping to return before the All-Star break, while Petit is starting a rehab assignment now and could be ready in a few weeks.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jarrod Parker. The 20-year-old is handling Double-A nicely, but we don't see the sinking D-Backs rushing him to the majors this season at this point. Perhaps he is a September call-up candidate, we suppose.

Atlanta Braves

Week 11 two-starter(s): Jurrjens. He pitches Wednesday and is likely a must-start in all leagues.
Starters on the DL: Tim Hudson (elbow). He is no better than an August returnee at this point, but he might try to return sooner as a reliever.
Starters to watch in the minors: None. Kris Medlen is the de facto No. 6 starter out of the bullpen, while Jorge Campillo and Jo-Jo Reyes are on the DL as depth.

Baltimore Orioles

Week 11 two-starter(s): Guthrie. He pitches Wednesday vs. the Mariners, but even a good outing would make him a difficult starter to trust outside of AL-only leagues.
Starters on the DL: Koji Uehara (hamstring) and Alfredo Simon (elbow, out for the season). Uehara is hoping to return Thursday and would likely bump Berken from the rotation.
Starters to watch in the minors: Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz, Troy Patton and Brandon Erbe (7-day DL). Tillman or Patton are the next closest prospects, but the O's figure to let their current guys get a good month's look right now.

Boston Red Sox

Josh Beckett
Jon Lester
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Tim Wakefield
Brad Penny, but John Smoltz is hoping to return June 16

Week 11 two-starter(s): Perhaps Smoltz. He has targeted a June 16 return for weeks, but a Monday offday and Wakefield and Penny being capable of pitching on regular rest could allow Smoltz to wait until the weekend. It is pretty likely Smoltz forces their hand, because he likely wants a start under his belt before pitching in a revenge game next week against the Braves.
Starters on the DL: Smoltz (shoulder). He makes perhaps his final rehab start this week. Watch him closely. A future Hall of Famer in the Red Sox rotation is potentially a match made in heaven.
Starters to watch in the minors: Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Junichi Tazawa. Buchholz is waiting in the wings, but the Red Sox might be making some trades in the coming week.

Chicago Cubs

Carlos Zambrano
Ryan Dempster
Ted Lilly
Randy Wells
Sean Marshall or Rich Harden, who is expected to return from the DL on Saturday

Week 11 two-starter(s): Zambrano. He starts Wednesday at Houston and is likely a must-start in all leagues.
Starters on the DL: Rich Harden (back). He expects to be ready for Saturday and is a must-own in all Fantasy leagues, when healthy.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jeff Samardzija. With Marshall heading back to the bullpen, the Cubs have depth to keep Samardzija in the Triple-A rotation for now.

Chicago White Sox

Week 11 two-starter(s): Likely Danks. The White Sox are planning moves that are not yet made official, but it appears Buehrle will start Sunday, which leaves the opener of the Cubs series next Tuesday to Danks. Danks pitches Wednesday vs. the Tigers and could earn must-start, two-start status.
Starters on the DL: Bartolo Colon. He was struggling anyway, so this move buys the White Sox time to take a look at Contreras and can allow them to send Colon on an extended rehab stint.
Starters to watch in the minors: None. With the call-up of Aaron Poreda and successful return of Contreras, the White Sox starting depth will likely be Colon off the DL and Poreda out of long relief at this point.

Cincinnati Reds

Week 11 two-starter(s): Harang. He is a likely a must-start in all leagues after his start Wednesday at Washington.
Starters on the DL: Edinson Volquez (elbow). He could return in Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21), but track his progress through the weekend before considering him. His poor return last time makes it likely he gets a rehab start before returning this time around.
Starters to watch in the minors: Homer Bailey and Daryl Thompson. Maloney has done all right and Volquez might not be far from a return, so these prospects are not options until the second half at this point.

Cleveland Indians

Week 11 two-starter(s): Pavano. The rejuvenated veteran has been hot and could be an advisable option if he pitches well vs. the Royals on Wednesday.
Starters on the DL: Jake Westbrook (elbow), Aaron Laffey (side), Anthony Reyes (elbow) and Scott Lewis (elbow). Westbrook is already on a rehab stint, while Laffey could be starting one soon. They hope to be ready before July at this point. Stash them in deeper formats. They have been viable options in mixed leagues at times.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jeanmar Gomez, Hector Rondon and Charles Lofgren. This Double-A trio likely won't move up in the system until the Indians decide the future of their DL returnees and get good, long looks at Huff and Sowers.

Colorado Rockies

Week 11 two-starter(s): Perhaps De La Rosa. A day off Monday that could allow him to be skipped or a potential DL return are two reasons he might be pitching for his rotation spot Wednesday at Milwaukee. Consider him a high-risk option at this point.
Starters on the DL: Franklin Morales (shoulder) and Jeff Francis (shoulder, out for the season). Morales is working on a rehab stint and might be a candidate to return in Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21). Track his progress through the weekend before considering him.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jhoulys Chacin, Christian Friedrich, Jason Hirsh, Greg Smith (7-day DL) and Greg Reynolds (7-day DL). Friedrich has prospects hounds going nuts. He needs to be added to the CBSSports.com database before we really give him a chance to help the Rockies, though. Chacin is still likely to arrive before the 21-year-old 2008 draftee and that won't happen before later in the second half at this point.

Detroit Tigers

Week 11 two-starter(s): Verlander. He is a must-start ace in all leagues again, regardless if he struggles some Wednesday at the Chicago White Sox.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Ryan Perry. With the surprising success and health of the bullpen, Perry was demoted to the minors, where he could be stretched out to start. The problem with a return in the rotation, though, is Willis or Bonderman was expected to be the de facto No. 6 starter. Veteran lefty Nate Robertson is also depth out of the bullpen, too.

Florida Marlins

Week 11 two-starter(s): Volstad. He could be an advisable option with a solid outing vs. the Cardinals on Wednesday.
Starters on the DL: Anibal Sanchez (shoulder). He was rushed back, but the Marlins figure to give him a far longer rehab assignment this time around.
Starters to watch in the minors: Ryan Tucker, Brett Sinkbeil, Rick VandenHurk, Graham Taylor and Aaron Thompson. West's flirtation with a no-hitter gives him a long, long leash. We think there is a very good possibility the Marlins won't need another starter for a long, long time now. They are finally healthy and all pitching well.

Houston Astros

Roy Oswalt
Wandy Rodriguez
Mike Hampton
Brian Moehler
Felipe Paulino or Brandon Backe or Russ Ortiz

Week 11 two-starter(s): Rodriguez. Early in the season, he was a must-start, breathrough ace. Right now, he is a risky option. We figure he could change many minds with a solid outing Wednesday vs. the Cubs, though.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Bud Norris. Until something changes, the Astros don't figure to be inclined to go to their top prospect. It is more likely the Astros make a trade or give Backe or Ortiz looks out of long relief.

Kansas City Royals

Week 11 two-starter(s): Meche. He could be an advisable option with a solid start at Cleveland on Wednesday.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Danny Cortes. Hochevar returned much better this time and will get a good month of a look before the Royals decide to make a change. The Royals are more likely to consider a veteran off the free-agent wire (Pedro Martinez, Paul Byrd, Ben Sheets or Tom Glavine) than a prospect at this point.

Los Angeles Angels

Week 11 two-starter(s): Lackey. We expect he will be a must-start option after he pitches Wednesday at Tampa Bay.
Starters on the DL: None. Dustin Moseley (elbow) was moved to the 60-day DL and will merely return in the bullpen if healthy later in the second half.
Starters to watch in the minors: Trevor Bell, Jordan Walden, Sean O'Sullivan and Trevor Reckling. These Double-A arms are intriguing, but their rotation depth lies with the 5-0 Matt Palmer right now.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Chad Billingsley
Hiroki Kuroda
Randy Wolf
Clayton Kershaw
Vacant, but Eric Stults (finger) is hoping to return June 20 the next time the No. 5 spot is needed

Week 11 two-starter(s): Kershaw. He could be a must-start option with a solid start Wednesday vs. the Padres.
Starters on the DL: Eric Milton (back) and Jason Schmidt (shoulder). Milton wasn't needed in the No. 5 spot due to multiple offdays for the Dodgers that allows them to slot a three- or four-man rotation until the middle of Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21). Stults is likely to be the No. 5 starter come June 20. Schmidt is not yet ready for a rehab assignment and might never be a major league starter for the Dodgers at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: James McDonald and Joshua Lindblom. McDonald was great in his past Triple-A start (10 strikeouts) but we see the Dodgers making a move for a veteran or getting by with stopgaps amid their runaway in the NL West.

Milwaukee Brewers

Week 11 two-starter(s): Bush. He is a little banged up, so consider him a questionable option worth taking a chance on in deeper leagues if he makes his Wednesday start vs. the Rockies and comes out of it looking healthy and effective.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jeremy Jeffress. He has shown improvement of late, but the Brewers are one of the few teams in baseball that have had the same five starters since spring training.

Minnesota Twins

Week 11 two-starter(s): Liriano. He had a promising outing last time out and could prove to be an advisable option with another decent outing Wednesday at Oakland.
Starters on the DL: Glen Perkins (elbow) and Boof Bonser (shoulder, out for the season). Perkins could be ready to return after one or two more rehab starts. Consider him a candidate to replace the struggling Swarzak in Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21).
Starters to watch in the minors: Kevin Mulvey. Swarzak appears to be blowing his chance, so Mulvey could be the Twins' second-half option if they want to take a look at a young starter.

New York Mets

Week 11 two-starter(s): Pelfrey. He could be an advisable option with a solid start vs. the Phillies on Wednesday.
Starters on the DL: Oliver Perez (knee). Perez could be able to start a rehab assignment soon, but it likely won't be until July before he is trustworthy in Fantasy regardless. There is potential here, but it has been said for years with yet another erratic lefty.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jon Niese, Bradley Holt and Tobi Stoner. Holt, 22, has been outstanding and likely would be the Mets' first option over the mightily struggling Niese now. If Redding has some more struggles, Holt will either be in the major leagues or dealt for a veteran.

New York Yankees

Week 11 two-starter(s): Wang. He will be evaluated on a start-to-start basis, but he could also be an advisable option with a strong outing at Boston on Wednesday night.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Kei Igawa and Ian Kennedy (shoulder, might be out for the season). Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves are the depth out of long relief right now. Igawa is not pitching all that well and Kennedy is hurt anyway.

Oakland Athletics

Week 11 two-starter(s): Braden. He could be an advisable option with a solid start Wednesday vs. the Twins.
Starters on the DL: Justin Duchscherer (elbow). He is throwing again, but the word is he will be working his way back as a reliever initially -- and not a closer. Consider looking elsewhere if you want to take a flier on a different DL stashee now.
Starters to watch in the minors: Dana Eveland, Gio Gonzalez and James J. Simmons. The A's have no complaints with the success of their young pitching now. Eventually, one of these guys will be needed and could be sleepers, though. Give it a month.

Philadelphia Phillies

Week 11 two-starter(s): Hamels. He has been rejuvenated after a slow start and should be a must-start after he goes Wednesday at the N.Y. Mets.
Starters on the DL: Brett Myers (hip, out for the season).
Starters to watch in the minors: Kyle Kendrick, Carlos Carrasco, Joe Savery and Kyle Drabek. The Phillies are seeking a trade for a front-line starter, but Drabek could be intriguing in the second half if he continues to dominate.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Week 11 two-starter(s): Perhaps Morton. The Pirates might slot their key piece in the Nate McLouth trade in Karstens' rotation spot Wednesday, which would put him on track for a two-start week. Consider him a sleeper for deeper leagues, especially NL-only formats.
Starters on the DL: Phil Dumatrait (shoulder). He isn't ready for a rehab assignment and would likely get a lengthy one once he's ready to start it.
Starters to watch in the minors: Brad Lincoln, Bryan Morris and Daniel McCutchen. With Morton on the way up, Tom Gorzelanny is expected to be sent down to start in Triple-A. The Pirates are building nice pitching depth, but they really don't have an intriguing enough arm to overcome their so-so offense.

San Diego Padres

Jake Peavy
Chris R. Young
Chad Gaudin
Kevin Correia
Josh Geer, likely to be skipped until June 20

Week 11 two-starter(s): Gaudin. He pitches Wednesday at the Dodgers, but he isn't expected to be anything more than a questionable option.
Starters on the DL: Shawn Hill (elbow) and Cha Seung Baek (elbow). They won't be healthy enough for a rehab assignment for some time and might not pitch at all the rest of the season. Ignore them.
Starters to watch in the minors: Matt Latos, Walter Silva, Cesar Carrillo, Nick Schmidt, William Inman and perhaps Mark Prior. Latos is up to Double-A and now looks capable of making an impact this year. He is a potentially elite arm among these other prospects. Prior is not healthy enough to pitch still.

San Francisco Giants

Week 11 two-starter(s): Zito. He hasn't gotten any run support, but he is pitching better than his record. Consider him a questionable option, but a potential sleeper if he pitches well at Arizona on Wednesday.
Starters on the DL: Noah Lowry (shoulder, out for the season).
Starters to watch in the minors: Madison Bumgarner, Timothy Alderson and Kevin Pucetas. The Giants are reportedly shopping Sanchez. If a trade goes down, it would likely mean the Giants stopgap their rotation spot with a Triple-A guy, then go to the elite prospect Bumgarner down the stretch.

Seattle Mariners

Week 11 two-starter(s): Hernandez. He is a must-start in all leagues.
Starters on the DL: Ryan Rowland-Smith (biceps), Carlos Silva (shoulder) and Ryan Feierabend (elbow, out for the season). Rowland-Smith should be ready to return in Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21), but he is merely a risky option for AL-only leagues.
Starters to watch in the minors: None. Their organization is not real ripe with pitching prospects now that Phillipe Aumont has been moved to relief. Their rotation depth will come from Olson, Rowland-Smith and perhaps Silva later in the second half.

St. Louis Cardinals

Chris Carpenter
Adam Wainwright
Joel Pineiro
Todd Wellemeyer
Brad Thompson

Week 11 two-starter(s): Wainwright. He should be a must-start option after he pitches Wednesday at Florida.
Starters on the DL: Kyle Lohse (elbow) and Jaime Garcia (elbow, out for the season). Lohse needs a couple of weeks after rushing back the last time. Keep him stashed in any format where you have DL spots.
Starters to watch in the minors: Mitchell Boggs, P.J. Walters and Clayton Mortensen. Thompson is holding it down for now, but Boggs could get the call once he gets his days lined up. He has been awesome in his past two Triple-A starts (10 strikeouts last time out). Take the flier now on Boggs in NL-only formats. There is potential there, especially on that Albert Pujols-led contender.

Tampa Bay Rays

Week 11 two-starter(s): Niemann. He was great his last time out and is a sleeper for any league if he continues his hot streak vs. the Angels on Wednesday.
Starters on the DL: Scott Kazmir (quadriceps). He is throwing bullpen sessions and might not be far from beginning a brief rehab assignment. He won't be an option in Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21), though.
Starters to watch in the minors: Wade Davis. At 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA in Triple-A, Davis is one of the most underrated pitching prospects in baseball. Too bad we don't see an opening for him, because he could make an immediate impact.

Texas Rangers

Kevin Millwood
Vicente Padilla
Scott Feldman
Doug Mathis or Matt Harrison, who could come off the DL
Derek Holland

Week 11 two-starter(s): Millwood. He can be an advisable option with a solid outing Wednesday vs. the Blue Jays.
Starters on the DL: Harrison (shoulder), Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) and Eric Hurley (shoulder, out for the season). Harrison is on a rehab assignment, so he is close to a return. Track his progress through the weekend before considering him for Fantasy Week 11 (June 15-21). McCarthy is out for months and might even be done for the season.
Starters to watch in the minors: Neftali Feliz, Michael Main, Tommy Hunter, Thomas Diamond and Kasey Kiker.

Toronto Blue Jays

Week 11 two-starter(s): Romero. He could prove to be a sleeper if he continues to show promise Wednesday at Texas.
Starters on the DL: Bobby Ray (shoulder), Dustin McGowan (shoulder) Shaun Marcum (elbow) and Jesse Litsch (elbow, out for the season). Ray could help come July, while McGowan and Marcum are still hoping to help come August. Litsch recently had Tommy John elbow surgery and will be out most of 2010 now, too.
Starters to watch in the minors: David Purcey, Brad Mills, Brett Cecil and Marc Rzepczynski. Mills was solid last time out and could be the first option if the Blue Jays decide to make a change. There is no apparent change to make right now, though.

Washington Nationals

Week 11 two-starter(s): Detwiler or Martis. They pitch Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. If Zimmermann (elbow) can make a start this weekend, the two-start pitcher will be Detwiler. If not, Detwiler will go Sunday and Martis will get the two starts. They are questionable options at this point.
Starters on the DL: Scott Olsen (shoulder) and Matt Chico (elbow). Olsen has begun a rehab assignment, so he could be a factor to return before the end of June.
Starters to watch in the minors: Josh Smoker and Colton Willems. Stephen Strasburg needs to sign quick to have a real chance to pitch in the majors this season. With Scott Boras as the agent, forget about that happening. The Nationals pitching depth is not all that intriguing, especially since their elite prospects aren't really setting the Fantasy world on fire.

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