After missing the 2011 season due to Tommy John surgery, Adam Wainwright returned for the Cardinals this spring. Yet, while he was back, early in the season it didn't really seem like he was back.
The right-hander, who won 39 games between the 2009 and 2010 seasons and was a Top 3 Cy Young finisher both years, was strangely human in the early months. He finished April with a 7.32 ERA and continued to battle inconsistency in the following weeks. In the first half, Wainwright allowed multiple homers in a start four times; in the 2010 season, he did so once all year.
On the bright side, there were plenty of positive signs and dominant performances mixed in, and slowly but surely, Wainwright has returned to form. Since the All-Star break, he's been absolutely lights-out, with 4-1 record, 1.91 ERA and 40/6 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings spread across six starts. At this point, he appears to be fully back and has to be viewed as one of the most reliable options in the National League.
Fantasy owners can feel confident plugging him, along with other Strong Plays such as Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Madison Bumgarner and Jordan Zimmermann, into their lineups this week for two starts. AL-only players will have a tougher time finding appealing options, but among Decent Play take a hard look at Derek Holland, Brandon McCarthy and Gavin Floyd.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Jeremy Hellickson: KC (Smith), OAK (McCarthy)
Doug Fister: TOR (Romero), LAA (Santana)
Decent Plays
Ricky Romero: @DET (Fister), @BAL (Gonzalez)
Derek Holland: BAL (Tillman), MIN (De Vries)
Scott Feldman: BAL (Gonzalez), MIN (Duensing)
Kevin Millwood: CLE (Jimenez), @CWS (Floyd)
Brandon McCarthy: MIN (Duensing), @TB (Hellickson)
Freddy Garcia: @CWS (Floyd), @CLE (Jimenez)
Gavin Floyd: NYY (Garcia), SEA (Millwood)
Miguel Gonzalez: @TEX (Feldman), TOR (Romero)
At Your Own Risk
Ervin Santana: @BOS (Beckett), @DET (Fister)
Brian Duensing: @OAK (McCarthy), @TEX (Feldman)
Cole De Vries: @OAK (McCarthy), @TEX (Holland)
Will Smith: @TB (Hellickson), @BOS (Lester)
Ubaldo Jimenez: @SEA (Millwood), NYY (Garcia)
National League
Strong Plays
Adam Wainwright: HOU (Harrell), @CIN (Bailey)
Jordan Zimmermann: ATL (Hudson), @PHI (Lee)
Madison Bumgarner: @LAD (Kershaw), ATL (Minor)
Cliff Lee: CIN (Bailey), WAS (Zimmermann)
Roy Halladay: CIN (Leake), WAS (Gonzalez)
Matt Harvey: COL (Chacin), HOU (Harrell)
R.A. Dickey: COL (White), HOU (Galarraga)
Clayton Kershaw: SF (Bumgarner), MIA (Buehrle)
Tim Hudson: @WAS (Zimmermann), @SF (Lincecum)
Decent Plays
Tim Lincecum: @LAD (Blanton), ATL (Hudson)
Edinson Volquez: PIT (Correia), @ARI (Saunders)
Mark Rogers: CHC (Germano), @PIT (Karstens)
Mark Buehrle: @ARI (Saunders), @LAD (Kershaw)
Lucas Harrell: @STL (Wainwright), @NYM (Harvey)
Homer Bailey: @PHI (Lee), STL (Wainwright)
Joe Saunders: MIA (Buehrle), SD (Volquez)
Mike Leake: @PHI (Halladay), STL (Garcia)
At Your Own Risk
Jhoulys Chacin: @NYM (Harvey), @CHC (Volstad)
Alex White: @NYM (Dickey), @CHC (Raley)
After missing the 2011 season due to Tommy John surgery, Adam Wainwright returned for the Cardinals this spring. Yet, while he was back, early in the season it didn't really seem like he was back.
The right-hander, who won 39 games between the 2009 and 2010 seasons and was a Top 3 Cy Young finisher both years, was strangely human in the early months. He finished April with a 7.32 ERA and continued to battle inconsistency in the following weeks. In the first half, Wainwright allowed multiple homers in a start four times; in the 2010 season, he did so once all year.
On the bright side, there were plenty of positive signs and dominant performances mixed in, and slowly but surely, Wainwright has returned to form. Since the All-Star break, he's been absolutely lights-out, with 4-1 record, 1.91 ERA and 40/6 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings spread across six starts. At this point, he appears to be fully back and has to be viewed as one of the most reliable options in the National League.
Fantasy owners can feel confident plugging him, along with other Strong Plays such as Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Madison Bumgarner and Jordan Zimmermann, into their lineups this week for two starts. AL-only players will have a tougher time finding appealing options, but among Decent Play take a hard look at Derek Holland, Brandon McCarthy and Gavin Floyd.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Jeremy Hellickson: KC (Smith), OAK (McCarthy)
Doug Fister: TOR (Romero), LAA (Santana)
Decent Plays
Ricky Romero: @DET (Fister), @BAL (Gonzalez)
Derek Holland: BAL (Tillman), MIN (De Vries)
Scott Feldman: BAL (Gonzalez), MIN (Duensing)
Kevin Millwood: CLE (Jimenez), @CWS (Floyd)
Brandon McCarthy: MIN (Duensing), @TB (Hellickson)
Freddy Garcia: @CWS (Floyd), @CLE (Jimenez)
Gavin Floyd: NYY (Garcia), SEA (Millwood)
Miguel Gonzalez: @TEX (Feldman), TOR (Romero)
At Your Own Risk
Ervin Santana: @BOS (Beckett), @DET (Fister)
Brian Duensing: @OAK (McCarthy), @TEX (Feldman)
Cole De Vries: @OAK (McCarthy), @TEX (Holland)
Will Smith: @TB (Hellickson), @BOS (Lester)
Ubaldo Jimenez: @SEA (Millwood), NYY (Garcia)
National League
Strong Plays
Adam Wainwright: HOU (Harrell), @CIN (Bailey)
Jordan Zimmermann: ATL (Hudson), @PHI (Lee)
Madison Bumgarner: @LAD (Kershaw), ATL (Minor)
Cliff Lee: CIN (Bailey), WAS (Zimmermann)
Roy Halladay: CIN (Leake), WAS (Gonzalez)
Matt Harvey: COL (Chacin), HOU (Harrell)
R.A. Dickey: COL (White), HOU (Galarraga)
Clayton Kershaw: SF (Bumgarner), MIA (Buehrle)
Tim Hudson: @WAS (Zimmermann), @SF (Lincecum)
Decent Plays
Tim Lincecum: @LAD (Blanton), ATL (Hudson)
Edinson Volquez: PIT (Correia), @ARI (Saunders)
Mark Rogers: CHC (Germano), @PIT (Karstens)
Mark Buehrle: @ARI (Saunders), @LAD (Kershaw)
Lucas Harrell: @STL (Wainwright), @NYM (Harvey)
Homer Bailey: @PHI (Lee), STL (Wainwright)
Joe Saunders: MIA (Buehrle), SD (Volquez)
Mike Leake: @PHI (Halladay), STL (Garcia)
At Your Own Risk
Jhoulys Chacin: @NYM (Harvey), @CHC (Volstad)
Alex White: @NYM (Dickey), @CHC (Raley)
Streamer City
The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:
American League
Wednesday, 8/22: Zach McAllister @ SEA
The righty is enjoying a nice rookie season, with a 3.46 ERA and impressive 69/20 K/BB ratio in 78 innings.
Thursday, 8/23: Alex Cobb vs. OAK
Cobb has been stellar lately, with a 1.93 ERA and 21/3 K/BB ratio over 28 innings in his last four starts. He's won three straight.
Saturday, 8/25: Franklin Morales vs. KC
He's been effective as a member of Boston's rotation and should be able to pile up some strikeouts against the Royals.
National League
Tuesday, 8/21: Joe Blanton vs. SF
Blanton has been solid since coming over to the Dodgers. Last time he faced the Giants (as a Phillie) he went eight strong innings.
Wednesday, 8/22: Wade LeBlanc @ ARI
LeBlanc owns an excellent 1.45 ERA and could face a softer lineup pitching in the top half of a double-header.
Friday, 8/24: Patrick Corbin vs. SD
A quality match-up for the rookie, who is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 19 strikeouts in his past three starts.
Total Games
American League
6: BAL, BOS, CLE, CWS, DET, KC, LAA, NYY, SEA, TOR
7: MIN, OAK, TB, TEX
National League
6: CHC, HOU, LAD, MIL, PIT, SD, STL, WAS
7: ARI, ATL, CIN, COL, MIA, NYM, PHI, SF
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CLE: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
CWS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
KC: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
LAA: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
MIN: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
NYY: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
ATL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
HOU: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYM: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SD: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SF: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
STL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
WAS: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
The Infirmary
You can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's Injury Page but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:
Takashi Saito: Out until late August (hamstring)
Wilson Betemit: Out until late August (wrist)
Will Middlebrooks: Out for the season (wrist)
Ryan Sweeney: Out for the season (finger)
Josh Tomlin: Out indefinitely (elbow)
CC Sabathia: Out until late August (elbow)
Nate Schierholtz: Out until mid-September (toe)
Mike Napoli: Out until late August (quads)