Well, it's been a fun ride. The 2012 MLB season has been full of surprising performances, memorable moments and controversial decisions (Strasburg, anyone?). Now, the campaign is finally winding down, as late-running fantasy leagues wrap up their championship rounds with less than two weeks of action remaining.
Now that the final full week of regular-season games is upon us, the following crop of two-start pitchers will be the last of the year. There are several interesting storylines to be found here. Yu Darvish will look to continue his recent run of strong play and wrap up a successful rookie season. Justin Verlander will put the final touches on his case for a second straight Cy Young. Andy Pettitte will try to keep the magic going and help push the Yankees past the Orioles. Jorge De La Rosa, finally back from injury, will look to show something in a brief late-season audition.
It's been a pleasure bringing you these weekly previews all season, and I hope they've been helpful toward giving your team an edge. We'll see you next spring.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Yu Darvish: OAK (Straily), LAA (Wilson)
Derek Holland: OAK, LAA (Weaver)
Jeremy Hellickson: @BOS (Matsuzaka), @CWS (Liriano)
CC Sabathia: @MIN (Vasquez), @TOR (Romero)
Andy Pettitte: @MIN (Hendriks), @TOR (Laffey)
Justin Verlander: KC (Mendoza), @MIN (Walters)
Chris Sale: CLE (McAllister), TB (Archer)
Decent Plays
Dan Straily: @TEX (Darvish), SEA (Ramirez)
C.J. Wilson: SEA (Beavan), @TEX (Darvish)
Luis Mendoza: @DET (Verlander), @CLE (Huff)
Anibal Sanchez: KC (Chen), @MIN (Hendriks)
Francisco Liriano: CLE (Kluber), TB (Hellickson)
Wei-Yin Chen: TOR (Romero), BOS (Doubront)
Zach McAllister: @CWS (Sale), KC (Chen)
At Your Own Risk
Aaron Laffey: @BAL (Gonzalez), NYY (Pettitte)
Ricky Romero: @BAL (Chen), NYY (Sabathia)
Liam Hendriks: NYY (Pettitte), DET (Sanchez)
Bruce Chen: @DET (Sanchez), @CLE (McAllister)
National League
Strong Plays
Jordan Zimmermann: MIL (Estrada), @STL (Lohse)
Matt Cain: ARI (Skaggs), @SD (Werner)
Wandy Rodriguez: @NYM (Hefner), CIN (Leake)
Cole Hamels: WAS (Lannan), @MIA (Nolasco)
Marco Estrada: @WAS (Zimmermann), HOU (Keuchel)
Decent Plays
John Lannan: @PHI (Hamels), @STL (Westbrook)
Jake Westbrook: @HOU (Abad), @WAS (Lannan)
Kyle McPherson: @NYM (Young), CIN (Bailey)
Chris Young: PIT (McPherson), @ATL (Hudson)
Michael Fiers: @CIN (Leake), HOU (Lyles)
Aaron Harang: @SD (Volquez), COL (De La Rosa)
Mike Leake: MIL (Fiers), @PIT (Rodriguez)
Paul Maholm: MIA (LeBlanc), NYM (Hefner)
Trevor Cahill: @COL (Chatwood), CHC (Wood)
At Your Own Risk
Jeremy Hefner: PIT (Rodriguez), @ATL (Maholm)
Jorge De La Rosa: CHC (Rusin), @LAD (Harang)
Tyler Chatwood: ARI (Cahill), @LAD (Kershaw)
Chris Rusin: @COL (De La Rosa), @ARI (Skaggs)
Tyler Skaggs: @SF (Cain), CHC (Rusin)
Well, it's been a fun ride. The 2012 MLB season has been full of surprising performances, memorable moments and controversial decisions (Strasburg, anyone?). Now, the campaign is finally winding down, as late-running fantasy leagues wrap up their championship rounds with less than two weeks of action remaining.
Now that the final full week of regular-season games is upon us, the following crop of two-start pitchers will be the last of the year. There are several interesting storylines to be found here. Yu Darvish will look to continue his recent run of strong play and wrap up a successful rookie season. Justin Verlander will put the final touches on his case for a second straight Cy Young. Andy Pettitte will try to keep the magic going and help push the Yankees past the Orioles. Jorge De La Rosa, finally back from injury, will look to show something in a brief late-season audition.
It's been a pleasure bringing you these weekly previews all season, and I hope they've been helpful toward giving your team an edge. We'll see you next spring.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Yu Darvish: OAK (Straily), LAA (Wilson)
Derek Holland: OAK, LAA (Weaver)
Jeremy Hellickson: @BOS (Matsuzaka), @CWS (Liriano)
CC Sabathia: @MIN (Vasquez), @TOR (Romero)
Andy Pettitte: @MIN (Hendriks), @TOR (Laffey)
Justin Verlander: KC (Mendoza), @MIN (Walters)
Chris Sale: CLE (McAllister), TB (Archer)
Decent Plays
Dan Straily: @TEX (Darvish), SEA (Ramirez)
C.J. Wilson: SEA (Beavan), @TEX (Darvish)
Luis Mendoza: @DET (Verlander), @CLE (Huff)
Anibal Sanchez: KC (Chen), @MIN (Hendriks)
Francisco Liriano: CLE (Kluber), TB (Hellickson)
Wei-Yin Chen: TOR (Romero), BOS (Doubront)
Zach McAllister: @CWS (Sale), KC (Chen)
At Your Own Risk
Aaron Laffey: @BAL (Gonzalez), NYY (Pettitte)
Ricky Romero: @BAL (Chen), NYY (Sabathia)
Liam Hendriks: NYY (Pettitte), DET (Sanchez)
Bruce Chen: @DET (Sanchez), @CLE (McAllister)
National League
Strong Plays
Jordan Zimmermann: MIL (Estrada), @STL (Lohse)
Matt Cain: ARI (Skaggs), @SD (Werner)
Wandy Rodriguez: @NYM (Hefner), CIN (Leake)
Cole Hamels: WAS (Lannan), @MIA (Nolasco)
Marco Estrada: @WAS (Zimmermann), HOU (Keuchel)
Decent Plays
John Lannan: @PHI (Hamels), @STL (Westbrook)
Jake Westbrook: @HOU (Abad), @WAS (Lannan)
Kyle McPherson: @NYM (Young), CIN (Bailey)
Chris Young: PIT (McPherson), @ATL (Hudson)
Michael Fiers: @CIN (Leake), HOU (Lyles)
Aaron Harang: @SD (Volquez), COL (De La Rosa)
Mike Leake: MIL (Fiers), @PIT (Rodriguez)
Paul Maholm: MIA (LeBlanc), NYM (Hefner)
Trevor Cahill: @COL (Chatwood), CHC (Wood)
At Your Own Risk
Jeremy Hefner: PIT (Rodriguez), @ATL (Maholm)
Jorge De La Rosa: CHC (Rusin), @LAD (Harang)
Tyler Chatwood: ARI (Cahill), @LAD (Kershaw)
Chris Rusin: @COL (De La Rosa), @ARI (Skaggs)
Tyler Skaggs: @SF (Cain), CHC (Rusin)
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, 9/26: Jeremy Guthrie @ DET
Since the start of August, Guthrie has been simply splendid, going 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA in nine starts (eight of them quality).
Wednesday, 9/26: Martin Perez vs. OAK
Perez posted solid numbers in an earlier stint with the Rangers and matches up well against the offensively challenged A's.
Thursday, 9/27: Hisashi Iwakuma
He's picked up victories in five of his past nine turns, posting a 2.29 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 55 innings during that span.
National League
Wednesday, 9/26: Jeff Locke @ NYM
The reputed rookie hasn't gotten very good results overall in his three big-league starts, but an impressive 14/2 K/BB ratio suggests that good things are coming.
Thursday, 9/27: Patrick Corbin @ SF
Corbin held the Giants to two runs over eight innings when he faced them this past week and will look for similar success here.
Friday, 9/28: Jacob Turner vs. PHI
Three of Turner's past four starts have been quality, and he has put up a 17/3 K/BB ratio over that window.
Total Games
American League
5: BOS
6: CLE, LAA, MIN, SEA, TB
7: BAL, CWS, DET, KC, NYY, OAK, TEX
8: TOR
National League
6: ATL, CHC, CIN, HOU, LAD, MIA, PHI, SD, SF, STL
7: ARI, COL, MIL, NYM, PIT, WAS
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
BOS: 3 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CLE: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CWS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIN: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYY: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
SEA: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TB: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TOR: 2 vs. RHP, 6 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
ATL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CHC: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
COL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAD: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIA: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIL: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYM: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
PHI: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
PIT: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 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:
Paul Janish: Out indefinitely (shoulder)
Wilson Betemit: Out for the season (wrist)
Donnie Murphy: Out for the season (concussion)
Lorenzo Cain: Out for the season (hamstring)
Clayton Kershaw: Out until late September (hip)
Brett Anderson: Out for the season (ribs)
Andrew Cashner: Out for the season (shoulder)