MLB Baseball Column: The Week Ahead

Looking over the list of two-start pitchers in the upcoming week, you'll find a number of pitchers who were playing for different teams just a couple weeks ago, including Ryan Dempster, Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez. How will these hurlers fare while making two starts in new uniforms?

The three have all had some hiccups in transitioning from the National League the less pitcher-friendly American League. Sanchez gave up three homers to Toronto in his first start for Detroit, and coughed up seven runs against the Yankees in his latest tilt. Dempster was plastered by the Angels for eight runs in his Ranger debut. Greinke is 0-2 with a 5.86 ERA in three starts for the Halos.

Fortunately, two of these pitchers will look ahead to some cozy match-ups in The Week Ahead. Sanchez throws against the Twins at Target Field and then gets the Orioles at home. Greinke is slated for home tilts against the Rays and the woeful Indians.

Dempster, meanwhile, will hit the road to face the Yankees and Jays. Ouch.

Going Twice…

American League

Strong Plays

Matt Moore: @SEA (Millwood), @LAA (Greinke)
Bartolo Colon: @KC (Guthrie), CLE (Masterson)
CC Sabathia: TEX (Dempster), BOS (Morales)
Hiroki Kuroda: TEX (Harrison), BOS (Lester)
C.J. Wilson: CLE (Masterson), TB (Cobb)
Zack Greinke: CLE (Jimenez), TB (Moore)
Anibal Sanchez: @MIN (Deduno), BAL (Hunter)
Jake Peavy: @TOR (Villanueva), @KC (Chen)

Decent Plays

Henderson Alvarez: CWS (Quintana), TEX (Harrison)
Carlos Villanueva: CWS (Peavy), TEX (Dempster)
Matt Harrison: @NYY (Kuroda), @TOR (Alvarez)
Ryan Dempster: @NYY (Sabathia), @TOR (Villanueva)
Alex Cobb: @SEA (Beavan), @LAA (Wilson)
Blake Beavan: TB (Cobb), MIN (Deduno)
Jose Quintana: @TOR (Alvarez), @KC (Guthrie)
Justin Masterson: @LAA (Wilson), @OAK (Colon)

At Your Own Risk

Samuel Deduno: DET (Sanchez), @SEA (Beavan)
Jeremy Guthrie: OAK (Colon), CWS (Quintana)
Tommy Hunter: BOS (Beckett), @DET (Sanchez)

National League

Strong Plays

Gio Gonzalez: @SF (Vogelsong), NYM (Young)
Ryan Vogelsong: WAS (Gonzalez), @SD (Richard)
Clayton Richard: @ATL (Hudson), SF (Vogelsong)
Cole Hamels: @MIA (Eovaldi), @MIL (Fiers)
Mike Fiers: @COL (Francis), PHI (Hamels)
Josh Johnson: PHI (Kendrick), @COL (Pomeranz)
Chad Billingsley: @PIT (Rodriguez), @ATL (Hudson)
Mat Latos: NYM (Young), CHC (Volstad)
Tim Hudson: SD (Richard), LAD (Billingsley)
Mike Minor: SD (Ohlendorf), LAD (Harang)

Decent Plays

Joe Kelly: ARI (Kennedy), PIT (Rodriguez)
Kevin Correia: LAD (Billingsley), @STL (Kelly)
Jeff Karstens: LAD (Harang), @STL (Lynn)
Nathan Eovaldi: PHI (Hamels), @COL (Chatwood)
Aaron Harang: @PIT (Karstens), @ATL (Minor)
Jeff Samardzija: HOU (Galarraga), @CIN
Ian Kennedy: @STL (Kelly), @HOU (Galarraga)

At Your Own Risk

Ross Ohlendorf: @ATL (Minor), SF (Zito)
Kyle Kendrick: @MIA (Johnson), @MIL (Wolf)
Chris Young: @CIN (Latos), @WAS (Gonzalez)
Randy Wolf: @COL (Chatwood), PHI (Kendrick)
Armando Galarraga: @CHC (Samardzija), ARI (Kennedy)
Jeff Francis: MIL (Fiers), MIA (LeBlanc)
Tyler Chatwood: MIL (Wolf), MIA (Eovaldi)
Drew Pomeranz: MIL (Rogers), MIA (Johnson)
Chris Volstad: HOU (Harrell), @CIN (Latos)

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, 8/15: Dan Straily @ KC
The rookie strikeout machine should be able to slice and dice Kansas City's lineup.

Thursday, 8/16: Luke Hochevar vs. OAK
It's tough to count on the wildly inconsistent right-hander, but he does have a 2.18 ERA in his last five starts at home.

Thursday, 8/16: Miguel Gonzalez vs. BOS
Gonzalez has been shockingly effective this year for the most part, with a 3.80 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.

National League

Wednesday, 8/15: Paul Maholm vs. SD
The lefty was quality against the Astros in his debut for Atlanta. Look for similarly strong results against the Padres.

Wednesday, 8/15: Justin Germano vs. HOU
Germano has proven tough to solve since joining the Cubs rotation, allowing only four runs on seven hits in two starts.

Thursday, 8/16: Kris Medlen vs. SD
He's looked sharp in his first two turns since rejoining the Braves' rotation. Let him loose in this favorable match-up against Jason Marquis.

Total Games

American League

6: BAL, BOS, CLE, DET, KC, MIN, OAK, SEA
7: CWS, LAA, NYY, TB, TEX, TOR

National League

6: ARI, HOU, NYM, SF, STL, WAS
7: ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, LAD, MIA, MIL, PHI, PIT, SD

Lefty/Righty Breakdowns

American League

BAL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
BOS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CWS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
DET: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TB: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TOR: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
 
National League

ARI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
ATL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SF: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 3 vs. RHP, 3 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:

Matt Garza: Out until September (elbow)
Travis Hafner: Out indefinitely (groin)
Todd Helton: Out for the season (hip)
Michael Cuddyer: Out until late August (ribs)
Ryan Raburn: Out until late August (thumb)
Jordan Schafer: Out indefinitely (shoulder)
A.J. Griffin: Out until late August (shoulder)
Brett Lawrie: Out until late August (ribs)