:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/10659927/20120811_ajw_aj5_015.0.jpg)
Typically, this post will jump straight into the rankings followed by some brief notes on pitchers I really like and then a brief recap of how the rankings held up to last week's results. Since there is no recap to do this week, I will begin with a brief introduction on my methodology. I hope you enjoy and please use the comments section to stay active throughout the week. Projecting probable pitchers 7+ days in advance can be a bit of a guessing game, so I plan on providing real-time advice as news changes.
First, let me clarify that these rankings are for only the upcoming fantasy week and are not an indication of how I expect the players to finish the rest of the season. Since I will be considering such a short timeframe, talent will not be the only deciding factor in the ranking. I will also consider: the opponent, the number of times scheduled to pitch, the opposing pitcher, and the ballpark the game will be played in. A combination of these 4 factors along with the talent of the pitcher himself, will determine the ranking each week. The player highlighted in bold (Jose Quintana this week) represents the first pitcher on the list that I wouldn't recommend starting in a 12-team league. Everyone above the bold row should be rostered and put in the lineup for their start that week. Keep in mind that I typically employ a streaming approach to pitching, so my line might be a little further down than expected as I normally go a bit deeper into the talent pool in most of my leagues.
If there is additional information you would like to see added to this weekly report, please let me know as I'm looking to make this as informative as possible. We already had a request to highlight pitchers I really like who are less than 50% owned in Yahoo! Leagues (I believe the request was for ESPN, but I'm a Yahoo! guy so it will make life a bit easier on me). These players will be denoted with an "*" beside their name.
So without further ado, here are my Starting Pitcher Rankings for Week 1 of the 2013 fantasy season:
|
Rank |
Player |
|
First Matchup |
First Opponent |
Second Matchup |
Second Opponent |
|
1 |
David Price |
Jason Hammel |
BAL |
Justin Masterson |
CLE |
|
|
2 |
Justin Verlander |
Vance Worley |
@MIN |
C.C. Sabathia |
NYY |
|
|
3 |
Stephen Strasburg |
Ricky Nolasco |
MIA |
Johnny Cueto |
@CIN |
|
|
4 |
Felix Hernandez |
Brett Anderson |
@OAK |
Dylan Axelrod |
@CHW |
|
|
5 |
Clayton Kershaw |
Matt Cain |
SF |
A.J. Burnett |
PIT |
|
|
6 |
Cole Hamels |
Tim Hudson |
@ATL |
James Shields |
KC |
|
|
7 |
Adam Wainwright |
Ian Kennedy |
@ARI |
Matt Cain |
@SF |
|
|
8 |
Yovani Gallardo |
Jhoulys Chacin |
COL |
Ian Kennedy |
ARI |
|
|
9 |
Matt Cain |
Clayton Kershaw |
@LAD |
Adam Wainwright |
STL |
|
|
10 |
Chris Sale |
James Shields |
KC |
Hisashi Iwakuma |
SEA |
|
|
11 |
C.C. Sabathia |
Jon Lester |
BOS |
Justin Verlander |
@DET |
|
|
12 |
James Shields |
Chris Sale |
@CHW |
Cole Hamels |
@PHI |
|
|
13 |
RA Dickey |
Justin Masterson |
CLE |
Jon Lester |
BOS |
|
|
14 |
Jeff Samardzija |
A.J. Burnett |
@PIT |
Tim Hudson |
@ATL |
|
|
15 |
Jered Weaver |
Johnny Cueto |
@CIN |
Matt Harrison |
@TEX |
|
|
16 |
Brett Anderson |
Felix Hernandez |
SEA |
Erik Bedard |
@HOU |
|
|
17 |
Jarrod Parker |
Hisashi Iwakuma |
SEA |
Bud Norris |
@HOU |
|
|
18 |
Jon Niese |
Edinson Volquez |
SD |
Kevin Slowey |
MIA |
|
|
19 |
Johnny Cueto |
Jered Weaver |
LAA |
Stephen Strasburg |
WAS |
|
|
20 |
Ian Kennedy |
Adam Wainwright |
StL |
Yovani Gallardo |
@MIL |
|
|
21 |
Jon Lester |
C.C. Sabathia |
@NYY |
RA Dickey |
@TOR |
|
|
22 |
Jason Hammel |
David Price |
@TB |
Vance Worley |
MIN |
|
|
23 |
A.J. Burnett |
Jeff Samardzija |
CHC |
Clayton Kershaw |
@LAD |
|
|
24 |
Tim Hudson |
Cole Hamels |
PHI |
Jeff Samardzija |
CHC |
|
|
25 |
Matt Harrison |
Bud Norris |
@HOU |
Jered Weaver |
LAA |
|
|
26 |
Yu Darvish |
Lucas Harrell |
@HOU |
|||
|
27 |
Matt Moore |
Miguel Gonzalez |
BAL |
|||
|
28 |
Anibal Sanchez |
Kevin Correia |
@MIN |
|||
|
29 |
Gio Gonzalez |
Nate Eovaldi |
MIA |
|||
|
30 |
Jordan Zimmermann |
Wade LeBlanc |
MIA |
|||
|
31 |
Zack Greinke |
Jeff Locke |
PIT |
|||
|
32 |
Cliff Lee |
Kris Medlen |
@ATL |
|||
|
33 |
Madison Bumgarner |
Hyun-Jin Ryu |
@LAD |
|||
|
34 |
Kris Medlen |
Cliff Lee |
PHI |
|||
|
35 |
Hisashi Iwakuma |
Jarrod Parker |
@OAK |
Chris Sale |
@CHW |
|
|
36 |
Edinson Volquez* |
Jon Niese |
@NYM |
Jhoulys Chacin |
@COL |
|
|
37 |
Justin Masterson |
RA Dickey |
@TOR |
David Price |
@TB |
|
|
38 |
Ricky Nolasco |
Stephen Strasburg |
@WAS |
Shaun Marcum |
@NYM |
|
|
39 |
Rick Porcello |
Mike Pelfrey |
@MIN |
|||
|
40 |
Mat Latos |
C.J. Wilson |
LAA |
|||
|
41 |
Matt Harvey |
Clayton Richard |
SD |
|||
|
42 |
Vance Worley |
Justin Verlander |
DET |
Jason Hammel |
@BAL |
|
|
43 |
Jhoulys Chacin |
Yovani Gallardo |
@MIL |
Edinson Volquez |
SD |
|
|
44 |
Bud Norris |
Matt Harrison |
TEX |
Jarrod Parker |
OAK |
|
|
45 |
Jake Peavy |
Ervin Santana |
KC |
|||
|
46 |
Tim Lincecum |
Josh Beckett |
@LAD |
|||
|
47 |
Josh Johnson |
Felix Doubront |
BOS |
|||
|
48 |
Brandon Morrow |
Ubaldo Jimenez |
CLE |
|||
|
49 |
Mike Minor |
Scott Feldman |
CHC |
|||
|
50 |
Marco Estrada |
Jorge de la Rosa |
COL |
|||
|
51 |
Doug Fister |
Ivan Nova |
NYY |
|||
|
52 |
Dan Haren |
Homer Bailey |
@CIN |
|||
|
53 |
Hiroki Kuroda |
Clay Buchholz |
BOS |
|||
|
54 |
Roy Halladay |
Paul Maholm |
@ATL |
|||
|
55 |
C.J. Wilson |
Mat Latos |
@CIN |
|||
|
56 |
Trevor Cahill |
Jaime Garcia |
StL |
|||
|
57 |
Derek Holland |
Jason Vargas |
LAA |
|||
|
58 |
Jeremy Hellickson |
Wei-Yin Chen |
BAL |
|||
|
59 |
Lance Lynn |
Brandon McCarthy |
@ARI |
|||
|
60 |
Homer Bailey |
Dan Haren |
WAS |
|||
|
61 |
Edwin Jackson |
Wandy Rodriguez |
@PIT |
|||
|
62 |
Josh Beckett |
Tim Lincecum |
SF |
|||
|
63 |
Wei-Yin Chen |
Jeremy Hellickson |
@TB |
|||
|
64 |
Jaime Garcia |
Trevor Cahill |
@ARI |
|||
|
65 |
Brandon McCarthy |
Lance Lynn |
STL |
|||
|
66 |
Shaun Marcum |
Ricky Nolasco |
MIA |
|||
|
67 |
Alexi Ogando |
Phil Humber |
@HOU |
|||
|
68 |
Andy Pettitte |
Ryan Dempster |
BOS |
|||
|
69 |
Dillon Gee |
Eric Stults |
SD |
|||
|
70 |
Paul Maholm |
Roy Halladay |
PHI |
|||
|
71 |
Mark Buehrle |
Brett Myers |
CLE |
|||
|
72 |
Max Scherzer |
David Phelps |
NYY |
|||
|
73 |
Hyun-Jin Ryu |
Madison Bumgarner |
SF |
|||
|
74 |
Gavin Floyd |
Jeremy Guthrie |
KC |
|||
|
75 |
Wily Peralta* |
Juan Nicasio |
COL |
|||
|
76 |
Ervin Santana |
Jake Peavy |
@CHW |
|||
|
77 |
Bronson Arroyo |
Joe Blanton |
LAA |
|||
|
78 |
Ross Detwiler |
Mike Leake |
@CIN |
|||
|
79 |
Tommy Milone |
Joe Saunders |
SEA |
|||
|
80 |
Wade Davis |
Kyle Kendrick |
@PHI |
|||
|
81 |
Felix Doubront |
Josh Johnson |
@TOR |
|||
|
82 |
Alex Cobb |
Zach McAllister |
CLE |
|||
|
83 |
James McDonald |
Travis Wood |
CHC |
|||
|
84 |
Jason Vargas |
Derek Holland |
@TEX |
|||
|
85 |
Julio Teheran |
Carlos Villanueva |
CHC |
|||
|
86 |
Shelby Miller |
Ryan Vogelsong |
@SF |
|||
|
87 |
Jose Quintana |
Blake Beavan |
SEA |
|||
|
88 |
Kevin Correia |
Anibal Sanchez |
DET |
|||
|
89 |
Nate Eovaldi |
Gio Gonzalez |
@WAS |
|||
|
90 |
Ubaldo Jimenez |
Brandon Morrow |
@TOR |
|||
|
91 |
Jake Westbrook |
Barry Zito |
@SF |
|||
|
92 |
Clayton Richard |
Matt Harvey |
@NYM |
|||
|
93 |
Ryan Dempster |
Andy Pettitte |
@NYY |
|||
|
94 |
Wade Miley |
Kyle Lohse |
@MIL |
|||
|
95 |
Kyle Lohse |
Wade Miley |
ARI |
|||
|
96 |
Dan Straily |
Brad Peacock |
@HOU |
|||
|
97 |
Mike Fiers |
Patrick Corbin |
ARI |
|||
|
98 |
Zach McAllister |
Alex Cobb |
@TB |
|||
|
99 |
Ryan Vogelsong |
Shelby Miller |
STL |
|||
|
100 |
Joe Blanton |
Bronson Arroyo |
@CIN |
|||
|
101 |
Chris Capuano |
Jonathan Sanchez |
PIT |
|||
|
102 |
A.J. Griffin |
Brandon Maurer |
SEA |
|||
|
103 |
Erik Bedard |
Brett Anderson |
OAK |
|||
|
104 |
Clay Buchholz |
Hiroki Kuroda |
@NYY |
|||
|
105 |
Brandon Maurer |
A.J. Griffin |
@OAK |
|||
|
106 |
Wandy Rodriguez* |
Edwin Jackson |
CHC |
|||
|
107 |
Jeremy Guthrie |
Gavin Floyd |
@CHW |
|||
|
108 |
John Lackey* |
J.A. Happ |
@TOR |
|||
|
109 |
Miguel Gonzalez |
Matt Moore |
@TB |
|||
|
110 |
Tyson Ross |
Jon Garland |
@COL |
|||
|
111 |
Ivan Nova |
Doug Fister |
@DET |
|||
|
112 |
Kyle Kendrick |
Wade Davis |
KC |
|||
|
113 |
Eric Stults |
Dillon Gee |
@NYM |
|||
|
114 |
Travis Wood |
James McDonald |
@PIT |
|||
|
115 |
Brett Myers |
Mark Buehrle |
@TOR |
|||
|
116 |
Juan Nicasio |
Wily Peralta |
@MIL |
|||
|
117 |
Barry Zito |
Jake Westbrook |
STL |
|||
|
118 |
Patrick Corbin |
Mike Fiers |
@MIL |
|||
|
119 |
Jake Arrieta |
Liam Hendriks |
MIN |
|||
|
120 |
Liam Hendriks |
Jake Arrieta |
@BAL |
|||
|
121 |
Brad Peacock |
Dan Straily |
OAK |
|||
|
122 |
Scott Feldman |
Mike Minor |
@ATL |
|||
|
123 |
Mike Leake |
Ross Detwiler |
WAS |
|||
|
124 |
Carlos Villanueva |
Julio Teheran |
@ATL |
|||
|
125 |
Tommy Hanson |
Nick Tepesch |
@TEX |
|||
|
126 |
David Phelps |
Max Scherzer |
@DET |
|||
|
127 |
Jorge de la Rosa |
Marco Estrada |
@MIL |
|||
|
128 |
John Lannan |
Luis Mendoza |
KC |
|||
|
129 |
Jason Marquis |
Jeff Francis |
@COL |
|||
|
130 |
Henderson Alvarez* |
Jeremy Hefner |
@NYM |
|||
|
131 |
Lucas Harrell |
Yu Darvish |
TEX |
|||
|
132 |
Joe Saunders |
Tommy Milone |
@OAK |
|||
|
133 |
Mike Pelfrey |
Rick Porcello |
DET |
|||
|
134 |
J.A. Happ |
John Lackey |
BOS |
|||
|
135 |
Kevin Slowey |
Jon Niese |
@NYM |
|||
|
136 |
Jeff Locke |
Zack Greinke |
@LAD |
|||
|
137 |
Phil Humber |
Alexi Ogando |
TEX |
|||
|
138 |
Wade LeBlanc |
Jordan Zimmermann |
@WAS |
|||
|
139 |
Scott Kazmir |
Roberto Hernandez |
@TB |
|||
|
140 |
Dylan Axelrod |
Felix Hernandez |
SEA |
|||
|
141 |
Luis Mendoza |
John Lannan |
@PHI |
|||
|
142 |
Jeff Francis |
Jason Marquis |
SD |
|||
|
143 |
Brian Matusz |
Cole DeVries |
MIN |
|||
|
144 |
Roberto Hernandez |
Scott Kazmir |
CLE |
|||
|
145 |
Jonathan Sanchez |
Chris Capuano |
@LAD |
|||
|
146 |
Jon Garland |
Tyson Ross |
SD |
|||
|
147 |
Nick Tepesch |
Tommy Hanson |
LAA |
|||
|
148 |
Cole DeVries |
Brian Matusz |
@BAL |
|||
|
149 |
Blake Beavan |
Jose Quintana |
@CHW |
|||
|
150 |
Jeremy Hefner |
Henderson Alvarez |
MIA |
Notable Starters:
- Jon Niese has two excellent opportunities for W's in Week 1 as he'll face the Padres and the Marlins. The only way to make this better is if both were on the road.
- Rick Porcello should get a nice shot to establish himself in the 5th spot of the Detroit rotation as he'll likely face Mike Pelfrey and the Twins.
- I'm eager to see Wade Davis' first start of the season for KC and he has a nice matchup against Kyle Kendrick and the Phillies.
- A few guys who could make me look silly for putting them below the 12-team threshold are Patrick Corbin, Dan Straily, Wandy Rodriguez, Henderson Alvarez and John Lackey
I'm intentionally light on comments this first week as we don't have much info to work with, and I'm hoping for more league-specific questions in the comments.
As mentioned before, feel free to dropquestions in the comments or ask me on Twitter (@BrianCreagh).