Two-Start Pitchers: Week 11 (June 9-15)

Promising two no-hitters and/or a perfect game was a bad choice. Jaime Garcia was torched in his first start, and Jake Arrieta couldn't get out of the fifth inning in his. Bartolo Colon was big, fat and effective, picking up a win with seven strong innings against the Phillies on Monday and just missing out on a quality start against Tim Hudson and the red-hot Giants on Saturday. Garcia gets the Blue Jays today (eek!), and Arrieta faces the Marlins at the Friendly Confines.

Results (through 1/2 of Week 10)

24-14 (63 starts)
6.98 K/9
2.37 BB/9
3.32 ERA
1.10 WHIP

Start!

Stephen Strasburg: Mon-@SF (Vogelsong), Sat-@STL (Miller)
Madison Bumgarner: Tue-WSH (Fister), Sun-COL (Nicasio)
Masahiro Tanaka: Tue-@SEA (Iwakuma), Sun-@OAK (Chavez)
David Price: Mon-SEA (TBD), Sun-@HOU (Peacock)
Corey Kluber: Tue-@KC (Ventura), Sun-@BOS (Workman)
Hisashi Iwakuma: Tue-NYY (Tanaka), Sun-TEX (Martinez)

Tier 1

Ian Kennedy: Tue-@PHI (Burnett), Sun-@NYM (Matsuzaka)
Jesse Chavez: Mon-@LAA (Richards), Sun-NYY (Tanaka)
Mike Minor: Tue-@COL (Nicasio), Sun-LAA (Richards)
Josh Beckett: Tue-@CIN (Leake), Sun-ARI (Arroyo)
Doug Fister: Tue-@SF (Bumgarner), Sun-@STL (Garcia)
Garrett Richards: Mon-OAK (Chavez), Sun-@ATL (Minor)
Justin Verlander: Tue-@CWS (Danks), Sun-MIN (Nolasco)

Tier 2

Marco Estrada: Tue-@NYM (Matsuzaka), Sun-CIN (Leake)
Rick Porcello: Mon-@CWS (Noesi), Sat-MIN (Deduno)
Ryan Vogelsong: Mon-WSH (Strasburg), Sat-COL (TBD)
R.A. Dickey: Mon-MIN (Nolasco), Sat-@BAL (Norris)
Francisco Liriano: Tue-CHC (Wood), Sun-@MIA (Alvarez)
Jason Vargas: Mon-NYY (Nuno), Sun-@CWS (Danks)
Mike Leake: Tue-LAD (Beckett), Sun-@MIL (Estrada)
Tony Cingrani: Mon-LAD (Haren), Sat-@MIL (Gallardo)
Dan Haren: Mon-@CIN (Cingrani), Sat-ARI (Collmenter)

Tier 3

A.J. Burnett: Tue-SD (Kennedy), Sun-CHC (Wood)
Travis Wood: Tue-@PIT (Liriano), Sun-@PHI (Burnett)
Brad Peacock: Tue-@ARI (Arroyo), Sun-TB (Price)
Josh Collmenter: Mon-HOU (Cosart), Sat-@LAD (Haren)
Edwin Jackson: Mon-@PIT (Cole), Sat-@PHI (Buchanan)
John Danks: Tue-DET (Verlander), Sun-KC (Vargas)
Jarred Cosart: Mon-@ARI (Collmenter), Sat-TB (Archer)
Gavin Floyd: Mon-@COL (TBD), Sat-LAA (Wilson)
Bronson Arroyo: Tue-HOU (Peacock), Sun-@LAD (Beckett)

Not this week

J.A. Happ: Tue-MIN (Correia), Sun-@BAL (Tillman)
T.J. House: Mon-@TEX (Martinez), Sat-@BOS (Peavy)
Nick Martinez: Mon-CLE (House), Sun-@SEA (Iwakuma)
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Tue-MIL (Estrada), Sun-SD (Kennedy)
Juan Nicasio: Tue-ATL (Minor), Sun-@SF (Bumgarner)
Hector Noesi: Mon-DET (Porcello), Sat-KC (Shields)
Ricky Nolasco: Mon-@TOR (Dickey), Sun-@DET (Verlander)
Bud Norris: Mon-BOS (Peavy), Sat-TOR (Dickey)
Vidal Nuno: Mon-@KC (Vargas), Sat-@OAK (Kazmir)
Jake Peavy: Mon-@BAL (Norris), Sat-CLE (House)
Chris Tillman: Tue-BOS (Workman), Sun-TOR (Happ)
Brandon Workman: Tue-@BAL (Tillman), Sun-CLE (Kluber)

My Week 11 Picks

Ryan Vogelsong, Giants
2014: 4-2, 69 IP, 7.83 K/9, 3.00 BB/9, 37.2 GB%, 3.39 ERA, 1.28 WHIP

Normally, a matchup against the Rockies is a no-no, but Vogelsong gets his NL West peers at AT&T Park, where he owns a 2.15 ERA (compared to 4.88 on the road). With another home start against the Nationals, the 36-year-old could be in line for a two-win week. San Francisco is a major-league best 21-9 at home, and the team has won four in a row entering play on Sunday (and eight out of the last ten). After a not-so-hot April (5.40 ERA), Vogelsong has turned back the clock with a 2.36 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings. And, over the last 30 days, the San Francisco treat is 3-1 with a 2.78 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.74 K/9. Colorado is 12-21 on the road with a league-average .301 wOBA, so I wouldn't sweat using Vogelsong in either home start.

Francisco Liriano, Pirates
2014: 1-6, 69.1 IP, 9.48 K/9, 4.67 BB/9, 53.6 GB%, 4.54 ERA, 1.47 WHIP

After a career-high 16 wins in 2014, Liriano has one win in 13 starts in 2014. It hasn't been pretty, with an 11.6 percent walk rate (up from 9.5 percent), but it hasn't been as bad as advertised either. Liriano's 3.58 xFIP and 3.80 SIERA are in line with his career norms, and he's still an excellent source of strikeouts (73 Ks in 69 1/3 innings). I'm not a believer long term, but I do like Liriano's two matchups in Week 11. Liriano has owned the Cubs (3-2, 2.36 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings), and the Marlins can be neutralized at home when a left-hander is on the hill. I know I recommended benching Liriano a few weeks back, but -- for the second week in a row -- it's a sluggish week for two-starters outside of the guys you'd normally be starting.

Jason Vargas, Royals
2014: 5-2, 85 IP, 6.56 K/9, 2.44 BB/9, 38.9 GB%, 3.28 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

Yeah, this one is boring, but Vargas is someone I can always come back to. He's right on the edge of seven strikeouts per nine, consistently works deep into games, and won't hurt you with the walk (career 2.74 BB/9). Vargas has only one victory over the last 30 days, but he's been a workhorse for the Royals, recording a 3.03 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 8.38 K/9 in 38 2/3 innings. The veteran left-hander draws a home start against the punchless Yankees on Monday; New York owns the 23rd lowest wOBA (.298), worse than the Twins (.300) and Astros (.301). The White Sox matchup is trickier, but Chicago struggles against lefties (.303 wOBA) compared to righties (.323).

Stats from FanGraphs.