Weekly Pitcher Rankings: Top of the Charts

Thought for the week: Having a tough time these days ranking my NL starters. There are just so many good ones that I feel like I'm shorting several guys by slotting them below the 20 spot. Take a guy like Matt Garza, who I think is a very good pitcher. I have him pretty low this week relative to his past rankings because of two things: there are a lot of good pitchers above him pitching against teams like the Royals, Astros, A's and Padres AND Garza is pitching in Milwaukee against a hot team. So a word of advice: don't get too worked up over some of these rankings. You might feel strongly that Madison Bumgarner should rank above Lance Lynn this week, but aren't you starting both guys in all formats anyway?

For the week June 4-10

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Cliff Lee - LAD, @BAL
2. Clayton Kershaw - @PHI, @SEA
3. Yovani Gallardo - CHC, SD
4. Anibal Sanchez - ATL, TB
5. Cole Hamels - LAD
6. Stephen Strasburg - @BOS
7. Gio Gonzalez - @BOS
8. Ryan Dempster - @MIL, @MIN
9. Zack Greinke - CHC
10. Johan Santana - @WAS
11. Tim Hudson - @MIA, TOR
12. Brandon Beachy - TOR
13. Matt Cain - @SD
14. Lance Lynn - @HOU
15. Jeff Samardzija - @SF, @MIL
16. Dan Hudson - OAK
17. James McDonald - KC
18. Madison Bumgarner - @SD
19. Jordan Zimmermann - NYM, @BOS
20. Ryan Vogelsong - CHC, TEX
21. Johnny Cueto - PIT
22. Tim Lincecum - @SD, TEX (hmmmm ... an easy start ... and Texas)
23. Ian Kennedy - COL
24. Shaun Marcum - SD
25. Tommy Hanson - TOR
26. Homer Bailey - PIT, DET
27. Erik Bedard - KC
28. Matt Garza - @MIL
29. Edwin Jackson - NYM
30. Jaime Garcia - @HOU, CLE (check status)
31. Chris Capuano - @PHI
32. Josh Johnson - ATL
33. Wade Miley - COL
34. Mat Latos - DET
35. A.J. Burnett - @CIN
36. Adam Wainwright - @HOU
37. Trevor Cahill - OAK
38. Carlos Zambrano - TB
39. Nathan Eovaldi - @SEA
40. Mark Buehrle - ATL
41. R.A. Dickey - @WAS
42. Wandy Rodriguez - @CHW
43. Kyle Lohse - @NYM, CLE
44. Joe Saunders - COL, OAK
45. Christian Friedrich - @ARI, LAA
46. Chad Billingsley - @PHI, @SEA
47. Bud Norris - STL
48. Edinson Volquez - SF
49. Ricky Nolasco - TB
50. Bronson Arroyo - DET

Borderline Depending on League Format

51. Mike Leake - PIT
52. J.A. Happ - STL
53. Jon Niese - @NYY
54. Joe Blanton - @BAL
55. Randall Delgado - @MIA
56. Aaron Harang - @PHI
57. Anthony Bass - SF, @MIL
58. Clayton Richard - SF
59. Michael Fiers - SD
60. Jake Westbrook - CLE
61. Vance Worley - LAD, @BAL
62. Randy Wolf - CHC
63. Dillon Gee - @WAS, @NYY
64. Kevin Correia - @CIN
65. Juan Nicasio - LAA
66. Alex White - LAA
67. Barry Zito - TEX
68. Travis Wood - @MIN
69. Kyle Kendrick - LAD

Extreme Caution Advised

70. Chien-Ming Wang - NYM
71. Eric Stults - @MIL
72. Paul Maholm - @MIL
73. Brad Lincoln - @CIN, KC
74. Lucas Harrell - STL, @CHW
75. Jeremy Guthrie - @ARI
76. Jordan Lyles - @CHW
77. Jeremy Hefner - ATL, @NYY
78. Mike Minor - @MIA
79. Undecided SD starter - @MIL
80. Josh Outman - @ARI

Notes: Chris Young (shoulder) is amazingly still trying to get back to the big leagues (with the Mets), but he's topping out at 84 mph with his fastball, so his return is not imminent. ... Tim Lincecum took a step forward in his last start, but he still walked five, so he's not out of the woods just yet. ... If you actually started Lucas Harrell in Coors Field this past week, shame on you. ... After opening 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA, Kyle Lohse is 0-0 with a 5.70 ERA in his last four starts. Of course, we weren't expecting a 2.08 ERA all year, so while this isn't surprising, it's not time to panic either. ... Jair Jurrjens tossed eight shutout innings in his last Triple-A start and could replace Mike Minorin the rotation, perhaps as early as this week. ... Josh Outman has been working as a reliever, but he'll get first crack at replacing 79-year-old Jamie Moyer in the Rockies rotation. Please do yourself a favor and don't pick him up, at least for now. ... Apparently the sore elbow wasn't serious, as Jaime Garcia is scheduled for two favorable starts this week - at HOU, vs. CLE. Still, monitor his progress over the weekend, as he's not a guarantee next week. ... Chris Capuano has a better ERA, three more wins, the same WHIP and just six fewer strikeouts than one Clayton Kershaw. I guess that's why you don't draft pitchers in the first round. ... Jeff Karstens (shoulder) should be returning soon. He'll eventually replace Charlie Morton who was just put on the DL with a sore elbow. I'd expect Brad Lincoln to replace Morton in the meantime. ... Johan Santana's no-hitter was a brilliant effort, so let's not call it "tainted" because of one bad call.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Justin Verlander - @CIN
2. Ricky Romero - @CHW, @ATL
3. James Shields - @NYY, @MIA
4. Chris Sale - HOU
5. Yu Darvish - @OAK
6. CC Sabathia - TB
7. Max Scherzer - CLE, @CIN
8. Felix Hernandez - @LAA
9. Derek Holland - @OAK, SF
10. Jon Lester - BAL, WAS
11. Colby Lewis - @OAK
12. Jason Vargas - @LAA, LAD
13. Andy Pettitte - TB, NYM
14. David Price - @NYY
15. Brandon Morrow - @CHW
16. Jake Peavy - TOR
17. Felipe Paulino - MIN
18. Ervin Santana - SEA, @COL
19. Matt Moore - @MIA
20. Josh Beckett - BAL
21. Dan Haren - @COL
22. Kevin Millwood - LAD
23. Jeremy Hellickson - @NYY
24. Justin Masterson - @STL
25. C.J. Wilson - @COL
26. Jarrod Parker - TEX, @ARI
27. Matt Harrison - @SF
28. Ivan Nova - NYM
29. Hiroki Kuroda - TB
30. Scott Diamond - CHC
31. Alex Cobb - @MIA
32. Rick Porcello - CLE
33. Francisco Liriano - @KC
34. John Danks - TOR, HOU
35. Bruce Chen - MIN
36. Jerome Williams - SEA
37. Derek Lowe - @DET
38. Gavin Floyd - HOU
39. Clay Buchholz - BAL
40. Phil Hughes - NYM
41. Felix Doubront - WAS
42. Drew Hutchison - @ATL
43. P.J. Walters - CHC

Borderline Depending on League Format

44. Scott Feldman - @OAK, SF
45. Jason Hammel - @BOS
46. Cole De Vries - @KC, CHC
47. Wei-Yin Chen - @BOS
48. Tom Milone - @ARI
49. Drew Smyly - @CIN
50. Josh Tomlin - @STL
51. Bartolo Colon - TEX
52. Jeanmar Gomez - @DET
53. Henderson Alvarez - @CHW
54. Blake Beavan - @LAA
55. Hector Noesi - LAD
56. Philip Humber - TOR
57. Brandon McCarthy - TEX

Extreme Caution Advised

58. Carl Pavano - @KC
59. Casey Crosby - CLE
60. Jake Arrieta - PHI
61. Luke Hochevar - @PIT
62. Zach Britton - @BOS, PHI
63. Ubaldo Jimenez - @DET, STL
64. Dan Bard - WAS
65. Jonathan Sanchez - @PIT
66. Garrett Richards - SEA
67. Travis Blackley - TEX, @ARI
68. Brian Matusz - PHI
69. Kyle Drabek - @ATL
70. Will Smith - MIN, @PIT

Notes: Brandon Morrow is dealing with an injured shin, so check RotoWire's player notes on him over the weekend before you activate him this week. We're assuming he'll be good to go for his scheduled start Wednesday. ... Assuming everything checks out over the weekend, John Danks (shoulder) should return on Tuesday. ... The entire Royals rotation should be considered tentative this week. We assume Will Smith will pitch Monday, but could it be Vincent Mazzaro? Jonathan Sanchez is also set to return this week we think, but hopefully you're not overly excited about that. ... Brandon McCarthy is back from his latest shoulder injury, but unless hey looks spectacular against the Royals Saturday (6/2), would you really want to use him this week against Texas? ... It appears Zach Britton (shoulder) will make his return on Tuesday, but considering his two starts this week will be in Boston and at home against the Phillies, it might be wise to wait a week before activating him. ... Casey Crosby made his big league debut for the Tigers on Friday (6/1) and got lit up to the tune of six runs, four hits and three walks in 3.1 innings against the Yankees. Nevertheless, he could be a solid source of strikeouts (he struck out three in his debut), but the walk rates the last couple years in the minors - 5.3 BB/9IP and 4.7 BB/9IP - could lead to some challenges with big league hitters. ... Apparently football season started early - Seattle: 21, Texas: 8. ... Dan Bard has a 13:21 K:BB in 34 May innings. He could be bullpen bound once Daisuke Matsuzaka (elbow) returns. ... Max Scherzer posted a 51:8 K:BB in 35.2 innings in May. Now if only he could find some consistency.

MIXED LEAGUE TOP 100

1. Cliff Lee - LAD, @BAL
2. Clayton Kershaw - @PHI, @SEA
3. Yovani Gallardo - CHC, SD
4. Justin Verlander - @CIN
5. Anibal Sanchez - ATL, TB
6. Ricky Romero - @CHW, @ATL
7. James Shields - @NYY, @MIA
8. Cole Hamels - LAD
9. Stephen Strasburg - @BOS
10. Gio Gonzalez - @BOS
11. Chris Sale - HOU
12. Ryan Dempster - @MIL, @MIN
13. Zack Greinke - CHC
14. Yu Darvish - @OAK
15. Johan Santana - @WAS
16. Tim Hudson - @MIA, TOR
17. CC Sabathia - TB
18. Brandon Beachy - TOR
19. Matt Cain - @SD
20. Max Scherzer - CLE, @CIN
21. Lance Lynn - @HOU
22. Felix Hernandez - @LAA
23. Jeff Samardzija - @SF, @MIL
24. Derek Holland - @OAK, SF
25. Dan Hudson - OAK
26. James McDonald - KC
27. Jon Lester - BAL, WAS
28. Madison Bumgarner - @SD
29. Colby Lewis - @OAK
30. Jason Vargas - @LAA, LAD
31. Andy Pettitte - TB, NYM
32. David Price - @NYY
33. Jordan Zimmermann - NYM, @BOS
34. Ryan Vogelsong - CHC, TEX
35. Johnny Cueto - PIT
36. Brandon Morrow - @CHW
37. Jake Peavy - TOR
38. Tim Lincecum - @SD, TEX (hmmmm...an easy start....and Texas)
39. Ian Kennedy - COL
40. Shaun Marcum - SD
41. Tommy Hanson - TOR
42. Homer Bailey - PIT, DET
43. Felipe Paulino - MIN
44. Ervin Santana - SEA, @COL
45. Erik Bedard - KC
46. Matt Garza - @MIL
47. Matt Moore - @MIA
48. Edwin Jackson - NYM
49. Jaime Garcia - @HOU, CLE (check status)
50. Chris Capuano - @PHI
51. Josh Johnson - ATL
52. Wade Miley - COL
53. Mat Latos - DET
54. A.J. Burnett - @CIN
55. Adam Wainwright - @HOU
56. Josh Beckett - BAL
57. Dan Haren - @COL
58. Trevor Cahill - OAK
59. Kevin Millwood - LAD
60. Carlos Zambrano - TB
61. Nathan Eovaldi - @SEA
62. Mark Buehrle - ATL
63. Jeremy Hellickson - @NYY
64. Justin Masterson - @STL
65. C.J. Wilson - @COL
66. Jarrod Parker - TEX, @ARI
67. Matt Harrison - @SF
68. R.A. Dickey - @WAS
69. Ivan Nova - NYM
70. Hiroki Kuroda - TB
71. Scott Diamond - CHC
72. Alex Cobb - @MIA
73. Wandy Rodriguez - @CHW
74. Kyle Lohse - @NYM, CLE
75. Joe Saunders - COL, OAK
76. Rick Porcello - CLE
77. Francisco Liriano - @KC
78. John Danks - TOR, HOU
79. Bruce Chen - MIN
80. Jerome Williams - SEA
81. Derek Lowe - @DET
82. Christian Friedrich - @ARI, LAA
83. Chad Billingsley - @PHI, @SEA
84. Bud Norris - STL
85. Gavin Floyd - HOU
86. Clay Buchholz - BAL
87. Edinson Volquez - SF
88. Ricky Nolasco - TB
89. Bronson Arroyo - DET
90. Mike Leake - PIT
91. J.A. Happ - STL
92. Phil Hughes - NYM
93. Felix Doubront - WAS
94. Jon Niese - @NYY
95. Joe Blanton - @BAL
96. Randall Delgado - @MIA
97. Drew Hutchison - @ATL
98. P.J. Walters - CHC
99. Scott Feldman - @OAK, SF
100. Jason Hammel - @BOS

Regan, a five-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association award winner, was named the 2010 Fantasy Baseball Writer of the Year.

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