Working the Wire: 3 Deep Starters

If you’re like me, you love Saturdays, Wendy’s, and Bud Light. Or maybe you’re just like me because you’re in a pretty deep league in which the pickings on the waiver wire are slim-to-none, and Slim just left town. Along with my colleagues here at ProFantasyBaseball.com, I’m involved in a deep 13-team mixed league in which the selection of available pitchers looks like that basket on Halloween that sits underneath the sign reading “Please Take One.” Because I know many of you are in the same boat, let’s take a look at three pitchers who are out there in almost every league and who may be able to help you in your quest for the Gold. Doug Davis, Diamondbacks: Davis seems to be flying under the radar in most leagues. His three losses are keeping him from landing higher in your free agency rankings; but unlike his heinous “soul patch,” his other numbers are worth a closer look. Davis was roughed up in his first start against the Rockies, and again last week at home against the Giants. In his other three starts this season, however, Davis tossed 23 innings and has given up only 2 earned runs. He has also struck out 27 batters in 34 innings of work. Davis recently shut out a very solid Cubs lineup and is currently sitting pretty with a 2.91 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He’s available in 96% of ESPN and 92% of Yahoo leagues. Ross Ohlendorf, Pirates: Ohlendorf is not a strikeout guy. Let’s just get that out of the way right off the bat. He has struck out an unimpressive 10 batters in 25 innings, the college equivalent of which is hitting 3 cups on a 10 cup beerpong rack – underwhelming, to say the least. What is impressive, though, is the Pirates’ young staff so far this season, which Ohlendorf has been a significant part of. Four starts into the season, Ross is carrying a 3.24 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Even without the strikeouts those are numbers that are sure to help your squad. The strikeout numbers not withstanding, Ohlendorf has been a valuable fantasy option so far and continues to be available in 97% of ESPN and 96% of Yahoo leagues. Scott Richmond, Blue Jays: So far, Richmond has been a real nice surprise for a Blue Jays pitching staff that’s about as dinged up as that Cougar who was recently eyeballing you at your local grocery establishment. Scott struggled in his first start, giving up 3 earned in 4 innings. But since then he’s been solid, including a 7 inning effort against Kansas City this week in which he gave up 1 earned and struck out 5. Richmond has also struck out a total of 20 batters in 23 innings, and has a 2.70 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in four starts. He is still available in 95% of ESPN and 88% of Yahoo leagues. There’s a chance your league is shallow enough that you don’t need to run the risk of going to battle with one of these guys. If it isn’t, consider rolling the dice with the aforementioned hurlers. I already have.

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PCB Scout

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Questions? Comments? Random Nonsense? Email me at PCBScout(at)gmail.com

Ohlendorf Pitches Well for Pittsburgh

SP Ross Ohlendorf (2% owned) Ross Ohlendorf picked up his second win of the season for the Pirates on Sunday, going 7 innings, giving up three runs, walking 3 and striking out 2. He's now 2-2 on the season with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Ohlendorf, a former Yankee’s farmhand, came to Pittsburgh last year in the Xavier Nady trade. Ohlendorf struggled in 2008, but reportedly improved his mechanics during the off season and developed a change up. So far, the off season work seems to have helped: Ohlendorf has racked up quality starts in 3 of his 4 outings in 2009 (the other was a 5 inning 4ER loss to Houston). He doesn’t strike many batters out (4.0 K/9), and his win total will be limited by playing in Pittsburgh, but Ohlendorf could have some value as a back of the rotation starter. He’s someone to watch in shallow leagues, but worth a speculative add in deep mixed leagues.