Review whom to start Thursday and the fantasy impact from Wednesday's games:
Thursday’s Starter to Claim
Greg Smith, Oakland (starts 3:35 ET): Acquired from Arizona in the off-season trade of Dan Haren, Smith has allowed only six earned runs in his first 18.0 innings for a stellar 3.00 ERA. Of note, two of those earned runs were yielded in his first inning of his major-league debut. Since then, the lefty has shown great control with punchout ability. He’s struck out an impressive 13 batters so far and has walked only one batter in each of the past two games after he had five walks in his unsettling debut.
He’ll be facing the reeling Francisco Liriano, who has allowed seven earned runs in only 9.2 innings in his first two starts. He’s still looking to regain his form after missing all of last season with an elbow injury after Tommy John surgery. In addition, the Twins are struggling to record runs as the major’s fourth-lowest scoring team.
Wednesday’s Top Fantasy Results
Claim
Chad Gaudin, Oakland: He pitched seven shutout innings vs. Minnesota to record his second victory. He allowed only four hits and zero walks while striking out four. He yielded only one earned run and struck out eight in 7.0 innings last game against Cleveland’s formidable lineup on the road.
Monitor
Daniel Cabrera, Baltimore: After allowing only two earned runs and five hits with zero walks in 8.0 innings at Seattle, Cabrera has yielded just five earned runs in his last 20.2 innings to post a sterling 2.18 ERA. He’s also struck out 12 in that three-game span, including five Wednesday. If those outings become consistent, he’s worth a claim.
Avoid
Mike Mussina, New York Yankees: As rumors of Mussina being replaced in the rotation persist, he allowed only four hits and two earned runs in 7.0 innings against the White Sox. However, a closer look reveals he yielded two home runs and has permitted the major’s second-most homers with seven now. Stay away.
Claim Edwin Encarnacion at the corner infield (CI) spot. Encarnacion is aiming to shatter his previous career high in homers (16) by hitting his sixth Wednesday.
- Candidates to drop at 1B: Carlos Delgado, Ryan Garko, Richie Sexson
- Candidates to drop at 3B: Casey Blake, Pedro Feliz, Troy Glaus, Melvin Mora
Claim Hunter Pence if he’s available. He’s a 20-20 candidate who is 6-for-12 in his last three games and 11-for-22 in his last six contests to raise his average from .161 to .256.
- Candidates to drop at OF:Chris Duncan, Brad Hawpe, Andruw Jones, Aaron Rowand
Bronson Arroyo remains waiver-wire fodder. He allowed eight earned runs in 3.2 innings to see his ERA balloon to 7.56.
Pick up Derrick Turnbow. After Eric Gagne blew his fourth save in 10 attempts Tuesday, Turnbow converted his first save opportunity. He had success closing for Milwaukee in 2006 when he had 24 saves. Last year, Turnbow led the Brewers in holds with 33, but he hasn’t been used in that role this year. He’s now pitched the entire final inning in four of six appearances.
Prince Fielder had two homers and four RBI to give him season totals of three and 16, respectively. After his slow start, expect him to continue his surge.
Though Cole Hamels allowed five earned runs in 7.0 innings, he struck out a season-high 11 batters.
Chase Utley has hit a homer in six of past seven games to total seven during that span. He continues to lead the majors in homers with 10.
Pat Burrell hit his eighth homer and continues to lead the majors with 23 RBI.
