We are in that time where there are a lot of owners are looking to pick a pitcher off the scrap heap hoping to reap benefits for a start then release him back to the waiver wire. I’ll be checking in with potential options, so let’s take a look at who you could consider using for tomorrow:
Paul Maholm – Pittsburgh Pirates – @ Cincinnati
We all know how bad things were for Maholm, seeing his ERA rise from 3.61 to 4.93 over a two month span. He does appear to have righted the ship, however, allowing just 2 earned runs over his last two starts (14.2 innings).
He pitched well against the Reds earlier in the season, allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3, over 7 innings in his second start of the season. Last season he posted a 1.77 ERA in 3 starts (20.1 innings) against Cincinnati.
Throw in the fact that the Reds have one of the worst offenses, hitting .242 on the season (tied with the Padres for third worst in the league) and scoring the least runs at 508, and this seems to be a solid, calculated gamble. Just don’t do it looking for many Ks.
Owned – 44% of CBS leagues and 24% of Yahoo leagues
Derek Holland – Texas Rangers – vs. Toronto
This was a tough one to decide on. Holland has been very hit-or-miss this season, though he really has strung together some solid starts, outside of his blow-up against the Yankees in his last time out. Like I said in the Two-Start Pitcher column (click here to view), I’m not going to let that one start cloud my judgment.
He was 4-1 in his previous five starts, to go along with a 1.85 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. The Rangers should provide him a good chance to win as well, just adding to his allure.
Like Maholm, he’s not likely to provide many Ks, though he did recently have a 10 K outing. Considering that the Blue Jays have struck out just 795 times this season, third fewest in the league, I wouldn’t expect that type of performance again. Still, with as good as he’s been, I’d roll the dice on him.
Owned – 63% of CBS leagues and 25% of Yahoo leagues
What do you think of these two options? Would you gamble on them? Is there any other pitcher you’d consider using tomorrow?
To read the previous article, click here.
