Weekly Pitcher Rankings: Nats Own K Street

Maybe it's just me or maybe it's the hitters, but it seems like more than ever before that NL pitching depth is just so far superior to that of the Junior Circuit.

As we all digest the NFL draft this weekend, here are my starting pitching rankings for next week's scoring period:

For the week April 30 - May 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Matt Cain - MIA, MIL
2. Cole Hamels - @ATL, @WAS
3. Roy Halladay - @ATL
4. Jordan Zimmermann - ARI, PHI
5. Clayton Kershaw - @COL
6. Josh Johnson - @SD
7. Cliff Lee - @WAS (tentative - check status)
8. Brandon Beachy - PHI, @COL
9. Vance Worley - CHC, @WAS
10. Mark Buehrle - ARI, @SD
11. Stephen Strasburg - PHI
12. Kyle Lohse - @HOU
13. Zack Greinke - @SF
14. Mat Latos - @PIT
15. Lance Lynn - PIT
16. Yovani Gallardo - @SD
17. Ian Kennedy - @WAS
18. Tommy Hanson - PHI
19. Madison Bumgarner - MIL
20. Johnny Cueto - @PIT
21. Ricky Nolasco - @SF, @SD
22. Ross Detwiler - ARI
23. Chad Billingsley - @CHC
24. Mike Minor - PIT, @COL
25. Jon Niese - @HOU
26. Gio Gonzalez - PHI
27. Matt Garza - LAD
28. Trevor Cahill - @MIA, @NYM
29. Jaime Garcia - @HOU
30. Anibal Sanchez - @SF
31. Bronson Arroyo - CHC, @PIT
32. Edwin Jackson - ARI
33. Tim Lincecum - MIL
34. Adam Wainwright - PIT, @HOU (nice slate of starts, but ...)
35. Cory Luebke - MIL
36. Jake Westbrook - PIT
37. R.A. Dickey - @HOU, ARI
38. Shaun Marcum - @SD
39. Wandy Rodriguez - NYM
40. Wade Miley - @NYM
41. Juan Nicasio - LAD, ATL
42. Joe Saunders - @WAS
43. Johan Santana - ARI
44. Ryan Dempster - @CIN (check status)
45. Ryan Vogelsong - MIA
46. Tim Hudson - @COL
47. Barry Zito - MIA
48. Erik Bedard - @STL
49. A.J. Burnett - @STL
50. James McDonald - @ATL, CIN
51. Jhoulys Chacin - LAD

Borderline Depending on League Format

52. Chris Capuano - @CHC
53. Bud Norris - STL
54. Randy Wolf - @SD, @SF
55. Kevin Correia - CIN
56. Jeff Samardzija - @PHI, LAD
57. Joe Blanton - @ATL
58. Aaron Harang - @COL, @CHC
59. Edinson Volquez - MIL
60. Carlos Zambrano - @SF
61. Ted Lilly - @COL
62. Homer Bailey - CHC
63. Anthony Bass - MIA
64. Clayton Richard - MIA
65. J.A. Happ - NYM, STL
66. Dillon Gee - ARI
67. Joe Wieland - MIL, MIA
68. Randall Delgado - PHI
69. Mike Leake - CHC

Extreme Caution Advised

70. Chris Schwinden - @HOU
71. Lucas Harrell - STL
72. Drew Pomeranz - LAD (check status - forearm)
73. Chris Volstad - @CIN, LAD
74. Jamie Moyer - ATL
75. Jordan Lyles - NYM
76. Marco Estrada - @SF
77. Charlie Morton - @STL, CIN
78. Josh Collmenter - @WAS, @NYM (check status)
79. Paul Maholm - @CIN
80. Guillermo Moscoso - ATL

Notes: Kyle Weiland's (shoulder) DL stint could mean we see Jordan Lyles next week. Lyles would be worth a pickup in deeper leagues. ... Tim Stauffer (elbow) could be an option for NL-only leaguers the week of May 7 depending on how his minor league rehab stint goes. ... Chris Schwinden gets the first crack at replacingMike Pelfrey (Tommy John surgery) thanks to his 2.05 Triple-A ERA, but don't get too excited, as his 13:9 K:BB in 22 innings is pedestrian at best. Jeurys Familia is the more interesting prospect, but he'll first need to solve his Triple-A control issues. ... I still don't get how Edwin Jackson had to settle for a one-year deal. He has a 26:6 K:BB in 25.2 innings so far this year. ... Speaking of Jackson, he and Gio Gonzalez have left Stephen Strasburg third (by one K) on his own team in strikeouts. Strasburg, though, has a 25:6 K:BB in 25 innings with a 1.08 ERA, so he's still pretty good. ... For as bad as Tim Lincecum has been (8.20 ERA, 1.88 WHIP), he still has 24 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. Still, I wouldn't pay the necessary price to acquire him. ... Looking at the NL WHIP leaders, we see some surprising names - Kyle Lohse (0.66), Kevin Correia (0.78), and Lance Lynn (0.81). Oh the perils of conclusions based on small sample size. ... Before being sent to Triple-A, Jair Jurrjens had allowed a whopping 40 base runners (H+BB) in just 16.1 innings. Not good. ... Jeremy Guthrie - bicycle accident. Mmmm, kay. ... It appears Josh Collmenter is on the verge of a demotion to the bullpen. As of very late Friday, we don't know who his replacement would be.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Felix Hernandez - @TB, MIN
2. Justin Verlander - KC
3. James Shields - SEA
4. CC Sabathia - @KC
5. Yu Darvish - @TOR, @CLE
6. C.J. Wilson - MIN, TOR
7. David Price - OAK
8. Dan Haren - TOR
9. Colby Lewis - @CLE
10. Jeremy Hellickson - SEA, OAK
11. Chris Sale - CLE, @DET
12. Hiroki Kuroda - BAL, @KC
13. Jered Weaver - MIN
14. Ricky Romero - TEX
15. Josh Beckett - BAL
16. Jon Lester - BAL
17. Jake Peavy - @DET
18. John Danks - CLE
19. Jeff Niemann - SEA
20. Ivan Nova - BAL
21. Matt Harrison - @TOR
22. Matt Moore - SEA, OAK (breakout time!)
23. Tom Milone - @BOS, @TB
24. Derek Holland - @CLE
25. Neftali Feliz - @TOR
26. Brandon Morrow - @LAA
27. Gavin Floyd - @DET
28. Justin Masterson - @CHW
29. Bartolo Colon - @TB
30. Rick Porcello - KC
31. Jason Hammel - @NYY, @BOS (falls back to Earth?)
32. Henderson Alvarez - @LAA
33. Kyle Drabek - TEX, @LAA
34. Ubaldo Jimenez - @CHW, TEX
35. Clay Buchholz - OAK, BAL
36. Max Scherzer - CHW

Borderline Depending on League Format

37. Danny Duffy - @DET
38. Ervin Santana - TOR
39. Brandon McCarthy - @BOS
40. Jason Vargas - MIN
41. Philip Humber - CLE
42. Felix Doubront - OAK
43. Derek Lowe - TEX
44. Drew Smyly - CHW
45. Drew Hutchison - TEX, @LAA
46. Blake Beavan - @TB
47. Jake Arrieta - @NYY
48. Jeanmar Gomez - TEX
49. Jarrod Parker - @BOS
50. Bruce Chen - NYY
51. Carl Pavano - @LAA
52. Dan Bard - OAK

Extreme Caution Advised

53. Josh Tomlin - @CHW
54. Freddy Garcia - @KC
55. Jerome Williams - MIN, TOR
56. Wei-Yin Chen - @BOS
57. Tommy Hunter - @BOS
58. Liam Hendriks - @LAA, @SEA
59. Brian Matusz - @NYY
60. Luke Hochevar - @DET, NYY
61. Tyson Ross - @TB
62. Francisco Liriano - @LAA
63. Kevin Millwood - @TB
64. Phil Hughes - BAL, @KC
65. Duane Below - KC, CHW
66. Jonathan Sanchez - NYY
67. Felipe Paulino - @DET, NYY
68. Nick Blackburn - @SEA
69. Jason Marquis - @SEA
70. Hector Noesi - @TB, MIN

Notes: Luis Mendoza is getting the boot to make room for Felipe Paulino's return from the DL. Paulino has some AL-only upside due to his strikeout potential, but let's see a couple starts first before we consider activating him. ... Congrats to those who picked up Philip Humber after he tossed a perfect game. Nice work. ... Dustin McGowan has a sore shoulder. Didn't see that one coming. ... Clay Buchholz has an 8.87 ERA and hast over two mph off his fastball compared to where it was in 2010. It's looking more and more like he'll never be more than a No. 4 starter. ... Sorry folks, but Philip Hughes isn't a major league starter. With a 7.88 ERA so far this year, how many more opportunities do we need to give the guy? Suddenly, the return of Andy Pettitte looms very important for the Yankees. We should see Pettitte on the Value Meter next week. ... Adam Wilk is out for the Tigers. I'd give Jacob Turnera shot, but replacing Wilk will be Duane Below, who is a far less attractive fantasy option. ... Colby Lewis has been fantastic (2.03 ERA), with his one walk contributing mightily to his success. ... Note to self: try and figure out why Brandon Morrow isn't striking guys out.

MIXED LEAGUE TOP 100

1. Felix Hernandez - @TB, MIN
2. Matt Cain - MIA, MIL
3. Cole Hamels - @ATL, @WAS
4. Roy Halladay - @ATL
5. Jordan Zimmermann - ARI, PHI
6. Justin Verlander - KC
7. James Shields - SEA
8. CC Sabathia - @KC
9. Clayton Kershaw - @COL
10. Yu Darvish - @TOR, @CLE
11. C.J. Wilson - MIN, TOR
12. Josh Johnson - @SD
13. David Price - OAK
14. Cliff Lee - @WAS (tentative - check status)
15. Brandon Beachy - PHI, @COL
16. Vance Worley - CHC, @WAS
17. Mark Buehrle - ARI, @SD
18. Dan Haren - TOR
19. Stephen Strasburg - PHI
20. Colby Lewis - @CLE
21. Chris Sale - CLE, @DET
22. Hiroki Kuroda - BAL, @KC
23. Jeremy Hellickson - SEA, OAK
24. Jered Weaver - MIN
25. Kyle Lohse - @HOU
26. Zack Greinke - @SF
27. Mat Latos - @PIT
28. Lance Lynn - PIT
29. Yovani Gallardo - @SD
30. Ricky Romero - TEX
31. Ian Kennedy - @WAS
32. Tommy Hanson - PHI
33. Josh Beckett - BAL
34. Madison Bumgarner - MIL
35. Jon Lester - BAL
36. Jake Peavy - @DET
37. Johnny Cueto - @PIT
38. John Danks - CLE
39. Jeff Niemann - SEA
40. Ricky Nolasco - @SF, @SD
41. Ross Detwiler - ARI
42. Ivan Nova - BAL
43. Matt Harrison - @TOR
44. Matt Moore - SEA, OAK (breakout time!)
45. Chad Billingsley - @CHC
46. Mike Minor - PIT, @COL
47. Tom Milone - @BOS, @TB
48. Jon Niese - @HOU
49. Gio Gonzalez - PHI
50. Matt Garza - LAD
51. Trevor Cahill - @MIA, @NYM
52. Jaime Garcia - @HOU
53. Anibal Sanchez - @SF
54. Derek Holland - @CLE
55. Bronson Arroyo - CHC, @PIT
56. Edwin Jackson - ARI
57. Neftali Feliz - @TOR
58. Tim Lincecum - MIL
59. Adam Wainwright - PIT, @HOU (nice slate of starts, but ...)
60. Cory Luebke - MIL
61. Jake Westbrook - PIT
62. R.A. Dickey - @HOU, ARI
63. Shaun Marcum - @SD
64. Wandy Rodriguez - NYM
65. Brandon Morrow - @LAA
66. Gavin Floyd - @DET
67. Justin Masterson - @CHW
68. Bartolo Colon - @TB
69. Rick Porcello - KC
70. Jason Hammel - @NYY, @BOS (falls back to Earth?)
71. Wade Miley - @NYM
72. Henderson Alvarez - @LAA
73. Kyle Drabek - TEX, @LAA
74. Ubaldo Jimenez - @CHW, TEX
75. Clay Buchholz - OAK, BAL
76. Juan Nicasio - LAD, ATL
77. Joe Saunders - @WAS
78. Johan Santana - ARI
79. Ryan Dempster - @CIN (check status)
80. Max Scherzer - CHW
81. Ryan Vogelsong - MIA
82. Tim Hudson - @COL
83. Barry Zito - MIA
84. Erik Bedard - @STL
85. A.J. Burnett - @STL
86. James McDonald - @ATL, CIN
87. Danny Duffy - @DET
88. Jhoulys Chacin - LAD
89. Ervin Santana - TOR
90. Brandon McCarthy - @BOS
91. Chris Capuano - @CHC
92. Bud Norris - STL
93. Jason Vargas - MIN
94. Randy Wolf - @SD, @SF
95. Kevin Correia - CIN
96. Jeff Samardzija - @PHI, LAD
97. Philip Humber - CLE
98. Joe Blanton - @ATL
99. Aaron Harang - @COL, @CHC
100. Edinson Volquez - MIL

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

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