Weekly Pitcher Rankings: House of Cain

For the week June 18-24

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Matt Cain - @LAA, @OAK
2. R.A. Dickey - BAL, NYY
3. Cole Hamels - COL, TB
4. Lance Lynn - @DET, @KC
5. Zack Greinke - @CHW
6. Stephen Strasburg - TB
7. Clayton Kershaw - @OAK
8. Wade Miley - SEA, CHC
9. James McDonald - MIN
10. Gio Gonzalez - TB
11. Matt Garza - @CHW, @ARI
12. Josh Johnson - TOR
13. Jordan Zimmermann - @BAL
14. Cliff Lee - TB
15. Ian Kennedy - CHC
16. Mat Latos - @CLE, MIN
17. Madison Bumgarner - @OAK
18. Brandon Beachy - @BOS
19. Ryan Dempster - @CHW
20. Johan Santana - BAL
21. Edwin Jackson - @BAL
22. Shaun Marcum - TOR
23. Dan Hudson - SEA
24. Trevor Cahill - SEA
25. Mark Buehrle - @BOS, TOR
26. Tommy Hanson - @NYY
27. Jon Niese - NYY
28. Johnny Cueto - MIN
29. Tim Hudson - @NYY
30. Yovani Gallardo - TOR
31. Chris Capuano - @LAA
32. Adam Wainwright - @KC
33. A.J. Burnett - DET
34. Kyle Lohse - @DET
35. Aaron Harang - @OAK, @LAA
36. Nathan Eovaldi - @OAK
37. Chad Billingsley - @LAA
38. Ryan Vogelsong - @LAA
39. Jeff Samardzija - @ARI
40. Anibal Sanchez - TOR
41. Dillon Gee - BAL
42. Bronson Arroyo - @CLE
43. Joe Saunders - CHC
44. Clayton Richard - SEA
45. Vance Worley - COL
46. Tim Lincecum - @OAK
47. Mike Leake - @CLE
48. Ricky Nolasco - @BOS
49. Erik Bedard - MIN
50. Carlos Zambrano - TOR
51. Joe Blanton - COL
52. Wandy Rodriguez - KC

Borderline Depending on League Format

53. Mike Minor - @NYY, @BOS
54. Randy Wolf - TOR, @CHW
55. Barry Zito - @LAA
56. Bud Norris - CLE
57. Randall Delgado - @BOS
58. Kevin Correia - MIN, DET
59. Travis Wood - @CHW
60. Michael Fiers - @CHW
61. Jake Westbrook - @DET
62. Paul Maholm - @ARI
63. Edinson Volquez - TEX
64. J.A. Happ - KC, CLE
65. Chris Young - NYY
66. Homer Bailey - MIN
67. Lucas Harrell - CLE
68. Jordan Lyles - KC
69. Joe Kelly - @KC

Extreme Caution Advised

70. Anthony Bass - TEX
71. Alex White - @PHI
72. Ross Ohlendorf - SEA
73. Jason Marquis - TEX, SEA
74. Kyle Kendrick - TB
75. Chien-Ming Wang - TB, @BAL
76. Brad Lincoln - DET
77. Christian Friedrich - @TEX
78. Jeremy Guthrie - @TEX
79. Josh Outman - @PHI, @TEX
80. Jeff Francis - @PHI

Notes: Mike Minor has allowed just one run in each of his last two starts, giving him some much-needed job security. ... At this point it's a near-certainty that we'll see Gerrit Cole in the big leagues next year for Pittsburgh. Last year's No. 1 overall pick was just promoted to Double-A. ... It's Tommy John surgery for Charlie Morton, who has probably thrown his last pitch for the Pirates. By the time he's ready to return, I'd expect Cole and Jameson Taillon to be pushing for big-league rotation spots. ... Nathan Eovaldi has a 1.82 ERA in four starts for the Dodgers. He could bring a nice return next month should the Dodgers make a move. ... Matt Cain's perfecto was great, but the best-pitched game ever had to be either Don Larson's perfect game in the 1956 World Series or Sandy Koufax's perfect game that, like Cain's, featured 14 strikeouts. What set Koufax's effort apart was that the 3-4-5 hitters that day were Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ernie Banks � all Hall of Famers. ... I guess we have to say that R.A. Dickey is the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award � 10 wins, 2.20 ERA, 90 strikeouts and just 20 walks. Safe to say his $5 million option for 2013 will be exercised. ... Stephen Strasburg has a 100:20 K:BB in 77 innings to support a 2.45 ERA. Safe to say he's met expectations. ... Barry Zito has not struck out more than five batters in a start this year, while allowing four homers in his last two outings. Good to see that he's "back."

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. David Price - @WAS, @PHI
2. Justin Verlander - STL
3. CC Sabathia - ATL, @NYM
4. C.J. Wilson - SF
5. Chris Sale - CHC
6. James Shields - @PHI
7. Clay Buchholz - MIA, ATL
8. Jake Peavy - CHC, MIL
9. Matt Harrison - @SD, COL
10. Jered Weaver - LAD
11. Josh Beckett - ATL
12. Colby Lewis - COL
13. Ivan Nova - @NYM
14. Matt Moore - @WAS
15. Kevin Millwood - @SD
16. Scott Diamond - @PIT, @CIN (scary second start)
17. Felix Hernandez - @SD
18. Jon Lester - ATL
19. Yu Darvish - @SD
20. Andy Pettitte - @NYM
21. Ubaldo Jimenez - @HOU
22. Hiroki Kuroda - ATL
23. Phil Hughes - ATL
24. Jeremy Hellickson - @WAS
25. Justin Masterson - CIN
26. Dan Haren - SF
27. Francisco Liriano - @PIT
28. Felix Doubront - MIA
29. Jarrod Parker - LAD
30. Roy Oswalt - COL
31. Ricky Romero - @MIA
32. Bartolo Colon - SF
33. Drew Hutchison - @MIL
34. Derek Lowe - CIN, @HOU
35. Rick Porcello - STL, @PIT
36. Jason Vargas - @ARI
37. Scott Feldman - @SD
38. Max Scherzer - @PIT
39. Jerome Williams - SF, LAD
40. Brandon McCarthy - SF (check status)
41. Alex Cobb - @PHI

Borderline Depending on League Format

42. Luke Hochevar - @HOU
43. Doug Fister - @PIT
44. Bruce Chen - STL
45. Jason Hammel - WAS
46. Brian Matusz - @NYM
47. Henderson Alvarez - @MIL, @MIA
48. Jose Quintana - MIL
49. Gavin Floyd - CHC
50. Daisuke Matsuzaka - MIA
51. Jonathan Sanchez - @HOU, STL
52. Wei-Yin Chen - WAS
53. Jeanmar Gomez - @HOU
54. Tom Milone - LAD, SF

Extreme Caution Advised

55. Luis Mendoza - STL
56. Tommy Hunter - @NYM
57. Josh Tomlin - CIN
58. Vincent Mazzaro - @HOU
59. Hector Noesi - @ARI, @SD
60. Nick Blackburn - @CIN
61. Erasmo Ramirez - @ARI
62. Ervin Santana - LAD
63. Jake Arrieta - @NYM, WAS
64. Brett Cecil - @MIA
65. Philip Humber - MIL
66. Casey Crosby � STL (Triple-A, replaced by Jacob Turner?)
67. Liam Hendriks - @PIT (tentative)
68. Anthony Swarzak - @CIN
69. Travis Blackley - LAD
70. Undecided TOR SP - @MIL

Notes: P.J. Walters started off strong for the Twins, but after struggling in his last three starts, the team finally just shipped him to the DL with a sore shoulder. Looks like Liam Hendriks and Anthony Swarzak will get starts this week, but I can already feel the lack of excitement among fantasy owners. ... Texas had been hurt by injuries to the likes of Neftali Feliz (elbow), Derek Holland (shoulder) and in the bullpen Alexi Ogando (groin) and Koji Uehara (shoulder). Thus, the 2012 debut of Roy Oswalt (likely this week) will be very welcome. ... Doug Fister is back from a side injury and has replaced Drew Smyly (finger) in the rotation. Fister looks like a solid play against the Pirates this week. ... In his last two starts (at STL, at DET), Ubaldo Jimenez has allowed just two runs in 13.2 innings to go with an 11:1 K:BB. I'm still a little wary, but less so this week. ... Kyle Drabek is out with a sprained UCL, which in case you don't know, is the ligament that if damaged enough, requires Tommy John surgery. ... Brett Cecil showed improved velocity in the minors and now he replaces the injured Brandon Morrow (oblique) in the Toronto rotation. He's a decent AL-only add. ... Consider Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) tentative this week, but I think he'll pitch. ... It doesn't appear John Danks(shoulder) will return this week, though it is a possibility. For now, Jose Quintana will stick around and battle Philip Humber to remain in the rotation once Danks returns. ... Good to see if you're a Boston fan: Clay Buchholz is 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA in June. ... Scott Feldman has managed to go 0-3 with a 10.50 ERA in June despite a 16:2 K:BB in 12 innings. He's a prime candidate for a demotion once Roy Oswalt returns and other guys get healthy.

MIXED LEAGUE TOP 100

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