Weekly Pitcher Rankings: Interleague Play Begins

Went to the Reno Aces Triple-A game on Friday with the express purpose of watching Danny Duffy and Mike Moustakas take on Wily Mo Pena, Brandon Allen and the rest of the Aces. I did get to see Cody Ransom (really!) take Duffy deep, but no Moustakas sighting. There's no word that he's been called up, so maybe just a night off? Get to a minor league game if you can. It's a great, great time. Plus, you don't have guys like Frank McCourt owning those teams.

This should be an interesting week. For the first time this year, two things will happen:

Every team plays seven games.
Interleague play begins.

There are projected to be a few interesting matchups.

Tim Lincecum vs. Trevor Cahill
Josh Johnson vs. David Price
Jordan Zimmerman vs. Zach Britton
Michael Pineda vs. Mat Latos

I'll be sure to catch all four of these.

Twitter: Yes, I'm on Twitter (@vtadave) – 11 more followers to get to the magical 100. How many is that behind Charlie Sheen?

For this week May 16-22

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Josh Johnson - @NYM, TB
2. Cliff Lee - @STL, TEX
3. Tommy Hanson - HOU, @LAA
4. Tim Lincecum - OAK
5. Roy Halladay - TEX
6. Jaime Garcia - PHI, @KC
7. Ricky Nolasco - @NYM, TB
8. Clayton Kershaw - SF
9. Cole Hamels - COL
10. Jordan Zimmerman - PIT, @BAL
11. Shaun Marcum - @LAD, COL
12. Roy Oswalt - @STL, TEX
13. Matt Cain - @COL, OAK
14. Matt Garza - @CIN, @BOS
15. Dan Hudson - SD, MIN
16. Homer Bailey - CHC, @CLE
17. Hiroki Kuroda - MIL, @CHW
18. Derek Lowe - HOU, @LAA
19. Wandy Rodriguez - @ATL, @TOR
20. Ryan Dempster - @FLA
21. Zack Greinke - COL
22. Ian Kennedy - MIN
23. Anibal Sanchez - CHC
24. Kyle Lohse - HOU
25. Chad Billingsley - SF
26. Yovani Gallardo - @SD
27. Paul Maholm - @WAS, DET
28. Bud Norris - @STL
29. Kyle McClellan - HOU
30. Jair Jurrjens - @ARI
31. Jorge De La Rosa - @PHI
32. Johnny Cueto - PIT
33. Tim Hudson - @LAA
34. Charlie Morton - @WAS, DET
35. Mat Latos - SEA
36. Jhoulys Chacin - @PHI
37. Bronson Arroyo - PIT
38. Chris Narveson - @SD
39. Tim Stauffer - @ARI, SEA
40. Chris Carpenter - @KC
41. Jason Hammel - @MIL
42. Travis Wood - @CLE

Borderline Depending on League Format

43. Aaron Harang - MIL
44. Mike Minor - @ARI
45. Jon Garland - MIL, @CHW
46. Joe Blanton - COL
47. Jonathon Niese - FLA, @NYY
48. James McDonald - @CIN
49. Tom Gorzelanny - @NYM
50. R.A. Dickey - WAS
51. Brett Myers - @ATL, @TOR
52. Jason Marquis - @BAL
53. Dustin Moseley - MIL
54. Mike Pelfrey - FLA, @NYY
55. Dillon Gee - WAS
56. Carlos Zambrano - @BOS
57. Ted Lilly - @CHW
58. Chris Volstad - CHC
59. John Lannan - PIT, @BAL
60. Edinson Volquez - CHC, @CLE
61. Kevin Correia - DET
62. Jonathan Sanchez - OAK

Extreme Caution Advised

63. J.A. Happ - @STL
64. Ryan Vogelsong - @LAD
65. Clayton Richard - @ARI, SEA
66. Javier Vazquez - TB
67. Livan Hernandez - @NYM
68. Madison Bumgarner - @LAD
69. Ubaldo Jimenez - SF, @MIL
70. Aneury Rodriguez - @TOR
71. Randy Wolf - @LAD, COL
72. Chris Capuano - @NYY
73. Doug Davis - @FLA
74. Jeff Karstens - @CIN
75. Jake Westbrook - PHI, @KC
76. Joe Saunders - ATL
77. Josh Collmenter - ATL
78. Armando Galarraga - SD, MIN
79. Clayton Mortensen - SF, @MIL
80. Casey Coleman - @CIN, @BOS

Projected No. 5 starters skipped: none

Two-start starters: Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe, Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Mike Pelfrey, Jonathon Niese, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, John Lannan, Jordan Zimmerman, Matt Garza, Casey Coleman (maybe), Homer Bailey, Edinson Volquez, Brett Myers, Wandy Rodriguez, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf, Paul Maholm, Colt Morton, Jake Westbrook, Jaime Garcia, Armando Galarraga, Daniel Hudson, Clayton Mortensen, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jon Garland, Hiroki Kuroda, Clayton Richard, Tim Stauffer, Jonathan Sanchez, Matt Cain

Notes: Roy Oswalt is dealing with a sore back, but that shouldn't prevent him from returning Tuesday. Check his status over the weekend, as Vance Worley could potentially get the nod Tuesday. ... Madison Bumgarner dropped to 0-6 on Friday after allowing three runs over six innings in QS against the Cubs. He walked two and struck out six but was bested by Ryan Dempster's 11-strikeout effort. Bumgarner has a 4.25 ERA and 34:16 K: BB in 42.1 innings, so expect a turn-around in that W-L record soon. ... Speaking of Dempster, he has a 6.71 ERA, but also a 49:19 K:BB in 51 innings and a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts. No more buying low here. ... Derek Lowe's career K/9 rate prior to 2011 was 5.9, but so far in 50.2 innings this year, Lowe has an 8.3 mark. Something worth further examination. ... Jordan Zimmerman's 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings Thursday were a career high, so this could be the start of a nice run for the impressive young right-hander. ... After Thursday, Ubaldo Jimenez has now walked 19 over his last 18.2 innings covering four starts. Jimenez's velocity is down, but that still doesn't explain the poor control. It could be something with his mechanics and his mental status. Don't give up, but do be concerned. ... Casey Coleman's 7.22 ERA should get him bumped from the rotation at any moment, but he'll probably get two more starts until either Randy Wells or Andrew Cashner returns from their shoulder injuries. ... There was a Johan Santana (shoulder) sighting in Florida this week, as Santana took the mound for the first time this year, throwing 15 pitches. He's expected back sometime in July, but there's still plenty that can go wrong. ... John Lackey is pretty much garbage right now with an 8.01 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. Personally, I'd love to see the Red Sox find a phantom injury (sore shoulder?) for Lackey and give Felix Doubront two or three starts, though Doubront was scratched from his Friday Triple-A start with a groin injury. Figures. ... Doug Davis is going to get a look in the Cubs rotation, but I'd probably wait and see how he does on Saturday before picking him up, even in the deepest of leagues. Davis had a 7.51 ERA in eight starts for Milwaukee last year, but maybe he's healthy now? ... Chris Carpenter has allowed 33 hits with seven walks in his last 20 innings with 11 strikeouts. I'll look deeper here in a future piece, but for now the velocity seems fine, so I'm inclined to think this is just a bump in the road. ... Ian Kennedy is on a nice roll with a 1.50 ERA in his last five starts to go with a sparkling 32:9 K:BB in 36 innings. ... Brandon Beachy appears headed for the DL with an oblique injury. We don't yet know who will replace him, but for now I'm going with Mike Minor over Julio Teheran. ... Bud Norris ranks fourth in the NL with a 10.8 K/9, and just as important is the trend in his BB/9 rate – 4.5 last year, 3.1 in 2011. I'm starting to get pretty bullish here.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Start 'Em

1. Felix Hernandez - MIN, @SD
2. David Price - NYY, @FLA
3. Brett Anderson - LAA, @SF
4. James Shields - NYY, @FLA
5. John Danks - TEX, LAD
6. Zach Britton - @BOS, WAS
7. Jered Weaver - @SEA
8. Jon Lester - CHC
9. Dan Haren - @SEA
10. Trevor Cahill - @SF
11. Josh Beckett - DET
12. Justin Verlander - @BOS
13. Gio Gonzalez - LAA, @SF
14. CC Sabathia - @BAL
15. Justin Masterson - @KC, CIN
16. Rick Porcello - TOR, @PIT
17. Ricky Romero - TB
18. Brandon Morrow - HOU
19. Edwin Jackson - TEX, LAD
20. Erik Bedard - LAA, @SF
21. Max Scherzer - @PIT
22. Michael Pineda - @SD
23. A.J. Burnett - @TB, NYM
24. Fausto Carmona - @CHW
25. Colby Lewis - @CHW, @PHI
26. Gavin Floyd - LAD
27. Bartolo Colon - @BAL
28. Jason Vargas - MIN, @SD
29. Scott Baker - @SEA, @ARI
30. Clay Buchholz - DET
31. Jesse Litsch - @DET, HOU
32. Joel Pineiro - @OAK, ATL
33. Brandon McCarthy - MIN
34. Alex White - @CHW
35. Jeremy Hellickson - @TOR
36. Tyson Ross - MIN
37. C.J. Wilson - @PHI

Borderline Depending on League Format

38. Phil Humber - CLE
39. Mark Buehrle - LAD
40. Freddy Garcia - NYM
41. Alexi Ogando - @KC
42. Ervin Santana - ATL
43. Jake Arrieta - WAS
44. Wade Davis - @TOR
45. Jake Peavy - CLE
46. Josh Tomlin - CIN
47. Brad Penny - @BOS
48. Carl Pavano - @OAK
49. Doug Fister - LAA
50. Nick Blackburn - @OAK
51. Brian Duensing - @ARI
52. Carlos Carrasco - @KC, CIN
53. Tyler Chatwood - @OAK, ATL
54. Derek Holland - @KC

Extreme Caution Advised

55. Kyle Drabek - @DET, HOU
56. Sean O'Sullivan - CLE, STL
57. Luke Hochevar - TEX
58. Jeremy Guthrie - NYY
59. Chris Tillman - @BOS, WAS
60. Daisuke Matsuzaka - BAL, CHC
61. Phil Coke - TOR, @PIT
62. Francisco Liriano - @SEA, @ARI
63. Matt Harrison - @CHW, @PHI
64. Bradley Bergesen - NYY
65. John Lackey - BAL, CHC
66. Vincent Mazzaro - CLE, STL
67. Ivan Nova - @TB, NYM
68. Andrew Sonnanstine - @FLA
69. Jo-Jo Reyes - TB
70. Jeff Francis - TEX
71. Kyle Davies - STL

Projected No. 5 starters skipped: None

Two-start starters: Chris Tillman, Zach Britton, Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Lackey, A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova, David Price, James Shields, Kyle Drabek, Jesse Litsch, Edwin Jackson, Carlos Carrasco, Justin Masterson, Rick Porcello, Phil Coke, Vincent Mazzaro, Sean O'Sullivan, Francisco Liriano, Scott Baker, Joel Pineiro, Tyler Chatwood, Brett Anderson, Gio Gonzalez, Felix Hernandez, Jason Vargas, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison

Notes: Sean O'Sullivan's 2.84 ERA is clearly a mirage given his 14:16 K:BB in 35.2 innings, so go ahead and use him in AL-only leagues, but it's still a roll of the dice. ... Zach Britton's 2.42 ERA in 52 innings is obviously impressive, but his 29:16 K:BB is just so-so. Still, while we know the regression is coming, Britton is also going get stronger and better. ... The last time I recall a successful six-man rotation was, well, never. So of course Ozzie Guillen will be successful with it in Chicago, right? Philip Humber, though, has a 2.97 ERA, so he's deserving of more starts, and it can't hurt to give Jake Peavy a little extra rest, but this clearly won't last. ... I wrote about Bartolo Colon in his week's Mound Musings, but I didn't hear about his stem cell treatment until after the article was filed. I don't know whether this is the new HGH, but can we please ship some stem cells to Dodger Stadium for Frank McCourt's brain, James Loney's bat and the bullpen's arms? ... David Price has a crazy 47:9 K:BB, and in his last five starts the strikeouts have been coming with increasing frequency. A 2011 Cy Young is within his grasp. He's also channeling Roy Halladay in another way, going at least eight innings in four of his last five starts. ... Was browsing through May splits for this piece and saw that not only had Carl Pavano allowed 22 hits in 10.1 innings, but he also had zero strikeouts. For the year, his K/9 sits at a poor 3.6. Only a 2.4 BB/9 is keeping Pavano's ERA as "low" as it is at 6.64. ... So much for some regression from Trevor Cahill, who sits at 6-0 with an AL-best 1.72 ERA. Even better, Cahill's K/9 has spiked from 5.4 to 7.7 year-over-year. An AL Cy Young appears within reach – this year. ... Just saw Bartolo Colon (yes another Colon mention) hit 96 mph against the Yankees. Insane. ... Jesse Litsch may be quietly taking a step forward. Litsch's pre-2011 K/9 is 4.5, but through seven starts this year, that mark is 7.6. He's also generating more ground balls, so keep an eye on him. ... Kyle Drabek leads the league in walks with 28 and has 33 strikeouts, so is his spot on the 25-man roster really secure? For now sure, but a handful of starts from now? Maybe not. ... Sean O'Sullivan and Tyler Chatwood, an ex-Angel and current Angel, both have sub-4.00 ERAs with more walks than strikeouts. That said, I'll take the latter over the former. ... Colby Lewis has already allowed 12 home runs in just 45.1 innings. His 4.57 ERA should trend down once that rate corrects itself.

MIXED LEAGUE TOP 100

1. Josh Johnson - @NYM, TB
2. Felix Hernandez - MIN, @SD
3. Cliff Lee - @STL, TEX
4. David Price - NYY, @FLA
5. Brett Anderson - LAA, @SF
6. Tommy Hanson - HOU, @LAA
7. James Shields - NYY, @FLA
8. John Danks - TEX, LAD
9. Tim Lincecum - OAK
10. Roy Halladay - TEX
11. Jaime Garcia - PHI, @KC
12. Zach Britton - @BOS, WAS
13. Ricky Nolasco - @NYM, TB
14. Clayton Kershaw - SF
15. Jered Weaver - @SEA
16. Jon Lester - CHC
17. Dan Haren - @SEA
18. Trevor Cahill - @SF
19. Josh Beckett - DET
20. Justin Verlander - @BOS
21. Cole Hamels - COL
22. Gio Gonzalez - LAA, @SF
23. Jordan Zimmerman - PIT, @BAL
24. CC Sabathia - @BAL
25. Shaun Marcum - @LAD, COL
26. Roy Oswalt - @STL, TEX
27. Matt Cain - @COL, OAK
28. Justin Masterson - @KC, CIN
29. Matt Garza - @CIN, @BOS
30. Dan Hudson - SD, MIN
31. Homer Bailey - CHC, @CLE
32. Rick Porcello - TOR, @PIT
33. Hiroki Kuroda - MIL, @CHW
34. Derek Lowe - HOU, @LAA
35. Wandy Rodriguez - @ATL, @TOR
36. Ricky Romero - TB
37. Ryan Dempster - @FLA
38. Brandon Morrow - HOU
39. Edwin Jackson - TEX, LAD
40. Zack Greinke - COL
41. Ian Kennedy - MIN
42. Erik Bedard - LAA, @SF
43. Anibal Sanchez - CHC
44. Kyle Lohse - HOU
45. Chad Billingsley - SF
46. Yovani Gallardo - @SD
47. Paul Maholm - @WAS, DET
48. Max Scherzer - @PIT
49. Michael Pineda - @SD
50. A.J. Burnett - @TB, NYM
51. Bud Norris - @STL
52. Fausto Carmona - @CHW
53. Colby Lewis - @CHW, @PHI
54. Gavin Floyd - LAD
55. Kyle McClellan - HOU
56. Bartolo Colon - @BAL
57. Jason Vargas - MIN, @SD
58. Jair Jurrjens - @ARI
59. Scott Baker - @SEA, @ARI
60. Jorge De La Rosa - @PHI
61. Clay Buchholz - DET
62. Johnny Cueto - PIT
63. Tim Hudson - @LAA
64. Jesse Litsch - @DET, HOU
65. Charlie Morton - @WAS, DET
66. Mat Latos - SEA
67. Jhoulys Chacin - @PHI
68. Bronson Arroyo - PIT
69. Chris Narveson - @SD
70. Tim Stauffer - @ARI, SEA
71. Chris Carpenter - @KC
72. Joel Pineiro - @OAK, ATL
73. Jason Hammel - @MIL
74. Brandon McCarthy - MIN
75. Alex White - @CHW
76. Jeremy Hellickson - @TOR
77. Travis Wood - @CLE
78. Tyson Ross - MIN
79. C.J. Wilson - @PHI
80. Phil Humber - CLE
81. Aaron Harang - MIL
82. Mike Minor - @ARI
83. Mark Buehrle - LAD
84. Jon Garland - MIL, @CHW
85. Joe Blanton - COL
86. Jonathon Niese - FLA, @NYY
87. Freddy Garcia - NYM
88. James McDonald - @CIN
89. Tom Gorzelanny - @NYM
90. Alexi Ogando - @KC
91. Ervin Santana - ATL
92. Jake Arrieta - WAS
93. R.A. Dickey - WAS
94. Brett Myers - @ATL, @TOR
95. Wade Davis - @TOR
96. Jake Peavy - CLE
97. Josh Tomlin - CIN
98. Jason Marquis - @BAL
99. Brad Penny - @BOS
100. Carl Pavano - @OAK

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

Follow @vtadave on Twitter.