Some reasonably available players to assist you in the strikeouts category. Realize that some of these will come with high ERAs and WHIPs because if a pitcher has low numbers in those categories and a good K total, they’re already spoken for.
Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs: Zambrano had allowed 12 runs in his first three starts before holding the Padres scoreless for eight innings. Oddly enough, both of his wins came in the games he allowed the most runs. With his 10 strikeouts last night Big Z has 23 in 25.2 innings (8.06 K/9). He is 2-0 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. Zambrano is owned in 63 percent of Yahoo! and 47.9 percent of ESPN leagues.
Fausto Carmona, Cleveland Indians: Carmona got destroyed in his first start, allowing 10 runs in three innings. Since then he has allowed just three earned runs in 21.2 innings. He’s 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Carmona also has 20 strikeouts in 24.2 innings (7.30 K/9). Thanks to his horrible first start, Carmona is owned in just 20 percent of Yahoo! and 8.8 percent of ESPN leagues. He’s better than that.
Bud Norris, Houston Astros: Norris is what he is right now: a guy that can help you in the strikeout category while hurting you in the ERA category. His ERA is 5.06, and that is after throwing six scoreless innings last Thursday. You’re getting him for his strikeouts, and that’s what he’s done so far. He has 20 Ks in 16 innings (11.25 K/9). Norris is owned in 11 percent of Yahoo! and 2.6 percent of ESPN leagues.
Randy Wolf, Milwaukee Brewers: Wolf is a guy that you’ll want to pick your spots with. He can toss the occasional gem, but he can also get lit up. Thanks to 10 strikeouts in his last start he’s up to 20 on the year in 16.2 innings (10.8 K/9). You can live with his 4.32 ERA, but it’s hard to stomach his 1.62 WHIP. Hence the 7 percent Yahoo! and 17.3 percent ESPN ownership.
Travis Wood, Cincinnati Reds: Wood has alternated between gems and disasters in his four starts on the year. He has 19 strikeouts in 22 innings (7.77 K/9). Wood is 1-2 with a 5.73 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He is owned in 43 percent of Yahoo! and oddly 91.3 percent of ESPN leagues.
Chris Narveson, Milwaukee Brewers: Narveson has 19 strikeout in 18.2 innings (9.16 K/9). He had thrown 13 scoreless innings over his first two starts before allowing three in 5.2 innings in his last start. Narveson still posts a solid 1-0 record with a 1.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He is owned in about 45 percent of fantasy leagues.
Jason Vargas, Seattle Mariners: Vargas has 18 strikeouts in 22.2 innings. He got bombed for seven runs in 3.1 innings in one of his starts, but has only allowed four runs in 19.1 innings in his other three starts. He sits at 0-1 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Vargas is owned in 5 percent of Yahoo! and 1.3 percent of ESPN leagues.
Brandon Beachy, Atlanta Braves: Beachy has 17 strikeouts in 17.1 innings (8.83 K/9). He has just six career starts under his belt, but has plenty of potential. He sports a 5.19 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Beachy is owned in 17 percent of Yahoo! and 5.5 percent of ESPN leagues.
Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres: Harang is reinventing himself in San Diego. The former two-time 200 strikeout pitcher is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 18 innings (8.0 K/9). Harang is owned in about 55 percent of fantasy leagues.
High-Strikeout Middle Relievers
Tyler Clippard, WAS: 11 IP, 13 K, 1.64 ERA, 0.91 WHIP
Guillermo Mota, SF: 12.1 IP, 12 K, 2.19 ERA, 1.05 WHIP
Marco Estrada, MIL: 13 IP, 12 K, 3.16 ERA, 1.23 WHIP
Mitchell Boggs, STL: 9 IP, 12 K, 2.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP
Aaron Crow, KC: 10.1 IP, 12 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.97 WHIP
Carlos Villanueva, MIL: 9.2 IP, 11 K, 0.93 ERA, 0.72 WHIP
Sergio Santos, CHW: 8.2 IP, 11 K, 0.00 ERA, 1.04 WHIP
Scott Linebrink, ATL: 7 IP, 10 K, 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP
Ernesto Frieri, SD: 8.2 IP, 10 K, 2.08 ERA, 1.38 WHIP
Sergio Romo, SF: 6.2 IP, 10 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.45 WHIP
Jason Frasor, TOR: 6.2 IP, 10 K, 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP
Taylor Buchholz, NYM: 8 IP, 10 K, 2.25 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
Jesse Crain, CHW: 8.1 IP, 10 K, 2.16 ERA, 0.84 WHIP
Jeff Fulchino, HOU: 8.2 IP, 10 K, 2.08 ERA, 1.27 WHIP
Logan Ondrusek, CIN: 8.2 IP, 10 K, 1.04 ERA, 1.73 WHIP
Also check out:
Today’s Sstreaming Pitcher Option
Yesterday's Box Score Breakouts
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