From the Godfather: Week 3

Mon Apr 12 9:57am ET
By CHARLIE WIEGERT
Contributing Writer

The schedule gets a little more back to normal this week with 18 teams playing every day and 12 teams playing six games in seven days.  This creates a lot of two-start opportunities, and as pitchers pitch counts are increasing, your opportunities for strikeouts and wins increases. Even the teams with six-man rotations will have some two-start pitchers worth using.

Those starting pitchers that I think should be in your lineup this week to take advantage of the schedule are Max Fried, John Means, Carlos Rodon, Lucas Giolito, Shane Bieber, Zack Greinke, Dustin May, Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Freddie Peralta, JA Happ, Kenta Maeda, Gerritt Cole, Aaron Nola, Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, John Gant, Tyler Glasnow, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Steve Strasburg.  A lot of accomplished pitchers in that group and only a couple that could be on your waiver wire.

On the ever changing closer job, some new pitchers have emerged and if you need some saves, these are the guys to bid on this weekend.

In Cleveland, Emmanuel Clase looks to be the most dominant guy in the bullpen right now.  He has yet to allow a base runner this year and is featuring an unhittable triple digit cutter.  James Karinchak and Nick Wittgren will get a few vulture saves, but Close should be the main guy. 

In Oakland, manager Bob Melvin suggested Lou Trevino would be the closer, but I think it will be a shared situation with Jake Diekman.  With Trevor Rosenthal out, both could get 15 to 20 saves.

While Kenley Jansen is still the main closer for the Dodgers, it has become apparent that manager Dave Roberts is reluctant to over use him.  I guess he learned lessons from over use at the end of last year and Jansen being inefficient in the playoffs. Cory Knebel looks to be the guy Roberts will use when he’s resting Jansen, and with the Dodgers looking at close to 100 wins this year, Knebel could easily get 15 to 20 saves.

In Tampa, Pete Fairbanks has hit the IL with a strained rotator cuff, leaving Diego Castillo the main man getting saves. And the Rangers look to have given the closer job to Ian Kennedy.

Some players to keep an eye with injuries that hit the IL the last few days are Cody Bellinger, who is out with with left calf contusion. Expect Chris Taylor to see more playing time. Kolten Wong is out with a left oblique strain. Jace Peterson is expected to fill in for Wong. J.D. Davis is out, giving Dominic Smith more playing time. Other injured players are Julio Teheran, Chris Owings, Teoscar Hernandez, Ketel Marte, Tim Anderson, and James Paxton.  Tyler O’Neill departed Saturday’s game with a groin strain and was placed on the IL. Chris Archer is another player likely headed to the IL.

Some players that have been activated from the IL and worthy of a pick up if available are Kole Calhoun, Trent Grisham and Eduardo Rodriquez.  Also, lAL rookie of the year Kyle Lewis should be returning next week.

Have great week!

Charlie Wiegert was the sixth person to be inducted in the Fantasy Sports Hall Of Fame in 2001. He is a founder of CDM Fantasy Sports and Fantasy Sports Trade Association. He has been playing and winning fantasy baseball leagues since 1984. If you have any questions for Charlie, email them to cwiegert@cdmsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GFFantasySports.

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