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Derek Lowe vs. Minnesota Twins
Lowe is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA. He has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his seven starts
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Season Totals: 17-12, 242 IP, 172 Ks, 3.31 ERA (89 earned runs), 1.17 WHIP (202 hits, 80 walks)
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Now that the NFL Draft is behind us it is time for fantasy football nuts to start breaking down the rookies. Here’s the LestersLegends’ look at the 2012 NFL rookie tight end class.
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1. Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts
He has to learn how to play tight end at the next level, but at least he’s familiar with his quarterback. He caught 17 touchdown passes from Andrew Luck the past two years and he provides a big target (6’6″, 250) in the red zone.
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2. Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts were serious about giving Luck some big targets, taking a page out of Bill Belichick’s playbook by taking Fleener with the 34th pick and Allen with the 64th. He caught 50 passes for Clemson last year for 598 yards and eight scores.
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3. Michael Egnew, Miami Dolphins
Egnew was the Dolphin’s fourth selection, but he was still the 78th overall pick. He was much more productive as a Junior (90 catches, 762 yards vs. 50 and 523), but he doesn’t have much competition.
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4. Orson Charles, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have Jermaine Gresham, but two solid tight ends is chic. Charles caught 45 passes at Georgia for 574 yards and five TDs. He should be a nice piece in an up-and-coming offense.
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5. Ladarius Green, San Diego Chargers
Green has the luxury from learning from one of the best (Antonio Gates) with a premier QB (Philip Rivers). He caught 15 touchdown passes over the past two years at Louisiana-Lafayette. He needs to add some weight, which could slow his ascent.
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Also check out:
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Here’s a breakdown of the two-start pitchers for the week of May 14th-20th.
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Five Stars
Zack Greinke: @NYM (Gee), MIN (Marquis)
Dan Haren: OAK (Ross), @SD (Suppan)
Clayton Kershaw: ARI (Kennedy), STL (Westbrook)
Cliff Lee: HOU (Harrell), BOS (Beckett)
Stephen Strasburg: SD (Bass), BAL (Chen)
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Four Stars
Yovani Gallardo: @NYM (Batista), MIN (Pavano)
Josh Johnson: PIT (Correia), @CLE (Lowe)
Jon Lester: SEA (Millwood), @PHI (Lester)
Tim Lincecum: COL (Friedrich), OAK (Colon)
Jake Peavy: DET (Scherzer), @CHC (Peavy)
David Price: @TOR (Alvarez), ATL (Hudson)
CC Sabathia: @BAL (Chin), CIN (Cueto)
Anibal Sanchez: PIT (Bedard), @CLE (Gomez)
Ervin Santana: OAK (Colon), @SD (Bass)
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Three Stars
Henderson Alvarez: TB (Price), NYM (Gee)
Anthony Bass: @WAS (Strasburg), LAA (Santana)
Chad Billingsley: ARI (Miley), STL (Lohse)
Johnny Cueto: @ATL (Hudson), @NYY (Cueto)
Tim Hudson: CIN (Cueto), @TB (Price)
Ross Detwiler: SD (Suppan), BAL (Arrieta)
Ian Kennedy: @LAD (Kershaw), @KC (Duffy)
Colby Lewis: KC (Chen), @HOU (Harrell)
Kyle Lohse: CHC (Volstad), @LAD (Billingsley)
Brandon Morrow: TB (Niemann), NYM (Batista)
Drew Smyly: @CWS (Danks), PIT (Bedard)
Ryan Vogelsong: COL (White), OAK (Ross)
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Two Stars
Jake Arrieta: NYY (Nova), @WAS (Detwiler)
Josh Beckett: SEA (Vargas), @PHI (Lee)
Erik Bedard: @MIA (Sanchez), @DET (Smyly)
Joe Blanton: HOU (Rodriguez), BOS (Lester)
Bartolo Colon: @LAA (Santana), @SF (Lincecum)
Kevin Correia: @MIA (Johnson), @DET (Scherzer)
Randall Delgado: CIN (Bailey), @TB (Niemann)
Christian Friedrich: @SF (Lincecum), SEA (Vargas)
Dillon Gee: MIL (Greinke), @TOR (Alvarez)
Derek Lowe: @MIN (Marquis), MIA (Johnson)
Paul Maholm: @STL (Westbrook), CWS (Danks)
Wade Miley: @LAD (Billingsley), @KC (Chen)
Jeff Niemann: @TOR (Morrow), ATL (Delgado)
Max Scherzer: @CWS (Peavy), PIT (Correia)
Jeff Suppan: @WAS (Detwiler), LAA (Haren)
Jason Vargas: @BOS (Beckett), @COL (Friedrich)
Jake Westbrook: CHC (Maholm), @LAD (Kershaw)
Alex White: @SF (Vogelsong), SEA (Millwood)
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One Star
Homer Bailey: @ATL (Delgado), @NYY (Nova)
Miguel Batista: MIL (Gallardo), @TOR (Morrow)
Bruce Chen: @TEX (Lewis), ARI (Miley)
Wei-Yin Chen: NYY (Sabathia), @WAS (Strasburg)
John Danks: DET (Smyly), @CHC (Maholm)
Danny Duffy: @TEX (Feldman), ARI (Kennedy)
Jeanmar Gomez: @MIN (Pavano), MIA (Sanchez)
Lucas Harrell: @PHI (Lee), TEX (Lewis)
Jason Marquis: CLE (Lowe), @MIL (Greinke)
Kevin Millwood: @BOS (Lester), @COL (White)
Ivan Nova: @BAL (Arrieta), CIN (Bailey)
Carl Pavano: CLE (Gomez), @MIL (Gallardo)
Tyson Ross: @LAA (Haren), @SF (Vogelsong)
Chris Volstad: @STL (Lohse), CWS (Peavy)
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Jake Westbrook vs. Chicago Cubs
Westbrook is 4-2 with a 1.76 ERA. He’s allowed one or fewer earned runs in four of his six starts. He has already beat the Cubs, giving up one earned run on four hits over seven innings. While he’s been dazzling on the road (0.87 ERA), he’s been great at home too (2.66 ERA). It’s a night game, which he’s been nearly untouchable (3-1 with a 0.98 ERA).
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Season Totals: 17-12, 237 IP, 170 Ks, 3.23 ERA (85 earned runs), 1.14 WHIP (191 hits, 78 walks)
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Andy Pettitte vs. Seattle Mariners
He’s back. He hasn’t been sharp (5.40 ERA in ten Double-A and Triple-A innings), but he’s Andy Pettitte. Plus, he has a favorable first match-up.
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Season Totals: 17-11, 230-2/3 IP, 168 Ks, 3.16 ERA (81 earned runs), 1.12 WHIP (184 hits, 75 walks)
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After getting knocked around by Oakland (of all teams) on Sunday Matt Moore comes into today’s start with a 1-2 record, a robust 5.71 ERA, and a troubling 1.64 WHIP. Not only are opponents batting .289 against him, he has had issues with control walking 18 batters in 34-2/3 innings. He has also yielded six long balls.
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Obviously the 22-year old phenom who set the league on fire wrapping up the regular season with a 2.89 ERA in 9-1/3 innings and posting a 0.90 ERA in ten playoff innings, isn’t going to be on the chopping block for fantasy owners, but he could be on the trading block.
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The elephant in the room when it comes to Matt Moore’s 2012 fantasy outlook is the potential innings cap. Tampa Bay figures to be in the playoffs or at least in the chase, but they could still monitor Moore’s innings to protect their investment.
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If you believe in Matt Moore, and why wouldn’t you, that is certainly something you should be in the ear of his fantasy owner with. Plant that seed and hope it grows.
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I would also play up the fact that he has yet to face the Blue Jays, Orioles or the Yankees and got bombed in his lone appearance against the Red Sox. He plays in a tough division that features five of the top ten home run totals in the league. That is cause for concern and could also play into your favor.
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Moore has really been smacked around in two of his starts. In the other four he has a 3.04 ERA. Obviously he’s going to have some bad starts, but he’s way better than his numbers would lead you to believe.
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His owner may still be reluctant to sell low on Moore, but it’s ceratinly worth exploring.
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Also check out:
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Charlie Morton vs. Houston Astros
Morton has been blasted in his past two starts (9 earned runs in 10-1/3 innings), but he still maintains a 4.61 ERA. He’s pitching at home where he sports a 3.00 ERA (3.77 in 13 2011 home starts ). Last year he was 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA at home against the Astros.
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Season Totals: 16-11, 224-2/3 IP, 168 Ks, 3.16 ERA (79 earned runs), 1.11 WHIP (176 hits, 74 walks)
