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Two to tango

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Each week, we'll profile the projected two-start pitchers for the upcoming fantasy week. Keep in mind that these are subject to change as managers adjust their rotations over the weekend.

Daisuke Matsuzaka: @ TB (Kazmir); @ TOR (Marcum) -- With 16 wins and a 2.97 ERA, Dice-K's name is in the AL Cy Young discussion (although he'll eventually lose that race to Cleveland's Cliff Lee). Matsuzaka has pitched well against both Tampa Bay (3.60 ERA in two starts) and Toronto (3.46 ERA in two starts) this year, and he should carry that success through next week.

CC Sabathia: @ CHC (Lilly); @ CIN (Arroyo) -- We're all well aware of the stats by now, but we'll regurgitate them here, anyway. Since joining the Brewers, Sabathia has nine wins and a 1.59 ERA in 13 starts. Interestingly, he's allowed three earned runs only twice since moving to Milwaukee -- once to the Cubs and once to the Reds.

Francisco Liriano: @ CLE (Jackson: @ TB (Sonnanstine) -- In eight post All-Star break starts, Liriano is 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. He's clearly put his early-season struggles behind him, and he's now an elite option week in and week out.

Derek Lowe: @ PIT (Duke); vs SF (Cain) -- Lowe has quietly been one of the top pitchers in the National League over the last month. Since allowing eight runs to the Cardinals on Aug. 6, he's posted a 1.53 ERA in his last seven starts. And with the light-hitting Pirates and Giants on the slate for the upcoming week, there's no reason to think his hot streak won't continue.

Scott Kazmir: vs BOS (Matsuzaka); vs MIN (Slowey) -- Kazmir is 7-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 12 starts this year at Tropicana Field, where he'll make both of his starts in the upcoming week. The hard-throwing left-hander's 5.40 ERA in three starts against the Red Sox this year is concerning, but he remains a top option.

Brett Myers: @ ATL (Parr); @ FLA (Volstad) -- Myers holds a 1.90 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in the second half, including a 3-1 record and a 1.84 ERA in his last four outings. He sports a 5.46 road ERA this year, but he's still a top-tier option with the way he's been throwing of late.

Mark Buehrle: @ NYY (Aceves); @ KC (Davies) -- The White Sox need Buehrle to pitch effectively the rest of the way if they're going to hold off the Twins in the AL Central. However, there's reason to be skeptical of the left-hander next week. Both of his starts come on the road, where he's 3-8 with a 5.34 ERA this season (10-3, 2.74 ERA at home).

Andy Pettitte: vs CWS (Floyd); vs BAL (Waters) -- After holding a 4.03 ERA in the first half, Pettitte has stumbled to a 5.43 mark since the All-Star break. The fact he's posted a 1.32 ERA in two starts against the Orioles this year is encouraging, but he's still nothing more than a mid-tier option in fantasy right now.

Ted Lilly: vs MLW (Sabathia); vs STL (Looper) -- Lilly has yet to face the Brewers this year, but he's had little trouble keeping the Cardinals in check, sporting a 2.54 ERA in four outings against them. He even took catcher YadierMolina out on a collision at the plate on Wednesday. Consider Lilly a solid option, even against two top-five NL offenses.

Andy Sonnanstine: vs BOS (Beckett); vs MIN (Liriano) -- Sonnanstine has been somewhat of an up-and-down starter this year, but the fact he rarely walks batters (1.54 BB/9 rate) means there's very little blow-up risk. He faced the Red Sox on Wednesday, and he tossed seven innings of one-run ball.

Braden Looper: @ CIN (Arroyo); @ CHC (Lilly) -- Looper posted a solid 3.89 ERA in six August starts, and he's been even better in September thus far, sporting a 0.73 ERA in two outings. The Cubs offense could be a speed bump, but the right-hander is still a reasonable option if you're looking for a two-starter hurler to toss into your lineup.

Hiroki Kuroda: @ PIT (Ohlendorf); vs SF (Hennessey) -- Kuroda posted a pristine 2.29 ERA in six August starts. He's been less effective thus far in September (4.76 ERA in two starts), but against the Pirates and Giants, he has a great chance of picking up a couple of twins.

Matt Cain: @ ARI (Haren); @ LAD (Lowe) -- Cain is still regarded as one of the top young hurlers in the game, but his last few starts have fantasy owners running for cover. Over his last four starts, he's 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA and 2.10 WHIP. We still love the kid's long-term potential, but steer clear in the short term.

John Danks: @ NYY (Ponson); @ KC (Duckworth) -- Danks holds a 5.79 ERA in two September starts, and he sports a 6.10 mark in two career starts against the Yankees. He also hasn't registered a victory in nearly a month. Danks is a good option if you need strikeouts, but other than that he's risky.

Mike Pelfrey: @ WAS (Lannan); vs ATL (Campillo) -- After posting ERAs of 2.70 and 2.93 in July and August, respectively, Pelfrey is off to a rough start in September, holding a 5.25 ERA in his two starts this month. The fact the right-hander holds a 6.87 ERA in three starts against the Braves this season makes him a less than ideal option in the coming week.

Gavin Floyd: @ NYY (Pettitte); @ KC (Davies) -- Floyd has made just one start against the Yankees in his career, and they hit him for five runs in six innings of work. On the other hand, he boasts a 2.08 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in two starts against the Royals this season. This is a bit of a mixed bag, but a 5.65 ERA thus far in September should give owners some pause.

Ubaldo Jimenez: vs SD (Estes); vs ARI (Haren) -- Jimenez has certainly had his moments in '08 (1.74 July ERA), but he hasn't been of much use to fantasy owners lately. He holds a 5.66 ERA in his last four starts, and his 4.6 BB/9 rate makes him a big risk at Coors Field, where he's set to make both of his starts in the upcoming week.

Chris Volstad: vs HOU (Moehler); vs PHI (Myers) -- Volstad has impressed since joining the Marlins, holding a 3.31 ERA in his first 12 big league appearances. However, it's concerning that his walk rate (4.3) is so close to his strikeout rate (5.6), and the Phillies and Astros are two teams that could very easily take advantage if he isn't on his game.

Shaun Marcum: vs BAL (Waters); vs BOS (Matsuzaka) -- Marcum's 4.80 ERA in the second half looks ugly, but in his last two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse he holds a 1.26 ERA and 13 Ks in 14.1 innings. He's struggled against the Red Sox this year (5.17 ERA), but he also holds a 2.81 ERA at home this season, making him a good bet for success.

Dan Haren: vs SF (Cain); @ COL (Jimenez) -- We're beginning to think Haren may be battling some shoulder weakness or some other ailment, because he just hasn't looked like himself of late. In his past three starts he's 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA and 2.07 WHIP. We generally like to give aces like Haren the benefit of the doubt, but he'll need to show us he's fully healthy before we can fully endorse him again.

Chris Waters: @ TOR (Marcum); @ NYY (Pettitte)Doug Davis: vs SF (Hennessey); @ COL (Cook) Brad Hennessey: @ ARI (Davis); @ (Kuroda) Dontrelle Willis: @ TEX (Padilla); @ CLE (Lewis) Carlos Silva: @ KC (Davies); @ OAK (Eveland)Ross Ohlendorf: vs LAD (Kuroda); vs HOU (Wolf)Kyle Davies: vs SEA (Silva); vs CWS (Floyd)Bronson Arroyo: vs STL (Looper); vs MLW (Sabathia) James Parr: vs PHI (Myers); vs NYM (Niese)Jonathon Niese: @ WAS (Perez); @ ATL (Parr)Odalis Perez: NYM (Niese); vs (LeBlanc) Wade LeBlanc: @ COL (Hernandez); @ WAS (Perez) Zach Duke: vs LAD (Lowe); vs HOU (Moehler)Brian Moehler: @ FLA (Volstad); @ PIT (Duke)Brandon Duckworth: vs SEA (Morrow); @ PIT (Duke)Vicente Padilla: vs DET (Willis); vs LAA (Santana)Sean Gallagher: vs LAA (Santana); vs SEA (Morrow)Brandon Morrow: @ KC (Duckworth); @ OAK (Gallagher)John Lannan: vs NYM (Pelfrey); vs SD (Baek) Alfredo Aceves: vs CWS (Buehrle); vs BAL (Olson)