Stream Team: 25 Days of Marcum

Looking to cycle spot-starters each day? Check out the Stream Team, where we tab pitchers that are likely to help you in your quest for fantasy gold.

The Stream Team is now up to six wins in nine August starts, posting a sub-1.00 WHIP and 47 strikeouts in the process. Furthermore, we have 10 wins and 120 strikeouts in our starts since the break, compiling a 3.35 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 147.2 innings. Essentially, we've taken the 2008 season of Shaun Marcum and compressed it down into 25 days of great stats. Our season stats aren't bad either -- we've come close to matching last year's Gavin Floyd performance in under six weeks. I throw that out there to show you how beneficial streaming can be if your league rules allow for it.

As with most days, we have a few options for our spot start tomorrow. At the Fantasy Baseball Cafe, I suggest Clayton Richard as the sleeper to watch this week. But in a road start against the Brewers, I think we can do better for Tuesday. John Lannan and the red-hot Nationals travel to Atlanta, but Lannan has been terrible on the road this year (5.62 ERA, 1.61 WHIP away; 1.98 ERA, 1.14 WHIP at home), so he's one to avoid as well. Rookie Boston pitcher Junichi Tazawa makes his first MLB start against the Tigers, but it's generally best to avoid guys in their first starts.

Let's settle on Nick Blackburn. If you've seen the Twins pitcher's stats over the last month (7.89 ERA, 1.89 WHIP), then this looks like a pretty bad pick from the outset. But Blackburn makes his start in the Metrodome, where he's thrived while posting a 5-0 record, 2.95 ERA and 1.30 WHIP this season.

He faces the Royals, a team he's had great success against in the past (2.25 ERA, 1.25 WHIP in 24 innings). Those Royals have scored just four runs per game this year (tied for second-worst in the majors) and have a .707 OPS against righties in 2009. While the team has done well offensively as of late, they now take their act on the road. In 50 road games, Kansas City has scored 170 runs, making them the lowest-scoring road team in the league.

Start Blackburn with confidence, because if all these matchup indicators hold, he should pitch a gem tomorrow.

Stream Team Data

August: 60.2 IP, 6 Ws, 3.26 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 47 Ks, 13 BBs.
Post-ASB: 147.3 IP, 10 Ws, 3.35 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 120 Ks, 41 BBs.
Since 7/1: 210 IP, 14 Ws, 4.07 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 156 Ks, 57 BBs.