Every fantasy team needs starting pitching to compete, and this years crop offers an exciting mix. There is a clear top-three in a tier alone, with 12-15 more names claiming to be fantasy aces. Past the top few tiers, the pitching pool turns into a mixture of similar options, with small differences that could amount to drastically different production. Below are pitchers with the chance to separate themselves from the fold, and while ace-status is off the table, SP3 would be the realistic endpoi[...]

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish (finger) said he is scheduled for a bullpen session on Thursday. He's currently lined up to start the third game of the season on March 31 against the Rangers. The Japanese right-hander pitched with a bandage on his finger for parts of five innings in a minor league game on Sunday, and he's confident that his blister issue won't keep him from making his first regular season start. Darvish threw pain-free and liked how his slider, cutter and fastball were[...]

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish (finger) and relief pitcher Pedro Strop (hamstring) both threw successful bullpen sessions on Friday and should be ready for the season opener next Thursday. Strop will return to game action either Monday or Tuesday against Boston, which will mark his first outing since March 9. Darvish's next test will come Sunday in a controlled minor league setting. Strop should open the year as the primary closer with Brandon Morrow (elbow) still out. He's a low-en[...]

What do I, Nick Mariano, have in common with great minds such as Ken Jennings, Gary Kasparov, and Lee Sedot? Before, I wouldnt have had an answer, but now I can say that weve all had the honor of challenging incredible Artificial Intelligence minds! Nevermind that those other three guys got crushed in their Man vs. Machine rounds, this is no place for data and predictive analytics. Gosh! Wait.[...]

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish dealt with a blister issue on his right ring finger in his spring action on Tuesday, but he's optimistic it's not a serious problem. "I don't feel any pain," Darvish said. "It's good for next outing." The Japanese right-hander said he will undergo laser treatment and apply medical cream to the finger before playing catch on [...]

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." If only that were the case in fantasy sports...Other than tampering with the fabric of time-space, which is a bad idea (ask Marty McFly), we just don't know what the future really holds. [...]

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish looks fully healthy this spring and has been hitting 94-96 mph regularly over the past few weeks. Darvish was limited to just eight starts in his first season with Chicago and had a right elbow debridement on Sept. 12. He struck out five, walked two and hit a pair of batters on Thursday against the Rangers in Cactus League action. If the Japanese right-hander can just stay healthy, he should be able to bounce back for fantasy owners, although he's only t[...]