Cooked quickly

Colorado starter Aaron Cook continues to struggle out of the gate. For the third time in four starts, Cook gives up his first run in the first inning. The Dodgers scored two and had the bases loaded before Cook even got the first out. He stranded those runners on a couple of come-backers to the mound, the second of which he turned into a 1-2-3 double play. To his credit Cook got through the first on just 19 pitches. If he can find his stuff the Rockies offense might get him back in the game.

Cook's issues stem from a problem with his delivery, which has flattened out his sinker.

Fantasy Impact: Cook made the All-Star Game last year thanks to his sinker. It's one of the best in the game when it's right, but it's nowhere closer to where he needs it to be. Until he finds the pitch again, Cook is just an also ran in terms of fantasy play.

Sabathia scuffles, but no cause for concern

CC Sabathia continues to mix good and bad starts in 2009. The Yankees ace threw 112 pitches, just half of them for strikes, without getting through the seventh inning against the A's. He walked four, gave up six hits and a three-run homer to Kurt Suzuki. Sabathia's six earned runs in 6 2/3 innings is messy at best, although he avoided a loss as the Yankees rallied to tie and won the game in 14 innings, 9-7.

Fantasy Impact: This is not the first time Sabathia has struggled. While his ERA ballooned to 4.81, Sabathia has just a 3.65 lifetime ERA. Last season's incredible run with the Brewers, in which he won 11 times in 17 outings while posting a 1.65 ERA, was the best stretch of his career. Those stunning numbers probably had some to do with Sabathia facing a league of hitters that had rarely or never faced him before.

Now he's back in the A.L. with DHs and opponents who know him well. We're going to expect that ERA to return to the mid-threes this year. Sabathia is just one good start away from accomplishing that.