Closers are a funny lot, aren't they?  For someone who almost never plays more than 5.5% of a game, they sure do cause a lot of angst for a manager.  Fantasy owners are not excepted, since they sometimes cannot figure out who is the closer to begin with.  Nonetheless, they are a necessary evil, as are the following Start 'Ems for the week:

Note: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em will follow the weekly schedule of most fantasy leagues, that is, starting Monday and ending Sunday.

START 'EM!

Joe Blanton | SP
Philadelphia Phillies

Pretty much any pitcher who is starting against the Nationals should be starting for your fantasy team, but Blanton has been missing a lot of bats of late, with a better than 1 K/IP ratio over the last two weeks.  He also faces the Dodgers, who have been hitting better, but the likely matchup will be against Eric Stults, who has been shuttled between AAA and the Dodgers all year.

Fernando Rodney | RP
Detroit Tigers

The Detroit bullpen is about as maddening as it gets, with a variety of relievers failing to close out games.  It appears now that the job will go to Rodney, who was exceptionally wild in his first attempt at securing the job.  However, he has gotten a second chance, and he has made the most of it so far, striking out 11 batters in his last 7.2 IP while walking only one.  As long as he does not completely melt down again, Rodney could be good for several saves in your push for the fantasy playoffs.

Derrek Lee | 1B
Chicago Cubs

Check out the ERAs of the starting pitchers the Cubs will face this week: 4.91, 5.51, 5.59, 3.81, 4.06, and 4.51.  The last three don't look so bad, but they are from the Washington Nationals' pitchers, who have very high WHIPs (1.31, 1.45, and 1.40, respectively).  That should be a feast for Lee, who has had a somewhat disappointing season thus far.

SIT 'EM!

Jed Lowrie | SS/3B
Boston Red Sox

Lowrie has done very well filling in a variety of roles, first for Julio Lugo at SS, and recently for Mike Lowell at 3B.  Hitting .318 with an .869 OPS, Lowrie has been a steady presence in the lineup offensively and defensively.  However, fantasy owners who picked him up for a bit of a jolt may be in for a jolt themselves this week, as Lowrie faces some very tough pitchers.  He starts off against Jeremy Guthrie, then later in the week faces Roy Halladay, Shaun Marcum, and A.J. Burnett.

Johnny Cueto | SP
Cincinnati Reds

Sure, Cueto has looked better in recent weeks, to the tune of a 3.60 ERA in his last two starts.  However, keep in mind his WHIP has been an alarmingly high 1.80, and he has managed only five innings in each of those two starts.  This week, he faces a tough Cubs lineup, then pitches at Colorado.  If Cueto could not get out of the fifth inning against the Pirates and Astros, it is hard to envision his doing so against the Cubs and Rockies.

Kerry Wood | RP
Chicago Cubs

You have seen that "DL" marker come off his name, and you have seen him pitch in a few games this month.  What you have not seen is Wood's returning to the closer's spot.  Of course, the Cubs have not given their relievers many opportunities, as they have manhandled the competition of late.  Still, Wood won't get the next save opportunity, so until you officially see him come into a save situation, keep him on your bench.