SP Rankings

Great pitching wins championships. Like defense in football, pitching is the back bone behind any good major league baseball team. Pitching is also key to winning championships in fantasy. Starting pitchers don’t play as often as positional players, but they’re just as important. One bad start can ruin your chances for that week (for H2H only). Here’s a list of the top 20 SPs from this point forward. Enjoy!

1. Tim Lincecum – Some people were skeptical about Lincecum entering this season, but boy were they wrong. He’s found a way to outdo himself from last year and pitch even better. Yes, he is the strikeout king, and yes his ERA will probably never go over 3, but he’s also improved his command and limited the walks. This kid just keeps getting better and has officially overtaken Johan as the best fantasy starting pitcher. Can anyone say back to back Cy Youngs? Just think how many wins he could get if he pitched for a contender.

2. Johan Santana – What is there to say about Johan? He’s been an elite SP for 8 years now and refuses to stop. He’s had a few rough starts recently, but you know he’ll right the ship and continue to dominate. Just not as much as Timmy.

3. Roy Halladay – Yet another guy who has been at the top of the pitching class for many years. Halladay is a winning machine and will still have a great shot at 20 despite missing a couple of starts while on the DL. The only disadvantage he has is that he doesn’t strike guys out as much as Johan or Lincecum. In leagues that count CG/SO and innings he could make a case for the number one spot.

4. Dan Haren – Yes, I know he’s not the best 2nd half pitcher, but I think things will be different this year. Haren is extremely solid in all categories, just don’t expect him to win any more then 15 games thanks to the team hitting behind him. I’d also like to point out that he currently sports a WHIP of 0.81. That’s borderline impossible and goes to show how few chances teams have to score against him.

5. Zack Greinke – This definitely has turned into Greinke’s breakout season following multiple seasons as a major disappointment. His ERA is still below 2 and he is still turning in quality start after quality start. Greinke has pitched more humanly lately, but he should still be considered a top 5 SP on a BAD team.

6. Félix Hernández – King Felix is officially here to stay. He’s had a bad reputation in past years of being a very inconsistant, streaky pitcher that could absolutely dominate hitters and then flop in his next outing, but what do you expect from an extremely young pitcher? This season there’s been a lot more dominating and a lot less flopping, maybe Burnett should ask Felix what his secret is? And don’t forget, he’s still only 22 years old and is probably the 2nd most valuable pitcher in dynasties outside of Lincecum.

7. Yovani Gallardo – Coming off a lost season in ’08, Gallardo entered this season as an extremely hyped youngster that was going to be counted on heavily by his Milwaukee team. Just think, where would the Brewers be without Gallardo starting every 5th day? Gallardo can not only overpower opposing hitters, but is also known for his offspeed pitches as well. I’d feel comfortable having him as my staff ace during the stretch run.

8. CC Sabathia – It could be argued that CC hasn’t lived up to the expectations surrounding him after he signed that monster contract. Who wouldn’t expect a Cy Young season after the way he pitched down the stretch for the Brewers? The more experienced fantasy owner should have expected this however. Moving from the NL to the AL is definitely tough on pitchers. Especially when you have to play in the new Yankee Stadium which has become more of a ”Bomb Shelter” then a baseball stadium. CC will still win a ton of games and post a respectable WHIP. The ERA should go no higher then 3.5 as well. The main drop this year has been with the strikeouts which I expect to increase as the season wears on.

9. Chad Billingsley – Of all the pitchers in the top 10 I think Billingsley is the most over-rated. He’s struggled lately and has started to lose command of the strike zone, walking 9 batters in his last two contests. His WHIP is always around 1.3 and a lot of the time I wonder how his ERA hasn’t taken a hit as well. He’s known for stranding a lot of baserunners, but it’s possible that his luck could take a turn for the worst in the 2nd half. “Bills” is coming off a career high in innings and his arm could be fatiguing. I’d advise a sell high on him before it’s too late. On a more positive note, he does pitch for the best team in baseball and is a lock for around 200 ks.

10. Josh Johnson – Injuries plagued Johnson early in his career and prevented him from being the elite pitcher he was talked up as, but he’s finally at 100% and pitching like it. I wouldn’t blame anyone for being scared away from him due to his past and a scare earlier this season, but I think he’ll hold up just fine. Johnson should be considered a top 10 pitcher from now till September. Just make sure you have other dependable arms to back him up in case he re-injures himself.

11. Javier Vázquez – Considered by many to be a mediocre pitcher in years past, Vazquez has really taken that extra step in ’09. The move from the AL to the NL certainly hasn’t hurt his cause. Vazquez can blow up here and there, but the strikeouts will always be there. I expect a final line of around 12-14 wins and around 240 strikeouts with a 3.25 ERA and 1.15 WHIP to boot. Try and take advantage of his shaky reputation and get him if you can. You won’t regret it.

12. Justin Verlander – Verlander was one of, if not, the biggest disappointment for me in ’08. I was really expecting big thing not only from him, but the entire Detroit team. I kept faith in him start after start, but he did nothing but let me down. Entering draft day this year I made it a point to stay away from him, but after he got his first couple of bad starts out of the way he proceeded to put together 8 quality starts which included 3 straight games of at least 11 strikeouts. Verlander is currently tied with Lincecum for 2nd in the league in strikeouts, only one behind Javier Vazquez, but I don’t think it will last. He should still get 200 no problem, but don’t expect him to win the strikeout race. As long as he keeps his composure he should be a very reliable pitcher down the stretch.

13. Cole Hamels – Cole entered this season as a top 5 SP and has disappointed those of us who drafted him with high expectations. He began the year struggling with arm issues, but it appears that he’s at least close to healthy again. I would advise you all to buy low on him while you still can. He will most certainly regain his elite status come the All-Star Break.

14. Josh Beckett – Boston’s ace has been the best pitcher in baseball this past month and hasn’t walked a batter in his last 3 starts. He’s only given up 15 runs in the last two months spanning over 10 starts with only one loss during that time. It looks like he’s regained the form that led Boston to a World Series title in ’07. There’s little doubt that when he can locate his curveball he can be one of the game’s best.

15. Chris Carpenter – The oft-injured starter has pitched extremely well in the limited time he’s seen action thus far. He’s a huge injury risk, but has top 10 upside if he can stay healthy. Just take him with a grain of salt.

16. Matt Cain – When I say Matt Cain what is the first thing that comes to mind? Most of us would say his lack of run support and/or his low win total. Surprisingly enough, Cain currently has the second most wins in baseball with 9. Not only has he gotten more run support, but he’s also pitched better, currently boasting a nifty 2.57 ERA. The walks can be a problem and the wins will not come in bunches like they have thus far, but Cain is still a top 20 SP.

17. John Lackey – Lackey has shown signs of life in his last three starts. He’s pitched 22 innings while giving up only 7 runs. It appears that he’s nearing full strength and regaining that old form that made him a dependable arm in the past. If you can get him fairly cheap, I would do so ASAP.

18. James Shields – Shields won’t dazzle you with his statistics, but he’s known for his calm demeanor and excellent command. The strikeouts will come as well, along with the wins, just don’t think of him as a pitcher that will carry you like some of the guys listed above him.

19. Edwin Jackson – One of the bigger surprises this season, Jackson has put together a strong campaign. Detroit certainly knew what they were doing when they acquired him. I don’t think his ERA will remain sub 3, but it shouldn’t go much higher. A few rough outings should be expected as he continues to mature as a pitcher.

20. Jered Weaver – I contemplated putting Jon Lester or Cliff Lee here, but settled with Weaver. After losing his close friend, Nick Adenhart, early in the season, Weaver has looked like a man on a mission. He’s a lot like Jackson in that I don’t see him maintaining these kind of numbers, but he’s a solid arm to have at the top/middle of your rotation.