Typically, you?ll need five or six quality starters to win your league, and it all starts with your ace.
Two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum combines elite ERA and WHIP numbers with otherworldly strikeout totals, but if you?re not keen on spending a first-round pick on a pitcher, breakout candidate Yovani Gallardo might do just fine.
Whether it?s strikeouts, wins, or tidy WHIPs you?re looking for late in the draft, check out NESN?s projections for the top 90 starters to help you determine who best fits into your fantasy rotation.
See our position-by-position rankings here: C
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| RP | Top 300
| Name | Team | 2009 Stats | 2010 Projection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roy Halladay | Phillies | 17 W, 2.79 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 208 K | 20 W, 2.56 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 213 K | "Doc" moves from the toughest division in baseball to one with considerably fewer impact hitters, and will give Lincecum a run for his money in the Cy Young race. |
| Tim Lincecum | Giants | 15 W, 2.48 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 261 K | 16 W, 2.71 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 254 K | Timmy's had a rough spring training so far, but chalk that up to mechanical tweaks and select him with confidence. |
| Felix Hernandez | Mariners | 19 W, 2.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 217 K | 18 W, 2.53 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 220 K | Very easily could have stolen Cy Young from Greinke last season, and at 24, there's no reason to expect him to regress. |
| Zack Greinke | Royals | 16 W, 2.16 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 242 K | 14 W, 2.41 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 238 K | The good news: Few pitchers have ever been as great as Greinke was in 2009. The bad news: Even fewer have done it twice. |
| Dan Haren | Diamondbacks | 14 W, 3.14 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 223 K | 16 W, 3.02 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 218 K | Haren has a disturbing history of falling apart in the second half, but his 129-to-16 strikeout/walk ratio at the All-Star break was obscene. |
| Jon Lester | Red Sox | 15 W, 3.41 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 225 K | 17 W, 3.29 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 232 K | On the cusp of becoming a Cy Young contender, and this may be the year he reaches those heights. |
| Justin Verlander | Tigers | 19 W, 3.45 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 269 K | 19 W, 3.58 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 257 K | We can pretty much say with certainty that 2008 was an aberration, and Verlander will be a Cy contender for years to come. |
| CC Sabathia | Yankees | 19 W, 3.37 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 197 K | 18 W, 3.52 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 189 K | The only concern here is that 240-plus-inning workloads could eventually catch up to him, despite a true workhorse build. |
| Adam Wainwright | Cardinals | 19 W, 2.63 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 212 K | 15 W, 3.33 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 204 K | Wainwright was brilliant last season, but his 2.63 ERA didn't jive with his 3.36 xFIP, so expect some regression in 2010. |
| Cliff Lee | Mariners | 14 W, 3.22 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 181 K | 15 W, 3.17 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 178 K | Moving to a pitchers' park with an excellent infield defense can only help an already phenomenal pitcher. |
| Chris Carpenter | Cardinals | 17 W, 2.24 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 144 K | 15 W, 3.08 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 155 K | As long as Carpenter is able to make 25-plus starts, there's nothing in his peripherals to suggest he won't be a stud. |
| Ubaldo Jimenez | Rockies | 15 W, 3.47 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 198 K | 16 W, 3.39 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 200 K | Hardest thrower in baseball went 9-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.02 WHIP after the All-Star Break last season. |
| Yovani Gallardo | Brewers | 13 W, 3.73 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 204 K | 14 W, 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 219 K | Gallardo is 1.5 walks/nine innings away from being in the mix for a Cy Young, and this year could be the first step toward that goal. |
| Josh Johnson | Marlins | 15 W, 3.23 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 191 K | 16 W, 3.43 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 196 K | Few starting pitchers can crank it up to 97 and log a ground ball rate over 50 percent. Johnson is one of them. |
| Tommy Hanson | Braves | 11 W, 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 116 K | 14 W, 3.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 187 K | An aggressive ranking, perhaps, but Hanson thrived upon arrival to the Show last season. |
| Josh Beckett | Red Sox | 17 W, 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 199 K | 16 W, 3.57 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 201 K | Beckett's xFIP last season was a tidy 3.35, portending a drop in his actual ERA in what could be a crucial contract year. |
| Jake Peavy | White Sox | 9 W, 3.45 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 110 K | 16 W, 3.22 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 207 K | Fully recovered from elbow surgery, so the only concern is moving from a pitcher-friendly park to a relative bandbox. |
| Johan Santana | Mets | 13 W, 3.13 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 146 K | 14 W, 3.34 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 176 K | Has looked shaky in spring training coming off an injury, and his xFIP has risen steadily over the past four seasons. |
| Ricky Nolasco | Marlins | 13 W, 5.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 195 K | 15 W, 3.79 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 203 K | It takes some seriously rotten luck to post a 5.06 ERA with an xFIP of 3.28, and that means Nolasco is virtually certain to dwarf last year's numbers in 2010. |
| Matt Cain | Giants | 14 W, 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 171 K | 14 W, 3.28 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 177 K | Cain showed a propensity for pitching out of jams last season, but he's unlikely to hold opposing hitters to a .161 average with runners in scoring position again. |
| Cole Hamels | Phillies | 10 W, 4.32 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 168 K | 14 W, 3.37 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 182 K | Hamels trimmed his walk rate, upped his strikeout rate — and was rewarded with a 1.23 point increase in his ERA; that's unlikely to happen again. |
| Javier Vazquez | Yankees | 15 W, 2.87 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 238 K | 14 W, 3.78 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 204 K | In the NL Cy Young hunt last season, but history suggests a significant drop-off with move back to American League. |
| Brett Anderson | Athletics | 11 W, 4.06 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 150 K | 13 W, 3.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 177 K | Anderson's peripherals universally forecast even greater success on this 22-year-old's horizon. |
| John Lackey | Red Sox | 11 W, 3.83 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 139 K | 14 W, 4.02 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 152 K | Will benefit from the Red Sox' terrific defense, but the move to Fenway could drive his ERA into the 4.00s. |
| Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | 8 W, 2.79 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 185 K | 11 W, 2.97 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 208 K | A 4.79 walks/nine innings ratio simply won't do no matter how many whiffs he generates, but there's no reason that Kershaw can't improve in that regard at age 22. |
| Wandy Rodriguez | Astros | 14 W, 3.02 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 193 K | 12 W, 3.75 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 185 K | Knee-buckling curveball has silenced Wandy's doubters and made him a bright spot on an otherwise bland Houston roster. |
| Scott Baker | Twins | 15 W, 4.37 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 162 K | 14 W, 4.00 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 171 K | It's easy to call him "Scott Baker the Home Run Maker" (he gave up 28 dingers last year), but a 3.38 strikeout/walk ratio should render positive results nonetheless. |
| Chad Billingsley | Dodgers | 12 W, 4.03 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 179 K | 13 W, 3.82 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 192 K | A high-risk, high-reward pick, because his 5.20 ERA after the All-Star Break may have been caused by something more serious than a mechanical flaw. |
| Matt Garza | Rays | 8 W, 3.95 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 189 K | 12 W, 3.96 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 173 K | Has three plus pitches, including a razor-sharp slider, yet consistency continues to elude him. |
| Brandon Webb | Diamondbacks | 0 W, 13.50 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2 K | 11 W, 3.84 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 137 K | You're paying for upside here, and Webb has yet to return to the mound, so the risk-averse should probably stay away. |
| Roy Oswalt | Astros | 8 W, 4.12 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 138 K | 11 W, 3.93 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 154 K | Durability has never been a problem for Oswalt, but back issues plagued him last summer and are a concern going forward. |
| Jair Jurrjens | Braves | 14 W, 2.60 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 152 K | 13 W, 3.59 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 146 K | Before gloating over Jurrjens' 2.60 ERA last season, remember that his xFIP was 4.34, and realize that his true talent level lies somewhere in between. |
| A.J. Burnett | Yankees | 13 W, 4.04 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 195 K | 14 W, 3.95 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 197 K | Has arguably the best curveball in baseball, but must throw more strikes in order to live up to $82.5 million contract. |
| Jonathan Sanchez | Giants | 8 W, 4.24 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 177 K | 11 W, 4.06 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 202 K | On the heels of an unlikely no-hitter, Sanchez posted a 3.83 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings after the All-Star break. |
| Jered Weaver | Angels | 16 W, 3.75 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 174 K | 13 W, 4.06 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 170 K | Allowed 26 homers last season, and as a fly-ball pitcher in a moderate hitters' park, the long ball will continue to excessively inflate his ERA. |
| John Danks | White Sox | 13 W, 3.77 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 149 K | 14 W, 3.84 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 156 K | Was quietly a solid No. 2 starter for the White Sox last season, but he struck out only 60 batters in 99 innings after the All-Star Break. |
| James Shields | Rays | 11 W, 4.14 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 167 K | 12 W, 3.99 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 173 K | Walks/nine innings ratio climbed from 1.67 to 2.13 last season, but if Shields can once again harness his command, he could return to his days of being Dan Haren Lite. |
| Max Scherzer | Tigers | 9 W, 4.12 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 174 K | 10 W, 3.98 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 175 K | Figures to decline a bit with move to American League and must work deeper into games after averaging just 5 2/3 innings per start last year. |
| Scott Kazmir | Angels | 10 W, 4.89 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 117 K | 12 W, 4.17 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 169 K | Kazmir improved his control last season, but did so at the expense of his strikeout rate, and his strikeout/walk ratio tumbled to 1.95; still, he's only 26, so there's considerable upside here. |
| David Price | Rays | 10 W, 4.42 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 102 K | 11W, 4.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 156 K | Price was supposed to parlay a deadly fastball-slider combo into instant big league success. That did not happen, but it's far too soon to give up on him. |
| Tim Hudson | Braves | 2 W, 3.61 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 30 K | 11 W, 3.96 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 114 K | If Hudson's elbow is back to 100 percent, he should regain the sinkerballing prowess that previously contributed to his success. |
| Jorge De La Rosa | Rockies | 16 W, 4.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 193 K | 12 W, 4.31 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 186 K | Has good zip on his fastball and a quality changeup — a recipe for success, even in hitter-friendly Coors Field. |
| Clay Buchholz | Red Sox | 7 W, 4.21 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 68 K | 13 W, 3.96 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 142 K | Buchholz reinvented himself as a groundball machine last summer, but has limited fantasy upside if he can't get his strikeout/nine innings ratio back over 7.5. |
| Ryan Dempster | Cubs | 11 W, 3.65 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 172 K | 11 W, 3.74 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 168 K | A solid, middle-of-the-rotation guy for your fantasy team, but is a "what you see is what you get" pitcher with little room for improvement. |
| Gavin Floyd | White Sox | 11 W, 4.06 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 163 K | 10 W, 4.56 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 154 K | Improved his strikeout/walk ratio from 2.07 to 2.76 last season, but there's reason to be skeptical that he can maintain it at that level. |
| Rick Porcello | Tigers | 14 W, 3.96 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 89 K | 13 W, 4.05 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 115 K | Found big league success before reaching the legal drinking age last season, but must strike out more batters to fully realize his upside. |
| Brian Matusz | Orioles | 5 W, 4.63 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 38 K | 11 W, 4.09 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 148 K | Spring training stats are rarely meaningful, but when a top prospect posts an 18-to-2 strikeout/walk ratio in 14 2/3 innings, it's wise to take notice. |
| J.A. Happ | Phillies | 12 W, 2.93 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 119 K | 10 W, 4.27 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 136 K | Happ is unlikely to sustain his .270 BABIP and 85.2 percent strand rate from last season, which means a significant regression is in store. |
| Edwin Jackson | Diamondbacks | 13 W, 3.62 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 161 K | 10 W, 4.24 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 158 K | Jackson's 94 mph fastball is straight as an arrow, so his effectiveness is largely at the mercy of his slider, which tempers his strikeout potential. |
| Joe Blanton | Phillies | 12 W, 4.05 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 163 K | 13 W, 4.11 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 136 K | Upside is limited because Blanton is a fly-ball pitcher in arguably the best home run hitters' park in baseball, but if you value stability, he's your man. |
| Mat Latos | Padres | 4 W, 4.62 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 39 K | 10 W, 4.15 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 138 K | Latos is an excellent long-term pitching prospect, but may be hindered in 2010 by a lack of run support from the Padres lineup and an innings limit. |
| Mark Buehrle | White Sox | 13 W, 3.84 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 105 K | 13 W, 3.97 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 111 K | Consistency is Buehrle's greatest hallmark: he's posted an ERA between 3.63 and 3.84 in each of the past three seasons. |
| Jeff Niemann | Rays | 13 W, 3.94 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 125 K | 11 W, 4.37 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 166 K | Niemann grew on the Rays management after posting a 2.12 strikeout/walk ratio and 0.85 home runs/nine innings mark in his first extended big league stint, but his 4.53 xFIP is less promising. |
| Wade Davis | Rays | 2 W, 3.72 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 36 K | 12 W, 3.89 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 137 K | Davis walked just 13 batters and struck out 36 in a 36 1/3 inning cup of coffee last year, but his 25 percent line-drive rate against indicates that there's work to be done. |
| Ted Lilly | Cubs | 12 W, 3.10 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 151 K | 10 W, 3.73 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 135 K | Enjoyed a career year in 2009, but he will miss at least the first month of 2010 with a shoulder injury that could linger. |
| Bronson Arroyo | Reds | 15 W, 3.84 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 127 K | 14 W, 4.26 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 133 K | Arroyo's 3.84 ERA last year was his best since 2006, but it was supported by an unsustainable .270 BABIP, as indicated by his mediocre 4.56 xFIP. |
| Hiroki Kuroda | Dodgers | 8 W, 3.76 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 87 K | 10 W, 3.91 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 116 K | Thrives on minuscule walk and home run rates, but Kuroda's fantasy upside is limited by a lack of strikeout stuff. |
| Kevin Slowey | Twins | 10 W, 4.86 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 75 K | 11 W, 4.01 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 139 K | Slowey is a control artist like Baker, with similar home run issues to his teammate Baker. However, he does not have quite as much strikeout upside. |
| Erik Bedard | Mariners | 5 W, 2.82 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 90 K | 7 W, 3.55 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 117 K | The question with Bedard is whether his shoulder will hold up after surgery, so the projections are for 20 starts. |
| Francisco Liriano | Twins | 5 W, 5.80 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 122 K | 10 W, 4.14 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 169 K | Liriano had a promising showing in winter ball, and has thus far been brilliant in spring training. Has a 16-to-1 strikeout/walk ratio through 10 innings of work. |
| Joel Pineiro | Angels | 15 W, 3.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 105 K | 12 W, 4.18 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 114 K | Pineiro successfully transformed himself into a premier sinkerballer, but it's anyone's guess whether he can succeed in the AL with a sub-5.0 strikeout/nine inning ratio. |
| Scott Feldman | Rangers | 17 W, 4.08 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 113 K | 14 W, 4.59 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 109 K | There's no question Feldman improved last season, but his 20.5 percent line-drive rate against suggests that his .275 BABIP against was a fluke. |
| Johnny Cueto | Reds | 11 W, 4.41 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 132 K | 13 W, 4.33 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 156 K | Cueto's logged a 3.83 ERA away from Great American Ballpark last season, but he'll need to generate more grounders to avoid serving up homers in Cincy. |
| Stephen Strasburg | Nationals | Did not play in MLB | 9 W, 4.27 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 118 K | Strasburg-mania should overtake D.C. by the start of the summer, and the hard-throwing righty is good enough to average a strikeout per inning in his rookie season. |
| Andy Pettitte | Yankees | 14 W, 4.16 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 148 K | 13 W, 4.43 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 136 K | Pettitte is getting to the point in his career where some level of decline is expected, but with the Yankees lineup behind him, he's a lock for a dozen or more wins. |
| Derek Holland | Rangers | 8 W, 6.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 107 K | 10 W, 4.29 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 149 K | Posted a 4.35 xFIP in his MLB debut last year, and has the stuff to improve on it immediately. |
| Aroldis Chapman | Reds | Did not play in MLB | 8 W, 4.39 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 110 K | With a fastball that sits at 95-97, Chapman may find instant success at the Show. (The Reds have not clarified their plans for Chapman, so the projection is based on 20 starts.) |
| Carlos Zambrano | Cubs | 9 W, 3.77 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 152 K | 10 W, 4.10 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 137 K | At 28, Zambrano should be in his prime, but with over 1,500 innings of mileage already on his arm, he's clearly in the decline phase. |
| Kenshin Kawakami | Braves | 7 W, 3.86 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 105 K | 11 W, 3.95 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 110 K | Pitched well in his first season in the States, but was victimized by a lack of run support, evidenced by his 2-6 record after the All-Star Break, when he posted a 3.33 ERA. |
| Ben Sheets | Athletics | Injured During 2009 Season | 8 W, 4.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 124 K | As long as Sheets is healthy, he has the stuff and command to be successful. After flexor tendon surgery, though, his durability is a question mark. |
| Justin Masterson | Indians | 4 W, 4.52 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 119 K | 10 W, 4.46 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 150 K | Lefty batters whacked Masterson for a .323 average last season, but he has a strikeout arsenal that's rarely available at this point in the draft. |
| Aaron Harang | Reds | 6 W, 4.21 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 142 K | 11 W, 4.29 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 131 K | An improved Cincy lineup should help Harang notch double-digit wins for the first time since 2007. |
| Homer Bailey | Reds | 8 W, 4.53 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 86 K | 10 W, 4.17 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 128 K | Former top prospect may have turned the corner at the end of last season, by going 3-1 with a 2.47 ERA in six September starts. |
| John Maine | Mets | 7 W, 4.43 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 55 K | 11 W, 4.21 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 138 K | Plagued by a nerve ailment in his shoulder last season, Maine was effective in 2007-08 and his comeback chances are worth a gamble. |
| Phil Hughes | Yankees | 8 W, 3.03 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 96 K | 10 W, 4.18 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 148 K | Currently pegged as the Yankees' fifth starter, Hughes should reach double-digits in wins even if he's handled with kid gloves. |
| Barry Zito | Giants | 10 W, 4.03 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 154 K | 9 W, 4.22 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 139 K | Zito seemed to improve last season by learning how to overcome his Reagan-era fastball and was rewarded with a 2.83 ERA after the All-Star Break. |
| Randy Wolf | Brewers | 11 W, 3.23 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 160 K | 12 W, 4.28 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 158 K | Served as the Dodgers' de-facto ace last season, but may struggle to repeat that performance with the Brewers and has a 5.95 career ERA at Miller Park. |
| Bud Norris | Astros | 6 W, 4.53 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 54 K | 7 W, 4.23 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 140 K | One of the bright spots of an unimpressive Houston farm system, Norris struck out 54 batters in 55 2/3 innings last season. |
| Chris Tillman | Orioles | 2 W, 5.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 39 K | 9 W, 4.72 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 129 K | A 2.70 ERA in Triple-A last season solidified Tillman as a future ace, but if you draft him, keep in mind that some early lumps are to be expected. |
| Kevin Correia | Padres | 12 W, 3.91 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 142 K | 11 W, 4.17 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 137 K | What you see is what you get with Correia — but what you get is stability late in the draft when most available pitchers come with considerable risk. |
| Paul Maholm | Pirates | 8 W, 4.44 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 119 K | 10 W, 4.14 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 127 K | Maholm's calling is his stinginess when it comes to homers; he allowed just 0.65 homers/nine innings last season, overcoming his unspectacular stuff. |
| Dallas Braden | Athletics | 8 W, 3.89 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 81 K | 10 W, 4.16 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 115 K | Does not have dominant stuff, but if you're stocking up on low-risk pitchers in the late-rounds, Braden should make your shortlist. |
| Ervin Santana | Angels | 8 W, 5.03 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 107 K | 10 W, 4.46 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 143 K | Ervin Santana is as mercurial as you can get, but he's just a year removed from collecting 16 wins with a 3.49 ERA in 2008. |
| Daisuke Matsuzaka | Red Sox | 4 W, 5.76 ERA, 1.87 WHIP, 54 K | 10 W, 4.42 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 122 K | It's hard to say if Dice-K will ever be Houdini again, but limiting walks would make him a serviceable No. 4 starter for the Red Sox, where wins abound. |
| Brad Penny | Cardinals | 11 W, 4.88 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 109 K | 10 W, 4.49 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 100 K | Excelled after coming to the Giants late last season, but was so erratic in Boston that expecting him to sustain that success is unwise. |
| Shaun Marcum | Blue Jays | Injured During 2009 Season | 6 W, 4.05 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 93 K | The Blue Jays will be a work in progress this season, so even if Marcum is fully recovered from elbow surgery, he'll struggle to pick up wins. |
| Brad Bergesen | Orioles | 7 W, 3.43 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 65 K | 10 W, 4.42 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 89 K | Has the lowest ceiling of the Orioles' stable of pitching prospects, but might currently be the most polished. |
| Jon Garland | Padres | 11 W, 4.01 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 109 K | 10 W, 4.51 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 105 K | PETCO Park may be the perfect place for Garland to revive his stock, but keep in mind that he hasn't posted an xFIP below 4.50 since 2005. |
| Brett Myers | Astros | 4 W, 4.84 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 50 K | 9 W, 4.50 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 145 K | There are two concerns with Myers: the Astros' ability to provide him with adequate run support, and his own ability to handle a full season in the rotation. |
| Ian Kennedy | Diamondbacks | 0 W, 0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 1 K | 8 W, 4.39 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 99 K | Undisciplined minor leaguers struggled against Kennedy, but he'll have to work on his shaky command in order to survive in Arizona. |
