Top 50 Starting Pitchers

Michael Lins 3/9/09

There are several viable options available from the starting pitchers.  The "usual suspects" top the list again in 2009, but watch as others, such as Javier Vazquez, Ervin Santana and Ricky Nolasco break the top 20.  The talent is so deep, that last year's AL Cy Young award winner, Cliff Lee will barely break the top 20 (19) in 2009.

RANK

STARTERS

W

ERA

IP

BB

K

Whip

ER

1

Johan Santana, NYM

18

2.65

217

53

197

1.11

64

2

CC Sabathia, NYY

18

3.42

229

49

210

1.16

87

3

Tim Lincecum, SF

15

3.16

202

70

251

1.19

71

4

Roy Halladay, TOR

17

3.43

231

42

179

1.14

88

5

Brandon Webb, ARI

18

3.21

227

62

185

1.22

81

6

Cole Hamels, PHI

16

3.56

205

49

187

1.13

81

7

Jake Peavy, SD

14

2.73

188

64

183

1.09

57

8

Dan Haren, ARI

15

3.79

209

40

200

1.18

88

9

Josh Beckett, BOS

16

3.80

192

48

173

1.15

81

10

Javier Vazquez, ATL

15

3.98

206

59

207

1.21

91

11

John Lackey, LAA

16

3.61

212

54

172

1.24

85

12

A.J. Burnett, NYY

15

3.83

202

78

220

1.27

86

13

Ervin Santana, LAA

15

4.10

215

49

207

1.19

98

14

Ricky Nolasco, FLA

14

3.87

200

40

180

1.18

86

15

Roy Oswalt, HOU

16

3.71

204

51

162

1.23

84

16

James Shields, TB

14

3.76

206

37

158

1.13

86

17

Aaron Harang, CIN

14

3.94

210

53

207

1.24

92

18

Chad Billingsley, LAD

15

3.44

212

80

204

1.33

81

19

Cliff Lee, CLE

16

3.56

200

37

162

1.28

79

20

Scott Kazmir, TB

11

3.38

173

82

191

1.26

65

21

Rich Harden, CHC

10

2.94

150

58

173

1.15

49

22

Scott Baker, MIN

13

3.63

191

51

160

1.22

77

23

Ryan Dempster, CHC

14

3.70

185

63

168

1.27

76

24

Derek Lowe, ATL

15

3.72

203

46

145

1.24

84

25

Francisco Liriano, MIN

12

3.80

180

51

175

1.21

76

26

Ted Lilly, CHC

14

4.04

196

61

177

1.26

88

27

Matt Cain, SF

13

3.77

210

86

182

1.29

88

28

Zack Greinke, KC

12

3.50

193

52

176

1.29

75

29

Adam Wainwright, STL

14

3.59

178

52

121

1.22

71

30

Jon Lester, BOS

15

3.61

207

64

150

1.30

83

31

Joba Chamberlain, NYY

10

3.45

175

76

196

1.28

67

32

Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS

15

3.64

183

100

163

1.35

74

33

John Maine, NYM

14

4.09

185

71

178

1.30

84

34

Josh Johnson, FLA

13

3.55

165

46

153

1.30

65

35

Felix Hernandez, SEA

12

3.54

211

73

177

1.33

83

36

Matt Garza, TB

13

3.65

202

63

137

1.27

82

37

Kevin Slowey, MIN

13

4.15

191

27

147

1.19

88

38

Randy Johnson, SF

11

3.77

167

40

153

1.26

70

39

Chris Young, SD

10

3.55

175

66

147

1.24

69

40

Justin Verlander, DET

14

4.16

210

74

175

1.32

97

41

Justin Duchscherer, OAK

10

3.27

165

35

102

1.13

60

42

Max Scherzer, ARI

10

3.85

159

74

171

1.28

68

43

John Danks, CWS

11

3.78

188

55

153

1.29

79

44

Erik Bedard, SEA

8

3.51

141

54

144

1.23

55

45

Gil Meche, KC

12

3.95

205

68

171

1.32

90

46

Fausto Carmona, CLE

13

3.89

185

72

131

1.29

80

47

Carlos Zambrano, CHC

13

3.91

175

75

141

1.31

76

48

Wandy Rodriguez, HOU

11

3.85

180

60

155

1.30

77

49

Hiroki Kuroda, LAD

13

3.98

190

46

118

1.27

84

50

Manny Parra, MIL

14

4.18

185

73

168

1.36

86