Starting Pitching This Year's Key To Winning
Batter Up April 8th, 2007
In baseball you can’t win a pennant without top flight pitching. In recent years it has been the vogue to build the pitching staff from the back forward. Meaning relievers to starters.
This year the best teams will be the ones with the deepest starting pitching one through five. If the starter can go six innings and turn the ball over to the relief corps with the lead, most bullpens will be able to save the day.
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The Angels have the best starting staff in the American League. Once injured starters Bartolo Colon and Jered Weaver return in April, the rest of the AL West better be careful. John Lackey, Ervin Santana, and Kelvim Escobar keep the Halos in every game.
The A’s need to get Esteban Loaiza back on the hill as soon as possible. With Chad Gaudin and Joe Kennedy currently in the four and five spots in the rotation, the A’s relief pitchers will be busy because neither Gaudin nor Kennedy can be counted on to consistently give the club six solid innings. The A’s have the second best rotation in the West with Rich Harden, Dan Haren, and Joe Blanton.
After 21year old Felix Hernandez the Mariners are in trouble. The rest of the starting staff is average at best.
Texas can’t rely on Brandon Mc Carthy, Robinson Tejeda, and Jamey Wright in the three through five spots. Starters Kevin Millwood and Vincente Padilla are no picnic either.
In the NL watch out for Arizona as the season moves forward. Randy Johnson will be back on the mound shortly. NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb is an ace. Livan Hernandez and Doug Davis can pitch six good innings. Fifth starter Micah Owings is a sleeper.
The best rotation in the NL West resides in San Diego. Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Clay Hensley, Greg Maddux, and David Wells give the Frairs the most dependable starting staff in the division.
In LA, Jason Schmidt is learning to pitch without his fastball. Randy Wolf is coming off serious arm surgery. Brad Penny spends too much time on the DL. Derek Lowe is a solid three. Fifth starter Brad Tomko is a journeyman.
The Giants are an enigma after Barry Zito and Matt Cain take their turns. If Russ Ortiz, Matt Morris, and Noah Lowry find their stride, things could get interesting in SF.
The Rockies aren’t very scary after Aaron Cook and Jeff Francis.
The Brewers can get the ball to a very solid ‘pen. Ben Sheets, Chris Capuano, Jeff Suppan, David Bush, and ClaudioVargas form the best starting staff one through five in the division. If the Brewers play defense they will be in the race all summer.
Having Kip Wells in the second spot tells you all you need to know about the Cards.
After Roy Oswalt and Jason Jennings, the remainder of the Astros rotation is a mystery.
The Cubs go four deep with Rich Hill, Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Jason Marquis.
The Reds are in trouble after Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo.
I like the starting pitching in Cleveland, Detroit, and Minnesota. In the AL East the Red Sox have the starters to win over the long season. The Yanks and Blue Jays aren’t deep enough to dominate any AL line up.
The Phillies with Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, and Cole Hamels might be the best in the NL East.
The Braves and Mets are banking on strong ‘pens and big bats to balance questionable rotations.
You can’t contend in today’s game without a solid ‘pen. This year the winners will be the teams with the deepest starting rotations.
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Latest News {from sfgate, the chronicle} on Loaiza:
Loaiza not throwing yet: Starter Esteban Loaiza remains out with a slightly bulging disk in his neck and he said he doesn’t expect to throw for three to six weeks. "I’m trying to make it three weeks,” he said. He has no idea which it will be, though. Loaiza will have to be pain-free in order to begin a throwing program, and at that point, he’ll practically have to have spring training again and will have to make several rehab starts. That means he’ll miss a minimum of a month and possibly as many as two. Right now, he’s limited to riding a stationary bicycle and some light weightlifting. He’s receiving daily treatment for the disk problem.
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