Just a few weeks from Opening Day, we have made some adjustments to the Fantasy Baseball starting pitcher rankings. While the Top 10 remains unchanged, Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson moves up in the rankings to No. 12 as his health has not been in question so far this spring.
Another hurler moving up the rankings is Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez. The hard-throwing right-hander is capable of 200 strikeouts and in the NL should be a safer bet than American Leaguers A.J. Burnett, Javier Vazquez, and even John Lackey.
The Rockies confirmed the positive outlook by naming Jimenez their Opening Day starter.
Here’s a look at the top 40 starting pitchers in Fantasy Baseball:
1.Tim Lincecum, SP, Giants
The crème de la crème, this guy is so far beyond any other hurler in baseball that he is worth nabbing in the first round, even though starting pitchers can only contribute in four categories in a typical 5X5 fantasy league. Expect another 15-20 wins, 250+ strikeouts, and a sub 3.00 ERA.
2. Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners
Felix Hernandez finally put it together last year and now that he’s got some confidence and the best defencee in the Major Leagues behind him, he should win his first Cy Young Award.
3. CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees
Old reliable, Sabathia is good for 17-20 wins, a solid ERA and close to 200 strikeouts. He does pitch in a tough division and calls home to a certain hitter’s park, but that didn’t seem to stop him last season en route to his first World Championship.
4. Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies
He’s now the National League’s version of Sabathia. His stats have already been stellar in Toronto and now Halladay faces pitchers on a daily basis in the National League. The durable hurler should offer 220-plus strikeouts for a team expecting to return to the World Series.
5. Zack Greinke, SP, Royals
He just enjoyed a Sandy Koufax-like dominant season, but this guy does not have Jackie Robinson or Duke Snider behind him. Greinke’s the ace of a very bad team, plus he lacks the track record of a Halladay or Sabathia.
6. Johan Santana, SP, Mets
My, his stock has fallen. Maybe that’s what happens when you join the Mets? At least it guarantees a visit to the disabled list. Well, the positives are that he will have Jose Reyes and David Wright playing behind him while pitching in the ultimate pitcher’s park. If he stays healthy, Santana has the ability to grab the NL Cy Young award.
7.Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers
The Tigers ace bounced back from a down season with career highs in strikeouts, wins, and WHIP. Though he loses some talent in centerfield, Verlander remains in his prime at just 27-years-old and should return for another fine season.
8.Dan Haren, SP, Diamondbacks
Haren’s poor second halfs do a disservice for the dominating hurler. He surrendered five runs in each of his final three starts and still finished the season with a 3.14 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old right-hander has improved in each of the past three seasons.
9.Cliff Lee, SP, Mariners
Cliff Lee may not dominate the box score like most of his contemporaries, but at the end of the year, Lee always manages to chalk up fine overall statistics. Expect even better numbers this season as Lee transitions to a pitcher’s park with the game’s best defense. Consider the 31-year-old former Cy Young award winner a serious sleeper. Remember what the combination of a pitcher’s ballpark and top-notch defense did for Jarrod Washburn last season.
10. Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals
Adam Wainwright evolved into an ace last season with 19 wins and a 2.63 ERA. Most impressive were his 212 strikeouts, which displays his recent ability to dominate the opposition.
11.Chris Carpenter, SP, Cardinals
His 17-4 record and 2.24 ERA tells the story of a dominant ace, but the struggle for Carpenter is to stay healthy. The Cards hurler has just 32 starts over the last three seasons.
12. Josh Johnson, SP, Marlins
A healthy Josh Johnson proved to be a dominant Josh Johnson last season. The Marlins ace returned to form with 15 wins, 191 strikeouts, and a splendid 3.23 ERA. If he can avoid the injury bug, Johnson should continue to impress.
13.Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers
He may have the best stuff since Sandy Koufax, but similar to that Dodgers legend, Kershaw needs to control his pitches. The good news is that he enters the season at just 22-years-old after limiting the opposition to a sick .200 batting average last season.
14. Jon Lester, SP, Red Sox
With all the big name starters in the rotation, it’s surprising that Jon Lester has evolved as the fantasy star. The 26-year old hurler led the team with 225 strikeouts last season en route to 15 wins and a solid 3.41 ERA. Best of all, at his age, Lester should still be improving.
15.Yovani Gallardo, SP, Brewers
In his first full season, the Brewers 24-year-old hurler responded with 13 wins, 204 strikeouts, and a 3.73 ERA. He will need to cut down on the 94 walks to take his game to the next level.
16. Josh Beckett, SP, Red Sox
When he’s on his game, Josh Beckett is as good as it gets, but the problem has always been his shoddy health. The 29-year-old staff ace managed 17 wins and 199 strikeouts last season, but his ERA was a tad high at 3.86.
17.Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Rockies
The 26-year-old Rockies starter quietly put in a fine all-around season with 15 wins, 198 strikeouts, and a 3.47 ERA. It may be scary drafting a Rockies hurler so early, but Jimenez has put in back-to-back solid seasons.
18.Jake Peavy, SP, White Sox
Another pitcher who has been limited by injury woes, Jake Peavy has a track record of dominance when healthy. More importantly, Peavy looked like an ace in his finish last season with the White Sox, as he allowed three runs in three starts, leading to three wins in his first taste of the AL.
19.Javier Vazquez, SP, Yankees
He wasn’t all that brilliant in his first tour with the Yankees, but in his second tenure with the Bombers, his expectations are less and he is more mature. That should lead to 16 wins, an ERA around 4.00, with 200 strikeouts.
20.John Lackey, SP, Red Sox
A change of venue will bring a mixed bag for John Lackey. The good news is that he is a big game pitcher and will have plenty of big games against the Yankees. The bad news is that his new home ballpark and schedule does not work to his favour. Expect 15 wins with an ERA close to 4.00
21.Tommy Hanson, SP, Braves
In his rookie campaign, Tommy Hanson picked up 11 wins compared to just four losses thanks in large part to a 2.89 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Assuming he can take on a greater toll this season for innings pitched, 15 wins and 185 strikeouts are real targets.
22. Matt Cain, SP, Giants
We’ve known he has good stuff for a while, but it wasn’t until last season that he finally put it all together. Nonetheless, at 25-years-old, he still has time to put together a heck of a career. Look for the Giants 1-2 punch to remain strong this season.
23. Ricky Nolasco, SP, Marlins
One of the most inconsistent hurlers last season, Nolasco gave up five or more runs on seven occasions. He also gave up two or fewer runs on 14 occasions. Expect Nolasco to bounce back considering he still grabbed 13 wins with 195 strikeouts.
24. Cole Hammels, SP, Phillies
The Phillies hurler went from ace to third best option last season, but at 26-years-old, this southpaw is still learning and with an improved curveball and a brand new cutter, Hammels should find ways to freeze the opposition.
25.Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Astros
One of the least likely fantasy stars, Wandy Rodriguez continues to improve, most recently posting career-highs with 14 wins, 193 strikeouts, and a 3.02 ERA. He may have surpassed Roy Oswalt as the team’s ace
26.Chad Billingsley, SP, Dodgers
The hard-throwing Billingsley regressed last season thanks to 86 walks issued. He is still one of the better strikeout artists, calls home to a pitcher’s park, and at 25-years-old, he should make us forget about the five straight losses to conclude the ’09 season.
27. Jair Jurrjens, SP, Braves
Arguably the most underrated hurler in Major League Baseball, all Jurrjens did in his second season was post a 14-10 record and a ridiculous 2.60 ERA. Fantasy managers still have not warmed up to the rising star, largely because of his pedestrian 157 strikeouts and 75 walks.
28. A.J. Burnett, SP, Yankees
One of the more erratic hurlers in the game, Burnett is a flamethrower who can tame any hitter when he’s on his game. On the Yankees, he should pick up plenty of wins and strikeout close to 200 batters.
29. Matt Garza, SP, Rays
Don’t let the 8-12 record fool you; Matt Garza is a solid pitcher who is capable of 200 strikeouts with an ERA under 4.00.
30. Jorge De La Rosa, SP, Rockies
One of my favourite pitchers in baseball, De La Rosa is a sleeper who can dominate even in the high altitude of Coors Field. The 28-year-old strikes out more than a batter per inning, and he doesn’t surrender many home runs. That’s a recipe for fantasy success.
31. Jered Weaver, SP, Angels
Despite losing three of his final four starts, Weaver finished the ’09 season with a solid 16-8 record. He’s the de facto ace of the Angels.
32. Scott Baker, SP, Twins
One of the many control pitchers in Minnesota, Scott Baker walked just 48 batters in 200 innings last season. The end result was a 15-9 record and career high 162 strikeouts.
33Clayton Buchholz, SP, Red Sox
The Red Sox hard-throwing 25-year-old enjoyed a streak of six straight wins last summer, keeping the Red Sox in contention. He should get 30 starts for the first time in his career this season, which makes 15 wins and 180 strikeouts reasonable goals.
34 Roy Oswalt, SP, Astros
Last season seemed to mark an end of an era, as Oswalt was no longer a beacon of consistency for the Astros. While he can still muster 15 or so wins, he is no longer the dominant ace that rewarded fantasy managers in years passed.
35. Brett Anderson, SP, A’s
A fine sleeper in fantasy baseball, Anderson allowed a total of four earned runs in his final four starts. He’s got the stuff and ballpark to enjoy fantasy relevance with 175 strikeouts and a sub 4.00 ERA.
36.Max Scherzer, SP, Tigers
The 9-11 record was mostly a result of a lack of support from his Diamondbacks teammates last season, but Max Scherzer did shine through on occasion with greater than a strikeout per inning.
37.James Shields, SP, Rays
Shields endured a rough year in ’09, losing 12 games with a 4.14 ERA. However, his 167 strikeouts were decent and at 28-years-old, a bounce back is to be expected.
38.John Danks, SP, White Sox
This 24-year old southpaw is turning into a solid pitcher. Danks has won 25 games over the past two seasons with an ERA around 3.60. Though he doesn’t strike many batters out, he’s consistent and has room to grow.
39. Rick Porcello, SP, Tigers
When it comes to young phenoms in Major League Baseball, Rick Porcello’s name doesn’t come up enough. The right-hander is just 21-years-old and coming off a 14-9 record in his rookie debut. Though he fanned just 89 batters last season, that number should increase as Porcello matures.
40. Ted Lilly, SP, Cubs
An underappreciated veteran, Ted Lilly has averaged 15 wins over the past four seasons and set a career high with a 3.10 ERA last season. Even at 34-years-old Lilly can be counted upon as a third or fourth fantasy starter.