AL Focus: Ranking the rotations

Posted: January 8, 2008

1. Indians: LHP C.C. Sabathia, RHP Fausto Carmona, RHP Jake Westbrook, RHP Paul Byrd, LHP Aaron Laffey

The biggest concern is whether Sabathia and Carmona have been scarred by their playoff implosions against Boston. This is a durable, sturdy group that should keep the bullpen fresh. LHPs Cliff Lee and Jeremy Sowers will push Lackey.

2. Red Sox: RHP Josh Beckett, RHP Curt Schilling, RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP Tim Wakefield, LHP Jon Lester

Matsuzaka faded in his first try at a longer season and Schilling and Wakefield are 41, so using RHP Clay Buchholz in a form of a six-man rotation isn't so far-fetched.

3. Angels: RHP John Lackey, RHP Kelvim Escobar, RHP Jered Weaver, RHP Jon Garland, LHP Joe Saunders

Garland, picked up from the White Sox, adds to the rotation's innings-eating capacity. In fact, Garland, Lackey and Escobar ranked among the top 25 in innings in the A.L. last season. RHP Ervin Santana is valuable as another starting option, as a reliever or as trade bait.

4. Blue Jays: RHP Roy Halladay, RHP A.J. Burnett, RHP Dustin McGowan, RHP Shaun Marcum, RHP Jesse Litsch

Halladay, Burnett and McGowan are ground-ball machines and will be big winners if new SS David Eckstein improves a mediocre in_ eld defense .

5. Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander, RHP Jeremy Bonderman, LHP Dontrelle Willis, LHP Kenny Rogers, LHP Nate Robertson

Willis got a long-term deal even though scouts wondered if he was hurt last season when his velocity dropped with Florida. Bonderman (2-8, 7.38) and Rogers (0-4, 5.72) had poor second halves.

6. Yankees: RHP Chien-Ming Wang, LHP Andy Pettitte, RHP Phil Hughes, RHP Joba Chamberlain, RHP Mike Mussina

The Yankees have not depended on two starters as young as Chamberlain (22) and Hughes (21) since the Dave Righetti-Mike Morgan duo in 1982. Wang's sinker ranks among the A.L.'s best pitches. Mussina is nearing the end.

7. Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez, RHP Miguel Batista, RHP Carlos Silva, LHP Jarrod Washburn, RHP Brandon Morrow

Hernandez needs an off-speed pitch to neutralize lefthanders. Batista has late--and unpredictable-- movement on his fastball. Adding the strike-throwing Silva increases the emphasis on pitching to contact.

8. Twins: LHP Johan Santana, LHP Francisco Liriano, RHP Scott Baker, RHP Kevin Slowey, RHP Boof Bonser

This group will be better than advertised if Santana isn't traded and if Liriano recovers completely from elbow surgery. Baker made great strides last season, posting a 3.44 ERA in the second half. Bonser's conditioning could be better.

9. White Sox: LHP Mark Buehrle, RHP Jose Contreras, RHP Javier Vazquez, LHP John Danks, RHP Gavin Floyd

Contreras and Vazquez could be traded because G.M. Kenny Williams wants to work in young arms such as RHPs Lance Broadway and Jack Egbert. Danks' pitches too often drift over the middle of the plate.

10. Rays: LHP Scott Kazmir, RHP James Shields, RHP Edwin Jackson, RHP Andy Sonnanstine, RHP Matt Garza

Rays starters led the A.L. with 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings last season. That primarily reflects Kazmir's power and Shields' exceptional changeup. Both should continue to improve. Jackson remains a riddle: talented but unproductive.

11. Athletics: RHP Joe Blanton, RHP Rich Harden, RHP Chad Gaudin, LHP Lenny DiNardo, RHP Justin Duchscherer

With the team rebuilding, Blanton is available. Harden would have tremendous value if he could stay healthy; he has pitched only 72⅓ innings over the past two seasons. Duchscherer is moving from the bullpen after an injury-plagued season.

12. Royals: RHP Gil Meche, RHP Brian Bannister, RHP Zack Greinke, LHP Jorge De La Rosa, RHP Luke Hochevar

To keep a spot in the rotation, Hochevar, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft, must throw more strikes. With a 3.67 ERA in 216 innings, Meche looked good in the first year of his big contract ($55 million for five years).

13. Orioles: LHP Erik Bedard, RHP Jeremy Guthrie, LHP Adam Loewen, RHP Daniel Cabrera, LHP Brian Burres

Rick Kranitz is the latest pitching coach who will try to harness Cabrera's ability. An incommand Cabrera would combine with Bedard and Guthrie to form an effective top of the rotation.

14. Rangers: RHP Kevin Millwood, RHP Vicente Padilla, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Kason Gabbard, RHP Josh Rupe

Millwood has been ineffective in the role of No. 1 starter in two seasons with the club. McCarthy must get more sink on his fastball. Some see Gabbard as a Jamie Moyer clone; others dismiss him as soft tosser with no deceptiveness.

Gerry Fraley, a free-lance baseball writer based in St. Louis, is a regular contributor to Sporting News.

News source：http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=334587