A Starting Point
Every year going into the off-season, I usually informally rate the MLB starting pitchers, as either a #1, #2, #3, #4, #5-A, #5-B, or "emerging prospect" starter. Naturally, the list changes from year-to-year. Since there are 30 MLB clubs, I list 30 #1 starters, 30 #2 starters, 30 #3 starters, etc. Some clubs have more than one "ace #1 starter," while others don't have any.
It's just my subjective opinion--and I'm sure you have your's, and normally I just keep the list in my head, using it as a reference when posting something here about pitchers the Cubs might be pursuing as free-agents or in a trade. But with the Winter Meetings set to commence at Lake Buena Vista, FL (near Disney World) on Monday, with MLB GMs likely to begin congregating at the hotel bar Sunday evening, and with Jim Hendry hoping to acquire two (or possibly three) starting pitchers while he's there, I thought I would post my list, just to provide a starting point for discussions about pitchers Hendry might be considering.
* throws left
GROUP #1 STARTERS (ACE) :
Bronson Arroyo, CIN
Josh Beckett, BOS
Jeremy Bonderman, DET
A.J. Burnett, TOR
Chris Carpenter, STL
Roger Clemens, FA
Jose Contreras, CHW
Freddy Garcia, CHW
* Tom Glavine, NYM
Roy Halladay, TOR
Aaron Harang, CIN
Dan Haren, OAK
John Lackey, LAA
Derek Lowe, LAD
Kevin Millwood, TEX
Mike Mussina, NYY
Brett Myers, PHI
Roy Oswalt, HOU
Jake Peavy, SD
* Kenny Rogers, DET
* C.C. Sabathia, CLE
* Johan Santana, MIN
Curt Schilling, BOS
Jason Schmidt, FA
John Smoltz, ATL
Justin Verlander, DET
Brandon Webb, AZ
Chris Young, SD
Carlos Zambrano, CUBS
* Barry Zito, FA
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GROUP #2 VETERAN STARTERS (SOLID):
* Eric Bedard, BAL
Kris Benson, BAL
* Mark Buehrle, CHW
* Chris Capuano, MIL
Aaron Cook, COL
Adam Eaton, PHI
Kelvim Escobar, LAA
Jon Garland, CHW
Rich Harden, OAK
Orlando Hernandez, NYM
Tim Hudson, ATL
Jason Jennings, COL
* Cliff Lee, CLE
* Ted Lilly, FA
Greg Maddux, FA
Matt Morris, SF
* Jamie Moyer, PHI
Vicente Padilla, FA
John Patterson, WAS
Brad Penny, LAD
* Andy Pettitte, FA
* Nate Robertson, DET
Ben Sheets, MIL
Jeff Suppan, FA
Javier Vazquez, CHW
Tim Wakefield, BOS
* Jarrod Washburn, SEA
Jeff Weaver, FA
Jake Westbrook, CLE
* Dontrelle Willis, FLA
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GROUP #3: STILL-DEVELOPING (ON-THE-RISE/POTENTIAL #1 ACE OR #2) :
Chad Billingsley, LAD
Joe Blanton OAK
Boof Bonser, MIN
Dave Bush, MIL
Daniel Cabrera, BAL
Matt Cain, SF
Juan Cruz, AZ
* Zach Duke, PIT
* Jeff Francis, COL
* Tom Gorzelanny, PIT
* Cole Hamels, PHI
Clay Hensley, SD
Felix Hernandez, SEA
* Rich Hill, CUBS
* Chuck James, ATL
Josh Johnson, FLA
* Scott Kazmir, TB
* Noah Lowry, SF
* Paul Maholm, PIT
John Maine, NYM
Ricky Nolasco, FLA
* Scott Olsen, FLA
Anthony Reyes, STL
Anibal Sanchez, FLA
Ervin Santana, LAA
* Joe Saunders, LAA
Ian Snell, PIT
* Jeremy Sowers, CLE
Chien-Ming Wang, NYY
Jered Weaver, LAA
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GROUP #4 VETERAN STARTERS (ROTATION FILLER):
Tony Armas, Jr, FA
Miguel Batista, FA
Paul Byrd, CLE
* Doug Davis, AZ
Josh Fogg, COL
* Casey Fossum, TB
* Mark Hendrickson, LAD
Livan Hernandez, AZ
Byung-Hyun Kim, COL
Jon Lieber, PHI
Esteban Loaiza, OAK
Kyle Lohse, CIN
Rodrigo Lopez, BAL
Jason Marquis, FA
Gil Meche, FA
* Eric Milton, CIN
Tomo Ohka, FA
Ramon Ortiz, FA
* Odalis Perez, KC
Tim Redding, WAS
* Mark Redman, FA
Jae-Weong Seo, TB
Carlos Silva, MIN
John Thomson, FA
Brett Tomko, LAD
Steve Trachsel, FA
Claudio Vargas, MIL
Woody Williams, HOU
Jamey Wright, FA
Jaret Wright, BAL
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#5-A STARTERS (HIGH-RISK ñ INJURED, REHABBING, OR WASHED-UP):
Pedro Astacio, FA
Brandon Backe, HOU
Shawn Chacon, PIT
* Bruce Chen, FA
Matt Clement, BOS
Bartolo Colon, LAA
Scott Elarton, KC
Runelvys Hernandez, KC
Jason Johnson, FA
* Randy Johnson, NYY
* Francisco Liriano, MIN
* Mike Maroth, DET
Pedro Martinez, NYM
Wade Miller, CUBS
Sergio Mitre, FLA
Brian Moehler, FA
* Mark Mulder, FA
Russ Ortiz, FA
Chan Ho Park, FA
Carl Pavano, NYY
Joel Pineiro, SEA
Sidney Ponson, FA
Mark Prior, CUBS
* Horacio Ramirez, ATL
Victor Santos, PIT
Josh Towers, TOR
* David Wells, FA
Kip Wells, STL
Jerome Williams, OAK
* Randy Wolf, LAD
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#5-B STARTERS (HAVE MLB EXPERIENCE AS STARTERS):
Scott Baker, MIN
Taylor Buchholz, HOU
Gustavo Chacin, TOR
* Brandon Claussen, CIN
Tim Corcoran, TB
Kyle Davies, ATL
* Jorge de la Rosa, KC
Gavin Floyd, PHI
Enrique Gonzalez, AZ
Angel Guzman, CUBS
Brad Hennessey, SF
Luke Hudson, KC
Casey Janssen, TOR
* John Koronka, TEX
Kameron Loe, TEX
* Adam Loewen, BAL
Shaun Marcum, TOR
* Sean Marshall, CUBS
Juan Mateo, CUBS
Seth McClung, TB
Dustin McGowan, TOR
Zach Miner, DET
* Mike OíConnor, WAS
* Oliver Perez, NYM
Elizardo Ramirez, CIN
* John Rheinecker, TEX
* Wandy Rodriguez, HOU
Jamie Shields, TB
Robinson Tejeda, TEX
Mike Thompson, SD
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ROTATION STARTERS MOST-LIKELY TO EMERGE SOMETIME IN ë07 (HAVE LIMITED OR NO MLB EXPERIENCE):
Matt Albers, HOU
Cha-Seung Baek, SEA
Homer Bailey, CIN
* Eude Brito, PHI
Francisco Cruceta, SEA
* John Danks, TEX
Matt Garza, MIN
Edgar Gonzalez, AZ
* Gio Gonzalez, PHI
Jeremy Guthrie, CLE
Charlie Haeger, CHW
Jason Hammel, TB
Ben Hendrickson, MIL
Jason Hirsh, HOU
Philip Hughes, NYY
Philip Humber, NYM
Ubaldo Jimenez, COL
Adam Miller, CLE
Jeff Niemann, TB
Mike Pelfrey, NYM
Hayden Penn, BAL
Darrell Rasner, NYY
Jae-Kuk Ryu, CUBS
* Jonathan Sanchez, SF
Humberto Sanchez, NYY
Kevin Slowey, MIN
Jordan Tata, DET
Virgil Vasquez, DET
Edinson Volquez, TEX
Kyle Yates, TOR
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