Matthew Pouliot

Strike Zone

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July Starter Rankings

Friday, July 01, 2011


Up this week are the July rankings. Players are ranked based on how I believe they will perform in 5x5 leagues over the remainder of the season. Along with the position rankings, you'll find a fully updated top 250 list.

Click to see other July rankings:
Top 250 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH

Starting Pitcher Rankings

Falling off: Jake Westbrook (No. 95), Josh Tomlin (No. 109), J.A. Happ (No. 110), Kyle Drabek (No. 111), Randy Wells (No. 116), Nick Blackburn (No. 117), Phil Coke (No. 118), Fausto Carmona (No. 119), Travis Wood (No. 120)

  • Verlander deserved to climb several spots, but I made the move with some trepidation. Even by his usual standards, he's on pace for a whopping innings total this year. He threw 240 innings in 2009 and 224 last year with no ill effect, but we'll see if he holds up so well in September as he nears 260 innings. He's currently at 135 2/3.

  • The Mariners are saying they have no intention of shutting down Pineda early. I think that will change if they tumble from the race, but I did opt to move Pineda up as a result. It's not as though any teams seems poised to run away with the AL West. The Mariners may well remain in contention all season long.

  • The uncertainty surrounding Zambrano's back injury caused me to drop him from No. 56 to No. 66.

  • It's probably for the best that Matusz was sent down after Thursday's start. The arm strength just hasn't been there consistently since he returned from a two-month absence due to a rib-cage injury. I'm somewhat optimistic that he'll get it back and come back strong in August, but it's far from a given.

  • Last month I wrote that Travis Wood notched the final spot in the rankings over Gee and Lyles. That was a whoops. I don't think Gee is going to keep this up, but his strikeout rate has been just solid enough to suggest that he'll last as a viable NL-only starter.

  • I thought about including both Guillermo Moscoso and Josh Outman in the top 120, but I'm not sure how the rotation will shake out for the A's with Brandon McCarthy and Tyson Ross nearing returns. Rich Harden will replace Graham Godfrey and make his season debut tonight. I expect that Outman will go to make room for McCarthy, but Moscoso might stick over either Ross or Harden, depending on what happens over the next couple of weeks. Both Moscoso and Outman would remain worth using in AL-only leagues for however long they last in the rotation.

  • No Jeff Karstens. Not buying it.


    • RankStarting pitcherTeam2011MayJun
    1 Roy Halladay Phillies 1 1 1
    2 Cliff Lee Phillies 3 4 6
    3 Felix Hernandez Mariners 2 2 2
    4 Tim Lincecum Giants 4 3 3
    5 Cole Hamels Phillies 10 10 4
    6 Jered Weaver Angels 14 6 5
    7 Justin Verlander Tigers 13 14 12
    8 David Price Rays 9 13 11
    9 CC Sabathia Yankees 7 7 8
    10 Jon Lester Red Sox 5 5 7
    11 Clayton Kershaw Dodgers 6 11 10
    12 Matt Cain Giants 14 15 16
    13 Tommy Hanson Braves 8 8 9
    14 Zack Greinke Brewers 15 12 13
    15 Josh Beckett Red Sox 36 20 15
    16 James Shields Rays 50 34 32
    17 Dan Haren Angels 22 16 17
    18 Chris Carpenter Cardinals 21 22 25
    19 Yovani Gallardo Brewers 17 25 18
    20 C.J. Wilson Rangers 53 46 21
    21 Madison Bumgarner Giants 29 36 19
    22 Ubaldo Jimenez Rockies 16 19 23
    23 Shaun Marcum Brewers 23 18 14
    24 Tim Hudson Braves 34 29 30
    25 Mat Latos Padres 18 21 20
    26 Jhoulys Chacin Rockies 48 32 31
    27 Ricky Romero Blue Jays 47 35 33
    28 Gio Gonzalez Athletics 42 33 34
    29 Trevor Cahill Athletics 41 17 24
    30 Ricky Nolasco Marlins 27 26 28
    31 Daniel Hudson Diamondbacks 30 52 38
    32 Jair Jurrjens Braves 87 62 35
    33 Michael Pineda Mariners 107 65 50
    34 Ian Kennedy Diamondbacks 57 48 42
    35 Chad Billingsley Dodgers 26 27 27
    36 Jordan Zimmermann Nationals 33 45 44
    37 Anibal Sanchez Marlins 67 67 46
    38 Matt Garza Cubs 35 31 36
    39 Jaime Garcia Cardinals 61 43 41
    40 Clay Buchholz Red Sox 24 30 37
    41 Wandy Rodriguez Astros 43 40 53
    42 Max Scherzer Tigers 25 24 39
    43 Scott Baker Twins 68 50 63
    44 Hiroki Kuroda Dodgers 45 39 45
    45 Jeremy Hellickson Rays 44 42 26
    46 Edwin Jackson White Sox 37 54 55
    47 Josh Johnson Marlins 11 9 22
    48 Colby Lewis Rangers 38 56 43
    49 R.A. Dickey Mets 49 57 62
    50 A.J. Burnett Yankees 59 53 54
    51 Johnny Cueto Reds 74 78 64
    52 Ryan Dempster Cubs 40 82 65
    53 Tim Stauffer Padres 92 70 73
    54 Gavin Floyd White Sox 56 44 49
    55 Brandon Beachy Braves 125 90 100
    56 Erik Bedard Mariners 90 86 56
    57 Alexi Ogando Rangers 84 66 51
    58 Ted Lilly Dodgers 32 37 47
    59 Jake Peavy White Sox 79 73 67
    60 Bartolo Colon Yankees 171 100 69
    61 Jon Niese Mets 72 95 79
    62 Francisco Liriano Twins 19 47 83
    63 Jason Vargas Mariners 121 NR 82
    64 Brandon Morrow Blue Jays 58 49 61
    65 Ervin Santana Angels 69 72 66
    66 Carlos Zambrano Cubs 60 59 57
    67 John Danks White Sox 39 38 59
    68 Phil Hughes Yankees 28 89 81
    69 Justin Masterson Indians 104 81 85
    70 Edinson Volquez Reds 54 71 75
    71 Jonathan Sanchez Giants 51 41 48
    72 Brian Duensing Twins 75 58 72
    73 Derek Lowe Braves 64 61 68
    74 Kyle Lohse Cardinals 119 68 60
    75 Ryan Vogelsong Giants NR NR 97
    76 Roy Oswalt Phillies 20 23 29
    77 Bud Norris Astros 117 115 102
    78 Josh Collmenter Diamondbacks 257 NR 74
    79 Doug Fister Mariners 127 NR 101
    80 Mark Buehrle White Sox 89 92 86
    81 Brett Myers Astros 88 69 87
    82 Randy Wolf Brewers 98 75 90
    83 Brett Anderson Athletics 31 28 40
    84 Philip Humber White Sox 248 NR 112
    85 Zach Britton Orioles 141 85 78
    86 Aaron Harang Padres 100 77 71
    87 Dustin Moseley Padres 165 107 94
    88 Carl Pavano Twins 85 83 96
    89 Homer Bailey Reds 116 109 103
    90 Clayton Richard Padres 63 63 76
    91 Bronson Arroyo Reds 80 76 89
    92 Joel Pineiro Angels 86 74 70
    93 Carlos Carrasco Indians 96 NR NR
    94 Johan Santana Mets 97 98 91
    95 Jeremy Guthrie Orioles 111 93 92
    96 Danny Duffy Royals 199 NR 99
    97 Rick Porcello Tigers 77 94 80
    98 Kyle McClellan Cardinals 103 84 88
    99 Brandon McCarthy Athletics 129 91 108
    100 Jason Hammel Rockies 102 88 77
    101 James McDonald Pirates 81 111 106
    102 Jason Marquis Nationals 166 104 114
    103 Dillon Gee Mets 153 NR NR
    104 Jeff Niemann Rays 91 101 107
    105 Charlie Morton Pirates 172 114 58
    106 Jordan Lyles Astros 161 NR NR
    107 Mike Leake Reds 110 112 NR
    108 John Lackey Red Sox 55 55 98
    109 Brad Penny Tigers 113 119 105
    110 Derek Holland Rangers 70 79 84
    111 Mike Pelfrey Mets 99 118 113
    112 Javier Vazquez Marlins 52 113 104
    113 Joe Saunders Diamondbacks 93 NR NR
    114 Tyler Chatwood Angels 288 NR NR
    115 Brian Matusz Orioles 46 64 52
    116 Paul Maholm Pirates 123 NR NR
    117 Andrew Miller Red Sox 205 NR NR
    118 Matt Harrison Rangers 167 NR NR
    119 Tom Gorzelanny Nationals 112 102 115
    120 Wade Davis Rays 62 60 93


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    Matthew Pouliot is the Executive Editor of RotoWorld.com and has been doing the site's baseball projections for the last 10 years. Follow him on Twitter at matthewpouliot.
    Email :Matthew Pouliot

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