Matthew Pouliot

Strike Zone

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August Starter Rankings

Wednesday, August 03, 2011


Up this week are the August 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 August rankings:
Top 250 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH

Starter Pitcher Rankings

Falling off: Clay Buchholz (No. 40), Brett Anderson (No. 83), Zach Britton (No. 85), Clayton Richard (No. 90), Carlos Carrasco (No. 93), Johan Santana (No. 94), Kyle McClellan (No. 98), Jason Hammel (No. 100), Charlie Morton (No. 105), Brad Penny (No. 109), Brian Matusz (No. 115), Andrew Miller (No. 117), Tom Gorzelanny (No. 119), Wade Davis (No. 120)
  • In the top 10, I was only sure about No. 1 and No. 10. Halladay has never been the game's hottest pitcher at any point in the season, but he's still the obvious No. 1 in my opinion. After that, there are eight guys with cases for the second spot. Verlander and Weaver have been fantasy baseball's top two pitchers so far this season, and since Verlander shows no signs of succumbing to his high innings counts, I've decided to give him his due.

  • King Felix just doesn't appear likely to have a run of great starts in him this year. Not once all season has he given up one or no runs in back-to-back outings. Worley did that six times in a row before having his streak stopped last week. Verlander did it seven starts in a row at one point.

  • I'm writing off Johan Santana after this week's setback with his surgically repaired shoulder. It doesn't seem likely that he'll contribute this season.

  • I'm dropping Pineda back down. His peripherals were strong even while he amassed a 6.75 ERA last month, but now the Mariners are going to start playing games with him in trying to limit his innings pitched. I think it'd make more sense just to shut him down for the final three weeks or so. The team says it's not going that route, but poor results might result in a change of heart.

  • With just four starts left before his innings limit gets him shut down, Zimmermann plunges to the No. 89 spot in the rankings.


    • RankStarting pitcherTeamAprMayJunJul
    1 Roy Halladay Phillies 1 1 1 1
    2 Justin Verlander Tigers 13 14 12 7
    3 Cliff Lee Phillies 3 4 6 2
    4 Tim Lincecum Giants 4 3 3 4
    5 Cole Hamels Phillies 10 10 4 5
    6 CC Sabathia Yankees 7 7 8 9
    7 Jered Weaver Angels 14 6 5 6
    8 Felix Hernandez Mariners 2 2 2 3
    9 Clayton Kershaw Dodgers 6 11 10 11
    10 Jon Lester Red Sox 5 5 7 10
    11 Matt Cain Giants 14 15 16 12
    12 Tommy Hanson Braves 8 8 9 13
    13 Zack Greinke Brewers 15 12 13 14
    14 Josh Beckett Red Sox 36 20 15 15
    15 David Price Rays 9 13 11 8
    16 Dan Haren Angels 22 16 17 17
    17 Yovani Gallardo Brewers 17 25 18 19
    18 Chris Carpenter Cardinals 21 22 25 18
    19 Tim Hudson Braves 34 29 30 24
    20 James Shields Rays 50 34 32 16
    21 C.J. Wilson Rangers 53 46 21 20
    22 Madison Bumgarner Giants 29 36 19 21
    23 Shaun Marcum Brewers 23 18 14 23
    24 Gio Gonzalez Athletics 42 33 34 28
    25 Edwin Jackson Cardinals 37 54 55 46
    26 Ubaldo Jimenez Indians 16 19 23 22
    27 Mat Latos Padres 18 21 20 25
    28 Ian Kennedy Diamondbacks 57 48 42 34
    29 Ricky Nolasco Marlins 27 26 28 30
    30 Jaime Garcia Cardinals 61 43 41 39
    31 Ricky Romero Blue Jays 47 35 33 27
    32 Daniel Hudson Diamondbacks 30 52 38 31
    33 Johnny Cueto Reds 74 78 64 51
    34 John Danks White Sox 39 38 59 67
    35 Chad Billingsley Dodgers 26 27 27 35
    36 Anibal Sanchez Marlins 67 67 46 37
    37 Matt Garza Cubs 35 31 36 38
    38 Max Scherzer Tigers 25 24 39 42
    39 Jair Jurrjens Braves 87 62 35 32
    40 Scott Baker Twins 68 50 63 43
    41 Colby Lewis Rangers 38 56 43 48
    42 Hiroki Kuroda Dodgers 45 39 45 44
    43 Jeremy Hellickson Rays 44 42 26 45
    44 Jhoulys Chacin Rockies 48 32 31 26
    45 Vance Worley Phillies 174 NR NR NR
    46 R.A. Dickey Mets 49 57 62 49
    47 Ryan Dempster Cubs 40 82 65 52
    48 Tim Stauffer Padres 92 70 73 53
    49 Gavin Floyd White Sox 56 44 49 54
    50 Wandy Rodriguez Astros 43 40 53 41
    51 A.J. Burnett Yankees 59 53 54 50
    52 Justin Masterson Indians 104 81 85 69
    53 Ervin Santana Angels 69 72 66 65
    54 Brandon Beachy Braves 125 90 100 55
    55 Derek Holland Rangers 70 79 84 110
    56 Erik Bedard Red Sox 90 86 56 56
    57 Alexi Ogando Rangers 84 66 51 57
    58 Jeff Niemann Rays 91 101 107 104
    59 Michael Pineda Mariners 107 65 50 33
    60 Cory Luebke Padres 154 SP NR NR 47 RP
    61 Jon Niese Mets 72 95 79 61
    62 Trevor Cahill Athletics 41 17 24 29
    63 Ryan Vogelsong Giants NR NR 97 75
    64 Brandon Morrow Blue Jays 58 49 61 64
    65 Bartolo Colon Yankees 171 100 69 60
    66 Francisco Liriano Twins 19 47 83 62
    67 Jake Peavy White Sox 79 73 67 59
    68 Roy Oswalt Phillies 20 23 29 76
    69 Jonathan Sanchez Giants 51 41 48 71
    70 Brian Duensing Twins 75 58 72 72
    71 Ted Lilly Dodgers 32 37 47 58
    72 Mark Buehrle White Sox 89 92 86 80
    73 Doug Fister Tigers 127 NR 101 79
    74 Bud Norris Astros 117 115 102 77
    75 Matt Harrison Rangers 167 NR NR 118
    76 Javier Vazquez Marlins 52 113 104 112
    77 Carlos Zambrano Cubs 60 59 57 66
    78 Jason Vargas Mariners 121 NR 82 63
    79 Brandon McCarthy Athletics 129 91 108 99
    80 James McDonald Pirates 81 111 106 101
    81 Aaron Harang Padres 100 77 71 86
    82 Randy Wolf Brewers 98 75 90 82
    83 Rick Porcello Tigers 77 94 80 97
    84 Rich Harden Athletics 133 RP NR NR NR
    85 Mike Leake Reds 110 112 NR 107
    86 Josh Johnson Marlins 11 9 22 47
    87 Brett Myers Astros 88 69 87 81
    88 Derek Lowe Braves 64 61 68 73
    89 Jordan Zimmermann Nationals 33 45 44 36
    90 John Lackey Red Sox 55 55 98 108
    91 Jeremy Guthrie Orioles 111 93 92 95
    92 Dustin Moseley Padres 165 107 94 87
    93 Philip Humber White Sox 248 NR 112 84
    94 Homer Bailey Reds 116 109 103 89
    95 Mike Pelfrey Mets 99 118 113 111
    96 Freddy Garcia Yankees 158 NR NR NR
    97 Carl Pavano Twins 85 83 96 88
    98 Phil Hughes Yankees 28 89 81 68
    99 Danny Duffy Royals 199 NR 99 96
    100 Jordan Lyles Astros 161 NR NR 106
    101 Joe Saunders Diamondbacks 93 NR NR 113
    102 Jake Westbrook Cardinals 76 99 95 NR
    103 Paul Maholm Pirates 123 NR NR 116
    104 Guillermo Moscoso Athletics 196 NR NR NR
    105 Ivan Nova Yankees 120 NR NR NR
    106 Kyle Lohse Cardinals 119 68 60 74
    107 Bronson Arroyo Reds 80 76 89 91
    108 Brett Cecil Blue Jays 108 NR NR NR
    109 Juan Nicasio Rockies NR NR NR NR
    110 Edinson Volquez Reds 54 71 75 70
    111 Felipe Paulino Royals 168 NR NR NR
    112 Josh Collmenter Diamondbacks 257 NR 74 78
    113 Jason Marquis Diamondbacks 166 104 114 102
    114 Alex Cobb Rays 461 RP NR NR NR
    115 Joel Pineiro Angels 86 74 70 92
    116 Dillon Gee Mets 153 NR NR 103
    117 Tyler Chatwood Angels 288 NR NR 114
    118 Fausto Carmona Indians 106 103 119 NR
    119 Anthony Swarzak Twins 297 NR NR NR
    120 John Lannan Nationals 131 NR NR NR


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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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