Fantasy Baseball 2011, Top 200 (222) Pitchers

Let's start with a simple truth about fantasy baseball. Hitters are more valuable than Pitchers. You typically have more of them and they can score points for you in each category. Pitchers, not so much. Barring the completely unforeseen, a starting pitcher isn't going to get you any saves. He's just not. A relief pitcher isn't going to get you enough wins to count on. He's just not. The very nature of their job makes pitchers more likely to get injured and thus replaced (See, Adam Wainwright, and, as of this writing, Andrew Bailey). Hitters are, as a group, simply more valuable.

Now let's tackle another truth about fantasy baseball. Ranking pitchers is more difficult than ranking hitters. Some middle reliever or set up man can help you out in WHIP and ERA, but won't contribute much in any other category. That said, pitching is a very key component to winning your fantasy baseball league and you always need good pitching.

In most leagues, you're going to play 5-6 starting pitchers and 2-3 relief pitchers. You'll have 1-2 on your bench, more depending on your fantasy baseball philosophy (more on this later). Thus, in a 12 team league the player pool for pitchers is about 125 deep (around 95 starters and around 24 relievers). Now, because many starting pitchers don't come close to some relievers in WHIP and ERA because they pitch so many more innings, I am giving you the top 200 pitchers so that you can tailor your team according to its needs.

The ranking system is much like that which I use for ranking hitters. Ranking wins is simple. I project a pitcher's win total and assign the top performer in the category a value of 7; 1-5 are assigned a 6; 6-25 are assigned a 5; 26-50 are assigned a 5; 51-75 are assigned a 4; 76-100 are assigned a 3; 101-125 are assigned a 2; 126-150 are assigned a 1; everyone else gets a 0. Same goes for K's (more on this in a minute as well).

Ranking saves is fairly easy, too. The top performer gets a 7; 2-3 gets a 6; 4-8 get a 5; 9-16 get a 4; 17-24 get a 3; 25-32 get a 2; 33-40 get a 1; everyone else gets a zero. The reason I rank the top 40 closers when there are only 30 teams is that some teams, for instance this year's Tampa Bay Rays will use a closer by committee strategy, and because closers come and go all the time.

ERA and WHIP are more difficult. I rank all 345 players who might pitch meaningful innings this year. I give the top two performers a 7 and the top starting pitcher a 7. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 more pitchers get a 6. This includes relievers and starters. Then, each subsequent tier is composed of about 69 players, depending on ties. Once all is said and done and everyone has a value in each category, I add up the total values and rank the pitchers.

Now, this ranking system is for drafting purposes only. Mid season call-ups happen every year and you have to keep a close eye on them. For instance, when the Braves call up Julio Teheran, you'll want to add the numbers he'll bring with him. He just turned 20 years old, but has a mid 90s fastball and, by all accounts, a great change up. He's pretty much universally renowned as the best pitching prospect in the game. You also need to keep an eye on who is winning the positional battles in the Spring. For instance, Michael Pineda, of the Seattle Mariners, is ranked 188 right now. But, if he wins the M's 5th starter role, his value goes up in wins and K's and so does his ranking.

Here are my top 222 (top 200 with ties included) pitchers for this year based on projections from www.rotowire.com.

Rank	Last Name	First Name	Team	W	K	ERA	WHIP	S	Total
1	Halladay	Roy	PHI	6	5	7	6	0	24
2	Lester	Jon	BOS	7	6	5	5	0	23
3	Lincecum	Tim	SF	6	7	5	5	0	23
4	Hernandez	Felix	SEA	5	6	5	6	0	22
5	Lee	Cliff	PHI	6	5	5	6	0	22
6	Johnson	Josh	FLA	5	5	6	5	0	21
7	Kershaw	Clayton	LA	5	6	5	5	0	21
8	Latos	Mat	SD	5	5	5	6	0	21
9	Marcum	Shaun	MIL	5	5	5	6	0	21
10	Cain	Matt	SF	5	4	5	6	0	20
11	Greinke	Zack	MIL	5	5	5	5	0	20
12	Hamels	Cole	PHI	5	5	5	5	0	20
13	Hudson	Tim	ATL	5	5	5	5	0	20
14	Jimenez	Ubaldo	COL	5	5	5	5	0	20
15	Price	David	TB	5	5	5	5	0	20
16	Sabathia	CC	NY-A	6	5	4	5	0	20
17	Verlander	Justin	DET	5	6	4	5	0	20
18	Haren	Dan	ANA	5	5	4	5	0	19
19	Rodriguez	Wandy	HOU	4	5	5	5	0	19
20	Scherzer	Max	DET	5	5	4	5	0	19
21	Weaver	Jered	ANA	5	5	4	5	0	19
22	Marmol	Carlos	CHI-N	0	2	5	5	6	18
23	Feliz	Neftali	TEX	0	0	6	7	5	18
24	Soria	Joakim	KC	0	0	7	6	5	18
25	Buchholz	Clay	BOS	5	3	5	5	0	18
26	Burnett	A.J.	NY-A	3	4	6	5	0	18
27	Carpenter	Chris	STL	5	4	4	5	0	18
28	Danks	John	CHI-A	5	4	4	5	0	18
29	Hanson	Tommy	ATL	4	4	5	5	0	18
30	Lilly	Ted	LA	3	4	4	7	0	18
31	Liriano	Francisco	MIN	5	5	4	4	0	18
32	Oswalt	Roy	PHI	5	4	4	5	0	18
33	Bell	Heath	SD	0	0	6	5	6	17
34	Rivera	Mariano	NY-A	0	0	6	6	5	17
35	Perez	Rafael	CLE	0	0	6	6	5	17
36	Beckett	Josh	BOS	5	4	3	5	0	17
37	Gallardo	Yovani	MIL	5	5	4	3	0	17
38	Garza	Matt	CHI-N	4	4	4	5	0	17
39	Lewis	Colby	TEX	4	5	4	4	0	17
40	Romero	Ricky	TOR	5	4	4	4	0	17
41	Sanchez	Anibal	FLA	4	5	4	4	0	17
42	Wilson	C.J.	TEX	3	4	5	5	0	17
43	Lidge	Brad	PHI	0	0	5	6	5	16
44	Anderson	Brett	OAK	3	3	5	5	0	16
45	Billingsley	Chad	LA	4	4	4	4	0	16
46	Cahill	Trevor	OAK	5	2	4	5	0	16
47	Gonzalez	Gio	OAK	4	4	4	4	0	16
48	Hughes	Philip	NY-A	5	3	4	4	0	16
49	Kennedy	Ian	AZ	3	4	4	5	0	16
50	Nolasco	Ricky	FLA	4	4	3	5	0	16
51	Bailey	Andrew	CIN	0	0	6	6	3	15
52	Street	Huston	COL	0	0	4	6	5	15
53	Nathan	Joe	MIN	0	0	5	6	4	15
54	Putz	J.J.	AZ	0	0	5	6	4	15
55	Dempster	Ryan	CHI-N	4	5	3	3	0	15
56	Hudson	Dan	AZ	3	2	5	5	0	15
57	Lackey	John	BOS	5	4	3	3	0	15
58	Santana	Ervin	ANA	4	4	3	4	0	15
59	Vazquez	Javier	FLA	4	4	3	4	0	15
60	Wood	Travis	CIN	3	3	4	5	0	15
61	Wilson	Brian	SF	0	0	3	4	7	14
62	Papelbon	Jonathan	BOS	0	0	4	5	5	14
63	Franklin	Ryan	STL	0	0	5	5	4	14
64	Arroyo	Bronson	CIN	5	2	3	4	0	14
65	De La Rosa	Jorge	COL	4	4	3	3	0	14
66	Hellickson	Jeremy	TB	3	3	4	4	0	14
67	Stauffer	Tim	SD	3	1	5	5	0	14
68	Broxton	Jonathan	LA	0	0	4	4	5	13
69	Axford	John	MIL	0	0	5	4	4	13
70	Lyon	Brandon	HOU	0	0	5	4	4	13
71	Hanrahan	Joel	PIT	0	0	5	5	3	13
72	Valverde	Jose	DET	0	0	5	5	3	13
73	Thornton	Matt	CHI-A	0	0	5	6	2	13
74	Chacin	Jhoulys	COL	2	4	4	3	0	13
75	Davis	Wade	TB	4	2	3	4	0	13
76	Floyd	Gavin	CHI-A	3	3	3	4	0	13
77	Jackson	Edwin	CHI-A	3	4	3	3	0	13
78	Kuo	Hong-Chih	LA	0	0	6	7	0	13
79	Kuroda	Hiroki	LA	2	2	4	5	0	13
80	Matusz	Brian	BAL	3	3	3	4	0	13
81	McDonald	James	PIT	3	5	3	2	0	13
82	Morrow	Brandon	TOR	3	5	2	3	0	13
83	Norris	Bud	HOU	4	4	2	3	0	13
84	Sanchez	Jonathan	SF	3	3	4	3	0	13
85	Zambrano	Carlos	CHI-N	4	3	4	2	0	13
86	Rodriguez	Francisco	NY-N	0	0	4	4	4	12
87	Nunez	Leo	FLA	0	0	4	5	3	12
88	Francisco	Frank	TOR	0	0	4	5	3	12
89	McGee	Jacob	TB	0	0	5	5	2	12
90	Venters	Jonny	ATL	0	0	6	4	2	12
91	Kimbrel	Craig	ATL	0	0	6	4	2	12
92	Sale	Chris	CHI-A	0	0	6	4	2	12
93	Storen	Drew	WAS	0	0	5	5	2	12
94	Breslow	Craig	OAK	0	0	5	6	1	12
95	Benoit	Joaquin	DET	0	0	5	6	1	12
96	Meek	Evan	PIT	0	0	6	5	1	12
97	Adams	Mike	SD	0	0	7	5	0	12
98	Bard	Dan	BOS	0	0	6	6	0	12
99	Carrasco	Carlos	CLE	2	3	4	3	0	12
100	Downs	Scott	ANA	0	0	6	6	0	12
101	Garcia	Jaime	STL	3	3	4	2	0	12
102	Guthrie	Jeremy	BAL	3	2	3	4	0	12
103	Hernandez	Livan	WAS	1	1	5	5	0	12
104	Holland	Derek	TEX	3	3	3	3	0	12
105	Lowe	Derek	ATL	5	2	3	2	0	12
106	Madson	Ryan	PHI	1	0	5	6	0	12
107	Motte	Jason	STL	0	0	6	6	0	12
108	Myers	Brett	HOU	2	4	3	3	0	12
109	Niese	Jonathon	NY-N	4	3	3	2	0	12
110	Pavano	Carl	MIN	4	2	2	4	0	12
111	Richard	Clayton	SD	4	3	3	2	0	12
112	Romo	Sergio	SF	0	0	6	6	0	12
113	Shields	James	TB	4	4	2	2	0	12
114	Slowey	Kevin	MIN	3	1	3	5	0	12
115	Soriano	Rafael	NY-A	1	0	5	6	0	12
116	League	Brandon	SEA	0	0	4	5	2	11
117	Balfour	Grant	OAK	0	0	5	5	1	11
118	Buehrle	Mark	CHI-A	4	1	3	3	0	11
119	Bumgarner	Madison	SF	2	2	4	3	0	11
120	Gregerson	Luke	SD	0	0	5	6	0	11
121	Guerrier	Matt	LA	0	0	5	6	0	11
122	Hammel	Jason	COL	3	3	2	3	0	11
123	Lopez	Wilton	HOU	0	0	6	5	0	11
124	Marshall	Sean	CHI-N	0	0	5	6	0	11
125	Ogando	Alexi	TEX	0	0	6	5	0	11
126	Pelfrey	Mike	NY-N	4	2	3	2	0	11
127	Peralta	Joel	TB	0	0	5	6	0	11
128	Uehara	Koji	BAL	0	0	5	6	0	11
129	Wheeler	Dan	BOS	0	0	5	6	0	11
130	Gregg	Kevin	BAL	0	0	3	4	3	10
131	Chapman	Aroldis	CIN	0	0	5	4	1	10
132	Capps	Matt	MIN	0	0	5	4	1	10
133	Betancourt	Rafael	COL	0	0	4	6	0	10
134	Braden	Dallas	OAK	2	1	3	4	0	10
135	Cecil	Brett	TOR	3	3	2	2	0	10
136	Chamberlain	Joba	NY-A	0	0	5	5	0	10
137	Dickey	R.A.	NY-N	1	1	4	4	0	10
138	Happ	J.A.	HOU	3	2	2	3	0	10
139	Harang	Aaron	SD	1	3	2	4	0	10
140	Loe	Kameron	MIL	0	0	5	5	0	10
141	McClellan	Kyle	STL	0	0	5	5	0	10
142	O'Day	Darren	TEX	0	0	5	5	0	10
143	Pineiro	Joel	ANA	3	0	3	4	0	10
144	Ramirez	Ramon	SF	0	0	6	4	0	10
145	Rhodes	Arthur	TEX	0	0	5	5	0	10
146	Vargas	Jason	SEA	2	2	3	3	0	10
147	Volquez	Edinson	CIN	3	3	3	1	0	10
148	Wells	Randy	CHI-N	2	2	3	3	0	10
149	Wuertz	Michael	OAK	0	0	5	5	0	10
150	Zimmermann	Jordan	WAS	2	2	2	4	0	10
151	Fuentes	Brian	OAK	0	0	4	4	1	9
152	Clippard	Tyler	WAS	0	0	4	4	1	9
153	Hensley	Clay	FLA	0	0	4	4	1	9
154	Blanton	Joe	PHI	2	3	2	2	0	9
155	Boggs	Mitchell	STL	0	0	4	5	0	9
156	Cueto	Johnny	CIN	2	2	2	3	0	9
157	Drabek	Kyle	TOR	1	1	4	3	0	9
158	Duensing	Brian	MIN	3	0	3	3	0	9
159	Frasor	Jason	TOR	0	0	5	4	0	9
160	Jeffress	Jeremy	KC	0	0	5	4	0	9
161	Jurrjens	Jair	ATL	3	1	2	3	0	9
162	Linebrink	Scott	ATL	0	0	4	5	0	9
163	Luebke	Cory	SD	0	1	4	4	0	9
164	Mazzaro	Vincent	KC	3	2	2	2	0	9
165	Mijares	Jose	MIN	0	0	5	4	0	9
166	Oliver	Andrew	DET	0	0	4	5	0	9
167	Resop	Chris	PIT	0	0	5	4	0	9
168	Saito	Takashi	MIL	0	0	5	4	0	9
169	Sanabia	Alex	FLA	0	0	4	5	0	9
170	Smith	Joseph	CLE	0	0	5	4	0	9
171	Tateyama	Yoshinori	TEX	0	0	4	5	0	9
172	Westbrook	Jake	STL	3	3	2	1	0	9
173	Cordero	Francisco	CIN	0	0	3	2	3	8
174	Aardsma	David	SEA	0	0	3	2	3	8
175	Affeldt	Jeremy	SF	0	0	5	3	0	8
176	Arrieta	Jake	BAL	3	1	2	2	0	8
177	Belisle	Matt	COL	0	0	3	5	0	8
178	Contreras	Jose	PHI	0	0	4	4	0	8
179	Doubront	Felix	BOS	0	0	4	4	0	8
180	Enright	Barry	AZ	1	0	3	4	0	8
181	Hochevar	Luke	KC	1	2	2	3	0	8
182	Hunter	Tommy	TEX	2	1	2	3	0	8
183	Masterson	Justin	CLE	1	3	2	2	0	8
184	Minor	Mike	ATL	2	3	1	2	0	8
185	Niemann	Jeff	TB	1	2	2	3	0	8
186	O'Flaherty	Eric	ATL	0	0	5	3	0	8
187	Peavy	Jake	CHI-A	0	1	3	4	0	8
188	Pineda	Michael	SEA	0	0	4	4	0	8
189	Porcello	Rick	DET	3	0	2	3	0	8
190	Purcey	David	TOR	0	0	4	4	0	8
191	Santos	Sergio	CHI-A	0	0	5	3	0	8
192	Tejeda	Robinson	KC	0	0	4	4	0	8
193	Volstad	Chris	FLA	2	1	2	3	0	8
194	Wolf	Randy	MIL	3	2	2	1	0	8
195	Ziegler	Brad	OAK	0	0	5	3	0	8
196	Jenks	Bobby	BOS	0	0	4	2	1	7
197	Bastardo	Antonio	PHI	0	0	3	4	0	7
198	Camp	Shawn	TOR	0	0	3	4	0	7
199	Casilla	Santiago	SF	0	0	4	3	0	7
200	Correia	Kevin	PIT	1	3	1	2	0	7
201	Demel	Sam	AZ	0	0	4	3	0	7
202	Farnsworth	Kyle	TB	0	0	3	4	0	7
203	Garland	Jon	LA	1	1	3	2	0	7
204	Gibson	Kyle	MIN	0	0	3	4	0	7
205	Gonzalez	Mike	BAL	0	0	4	3	0	7
206	Gutierrez	Juan	AZ	0	0	3	4	0	7
207	Herrmann	Frank	CLE	0	0	4	3	0	7
208	Howell	J.P.	TB	0	0	4	3	0	7
209	Kelley	Shawn	SEA	0	0	3	4	0	7
210	Masset	Nick	CIN	0	0	4	3	0	7
211	Matsuzaka	Daisuke	BOS	2	2	2	1	0	7
212	Melancon	Mark	HOU	0	0	4	3	0	7
213	Mujica	Edward	FLA	0	0	3	4	0	7
214	Ohlendorf	Ross	PIT	0	1	3	3	0	7
215	Perry	Ryan	DET	0	0	4	3	0	7
216	Saunders	Joe	AZ	1	2	2	2	0	7
217	Slama	Anthony	MIN	0	0	4	3	0	7
218	Takahashi	Hisanori	ANA	0	0	3	4	0	7
219	Talbot	Mitch	CLE	3	1	2	1	0	7
220	Webb	Ryan	FLA	0	0	5	2	0	7
221	Wood	Kerry	CHI-N	0	0	4	3	0	7
222	Zito	Barry	SF	1	3	2	1	0	7