Best Rotation in the Game?

CC Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, and Joba Chamberlain. Not a bad starting five. In fact, I challenge you to name a better starting five. Sabathia, the best left handed pitcher in baseball the last two seasons, and Wang will be good for a minimum 15 wins each with an era in the mid 3’s. Burnett and Pettitte will be good for 12-15 wins each with an era in the low 4’s. And Joba, if he stays healthy he will dominate, albeit in limited innings, I’m hearing around 150. What starting five can top this? Let’s try and find one.

Exhibit A
Boston Red Sox
Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Wakefield, Penny, Smoltz, Buckholz

This rotation is very top heavy, yet very fragile. Beckett must stay healthy to lead at the top of the rotation. You should get solid years from Matsuzaka and Lester once again, but the remaining arms are very spotty. Wakefield is going on 43 years old and has a tendency to be inconsistent. Penny and Smoltz were top of the rotation starters in years past, but both are coming off of major injuries and cannot be counted on until the second half of the season. Buckholz has shown flashes of brilliance but is not ready to become a regular member of a major league rotation.

Exhibit B
Tampa Bay Rays
Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Sonnanstine, Price

Young, hard throwing, and durable. That describes how the front four performed last year. But that was last year. Can they repeat solid 2008’s and prove they are consistent big league pitchers. Price is the X factor. He looks to be a can’s miss prospect. His showing in the postseason was nothing short of phenomenal in relief. But being a big league starter is a whole other animal. Also, the oft-injured Scott Kazmir will be a key as the Rays don’t have much depth in the starting rotation should he or someone else go down with an injury.

Exhibit C
Chicago Cubs
Zambrano, Harden, Dempster, Lilly, Marshall

The Cubs rotation was among the best in the game in 2008. However, expect a slight drop off this year. The combination of Harden’s health and whether or not the Cubs get repeat performances out of Lilly and Dempster, who each tallied 17 wins last year will be the key to Chicago’s success in the rotation this year. Zambrano should bounce back from a down year to lead this formidable five.

Exhibit D
San Francisco Giants
Lincecum, Cain, Johnson, Zito, Sanchez

The Giants rotation will be key for them competing for a division crown in the weak NL West. Cy Young Tim Lincecum should only improve this year. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez have immense talent and are young and hungry. The veteran lefty duo of Randy Johnson and Barry Zito will also contribute. Johnson is looking to reach the magical 300 win mark while Zito showed he may have figured out how to pitch again, as he went 6-5 while holding batters to a .232 average in the second half of last year.

Honorable mention: Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Arizona Diamondbacks.

While arguments A-D were compelling, I would still take the Yankees rotation going into 2009 above anyone else’s. No other rotation boasts the same type of power and guile that the Yankees do. With an established ace who is coming of off back to back brilliant seasons, a sinkerballer who posted back to back 19 win seasons in 2006 and 2007, a flame thrower who wants to prove he can be a consistent winner, a wily lefty who still has what it takes to get batters out, and a 23 year old fire balling phenom, I sure do like their chances. Only time will tell if my argument will hold true.

-Favad Ali