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Origins of Major League Starting Pitchers, 2008

I made a list, using Win Shares, of major league starters with 10 or more Win Shares last year, then tracked down their origins. I apologize for the bad formatting; I'm not using my normal computer today and am having some problems.

Tim Lincecum, RHP, Giants   27 WS        1st round, 2006, University of Washington
C.C. Sabathia, LHP, Brewers        25 WS     1st round, 1998, California HS
Cliff Lee,LHP, Indians            25 WS        4th round, 2000, University of Arkansas
Roy Halladay, RHP, Blue Jays    23 WS    1st round, 1995,  Colorado HS
Brandon Webb, RHP, D-backs    22 WS    8th round, 2000, University of Kentucky
Johan Santana, LHP, Mets           21  WS    Free Agent, 1995, Venezuela
Dan Haren, RHP, D-backs        20 WS       2nd round, 2001, Pepperdine
Ervin Santana, RHP, Angels     19 WS       Free Agent, 2001, Dominican Republic
Jon Lester,LHP, Red Sox          19 WS       2nd round, 2002, Washington HS
Joe Saunders, LHP, Angels       19 WS       1st round, 2002, Virginia Tech
Cole Hamels, LHP, Phillies       19 WS      1st round, 2002, California HS
Mike Mussina,RHP,Yankees     18 WS      1st round, 1990, Stanford University
Ryan Dempster, RHP, Cubs      18 WS       3rd round, 1995, British Columbia HS
Roy Oswalt, RHP, Astros          18 WS       23rd round, 1996, Holmes CC
Aaron Cook, RHP, Rockies       17 WS       2nd round, 1997, Ohio HS
Diasuke Matsuzaka, RHP, Red Sox 17 WS   Free agent, 2007, Japan
Edinson Volquez, RHP, Reds       17 WS       Free agent, 2001, Dominican Republic
John Danks,LHP, White Sox       17 WS       1st round, 2003, Texas HS
Zack Greinke, RHP,Royals          17 WS       1st round, 2002, Florida HS
Ben Sheets, RHP, Brewers           16 WS       1st round, 1999, Louisiana-Monroe
Chad Billingsley,RHP, Dodgers   16 WS       1st round, 2003, Ohio HS
Carlos Zambrano, RHP, Cubs       16 WS       Free agent, 1997, Venezuela
Derek Lowe, RHP, Dodgers         16 WS        8th round, 1991, Michigan HS
James Shields, RHP, Rays            16 WS        16th round, 2000, California HS
Mark Buehrle, LHP, White Sox    16 WS       38th round, 1999, Jefferson JC
Ricky Nolasco, RHP, Marlins       16 WS         4th round, 2001, California HS
Felix Hernandez, RHP, Mariners   15 WS        Free agent, 2002, Venezuela
Gavin Floyd,RHP, White Sox        15 WS        1st round, 2001, Maryland HS 
Gil Meche, RHP, Royals                15 WS        1st round, 1995, Louisiana HS
Jake Peavy, RHP, Padres                15 WS       15th round, 1999, Alabama HS
A.J. Burnett, RHP, Blue Jays          14 WS        8th round, 1995, Arkansas HS
Armando Galarraga, RHP, Tigers   14 WS        Free agent, 1998, Venezuela
Justin Duchscherer, RHP,Athletics  14 WS       8th round, 1996, Texas HS
Jeremy Guthrie, RHP, Orioles         14 WS        1st round, 2002, Stanford
Matt Cain,RHP, Giants                    14 WS        1st round, 2002, Tennessee HS
John Lackey, RHP, Angels              14 WS        2nd round, 1999, Grayson County CC
Jesse Litsch, RHP, Blue Jays           13 WS       24th round, 2004, South Florida CC
Jamie Moyer, LHP, Phillies             13 WS         6th round, 1984, St. Joseph's
Kyle Lohse, RHP, Cards                   13 WS        29th round, 1996, California JC
Matt Garza, RHP, Rays                    13 WS         1st round, 2005, Fresno State
Scott Baker, RHP, Twins                 13 WS       2nd round, 2003, Oklahoma State
Ted Lilly, LHP, Cubs                       13 WS       23rd round, 1996, Fresno CC
Todd Wellemeyer, RHP, Cardinals  13 WS       4th round, 2000, Bellarmine
Adam Wainwright, RHP, Cardinals  12 WS      1st round, 2000, Georgia HS
Jair Jurrjens, RHP, Braves                 12 WS       Free agent, 2003, Curacao
Mike Pelfrey, RHP, Mets                   12 WS      1st round, 2005, Wichita State
Paul Maholm, LHP, Pirates                12 WS      1st round, 2003 ,Mississippi State
Randy Johnson, LHP, Dbacks            12 WS      2nd round, 1985, Southern Cal
Scott Kazmir, LHP, Rays                   12 WS      1st round, 2002, Texas HS
Shaun Marcum, RHP, Blue Jays        12 WS      3rd round, 2003, SW Missouri State
Andy Pettitte,LHP, Yankees              11 WS      22nd round, 1990, San Jacinto JC
Braden Looper, RHP, Cardinals        11 WS       1st round, 1996, Wichita State
Josh Beckett, RHP, Red Sox             11 WS        1st round, 1999, Texas HS
Javier Vazquez, RHP, White Sox      11 WS        5th round, 1994, Puerto Rico HS
Jered Weaver, RHP, Angels               11 WS        1st round, 2004, Long Beach State
Tim Hudson, RHP, Braves                 11 WS        6th round, 1997, Auburn
Tim Wakefield, RHP, Red Sox          11 WS         8th round, 1988, Florida Tech
Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP, Rockies         11 WS         Free agent, 2001, Dominican
Andy Sonnanstine, RHP, Rays          10 WS          13th round, 2004, Kent State
Bronson Arroyo, RHP, Reds             10  WS         3rd round, 1995, Florida HS
Edwin Jackson, RHP, Rays               10 WS           6th round, 2001, Georgia HS
Greg Smith, LHP, Athletics               10 WS          6th round, 2005, Louisiana State
Hiroki Kuroda, LHP, Dodgers           10 WS          Free agent, 2008, Japan
Kevin Slowey, RHP, Twins               10 WS          2nd round, 2005, Winthrop
Nick Blackburn, RHP, Twins            10 WS          29th round, 2001, Seminole JC

65 Starters Total

22 First Round Picks                34%
7 Second Round Picks              11%
7 Third to Fifth Round Picks    11%
9 Sixth to 10th Round Picks      14%
10 11th round or later Picks       15%
10  Free Agents                         15%

24 High School Pitchers               37%
8   Junior College Pitchers            12%
23  Four-Year College Pitchers     35%
8   Latin American Free Agents    12%
2   Japanese Free Agents                4%

High School Origins: California 4; Texas 4; Florida 2; Georgia 2; Ohio 2; Alabama, Arkansas,Canada, Colorado,Louisiana, Maryland,Michigan,Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Washington, 1 each.

We will look at closer origins next, then draw some conclusions. 

0 recs  |  Comment 9 comments

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idk why

But it surprises me that there are as many JC pitchers as Latin American players.

And it’s a long list, errors are expected, but I shiver seeing “Kyle Lohse, RHP, Cubs” up there.

In what St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa called a "big day" for his club, starter Chris Carpenter took the mound for his first session of live batting practice and promptly buzzed the fuzz on catcher Jason LaRue’s chin with an errant fastball.

"Sorry," Carpenter called from the mound.

"Don’t say you’re sorry," LaRue barked back.

"He said it," pitching coach Dave Duncan said from the side of the cage, "but he didn’t mean it."
~ DG

by mateodh on May 23, 2009 8:27 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

That is so evenly distributed....

….it almost seems unnatural.

by James F on May 23, 2009 8:52 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

So basically what we learn is that it’s a crapshoot. Some first-rounders make it, some don’t. Some later-round guys make it, many don’t.

by jonk1982 on May 23, 2009 9:00 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Are we looking at the same numbers?

There are about as many 1st rounders as 2nd-10th rounders combined.

by aCone419 on May 24, 2009 4:26 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

By “later-round,” I didn’t mean second round or third round or fourth round.

by jonk1982 on May 26, 2009 3:27 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

My point:

Having as many 1st rounders as guys from the next 9 rounds doesn’t say “crapshoot” to me.

by aCone419 on May 26, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Win Shares

Where are you getting your Win Share numbers from? I usually get mine from THT, but they havent even posted them yet for this year.

by backtocali on May 23, 2009 10:15 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

JC/CC

The majority of late-round guys who have made it are JC/CC. 7 of the 10 picks from round 10-onward on this list are form JC/CC.

The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.

by mckeeno on May 24, 2009 1:45 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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