Best AL Rotation

by SmokeyJoeWood on Jun 27, 2006 4:05 PM EDT Comment 19 comments

Well, since the NL question has been posed, might as well ask the same of the "junior" circuit. There are some interesting choices here, since there are a few rookie phenoms in the league helping their team's rotations. I guess my early pick would be Detroit. Bonderman finally looks like they guy Billy Beane thought he wouldn't be, and Verlander is obviously impressive.

Poll

Which team has the best AL rotation?

Angels (assuming Jered returns)

9 votes

Toronto (Burnett is back)

2 votes

Detroit (The young guns)

61 votes

Minnesota (Liriano looks like an ace)

101 votes

Chicago (Contreras pitching well for 60 yr old man)

50 votes

Oakland (I hear Daric can throw a 102 MPH four-seamer)

14 votes

Seattle (The King and his court)

2 votes

other (please specify)

0 votes

Yankees (RJ has been pitching better of late)

3 votes

Red Sox (will Lester keep it up?)

9 votes

251 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 19 comments

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Comments

Minnesota fan here

But I have to give props to Detroit.

Bonderman is a true ace, leading the league in DIPS ERA. Verlander is on his way...solid #2 right now. Between Rogers, Maroth, and Robertson, they have three lefty #3s pitching out of their minds right now.

Minnesota's got by far the best rotation for a playoff series though. I just don't know how much confidence I have in Radke, Silva, and Bonser shutting down teams not named after young bears.

by limozeen on Jun 27, 2006 4:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

And I had trouble picking between the Tigers and Twins. I would take the Twins front 2 over any front 2 in all of baseball, but the rest of their rotation has been pitching too shaky.

by SmokeyJoeWood on Jun 27, 2006 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Young Bears

Is a dodger a young bear? If Silva and Radke continue to pitch the rest of the season as they did the last two seasons, I think the Twins have the best rotation in baseball. The fifth spot is shaky, but Bonser or Baker or even Durbin would all be in the rotation of most other teams in baseball.

by TT on Jun 27, 2006 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hard to go against...

The White Sox.

Basically, the AL East and AL West have too many questions in their rotation. The Central has the White Sox and the Tigers with the Twins having a great 1-2 and Silva making a comeback.

But I'd take the White Sox over the Tigers just because these guys have proven something by winning it all.

by OneHitWonder on Jun 27, 2006 4:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry man

Buehrle is about the only one there are no questions about.

-Contreras might be 48 years old and his arm might fall off. Huge injury risk.
-Garcia is sucking.
-Vazquez is sucking.
-Garland is sucking.
-McCarthy is inexperienced and middling.

I'd take the Tigers and Twins over this rotation any day.

by limozeen on Jun 27, 2006 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tigers Rotation

They didn't hold up so well against the Red Sox and Yankees while at home.

by OneHitWonder on Jun 27, 2006 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

last year

i would have said the white sox, but it looks like they have regressed. im gonna take the tigers this year, in a coin flip with the twins.

We have, I fear, confused power with greatness.

by jrfelix on Jun 27, 2006 4:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AL Central

Obviously, the AL Central has the 3 best rotations. The Twins have the best 1-2 punch in Santana & Liriano. The Tigers have guys playing over their heads this year and two young guys who could end up being very good. With all of that said, I'm going to go with the White Sox. I think they are the best 1-5, and they are only a few months removed from 4 straight complete games in the ALCS.

by shaftr on Jun 27, 2006 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Twins

I think people are getting ahead of themselves putting Liriano on the level of all these starters who have had years of success. He's been great, but if you don't think he's in danger of regressing a bit, you're absolutely crazy. He's at least of a big a question mark as a guy like Contreras, who will likely be starting the All-Star game. That might be Ozzie being Ozzie, picking him over Halladay and Santana, but still.

Rios is the next Juan Gonzales, thats right, I said it.

by KaoticKlown on Jun 27, 2006 9:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No option

for the Devil Rays rotation of Kazmir, Larry, Curly, Moe and Shemp?

"If there wasn't nine guys out in the field, I'd have a hit every time except when I strike out." - Delmon Young

by Brickhaus on Jun 28, 2006 12:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

White Sox with that many votes??

Yikes.

Contreras 3.15 ERA
Buehrle 3.22 ERA
Garcia 4.66 ERA
Vazquez 5.00 ERA
Garland 5.76 ERA

by PooNani on Jun 28, 2006 1:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't agree more

by limozeen on Jun 28, 2006 4:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

White Sox Voting

I think my vote was simply a matter of preference. Even though I despise Garland, I enjoy watching the rest of that staff. Buerhle is excellent. Freddy and Javy are solid middle rotation guys. Contreras is... ummm... old and lucky? The first 3 that I mentioned have a history of eating innings while keeping their team in a game, add a healthy and effective Contrereas to that and you have what I feel is a better all round rotation (as compared to the rest of the AL).

I'm not saying that Liriano's emergence doesn't put Minnesota over-the-top as far talent in the rotation. Just simply would rather run 162 games or 7 games with the ChiSox.

*This message brought to you by The Church of Cole Hamels and Latter Day Lefties*

by QuixoticQuasiQuandary on Jun 28, 2006 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For all 5

Take the Tigers.

by limozeen on Jun 28, 2006 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm

Schilling 3.61
Beckett 4.84
Wakefield 3.86
Lester 2.95
~Mystery Man~

I like Liriano and Santana in Minnesota, but beyonnd that Minnesota's pitching is pretty lackluster. if you want to talk playoffs, there isn't a duo in baseball I'd take over Schilling and Beckett. Boston's biggest problem is lack of a 5th starter, hopefully Johnson will be able to take advantage of a better defense behinnd him.

God rested one day out of 7, Felix rests 4 out of 5.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Jun 28, 2006 9:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good Luck

Lester has all of two starts.

The front 3 have a combined ERA over 4, they have a rookie that we are not sure what we will get, and don't even have a 5th starter. Yep, looks like the best in the AL.

I detect a tiny tiny bit of homerism on your post. I hope you detect a tiny tiny bit of sarcasm on mine. ;)

by pedrophile on Jun 28, 2006 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lester has 4 starts...

but, who's counting?

The Sox absolutely have an argument for the best rotation in the AL... which is whyu I included them.

Honestly, would you take Johan, Liriano, and 3 dead bodies over the Sox 4?

by SmokeyJoeWood on Jun 29, 2006 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dominant Beckett and his 5.16 DIPS ERA

I want my #2 playoff starter to be one who has given up more homers than Brad Radke...

by limozeen on Jun 29, 2006 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not picking the Sox really...

... but Beckett appears to have turned a corner. He made an adjustment to his delivery in some way (I forget the details, anyone know?) two or three starts ago and has looked spectacular since. Not just his numbers are excellent since then, but all of his pitches AND his command have gone up a notch.

Then Schilling is Schilling, awesome that he's come back after the hideous '05 season. Is he Liriano or Santana? No, but he is remarkably consistent, will probably end up in the 3.5 ERA range.

Wakefield has been remarkably consistent too, and I'd take him over, say, Radke.

And then Lester has been quite impressive and has so far lived up to the hype. His only blemish has been control of his excellent stuff, which led to a short (5 IP) outing against the Mets, but even then, he was tough to hit (when he wasn't walking the batter with the bases loaded). Who knows? He could fall back to earth, or he could continue to be Josh-Johnson-like. Got an excellent future ahead of him it seems, only question is his consistency this year.

I think the Sox have a top 3 or 4 rotation right now, though that's with Beckett and Lester hot, so we'll see. Though it's not the question, I like our chances in the playoffs. Those four starters should carry us through, along with an offense that was talked about as being lackluster but is now 2nd in the league in runs scored per game.

Of course, that's with EVERYONE hot right now.

by abbreviatedman on Jun 29, 2006 11:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs