Who has the best rotation?

[bigruss]

The Sox to me have the chance to once again reclaim the fame to the best rotation in the central division.

 

To me the Tigers will overall degress, as I do not believe all that highly in Kenny Rogers or Nate Robertson, plus their fifth slot is also a little shaky with the post injured Maroth and second year Zach Miner.

 

While the twins are returning Santana, Bonser, and Silva, while hoping Ponson and a bucnh of prospects can fill the remaining two slots. Silva has never impressed me and Ponson will probably be to drunk to find the plate, but some o their prospects had some succuss last year. Of course they could pull some trick out of their hat as they seem to do and turn those guys into some good pitchers this year.

 

What do you guys think?

[soxfan3530]

until we figure out who is the fifth starter and what that person will bring to the table i have to give the tigers the edge. Without liriano the twins arent even in the discussion.

[daa84]

until we figure out who is the fifth starter and what that person will bring to the table i have to give the tigers the edge. Without liriano the twins arent even in the discussion.

pretty well said right there.......dont completely discount the indians either....sabathia is always solid, sowers had the second best ERA in the second half of last year, westbrook has the potential to have a sub 3.5 ERA and lee and byrd can always give solid years...but for now its the tigers

[pale_hose]

After last season, it is obviously the Tigers. But, I am not expecting ALL of their pitchers to have career years again. Rogers is 42 and should stop cheating and finally retire. Bonderman and Verlander were they only two pitchers they have that really impress me. Our bullpen for next blows them away on paper. I am comfortable with our rotation. Buehrle WILL have a good year 18+ in wins. Maybe even a great year. Garland and Contreras will also have good years and I feel both will have over 15 wins. Vazquez just needs to keep getting K's and eat innings. Our 5th spot is up for grabs. Floyd, Danks or whoever fills in just needs to be an innings eater. Even if they have a 5 era, and around a .500 record, I'll be pleased. The Twins dont have a rotation unless Santana can make 162 starts. So, right now the Tigers have the edge, but at the end of the season the sox will win the division and have the better rotation and bullpen.

[Kalapse]

Right now I'd say the Tigers are tops followed by the Sox and Indians tied for second with the Indians maybe taking a slight edge.

[Baines3]

Right now I would give a slight edge to the Tigers. That is until we decide on our fifth starter, right now I am going with Gavin Floyd as the 5th starter.

[pale_hose]

Right now I'd say the Tigers are tops followed by the Sox and Indians tied for second with the Indians maybe taking a slight edge.

 

 

THE INDIANS HAVE THE EDGE!?!?....

[harfman77]

Right now I'd say the Tigers are tops followed by the Sox and Indians tied for second with the Indians maybe taking a slight edge.

C.C. Sabathia > Beuhrle

Jake Westbrook

Cliff Lee

Paul Byrd

Jeremy Sowers > ?

 

Sox win

[Kalapse]

C.C. Sabathia > Beuhrle

Jake Westbrook

Cliff Lee

Paul Byrd

Jeremy Sowers > ?

 

Sox win

Ok, Sabathia kicks the s*** out of Buehlre, Westbrook and Contreras is basically a wash except when you take into account age and past injuries then it goes to Westrbook. Lee and Garland is also a wash with a slight edge to Garland, Vazquez is better than Byrd and Sowers is going to be much better than anyone the Sox throw out there next year. Take a look at what Jeremy did last season especially in the second half of the season he's pretty damn good. The Sox will be lucky to get a 5.50 ERA out of the 5th spot next year.

 

To Summarize:

 

Sabathia >> Buehrle

Westbrook ~ Contreras (edge Westbrook)

Lee ~ Garland (edge Garland)

Byrd

Sowers >>> Floyd/Haeger/??

 

Edge Indians

[DrunkBomber]

Id go with the Tigers at this point. However, Id say theyre more poised for a let down year where we might be looking at better performances.

[zenryan]

1. Tigers

2. Indians

3. Sox

4. Minn

5. KC

 

 

we could slip into 2 if we have a productive 5th starter and MB goes back to the 05 version of himself

[ZoomSlowik]

The Indians' rotation doesn't really impress me that much. 3 of their 5 starters had WHIP's over 1.40 last year, that's just awful. Westbrook was incredible lucky to only have a 4.17 ERA. He's really only been a good starter for one year. The same can be said for Lee, only it's a year and a half instead of a year. Paul Byrd probably just shouldn't be starting in the AL, at best he gives them a serviceable 4th starter. Sabathia and Sowers are good, though the former had his best year by a good margin last year. It'll be interesting to see if he builds on that.

 

If the Sox get pre-July of 2006 Buehrle back, they'll be better than Cleveland and possibly Detroit as well. I expect Contreras to have an ERA in the high 3's and Garland and Vazquez in the low 4's, so if Buehrle can get back to the mid-3 range they'll be in good shape and absorb the probably 5-ish ERA from the #5 spot. If we get the Buehrle that couldn't get anyone out in the second half, we'll be worse than a lot of teams.

Edited January 11, 2007 by ZoomSlowik

[soxfan3530]

1. Tigers

2. Indians

3. Sox

4. Minn

5. KC

we could slip into 2 if we have a productive 5th starter and MB goes back to the 05 version of himself

 

 

we could slip into 1 if that happens

[Jordan4life_2007]

Ok, Sabathia kicks the s*** out of Buehlre, Westbrook and Contreras is basically a wash except when you take into account age and past injuries then it goes to Westrbook. Lee and Garland is also a wash with a slight edge to Garland, Vazquez is better than Byrd and Sowers is going to be much better than anyone the Sox throw out there next year. Take a look at what Jeremy did last season especially in the second half of the season he's pretty damn good. The Sox will be lucky to get a 5.50 ERA out of the 5th spot next year.

 

To Summarize:

 

Sabathia >> Buehrle

Westbrook ~ Contreras (edge Westbrook)

Lee ~ Garland (edge Garland)

Byrd

Sowers >>> Floyd/Haeger/??

 

Edge Indians

 

This, my friend, is not true.

[RockRaines]

Rotation is one thing, but I think the indians bullpen is puke-worthy which will hurt their rotation in the long run. Minny has the best closer in the division which is a huge advantage for them. They also have several good guys in the pen. I would say overall, its pretty close, and should be a good thing to watch going into the season.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Going into 2007, CC Sabathia does in fact kick the s*** out of Mark Buehrle.

 

Well if you do it that way A LOT of guys kick the s*** out of Mark. I don't think 3 months, although they were horrible, overrides 5 1/2 years.

[Kalapse]

Well if you do it that way A LOT of guys kick the s*** out of Mark. I don't think 3 months, although they were horrible, overrides 5 1/2 years.

Actually it kind of does when talking about his prospects for the 2007 season, he picked the wrong ass time to suck for 3 months because he has A LOT to prove now.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Actually it kind of does when talking about his prospects for the 2007 season, he picked the wrong ass time to suck for 3 months because he has A LOT to prove now.

 

Fair enough. I don't agree, but I see your point. I do agree that Mark has plenty to prove.

[phiteinphils]

Phillies!

 

I think Cleveland has the best from top to bottom. I think Detroit was a one year wonder.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I would love to feel good about Mark going into 2007, but he gave me no reason to believe he will be any better than he was in the 2nd half of 2006. He didn't really lose any off his stuff, and he claimed he was healthy, so did he just forget how to pitch, um, good?

 

Going into to 2007, I would take Sabathia hands down. I pray Mark proves me wrong.

 

Mark did admit that he was out of shape most of last season. And, if you believe Kenny, the '05 playoffs took a big toll on not only him, but all of our starters. We shall see.

[Kalapse]

Buehrle wasn't just bad in the second half last year, he was epically terrible. His first 16 starts were pretty damn good, some of the best starts of his career. His final 16 starts however were basically the worst i baseball. He split it right down the middle too, once he hit his 17th start he went to s***.

 

First 16 starts (April - June)
 

GS   IP    W  L   H   R   ER  HR  SO  BB  ERA   WHIP | RA (R/IPx9)

16  111.2  9  4  112  48  40  12  47  28  3.22  1.25 | 3.87
 

Final 16 starts (July - September)
 

GS   IP   W  L   H   R   ER  HR  SO  BB  ERA   WHIP | RA (R/IPx9)

16  92.1  3  9  135  76  73  24  51  20  7.12  1.72 | 7.41

 

Now what the hell happened there? Something had to have been wrong for him to be THAT bad but as Tony mentioned there has not been a reason given for his suckitude which is incredibly disturbing.

 

Mark did admit that he was out of shape most of last season. And, if you believe Kenny, the '05 playoffs took a big toll on not only him, but all of our starters. We shall see.

Mark also said that he was not tired, according to him he had no ill-effects from the '05 playoffs.

[shipps]

we could slip into 2 if we have a productive 5th starter and MB goes back to the 05 version of himself

If that is the case we would slip to number 1.MB is the key to this 07 run.

[PAUL KONERKO 14]

Tigers if everyone can pitch like they did like last year, but I bet you at least 2 of them won't.

[shawnhillegas]

This thread is pointless. Everyone knows that the Nationals have the best rotation in baseball and that all other rotations are worthless by comparison.

[GoSox05]

I think the Sox will have the edge over the Tigers because i except the Tigers to have the same relapse the Sox did last year. If they don't than i think its the Tigers. The Twins and Clevland are behind and KC further behind, but not as far as they used to be.