PITCHERS: Mid-Season ROTW Rankings

Last Friday I released my ROTW Rankings for Hitters to equal parts adulation and scorn. Today, I’ll further infuriate the masses by releasing my ROTW Rankings for Pitchers.

Before moving on to the rankings it should be noted that pitchers are only listed at one spot (Tim Stauffer might qualify as a reliever and starter in your league, but in the BaseballGuys.com rankings he only appears as a starter).

These rankings are my expectations for pitchers from this point forward. If Josh Johnson is healthy and at 100% percent he’d be in my top-10. However, he’s not even close to that at this point which is why he doesn’t appear anywhere close to that high on the list.

Relievers are so tough to predict because of roles. I’ve tried to blend my expectations based upon what role a pitcher will hold (i.e. Mike Adams will close if he stays with the Padres and Heath Bell is dealt). In most cases it’s still best to target the skills and not the role, but you have to objectively consider whether or not at this point of the season whether or not the role is more valuable.

PITCHERS: Mid-Season ROTW Rankings

ROTW Rankings: Pitchers

I’m asked all the time, ‘hey Ray, can you rank these players for me the rest of the way.’ I diligently answer the queries, but with the question being asked so frequently it only made sense for me to come up with a list that I could refer people to. Early this week I did just that in ROTW RANKINGS: HITTERS. Today, I’ll reveal my rankings for pitchers breaking them down in twp categories – starters and relievers – for the Rest of the Way.

NOTE: These are Rest of the Way rankings. These lists are intended to give my thoughts on how players should be ranked from June 3rd on, irrespective of the players production up to this point. Also, the rankings are based on the standard of a 12 team mixed league using traditional 5×5 categories.

ROTW-PITCHERS-June3-2011

By Ray Flowers