Visit Featured Client Sites for Live Content
Michigan Live has the complete fantasy baseball package
SNY.TV also features our Rankings, stock watches and syndicated column
Read Mike Salfino's Mets coverage at SNY.TV

Archive: 2007 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

The Pitchers

(click here for The Hitters)

By David Ferris

All rankings assume a 5x5 (five hitting/five pitching) category league. Categories factored in are homers, runs, RBI, steals and batting average for positional players and wins, saves, strikeouts, ERA and baserunners allowed per inning (WHIP) for pitching. These rankings will be updated weekly in light of ongoing developments in spring training and throughout the 2007 baseball season.

Starting Pitchers
1/Johan Santana, Twins
2/Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
3/Jake Peavy, Padres
4/Roy Oswalt, Astros
Heads-up: Strikeout rate is mild concern.
5/Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
6/Ben Sheets, Brewers
Upside: Cy Young potential if body cooperates.
7/Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
8/Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox
9/Felix Hernandez, Mariners
Upside: Wise, trim enough to break out.
10/Roy Halladay, Blue Jays
11/John Lackey, Angels
12/Brett Myers, Phillies
13/Chris Young, Padres
Note: Pitching to contact but big yard helps.
14/John Smoltz, Braves
15/Aaron Harang, Reds
Value: Strikeout count offsets the park.
16/Erik Bedard, Orioles
Note: Sharp as a tack this spring.
17/Dan Haren, Athletics
18/Matt Cain, Giants
Upside: Showed awesome potential down the stretch.
19/Jeremy Bonderman, Tigers
20/Scott Kazmir, Devil Rays
21/Cole Hamels, Phillies
22/C.C. Sabathia, Indians
23/Jason Schmidt, Dodgers
24/Curt Schilling, Red Sox
Downside: Be realistic, he's 40.
25/Bronson Arroyo, Reds
26/Justin Verlander, Tigers
27/Chris Capuano, Brewers
28/Rich Hill, Cubs
Sleeper: A bit trendy but ceiling is high.
29/Dontrelle Willis, Marlins
Note: Used to be overrated but word is getting out.
30/Barry Zito, Giants
31/Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks
Heads-up: Check with his doctor first.
32/Ian Snell, Pirates
Sleeper: Lots of good values on this staff.
33/Scott Olsen, Marlins
Upside: The Florida starter you want.
34/Rich Harden, Athletics
Upgrade: Lights out spring, but can he throw 200 IP?
35/David Bush, Brewers
Note: Led NL in strikeout/walk ratio last year.
36/Kelvim Escobar, Angels
37/Mike Mussina, Yankees
38/Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox
Note: A talent, but ERA, ratio not sustainable in new role.
39/Josh Beckett, Red Sox
40/Andy Pettitte, Yankees
41/Derek Lowe, Dodgers
42/Chuck James, Braves
Sleeper: Great middle-to-late target.
43/Ted Lilly, Cubs
Upside: League change has to help.
44/Javier Vazquez, White Sox
45/Ervin Santana, Angels
46/Kei Igawa, Yankees
Mystery: One of the hardest arms to price.
47/A.J. Burnett, Blue Jays
48/Jered Weaver, Angels
Heads-up: Be wary of sore biceps.
49/Chien-Ming Wang, Yankees
Downside: No strikeouts; rocky on road; wins were partial fluke.
50/Freddy Garcia, Phillies
51/Anthony Reyes, Cardinals
52/Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
Note: Electric stuff, just ask Beltran.
53/Brad Penny, Dodgers
Downside: Breaks down annually.
54/Anibal Sanchez, Marlins
55/Daniel Cabrera, Orioles
Upside: Maybe something clicks in Year 2 with Mazzone.
56/John Maine, Mets
Sleeper: Three solid pitches, good environment.
57/Zach Duke, Pirates
58/Jon Garland, White Sox
59/Greg Maddux, Padres
60/Esteban Loaiza, Athletics
Value: In the right park, more usable than you think.
61/Jose Contreras, White Sox
Downside: Age and dipping velocity, stay away.
62/Jeff Francis, Rockies
63/Vicente Padilla, Rangers
Downside: Helluva place to make your fortune.
64/Jake Westbrook, Indians
65/Jason Jennings, Astros
Sleeper: Minute Maid overrated as offense park.
66/Tom Gorzelanny, Pirates
66/John Patterson, Nationals
Sleeper: Legit skills, but his body hates him.
67/Noah Lowry, Giants
68/Boof Bonser, Twins
69/Nate Robertson, Tigers
70/Tom Glavine, Mets
71/Jeremy Sowers, Indians
72/Kevin Millwood, Rangers
73/Brandon McCarthy, Rangers
74/Tim Hudson, Braves
75/Jon Lieber, Phillies
76/Clay Hensley, Padres
77/Kenny Rogers, Tigers
78/Roger Clemens, Free Agent
Upside: Reasonable chance he pitches again.
79/James Shields, Devil Rays
Sleeper: Under radar but has skills.
80/Mark Prior, Cubs
Note: Not guaranteed a rotation spot.
81/Adam Eaton, Phillies
82/Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
83/Joe Blanton, Athletics
84/Pedro Martinez, Mets
85/Cliff Lee, Indians
Downgrade: Starts year on disabled list (abdominal).
86/Jeff Weaver, Mariners
87/Miguel Batista, Mariners
88/Jarrod Washburn, Mariners
89/Doug Davis, Diamondbacks
90/Fausto Carmona, Indians
91/Paul Byrd, Indians
92/Randy Wolf, Dodgers
93/Matt Garza, Twins
94/Carl Pavano, Yankees
95/Adam Loewen, Orioles
Upside: Bump him 10-15 spots if team commits.
96/Oliver Perez, Mets
97/Mark Redman, Braves
98/Matt Morris, Giants
99/Tim Wakefield, Red Sox
100/Claudio Vargas, Brewers
101/Mark Buehrle, White Sox
Downside: Let someone make poor speculation play.
102/Hong-Chih Kuo, Dodgers
103/Mike Pelfrey, Mets
104/Orlando Hernandez, Mets
104/Kerry Wood, Cubs
Downgrade: Ultimate tease isn't worth it.
106/Livan Hernandez, Diamondbacks
107/Tomo Ohka, Blue Jays
108/Angel Guzman, Cubs
109/Scott Baker, Twins
110/Bartolo Colon, Angels
Downside: Hard to trust the shoulder at this point.
111/Josh Johnson, Marlins
Downside: Might miss first half of season (elbow).

Relief Pitchers
1/Joe Nathan, Twins
Note: The best there is but no longer a value.
2/B.J. Ryan, Blue Jays
3/Billy Wagner, Mets
4/Francisco Rodriguez, Angels
Note: Keeps cheating loud mechanics, somehow.
5/Mariano Rivera, Yankees
6/Huston Street, Athletics
7/Trevor Hoffman, Padres
8/Brad Lidge, Astros
Trick or treat: Stuff hasn't left, but where's his head at?
9/Chris Ray, Orioles
10/Francisco Cordero, Brewers
Value: A safe closer who's cheap, too.
11/Brian Fuentes, Rockies
12/J.J. Putz, Mariners
Heads-up: Be wary of tight elbow.
13/Chad Cordero, Nationals
14/Todd Jones, Tigers
Value: Mediocre stuff but Leyland coddles him.
15/Bobby Jenks, White Sox
Downside: Messy mechanics and already dinged up.
16/Bob Wickman, Braves
17/Eric Gagne, Rangers
Note: Make sure you get Otsuka, too.
18/Joe Borowski, Indians
19/Takashi Saito, Dodgers
Downside: Age, maintenance, presence of Broxton.
20/Jose Valverde, Diamondbacks
21/Salomon Torres, Pirates
22/Ryan Dempster, Cubs
Upgrade: Better than you think.
23/Octavio Dotel, Royals
24/Tom Gordon, Phillies
Downgrade: At his age, nicks can't be ignored.
25/Armando Benitez, Giants
Note: His job until he inevitably breaks.
26/Jason Isringhausen, Cardinals
27/Chad Orvella, Devil Rays
Sleeper: McClung might get kicked to curb.
28/Kevin Gregg, Marlins
Sleeper: One of thousands in Florida.
29/Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers
Upside: Electric stuff and Saito has flags.
30/Taylor Tankersley, Marlins
31/Akinori Otsuka, Rangers
32/Scot Shields, Angels
33/Dan Wheeler, Astros
34/Julian Taverez, Red Sox
35/Brian Wilson, Giants
Note: First in line, wouldn't it be nice?
36/David Weathers, Reds
37/Mike Gonzalez, Braves
38/Jorge Julio, Diamondbacks
39/Mike MacDougal, White Sox
40/Joel Pineiro, Red Sox
Downgrade: Not a good camp.
41/Bobby Howry, Cubs
42/Scott Linebrink, Padres
43/Joel Zumaya, Tigers
Overrated: Stuff is unreal but saves funnel to Jones.
44/Chris Reitsma, Mariners
45/Dustin Hermanson, Reds
Sleeper: If healthy, can beat out these scrubs.
46/Matt Capps, Pirates
Note: Ordinary stuff but throws strikes.
47/Matt Lindstrom, Marlins
48/Mike Stanton, Reds
49/Henry Owens, Marlins
50/Matt Thornton, White Sox
51/Rafael Soriano, Braves
52/Rafael Betancourt, Indians
53/Jon Rauch, Nationals
54/Brian Stokes, Devil Rays
55/Mike Timlin, Red Sox
56/Brandon Donnelly, Red Sox
57/Todd Coffey, Reds
Note: Cincinnati lottery could go in any direction.
58/Julio Mateo, Mariners
59/Seth McClung, Devil Rays
Downgrade: Awful spring, may not make club.
60/Bill Bray, Reds
61/Danys Baez, Orioles
62/Hector Carrasco, Angels
63/Fernando Cabrera, Indians
64/Justin Duchscherer, Athletics
65/Braden Looper, Cardinals
66/Craig Hansen, Red Sox
67/Randy Messenger, Marlins
68/Fernando Rodney, Tigers
69/Travis Boyer, Marlins
70/Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
71/Kiko Calero, Athletics
72/Jesse Crain, Twins
73/Cla Meredith, Padres
74/Al Reyes, Devil Rays
75/Jose Capellan, Brewers
76/Vinny Chulk, Giants
77/Matt Belisle, Reds
78/Scott Proctor, Yankees
Downside: Middle relief dream seasons seldom repeat.
79/Jason Frasor, Blue Jays
80/David Riske, Royals