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Fantasy football season is just about over for most of you out there, but don't fret, fantasy baseball season is creeping closer, and we are here to help you win your leagues in 2015. I have been updating my 2015 position rankings throughout the offseason, and today I publish my Top 100 Starting Pitcher rankings. I have made a few changes to the rankings since my last SP rankings , including going 100 deep in my rankings from 75 the last time I published them.
In addition, I have made the following changes to my rankings:
Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy
I have moved up the Dodgers starters in my rankings after Andrew Friedman's series of trades at the Winter Meetings. Friedman has greatly improved the Dodgers defense through the trades he made for shortstop Jimmy Rollins, second baseman Howie Kendrick and catcher Yasmani Grandal. Add in the fact that the trade of Matt Kemp to the Padres rids the Dodgers of one of the worst fielding outfielders in baseball, and more than likely he will be replaced by top outfield prospect Joc Pederson. Pederson should play center field, so the Dodgers will have an improved defense up the middle, and their pitchers should benefit as a result.
Greinke moves up to #7, while Hyun Jin Ryu moves up to #22 and Brandon McCarthy moves up to #57. I didn't rank new Dodger starter Brett Anderson in my top 100 as he is very injury prone, but he could prove to be an excellent sleeper candidate on draft day.
Jon Lester
I moved Lester up to the #9 spot in my rankings, as I see him maintaining the dominance he showed in 2014. Lester signed with the Cubs for the next six seasons, and he should continue to be one of the best starters in the game, especially moving to the National League where he doesn't have to face a designated hitter four times per game.
Madison Bumgarner
I moved MadBum down a few spots to #13 in my rankings as I have some concerns that his workload in the playoffs may take a toll on his performance in 2015. I could be wrong here, but will play it conservative for now. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants take it easy with him in spring training, and in the early part of the 2015 season.
Gerrit Cole
I moved Cole into my top 20 starters as I think 2015 could be his breakout season, a season where we see him grow into an ace. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he is a top 10-12 starter in baseball this season, as he improved his strikeouts per nine last season, while maintaining a solid walk and ground ball rate.
Jake Arrieta
It took me awhile, but I am buying into the growth we saw from him in his breakout 2014 season. Arrieta pitched like an ace last season, striking out more than nine batters per nine, walking less than three per nine, and inducing ground balls at a 49% clip. I see him repeating his dominance in 2015.
Collin McHugh
McHugh came out of nowhere last season and probably helped many win their leagues in 2014. McHugh flew under the radar for most of the season, and that should hold true on draft day as well. He won 11 of his 25 starts, with a sub - 3.00 ERA, an ace-like WHIP, a K/9 over 9.00 and he limited the free pass as well. Can he repeat this in 2015? I would bet on it.
Let's take a look at my Top 100 Starting Pitcher rankings for 2015:
(Updated for Derek Holland, Wei-Yin Chen and Bud Norris)
Rank |
Name |
Team |
1 |
Clayton Kershaw |
Dodgers |
2 |
Felix Hernandez |
|
3 |
Chris Sale |
|
4 |
Corey Kluber |
|
5 |
Max Scherzer |
TBD |
6 |
Johnny Cueto |
|
7 |
Zack Greinke |
Dodgers |
8 |
Cole Hamels |
|
9 |
Jon Lester |
Cubs |
10 |
Stephen Strasburg |
|
11 |
David Price |
|
12 |
Jordan Zimmermann |
Nationals |
13 |
Madison Bumgarner |
Giants |
14 |
Yu Darvish |
|
15 |
Adam Wainwright |
|
16 |
Alex Cobb |
|
17 |
Garrett Richards |
|
18 |
Jeff Samardzija |
White Sox |
19 |
Gerrit Cole |
|
20 |
Jered Weaver |
Angels |
21 |
James Shields |
TBD |
22 |
Hyun-Jin Ryu |
Dodgers |
23 |
Mat Latos |
|
24 |
Hisashi Iwakuma |
Mariners |
25 |
Matt Harvey |
|
26 |
Jake Arrieta |
Cubs |
27 |
Sonny Gray |
|
28 |
Julio Teheran |
|
29 |
Jacob deGrom |
Mets |
30 |
Tyson Ross |
Padres |
31 |
Doug Fister |
Nationals |
32 |
Masahiro Tanaka |
|
33 |
Zack Wheeler |
Mets |
34 |
Collin McHugh |
|
35 |
Carlos Carrasco |
Indians |
36 |
Kevin Gausman |
|
37 |
Anibal Sanchez |
Tigers |
38 |
Alex Wood |
Braves |
39 |
Phil Hughes |
|
40 |
Marcus Stroman |
|
41 |
Lance Lynn |
Cardinals |
42 |
Yordano Ventura |
|
43 |
Andrew Cashner |
Padres |
44 |
Wily Peralta |
|
45 |
Dallas Keuchel |
Astros |
46 |
Michael Wacha |
Cardinals |
47 |
Chris Archer |
Rays |
48 |
Gio Gonzalez |
Nationals |
49 |
Tanner Roark |
Nationals |
50 |
Drew Smyly |
Rays |
51 |
Henderson Alvarez |
Marlins |
52 |
Michael Pineda |
Yankees |
53 |
Jose Quintana |
White Sox |
54 |
Scott Kazmir |
Athletics |
55 |
Yovani Gallardo |
Brewers |
56 |
Homer Bailey |
Reds |
57 |
Brandon McCarthy |
Dodgers |
58 |
Ian Kennedy |
Padres |
59 |
John Lackey |
Cardinals |
60 |
Kyle Lohse |
Brewers |
61 |
Rick Porcello |
|
62 |
Cliff Lee |
Phillies |
63 |
Shelby Miller |
Braves |
64 |
Danny Salazar |
Indians |
65 |
Mike Minor |
Braves |
66 |
Ervin Santana |
Twins |
67 |
Jake Peavy |
Giants |
68 |
Matt Cain |
Giants |
69 |
Mike Fiers |
Brewers |
70 |
Matt Shoemaker |
Angels |
71 |
Jose Fernandez |
Marlins |
72 |
Jon Niese |
Mets |
73 |
James Paxton |
Mariners |
74 |
Matt Garza |
Brewers |
75 |
Derek Holland |
Rangers |
76 |
Chris Tillman |
Orioles |
77 |
Jake Odorizzi |
Rays |
78 |
Mike Leake |
Reds |
79 |
Francisco Liriano |
Pirates |
80 |
Trevor Bauer |
Indians |
81 |
Danny Duffy |
Royals |
82 |
R.A. Dickey |
Blue Jays |
83 |
Jason Hammel |
Cubs |
84 |
Jarred Cosart |
Marlins |
85 |
T.J. House |
Indians |
86 |
Josh Collmenter |
|
87 |
Shane Greene |
Tigers |
88 |
Wade Miley |
Red Sox |
89 |
Jesse Hahn |
Athletics |
90 |
A.J. Burnett |
Pirates |
91 |
Bartolo Colon |
Mets |
92 |
Tim Hudson |
Giants |
93 |
Edinson Volquez |
Royals |
94 |
Justin Verlander |
Tigers |
94 |
Wei-Yin Chen |
Orioles |
95 |
Nathan Eovaldi |
Marlins |
96 |
Bud Norris |
Orioles |
97 |
Drew Hutchison |
Blue Jays |
98 |
Dan Haren |
Marlins |
99 |
Alfredo Simon |
Tigers |
100 |
Mark Buehrle |
Blue Jays |
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