We're #4! We're #4!

Wednesday, January 16 2008 @ 08:45 PM EST

Contributed by: Mick Doherty

The folks over at The Sporting News have noticed the nice little starting rotation the Jays have assembled. The current issue of TSN magazine boasts a two-page spread entitled "Focus on A.L.Rotations" that, among other things, ranks the league from 1-14. Let's take a look at some of the highlights of that story, which has the Jay quintet ranked fourth (you guessed that from the headline, right?), nestled between the #3 Angels and the #5 Tigers ...

Interesting tidbits:

Of the "Top 5 Starters" ranked in a sidebar item, Toronto's Doctor, Mr. Halladay, holds the #2 spot, behind only Johan Santana. Santana is the only one of the Top Five listed not in a rotation ranked among the league's four best -- the Twins are #8.
After Santana and Halladay, it's Beckett, Sabathia and Lackey, with Bedard, Carmona, Felix Hernandez, Verlander and Wang earning essentially "honorable mention" status. Of those 10, only Cleveland, your #1 ranked rotation, has more than one. Question: anyone missing?
TSN pegs the Jay rotation as Halladay, Burnett, McGowan, Marcum and Litsch. Question: does that sound right to you?
The AL overall ranked as follows:

How's that list look to everyone?

There is a separate two-page ranking for the NL, with -- no surprise -- the Webb-Haren-Unit D-Backs coming out on top, just ahead of the Peavy-Young-Maddux Padres; the "Scott Olsen is our ace" Marlins bear the brunt of holding up the league from the bottom of the list, just behind the Nats. It's weird to see the Braves squarely in the middle of the pack at #8, but that seems about right.

Additional thoughts? Comments? Complaints? Suggested revisions?

21 comments

https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20080116203032713